What I Talk About When I Talk About Trying to Run: Part One

I'll be honest. I'm not a runner. I envy you, Murakami. I think about times I might need to run for my life - chased by kidnappers, murderers, zombies, vampires, aliens, children - at some point, I think I'd just give up. Basically what I'm trying to say is I'm not a survivor, but I'm trying.

Last year I made a Pre-30 Bucket List and decided I was going to run a 5k. I did that on April 28th in Oak Park. I wasn't sure how it was going to go and I think I was following a list of all the things NOT to do before you run a race. Instead of taking it easy the day before, I was on my feet standing in line for five plus hours at Three Floyd's Dark Lord Day (you're welcome, Bryan). Instead of training for weeks in advance, I sat on the couch and ordered delivery (you're welcome, Grubhub). Instead of getting a good night's rest, I stayed up way too late. When I went to bed I didn't know if I was actually going to run the next day. But I did end up going and I did really well (actually my best 5k time as of writing this post).

I decided I needed more of a challenge. I wanted to accomplish more. I really like eating pizza. I think my ultimate goal in life is to eat what I want and not have to buy bigger clothes. So with that new goal in mind, I decided to run more 5ks. In 2013 I completed five 5k's, one two mile race, and even took a 5k running class through the Oak Park Park District. I looked at my Pre-30 Bucket List and decided that I could run a 5k every month in 2014. That pizza is not going to eat itself.

January 2014 - NYD 5k
I kicked off the New Year getting kicked in the butt trying to run a 5k in a blizzard while sick. I was fighting off a two-week long cold by the time my first 5k of the year came around. Chicago was also fighting (and losing) a very disgusting battle with Mother Nature. I can tell you that the only time I smiled during this race was in this picture below. At one point I remember pumping my arms and running as fast as I could through the snow drifts and looking over at Bryan as he was walking next to me. Walking. The conditions were so terrible that it was faster to walk than to run. But I finished and got my free banana.

February 2014 - Warm Your Heart 5k
After January's disastrous "run" I decided to select an indoor 5k. I thought I was being so clever. No elements to deal with this time. I had been training since the January race so I was in good shape. I had a good feeling about this indoor 5k. Except a week before the race I came down with another cold. I know what you're thinking. All this exercise is killing you. And I think you're right. However, despite my hacking and feeling like I was going to puke, I did have my second best time of any 5k I've completed.

We'll see how the rest of the year goes. I still plan on accomplishing my goal. I am clearly insane. For pizza.

Pre-30 Bucket List

I'm all about a good list. Last year I decided to create a Pre-30 bucket list. Some of the items are traveling to see different places, others are about being a better person, but they all are things I want to make sure I do in my 20's because I don't want to get to 30 and wish I would have done (fill in the blank). I tried to make my list as realistic as possible and have even made some additions to the list. 

1. Get a will and power of attorney
2. Donate my hair to Locks of Love (Completed 8.11.2013)
3. Drive Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica
4. Go to Australia and New Zealand
5. Watch all 100 movies on AFI's top 100 list (22 movies in 2013)
6. Read 300 books (21 books in 2013)
7. Listen to all the Beatles albums in one day (Completed 7.13.2013)
8. Buy a townhouse/condo
9. Get married
10. Go to Bonnaroo, Cochella, Austin City Limits, Sasquatch
11. Travel abroad (Completed May of 2013)
12. Go to the Festival of Living Art in Laguna Beach
13. Run a 5k (Completed 4.28.2013) (*Updated - Run a 5k every month for a year)
14. Make my mom proud
15. Be a good daughter
16. Be there for my brother
17. Be a better Aunt
18. Tell Bryan I love him every day

Over the Hill and Through the Snow

This winter has been brutal.  My poor car just looks pissed off all the time. I don’t blame her. She’s been sitting outside in negative weather, plowed through piles of snow, and driven countless miles through snow storms.

Giant snowflakes that fell the night before we left for Peoria.

Peoria Visit:

Mid-January we made the drive down to Peoria to visit my Dad, Carol, and Kiana. Of course we left just as it started snowing more giant snowflakes. The drive took us a bit longer than usual, but we made it with no major issues. We spent Saturday night seeing Lone Survivor and going out to eat at Mickie’s Pizzera with my Dad and Carol. 

The next morning we got to finally exchange Christmas gifts with my Dad and then with Kiana.

Kiana flying through the "boring" presents to get to her Kindle Fire. She looks exactly like Justin in the picture on the right.

Bloomington, IN Visit:

A couple weekends after the Peoria trip, Bryan and I drove down Indiana. Again, during another snow storm. We both left work early on Thursday to try to beat the snow and also because we forgot that Indiana is in a different time zone and we were trying to make an 8:00pm Neko Case concert at The Vogue. We finally got there, a little late, but we didn't drive like idiots like every 4th car on the road that ended up in the ditch.

A great venue in Indianapolis! The parking deck across the street was very convenient until everyone tried to leave at the same exact time.

Over the weekend in Bloomington we checked out The Bloomington Bagel Company, Mother Bear Pizza, Function Brewing, The Tap, and the Runcible Spoon.

Function Brewery - Pictures from Danielle!

Yep, we're basically children.

Let the REAL Games Begin

Happy Valentine's Day! I really like Valentine's Day. It's a great day to celebrate love and candy. I'm sure it's a sad day for newly-dumped diabetics. Let's take a moment for those sad, sad people who can't taste the rainbow with that special someone.

.........

Okay, with that out of the way let's talk about the one thing I love that happens every other year.

Some people have the Super Bowl. Others have the World Series. You might love _____________ insert other sporting event here. I have the Olympics. I often say that I hate sports, but love the Olympics. There is something so great about the world’s best athletes coming together to compete for their country. I really enjoy getting a break from the sports that are on TV for what feels like, every day of the year. I’m looking at you, football. Most people seem to be a bigger fan of the Summer Games rather than the Winter Games, but I love both equally. I imagine this is like what parents must feel like if they have more than one kid. And yes, I’m that serious about the Olympics to make that kind of analogy.

Two years ago we had Jersey Day at a work meeting. Everyone walked in with their football jerseys on and I strolled in with my TEAM USA speed skating shirt. One because I didn't have a jersey and two because TEAM USA is awesome.

10 Things I Love About The 2014 Winter Games:

1. The opening ceremony: Stop talking about the ring not opening already! This was a beautiful show packed with so much history and culture.
2. Role models: I love the stories about athletes who have no shot at winning a medal, but are competing to inspire the youth in their country. How amazing is that?
3. Bob Costas and his Harry Potter glasses: I hope the eye infection clears up soon because Matt Lauer is just not the same. Madam Pomfrey should clear that right up for you, Bob.
4. Julia Lipnitskaia: Amazing talent! Crazy flexibility! I can’t believe she is only 15-years-old.
5. Art meets danger: I think the best thing about the Winter Games is how beautiful so many events are to watch, but at the same time dangerous. I almost have a heart attack every night watching the athletes fly through the air or zoom down a track. 
6. Biathlon: Skiing and shooting? That is pretty awesome. 
7. Slopestyle events and athletes: I love the comradery between the slopestyle snowboarders and skiers. They all seem to support the new event and each other.
8. Speed skating: My favorite event at the Winter games.
9. Wait it’s still winter?: The Winter Olympics are a great distraction from the disgusting winter weather the whole country is experiencing. 
10. This comment from my Dad: “I still can't figure out why basketball is not in the Winter Games since it was invented as a game to be played indoors in the WINTER!” My Dad follows a lot of different sports so it’s nice to be able to chat with him about the Olympics.

So much to love about the Olympics! I can’t wait to see more events and the closing ceremony. I’m also excited that 2018 will be in South Korea. Maybe a trip is in order….?

Nine Movies in Six Days

It seems like every Academy Awards season I’m always disappointed by how few movies I’ve seen. This year I decided to change that. Last month before the Golden Globes I decided to see as many movies as I could in a week. That meant a lot of late nights and very busy weekends, but I was able to see nine movies in six days. Was it crazy? Yes. Would I do it again next year? It’s already on my list of things to do in 2015!

Here’s what my crazy schedule looked like:

• Tuesday – Gravity 3D
• Wednesday – The Wolf of Wall Street
• Thursday – The Hobbit
• Friday – Her and American Hustle
• Saturday – August: Osage County
• Sunday – 12 Years a Slave, Philomena, and Nebraska

After the crazy movie week I decided to take a break. It’s exhausting to watch that many movies and it does get expensive too. Since writing the first draft of this post I had an opportunity to Redbox Captain Phillips and Blue Jasmine. The only movie left on my list is Dallas Buyers Club.

Initial thoughts:

1. Nebraska – This was my favorite movie. I think I could have watched it again right after it finished. I loved the storyline, the black and white, and the subtle performances. 
2. 12 Years a Slave – I probably won’t watch this movie again, but it was so well done. It was hard to watch (although less so than the other Steve McQueen movie I’ve seen – Hunger) and it was a strange way to start our Sunday morning at 10:00am. 
3. Her – I really need an operating system to organize my emails and who can understand what I’m saying better than Siri.
4. The Wolf of Wall Street – I’m sick of people complaining that this movie exploited women and focused too much on drugs. That’s like complaining that The Hobbit had too many dwarfs. What did people expect when they went to see a movie about a corrupt New York stock broker? I thought it was hilarious, but 40 minutes too long.
5. Philomena – Beautiful, happy, and sad movie. Besides 12 Years a Slave, it was the only movie that made me cry. As someone who is also adopted, I find it extremely touching that a woman never stops caring about her child she has to give up and that she always wonders what their life is like, if they’re happy.
6. American Hustle – Great individual performances but the overall story just didn’t do it for me.
7. Gravity – I never want to go to space. I thought this was kind of the Cast Away of outer space. I’m also not a big fan of 3D movies. I hate wearing glasses over my glasses.
8. Captain Phillips – This film was much better than I thought it was going to be. Now every time I see a Maersk truck on the road I yell at them, “I am the captain now!”

Predictions (In a Perfect World):

• Best picture – 12 Years a Slave (Nebraska)
• Best Director – Steve McQueen (Steve McQueen)
• Best Actor – Matthew McConaughey (Leonardo DiCaprio)
• Best Actress – Amy Adams (Meryl Streep)
• Best Supporting Actor – Jared Leto (Michael Fassbender)
• Best Supporting Actress – Jennifer Lawrence (Julia Roberts)