Friday, October 28, 2011

Lesson From Running

As you may know, I have been trying the Couch to 5K running program. I have learned a lot about myself during this experience, and I thought I'd share.
1. I am very much out of shape and in bad need of some sort of exercise.
2. I know how to walk, I know how to run, I do not know how to jog. It is a weird gate at a weird pace for me.
3. I freckle quickly when I spend 30 minutes outside 3 times a week.
4. Everything in my town is up hill both going and coming. I don't know how it is possible, but it is true.
5. I'm a wimp when it comes to foot pain. My tendons flare, my summer foot injury throbs, and I had no idea the muscles in your foot could hurt.
6. 5k to Couch is a lot easier and takes days instead of weeks.
I stuck it out longer than I thought I would and although my group is still going, I think I am bowing out. I've had nasty sickness, house guests, work projects, travel plans, and a general case of "please don't make me". I really never found that spot where I didn't hate it and it didn't wipe me out. I just don't think it is my thing, but I am going to start looking for what my thing might be.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Another year, another badge

Nix's middle school is doing a costume fundraiser again this year. This is always a problem. She can't wear her real Halloween costume to school, mainly because she uses a ballet recital dress and I don't want it ruined, but also because it wouldn't be very comfortable all day. I'm not buying a costume. Those things are expensive! So, we put on our thinking caps and come up with something creative that will work from what she already has.
Last year she was Lois Lane, and none of the kids knew who that was (I weep for the next generation). The good news is, all of the teachers knew and thought it was clever.
This year, we are going with a similar theme. She is going as Pepper Potts from Ironman (the movie, not the comic because Pepper was a little messed up in the comics). Since Nix is Still under 13, she hasn't seen Ironman yet, but she liked the idea.
Just like last year, I pieced together a graphic to make an ID badge. This time it is a Stark Industry employee badge. I found a couple of references online and then put my own little spin on it.

She'll be wearing a very professional looking dress and her hair pulled back into a bun to complete the look. I probably wouldn't send her door to door in it, but for a costume that didn't cost a dime, still meets dress code, and has a cool theme, I'm pleased.
On a side note, her real costume is Rapunzel from Tangled post haircut. She'll be handing out candy at the house using her frying pan as the candy bowl. JD is going out as a realistic Mario. He has overalls, a red shirt, white gloves, a mustache, and a great Mario hat. I'll post pictures up either here or Facebook after Halloween.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Late Night Laughs

This weekend we spent about 20 hours in the car. That is a lot of family togetherness, but the kids handled it surprisingly well. I think the excitement of getting to hold the newest member of the family (my new nephew) put us all in a haze of happiness. When we got home last night the haze started wearing off and the exhaustion set in. We put the kids to bed and had the most ridiculous conversation. I thought I'd let you in on a bit of it.

Me (speaking silly of someone from my childhood): She thought she was all that and a bag of chips, but I thought she was a few fries short of a Happy Meal. Remember when it was "a bag of cookies short of a Happy Meal"?
Rocky: Those were good cookies. Like animal cookies, but sweeter and shaped like Ronald McDonald's head
Me: What do we say now? "A few apple slices short" doesn't have the same ring.
Rocky: I miss those cookies
Somehow from there we digressed into talking about people who get tattoos in Hebrew or of a Chinese character, and how they'd likely never know if it was wrong. Then came the list of things it would be funny to substitute and how the people who originally spoke Hebrew believed a tattoo would send you to Hell. It is in Leviticus 19:28, which also topped our list of funny things to substitute. We tend to get just a wee bit twisted when we are exhausted.
Every minute we spent in the car was worth it, if for no other reason then to get this picture.

How adorable it this?! This is our next generation.
During the visit, we stayed at my parent's house. We were really only there long enough to sleep and eat breakfast each day. Before we left JD told my mom, "Thanks for letting us eat, sleep, and poop at your house." I couldn't have said it better myself. Well, I could have, but I was too busy shaking my head and trying not to laugh.

Friday, October 07, 2011

Are You Kidding Me?

I had the great joy of renewing my driver's license today. As with most simple tasks I have, it turned into an experience. Somehow I managed to miss the memo that the local DMV had moved. There was a lovely sign on the door of the old place telling me that had move and even what street they were off of, but no address. I guess it is a good thing I have a phone. After a couple of calls with Rocky, we figured out that it is back behind the new city aquatic center, because nothing goes together like giant swimming pools and driver safety (?). This new building is shiny and huge (serious tax dollars sunk into this one). When you walk in, there are people sitting waiting with clipboards and numbers, but nothing to tell you how to get a clipboard or a number. After walking around for a minute like an idiot, I gave up and asked someone how they managed to get a number. My favorite answer to the many, many people I saw asking this question was, "You stand there in the front until someone gets good and ready to talk to you and they will give you a number."
After I got my golden ticket, I filled out my paperwork and watched as other confused people came in. There got to be a pretty long line of people waiting to wait. A smoker sat down near me followed by a man who was wearing a LOT of cologne (insert standard rant about perfume). Just as my eyes started to water, my number got called. While the nice lady typed up my information, I causally mentioned that they might  consider some sort of sign to let people know how the waiting for a number thing works. She said, "We aren't allowed to have a sign." This was not exactly the answer I was expecting. I had to enquire further. They had a sign, but it wasn't "department regulation" so they had to take it down. I love a good mystery. This one took me all of about 2 minutes to figure out.
Not long ago, there was a big promotion about shorter wait times at the DMV. They made a pretty big deal out of how quickly they moved people through there. When I got my number there was a time code on it so that there was a computer record of my wait time. Do you get it yet? The wait time clock doesn't start until you get a number. If they put a "Wait here" sign up, then they have to count that in their average wait time numbers. They have cut your wait time in half not by being more efficient, but by making you spend half your time there waiting to wait!
Anyone else looking forward to the brilliant minds behind this taking over our health care?

Wednesday, October 05, 2011

Getting Uncomfortable

If there is one thing I have learned about what being a Christian involves it is that God has no intention of letting us stay in our comfort zones. On the one hand, I feel myself wanting to cry out, "Why?", but then again, what fun would life be if we were never pushed out of our box from time to time?
I like hanging out in the back of the room, observing all that is going on, working where needed, and in general, being behind the scene. From time to time, God seems to delight in shoving me up front. I find myself with the thought,  "Someone should really do something about that.", and before I know it, I am the someone trying to do the doing that needs done.
I've spent most of this week out of my box. I may have accidentally offered to help start a special needs program at our church, I'm in a running group, and then today called for a trip to the dentist with the kids. When I walked into the dentist office (my least favorite place to be) I saw this sign:

What are the odds? This point has been following me around for days. I feel like I have the God equivalent of the grim on me. It is starting to make me a little paranoid. On the upside, it has done wonders for my prayer life.