Twenty eleven

I watched the Doctor Who Christmas Special this year – A Christmas Carol.  It was cute.  But it had a description of the holidays that take place at this time of year that I find particularly apt: halfway out of the dark.  What a great way to look at it.  Halfway out of the dark (even if it’s bitter cold, by the time you hit February at least there’s some warmth to the sun).

So when I started to think of things I’d like to accomplish in the year ahead, that’s the kind of frame of mind I was in.  Looking back over the past year, I feel like I’ve been building toward my next big project.  I did all kinds of theatre (I’m still burned out on the theatre) and I thought up a topic for a dissertation.  I got my ducks in a row for applying to doctoral studies.  At the end of the year, I sent off the application.

It’s been a good year.

But there’s so much to look forward to in the year to come:

• I’m going to start a PhD, if my application gets accepted (and I’m reasonably confident it will be, or I wouldn’t be applying).
• I’m going to run another 10k.  This Spring would be nice.  I feel like a slug, I want to get running again.
• I’m going to see U2 this summer.
• I’m hopeful we will have enough registrations that I will get to do my summer job in France this July, ahead of starting PhD work in the fall.  France on Bastille Day!  That’s always fun.
• I’m really, really looking forward to getting my hair back to a normal, ginger, non-blue shade.
• I’m looking forward to spending more time with my cute niece and nephew and seeing them grow.

Life is good!  And if I’m really lucky, there will be a trip someplace warm at the end of the year.  Halfway out of the dark seems a good time to go someplace sunny and warm, no?

Now that’s an idea

For what to do with myself now that the show is done.  I’m suffering from post-show withdrawal, of course.  I’m not quite at my wit’s end, but I did clean out my entire fridge last night.  Not a good sign.  I’ve started to compile a couple of ideas…

1.  I’ve decided to upgrade my wee grill to an actual BBQ.  A small one, to be sure, but a real BBQ?  That sounds pretty sweet to me.  I foresee some homemade burgers in my future.

2.  Better fitness.  Radical concept, but maybe I can have less jiggly around my tumbly when I go to France this time.  That would certainly be nice, and there’s nobody can do it but me.  Starting with walking and pushing up to running.  I have a 5k to do on June 20th, walking though.

Now that the U2 concert is cancelled postponed till an unknown time 2011, I have to focus on getting through the end of the year (there is much work to be done and I have to buckle down and suck it up) and preparing for France.  No Col. Dave means I have a lot of work to do.  It’s easier when I can just ask him questions, to be sure.  This time I get to be one of the ones with the answers.

A beautiful autumn day

B and Yvonne got married yesterday – and they had a gorgeous day for the wedding.  Bright sun, crisp fall air.  It was the weather equivalent of a fresh, tasty McIntosh apple.  The bride had a lovely forest green accent on her dress, it was sweet with her colouring.  B was just beaming the entire day – they’re so smitten, it was quite touching.

Dre came with me, and we hung out with the the old gang.  Aidan was there with Jody and Dave also – and Aidan is getting so cute with his floppy curls.  It was comical, as both Dre and I wore fancy ruby coloured heels.  Dre’s matched her newly finished Ishbel shawl… she knits so quickly.  Meanwhile, I’m almost done the  cobalt blue sweater I started in January… so close… I’ve only got a couple rows left on the collar!  Anyway, here’s a picture of the shoes that we took at the Marina while we were waiting for the Reception to start.

Fancy shoes at the Marina = silly photoshoot time!

Also went for a run yesterday morning, all the way around the road of the Nature Park!  It felt really good.  I’m so enjoying getting back in to running.  It feels really good to be physically active again.  I’m seriously considering getting a gym membership in December so I can keep going through the winter, because there’s a race I want to do next Spring… for now, though it’s time to work on my stride, pace and posture while running.  I want to improve my technique!

Starting over but not completely

I went for a run with Dre yesterday after the first day of school.  It was a lovely jog/brisk walk at the Nature Park, just over 4k in 33 minutes and change.  I’m back to 2 minutes of running followed by one of walking, but the stamina will return.  Running on the trail was very nice, springy underfoot.  I felt really good about running again, I’m looking forward to going more often – I’ve a couple of runs I would like to do in the year to come.

Making lists

Happy New Year!  Labour Day weekend always seems more like New Year to me than New Year’s Eve.  There’s a lot of mental preparation (and literal prep too) that goes into getting ready for the new school year.  Plus, for me, it’s always right around my birthday – another year over etc etc.  So it’s as good a time as any for a fresh start, I say.

As such, I’ve been taking stock of some areas in my life where I want to take charge over the next year.  The first of these is the most important, physical fitness.  My back went out for the first time this year.  It was just a muscle spasm, but even so, I know there is a predisposition for bad backs in my family.  So, this won’t do.  I also want to ensure that I maintain my petite form.  I quite like being wee.  I don’t want to put weight back on my bones.  So, I’m going to start a walking/jogging regimen.  Next year I want to run one or two 5 or 10 k races.  Not for speed, but as an achievable goal that also gets me free t-shirts!  I’m also looking at taking a dance class with Lisa M.  That has two benefits:  first, dance is great for fitness; and second, it will be awesome to hang out with Lisa more!

The second of these is a bit of wardrobe building.  I purged some clothes when I moved, and have to rebuild some classic pieces that will (hopefully) last me awhile.  I made a list, and sent it to Jenn the Shopping Diva for her input.  I’m going to be walking to work this year every day with the possible exceptions being the heavy marking of final exams, and need to consider that as well.

I’m enjoying this period of reflection and taking stock before the year starts.  I actually feel like I’m ready to go. Bring it on, 9s and 11s.

Experiment days twelve and thirteen

Yesterday was the last day of school for students.  I am so very thankful for a job with a built-in summer vacation, my brain is fried. 

We also, on the last day of classes, do our rehearsal for the graduation ceremony.  I’m a row captain.  This means I am responsible for a “row” of the kids that sit on stage – making sure they don’t smuggle anything onstage, for instance, and that they aren’t chewing gum or that they use the washroom before the 3 hour ceremony starts.   I love doing it, and some of my favourite kids I have ever taught are sitting in my row this year.  It’s going to be an emotional ceremony. 

Yesterday after work the staff descended on O’Leary’s (twice in a week – it’s the most I’ve been there in months.  She – it’s pretty sketch still, but extremely popular after work on Fridays) and had watered-down pitchers of draft out on the patio in the sun.  It was a fun time.  I bailed early and headed over to Kizzy’s karaoke fundraiser, it was fun to see much of the theatre gang there.  Scott joined us after getting his new tattoo.  He had a positive experience with the place, I think I will go there to finally get the poppy I want beside the maple leaf on my shoulder blade.  Anyway, I drank a little too much for the 2nd time in a week (but nowhere near as much as on Friday) which hurt me when…

… this morning I had to get up at 7 to make my ride to Oromocto for the Army 10k run.  10k on the base, on a trail -  5k into the woods and then follow it back.  It was a great race!  I mean, not for me, I was a slowpoke.  But I really enjoyed the trail and the people were well-organized.  Great t-shirt, too.  I’ll keep at it, and hopefully I’ll shave several minutes off my time over the course of the year to have a more respectable showing next time ’round.  All the same.  I completed a 10k run!!!!  The longest distance I’ve done this year – and it was on trails too so my knees aren’t bothering me at all.  My hamstrings, well, that’s a different story.  Lotsa gradually climbing hills, especially on the way back.

So today I am also thankful for the miracle of ibuprofen.  Works wonders on the post-run crash.

Experiment, day seven

Today, Father’s Day, I’m (predictably) thankful for my Dad. 

Ran the Do it for Dad 5k race this morning.  Started out a bit faster than is my usual pace so I faded a bit at the end (thanks Moe for helping keep my spirits high!) and so missed my under 30 minute goal (chip time: 31.47).  Two weeks till the Canada Day race in Grand Bay, hopefully I’ll do it then!  Anyway, Mom and Dad came down to Harbour Passage and cheered as I ran by.  It was a great morale boost.¼/p>

Experiment days three, four and five

That’ll learn me to start something new during exam week.  To be honest, I’ve left the ol’ compooter here at work the past two nights so as not to be distracted by crackbook when I ought to be marking.  It’s worked.  It’s been kind of restful to go offline, to be honest.

But on the other hand, my Band of Brothers discs came back to me, so I get into a marking groove and then there’s a moment that I just love coming up and I have to watch…  yeah, it’s a losing battle against my ADD.

On the up side, I marked all my essays yesterday and most of my grade 9 English Social Studies exams.  Just have to finish off the ones that were in an alternate location, and finish up the other two class sets of exams, posters and scrapbooks.  As of this morning I’m wrapping up Cultural Foundations so I’m moving along quite well. 

Went for a run yesterday, and the day before.  Wednesday was awesome, Thursday not so much.  But I persevered and (with some judicious walking breaks on jello-legs) made it to the end of the run.  Not used to running two days in a row like that, and it was so hot in the sun that I drank all of my water and didn’t have any left for hydrating myself.

An interesting email arrived yesterday from the good people at Historica who are footing the bill for this year’s edition of Mare’s Free Trip to the Battlefields of Europe ™.  They needed information for my plane ticket.  Turns out I don’t have to book it ahead of time and by myself as I had been told, they’re taking care of that for me.  Sweet!  I’m very excited to be hitting the battlefields again this summer.  I have Dory and a digital Canon Rebel at the ready for a photo frenzy.  I also have to figure out where I can purchase a small wreath to leave at Vimy Ridge, and I have to meet with Mrs. Greenslade to make sure that’s OK.  Summer time projects.

So let’s see.  What am I thankful for?

Wednesday I was thankful for being able to run, because the group is awesome and I really enjoy it.

Thursday I was thankful for having a job that I love and that I know that I will be able to return to next year, because there are some people still waiting to hear that news.

Today I’m thankful for awesome weather and summertime, heading into what appears to be a glorious weekend.  I’ll be running the 5k “Do it for Dad” run on Sunday morning, I’m quite looking forward to it.   Heading out to Jeff and Steph’s for a Father’s Day BBQ on Sunday night, I’m hoping to get all of my marks input on Sunday afternoon in between those two events.  It’s going to be a busy weekend, but it’s so nice and sunny that I feel quite cheerful at the prospect of being done.  And speaking of inputting marks, I’d best get back to it.

One last thing:  France/Netherlands play today.  ALLEZ LES BLEUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Learning as I go

Had a wonderful run with Dre tonight (Evan took the kids out after school but I wanted to come home and work on exams… which I’m still doing… Dre convinced me the Nature Park would be invigorating for my focus) but now I’m feeling a bit sore as I come off the endorphins.  I’m learning a lot.  For instance, I think a 10k is pretty much my ideal race distance.  But I’m training for the half anyway, because I want to say I’ve done it.  Plus, they give you a medal!

Things I’m learning about running:

1.  Electrolytes good.  No electrolytes bad.  Had to run over to Shoppers to pick up some Powerade just now because of the muscles starting to go lactic acid-y on me.  I feel like I’m back in grade 10 phys ed, except now I’m actually working hard enough to feel the effects I was supposed to be feeling then.

2.  Hydrating is a must.  Forgot my water bottles today running around the Nature Park.  I felt quite dry for hours afterwards.  See previous electrolyte comment.

3.  Hills will not defeat me thanks to the Holly Technique ™.  OK, so it’s not any secret technique, it’s just taking baby steps and going on your tiptoes when you tire.  But it’s Holly with the Students Run With It kids that keeps encouraging me to try running that way, to not lose my momentum.  Also, Dre was pushing encouraging me to go up the hills.  It was awesome to have the support.

4.  Running with music is better than running with no music.  My iPod died halfway through a run two weeks ago and it just SUCKED.

5.  The right clothes are key.  I mean, yes, I want the wicking stuff for practical purposes because I sweat a fair bit… but they’re also really cute!  Sadly, I probably would have quit this sport if it didn’t have cute running kit.  Have you SEEN the cuteness of my sneakers?  I admit it, I’m shallow that way.

6.  Just get the distance in.  The endurance will come as long as you’re consistently getting the distance in.  That’s the hard part for me, and the most important lesson I’ve learned so far.

Anyone else got some running tips they’d like to share?

Ain’t nothin’ gonna break my stride

I’ve been running for the past few weeks in a dilettantish sort of way.  A few kms here and there, nothing major, not enough to get any real training effect.  All that has ended!!!!  I’m training with the kids now.  They’re actually really fun to run with (I got to hear about one girl’s prom dress yesterday, it sounds so pretty.  It’s red!) and I find my breathing is much easier to keep regular when I’m with people. 

Anyway, the ol’ iPod and Nike + combo has been extremely useful.  I am loving the disembodied voice that tells me how much longer I have to run.

So yesterday I did 4.96 miles (I would have run around the school to finish the five-miler but… naaah).  Evan was fetching his vehicle from the shop so it was up to me to take them out.  Me and six kids!  Most of them whooped my butt.  But I was able to run with two girls who “wanted a slow day”.  Ouch to the ego but yay to having running buddies!  Today I ran with Evan and one kid, and we ran a bit further than the normal route.  8.77 kms according to Mr. Beta Prime (um, that’s my iPod, I named it Chiron Beta Prime).

I feel really good to be back running, but my legs feel spaghetti-like after the effort of pushing myself for two days.  My ankle started to feel weak around Crown St, I’m glad we were heading back.  Another bonus?  This morning I could zip up the dress I had bought for Claudia’s wedding, which thanks to winter eating I have not been able to do for some time.  I’m going to wear it to the year-end staff dinner as well, and probably graduation.

Speaking of running, I’m back and forth to Fredericton for the next three days.  I guess that’s running of a less fun sort.   I’m one of the markers on the provincial FI Literacy Assessment, which I have probably already mentioned but my brain is kind of tired.  I’m in at work this evening to clean up some marking and get my stuff ready for the supply teacher tomorrow – hopefully I’ll be meeting up with my Scott, Dre, Lisa and the gang for drinks a bit later.  It’s an incentive to get done… so I guess I’d better stop blogging and get to it.

Last but not least, a hearty Merde! to the cast and crew of To Kill a Mockingbird whose opening night curtain goes up in 25 minutes.  Looking forward to seeing the show tomorrow night!