Wow, so if it hadn't been for mum's birthday, I do believe the entire month of May would have gone by without a single entry by yours truly. My humble apologies, as I've been rather busy and having loads of fun. :-)
Last week I went to the Henley Middle School Spring Concert held at the local high school. I hadn't set foot inside the HS since I graduated 14 years ago--a lot of new stuff there! But my reason for attending this concert made up of 6th-8th graders was to celebrate the retirement of Mr Fagan, band director of Henley for 32 years!! He was absolutely the BEST band director, and made it so much fun that no one else could compare. When I moved on to high school, band was such a drag that I dropped it just 2 months into my freshman year (even after having spent all summer in summer school so I could have a class period open for band!). Through Facebook and other means, word spread and the HS auditorium was packed on concert night! What Mr Fagan didn't know was that about 50 former students, including one who was in the 6th grade those 32 years ago and another who flew out from CA, had gotten together to practice and then perform at this concert. A comfy recliner was brought out onto the stage for Mr Fagan to sit back and enjoy the performance while the very man who offered him the job at Henley way back when was the guest conductor for the Alumni Band. The last piece performed that evening was the very first composition of Mr Fagan's that had been published. The Symphonic Band returned to the stage and joined the Alumni Band, and together, with Mr Fagan back as conductor, they played his song. It was really a wonderful, wonderful evening with an incredible turnout and many old friends.
On another note (no pun intended) I have let my running fade to nothingness since the Charlottesville 10 Miler. However, today I once again have signed up for the Women's Four Miler Training Program. Even though my friend bailed on me last year, it was a lot of fun and by the end of the summer I did the Four Miler. It's also raises money for a wonderful cause: the University of Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation which has the latest treatments and expertise offered through the UVA medical community. Later on I will post more information in case you are interested in sponsoring me for the race or simply donating to the cause.
Enjoy June and hopefully I'll be a more diligent blogger!!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Just Do It!!
My dear and darling friend Sue convinced me (somehow) to train for a half marathon which is in a couple weeks. I have run but one race before, and that was totally geared towards beginners with much hand-holding. SO, in all my wisdom, I decided to also sign up for the Charlottesville Ten Miler. It would be my first real race. I decided to think of it as my long run in preparation for the Half and, "Wow!! Look at alllll the other people who decided to run today, too!!" Despite the fact that I live here and have for a great many years, I am not terribly familiar with downtown Charlottesville. Who knew it had quite so many hills!?!
Now I know.
Sue had some superb excuse for not participating in the race yesterday (mmhmm, sure!) but her (well, I guess now our) friend Kevin drove down for it. He was kind enough to run with me for the first few miles before I finally told him to go ahead and run his race. But he was a great cheerleader for the time we ran together. When I crossed the finish line about 40 minutes after him, he was still waiting for me with water and a banana in hand!
At about mile 7 I felt the beginning of a blister on my inner arch. I was torn between trying to keep jogging some and not making it any worse than necessary. In the end, I walked the last 2.5 miles or so. A friend from work was one of the volunteers/spectators (she regularly does marathons) and so she accompanied me for the last 2. That was nice, because when you are then end of the pack, it is a bit discouraging. BUT, I did indeed cross the finish line and was smiling when I did. I am not entirely certain my legs could have managed even one more mile, though!
After the race I felt great. I stretched some and then my parents took me to IHOP for post race lunch, as Sue has trained me to do. :) I even had a nice massage in the evening to help relax and loosen things up. However, working the very next day--which means sitting at a desk for 10 hours--did NOT help in the achiness department!! I pretty much hobbled for my first several steps each time I got up from the desk. But after work I went for a short walk with a friend, and that helped loosen me up some. I do plan on more stretching tonight and perhaps a bit of Arnica gel rubbed onto the sore spots.
No great break for me, though! Perhaps one more day off, and then back to work. Just a short run planned for Tuesday though--nothing too crazy. I need to make sure my legs can do those 13.1 miles in 2 weeks. Whether or not I make it under the 3 hour time limit is a secondary concern, but I just want to be able to cross the finish and say, "I did it!"
Now I know.
Sue had some superb excuse for not participating in the race yesterday (mmhmm, sure!) but her (well, I guess now our) friend Kevin drove down for it. He was kind enough to run with me for the first few miles before I finally told him to go ahead and run his race. But he was a great cheerleader for the time we ran together. When I crossed the finish line about 40 minutes after him, he was still waiting for me with water and a banana in hand!
At about mile 7 I felt the beginning of a blister on my inner arch. I was torn between trying to keep jogging some and not making it any worse than necessary. In the end, I walked the last 2.5 miles or so. A friend from work was one of the volunteers/spectators (she regularly does marathons) and so she accompanied me for the last 2. That was nice, because when you are then end of the pack, it is a bit discouraging. BUT, I did indeed cross the finish line and was smiling when I did. I am not entirely certain my legs could have managed even one more mile, though!
After the race I felt great. I stretched some and then my parents took me to IHOP for post race lunch, as Sue has trained me to do. :) I even had a nice massage in the evening to help relax and loosen things up. However, working the very next day--which means sitting at a desk for 10 hours--did NOT help in the achiness department!! I pretty much hobbled for my first several steps each time I got up from the desk. But after work I went for a short walk with a friend, and that helped loosen me up some. I do plan on more stretching tonight and perhaps a bit of Arnica gel rubbed onto the sore spots.
No great break for me, though! Perhaps one more day off, and then back to work. Just a short run planned for Tuesday though--nothing too crazy. I need to make sure my legs can do those 13.1 miles in 2 weeks. Whether or not I make it under the 3 hour time limit is a secondary concern, but I just want to be able to cross the finish and say, "I did it!"
Friday, March 27, 2009
Found
Gotta be Somebody - Nickelback
This time I wonder what it feels like
To find the one in this life
The one we all dream of
But dreams just aren't enough
So I´ll be waiting for the real thing.
I'll know it by the feeling.
The moment when we´re meeting
Will play out like a scene straight off the silver screen
So I`ll be holdin’ my breath
Right up 'till the end
Until that moment when
I find the one that I'll spend forever with
`Cause nobody wants to be the last one there.
'Cause everyone wants to feel like someone cares.
Someone to love with my life in their hands.
There`s gotta be somebody for me like that.
`Cause nobody wants to go it on their own
And everyone wants to know they´re not alone.
Somebody else that feels the same somewhere.
There`s gotta be somebody for me out there.
Tonight out on the street out in the moonlight
And damn it this feels too right
It´s just like Déjà Vu
Me standin’ here with you
So I´ll be holdin`my breath
Could this be the end?
Is it that moment when
I find the one that I spend forever with?
‘Cause nobody wants to be the last one there
'Cause everyone wants to feel like someone cares.
Someone to love with my life in their hands.
There´s gotta be somebody for me like that.
`Cause nobody wants to go it on their own
And everyone wants to know they´re not alone.
Is there somebody else that feels the same somewhere?
There`s gotta be somebody for me out there.
You can´t give up!
When you're Lookin´ for a diamond in the rough
Because you never know when it shows up
Make sure you´re holdin` on
‘Cause it could be the one, the one you´re waiting on
‘Cause nobody wants to be the last one there.
And everyone wants to feel like someone cares.
Someone to love with my life in their hands.
There has gotta be somebody for me
Ohhhhhh.
Nobody wants to go it on their own
And everyone wants to know they´re not alone.
Is there somebody else that feels the same somewhere?
There `s gotta be somebody for me out there.
Nobody wants to be the last one there
And everyone wants to feel like someone cares.
Is there somebody else that feels the same somewhere?
There has gotta be somebody for me out there.
(to listen to song go here and click listen now)
This time I wonder what it feels like
To find the one in this life
The one we all dream of
But dreams just aren't enough
So I´ll be waiting for the real thing.
I'll know it by the feeling.
The moment when we´re meeting
Will play out like a scene straight off the silver screen
So I`ll be holdin’ my breath
Right up 'till the end
Until that moment when
I find the one that I'll spend forever with
`Cause nobody wants to be the last one there.
'Cause everyone wants to feel like someone cares.
Someone to love with my life in their hands.
There`s gotta be somebody for me like that.
`Cause nobody wants to go it on their own
And everyone wants to know they´re not alone.
Somebody else that feels the same somewhere.
There`s gotta be somebody for me out there.
Tonight out on the street out in the moonlight
And damn it this feels too right
It´s just like Déjà Vu
Me standin’ here with you
So I´ll be holdin`my breath
Could this be the end?
Is it that moment when
I find the one that I spend forever with?
‘Cause nobody wants to be the last one there
'Cause everyone wants to feel like someone cares.
Someone to love with my life in their hands.
There´s gotta be somebody for me like that.
`Cause nobody wants to go it on their own
And everyone wants to know they´re not alone.
Is there somebody else that feels the same somewhere?
There`s gotta be somebody for me out there.
You can´t give up!
When you're Lookin´ for a diamond in the rough
Because you never know when it shows up
Make sure you´re holdin` on
‘Cause it could be the one, the one you´re waiting on
‘Cause nobody wants to be the last one there.
And everyone wants to feel like someone cares.
Someone to love with my life in their hands.
There has gotta be somebody for me
Ohhhhhh.
Nobody wants to go it on their own
And everyone wants to know they´re not alone.
Is there somebody else that feels the same somewhere?
There `s gotta be somebody for me out there.
Nobody wants to be the last one there
And everyone wants to feel like someone cares.
Is there somebody else that feels the same somewhere?
There has gotta be somebody for me out there.
(to listen to song go here and click listen now)
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Spring Tease
In a matter of days it has gone from 9 degrees and 10 inches of snow, to 78 degrees and fabulously sunny! I finally was able to enjoy a relaxing cup of coffee while sitting on my porch steps--with my dog plastered next to me, of course.
The snow was wonderful. I find it the only redeeming factor for winter, so it was about time we had some! On Monday a friend and coworker picked me up for work. There was no way my car would even make it out of my driveway! By the time another coworker brought me home, the roads were clear and dry. At this point having tire tracks down my driveway and a few inches melted away, my car could eke its way down to the road.
This was the first time since I've had my dog that it's really snowed. I wasn't too certain how she'd react. There was a bit of uncertainty at first, but after her initial foray, she did not want to come back inside! In fact, I had to check on her, because she'd stay out for so long that she'd get ice build-up between her paw pads.
Now it's just 5 days later, and it is in the upper 70's and sunny! I've opened my front door and some windows to get some much needed fresh air into the house. I also took a couple of my plants outside so they could "breath" as well.
While I have to go back to work tomorrow and miss out on the weather then, I'm grateful I was able to enjoy today!
The snow was wonderful. I find it the only redeeming factor for winter, so it was about time we had some! On Monday a friend and coworker picked me up for work. There was no way my car would even make it out of my driveway! By the time another coworker brought me home, the roads were clear and dry. At this point having tire tracks down my driveway and a few inches melted away, my car could eke its way down to the road.
This was the first time since I've had my dog that it's really snowed. I wasn't too certain how she'd react. There was a bit of uncertainty at first, but after her initial foray, she did not want to come back inside! In fact, I had to check on her, because she'd stay out for so long that she'd get ice build-up between her paw pads.
Now it's just 5 days later, and it is in the upper 70's and sunny! I've opened my front door and some windows to get some much needed fresh air into the house. I also took a couple of my plants outside so they could "breath" as well.
While I have to go back to work tomorrow and miss out on the weather then, I'm grateful I was able to enjoy today!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
SWAT in Action
Working for the police department has some fun perks. Today, the SWAT team had training, and I was one of the role players. The elementary school I attended when we first moved to VA is now empty, and this is where we played today! We had a lot of fun. I knew, of course, the SWAT guys, as well as the other role players since they were other PD employees, both civilian and sworn, dispatchers and friends.
The best scenario, or at least most fun, involved Joe from dispatch being my estranged husband who was off his meds. He came to the school to kill me and the principal, with whom I was having an affair. Joe was absolutely fabulous and really did a good job for helping the negotiations team. In the end, though, he killed me mere seconds before SWAT breached the room.
My friend Amber and I got to be nutty tree huggers who were angry about all the development happening in our county. Unlike all of the other scenarios, we were NOT given a script or storyline. That made it tricky for us to really play along, as neither of us are good story spinners. In the end it became a suicide mission on my part. I used my hostage (one of the officers!) as a human shield as I walked up the hallway. He dove into a classroom we passed, so then I had to, as well. He had to pay for that, though, so that was the end of the line for him...after a few flesh wounds, of course. Since I knew they were going to come in, I was able to position myself and picked off the first SWAT guy through the door. He's one of my buddies, so I told him it wasn't personal. :-)
Despite being a long day, it was a lot of fun!! However, if you are ever an innocent bystander, I strongly suggest you comply with SWAT commands, because until they know you're a good guy, they're pretty rough, and it hurts!!
The best scenario, or at least most fun, involved Joe from dispatch being my estranged husband who was off his meds. He came to the school to kill me and the principal, with whom I was having an affair. Joe was absolutely fabulous and really did a good job for helping the negotiations team. In the end, though, he killed me mere seconds before SWAT breached the room.
My friend Amber and I got to be nutty tree huggers who were angry about all the development happening in our county. Unlike all of the other scenarios, we were NOT given a script or storyline. That made it tricky for us to really play along, as neither of us are good story spinners. In the end it became a suicide mission on my part. I used my hostage (one of the officers!) as a human shield as I walked up the hallway. He dove into a classroom we passed, so then I had to, as well. He had to pay for that, though, so that was the end of the line for him...after a few flesh wounds, of course. Since I knew they were going to come in, I was able to position myself and picked off the first SWAT guy through the door. He's one of my buddies, so I told him it wasn't personal. :-)
Despite being a long day, it was a lot of fun!! However, if you are ever an innocent bystander, I strongly suggest you comply with SWAT commands, because until they know you're a good guy, they're pretty rough, and it hurts!!
Vegas....but really Hoover Dam
Oh, goodness I don't even know where to begin. I guess I'll skip all the stuff I can't remember anyway and go right to Vegas!
Last week I went to Vegas with a few friends from work and a couple of their friends. We all had fun to varying degrees. The best day, for me, was when Kelly and I went to Hoover Dam. And of course what's the ONE day of the year they're NOT doing tours?? That's right, the day we went! But that was ok; we still were able to walk around and check stuff out. They are in the process of building a bridge which I assume will relieve the dam of all motor traffic. Nothing was mentioned in the visitors' center about it, but I figure that's a safe assumption.
After leaving the dam, we stopped at a place we noted on the way which was offering helicopter rides. I have always wanted to ride in one, so I was pretty psyched. It was definitely the highlight of my trip!
Last week I went to Vegas with a few friends from work and a couple of their friends. We all had fun to varying degrees. The best day, for me, was when Kelly and I went to Hoover Dam. And of course what's the ONE day of the year they're NOT doing tours?? That's right, the day we went! But that was ok; we still were able to walk around and check stuff out. They are in the process of building a bridge which I assume will relieve the dam of all motor traffic. Nothing was mentioned in the visitors' center about it, but I figure that's a safe assumption.
After leaving the dam, we stopped at a place we noted on the way which was offering helicopter rides. I have always wanted to ride in one, so I was pretty psyched. It was definitely the highlight of my trip!
The bridge under construction
Hoover Dam & bridge from Helicopter!!
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