I have to

This is because I read it, and therefore, I have to:

Commanded from the almighty Zilla's blog: Grab the book nearest to you, open it up, and turn it to page 123. Write down the first 5 sentences on that page. Then tag 5 more people.

Well, the book nearest to me is the book I most recently completed, which is FIGHT CLUB.

Since most of my face never gets a chance to heal, I've got nothing to lose in the looks department. My boss, at work, he asked me what I was doing about the hole through my cheek that never heals. When I drink coffee, I told him, I put two fingers over the hole so it won't leak.
There's a sleeper hold that gives somebody just enough air to stay awake, and that night at fight club I hit our first-timer and hammered that beautiful mister angel face, first with the bony knuckles of my fist like a pounding molar, and the knotted tight butt of my fist after my knuckles were raw from his teeth stuck through his lips. Then the kid fell through my arms in a heap.

This book was a refreshing change of pace for me. I tend to gravitate to non-fiction, or fiction that is non-fiction-like.

Not to mention, the ending caught me completely off-guard. You are probably saying to yourself, what? what do you mean? You must have seen the movie!? But the funny thing about me is that I frequently don't remember movies I've only seen once. Especially if it has been a few years.
Really.

Okay. You're tagged. Do it.

(And I've got to go rent Fight Club now. Did I mention Edward Norton is one of my favoritest actors?)

goals

Let's be honest. I'm not going to make it to sixty miles to save the universe this February, nor am I fooling myself that I am. But that's okay.

Because a long time ago (okay, not really that long in the grand scheme of things) I promised myself I would never become as obsessive about running as I was at the time ever again. That means, no more than two miles per day. Or, okay, maybe three, tops. But no more ten-mile-a-day runs. That was insane.

Plus, I don't run on weekends. Period. Monday through Friday only. So, hypothtically, if I ran my maximum (2 miles) x 5 days a week, that still only means I would make 40 miles total a month.

I don't anticipate saving the universe any time soon.

However, so far as goals are concerned, I am quite disappointed about my fund raising thus far. I emailed twenty people I am quite connected with (friendship-wise) and haven't elicited a single donation yet.

Hmph.

Better start hitting up strangers in the streets.

Or figuring out a way to make some money.

Or figuring out a way to make this blog more popular.

(I'm sure a template update wouldn't kill me.)

baby charlotte

Sweet baby Charlotte Lily.

Congratulations Ron, Shelley and Gracie.
She's absolutely gorgeous!

smashing pumpkins

Happy birthday to my sister sign, fellow pisces, good friend, Ange.
I played a game of scrabble (alone) in honor of you on your special day:




(Wish I had thought of this in time for Zilla's birthday; it would have been fitting.
Next Year. Promise. And if I forget: kick me.)

Much love to you Ange.
Happy birthday dear friend.
Keep on saving the universe.
You're awesome. Really, truly.

And I'm sorry "omit" doesn't make much sense; I just needed to make the words around it happen, because they were worth it.

As for "oxen" - well - your strong like that.
And for "duel" - um - I challenge you to one.

As for the rest.... well, soak it all in, in all its birthday scrabble goodness.
(I know, I know, I'm weird. But hopefully, being of the same zodiac sign, you'll be more understanding.)

PS: If I were kidless I SO would have driven up to meet you in Vegas. Totally...

cartoon

© Cathy Thorne www.everydaypeoplecartoons.com

it's time to get ill

Seems as though things have been a whirlwind the past few weeks. One of the last things I remember mentioning about three weeks ago was that the kids were sick... again. Steven and I fell ill as well. But I really didn't mind, reason being, I'd rather be sick and get it over with before my parents came to visit. Then we'd be all in the clear for a good time.

Who would have thought we'd still be sick when they got here? The kids were the worst off.

We got hammered just this past October and November of 2007. Seemed as though, during those two months, we could not catch a break. December and January were a much appreciated hiatus and I was hoping it would last....

But all good things must come to an end. So when we all caught a cold around Steven's birthday, I cringed at the thought of going through it again, but was relieved it had happened before my parents got here.

Well, whether it was the same virus or a new one rearing its ugly head, much to our surprise the kids were still sick, and getting sicker still, when my parents came to visit. The Sunday night after MisterE's 1st birthday party Steven and my mom actually took MissL to the ER.

I'm no alarmist, and neither is Steven, but after talking to a colleague of his who was on call that night, he felt it was best to bring her in just to be on the safe side. Her fever of 104 wasn't responding to acetaminophen.

After a dose of ibuprofen administered at the hospital kicked in, MissL's fever finally responded and came down, and she was lucid again.

Steven, my mom and L had to wait 5 hours that night to get looked at. Watching the local news on the morning of Monday the 18th, reporters confirmed a high-profile flu situation in town. No hospital beds. Standing room only in ERs. Temporary clinics opened (assumingly so two-and-half-year-olds wouldn't have to stay up to 1:30 a.m. for care).

I take the kids lots of places.
We get around.
Library, parks, playgroups, shopping centers, playgrounds... you name it.

It's no surprise they pick these things up. I just can't believe it has happened so often in such a short amount of time and has lasted so long. It actually concerns me at times because I wonder if I'm doing everything in my power to support their immune systems.

Well, with the little guy, I know I am. He's still breastfed.
The pediatrician took one look at us and how he interacted with me at his 1-year well-check and said, "Good luck weaning that one!"

Then there is a part of me that doesn't really mind, because getting sick is inevitable in the continual effort to strengthen one's immune system, and sickness equates to immunity which is an important component of being healthy.

Anyway....

That's what's been going on.

And I've still been running a little in spite of the drama. I'm not going to save the Universe by any means, but I'm still running around like I mean it.

Hope everyone's well. And healthy. xoxo

happy birthday zilla

With lots of tons of oodles of love.
From the kiddos and fuzzies and fishies

and ME!

Thanks for being you.
I'm so glad you were born.
Thank your mom for me if you get a chance.

eleven rules

Love him or hate him, he sure hits the nail on the head with this! To anyone with kids of any age, here's some advice.

Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.

Rule 1 : Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3 : You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4 : If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5 : Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.

Rule 6 : If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8 : Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9 : Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11 : Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

If you agree, pass it on.
If you can read this, thank a teacher!

hot dog, holly, happy birthday

Hey there!

I heard today was the day someone very special was born...
(No, not the dog)




Hot Dog! Wowee!
Happiest of Birthdays Mama-Holly!
Hope you are feeling good and partying like you deserve it!
Much love to you!

save the universe challenge

a running log
I'll be updating this as I go along...




02.01 zilch (nice start, eh?)
02.02 1 mile (abbreviated neighborhood run)
02.03 1.5 miles (treadmill) powersong: third eye blind: motorcycle drive by
02.04 1 mile (abbreviated neighborhood run) powersong: 311: plain
02.05 0 (good grief! I met with my trainer today, and although I didn't run, the strength training has rendered me unable to run today. Ever hear of boulders? Ugh. Military push ups? Minute long squats? Or plank? And don't mention the wall-assisted hand stand... I'm so hurting today, and it's only going to be worse tomorrow.)
02.06 0 (still recovering... "every breath I take, every move I make..." I am thinking of jennifer, the one who did this to me. oh, the pain; or, shall I say, sting!)
02.07 0 (L is sick... again. fever. coughing. upset. I'm not making excuses, I'm just a little busy right now.)
02.08 0 (I really meant to today. really. my parents are arriving tonight in tucson from back east. getting ready! E's birthday party is the 10th!)
02.09 2.5 miles (booyah! I'm back! treadmill) powersong: filter: it's gonna kill me
02.10 0 (parents are here, throwing a party, e's 1st bday!)
02.11 0 (didn't get any sleep last night - we took L to the ER because she was very scary sick. she'll be okay; she was put on antibiotics and they got her fever to come down. took E to the regular doc later today to make sure he is okay. lungs and ears seem to be clear, so we're waiting it out with him.)
02.12 0 (now E is super sick, too. parents are here. still trying to do stuff in spite of the rampant illness overtaking our life)
02.13 0 (my mom is sick now. I haven't gotten sleep since saturday)
02.14 0 (HAPPY VALENTINES DAY! guess what I got? I'm in love!!!)
02.15 1.25 miles (I used this mile today to calibrate my new love - see above - have you guessed what it is? well, let's just say I was mistaken when I said my birthday would be the first occasion coming up for indulgence. my sweet man decided to indulge me with chocolates AND a nike + this valentine's day. smart man. eat the sweets, work it off.)
02.16
02.17
02.18
02.19
02.20
02.21
02.22
02.23
02.24
02.25
02.26
02.27
02.28
02.29
(Good thing this February has got an extra day)


GOAL: 60 miles (in order to save the universe)
TOTAL: