like it? steal it.

i was reading another blog today and saw something that really struck me. and made me think. credit it to jillian from biggest loser..



i love it.

old school

so a little while ago me and neo and kern all got together on a random weekday night to just hang out. we made pizza and watched love actually. talked about nothing in particular and just had a good time. Somehow the night took on a nostalgic focus and well ... you dont really know someone until you have seen them grow up, heard all the embarrassing stories, seen the school photo disasters, tried on the prom dresses...childhood!! an amazing and likely awkward time.. and for most of us it was captured on VHS.

SO-we dusted off the VCR and at first attempted to hook that up to a brand new samsung.. apparently 2010 isnt speaking to 1986. time to bring out the serious stuff. a tv that was purchased circa michael jackson still a black man. when leggings actually were cool and well, most of us had *bad* perms. (or was that just me?) all it took was one little cable (and a lecture from me about the difference between VHF and UHF) and BAM! we are watching ****** i better not say... i'd like to keep my friends!



in other time traveling news, i have finally approached march shape. after a less than lackluster start to the training year (though i do admit a pretty adventerous one in other regards) i have had some pretty good workouts lately. that just kind of hint at a glimmer of the athlete i want to be, or was, or CAN BE :) that and the amazing weather.. well who can beat a 75 degree sunny day? those of you still knee deep in snow.. i promise to bottle it up and sent it north. though keep in mind in a matter of weeks carolina and most of the south east will first be covered in thick yellow powder and unable to breathe or keep anything from becoming tinted gold.. and then suffocate in undescribable humidity for the remainder of summer.

suck it airlines

so i am trying to plan a trip late this summer. and its getting more expensive by the minute. literally. each time i check back on the fares they have gone up in "good dinner out" increments AND the best price is still a 6 am departure. AND to top it off, i emailed customer service and got this auto-response:

*** Please do not reply to this email as this is an unmonitored email box. *****
Hello,
We have received your email and are working to respond as quickly as possible. Our current response time is 10 days.
Sincerely,
United Airlines Customer Relations

TEN DAYS. are you kidding me? that is really customer service? maybe i will just stay home.

i got nothin....

that is pressing in my work like so why not do what everyone else is doing? with a Little twist....

A: Age I best represent – 24 - i'm somewhat responsible but still tend to make very rash decisions and like to do crazy shit. and sometimes am quite immature.

B: Bed – Queen. currently investigating a new mattress...it is also worthy to note that bedside is the messiest place in my house. piles of magazines, slippers, socks, sweatshirts, cremes to make me look younger!.. EWWWWWW!

C: Chore you dislike – i kind of like chores. i like cleaning. call me weird. i'm not anal enough to need to see vacuum lines in the rug... but something about things being wiped, swept or brushed is somewhat settling.

D: Dogs – 2. Smokey. (i came home from work one day and bobby says "look what i got". around the corner darts this little black ball. she is very shy. and named for her brindle coat and NOT for the UT mascot as some might think.. but my how convenient that is....). Madison. (we got her on the side of the road. she is part goat and will eat anything that doesnt run from her. really.)

E: Essential start to your day – a noon time wake up. i HATE mornings. HATE.

F: Favorite holiday - labor day or memorial day.no frills. no fuss. just good food.good friends and (usually) really great weather.

G: Gold or Silver – none. i hate jewelery. (i seem to hate alot of things..) but i dont wear any. at all.

H: Hate - things i dont hate: yorks, sunny days, the beach, my bike, diet coke, modern family, flights to take me to vacation places, home made cookies, getting emails from people i love.

I: Instruments - i played the clarinet when i was little. errr i pretended to play. everyone else had a cool sleek black case. i had my grandpa's old school basket weave one. i wasnt cool growing up.

J: Job Title – oh lord. lets not even go there. i've had 5 in 5 years - and yes all with the same company. apparently i am the flavor of the month.

K: Kites - yep fun to fly.

L: Live – Cary, NC (someone mentioned its known as the Containment Area for Relocated Yankees... as if thats a BAD thing... just cause you cant get over a war that happened hundreds of years ago. build a bridge people!)

M: Mom’s name – cheryl. and its funny that people over pronounce the CH sound.

N: Nicknames – Redilla. K2 ( i lived with 2 other carrie's durning college. that was fun).

O: Overnight hospital stays – just one.

P: Pet Peeves – people who have one subject to talk about. people who only use buzz words (or words that appear on my lingo bingo card).

Q: Quote from a movie – have fun storming the castle.

R: Righty or Lefty – Righty

S: Siblings – two brothers, i'm in the middle. yes i got beat up. ALOT

T: Time you wake up – as late as possible. the only thing that gets me up before 6 is a flight or a race. have to be at work at 8? get up at 745. looking cute is not a priority for me.

U: Underwear – yes i own some. no i dont fold it.

V: Vegetable you don’t like – well since i'm vegetarian you'd think this would be a no answer for me.. but.. okra, those weird little corn things, artichokes (please dont order artichoke dip!)

W: What makes you run late – me. i'm always late. usually for not a good reason. time seems to stand still at the most boring of moments (can you say cotton conference?) and zoom by when i'm trying to get ready to go somewhere. like the other night when i had to pack up a pizza stone and a VCR...

X: X-treme sports participated in - sadly none really. no sky diving. or bungee jumping... i would say "couch football" but that would take too much explaining...

Y: Yummy food you make – spinach dip. that is ALL i make. i hate cooking. when asked to bring something to a party, its my go-to dip or drinks. Holly home-maker i am surely not.

Z: Zoo animal favorite – i love zoo's. but after being on safari a few months ago they will never be the same. i could watch the lions for a very long time.

best day... EVAH!!!!

yesterday i took a vacation day. i didnt go on vacation. i didnt have the flu. heck i really didnt even have plans. but i NEEDED a day. just a whole day to do what i wanted. a day that didnt include laundry and cleaning and WORK! yesterday was perfect. here is what i did.
got up and went to masters. swam 90 minutes (yep thanks marty for making monday mornings now LONGER ha!). joked around and watched neo do belly flops off the blocks.
went home and made eggs and toast and juice. watched good morning america. played on ipad.
went for bike ride with 2 fun friends. in the gorgeous sunshine. at a manageable pace. for two hours of chatting and more jokes.
drank chocolate milk. drank more chocolate milk.
made lunch and sat on the deck and read. then i read some more. then i took a nap. mmmmmm nap....
then bobby came home and we went to the gym to lift. came home, ate some amazing salmon and sweet potatoes and watched brad and his harem.
went to bed.

oh yes. it was a beautiful day of mostly nothing. and yet it was amazing.

not only is it hump day.....

i hearby mark today as the tail end of my FIRST full week of training completed this year (the year of the rat i believe if my Chinese is up to par). considering i've been in the eastern time zone for a mere 24 days in 2011, i'd say that is something to celebrate.

there are also some really great spring days to look forward to:



my focus through all of this turmoil of travel and corporate woes has been my friendships. my awesome amazing friendships. when you have something (or someone!) positive in your corner, it makes all the difference.