Day 13 - Somewhere over the rainbow

Still on my 30-Day Challenge jaunt....

Day 13 - Somewhere you would like to move or visit.

My parents, sisters, and brothers-in-law reside in Houston.  I speak to my brother practically every day and see him and my sister-in-law at least 4 times throughout the year, so despite the fact they live in the Los Angeles area, I've gotten used to them not living in the same city/state.  In other words....I'm not moving.

My parents do speak of purchasing a vacation home somewhere beachy - that rings pleasant in my ears.  That means I would have some place to vacation on the cheap.  I like that.

I have been very blessed in all of my 34 years in that I've been able to travel throughout Europe visiting the following countries:  England, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Ireland, and France.

I've also been able to lay my laziness upon awesome beaches in San Juan (Puerto Rico), St. Martin, St. Thomas, The Bahamas, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Cancun, Grand Cayman, and Montego Bay (Jamaica).

As far as where I would like to visit....hmmmm...I always seem to get divided between tropical paradise and Europe.  Tropical paradise means I get to be relatively lazy - enjoy the sound of the ocean, the feel of the sand beneath my feet, the heat of the sun beating down on me with a nice cool drink in my hand.  European vacations mean I get to explore and roam ancient cities and cultures.  It's fascinating, BUT it's a working vacation.  It means waking up at the crack of dawn and sight-seeing all day long until I'm so tuckered out from the day that I crash and burn that night.  It's also significantly more expensive to do the whole European thing - especially to stay in the same luxurious accomodations you can stay in tropical paradise for such a lower price.

Then again, there are places in America that I've not yet traveled to or through.

So, here is my list in no particular order of all the places I would love to go (that I've yet to see):

US Cities
Boston
San Francisco
Seattle

Tropical Paradise
Hawaii
Costa Rica
The Dominican Republic

Europe
Greece
Scotland


*Side note:  I think it would be awesome to go to Australia and/or New Zealand, but the length of the flight is a HUGE deterent.

Where would YOU like to go?

Day 12 - a day in the life

It's been a while since I've hit up my 30 day challenge.  This is a boring one (so sorry).

Day 12 - Bullet your whole day.

* Wake up
* Put dogs out
* Feed dogs
* Put dogs out again
* Take thyroid pill
* Shower
* Put make-up on
* Blow-dry hair
* Get dressed
* Put dogs in their respective rightful places
* Take 9 kinds of other medications in an attempt to get rid of my dog bark / phlegm factory
* Drive to work
* Morning meeting with my dudes
* Dispatch my dudes
* Respond to emails / calls
* Eat my oatmeal (YUM)
* Do my job
* Go to lunch / Run errands
* Respond to emails / calls
* Do my job
* Drive home
* Let dogs out
* Feed & water dogs
* Water lawn
* Let dogs out again
* Play on the computer
* Go for a pathetic 2 mile run/walk (lungs bursting due to dog bark of a cough)
* Shower
* Throw back some dinner
* Go to Andy's house to watch TV
* Come home and let dogs out for final time
* Go to bed

Exciting life I lead, eh?

and then sickness happened...

I was supposed to run the Tomball Bunny Run 5K on Saturday.  I was hoping to get a new PR with this race since I PR'd this 5K last year.  Then sickness happened.

As I last posted, I had some weird side pains going on and went to my doctor on Monday.  She determined it was muscle strain and prescribed muscle relaxers and anti-inflammatory pills.  Then Tuesday evening I just started feeling blah...all chest congestion-y and whatnot, so I went to the store and bought some Mucinex and prayed that would kill it dead.  By Thursday, I still felt crappy and my cough sounded similar to a dog barking, so I decided I needed to go back to the doctor.  I didn't want to go all the way back to my doctor because it takes so long to see her with drive time and waiting time and all that jazz, so I went with Plan B.

With the parentals being on vacation, I had to go home during lunch to let their beloved Oliver out midway through the day, I decided to go to the Ready-Clinic outside the H.E.B. near my house.  Let's hear it for the rent-a-doctor who basically diagnosed me by asking me a series of questions on his computer and checking the boxes when I replied "yes".  Um...I'm pretty sure I could have done this on WebMD.  He concluded that he didn't think I had the flu.  I knew I didn't have the flu.  Once you have it as an adult, you remember it too well.  I explained to him that I needed to be better by Saturday for my race.  He told me to stick with the Mucinex and then to add Flonase.  Why he didn't give me a cough syrup, I have no idea.  Why he didn't give me some kind of antibiotic (especially considering I was running a slight fever), I have no idea.  All I know is that come Saturday, I was not better.

I was not able to run my Bunny Run.  I was not able to meet MayRay in the City as she ran her first 5K or be there when Lauren PR'd (again).  I was not able to attempt a PR of my own.  I am sad.

This also puts me behind in my own training for my two half marathons I have coming up in rapid succession.  Le Sigh.  I'm still forming my game plan, though, don't you worry.  I'm gonna kick this sickness to the curb.  I am.

In other news, I am dating the sweetest guy EVER.  He knew that my Delilah kept escaping from my yard because the back gate was cut on an angle, so he built me a new back gate over the weekend.  He also replaced some broken fence slats and put down some stuff to make my grass green (once I promised to water it).  =D  I'm not used to such niceness.  I like it.

Hope you all had a lovely weekend and that you stay allergy/illness free!

a pain in my side

I had the worst night's sleep EVER Sunday night.  Well...I've had other sleepless/restless nights, but I guess when it's the most current one that is so fresh on the brain it seems like the "worst one EVER". 

I got home (mind you that "home" means my parent's house this week) from a date around 11pm.  I would have felt awfully guilty forcing the dogs to go to bed right away considering they were just sleeping prior to my homecoming, so I let them frolick and play for a bit before calling it a night.  We probably hit the hay just after midnight and then enter tossing and turning from stage left.  First of all, the dogs had to do their territorial bickering over who got to be the closest to me.  You would think this would give me the warm fuzzies, but really it just made me angry.  I was at the point where I would have just preferred one of them pee on me to claim me as their own so we could call it a night - honestly.  Sheesh.  Finally we were positioned just right so that THEY were comfortable.  I was not, but in all fairness it had nothing to do with them.  More on that in just a bit.  Then, Penelope woke me around 3:45am having to go to the bathroom, so all dogs went outside.  Dear sweet loveable Penelope woke me again at 4:15am to go to the bathroom AGAIN, so all dogs went outside.  Me thinks Penelope was having some issues.  I finally fell back asleep just to be awakened at 5:08am by one of my employees.  No worries - he was thoroughly yelled at.  Apparently the two of us have differing opinions about what constitutes an emergency.  I assure you...the reason behind his call was not one.  I gave up any and all hope for sleep and started my day.

For the past few days I've been harboring a secret pain.  My right side hurts -  more specifically it's my rib cage area.  It's not debilitating or anything remotely along those dramatic lines.  It mostly only hurts when I turn to the right, cough, breath out deeply, or touch it.  It still isn't normal and so I've been kind of worried.  Crazy thoughts have been filling my overactive imagination - liver issues?  gall bladder?  appendix?  lungs?  I had no idea what to make of it.  I decided to be a big girl yesterday and go to the doctor.

She wanted to rule out obvious big ticket items, so she ran a few tests and took some chest x-rays.  Everything came back as normal.  Based on me telling her of my side stitches as of late with my running - specifically with the half marathon and based on the fact that I've been really working on the use of my arm swing during my runs, my doctor has determined that it's a muscle strain with delayed muscle soreness.  I was prescribed an anti-inflammatory, a muscle relaxer, and rest.  So much for my PR hopes on Saturday...rar.

On a side note - the muscle relaxer's instructions say to take it 3x a day.  Who could possibly take a muscle relaxer while working and still manage to be fuctional?  Surely not I.  Last night it was totally like this:

Muscle Relaxer 1
Kimpossible 0

I crashed turbo fast after taking my pill.  I will say that I do feel better already, so I hope this is an indication of healing and I will be back in the swing of things in no time!

Day 11 - Shuffle the iPod

If you are just tuning in, I'm participating in the 30 Day Challenge, only at a snail's pace.  I'm 1/3 of the way through....

Day 11 - Put your iPod on shuffle and write 10 songs that pop up.

1.  You Are the Best Thing - Ray LaMontagne

2.  Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinead O'Connor

3.  The Old Rugged Cross - Brad Paisley

4.  Poker Face - Lady Gaga

5.  Hey There Delilah - Plain White T's
the song that provided me with the inspiration to name my dog Delilah

6.  Sexyback - Justin Timberlake

7.  She's Everything - Brad Paisley
the song I wake up to every morning - this is the kind of love I dream to have some day

8.  Low - Flo Rida (feat. T-Pain)
ironically this was my finishing song to both of my half marathons last year - weird.

9.  Bartender Song - Rehab

10.  Dust in the Wind - Kansas

I think you will note that I have a pretty eclectic taste of music.  Some of my favorites didn't even make an appearance - Jason Mraz, Adele, Amy Winehouse, Michael Buble, etc.

Music makes the people come together, yo.

What are some of your faves?

Happy April!

No jokes today because I'm not sneaky enough to pull them off.  My smile/smirk gives me away every time.  tsk tsk...

So, I bought a new car this week.  Yeah, that's kind of a big deal.  I mean besides a house it's the most expensive thing a person buys...or at least this person.  It's my second car purchase...I'm practically an old pro.  I wheeled and dealed my way into a 2011 Chevy Traverse 2LT.  Her name is Ruby.  Do you like?

In other news, I found out I will not be able to participate in the 2012 Houston Chevron Marathon as I will be attending my cousin's wedding in Springfield, IL that weekend.  Family is very important to my family, so I know that I belong at the wedding.  This means that I will be changing my registration for The Woodlands half marathon to the full marathon.  This gives me 6 more weeks to train and an extra hour to complete the race (as compared to Houston).  A win/win situation, perhaps?

So, what's in store for April?  The parentals leave for vacation tomorrow which means I will be pulling dog duty at their house for an entire week.  Perhaps this go-around I will actually take advantage of their home gym.  Yes?

I have the Tomball Bunny Run 5K on April 9th.  This is my second repeat race for the year and my second 5K for the year.  Consequently, last year's run gave me my current PR.  I'm hoping to outdo myself and PR-it again.  It's possible cuz I am KIMpossible.  yeah...and a total cheeseball, clearly.  Lauren and Meredith are going to be running their hearts out with me.  Who else is in?

Later that night, I have a date to the Rocket's Game (and killer seats, I might add)!

On April 20th, my brother and sister-in-law are coming into town to celebrate Easter.  I was thinking I was going to be an only child that day as both of my sisters are abandoning the family on Easter in favor of their stupid tropical vacations, but I'm not bitter or anything.  I haven't seen Eddie and April since Thanksgiving, so I am excited about their visit!

On April 23rd, I will run my 2nd half marathon for the year - The Hippity Roc Half in Cypress, TX.  If I get my lazy booty into gear and if it isn't too hot out there, who knows, perhaps another PR?  I'm on a roll here!

Of course, we know that April 24th is Easter AND it's my double cousin Danielle's birthday - 17 - ye gads.

Last, but not least, I leave out on April 30th for my vacation.

What big plans are in store for YOU this month?

Day 10 - First Kiss / First Love

Just whipping through the list of my 30 Day Challenge...


Day 10 - Discuss your fist love and your first kiss

As I mentioned in my 30 Interesting Facts post (Day 06), I was 22 when I had my first kiss.  That was a bit late in life, eh?  Having been a late-lifer in that area, I wish I could say there was some great romantical story to go along with that kiss, but...eh...not so much.  I met JonathAn...or was it JonathOn (roommate and friend Laura questioned him at the time and I honestly don't recall his answer) on a Friday night maybe sometime in March of my senior year.  He was the 24 year old older brother of one of our neighbors visiting for the weekend.  Laura's boyfriend at the time lived in Houston and arrived pretty late to come up and visit for the weekend.  I had hostessed a dinner party earlier in the evening, serving lasagna, but I didn't use enough sauce.  I made some extra for the side, but sadly the extra sauce was depleted by the time Brian arrived.  I did what I always have done - played defense so that I wouldn't be offended.  This means I went ahead and apologized while serving Brian for the dry lasagna.  Once he was done eating it, he thanked me and said, "you were right."  I said, "huh?"  He answered, "it was a bit dry."  JERK.  That was unnecessary and it hurt my feelings.  I went outside to pout and there entered Jonathan.  He asked for a piece of the infamous lasagna and told me it was perfect.  The next night I may or may not have consumed WAY too much alcohol when a group of us went out to a nearby bar.  No worries, Brian was our designated driver.  After we left the bar, we went to Walmart to get ice cream.  I brought Jonathan some ice cream (apparently I liked to feed him) and one thing lead to another and I totally made out with him.  First kiss.

and that had to hold me over until my second kiss which wasn't until 7 years later with the guy who became my first love....

Did you read my Religion post (Day 04)?  If so, I mentioned this bad news bear.

Basically, I was a 29 year old girl who had the experience of a 16 year old girl (or younger).  By that time, I was desperate to fall in love and I was quick to do so without regard for my own well-being.  Warning signs were ignored not because I didn't see them or because I was ignorant or even because I didn't know better, but rather because I excused them away and somehow made them okay.  I needed the things he did or said to be okay because I needed him.  or...at least I thought I did.  So many times I told myself to walk away (I should have run), but I couldn't.  He was my drug.  I was on a daily emotional roller coaster with him - anxiety and depression flooding my very being.  I craved the sweet side of him and whenever I caught a glimpse of that guy, it held me over through the mean and ugly side of him (which definitely occurred more often).  He was a Dr. Jeckyl / Mr. Hyde and as our relationship progressed, so did his mood swings.

I kept a journal of sorts while dating him.  I finally deleted the journal last week (see here).  This was 3+ years after the relationship ended one of the worst ways a relationship can possibly end.  I liked to torture myself periodically by reading the entries of this journal and seeing how pathetic I was for nearly 2 years of my life.  I decided to forgive myself last week and move on.  I cannot change the past, but I can learn from it.  It was an abusive relationship that forced me to learn an emotionally expensive lesson.  First love.