Feeling Accomplished While Being Lazy

I don't get out much but I've got a summer bucket list that I need to get working on so that requires a little resourcefulness. While I pretty much did nothing this whole weekend it was great, I also put a lot of thought into my summer bucket list. I have a few additions, ok I'm stealing a few The Frisky but they had some good ideas and it was just the kind of random fun list I had been looking for originally but couldn't come up with on my own. But it did inspire me to come up with a few of my own.

*Create a mini pool paradise Check!

yes it is completely possible and acceptable to create a new list item and immediately check it off. Creating my mini pool paradise was no easy feat and required some man hours searching for the perfect pool aka I had to drive around to like five different stores until I found the size I was looking for.  Finally I found it! I plan on spending many hours out here on the patio in my little corner of solitude. I feel much more accomplished and less like a spinster if I'm at least outside, even if I am doing the exact same thing that I would be doing inside. Slightly frustrating was the fact that after I got it all set up and filled the sun disappeared on me Saturday, bummed. But I did manage to get some sun while I was preparing it, I have the tan lines to prove it. With it's secluded from the public view placement I will be able to sit in the mini pool and read all summer, effectively killing two birds with one stone as I intended to add be outdoors as much as possible to the list. If nothing else just sitting outside listening to music with my feet in the water is enough to make me not feel like a complete loser sitting at home.

Today in an effort to get out of the house again NiBo and I went and saw Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. I really liked this movie, who knew ole Honest Abe was such a BA. This movie is based on a book by the same title, I have it on the Nook to possibly read this summer. I like the movie partly because as ridiculous as it seems that Abraham Lincoln was a vampire hunter, they story makes just enough sense as it ties in with actual events that it could just possibly be true.

Then the Taste of Champaign just happened to be going on today as well so after the movie we stopped by to get a taste and had a Back to the Future moment when we saw a Delorean.

And needless to say now that I've got my little Mini Pool Paradise set up I think I'm pretty set for this whole summer thing to get swinging. At least I'll be soaking up some vitamin D this summer looks like. I've already got more color on me than I did last year... still need to work on those pasty white legs. Bring on the sunshine!

Please note I am also on track to actually finish this months book club book prior to the night before our meeting... this is big. I may be finally getting my crap together! ;)



Sweet Summertime

Tomorrow, June 20th is the first day of summer, I'm pretty sure it's here already based on the recent temperatures. So here's the deal, we have until September 21st to add and cross things off our Summer Bucket List, that's 93 days. I think we can do this...

Here's what's on the list so far, plenty more to be added I'm sure, but this is a good start:

* Volunteer

* Go Fishing

* Read 10 books

* Take a random class and learn something new

* Take a day trip somewhere

* Take a week off from technology (well I'll keep my iPhone)

* Make something I saw on Pinterest

* Dress up for a night out on the town

* Cubs game

* Start a good habit

I've spent several days thinking about this list and that was about all I could come up with. It's a start but I need more ideas. Anyone got any good ones?

Happy Summertime!  

Warrior Dash 2012

The Warrior Dash is not for the faint of heart. First let me give you the brief backstory. I signed up for the Warrior Dash back in December, it was always in the back of my mind and I had good intentions. Time spent training for the Dash? I was on it good for the first few months of the year then nada. Dumb, sure, shoulda/coulda etc etc. Final time was 1:18:06.50 as BWurm put it, I left room for improvement.. um clearly, thanks captain obvious. Since I know how to play the blame game, it's always someone else's fault, I would like to place blame of todays time on the heat... that is all. But I wasn't last, and that's always the default goal.

First timer observations:
* $20 for parking is slightly redic
* People in way less shape then me- check. Makes a girl feel good
* People wearing way less than I wanted to see their body type in? check
* The website lied. Obstacles listed on website not accurate nor does it fully prepare you for them. Seriously, the firepole was not listed.
* Runners are the nicest people. Everyone was friendly and offered to help at obstacles. Much appreciated.
* The barbwire is in fact real.
* Don't keep eyes open and smile at the fact that you are going down a hill on a slipn'slide.
* The mud pool at bottom of said slip n' slide is in fact deeper than thought, you will be submerged.
* It is possible for your eyeballs to be saturated with mud water, you will have blurred vision.
* Knee pads would be a nice suggested item to bring, that or at least throw sand or something soft so I'm not crawling through a dried up field. Knees are all scraped up.
* I was unprepared for the high vegetation I would be "running" through (when I say run, I mean walk)
* Wear appropriate footwear... for real (see accompanying story below)
* Do make your dad an awesome shirt, he likes the compliments (although he did say "this was fun, but one and done")
* When you fall on your butt (or face) people will in fact ask if you are ok before they laugh. Runners are nice.
*If you stay at the back and walk, you will make friends with fellow "slow runners" (when I say slow runners I mean people who walk)
* If you are a slow runner (walker) you will most likely get passed by the next heat behind you. Oh well.
* Why "run fast" (walk at normal pace) when there is a line to get though the obstacles. Clearly not a race made for speed where there is a line.
* You will get mud in places there should not be mud
* I think I took the longest shower I have ever taken in my life and still found mud when I was done. May need to shower multiple times.
* The sun knows when you miss a spot with sunblock
* A sign posted on the course "Make up for the other 364 days" will make you hang your head in agreement.
* Mud on my face makes my eyes stand out like bam! Creepy ice blue eyes basically.

So the story of my first warrior dash goes something like this...

I don't remember the order of the obstacles just know there were several and the website was not entirely accurate. Here are the stand out obstacles for me. The first being the slip n' slide down a hill. Seems innocent enough right? WRONG! I scoot down thinking this isn't too fast and assuming I'll be able to just scoot off the slope into the mud puddle at the bottom and wade through some mud and go on my way. EEEEEENNT! Wrong! The slope steepens and the water was deeper than anticipated. Mouth was open I was not prepared and I fully submerged, gross. I had mud water on my eyeballs. The next obstacle I believe is called "Storming Normandy" where you must crawl under barbed wire. way too long. Yikes, tore up my knees decently. Every obstacle seemed to be just far enough away or the foot holdings just a little too small or the fire pole just a little too tall, but I conquered them all, one by one.

The shoe story. I knew not to wear nice shoes because they would be drenched in mud. I also knew they have a place where you can toss your shoes at the end of the race to be donated and used for something else. I knew the perfect pair to wear... or so I thought. My Blue Nike Air Max shoes have been with me for awhile... like since sixth grade awhile. I paid $180 for them, it was a big deal, Gma paid for half as a bday present. My first expensive pair of shoes, but I loved them so much. They shit and died on me before the race even began. By the time the race had ended the entire sole of both shoes were off, they died a noble death and shall be missed.

I fell a few times, poor dad fell a few times. I fell through a cargo net and have a lovely bruise/scrape, A.Drama got a fire pole burn. If you come out injury or without a "bite" from the big WD, then I feel you were doing it wrong, or maybe I was doing it wrong, who knows. The one thing I do know, if your going to fall... don't fall where there are people and cameras. If it's not on film it didn't happen, however dad was not so lucky, his spill was caught as he neared the finish line. The announcer called it to every ones attention and complimented him on his graceful faceplant.

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves, however a few things to note. Take note of the distinct technique differences in the fire jumping (leave your vote for favorite, the ninja, the rockstar or the leaping gazelle) Also note the picture of our poor father biting it, tuck that away for future inheritance decisions, note the daughter that is assisting and note the daughter laughing. Everyone loved dad's shirts and he got lots of compliments, I think he liked the attention. Note how creepy blue my eyes appear with mud on da face. And a brief history of mine and BWurms shirts. He and I both have motorcycles and talk about how badass we are and how we should have a biker gang (watch too much Sons of Anarchy, probably) so we call ourselves the Rural Renegades we don't murder or run guns, think more 'Wild Hogs' than Hells Angels... but don't lie we look BA in our shirts.

Without further adieu I give you the photo story of the 2012 Warrior Dash, a North of 10th followers exclusive...

... until next year! Props to the other blog world warriors!

Terrific Tuesday

A random Tuesday is the best day to take off work, Fridays off are so cliche, Tuesdays are where it's at. Today I had lunch with an old friend. I love that we have been able to start hanging out again and can pick up like no time has passed, I need to see more of her. We spent a few hours downtown soaking up the beautiful weather.

I love that I was able to be one of those people out and about at noon on a Tuesday, clearly I'm in the wrong profession. I ran into a lot of interesting people while perusing the downtown shops. You truly never know what kind of people you can run into on Tuesday, they are not the people you would run into say on a Friday at noon or a dinner evening out. As I sat there with my pineapple margarita.. delish.. I was intrigued by the people I saw, more so I was perplexed as to what their lives must be like to be able to afford a Tuesday afternoon out and about. I had to use precious personal time to be able to afford such luxury.

Our conversation turned later into what chickenshizz's we are to try new things. I would love to be one of those people that just up and takes a risk, or quits a job and moves someplace new, or just have an extended interesting conversation with a stranger would be an interesting trait to have. It sometimes crosses my mind to just up and quit my job, maybe go back to to school or live abroad, but how do people do that? The first thing that crosses my mind when I think about quitting my job is, but I have bills to pay, I have good medical insurance and a 401K and I get more vacation days than most. When I even begin to think about doing something reckless I can't, I have this override system of worst case scenarios that pop into my head, I can't even trespass out of fear of going to jail. Is that normal? I feel like the way the economy is today I'm lucky to have a job and if I were to quit how do you make money, where do you find a job if you were to up and move somewhere? I don't know how to turn off the responsible voice that screams at me when a reckless thought even crosses my mind. I feel like now is the time that would be appropriate for me to do something crazy like go back to school for a degree in something fun or at least to study abroad a semester.... but the voice tells me that is too much money.

Then of course I had to run across this quote today...

" Just remember: You have to take chances when you're young in order to tell stories when you're old."

... of course I would run across a quote like that on a day like today. Well crap, my stories will be lame and put people to sleep. Well I worked because it was the responsible thing to do and never took any risks or changes or took a leap of blind faith or followed a dream. Bah Humbug! Stupid responsible voice turn off!

Six Down, Six to Go

Has anyone else noticed that twenty-twelve is half over?! That means it's been six months since January.

3,864 hours
231,840 minutes
161 days

..and I feel I have accomplished nothing. The only big thing of note I can come up with is making a small step towards change. I posted for a new job in my unit and got it. I spent three months in training which totally drained me of wanting to do much else other than cope with the self induced stress that came from being a new person and not knowing what I was doing. It's getting better but I'm still clearly the new person and I don't like being new.

I have been a terrible blogger too, only 24 posts in 161 days?! Terrible, and one of my 2012 resolutions was to blog more. I had 122 posts last year, I've got time to get that one done. Looking back at the beginning of the year I was slightly on top of it, going to the gym and working with a trainer. That all stopped when I started getting stressed with new job and got lazy. I signed up for the Warrior Dash in December and will probably die Saturday.

The saddest part is I have no excuses. Not a one, just me. I got in the way. I'm scared to try new things and I'm unmotivatedly lazy. I'm trying to fix it but just can't seem to get over the hump.

But Summer is coming and I'm bound and determined to make a good fun one. June 20th is the official start to summer, that's 103 days until Fall. I'm in desperate need of getting out of my funk, although I don't feel as much in a rut as I have in the past, it's still a looming feeling. 

I'm working on a Summer Bucket List with the main goal of getting myself out of the house and changing stuff up. I started with changing the blog design, I like it, makes it feel a new. I'm thinking of changing my hair up too I think it will help to look in the mirror and there be a physical change looking back.

Any suggestions for a Summer activity to add to the list, what are some of your Summer bucket list items?

The Week With No Internet

... was really hard. Do you know how much you use the internet for in everyday life? It all started Monday, I came home to an obnoxious blinking red light on the model... uh oh. Turns out it would be off until Friday. Oh.crap. Granted I did have my phone but here in the small town we don't have that 3G/4G you city folk got going so I might as well have been watching the grass grow as long as it took to load a single page.

Some mind thoughts that occurred and ended up requiring the internet...

*I had been pondering the notion of getting a new tv, was going to research for the best price. No internet. What do you do? Use work intenet briefly research buy new TV on a whim. = I have a new TV with no chicken pox spots like my old one. (google DLP white dots and you'll see what I had considered able to put up with)

*I wonder what the weather is going to be like this week. No weather.com, what do you do? Oh yeah those newspaper things have weather in them.

*Oh well I see it's time for the Victoria's Secret semi-annual sale, I wonder what kind of things I can find there, not in stores yet, better check online. Oh.crap. This thing called United States Postal Service delivered a catalog to my door.

*I wonder what's going on with Pioneer Woman or what's The Mrs or Big Boca Bob up to? Oh.right. Guess I'll have to catch up later.. or at work.

*I usually let Pandora radio lull me to sleep, no internet :( guess I'll have to use my iPod.

*Hmm I should read more, I wonder what books are new for my Nook... oh nevermind.

*I have a good blog in my head I'll have to get that done tonight... oh wait. It'll have to wait too.

*What else is that actor in, I'll have to IMDB.com it... wah!! Now I'll never know where I know him from.

Has the internet ruined us? I didn't have internet growing up as a kid, we managed to keep ourselves occupied, no wonder kids these days have ADD. It was a hard week to get through, but I made it. I think I'd be up for the challenge another time. So take time and thank your internet tonight, you never know when you might be without it for a few days.