Peoria

I'm still alive, I moved, life is fun. For anyone wondering, the linear kitchen is mine. It is 1 mile from Ben, which is great his place is right off a loop I run quite often so I can run, pick him up and we can go to my place. No driving required. Oh the no driving thing is fabulous. It's a pretty well known fact I don't like to drive, and I have only driven on weekends since moving here. It does mean I don't get to see much more than my neighborhood during the week, which does get slightly boring, I can deal with boring as a minor downside to not driving. My crazy old landlords make fun of me for how little my car moves.

My landlords are a hoot. They live in my building and are also here all the time (seriously their car does not move too much more often than mine and oftentimes it only moves to take the lawnmower out of the garage) The husband brings in the mail and puts it by everyone's door...everyone except me. He doesn't understand that "running thing" I do and feels I should have a destination and a reason for my run so I need to get my own mail from the mailbox across the street. I have so many great stories about my landlords. I pretty much never want to live in an apartment community again for the sure entertainment value I have gained from the crazies.

Work is work, sometimes it's a bit quiet working from home, but for the most part I'm enjoying the commute.

Changes

I have lived in my little apartment for over 2 and a half years. My first apartment post college. It's little but all I really need. In a few short weeks I'll be leaving this place to live over 400 miles away in a yet to be determined location.

My new kitchen could look like this spacious model.

I could have the world's most linear kitchen. Seriously this is the entire kitchen, one neat line.

My third option is this little, dated kitchen.

Anyone that feels the need to give me advice on where to live should really be able to decide just on kitchen alone. You can also know each has a garage, the first and third choices are attached. Number two I'd have to walk in the elements a couple feet. Two of the places have washer and dryers. The third has a "laundry room" with hook ups but I would rather turn that into an office because I am me and weird.

Also, I am concerned with office space because I will be working from home. I am keeping my current job and telecommuting from 400+ miles away. This is, in the words of my manager, "to be closer to 'friends' and family." It's all very exciting and scary at the same time. It's giving that "friend" and I a chance to finally see each other without planning ahead at least 6 hours. We get to be more like normal couples (if you didn't already know are you surprised that the "friend" is my boyfriend of nearly two years) I am still in shock and incredibly ecstatic that this is actually happening.

I am going to miss my little apartment, this city, and my friends. I will be back to visit regularly all except the little apartment. In four weeks when I pull out of the parking lot it will probably be the final time I see my first little apartment.

Darwin

Sunday I set out for an 11 mile run. The weather was beautiful, 50s maybe? not much wind...so perfect for a run. I ended up running a couple extra miles because I'm a little crazy but whatever. I was a little surprised I didn't see many other runners out. During my um 2ish hours out, mostly on a trail, I saw maybe 3 runners. I guess I really don't live in a running city. I did see lots of people walking and more biking. Not really a surprise a suppose. The only surprise came shortly after I had turned south to head home. I saw a lady out with her two dogs. The lady was on a BIKE! and yes, the dogs were on leashes. Seriously, Darwin award anyone? It's hard enough to run with dogs on a leash, dogs don't want to go at a steady pace forward, they want to stop and smell for places to mark their territory, sprint towards other dogs, circle around, just be dogs. The lady seemed to be doing pretty well keeping the dogs going and herself upright on the bike, but really I wouldn't be surprised if she fell or lost hold of the leashes before making it to her destination.

I'm back...

running again of course! It's wonderful to be able to run without worrying about how my knee is going to feel later. I'd say I'm 90% healthy, which is pretty healthy considering it's winter and how horribly I felt just a couple months ago.

Of course my body decides it has healed at the coldest time of the year. The time of year where it takes 10 minutes just to put on the layers on, including insulated tights, warm socks, 1 or 2 layers of gloves, thermal shirts, a jacket (a bright yellow one with a red light even..I am the biggest running nerd thanks to my mom), and two ear bands (one for my ears, one for my mouth.....I look hot). Don't worry about me, I'm not going to freeze out there.

I have seen people that are freezing. Like the couple playing with their dogs in the park (seriously people don't you realize it's negative wind chills?) Or the people playing disk golf... I know it's possible to get a work out playing disk golf, but really these people were standing in the too-cold-for-a-sane-person-to-be-outside temperatures in snow watching each other throw Frisbees. Seriously people, you are crazy.

Speaking of crazy I'm thinking people see me running down the road complete with my red flashing light on my super cool jacket (yep my mom worries about me) and feel sorry for me. People in their cars wave me across the street when they have green arrows. Seriously besides the stupid lady that didn't feel the need to um look at the road or stop at the STOP sign I have encountered nothing but super courteous drivers this winter. My theory is they don't want to be the reason I caught hypothermia so they help me get on my way faster. Purely selfish reasons, you know? Could drivers please find selfish reasons to treat me like this year round?

Injured

I hurt my knee two weeks ago tomorrow. Anyone that's known me for any period of time probably isn't surprised. I've been beating up my knees for years. I've been relatively injury free for awhile now. Nothing has sidelined me for more than a day or two since 2003. But two weeks ago tomorrow...

Two weeks ago tomorrow my knees started hurting so badly I was afraid I'd have to actually go to a doctor again. Before anyone else asks no, I didn't fall or run into anything. I wasn't even running in the cold (as had been planned for that night) or on a hard surface. I was running on a treadmill, I really don't know what went wrong. I only ran 4 miles.

But when I was done with those measly 4 miles on the dreadmill(seriously who runs on a treadmill for fun? Running outside=fun and relaxing, Treadmill=painful) I couldn't walk right. I stretched, iced my knee and went to sleep hoping it'd be better in the morning. I didn't sleep well that night. Stupid knee hurt to be touched, the next day I hobbled around work, stairs were the devil. Slowly, slowly I've been able to walk without limping. I couple days ago I started taking the stairs without thinking about the pain.

The worse part of this is I haven't been able to do any sort of exercise. Without my exercise I'm a sad little girl. I've read up on my symptoms and I think I have Patellar tendinitis sound advice says stay off it. Don't run. I even read that I should rest for 3 weeks. 3 weeks! and from what I've read that's for an injury that isn't as debilitating as mine, I don't want to go another week. I want to run again asap. I think I can do it, I mean I can walk without pain now so that means I can run, right? But of course now the weather's getting icky. Seriously last week the weather was wonderful and now winter decides to come. Is the weather trying to tell me to take more time off? I am going to choose to ignore it and run as soon as I get time (holidays and work are trying to get in the way of my running time) I guess I really am a crazy runner...

ATM

When I need cash I run to the ATM...literally. I don't think it's weird. I live less than a mile from my bank and my bank happens to be on a course I commonly run when I don't want to go far, so why not? Very convenient and I hate driving so yep running makes perfect sense. Anyway tonight I needed cash so I went for a run. When I ended up at the bank someone was at the ATM (they drove, weird) so I jogged around the parking lot for a minute but they were taking forever so I ran around the block. When I got to where I could see the ATM he was gone so I was happy, until I saw another car pull up. Grr... I this time walked to the end of the parking lot to stretch, then /another/ car came. No No you are not going to take my place. So even though I feel very strange and rude standing right by the ATM while someone else is there(I'm shy, timid little ol me after all). Finally the man left and it was my turn, I left and someone else drove up. Seriously. I don't understand why this ATM was so busy. Did I mention this was at a branch of the bank and there was also a drive up ATM (which I have ran up to before and used but feel a little silly doing, especially when on the other side of the bank there's an ATM designed just for people like me, a "run up" ATM if you will) and there was not a line at that ATM? I understand not wanting to waste gas having the car idle but um starting the car again, that wastes gas as well doesn't it?

So today I decided if there's no line in the drive up ATM and you drove to the bank, that is the one you have to use. Let us runners use the ATM and get home. It is winter, it's dark, no one wants me running in the dark. We all know how coordinated I am running in the light, just imagine the dark. Next time you have your choice please think of the clumsy runners.

It's November 5th...

and I saw people putting up Christmas decorations today. I understand the weather was really nice today which makes for a great time to put up outdoor decorations but seriously. Halloween was last week. Thanksgiving isn't for another few weeks. Christmas is 2 months away. I grew up in a family that didn't consider putting up decorations until at least the day after Thanksgiving and really preferred waiting until Advent started and keeping the decorations up through the entire Advent season. I'm not saying everyone has to wait to put up decorations but really, isn't the first weekend in November a bit early?

Some people

I drive a lot. I see all kinds of things while I'm driving, I felt the need to write letters about some notable nuisances.

Dear People of Minnesota,
What is different in the way you learn how to drive versus the rest of the country. Why is it that during a drive through Iowa I often come upon people with license plates from the land of the lakes that just don't seem to be able to drive with um consideration for the rest of the people on the road. On my most recent trip through Iowa I came upon two separate cars from your state that clearly have no idea what cruise control is. Both cars were newer and I assume they both have cruise control, yet both failed to maintain a consistent speed for 5 minutes at a time. One felt the need to remain in the left lane, without any cars in front or next to them, and never going an exceedingly fast speed. Personally I try to avoid passing on the right as I feel it is rude. Well have several miles not at a consistent speed and slower than I wanted to go I was forced to go to the right lane, for my sanity. People of Minnesota, I have friends from your state, I even spent a summer living on one of the 10,000 lakes, but when I see I car with plates that say Minnesota...I become quite sad. Please learn some consideration and everyone take lessons on cruise control.

Signed,
The very frustrated Elantra driver.

Dear Creepy Suzuki driver,
I do not appreciate when large, hairy, creepy looking men blow kisses at me and make gestures through their cars. What possessed you to do such a thing? Were you trying to flirt? Really, it is not going to get girls if you act in such ways. In fact, girls will try to stay away from you. No, I did not feel at all flattered, I was disgusted. I felt trapped and tried my best to fall way behind you. I was beyond relieved when I finally saw you take the exit off the interstate.

Signed
Disgusted in Omaha

Stupid People

Do you know what happens when someone requests the utilities in a certain location get switched to their name? The current resident of that location has their account closed, the security deposit returned, ect. ect... Just like that, a flip of the switch. This weekend I got a notice that my account was closed with the Omaha Public Power District. I called a little confused. The guy was pretty much like yep you don't live there anymore. Well sir, all my things are here and I still pay rent so I'm afraid I still live here. Apparently some Alicia something or other (I got her bill in the mail along with my notice) thinks she lives in my apartment. I haven't noticed any strange girls around so I don't think she's actually living here.

I guess maybe I didn't need to call, then I wouldn't have gotten a bill until Alicia decided she wanted electricity at her actual home. Oh well.

And then there were 3

As of Saturday morning at 4:02 AM there are now 3 babies in my family. Brady Robert was born 6 minutes after Ashley Hope. My dad tried to tell me the babies were born 6 seconds apart when he called and told me about the births. Honestly I'm not sure if I managed to convince him that 4:02 is 6 minutes after 3:56, we'll just blame it on the lack of sleep he had the night before and his long week.

It's a little crazy to think all the babies are born. This summer is flying by. So many things have already happened and others are about to happen. I have seen my family more this summer than well I honestly can't remember the last time I saw this much of my entire family maybe freshman year of high school..maybe. I will be making another trek to see them all before the summer is over making that the 4th trip for family since the end of May.

Have I mentioned I hate driving? Hate's a strong word and oh, I mean it. I like to always be doing something and in the car there's really not much to do. Especially along I80, there is nothing exciting to see. I have been brushing up on my Spanish, but really there's only so much of that this girl can handle. Why isn't there a better way for me to get across the state of Iowa? Flying is too much of a hassle for the places I'm going. Teleportation needs to actually work.

I think I successfully rambled enough for today.

Runners are good people :)

This weekend I was running along a stretch of a fairly busy road just minding my own business. Then I see a man in the middle of the road picking up tree branches. I was quite confused. Especially when I saw he was alone and didn't have a car, cart...anything. He was just picking up branches from the middle of the road and moving them to the median. By the time I got to where he was here were only a couple twigs left in the road. The man saw me staring at m grumbled about inconsiderate people that litter and ran off in the opposite direction from me. Oh it was a strange site apparently during this man's morning jog he saw branches in the road and didn't want there to be an accident so he took it upon himself to clean up the mess. Makes me proud to be a runner.

Follow the rules much?

I understand rules are made to be broken and there are very few people if any that follow every rule. That said oftentimes rules are made to make situations better. Case in point Flying J truck stops are, in my experience, almost always busy and to cut down on the congestion of cars facing every which way to get gas they have the direction you are suppose to be facing posted by every fuel island(or whatever they are called) as well as signs that let you know that the hoses will reach around cars, so please use the first available pump. Simple, right? Well the lovely patrons of the Flying J in Davenport, IA just do not understand this. Cars at this truck stop seem to enjoy causing traffic jams and holding up others that are trying to spend the rest of their life savings on a tank of gas. Really, I swear the hoses really will reach around cars, it's not tough. Sorry I just got back from a weekend of driving far more than anyone should in 72 hours.

Also,
To whom it concerns at Flying J of Davenport, IA:
If all of the pay at the pumps are broken please put signs up.
Signed,
A less than satisfied customer.

It's all in a name

The last year or so it seems as though everywhere I turn someone is talking babies. Friends and family. Maybe I really am growing up. My sister-in-law gave birth to the first great-grandkid on both sides of my family last night. Sadly there are no great-grandparents to enjoy such their first great-grandson. Even so my brother and sister-in-law honored my granddad by naming their son Jack after him.

When I was told the baby's name I was surprised I hadn't guessed that would be the name. While my brother, sister and I were never close to my grandparents (due in part to never living less than a two days drive from them), my brother always had some sort of connection with my granddad. My brother even looks eerily like my granddad did.

I love it when babies' are named after people. It is like a legacy for those they were named after. I was named after 3 glorious ladies named Alice, each one lived/lives a notable life and I hope I can live up to the name. I had wanted to name a son after my granddad although I'm happy my brother beat me to it. It shows how great a person he was that two of us had the same thought.

With the parents Jack has, I am confident he will grow up to be someone people want to name their babies after.

Half Marathon

I ran my second Lincoln National Guard Half Marathon today. Sometimes things aren't quite as fun the second time around for me because I miss the excitement of the unknown of new things. Today was, however, a good time. I wasn't sure how I'd run this year because I've been sore and I haven't been training as fast. I ran a better race this time around, however. I think I was more even..I am bad at remembering splits and I don't have a garmin and hearing times that are off my by like 20 seconds just confuses me. I was dead tired at the end again and decided I really am in no shape to do a marathon 26 miles is so intimidating.

Anyway fun things I saw/heard today

• I watched an 11 year old run his second marathon...if he kept up his pace for the second half he did pretty well.
• I saw a girl be proposed to at the finish line of the half.
• I saw 2 men run barefoot marathons
• I ran with a man I know who forgot his shoes at home and ran in socks!
• I heard a man talking about ultra races he has run. He almost ran in a 24 hour race last weekend but no one would drive him to the race. Yet he was worried what the surface would do to his legs. Seriously you put tons of miles on your legs I think you can handle 26 miles on a road.
  
• I heard many people yell "go girl(s)" at me and other girls near me. Made me laugh, I was always around men when this happened. I guess people don't care about the guys.
• I saw the man that wears a tux to hand out water.
• I saw unfortunate cars that were stuck at intersections for a very long time.
• I saw some creative messages written on the ground.
• I saw people do push ups after finishing running.

A guy stopped me after I got my finishers medal to take a picture, I'm sure I look great drinking red gatorade completely exhausted. At least that's better than a picture during the race... Why must people insist on taking pictures of runners?

Cheap

Most people that know me know I am not a fan of spending money. In many cases I'll go without instead of paying a couple dollars. I am the one that will shop around for the best price and I'm not a fan of full price. I blame it on growing up in my family. (Except I don't think my brother and sister ended up quite like me..eh I grew up much later than them) So you'd think I'd always shop at the cheapest place for what I need.

That my friends is definitely not the truth. I avoid Wal-Mart if possible. I recently read The Wal-Mart Effect and I have a renewed determination to avoid the original big box store. Wal-Mart is undoubtedly the cheapest place to buy everyday items as the store forces its suppliers to sell products to them cheapest in exchange for pushing the products in thousands of stores. Sure that sounds all great. Because of the size Wal-Mart has gotten the retailer has been able to bring prices down in many stores, it has even caused businesses to streamline their processes. The book begins with a stores about how Wal-Mart forced deodorant manufactures to get rid of useless packaging; lowering prices, creating more space on the shelves, and helping the environment.

I'm sure you've also heard all the nasty things people say about Wal-Mart as well. "Wal-Mart moves jobs overseas" "Wal-Mart forces mom and pop stores out of business" "Wal-Mart forces people to work in horrible conditions". It's for these reasons and more that I avoid the big box I come to every mile or two. Back when Sam Walton started the store it was no frills, good quality, good price. COmpletely something I stand for. Now the store forces manufactures to lower the prices on goods every couple years. Everyone must realize this simply isnt possible without something hurting. This causes manufactures to go bankrupt, move manufacturing out of the country, or lower the quality of product or a combination. When Sam Walton was around he encouraged employees to go to competitors and see what they were doing better than Wal-Mart. Now Wal-Mart will not give information about itself to anyone. How is any company expected to compete if Wal-Mart doesn't even share information. Fed Ex was given an award by Wal-Mart, the only thing they were allowed to say in response was a small blurb about how proud they were ect ect. I understand not sharing company secrets but the company just goes too far. In my opinion.

End rant, time for me to go on being cheap.

Creepy!

Nope I'm not talking about creepy little bugs (although I did see some rather spine tingling creatures at the zoo this weekend) I'm talking about creepy older men. For the most part I encounter decent people in my every day life. A couple old men I met last summer at my apartment complex do not fit in this category. One has two teenage sons, is divorced, was in the Navy, and from what I can gather just sits around all day trying to pick up younger women. He's so pathetic I almost feel sorry for him. (I'm just not that nice) Every time I run into him I get invited out to dinner or drinks or something. Sadly, I never take him up on such offers.

Another guy I don't encounter quite as often just stopped me as I was walking back to my apartment from lifting weights. This guy lives in an apartment on my way to the gym and always has his blinds open. He was saying how he never sees me blah blah. "and it's sad because I enjoy watching you walk past my apartment" Gah creepy old man. What possesses people to open their mouths?

Makes me want to walk the long way to the gym.

Cutting Edge?

I'm pretty sure I never thought traffic lights (or stop lights, or if your from middle of nowhere Wisconsin stop and gos) could be cutting edge. They are plain and simple lights with red, yellow, and green to let you know when you can go through an intersection. There are some variations of course, each town likes to come up with the best version of this simple traffic device.

A certain town I have been visiting on a pretty regular basis over the past year seems to want to be on the cutting edge of traffic lights. The first variation I had the pleasure to experience I would not recommend for any town that does not have an unusually high population of blind people. I know several towns have the lights that beep when changing...this town's was the first to keep me up at night. This experience with the lights actually was one reason I had a bad opinion of the town for several years (this girl likes her sleep)

This past weekend I was back (as I often am now adays as I have found a reason to overcome my dislike for the town) They have begun to upgrade another set of lights. This upgrade I am actually a fan of. The lights have a display positioned below the walk/don't walk sign. The display counts down for 10 seconds before the light turns yellow. I am such a fan in all regards and more towns need to adopt such lights.

I guess I am silly and such a thing should not excite me, but eh I'm random and weird and proud of it :p

Rude

Omaha received the biggest snow storm of the season the past couple of days. Really that's not saying much seeing as this is probably the 3rd or 4th time for it to snow all winter. Me being the silly girl that people tell me is crazy went running in the wonderful snow. It was perfect snow running weather. It hadn't been too cold so the sidewalks and roads weren't getting a lot of accumulation and there was no ice so really it was just all pretty and a change of scenery. I had a great run for 6 miles. Then as I'm just about home I encounter a rude teenager who needs to have his drivers license taken away. I know driving in the snow is a bit different and sometimes it is hard to control your car. But this kid was clearly aiming to do what he did. He drove right next to the curb. You know that space where the snow plow deposits the snow so there's a nice little pile? He only did this right when we passed me clearly in an attempt to get me all snowy, wet, and cold. Luckily I was an alert runner right about then and got to the opposite side of the sidewalk and stayed dry. Seriously who does that? I thought the rudest thing people did to runners in the snow was neglect shoveling. No this deliberate action clearly awful. /end rant/

Bananas!

When we went to help my parents move into their retirement house. A certain someone remarked that if he didn't know better he'd think we were moving a family of 12. Either my dad thinks my mom and him are a family of 12, there are 10 people I don't know about living in their new house, or my dad has no concept of portion control.

In a recent conversation with my mom she told me about a trip my dad made to a grocery store (my dad is the buyer of the groceries after all because that makes sense since he never cooks) My mom said my ever bargain hunting dad came back very proud because he got a good deal on bananas. 12 pounds of bananas to be exact. My mom was taken aback by the purchase. Her response to my dad was, "you know we are going to be gone all next week?" didn't seem to faze the proud owner of 12 pounds of bananas. As I was talking to my mom she was making banana cake. Hopefully that put a small dent in their supply.

Blog worthy

So I recently took a trip to middle of nowhere Kansas. I don't think I had visited that state for quite some time. And it was an experience. I love small towns, not to live in but to visit. They have such charm. The particular town we visited had some sort of odd fascination with old houses and pointless museums, seriously Greyhound Hall of Fame? Really reminded me of a place my family would have gone on vacation. Maybe we did at some point.

Anyway...On to the most blogworthy part of the trip. Our hotel had a hot tub which we decided to test out. Good plan, right? So we turn the knob for a half hour and suddenly can't hear ourselves think. This thing sounded at times like a car trying to start other times like some sort of ogre or something. In order to quite the poor hot tub we clogged up the hole above one of the jets with a towel. I have never before been in a hot tub that sounded as though it was in some serious amounts of pain.