No More Yoga Boy...

I just heard today that Yoga Boy is no longer allowed on campus. To bad, he was so interesting!

Stalker Guying

It's amazing how one person can make such an impression on so many people. During a meeting today, a student's name was brought forth and everybody sighed.
One member said this student was attending when she attended 10 years ago. She only remembers him because somehow he got her email address and sent her some freaky emails asking her out. Just a few weeks ago he dropped by her desk (which is not on the student's normal path in the adminsitrative offices and randomly began rambling about getting drugged at a bar. He had no apparent reason to see her. I guess he just thought she would like to know. Yesterday, he asked if she was pregnant (she's a stick!).
Another member mentioned how this student followed a coworker into the men's restroom earlier this week and proceeded to ask him some questions regarding his financial account. According to Aaron, this breaks all the rules of men's restroom etiquette (as if that in and of itself is not an oxymoron). "While engaged, men do not look at, approach, or speak to other restroom patrons. You stare at the tile in front of you until you are done."
I have personally encountered this student as he asked if my husband worked out at the fitness center on campus. This was the first time I had seen this guy and he totally just came up to me. He said he saw Aaron's name on the sign-in sheet and wondered if we were married. I have no idea how he knew my name (I'm bad about wearing my namebadge) and I'm wondering why he is reading the sign-in sheet and if he's watching Aaron work out (Aaron could teach him a few things...)
My friend Sarah works on the other side of campus and said he's dropped by in her office before and mentioned he had seen her working out too. Maybe he is just really into people watching people work out and use the restroom? It's kinda strange. I don't believe this student is dangerous, but he still creeps me out.

Yoga Boy

During the first week or so of the semester, one of our students came to Registration to drop a class. He started zoning into some exotic moves, slowly stretching his arms and standing on one foot. Thus, he was immediately dubbed "Yoga Boy."
Of course, YB asked me out one day while I was at the Registration window. I wanted to ask is Aaron could come along, but restrained myself.
Not much time passed before YB got his hacky sac stuck on the roof of the library. He came to Registration (somehow, we are the able to do all things) to see if we could get someone to get the sac down. We refused to call maintenance and recommended he find someone himself. He did.
Soon this happened again, then again, and again. Now, he is having difficulty finding any custodians who want to help. After all, they will be getting it down again in a few days. Yesteday, Yoga Boy again came to us for help. We once again recommended he find a custodian, not offering to call one. He grew upset and begged for assistance, stating that he would never do it again. We new this would not be the case. He went across that lobby to the Information Desk/Operator. This is currently a temp. Somehow, during their conversation it was made know that she was a temp. Yoga Boy then stated, "So you just screw around all day." Yoga Boy was getting harsh.
About that time, an email came into the Dean of Instruction's office. A professor had also noticed the forwardness of the student and was growing concerned. He wonders as we all do: is it drugs or a genetic issue?
I guess we will wait and see.

11 Miles

I ran 11 miles this week:

Monday- I ran an easy five miles with Aaron on the River Front Trail. The humidity was unbelievable. We ran it in 54 minutes. I was discouraged because thats about 3 minutes more than last week. Aaron reminded me that we don't look at the time on our easies. Still...

Tuesday- I worked out in the Fitness Center during lunch. I concentrated on my lat pull downs (3 sets of 10 reps at 70lbs) and arm curls (3 sets of 10 reps at 30lbs). The arm curls frustrate me because I've been doing the same weight for months now. I can't seem to move up. I am doing 60lbs on my tricep extendions and 44lbs on my bench press. I would think my bench press would be better. I mean. I can do 25-30 push ups no problem and I weigh more than 44lbs.

Wednesday- 3 miles on the River Front Trail with Aaron. It wasn't my best time at all: 29:30. Aaron wonders if our five miler is taking from our 5K time. He is hoping our bodies will get used to the extra milage and then we will start making progress again with our speed.

Thursday- I was lazy. Somehow I didn't have an extra shirt in my locker. I was so frustrated. After work, I did some pull ups at home. Aaron timed my flexed arm hang: 64 seconds! Six more seconds and I would max out the pull up section on the Marine Physical Fitness Test!

Friday- Lunch time was spent doing speed work. I ran a 9:30 easy mile. Then, 1 minute intervals of hard/easy for 10 minutes. I ended with and easy 10 minute mile. I was surprised my 3 miler was 28:30. Usually, my speed work effects my time the opposite way. I am hoping Aaron is right and that our times will start dropping as we get used to our extra milage.

He wants to be an Officer

Aaron turned down $8,000 twice this week as an incentive to be shipped to basic training early. I think this really shows how much he wants to be an officer. If he goes to Basic before the Officer Selection Boards in November, his packet will not be reviewed until the next board.
He's really been working on his pullups this week. He plans to keep it up for his next Physical Fitness Test in October. He has to break 250 to be considered competitive. Good luck, Aaron!

Tuesday?!

Aaron just called me after finishing his first Marine Physical Fitness Test (PFT) He did alright, but needs to make some serious improvements (i.e.lots of pull ups)in order to be considered competitive for the officer program. He was told he will be getting a call tonight from the enlisted side tonight offering him some bonuses if he'll ship TUESDAY! THIS TUESDAY! Crazy. These will have to be some awesome bonuses (preferably in writing) for Aaron to give up his dreams of officer. He's been told that he can still become an officer, but he's also been told by those outside that this is not necessarily true. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens...

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Favorites...

Favorite Color: Orange at the moment
Favorite Food: Dessert
Favorite Band/Singer: Michelle Branch
Favorite Song: Meant to Live-Switchfoot
Favorite Movie: Sister Act I
Favorite Sport: Swimming
Favorite Season: Summer
Favorite Day Of the Week: Saturday
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Cerry Vanilla
Favorite Time of Day: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Currents...

Current Mood: Soso
Current Taste: Milk
Current Clothes: Orange MNU Fishnet T-shirt and blue cat pajama pants (sexy!)
Current Desktop Picture: Felix the cat and crossbones (Aaron's computer)
Current Toenail Color: French manicure
Current Time: 6:10pm
Current Surroundings: sitting at the computer desk in the fabulous basement
Current Annoyance(s): Heidi's cat pooping in Baci's litter box. I guess they are competing to be the stinkiest! It's sick!
Current Thought: Answering question...

8 Firsts...

First Best Friend: Faith Ann. I don't remember her last name. Are parents were good friends and therefore we were together a lot. This was from birth to around 4 years.
First Kiss: Aaron, late October, 2000
First Screen Name: IluvMyKritter
First Pet: Oreo the cat
First Piercing: ears
First Crush: Brian Fauss. We would spend our time planning strategic attacks against our sisters.
First Music You Remember: Sunday school songs
First Car: 1984 Suburu GL, silver

7 Lasts...

Last Cigarette: Thinking... oh, never!
Last Drink: (alcoholic) Once, I got into some apple juice in the back of the fridge...
Last Car Ride: this afternoon from work
Last Kiss: this morning from Aaron
Last Movie Seen: Mona Lisa Smile... like a month ago when friends were over...Man, I haven't watched much TV lately.
Last Phone Call: Aaron
Last CD Played: Mp3-Incubus-Wish You Were Here

6 Have You Evers....

Have You Ever Dated One Of Your Best Friends: no
Have You Ever Broken the Law: yes-lead foot
Have You Ever Been Arrested: no
Have You Ever Skinny Dipped: yes
Have You Ever Been on TV: I made the "OK" sign on 5 Alive news back in 1987 at the zoo.
Have You Ever Kissed Someone You Didn't Know: no

5 Things....

5 Things You're Wearing: Undies, T-shirt, pajama pants, wedding ring, and...and...
5 Things You've Done Today: Enrolled dual credit students into classes, updated my graduation database, sent out student's transcripts, ran 2 1/2 miles, ate
5 Things You Can Hear Right Now: Rain tapping on our lone basement window, Nirvana-Smells like Teen Spirit, the Pepsi machine, the florecent lights, Heidi pounding around upstairs.
5 Things You Can't Live Without: Aaron, computer/internet, food, water, the cat.

4 Places You've Been...

1. California
2. Ontario, Canada
3. New Mexico
4. OKLAHOMA!

3 People You Can Tell Anything To...

1. Aaron
2. Angela
3. Camille

2 Choices...
1. Black or White: black
2. Hot or Cold: Hot

1 Thing You Want to Do Before you die...

1. Whatever is God's will for my life

Hot Siblings

This one is for you Bek! You think you get to have all the fun because you're in Scotland! Haha! Come and get me! This is your life (Okay, both of ours):

Aaahh... The Swedish Horse. This apparently was my Goth phase. I still have the shirt. And I think my sister was trying to hide her school shirt by pulling her pants over it.



I think my sister's dress is especially attactive. We must have gone to a ritzier garage sale for that one.



Oops! Looks like our cousin, Dane, got caught up in this one. I see my sister was trying to counter my earlier "black phase" with her "white phase."




Christmas has always brought out some of our best outfits. I especially like how my sister coordinated the Damation slippers and PJs.



Need I say more...



Never fear! We have spent many hours perfecting our looks.



SuperStars!

Google

So, I "Googled" my name and I can be found all over the place! It's almost freaky. Only four sites are really me. I found another me who is into running. I would love to have her 5K time: 23:50. I'm still sitting on a 27!
I looked up a few former classmates' names too. I am pretty sure some are the one's I know. I mean, I guess you can only guess so much about someone you haven't seen in years, but you never know.

Walking that Fine Line

New neighbors just moved into an apartment next to our house about two weeks ago. A young couple with a four year old girl. It turns out that they started going to Aaron's parent's church which is really random considering it is thirty minutes away. Labor Day, Aaron's parent's had a pool party with those who had helped with a church clean up day and invited the new neighbors over. This was fine and everything went well, except the husband now has asked Aaron for a ride into town to get to work 2 days in a row now. He works about 15 minutes away. This was fine yesterday. Aaron has to go into town for one of his Marine poolee events and just left an hour early. This morning, Aaron was called as soon as we got home from our church (10am) and asked for a ride at 10:40am. If he had called last night, this would not have been a big deal. We could have dropped him off on our way out at 8am. It was frustrating because of the ill-timing (It's our only time to have the house to ourselves during the week) and having no explanation of why he needs the rides. If it's car trouble or someone is sick, no problem. We're just wondering how long this will continue. Especially after being asked to rescue them by putting some gas in their car since they ran out. We want to be "Christ-like" and help those in need. Unfortunately, there is that very fine line from helping others out to being used by others. I'm not sure if it is ever easy to figure out.

AAACCCKKK!!!

Aaron just called me to let me know that his Marine Recuiter wants to run with us! Talk about getting my @$$ into gear! I guess it will at least give me a better edge than I've got right now on the 5k we're running next month. It can't hurt. I'm running 28 minutes. Now, if I could only shave off 5 minutes...

Weekends filled with Marines

Aaron is out today with his second Marine outing in as many weeks. He is actually doing double duty right now as he is enlisted in the Reserves, but wants to go for Officer. So, he has to go to "pooly" events on both sides. Last weekend was the officer side and it was a nice family picnic with recent Officer Candidate School graduates sharing stories. Today, Aaron is hanging out with the enlisted. All I know is he was to wear black shorts and a black shirt.
I will have to say, though this would probably not have been my first choice for Aaron's occupation, I can't help but notice what the challenge has done for him already. His body has really undergone some changes as he has been working toward a 1st class PFT score. Mentally, he is on top of things, keeping track of what he needs to do and where he needs to be. He is also in better spirits. The Marines present a challenge, a commeradory, and a sense of purpose. And, it gets him out of his parent's basement.
I don't want to see Aaron go to war, but I understand that it is his duty if he is called. He is joining to protect and serve a country he very much believes in. He is not joining the Marines to murder people or fight in a war with intensions he does not necessarily fully back. He is joining to defend not only his nation, but many others that benefit from the United States military.

This Week's Runs

Since Monday was Labor Day, Aaron and I did a long easy run on a trail. It was nice to get back into running and my Achillies hasn't been bugging me since I have been stretching more. I've been using some stretches recommended in Running Injury-Free by Joe Ellis.
Tuesday was the only day I was able to get to the gym. It was closed both Thursday and Friday. I did some work on Aaron's dumbells. Oh my word! I thought my arms would fall off! One thing about the machines in the gym is that they make you think your lifting more weight than you really are if you were to lift free-weights. I did some arm curls, wrist curls and then some push ups (20) and pull ups (3). At least it's something.
I was able to log a total of 11 miles this week in my runs. Wednesday I ran 3 miles in 28 minutes. I wasn't very happy with the time, it just shows me that I need some more training. Thursday, I did an easy 2 miles. Yesterday, I finished the week by doing some speed work. I did 2.8 miles. I would do 2/3 of a mile easy and then run up a hill with everything I had (almost), not stopping until I passed the crest to the other side. It seriously took me 1/3 of a mile to recover. I repeated this once, then finished with an easy 2/3 mile. It ended up taking about 28 minutes. Gotta love that. My speed work takes longer than my regular run!

Here's a looky at my path:

Ferris Bueller's Economics Teacher has a point...

Ben Stein comments...

1.) The hurricane that hit New Orleans and Mississippi and Alabama was an astonishing tragedy. The suffering and loss of life and peace of mind of the residents of those areas is acutely horrifying.

2.) George Bush did not cause the hurricane. Hurricanes have been happening for eons. George Bush did not create them or unleash this one.

3.) George Bush did not make this one worse than others. There have been far worse hurricanes than this before George Bush was born.

4.) There is no overwhelming evidence that global warming exists as a man-made phenomenon. There is no clear-cut evidence that global warming even exists. There is no clear evidence that if it does exist it makes hurricanes more powerful or makes them aim at cities with large numbers of poor people. If global warming is a real phenomenon, which it may well be, it started long before George Bush was inaugurated, and would not have been affected at all by the Kyoto treaty, considering that Kyoto does not cover the world's worst polluters -- China, India, and Brazil. In a word, George Bush had zero to do with causing this hurricane. To speculate otherwise is belief in sorcery.

5.) George Bush had nothing to do with the hurricane contingency plans for New Orleans. Those are drawn up by New Orleans and Louisiana. In any event, the plans were perfectly good: mandatory evacuation. It is in no way at all George Bush's fault that about 20 percent of New Orleans neglected to follow the plan. It is not his fault that many persons in New Orleans were too confused to realize how dangerous the hurricane would be. They were certainly warned. It's not George Bush's fault that there were sick people and old people and people without cars in New Orleans. His job description does not include making sure every adult in America has a car, is in good health, has good sense, and is mobile.

6.) George Bush did not cause gangsters to shoot at rescue helicopters taking people from rooftops, did not make gang bangers rape young girls in the Superdome, did not make looters steal hundreds of weapons, in short make New Orleans into a living hell.

7.) George Bush is the least racist President in mind and soul there has ever been and this is shown in his appointments over and over. To say otherwise is scandalously untrue.

8.) George Bush is rushing every bit of help he can to New Orleans and Mississippi and Alabama as soon as he can. He is not a magician. It takes time to organize huge convoys of food and now they are starting to arrive. That they get in at all considering the lawlessness of the city is a miracle of bravery and organization.

9.) There is not the slightest evidence at all that the war in Iraq has diminished the response of the government to the emergency. To say otherwise is pure slander.

10.) If the energy the news media puts into blaming Bush for an Act of God worsened by stupendous incompetence by the New Orleans city authorities and the malevolence of the criminals of the city were directed to helping the morale of the nation, we would all be a lot better off.

11.) New Orleans is a great city with many great people. It will recover and be greater than ever. Sticking pins into an effigy of George Bush that does not resemble him in the slightest will not speed the process by one day.

12.) The entire episode is a dramatic lesson in the breathtaking callousness of government officials at the ground level.

Runner's World

I just checked out Runner's World website and it's incredibly informative. I highly recommend it if you are just starting out, or if you've been running for a while. Check out the Tools and Calcs. The Training Pace Calculator is packed with personalized info for your training.

Like Ridin' A Bike...

Today, I replaced my 3 mile run with a 10 mile bike ride. I've read that riding a bike is about a 3:1 ratio to running. So, this is a pretty close. Yes, I am still paranoid about my Achillies!
Except for the first and last mile, I averaged a 13/14 mph pace. We live about a mile from the Katy Trail which is nice hard-packed gravel. It used to be Kansas/Texas/Missouri Railroad. So, hills are an easy grade. And it is beautiful! The real workout is getting back to my house. I swear the hill I have to climb is a 45% grade. It's killer! It seriously took me like 5 minutes to catch my breath after climbing that thing. But, I never got off my bike. Going down it is wild! I've hit 34 mph before and I just ride a lowly Walmart mountain bike.
It was a good ride. I could tell it really worked to cardio. Though, I am still wondering how I got rocks in my helmet...

Conservative

A Conservative is a liberal whose been mugged by reality.