Read a book

A little psycho, but thought provoking. I hated the ending out of principle, not because it wasn't a happy ending. Otherwise, I would give it a try.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn - Random House

Idiosyncrasies

I tend to hate going to the restroom in public. Germs, germs, and more other people germs. If I think about it too much, I will try to hold it until I get home. Unfortunately, I don't have this luxury anymore now that I spend the majority of my day in a large four walled structure. Not to mention all the other people within that same structure sharing the same restroom.

As I get used to using the facilities, I've developed a pattern. A pattern that I didn't realize I developed until I couldn't quite complete the pattern. So the unidentified pattern was I would always go into the second stall of the restroom. There are four stalls and I always walk right in until one morning I couldn't. It was occupied. With this break in my pattern, I found myself motionless in front of the occupied stall. I had to make a decision stall #1 or stall #3. Stall #4 is the large handicap stall that I always feel guilty using so I avoid it at all costs. At this moment, I've probably spent too many seconds trying to make a decision. The occupant to the stall #2 probably is starting to get a little creeped out. I head for stall #1, but I realize the water is still running in the toilet and I know someone just used it (totally psychological, but germs are too fresh even if I use the seat covers) so I do a 180 and head for stall #3. After I realize what I've just done, I'm pretty sure that the stall #2 occupant has passed judgement on my behavior already. Oh well, I guess I get to be the water cooler talk for the week. Not the recognition I was looking for, but I can handle anything because I ran a marathon. I bet stall #2 occupant can't say that! Ha!

Have a great day and enjoy your stall #!

Continuous Improvement

As I get further into my new job, I'm learning more about my new company and other departments within my new company. So the other day I had a meeting with our CI department. Now if you are part of the corporate monkey world, you know this is known as Continuous Improvement or Lean. Basically, it's the department that encourages all employees to find more efficient and faster processes to improve on time within in their department or within the company. It can range from very simple improvements to massive overhaul improvements. Mostly small improvements come out of this program, but add up to majority of the improvements.

During this meeting, all I can think about is how I washed the bathtub while I was taking a shower in the morning because I don't have time to clean the bathroom all at once. Not exactly the image I want to share in a meeting full of people I work with. Capturing those small moments is the only way I can get things done these days.     

Bottomless Pit

I'm not sure this puppy is going to make it to one years old. When you put a rambunctious, energetic, non-stop gnawing-chomping-chewing puppy together with absentminded children that leave anything and everything laying around, basically you get a reduction in puppy years.

 As you can see, she is very cute, adorable and innocent. The Handyman has taken it upon himself to loosen the restrictions of where the puppy can go by taking the baby gates down.This hasn't helped the situation since she now has access to more stuff. She loves pencils not exactly sure how many she has consumed, lead and all. It must be a wood thing because she devours sticks, pine cones and occasionally she gnaws on the bottom edge of the cabinets (weird). I am going to change her dog food as soon as I run out of the current bag. Supposedly this will help with the wood issue.

Soccer Season has Finally Started

What an awesome start to our Spring soccer season. A new team for Child #2 and Child #3. I play both kids on the same team because I don't want to have to deal with three separate soccer schedules. Since Child #2 and Child #3 are only a year apart, the clubs allow my youngest to play up one level. To be honest, she belongs playing up one level.

Due to some poor planning, disorganization, and over crowding with our city's soccer club, we decided to jump to the soccer club next door. It was the best decision ever. Both of my kids get more playing time and all of her teammates are strong soccer players. The best part of this whole thing is Child #3, my baby, just scored her first soccer goal. Her foot control and power skyrocketed this season. She is one quick and agile firecracker. To put the icing on the cake, Child #2 scored two goals. Her second goal was a line drive, in the air, to the right corner of the goal. The perfect sweet spot. 

I was so proud of the girls that I didn't realize until half way through the game that me and another mom were the only ones cheering loudly and maybe a tad bit excessive for the team (it was all extremely positive, just a little loud). This group of team parents might be a little more subdued than what we are use to. Oh well. We'll see how it goes on Friday. We're actually playing the team we just left so it should be an interesting game. To be continued... 

Another Check on the Bucket List

Today I'm learning to appreciate the small things we all take for granted on a daily basis. Things like sitting down on a toilet or trying to get up from the sitting position on the toilet or trying to walk down stairs. These things are very simple every day tasks that I'm pretty sure most of you don't even give a second thought to doing everyday. After running my first and only marathon yesterday, I've discovered many different muscles and joints I never knew I had. Though I woke up this morning sore (like I jumped from a twenty foot building and landed smack on the concrete sore), but I found myself penguin walking faster than I did yesterday.

Last year I did a half marathon and thought that was torturous, but I've now since changed my mind. The half marathon is a cinch compared to the 26.2 mile marathon. As I started out yesterday, I was running strong. My first thirteen miles were actually pretty good. I was averaging eight and half minute miles, but then I hit that 13th mile and I knew I wasn't going to be able to keep up with my pace. My total time on the 26.2 miles was 4 hours and 47 minutes. Calculating that out for you, I did the first half under 2 hours and the second half in 2 hours and 47 minutes.

The 13th mile marker was the hardest mentally to get through because all I could think about was I was only half done. So I dug my heals in and kept imagining the next mile. Each mile, I picked off slower and slower, but I was getting through it. By mile marker 20, my body was starting to reject this whole escapade. My feet were on fire not to mention bone crushing pain along with my hamstrings and calves were starting to tighten. I don't know how these people who run several marathons in a year or in a lifetime do it. Our bodies were not meant to run 26.2 miles at once. I was loosing energy. I needed something. Normally, I don't like drinking Gatorade during any sport activity. It usually makes my stomach upset and I tend to feel worse than before, but I had to do something. So at the water stations, I chugged a cup of water and then a cup of Gatorade then chased it down with another cup of water (with the back half of the marathon I walked through the water stations to be able to drink all this hence the longer time). I have to say the extra sugar helped. The venue was also offering these gel packs (sugar induced gel to help with energy). I tried a taste and that almost made me vomit. I will never do that again. I was running next to a guy who jumped off the route for a second and grabbed a plastic bag next to a tree. He had pre-placed a banana on the route. Now that was smart. I would've definitely taken a banana over that gel pack.

With all this water and Gatorade drinking, I never used the bathroom facilities the entire run. Which reminds me of the funniest poster sign a spectator held up during the whole run (this was around mile marker 15, the route took us back through some dirt roads and wooded areas, not as many port-a-johns available) was "Don't you wished you took a Dump before?" I thought it was funny because a lot of people do have go once they start running. I was fortunate not to have this problem.

Anyway, after mile marker 20, I tried to run through the pain, but I found myself walking more and more between each mile. Once I hit mile marker 25, I ran the rest of the way in at a very slow pace, but I did it. That last mile was the most torturous of them all and felt like the longest. I was ready to cry when I finally saw the finish line.   

After crossing the finish line I wanted to collapse and curl up in the fetus position, but I knew I had to keep walking. I still had to stretch, collect my stuff, eat something, and walk to my car. This presented a challenge since I could barely walk.

All in all, I accomplished something not everyone can do and all before I turn 36 years old this month. I'll be happy to run a half marathon anytime after this experience. Now onto allowing my poor body to heal. I have to get ready for Tough Mudder (the 10 mile Army inspired obstacle course challenge) in September. The Handyman will be joining me for this event.