Jessica

So not much is new with me.  I haven't posted in forever it feels like. 

This weekend was really nice.  Danny and I went to Ann Arbor yesterday for the Brendan Benson concert.  It was awesome.  I loved it.  It was at the Blind Pig which is a really nice smaller venue.  I really don't like bigger places.. unless I'm up close.  I think we must have been standing by his family or something b/c it wasn't the usual concert crowd near us.. and they seemed a bit older. (like us?? no no, older)  And he kept looking in our direction like he knew someone.  Anyway, it was a really good concert.

So Danny and I decided we wanted to bar hop and drink at the concert so we ended up getting a hotel room first.  The only bad thing, well kind of, was that the most reasonably priced hotel was about 2 miles away.  So we checked in and then walked 2.5 miles to a restaurant to eat. (very good btw) and then went to a couple bars before the concert. I think we ended up walking like 5+ miles(maybe?).    It reminded me of the days me and Jill used to walk around Mt. Pleasant.  Fun times.

Well, I've decided to grow out my natural hair color.  I don't really know for sure what color my hair is.. somewhere between blonde and brown.  I've been coloring my hair since middle school.  And why?  It's not like I have grey hair or anything, or at least I don't think.  I haven't colored my hair since mid-april and I have to say, I like it so far. Its kind of dark and ashy looking, interesting.

So school is going good.  I just got my grade for my summer class and I got an A!!  It was really hard and I had to do a lot of writing which I never feel very confident about but somehow do well with papers.  I'm just happy its over and I did well.  Tomorrow I go see my minor advisor, finally.  I've been trying to get an appointment all summer.  Hopefully it goes well and with any luck I will not have to take anymore classes and finally be done with my degree.  We'll see though.

I give up on ever getting my hair cut.  This one is real bad.  I wanted to grow out my hair.. why is it shorter than ever????  its disgusting. I hate it.  Long layers does NOT mean I want short ones... UGH.

so my new years resolution (sort of) is to read a lot more books.  I just finished the first one for the year and it was a disappointment.  I really hate it when I dislike the main character.  Now I'm back reading the Wally Lamb book.  I'm about 200 pages into it and its pretty boring so far.. I hope it picks up.

so this past weekend has been horrible.. weather related at least.  Friday I woke up to -15 degree temps.. with windchills of -35 degrees.. wtf?  I guess that broke some records friday.  Then Saturday we got like 6 inches of snow..  thats on top of the 6 inches we got last weekend.  For the past 2 weekends we've pretty much done nothing but stay inside and hibernate b/c the weather has been so crappy.  I seriously cannot wait until.. april.. should be a little better by then.  I was actually toying with the idea of the the Martian Half Marathon in dearborn in april.. but seriously.. I don't know if I'm willing to train in the freezing cold..  I've been running outside with Heidi.. maybe about once a week.  Its ok.  At least thats what I tell myself.  I don't really fluctuate in weight so right now I just try to maintain my weight/shape until april when its a lot warmer and nicer and I feel more motivated for summer when i show more skin.

yesterday, while we were hibernating, we watched a movie called 'Into the Wild'.  It was good... and I liked it even more when I found out it was based on a true story.  it was good, i recommend it to anyone. 

So its 7 degrees out right now.  And the wind chill makes it feel like -15.  Yikes!

I haven't really done too much this weekend.  We've mostly stayed home, inside.  We got like 6 inches (maybe more) of snow early friday morning.  And they just plowed our street last night.  Now it is FREEZING outside and its all windy so the snow is whipping around.  

I'm doing laundry, cleaning..  I'm kinda bored. yawn.  I wish I had more to talk about but I'm pretty content with life right now.  No real drama..  I've been reading the new Wally Lamb book.  Its pretty good but it hasn't captivated me like the other two books I've read of his.  I'm only on page 100 of like 7 or 800 so maybe it will pick up and be more interesting..  he does write really well so it is an easy read.  anyway. 

I think I may be getting a cold. I'm all stuffy and I've had a bad sinus headache for the past two days.  Its kind of put me in a grumpy mood.  I hope I haven't been too mean to Danny.  I was a grumpasaurus earlier because I was hungry. Does anyone else get like that? Or is it just me .. I'm such a child sometimes..

I can't believe the automaker's aid bill didn't pass the senate. :(

So Danny and I just got back from our vacation last night.  Saturday my mom left a message on my home phone for me to call her.  So I did.  It turns out that my grandpa died. :(  He passed away last tuesday and they had the funeral friday.  I have been thinking about it constantly and I don't know what to think of it.  I am so so sad I missed his funeral.  He's been sick for so long so I am kind of happy for him that he doesn't have to suffer anymore but I am really almost depressed about it..  I don't know what to think of it all. 

Its very rare that I am up on saturday morning this early.  Usually I sleep in.  However, yesterday I slept... maybe 18 hours and then last night I slept another 7... so yeah, no wonder I am up so early!!  Yesterday morning I woke up around 3a with HORRIBLE stomach cramping..  about an hour later I finally got sick.  It seems like I get the stomach flu an average of once a year.  A coworker told me on thursday that she had the stomach flu over the weekend.  I didn't really think much of it and then... WHAM.. i wake up with it the next day!  I feel so much better today and I have my appetite back.. at least for coffee at the moment.  Eating solids still does not appeal to me, but I am sure that won't take too long to get over.

So its Novemeber already.  This year is really going by quickly.  I have my vacation to look forward to in a couple of weeks.  That will be really nice.  Its been well over a year since I've had a vacation.  It will be fun! 

Not much is going on otherwise.  I hope everyone has a good weekend!! Adios!

so last night we went to probably the fanciest wedding i'll ever go to.  it was amazing.  everything was gorgeous.. flowers, cake, lighting, food.. i've never been to anything like it!   it was my cousin's wedding and i guess her new husband is the son of a millionaire.. there were hundreds of people there.. I'll have to post pics when i get a chance.. anyway, i am nursing a hangover right now.. too much cabernet..  but i was good, no passing out or anything..haha..   i think i need a lot of fluids and sleepy time.

I ran my first 10k today.  Its the longest race I've ever done so I was a little anxious for it.  I did really well.  I wanted to run it in at least an hour or under and I ran it in 55:40.  When I was running I really did not feel good for about the first two miles; however, after the first 3 I felt awesome and by about 4.5 miles into it I was in the 'zone'.  My legs were really sore but I kept chugging along and I felt good, like I could have gone a couple of more miles. I even picked up my pace a bit.  Angela and I ran on thursday and this morning I was still sore from that run.  I think if I wasn't already sore from that run I would have felt better.  But now I know for next time.  I'm really glad I ran it and I hope to do a half-marathon in the next couple of years, depending on my personal life.  

A couple of weeks ago I noticed I have a large bump on my head that I know wasn't there before.  The strange thing is I don't recall ever bumping my head and its still there after 3 weeks.  I'm kinda scared to even think what it could be.  I have a tendency to think of the worst.  Next week we have a family reunion and I'm going to ask my aunt who is a PA what she thinks it might be and if I should go to the doctor.  I just hope its nothing.

So Danny's mom made us (her sons and me) dinner today.. it was SO good!!!!  She is such a good cook.  As a result I overindulged and ate too much.  I'm feeling a little gluttonous now.. and like i'm a porker.. but I think that is from PMS more than from eating too much.. oh well.

Its been a nice and very relaxing weekend.  I actually had 4 days off from work.. in a row. (including weekend).  It was nice though.

only 74 days until my real vacation! yay!

so my truck broke down today.  long story short, I ended up riding my bike 9 miles today..  I also went for a 2 mile jog..

I got my truck back this afternoon so I shouldn't have an active day like this in a long time.. oh well.

so I signed up for this race..

http://www.oakwood.org/?id=1240&sid=1

the 10k.

I was contemplating running a half marathon this year but I think I want to gradually build up to that kind of running commitment. I've never ran a 10k before so this will be a whole new experience for me..  The race is a little over 6 miles so I will mostly be interested in finishing it. 

Today, I ran 2 miles.. hopefully tomorrow I'll feel motivated enough to run 3-4.

More and more lately I feel as though I cannot relate to the 'Republican' party.  I feel like they're a bunch of arrogant idiots. 

It has been so long since I've written in my journal.  Not much has happened..  I had another sore throat for about three weeks.. finally caved and went to the doctor.  For some reason I am really susceptible to infections in my left tonsil.  At least the antibiotic worked.  I think if I get another one in the next few months I will request to have my tonsils taken out.  Hopefully they will..  Its really annoying.  I always think my body will just fight it off and it NEVER does!  oh well.  Also, as a result of my sore throat, I stopped running for that period of time.  I'm just now getting back into it.  I ran my first run in about a month a week ago.. I only went two miles and I wanted to quit immediately.  Its so hard to get back into it again; but once you're back into it, its a breeze.  I ran 2 miles today but felt like I could run more.  I also bought new shoes a week ago and i think I'm still breaking them in because they were hurting my bunion (yeah, I have a bunion..). 

The past two days I've been a little moody and irritated by some of my coworkers.  They don't even do anything that bad, I'm just sick of being around them so much and they make passive aggressive asshole comments.  I know its just my hormones.. every so often (ok, maybe more often than not) I get really PMSy.

So thats it.. well, not really.. there is a lot I left out but I don't feel like boring anyone reading this any longer..

i think i have a new favorite restaurant.. Qdoba.   (http://www.qdoba.com/ )

so last time i wrote in here i was about to run a 5k.  it was good.  i ran it in 26 minutes which i'm pretty happy about.  i started out really strong but by the last mile i was struggling. it was only about 10 am but by then the sun was up and hot and so very humid down in hines park.  i think if it weren't for that i would have ran it a couple of minutes faster.  i've been so good about running these past few months.  i'm slowly becoming obsessed with it.  i ran last night and this morning and i love that i can see muscle definition in my calfs (sp??) now.  heidi loves running too and that for sure helps in the motivation. i have the best running partner!   i'm kind of torn between wanting to run a half marathon or do the marathon relays this year...  i actually feel motivated to start training for the half but its a lot of hard work.  i don't know.. should i do it?? i'm not sure.. i have a lot of time before i have to commit to anything. we'll see.

we took heidi to the vet today.  she was the best behaved dog there.  i'm so proud of her! 

other than that, not much is new.  i'm pretty happy right now..

www.runnersworld.com

so here i am up earlier on a saturday morning than i wake up on the weekdays.. i have that 5k this morning i'm running with my friends and we're meeting down there at 8am.  i hope i run fast today.  I had a couple of drinks last night..  but they were mike's hard lemonade.. those are like kool aid.. i'm not hung over and i have about 2 hours to rehydrate..  i think i'll be good.  my eyes feel a little weird being open so early.  i'm such a baby!!  anyways.. i should be good, i'm drinking some coffee.  i love coffee.

danny and i have not taken a vacation since our wedding last year..  people at work have taken vacation and now they are taking weeks off in the summer too and the only 2 days i've had off were for my cousins funeral and a sick day.  its about time i've had vacation.  i'm taking next friday off.. just because and next month danny and i are going camping, so i'll be taking another friday off. And then my cousin is getting married on a friday.. so that will be another half day off.  so that should be good for the summer.  danny and i booked a cruise for this november.  i am SO excited about it!  we're going at the tail end of hurricane season.  the other two cruises we have been on were in the height of hurricane season (august!). we're upgrading!! yay!

so my dad turns 60 next week... i can hardly believe it! so, i wanted to take my dad out to eat for his birthday because i never know what to get him and i told him he could choose whatever restaurant he wanted...  i hinted to him that Macaroni Grill would be good.. (he loves that place..) and he chose A&W instead...  he wanted a 99 cent coney dog..  so thats what he got.  should i get him something else?  i don't know..  My dad went on a motorcycle trip this weekend with his brothers.. so my mom was like.. 'do you want to go to Macaroni Grill when your dad is gone?' so we're going tomorrow!  men are so difficult to buy gifts for.. i'm going to make my dad a cherry pie.. at least i know he loves those.

sorry this post is so long and boring.. 

i hope everyone has a nice weekend!
love,
J.Waz
penny gnome du jour

its been a while since i've updated in this.  i haven't really been up to much lately.  just working and other mundane activities that i don't want to bore people talking about.  i've been really good about running this past month.  it makes it easier when the weather is a little better.  too bad its been so cold lately!! at least for this time of year.  it should be in the 70s at least.  oh well.. hopefully after this weekend it will finally be summer and before you know it i'll be bitching about how hot it is.  maybe? 

i have a 5k race in about 2 weeks.  i've actually been training for it like in the good ol' days of running cross country.  i want to beat a 25:00 minute time but we'll see..  it may be really hot because its supposed to be summer then.  and it sucks to run in the hot heat.

i've been reading The Time Travelers Wife as recommended by Jill.  Its pretty good.  I only read for about a half hour (if that) before i go to sleep at night, so it takes a long time to get through books. 

so i have two friends that are twins and i like them both but i've been trying to distance myself away from them.  the one twin is really nice and sweet but the other one always bitches about her 'best friend'.  (they have the same best friend).  anyway, i feel like if someone bitches about their best friend to other friends, like me, then what the hell do they say about me when i'm not there.  y'know?  is anything sacred.  i would never bitch about my friends like that. (does this count??) i don't know.  i just feel like i can't be friends with one and not the other so i have to distance myself away from both. 

time for my coffee refill... 

I think I got the 4 hour flu if that is even possible.  Today when we were getting our groceries it hit me all of the sudden.  I felt really sick; like I was going to throw up.  when we got home thats when i felt SO COLD.  I literally put 5 blankets on and I was still shivering cold.  I laid down for a couple hours and fell asleep for awhile and then I was ok.  Well, pretty much ok.  I didn't feel sick per se just tired and I wasn't freezing anymore.  Maybe the ibuprofen I took had taken care of the fever (I'm assuming).  Thank God I didn't throw up... ew.. 

Anyways.. not much is new.  I tried talking Danny into going to Europe this year.  I really want to go but it is really expensive.  I don't know.  I guess I can wait a few years.  I would like to go while I'm young (but maybe when I'm old I'll still look young??)  either way, it doesn't really matter.  I can dream, right?