Been Awhile

Sorry it has been so long since my last post -- just been slammed lately with all the turmoil in the Asian markets. A few Saturday musings:

• I enjoy drinking coffee once a week or so with Ashley on the weekends, but holy crap, when you body isn't used to coffee you immediately need to -- well -- holy crap.
• I've given up on having hair. I'm now down to a 1-guard and will consider the move of shaving it all together sometime this summer so my nugget doesn't have tan lines all winter from the little hair remaining.
• I don't care what your politics are, but the inauguration was way cool. Inspiring, monumental, and having a guy that is not a certified idiot in the White House. And if there was any doubt, Dick Cheney has completed his transformation to the dark side and is now the Dark Emperor Palpatine.
• We're going to Mexico in March. Yippie.
  
• Guitar is coming along nicely.
• Last year, my goal was to get in shape and be able to bike 100 miles in a month. I topped out July with 130 miles. I got down to my best weight since my freshman year of college and have been able to keep most of it off this summer. Now onto strength....
• I decided to try the 100 push-up challenge and train to do 100 consecutive push-ups. Kind of like training for a 5K, but with strength. http://hundredpushups.com/complete.html
  
• So far, the 100 push-up challenge has appeared to be a dumb idea. My boobs are killing me. :)
• I have a severely ailing grandfather. He's on borrowed time anyway since they told him he had 4 years to live over three decades ago, but this is not how I want to remember him. It is very difficult for me to be around him -- and that is my problem not his -- and very sad for me. In a way, I feel like I have already mourned him, because the man who was my grandfather was gone long ago. In some ways, when the phone rings and tells me he is finally gone, I have a hunch I may actually feel relieved instead of sad. I don't know.
  
• I still type very poorly.
• We went out to dinner with Lindzo last night, and she's rocking at life right now. Give her mad props. 17 months from graduation, jet setting across Europe, acting all mature, having almost as full of a social dating calender as her own grandfather. She needs to get on her and get her brag on. Happiest I've ever seen her.
• I am not rocking at life. Got a speeding ticket last week, and no excuses. Totally got nailed, like a drunk, trashy sophomore on prom night.
• I am still offering Andy's basic financial management class as you all finish up your schooling and start to have to look into insurance, benefits and 401Ks and the like.
• I am in love with my father-in-law's GPS. If he's never going to use it, I may try to buy it off of him on the cheap so everybody wins.
• I think I want to teach a class -- but I doubt I'll get the opportunity any time soon with budget cuts happening at the university

That's it. It's 55 degrees out, so I'm goign to go play.

How to make a cold GLAMOROUS!!!

Hello all! Last weekend I had the pleasure of meeting up with Cole, Ashley, and my parents at Cole's house. Unfortunately I took something home with me...Cole's cold. I can't blame the poor kid because I knew going in that he was sick, but all of our bonding took a turn for the worse. But I will turn my lemons into lemonade by giving you all the "How to" guide on making your cold not suck so much!

1. Put on your pjs and jump into your bed full of blankets and watch Sex and the City for hours. If you can't go out and be glamorous you may as well watch someone else do it!

2. To clear out your stuffy, throbbing head take a long steamy shower. You must use ~H2o+ Spa Ice Water cooling mint body mud. Not only will you breath in the aroma of peppermint, you will get exfoliated and come out shiny and fresh. Another lovely addition to the cooling body mud is Philosophy's Cookies & Milk shower gel/shampoo/bubble bath. This delightful combination will leave you smelling like a Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookie! Delicious and calorie free!

3. Turn out all the lights and light a Bath and Body Works candle in Cinnamon & Clove Buds while listening to Jack Johnson and enter into a restful sleep.

I am happy to say that I've used these alternative methods more frequently than OTC cold medicines and the results are much more preferred than the usual cold coma/hangover effect I get from certain medications. I hope everyone is having a healthy and successful semester/winter!

Inspiration

Have I mentioned how much I adore the Runner's World Web site? Not only does it have some terrific information about the sport, it's a terrific source of inspiration. My favorite blogger on the site is Kristin Armstrong. She's the ex-wife of Lance Armstrong and an impressive athlete in her own right. Anyway, I love, love, love her message for today. Exercise is about more than a firm body or even our physical health. It's a way of replenishing our spirits so we can better care for ourselves and the people we love.

I'm really not doing her post justice. Just take 3 minutes to read it. I promise it's worth it.

Happy New Year!

We just returned from three days in Jacksonville, FL for the Gator Bowl. The Huskers were victorious ... hurrah. Poor Andy had to work a lot, but we still managed to find some time for fun. Here's some photos from our trip.

Photo #1: I ran the Gator Bowl 5k with Andy's coworker Alison and her husband, Jens. (It's pronounced Yentz. He's German.) My time was 31:05, about 1 1/2 minutes faster than my Turkey Trot finish! It was a BIG race -- about 1,000 people. I've decided that huge races are much more fun than the little ones because, statistically speaking, I'm more likely to pass a bunch of people. ;) Heh. Also, it's nice to have a crowd to cheer you on.

Photo #2: New Year's Eve! We went to the Twisted Martini, a dance club that you social types would've LOVED. We felt a bit too old and married there but still had a fun time. The ladies danced a bit; Andy drank Yuengling, an East Coast beer that is unavailable in Nebraska; and we hung out with our college friends Tom & Kalleen, who now live in North Carolina and try to hit every Husker football game within driving distance. Kalleen's dad joined us, and so did Andy's godparents and godsister.

Photo #3: Andy is really happy to drink that Yuengling. :)