~tuesday randomness~

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~I ran 3.52 miles last night and am SOOOO happy to report that I had NO shin splint pain. Woohoo!! It took me 42 minutes, but that's ok. I added a few more sprints in there and I'm hoping that come Friday, that will help me. I'm also banking on the atmosphere and adrenaline kicking in and keeping me running for longer and setting a new PR. *crossing fingers* I'm resting tonight and running again on Wednesday and then rest on Thursday in prep for the race.

~3.52 is my longest run so far. I know it's really not *that* long, but for me it is....and it's hard to take up more time on the treadmill while O does a half-assed job of watching E (another story for another day). So I guess in order to run more miles, I'm going to have to up my speed, which I'm hoping happens naturally. I've already increased my speed somewhat from when I started. I also signed up for another 5k race today. It will be held on 8.29.09.

~Staying on the running topic (sorry if you aren't interested) but that Nike+ gadget is the world's best little toy to get someone running and help them stay motivated. It works for me anyway. The Nike website has fun little challenges and goals you can set for yourself. When I first purchased this little contraption, I set a goal of 40 miles in 4 weeks and I just met that goal yesterday, in less than 4 weeks. So now I set a new one of 60 miles in 4 weeks. I also joined 2 challenges: 50 miles in July and Summer Running (which I'm currently in 8th place) I don't expect to win either, but it's still fun. I am starting to feel the need to purchase (wishful thinking) a GPS watch, although I'll wait 'til I am further along in my running to get one.

~I'm slacking a bit on the Te Amo Tuesday thing. I enjoy putting those together but I struggle to come up with a theme for each week. How about you start requesting a theme and then I'll put the lesson together? That way at least I know you are getting information that you actually WANT.

~I found a TON of awesome running blogs last night, women who are more closely in line with my running level, well and some way ahead of me too. So exciting. I can share the links if you are interested. Just let me know.

~Speaking of blogs. For those who are new here, I had 2 previous blogs, both of which I (impulsively) deleted due to nasty commenters and getting upset about them since I have a tendency to be a mush. Well, anyway, I started researching whether they are truly deleted and am trying to find a way to "re-vive" them. I would really love to have all those posts back, I'm talking all the way back to 2004. So far everything I've found on Blogger and related blog sites has not worked. BooHoo! Apparently none of my posts were ever indexed via Google, so I am unable to pull them that way. I have a note into Blogger to see if they really and truly are gone forever...waiting on their reply. I'm losing hope. :( If you know of any tricks, please do let me know.

~And because just about everyone has mentioned Michael Jackson on their blog. Here is my two cents. He was a mega-freak and I don't care how good his music was/is. Yes, I had a poster of him in my room when I was, oh I dunno 10 years old maybe, but for me his freakiness trumps his music. I'm sick of hearing about it in the news. Moving on...

~the best news all week. I'm playing 'hooky' tomorrow. Yep, calling in sick. Shhhh, don't tell!! Class starts back up next week and so I'll need to work all the hours I can then, so this is my last chance 'til August to take a little mental-health break. E and I are planning to go play @ this fun little kids gym (not the Little Gym) at 10:30am. After that, we may hit up ChickFila and then home for a nap. :)

~and since this is a randomness post...why do they fill up those fruit cups so full that when you take the plastic top off, the juice inevitably spills out? It's just as annoying as the 'exploding' yogurt containers too. Ugh!

Sweetsauer Photo Hunt-My Results=FAIL

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1. A View from Above (looking down)
2. A Macro Shot
3. Laughter
4. Relaxation
5. A Celebration
6. A Sunset
7. Sun/Lens Flare
8. A Bridge
9. A Shadow
10. A Garden
11. A Park

12. A Street Scene
13. Signage
14. A Summer Activity
15. A Summer Treat
16. Earth
17. Air/ Wind
18. Fire
19. Water
20. Something Vintage (pre-1980)
21. Something Made of Glass


22. Something Made of Wood
23. Something that Floats
24. Something Railroad Related
25. Something Round





Yeah, I'm not very good at photo challenges apparently...

running is all I can think about

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~so my 1st 5k race since Dec 3, 2006 is this Friday night @ 9pm. It's also the first night race I've done.

~i'm slightly nervous mostly because i've been suffering from some crazy shin splits in my left leg. a hard-core runner friend of mine told me to rest Sat & Sun, so I did. Now I feel like a blob and cannot wait to get back on the treadmill tonight. I sure hope it's not a difficult run, but I suspect that it may be.

~i have been doing all of my runs at a 1% incline as I read that it would make transitioning to outdoor running a bit easier. I then recently read that those who train on slanted surfaces are more susceptible to shin splits. So there ya' have it...I'm no longer running at a 1% incline. Sadly, my last run was really not that much easier w/o the incline and I was really hoping it would be. *sigh* And I still had shin split pain during the run.

~so of the seven 5k races that I've done (all in 2005 & 2006), my PR is 35:11. Yes, I'm a slow runner. I really, really, really want to beat that on Friday, but I'm thinking that may be an unrealistic goal. Regardless I will certainly shoot for beating it and try really hard to NOT be upset if I don't make it. This is definitely the hardest (most consistently) I've 'trained' and now I sort of feel side-lined a bit with the shin split pain.

~I was blog-surfing on Sunday night and browsing a bunch of runner's blogs...well, it seems that ALL of the ones I was finding are people who have done 8 gazillion marathons already and are far, far ahead of me in the running world. I even found a gal (with pictures) who did the WDW 1/2 and full marathon (Goofy Challenge) back in 2008 as well as the Tower of Terror 13K....I was green with envy. I want to be there and I DOUBT myself DAILY that I'll ever get *that* good at running! I wish I had unlimited funds so I could do this race in the Fall. How fun would that be?!?!

~It's rather disheartening to read about all these people who have such a talent for running or that the running just seems to come so easy for them. I would love to be able to do races all the time and maybe someday I'll get there (hey, that sounds familiar) but for now I'm stuck with just 5k races and there are only two during the month of July in the immediate area. Boo!

~If you know of any blogs of beginner-runners...please send them my way.

~I'm also taking suggestions for pre-race preparation. I plan to eat a VERY lite dinner which will include a banana & maybe some Gatorade. I think my last run prior to the race will be on Wednesday night. What do you think? Sound good?

20 Questions

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Here is another installment of 20 Questions, kindly swiped from Dawn's Blog.

1. What is your favorite physical characteristic in the opposite sex?
probably the smile, but honestly I haven't paid much attention to that stuff lately.

2. What is the first TV show you remember watching as a child?
Emergency 51. I watched it with my grandma & grandpa whenever I was at their house. I have very clear memories of these times. They were great.

3. What is your favorite quotable line from a movie?
I'm going to settle for this quote from Sex & The City by Carrie: "I'm looking for love. Real love. Ridiculous, inconvenient, consuming, can't-live-without-each-other love. And I don't think that love is here in this expensive suite in this lovely hotel in Paris." But my all-time fave SATC quote is actually by Miranda but I could not find it...it's the one where she says something like "why do single women get stuck with labels like spinster & old maid while men are playboys and...." That is my favorite quote, because it's so freakin' true and unbelievably unfair!

4. What is your favorite kind of sandwich?
Really depends on my mood. I usually go with turkey & cheese, but sometimes there is nothing better than a PB&J with crunchy PB. Yum!!

5. How old were you when you got your first kiss?
Apparently really young because I do not recall anything about it. Must not have been very exciting.

6. I don't understand:
how anyone could ever intentionally harm a child. (swiped Dawn's answer here)

7. Your opinion about love at first sight:
i'm not sure I even believe in love at this point, let alone love at first sight.

8. How does it make you feel when you hear people argue?
depends on who the people are.

9. Have you ever fallen for someone who turned out to be nothing like they seemed?
um. yes.

10. Do you mind sharing the food that is on your plate with someone?
depends on who I'm sharing with. lately I share alot of my food with E and I don't mind.

11. Somewhere, somebody is asking him- or herself whatever happened to you. Who is it?
Not sure. I'm on FB, so they can't have looked very hard.

12. How did your car get that little scratch/dent?
If you are referring to the one on the rear bumper, you can find the explanation HERE.

13. Would you rather get up early or sleep in?
At this point in my life, I would really like to sleep in, although pre-baby I was always one to rise-n-shine quite early. I like getting a jump on the day.

14. Last person to leave you a comment?
Heather is the last person to have left me a comment.

15. Who out of your friends has the next birthday coming up?
Um. I don't know. Let me go look. If it's you, then let me know.

16. What is your favorite Disney movie?
Oh, that's a difficult one, but I'm leaning towards Toy Story. Did you know Toy Story 3 comes out next Summer!?! I also really enjoyed UP.

17. In what position do you sleep?
currently both sides & my back get equal play. I've been struggling to find a comfortable position lately.

18. How long does it take you to get out of bed in the morning?
only a few minutes since I typically wait until the very last minute to get moving.

19. What do you have for a ring tone?
"Something More" by Sugarland.

20. What scent is the air freshener in your bathroom?
"Freesia" by Pottery Barn.

my work space - or lack thereof

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This post is inspired by Fidgeting Gidget's Views from my Desk. I thought it was a great post idea to show you my lame, sad & pathetic very NON-ergonomic, 1970s style work space. Please don't laugh too hard.


The first picture is taken from the doorway into my office. It's a tiny rectangular shaped office, please don't drool as you admire all that gorgeous, not-so modern furniture.

One thing that annoys the crap outta me, ok, wait, there are 2 things actually...the first one is the size of my desk...who in the hell ever thought that a desk that is ONLY 20 INCHES deep (yes, I measured it) would be sufficient space? Must have been a man.
Note how the trashcan is nearly in the middle of the room - there is NO where to put it so it's both out of the way, yes accessible. Instead it's a nice big, brown, metal eyesore.

The second thing...look at the monstrous size of my desk chair!! WTH? Most would probably LOVE this, however I do not. It does not even fit in the space the desk allows for and I never get to sit back and actually enjoy any comfort it may provide because of the gross non-ergonomic state of my office. I have to sit on the edge of the chair just to be able to type. I moved the keyboard from the pull-out drawer in front because it was too low and I kept having to move the chair in order to type - completely annoying. Now it's on the desk and well, I prefer it there, but it is too high.
So, as you'll see, not a very exciting office. rather dull actually. I try to keep things nice and neat...I'm OCD like that. Note the very large AKA Route 44 Diet Dr Pepper from Sonic. I usually only get the Large size, but had a coupon for a FREE Route 44, so there you have it. I was not able to finish it though before it got crazy watered down. blech!
I love my little "inspirational" sign that says "you are like no other" - I thought it would be a great addition especially since I meet with undergraduate students on a regular basis...hopefully it would inspire "someone" - well, so far no one has said ANYTHING about it. Maybe they've seen it but just not mentioned anything. Anyway, I love it and I got it on Etsy.
And this last pic is of the lovely view I have from my desk...the ladies bathroom. There are pros and cons to this location. PRO-I always know when it's occupied and don't 'waste' a trip walking there only to have to wait. PRO-I know who DOESN'T WASH THEIR HANDS and therefore know to NEVER ever shake hands with them. EVER! Con-constant flushing in the background, although I've started to block this out. CON-odor. need I say more?
I hope you enjoyed the virtual tour of my office.

can't won't shouldn't

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These posts seem to be going around the blogosphere lately and in my severe lack of (non-depressing) blogging material, I decided to swipe it from Moonjava's Muse and do my own (although her and I have a lot in common).

I can't...
do sit-ups
always be optimistic or even cheerful (it's just not in me, more so lately)
fake being nice to someone that i just don't like
braid hair-thank goodness I have a little boy and NOT a little girl-->her hair would be a mess otherwise
run much more than one mile without stopping to walk

but I can...
speak another language
spend copious amounts of time on the computer i.e. blogging & reading blogs
pick out really cute boy clothes
adequately function on 5 or less hours of sleep over an extended period of time

I won't...
eat raw fish
stick around if you treat me like crap
ever stop eating @ ChickFila
listen to rap music

but I will...
get to WDW one of these days (soon)
try to keep in touch no matter where I'm at
make time for family and friends
run a half marathon, and maybe walk some if I have to

I shouldn't...
be so pessimistic
take criticism personally
hold emotions in
swear
be so hard on myself

and I should...
take more time for myself
be proud of my accomplishments
be more patient (with everyone & everything)

my 1st guest post

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~happy wednesday to you.

~i'm no longer a virgin to the guest post world. i'm guest posting today over at The Audacity of the Optimistic Pessimist while she is off enjoying the week in the Outer Banks.

~so head over there and read my post about a vacation disaster I experienced a few years ago.

5 more questions

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Yay! I got 5 more questions...this time from Extranjera... I've been really busy @ home with E this week, so these questions have come in so very handy. Hope you enjoy the reading. If you want me to send you 5 questions, just ask.

1. being able to run like the wind or having hubby do most of the chores?
Ohhh, this is an easy one. Run like the wind, for sure. I would love to experience the feeling of accomplishing a marathon or in the very least (and probably more likely) a half marathon and honestly, on most days I don't think I'll accomplish either. My body was just not made for running, but I'll keep trying. I'm determined right now. Oh and I already do 90% of the chores here, so give me the other 10% and please let me run like the wind.

2. In the classic 90210 which character do you identify most with and why?
Ummm...would you believe I have never ever watched a single episode of that show? Truth.

3. Three items you simply cannot live without? No matter what.
internet, of course. deodorant. my iPod touch.

4. Biggest challenge you have faced so far?
I think I'm in the midst of it right now. in combination with marriage I would have to say it was losing my job last year thru NO fault of my own (not a layoff either) and with E being only 12 wks old and me being the primary breadwinner. I've never been one to sue people or businesses, but I'm now involved in a lawsuit over the whole job situation that went down. the challenge(s) have primarily been financial as a result, but I would be the first one to confirm the fact that 90% of arguments between married people revolve around finances...of course this would be only when there aren't enough financial resources to go around. Who argues when there's too much money? LOL!!

5. Your proudest moment?
Well, there is always the standard "when my son was born" but I never understood when moms would say this...the baby has to come out somehow and what exactly made them proud? That they pushed him/her out? I dunno. I can't claim that anyway since E arrived via C-section. Very little work on my part. None, in fact. So anyway, I guess it would have to be when I returned from my year-long volunteer stint living in an orphanage in super-rural Mexico with no other English language speakers. There were countless times that I wanted to go home early, in fact, I had my mom change my flight three times. I also racked up an $800 phone bill calling home crying many rivers. Mom wasn't so happy about that one. So the fact that I finally adjusted and eventually even LIKED being there and fulfilled the entire year committment (July 23, 1995 through July 22, 1996) makes me feel quite proud. Oh and I learned to speak Spanish while I was there too, which was my own personal goal.

speechless

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Yep, I'm speechless because I don't like to give speeches, so instead I'll just say THANK YOU to Mrs. C for passing this award on to me.

Apparently this award is bestowed on to blogs that are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

So the 8 bloggers I choose to pass this on to are:

1) Dawn - has to have the #1 spot because she is the blog friend I have known the longest and I cherish our friendship dearly. :) Now if I could only get to FL!!!

2) Extranjera - she's friendly & her blog is a RIOT to read. Check her out!!

3) Senorita Andaluciana - has lived in a US/Mexico border town AND speaks Spanish. No further explanation needed.

4) Jessi - she told me about the Nike+ gadget which in turn has motivated me 10-fold with regards to running. Thank you!

5) The Optimistic Pessimist - I see a great friendship forming here.

6) If It's a Hero That You Want, I Can Save You - a fellow runner, although side-lined temporarily...I know she'll be back and we'll be motivating each other to keep on running!

7) More Than Me - Emily, a fellow new mom and her blog posts are wonderful and keep me coming back! Hopefully she'll move back to FL in time for my future visit there.

8) Brandi at Living & Loving in Tampa - not only a great blogging friend, but a great Twitter-er as well. Hope she's STILL in FL when I make it down there.

I would also like to thank Fidgeting Gidget for the following award. There are no rules or requirements on this one, so it's just there to look pretty!! :)

You gals are just TOO generous!! Thank you for thinking of me.

5 questions

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Fidgeting Gidget, Extranjera and many others have been playing a little game and I wanted to play along. This game works as follows: I went to her blog and read her five questions, and then after commenting and telling her that I'd like to play along, she kindly sent me some questions to answer. Here are the questions that she sent to me, and my answers.


What is your favorite Disney Park and why?
Oh, this is a difficult one because there is SO much to enjoy at each of the parks. First, I can only speak about Walt Disney WORLD as I am not as familiar with Disneyland. I think I will have to go with the Magic Kingdom, well, because it is THE Kingdom!! Cinderella's castle, parades & so so so much to see. I feel like I don't know enough about Animal Kingdom as I've only been there one time and that was 9 years ago already. Epcot has SOOO much to offer as well...I especially love eating in Mexico (of course) and then there is the Test Track ride. Yay. And then what about Hollywood Studios...the Rock n Roller Coaster is THE BEST!! Well, I will have to stick with my choice of the Magic Kingdom as my favorite, but that is subject to change upon my next visit to WDW. Oh and you better believe that if I lived closer to Orlando or happen to come in to some money, I WILL BE driving my fanny down there for my birthday, which happens to fall on a Sunday and I will get into the park(s) for FREE!!!!

What would your dream job be?
You would think I would have an answer to this one @ the drop of a hat. but I don't. I always like Dawn's answer of WDW Park Tour Guide...but that's hers and I can't steal it...so I'm going to have to go with Dolphin & Killer Whale Trainer...you know, like @ Sea World. Years before I was ready for college I had wanted to study Marine Biology, well as soon as I realized how many Biology classes I'd have to take and how many animals I'd likely have to dissect, I changed my mind pretty quickly. I cannot handle that part. Why can't I just be the person to dive off of Shamu's nose?? That's all I really want to do. Heck, I'll even feed them and clean their tanks too, I just can't handle the blood & guts stuff. I really just need to move and go get a job @ Discovery Cove or at least visit and do the Trainer for a Day package.

Would you rather climb Mount Everest or do an expedition through the Sahara Desert?

I'd definitely take the Sahara Desert expedition. I love the heat. I hate the cold. Both of these made answering this much easier. Plus, who wants to climb a mountain and struggle to breathe with every step you take? Not me. If I wanted to struggle to breathe, I'd smoke. It's easier and doesn't involve climbing.

What is the best gift you've ever received?
I'd like to quickly & easily say there is SOMETHING I have received in my life that has some great significant meaning and that I'll cherish forever...but nope, not really, not that comes to mind right away anyway...sorry folks, I really don't have an answer like that for you. I could say it was the car I received for Christmas the year I turned 16. While it was an amazing gift, I cannot say it was the "best"...then I could say maybe it was the money that my great aunt left for me to use for college, without that I'd probably have undergraduate loans to deal with or worse, have no college education and I wouldn't have landed some of the jobs I have had....but the best gift...I'm still not sure...I think if it comes down to sentimental value, then it's going to have to be a watch that I received for Christmas, many many years ago, from my grandma. It's a Pluto watch. The second hand is a bone. I wore this watch everyday for I couldn't tell you how long, but it was a long time. It's now tucked safely away in my dresser and I think of my grandma everytime I look at it and for THAT reason alone, it is the best gift I have ever received.

What is your biggest regret in life?
Oh, there are many to choose from too. I'd have to say the fact that I didn't go away to college after high school and instead went to a community college for 2 years and then transferred to a local university for the rest of my undergraduate education. At the time, I just didn't feel ready to leave home and really had no reason to "want" to leave - I am an only child after all. My parents did not go to college and so there were no words of wisdom or encouragement about the experience of going away and living on campus. I learned all these things after the fact. I am certain that my life would be 10x different had I gone away and had all the college living experiences. I also regret not finding a way to get scouted by college softball coaches. Not to sound cocky, but I know I could have played @ the college level and probably gotten a scholarship...heck, maybe I would have even been encouraged to go directly to graduate school and I wouldn't be stuck doing it now. Yep, that's my biggest regret. It haunts me on a weekly basis.

That was fun! If you want to play along and would like some questions, just let me know!

thank you!!!

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I want to give a shout out and THANK YOU to Krystyn (great spelling, by the way) @ Krizzy Designs for the awesome blog header she put together for me. I love it!!

wednesday randomness

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~miracles do happen...O and I are seeing a movie tonight. I'm making him see "UP" with me...i'm hoping he doesn't complain afterwards but I really want to see it on the big screen - oh and actually that will be Disney Digital 3D too!!! Fun!!

~why as soon as I make myself a pb&j sandwich does E fill up his diaper with a gross amount of nastiness that inevitably will get on my hands and never feel like it's completely gone no matter how many times I wash them. ick!

~on days that I am at home I prefer to run during the day as opposed to waiting for O to get home and doing my run @ night. I just want to get the run done and get on with my day. well, if E doesn't cooperate and take his nap then i'm screwed. he is so difficult to GET TO SLEEP, but once he's asleep, I can get on the treadmill, which is in my bedroom (where he is also sleeping) and it doesn't wake him up. crazy!!

~i have a really good friend here locally. she is one of the moms in our playgroup. i really enjoy talking to her and she is the one that I feel closest too and we often get the kids together outside of playgroup. the thing is that I can never just call her for a "quick question or issue" - she talks and talks and talks and well, you get the picture. I don't think there has been a phone call with her that has been less than 30 minutes. the problem is that i'm not big on spending that kind of time on the phone. i also don't have that kind of time. one day I returned her call when E went down for a nap. i was unable to get anything done because she kept talking until he woke up. wth? how does that happen? it's really hard to even butt in and say 'ok, well I gotta run' and i'm not good @ that either, it feels so rude to do. so, i've taken the other route...avoiding her calls unless i'm terribly bored or just happen to have the time. i've also had to resort to calling her from the car since E is 'contained' at that time. ok...just had to vent that.

~I hate giving up on books, but I had to do it..I just couldn't get into The Toss of a Lemon. It sounded so good, but was moving WAY too slow for me. I have moved on to a much better (chick-lit) read - The Bright Side of Disaster and I'm already 50 pages in and it's very enjoyable!

~I just tried that Zemanta thing for enhancing your blog posts. I wasn't too impressed with it while creating this post. don't think i'll be using it,

disney nostalgia

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~feeling some Disney nostalgia so here's a pic of the last time I was there....way way way back in 2000 (and I still have that hat).

~there were a few more cute pics that I wanted to post but the Ex is in them and well....probably shouldn't do that, so this one will have to suffice, for now.

~note: it's a crappy scanned image. no digi-camera back then. boo!

te amo tuesday

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This week's theme: bar/dating talk...thank you to KekeLynn for the theme suggestion

un bar (oon bahr)- bar, yep, it's the same word, basically pronounced the same too.
una discoteca (oo nah dees koh teh kah) - dance club
un parque (oon pahr keh) - park
un museo (oon moo seh oh) - museum
un concierto (oon kohn see ehr toe) - concert
una pelicula (oo nah peh lee koo lah) - movie
un restaurante (oon rehs tow rahn tay) - restaurant
locales nocturnos (lo kal ays knock turn ohs) - nightspots
chica/chico - (chee kah/koh) - girl/boy

mamacita (mama see ta) - literal translation is 'little mama' but in the bar/dating scene, it's more like "hot mama" or "babe" so if someone calls you that, it is somewhat of a compliment, however there are NICER ways for a guy to tell you that you are hot.

papasito (papa see toe)-same as above, but for a guy.

Brincas Dieras (breen kas dee yeras) - literal translation is "you'd be jumping for joy" but it's more of a slang phrase and would be more like "don't you wish" or "in your dreams" - so you would use this when some dweeb or creep hits on you in the bar and you are NOT interested.

¿tienes un novio? (tee n es oon no vee o) - do you have a boyfriend?
¿Estas casada? (es tahs ka sa da) - are you married?
No. Estoy soltera. (no. es toy soul terra) - No, I am single.

Si. Tengo un novio grande y fuerte. (Si, ten go oon no vee yo gran day e fwear tay)
Yes. I have a big, strong boyfriend.

¿Quieres salir conmigo? (keer es sa leer con mee go)
Do you want to go out with me?

¿Te gustaria salir a comer? (tay gus ta ree ya sa leer a co mare)
Would you like to go out to eat?

Paso por ti a las ocho. (pah so pore tea a las oh cho)
I will pick you up at 8.

Pase un buen tiempo contigo. (pah say oon bwen tee m po con tee go)
I had a good time with you.

Use at your own risk
caliente (kal e n tay) - horny
exitado/a (ex ee tah do) - horny
Estoy exitada (es toy ex ee tah da) - I'm horny.

Me estas poniendo muy caliente. (may es tahs pony endo muy kal e n tay)
You are making me very horny.

apparently...

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~ this is how I will be spending the week...picking up books....or maybe I'll just leave them there 'til Friday. I guess we didn't need the bookcase after all. :)

~he accomplished this in less than 1 minute.

run forrest run!

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~ok - so I'm back on this running bandwagon and it's serious folks. I'm not sure where all this crazy motivation has come from, but I'm happy about it and I hope it sticks around a while.

~in conversing with a friend, I was made aware of THIS!! Great...I really DON'T need ANOTHER reason to want to go to WDW. I would have TOTALLY signed up for the Half Marathon but it's FULL already - boo.

~I have always said that I'd never run more than a 5k because, honestly folks, I find it to be REALLY boring and my attention span only holds on for 5k. BUT for a race @ WDW, I would SO commit to training for a 1/2 marathon. Argh...so bummed out.

~I picked up the July issue of Runner's World today. Yes, I'm probably obsessed @ this point. If I didn't KNOW that my muscles need to rest today, I would be back on that treadmill today. I plan to run @ least 3 miles tomorrow. I am basically doing Week 5, Day 1 of the Couch to 5K plan and just extending it for a few more intervals. Seems to be working well.

~So here's another race I want to do, but clearly I'm way too late. Maybe next year. *sigh* Not to mention that I have no money to travel there, so I'd probably have to run all the way there and then I'd be too tired for the race.

~I guess the plan is to stick to local races for now. I just read about an 8k that will be held about 1 hour from here. It's at 9:58pm on a Saturday night - too funny....but it's to avoid the heat. I'm seriously considering that one. It's 4 wks away. I think I could do it. It's only 5 miles.

the good, the bad & the ugly

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Good: I have all of next week OFF.
Bad: I have no travel plans & will spend the week @ home.
Ugly: I have little to no money to do anything.

Good: I have a lawsuit in progress that will hopefully punish the wrong doers.
Bad: I met with my lawyer 6 wks ago & he still hasn't submitted the demand.
Ugly: I was told he'd call me Monday, then Thursday. Today is Friday. Still no call. F'-er.

Good: I started my 2nd book (for fun) since being out of school.
Bad: It has a great review & sounds SO good, but I just cannot get into it. After reading 2 pages, I'm falling asleep.
Ugly: I'm only on page 28 after more than a week.

Good: I will only have 1 class to take in July.
Bad: I had to buy the textbook NEW (vs. USED) for this class.
Ugly: It cost $55, is paperback and only has 300 pages. Ripoff!!

Good: I've been running regularly for a week and a half now and feel great!
Bad: It's hard to resist weighing myself every day.
Ugly: The scale shows me down only 1 lb STILL!

Friday 5

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Courtesy of Friday5.org

1. What’s something you will not eat unless you also have ketchup?
ChikFila french fries. I love them with ketchup. McDonald's on the other hand, I can eat their fries plain, although I rarely ever go there anymore.

2. What’s something you will not drink unless it is served on ice cubes?
pop. yes, i'm from the north.

3. What’s something you will not eat unless it is served between slices of bread?
peanut butter & jelly

4. What’s something you will not drink unless you have a straw?
pop again. less burping if I drink it with a straw.

5. What’s something else you will not eat except under very specific circumstances?
birthday cake. only if it's someones birthday. otherwise, i SO do not need the calories, although I would gladly eat cake everyday if I could.

my running partner & video love

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he's the cutest running partner I've ever had!!!

I picked up this stuffed giraffe (Barnslig) @ Ikea when we were in Atlanta.

E hasn't shown much interest in his stuffed animals until this guy.

We were just having some fun with the Flip Video. Ignore my voice, I sound so weird.

the little things

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~in an effort (and believe me when I say it's an EFFORT) to see loveliness in the everyday, I am compiling this list of 'little things' that have brought me joy lately.

~i occasionally stop @ ChikFila in the morning for a Diet Dr. Pepper. They cost $1.69 (or so). On a fluke the other day, I stopped @ Sonic. I didn't remember that they also had Diet Dr. Pepper...AND they add cherry (or other) flavor FOR FREE. The best part: before 10am, they are only .99 so that is $1.08 with tax. LOVE IT!!!

~Slacker radio on my iTouch. I love the BAN ARTIST feature. I don't want to hear CCR on my Jimmy Buffett station. thank.you.very.much.

~watching E play with his Sand & Sea table. getting the sand in his hair. learning to drink water from the hose while I try to rinse the sand from every orifice (sp?) of his body.

~iced chai at the local on-campus coffee shop - cheaper & SO MUCH tastier than SBUX.

~the possibility of being able to extend my patio by another 10 feet for FREE. the one (and so far, only) benefit to having a husband who pours a lot of concrete during the week. this will give E alot more space to play. our front yard is a major incline and not very "play-friendly" so the back yard is best for playing and riding his toys etc.

~pretty new pink running shoes. hooray!!

~new running gadget - the nike+ which will allow me to track my runs and help keep me accountable. not to mention the cute little Nike+Mini over there --->

~actually looking forward to running tonight. so strange. i used to dread it. :)

~i'm so glad i'm not one of those parents who is annoyed by all the music & various noises that kids toys make these days. this is particularly important since ALOT of E's toys play music or make noise. I usually end up singing along with all of them.

~going for a 2.5 mile walk in the scorching heat with my neighbor even though it was my "off" day from running/working out. So glad I did something active.

~putting on a pair of pre-baby pants this morning and discovering that they FIT. Wow!!! It's not that I've lost mega lbs or inches though, they just must have been very loose fitting pre-baby, but I'll take it. I needed another pair of pants for work. Hooray!

~getting a pedicure on Saturday. it will be soooo awesome as it will be after 3 days of running and just in time for my off-day (Sunday).

~taking next week off and planning an all-day pajama day for E and I on Monday.

~my mom telling me that she and her husband are going to Orlando in November. OK, this is in the wrong post because I am so NOT happy about it. I'm the one who IS DYING TO GO TO ORLANDO...she's already been to FL once this year. WTH? Not fair.

*side note* I just changed my blog user name from "remember moments" to my *gasp* real name -XXXXXX. don't be confused. this is your PSA.

*side note update* had 2nd thoughts about revealing my name. gone back to semi-incognito username.

te amo tuesday

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~welcome to the 2nd installment of TE AMO TUESDAY!!

~I decided to try to do each lesson around some sort of theme.

~this week the theme is: Summer

basic vocabulary
la playa (pli-ya) - beach
la arena (a ray na) - sand
el sol (soul) - sun
la alberca (al bear ka) - pool
hamburguesa (ham brrr gay sa) - hamburger
la maleta (ma lay ta) - suitcase
la sandia (san di ya) - watermelon
la fresa (fray sa) - strawberry
la barbacoa (bar ba coa) - barbecue
las papas fritas (papas free tas) - french fries
lentes de sol (len tays day soul) - sunglasses
el traje de baño (tra hey day bon yo) - bathing suit
hace calor (ah say ka lor) - it's hot
hace sol (ah say soul) - it's sunny

typical Summer extracurricular activities
Pasame una cerveza (pasa me una cer vay sa)
pass me a beer

No vayas a caer del barco (no vai as a kai air del bar co)
don't fall out of the boat

Estoy borracho/a (es toy boar ah cho)
I'm drunk

Yo estoy tomando sol en la playa (yo s toy toe mondo soul en la pli ya)
I'm sunbathing on the beach.

Vamos a hacer camping. (pronounced just as you see it)
We're going camping.

Vamos a nadar en la alberca (vamos a nah dar en la al bear ka)
Let's go swimming in the pool.

If you have a particular summer theme phrase you would like to know in Spanish, just leave it in the comments and I'll get you the translation.

And the winner is...

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ROW!

Congratulations to you!!

Apparently, I need to go back to elementary school and learn how to count again. I initially posted this and announced Rachel as the winner, but when I went back to look closer, I realized she was actually comment #15. Sorry Rachel. Maybe next time.

ROW, email me your info at remembermoments0823{AT}gmail.com so I can get your goodies on their way to you.

Thank you to all who entered.

Thank you to Jen for the tip on the screen shot.

Giveaway: The Sequel

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~Happy Monday!! I'm doing another giveaway.

Giveaway Includes:
~4 packages of Summer-Themed small stamps with a clear acrylic block.
~3 handmade mini books 3x3 in size. great for carrying in your purse/bag/pocket to jot down quick notes or add some of your favorite pictures.

Gain entries the same way as last time:

1) leave a comment...about anything, however running tips or good running SONGS are encouraged. witty banter is good too. :)

2) leave a separate comment stating you follow this blog or subscribe and leave a comment stating such.

3) Twitter about the giveaway

4) Post the giveaway on your blog

Please leave a separate comment for each entry you make. If you Twitter or Post on your blog about the giveaway, please include those links.

Giveaway is Monday only. I will generate a winner by random.org and sorry I am not tech-savvy enough to post the screen shot. If you know how, let me know and I'll do it.

Thank you and good luck!!

a great day and a goal

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~what a great day!! It's about time I had the opportunity to say that. :)

~E and I were up early and headed out to a neighborhood yard sale with my mom. We really never do this so I was pretty excited.

~I scored this $80.00 wagon for $18!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Woohoo!!

~and then I got this Leap Pad toy for only $1.50 - It plays super cute music, reads to E and he loves it. Score!

~also got a few books for E. at this rate he'll be able to open his own library by the time he is 3. :)

~after the yard sale and a stop @ Kroger, mom and I sunned ourselves a bit while E played on the back porch. He LOVES to be outside.
~later as E and I were leaving to do the rest of the grocery shopping @ WM, I was surprised to see a humongous box @ my front door. It was this...

~I was VERY surprised to see that it had arrived. I just ordered it on Thursday morning...from Amazon. I love love love Amazon. Way too much actually.

~I tried really hard to put it together before O got home but the legs had to screw into the table with some monstrous 9 inch metal screws and I just couldn't do it. Boo! Amazingly though, O finished putting it together when he got home from work and E LOVED it. He was soaking wet and covered in sand before heading for the bathtub tonight. I can't wait to watch him play in it tomorrow. For some (insane) reason, I thought he'd actually keep the sand in the sand side and water in the water side. Sometimes I'm really stupid.

~obviously E and I spent a TON of time in the backyard today and it was a blast. I loved it. He loved it. I even pulled 124942958448572486584 weeds and am slowly getting happier with the way my backyard is looking. the grass still looks like crap, but at least the landscaping 'project' that O started 3 summers ago is getting closer to completion. it's not even a big project. need say no more.

~about 2 months ago O planted a garden. so far we have corn and radishes coming in. none edible quite yet, but at least they are growing. for some reason, unknown to me, he planted tomato SEEDS instead of PLANTS. there is nothing showing yet. I decided to pick up some plants @ WM today and so now we have 3 beautiful tomato plants that will hopefully yield a plethora of tomatoes this Summer. maybe i'll have enough to make truckloads of salsa. yum!

~did I mention how much I love that little Sand & Sea Play Table? Oh my gosh. I was SO excited when I ordered it. slight indulgment. but SO worth it.

~i was running out of time today and realized that I had yet to do my 2 mile run. i took yesterday off so I absolutely HAD to run tonight. I was playing around with iTunes and some Journey/Steve Perry just "hit the spot" - I loaded them up on my iPod, plugged in and got on the treadmill. What a great run. It seemed a bit easier than the last run, so hopefully I'm making progress. I'm doing the Couch to 5k plan and started @ Week 4 since it was the most similar to what I was running previously. After tonight's run though I concluded that I am in desperate need of new running shoes. I know I have exceeded the mileage on the current pair. my feet have been achey and sore after my last couple runs and I never had this problem before.


~I'm contemplating setting a goal for myself to run the Komen 5k - it's October 24th. Normally I wouldn't balk at setting the goal, but I feel like I have stopped & started this running plan a bazillion times since E was born. I want to stick to it, but when I don't see or feel changes, I get frustrated and quit. Or when I have major drama in the house, I get frustrated and quit. I will AT LEAST walk the 5k, but I would much rather run. It's sort of becoming a tradition for my mom and I to participate in it. I will wear my grandma's name on my back. I love and miss her terribly. I wish she would have lived to see Ethan, but then again I took FOREVER to have him, didn't I? She's been gone almost 15 years already. I remember her last day as if it were yesterday. tangent.

~random fact: I love marashino cherries. I could eat an entire jar in one sitting (if no one was looking and I was not trying to eat healthy). Right now my little sweet treat is to add a few to my diet orange soda along with just a few cherries. So so good.

~and lastly, the Red Wings are winning Game 5 with a score of 5-0. Woot!

sad

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~I don't have much to say today, but thought I should go ahead and post "something" just to move the previous post down. It's soooo unbelievably sad & depressing. It is consuming me today. I didn't even know these people. My mom had been at their house for a progressive dinner last year and spoke with the wife for some time. I guess that's why I cannot seem to get it out of my mind. They weren't TOTAL strangers, I know someone who 'knew' them and that makes it sting just a little bit more.

~I don't typically read and re-read the news, but honestly, I've been spending ALOT of time on the local TV news websites as well as our local paper today. to the point of reading the random comments from citizens. i never do that.

~I was in a meeting today. totally did not paying attention. drifted off countless times thinking about these poor children, witnessing their mother being killed. WTF? How do you deal with that? Sure I'm going to be a school counselor but I can't even imagine working with someone on an issue like this. The children were 6 and 3. There is an older girl who was away @ cheerleading camp. Not sure of her age though.

~I have a 30 minute meeting to go to shortly. probably won't get much out of it though, considering i'm having difficulty focusing.

~hope your day is better. i'm so glad tomorrow is thursday. just a day for me and E. We have playgroup @ 12pm. looking forward to doing nothing else but lovin' on him.

way too close to home

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So incredibly sad. I just don't understand how/why these things happen.

This hits WAY too close to home - like *just* down the street from my Mom's house, close to home.

I think he is a selfish coward. Why couldn't he have just walked away...

te amo tuesday AKA spanish lesson

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~when I asked for post suggestions on Monday (lunes), Travel & Dive Girl suggested doing a weekly Spanish lesson post...I think this is a good idea, although I'm not sure how helpful it will be from a pronunciation standpoint. I will try to post a pronunciation explanation as best as I can. Also just keep in mind that ALL Spanish words pronounce EVERY letter, then you should do OK.

~I was planning to do these on Fridays (viernes) but then came up with that catchy name "te amo tuesday" (which means "i love you tuesday") and well, there are more readers on Tuesdays than Fridays anyway. my decision was made.

~I'll start today's lesson with some basics and also provide some slang and cuss words so that if you are ever in a situation where you are being cussed at in Spanish, you'll know exactly what they are saying to you and hopefully be able to respond appropriately.

~I will also try to gear these lessons towards language/phrases that are more commonly used as opposed to what you will see in textbooks. there IS a difference. i learned the language LIVING in Mexico and found out that alot of things you learn from the books are never spoken.

~I've also added a couple of Spanish/English books to my Astore in case you are interested --see link to the right-->

~the basics~ (lo basico)
hola ** ¿que onda? ** ¿que tal? ** ¿que pasa? = basic greetings such as hi, What's up? What's happening? etc. can be used interchangeably.

adios**hasta luego** = goodbye, see you later.

i'm thinking/hoping you knew most of these. if not, well, you do now.

~some of my favorites~
¿en serio? - seriously?
¡como no! - of course!
no tengo idea. - I have no idea.
¡callate! (kai a tay) - shut up!
me vale (may va lay)- i don't care (this is a really ugly way to say this)
no me importa - i don't care (nicer way to say this)
¡salud! - bless you OR cheers (now that's funny-say it when someone sneezes or slams a beer)

~18 and over~
pinche (pin chay)- lots of meanings here...and best used in conjunction with another word or a person's name, for example: pinche Oscar, nunca me ayuda en la casa - that means "damn Oscar, he never helps me around the house"

pendejo- *note* the "j" is pronounced as "h" (pen day ho) - asshole. by far one of my favorite Spanish cuss words...and widely used, so keep your ears open for this one.

hijo de puta (e ho day poo tah) - SOB

te voy a chingar (tay voy ah cheen gar) - i'm going to screw you over OR i'm going to beat the *&^% out of you.

mierda (me air da) - shit, so you can say "eres una mierda" = you are a piece of shit

As requested by Travel & Dive Girl:
stop being an idiot! - ¡deja de ser idiota! (day ha day ser id e oh ta)
you are a jackass! - ¡eres un bil burro! (air es un beel burro)

*finally O helped me with something. he made great contribution to this collection of Spanish cuss words.

f*******************ck

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~because apparently it's too much for me to be hopeful and optimistic that maybe good things are just around the corner or that things will improve in my world.

~i freakin' hit a damn lamp post base as I (tried) to back out of my stupid parking spot after work today. this irks me to no end because this entire parking lot has teeny tiny spaces many of which require special maneuvering to get in & out, but it is also the closest lot to my building. i had no problem getting in the space this morning and (obviously) didn't see the BIG A$$ lamp post before backing out. this frosts my a$$.

~i guess i needed more shit in my life. yay me!

~it's so true. vehicles all go to shit once you pay them off (even if this isn't motor-related).

~on the bright side (trying to be optimistic) it's ONLY the bumper, none of the metal was damaged. the picture looks like it sort of it, but it is just reflection. but the bumper DOES look worse IRL than in the picture.

~i have ghetto-ized my vehicle and am NOT happy about it.

everything is wonderful

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~sometimes I think I am the only person on earth who isn't perpetually in a good mood...at least in the blogging world anyway.

~every single freakin' blog I've read lately it seems that the author is talking about all the wonderful things in their life, how they went shopping and got tons of gorgeous new clothes, or how they have lost tons of weight or simply how happy they are or some other crap to make us 'not-always-so-happy' people feel even crappier. Really? Thanks.

~well, in discussing this with a co-worker, she shared with me that she recently read an article about how people ONLY share the 'good' stuff in their lives on all these social media sites. so i guess that puts me in the minority again, because if you've been reading for any time at all, you KNOW that I share WAY more than the 'good' stuff - more like the total opposite of that. this is definitely a therapeutic/venting blog for me.

~I really have nothing very exciting or blog-worthy to discuss today. i'm back at work and bored once again, but hey, at least I can blog and read blogs, right? see, that's me being 'positive' for a moment. embrace it while you can.

~i'm determined to keep this blog forever. if you haven't been around here for a while, well, this is my 3rd blog 'attempt'...long story but basically the nasty commenters of the world sent me running for the hills and right out of the blogosphere. i think it would be so neat to still have this blog to look at when E is 5 years old, 10 years old or heck even 15 years old. at that point, i'll probably find a lot of good bribery material - like how he wants to nurse forever and ever.

~i'm seeking some part time work for thurs & fri when i'm not working here. this gal really needs an economic boost (although who doesn't these days, right?) i plan to apply @ the new hourly-child care place that opened up in the "rich" part of town-of course, this will only work if I can take E with me. I also found a job posting on Craigslist to be a substitute at a mom's day out program on thursdays - again this will only work if I can take E with me. Let me just say that the ONLY types of part time jobs that will work will either allow me to take E with me or do the work from home - needless to say, my options are severely limited. i also decided (again) to offer Spanish lessons/tutoring and so posted the info on Craigslist. I sure hope SOMEONE replies. please. and hopefully they aren't wackos or ax murderers. believe me, I was hesistant to do this.

~looking forward to thursday & friday this week since they are my only days for 'fun stuff' - thursday is playgroup which will either be @ my house/playground (ack!) or at another friend's if the weather doesn't cooperate. On Friday, I'm meeting a friend for lunch and then hopefully getting my hair cut and highlighted.

~if i'm going to post anything for the rest of the week, i need SOMETHING to write about. please give me some ideas. my life is sooooooooooooooo freakin' boring. even i can barely stand it.

photo hunt

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I've decided to take part in this little extravaganza, in part to celebrate (read: fully enjoy & cherish) my last 30 or so days before class starts again in July.

If you are interested, you can find the details HERE!