Dingos Running For Love in February! - Page 9

[bec]

Surfacing for some air! 

I'm having a hard time keeping up, but am managing, barely! 

Gaye - I am trying hard not to hold hard feelings towards those that don't shovel their sidewalks!  Especially when their driveways are completely clear!

Geo - I'm so glad the ears seem to be getting better.  That has been miserable for you!

Nic - What a hard week.  I am constantly amazed at how insecure people are about their beliefs that they can't stand up to even hearing a different opinion.  And to add the absurdity of not even knowing the plot line or message of the book makes it almost surreal.  I think you are doing a good job of standing up to the bully teacher.  It sounds tough!

I am supposed to have a long run of 7-8 miles sometime this weekend, but have been totally immersed with this yearbook.  The good news is that I have it completed, printed, envelopes filled out, order form (a separate form) that lists the pages in order, and a hard copy for myself.  My printer sort of went belly up yesterday with only 4 pages left to print, and DH had to scramble to get something cobbled up.  Today, I need to get the files converted to jpeg (the software that the company wanted me to use doesn't automatically save it as a jpeg ) and figure out how and where to put the text that the school wants on the back cover of the yearbook (the school's mission statement).  I've put in well over 30 hours just this weekend, but it has all come together (I think.  I'm nervous that I have forgotten something huge).  I'm exhausted and don't think the run is going to happen, even though I really need the release of it (and I've been eating like crazy so that isn't helping either).  I also have girl scouts later today!  Anyway, that is where I am!  Love you, Dingos!

[Nemesis]

For some reason, I can't reply.  I'll try again.

[Nemesis]

Huh.

I just went for a short run.  DH is mad at me, my leg hurts bad, and I was hoping to feel better about everything when I got back.  I don't. 

Yuck.

I had all sorts of personals, but they disappeared.  

[bec]

Nemesis. 

So, I decided that my sanity was more important than the yearbook, and went out for a run!  It was super slow, but, it felt really good.  It is sunny and 43 degrees, so, even though there is a ton of melt, and I had to run on some wet, muddy roads with drivers that weren't thrilled to share the road (thankfully, I didn't have to travel far on this road), it was sooooo nice to get outside have the sun on my face, not feel like I was going to freeze to death, and not have to wear 9 layers of clothing!  It was a pretty hilly route, though, so I only did 7 (instead of going for 8).  I'm not used to running on actual terrain anymore! 

[JayGee]

 Nic ~ how incredibly frustrating. I thought of you and your middle schoolers during church this morning.  The pastor was talking about the "call" of teaching and how on a day to day basis, it can seem like you're getting nowhere with the students (and he used middle-schoolers as his example), but the cumulative effect can be life-altering for these kids.  Sorry you're dealing with insecure co-workers and closed-minded parents.

 Nemesis ~ I'm sos sorry your run wasn't what you'd hoped. 

bec ~ good for you for getting out there!  And congrats on being almost done with your yearbook project!

RR ~  for the February Thaw!!!!!  It's 62 here today and I ran 5.2 in shorts and a short-sleeved shirt.  I actually managed an average pace of 9:11 for the entire run too!  My leg/knee are a little tight, but the run felt wonderful!

[Penelope]

Thawing here too! I did 5m in capris and a tshirt and it was excellent, although I'm still having trouble breathing. I think I'm coming down with a cold. Before my May 1st half I need to spend some serious time doing speed work, lose 5#, and be very faithful about stretching to avoid IT band issues.

I'm pretty sure I can do that.

[tjsmama]

60+ here as well. Ahhhh. Except that the first/last two miles of trail were still completely snowpacked and it was early enough that they were still solid and slippery instead of slushy (which I would have actually preferred). I had a great first four miles, running with a friend, then she turned back and I was on my own for the last 6. Kind of hit the wall a bit at 6, and then the last two were miserable. Mostly because of the snowpack/ice/crap. My hips were NOT amused. So, it sucked, but it's done!

The stupid workbook assignment last night took me 3 hours. It *should* have only taken 2, but the frickinfracken software timed me out. When I was on the next-to-last question. When it had only been idle for a minute or two, tops. And I lost ALL my work and had to start over. I'm sure I didn't do nearly as good a job on it the second time around, and we have so few points available in this class, that I'm really nervous about it, but oh well. And after posting about it on facebook, I found out that I am FAR from the only person to have this happen. Gotta love being guinea pigs for a brand new thing.

And now, I think I may just pop a movie into the dvd player for DS so I can take a nap.


smilies from DS:

[Nickarolaberry]

Hi everyone.

Thanks for the kind words about work. Sigh. Hoping for a better week this week.

Had a nice 11.3 miler this morning. Was musing that so many of the songs I was listening to (I use Pandora b/c I still have a Blackberry that doesn't do iTunes well, so I wasn't picking the songs, only the 'genre') resonated with me on some level -- melody, beat, words, etc. Cool.

I also got another ear pierce today. I have had two in one ear for about 25 years but only one in the other ear, so I matched them up today. Next I do plan to get one up higher on my left ear, like up top. What I really want is a tatoo, but it's against my religion (seriously) so I'm going with this instead. Feeling a little badass and acting out I guess. I also got a cool new canvas totebag with embroidered skull/crossbones all over it. My students think it's cool and so do I.

On the other hand, Michael Buble is one of my favorite singers, so I guess you could call me a nerdy badass.

Wore my tight size 8 levis today and...I totally rocked them. Feeling good about that lately. I need a fist pumping smiley.

[LaLaLaLa]

Hi folks!

Nic--I'm so sorry about the horrible situation at school.  Above all else when I was teaching, I hated dealing with parents.  It gave me anxiety any time I had to defend what I was teaching, and in the end was one of the things that caused me to burn out so quickly.

Nemesis--I'm sorry your run didn't make everything better.  I hope you're doing okay now.

Geo--Hooray about your ears!

I'm in Florida!  Florida!  FL!  I know, I know, Nic, you're probably thinking "big fat deal, I wake up in Florida every single day," but for me it IS a big deal!  The one week during the year I look forward to for the rest of the year!  Florida week!

We flew in yesterday, and I haven't been here much on the thread because I'm crazy about cleaning my house before I leave because God forbid the cat-sitters think we're messy, and I get totally stressed out about preparing and packing for vacations.  But now we're here and I can breathe a huge sigh of relief.

This morning I woke up and it was warm and I ran six miles on the beach.  I saw dolphins swimming along the shore as I ran, like a cheesy music video about how great running is.  The rest of the day was nice, too.  DH and the kids and I took the trolley down the beach to the little shopping district and bought tee shirts and ate ice cream and then DS, who just turned five, decided he wanted to walk back instead of riding the trolley with DD and DH.  So he and I trekked the three miles back on the beach, which took a VERY long time.  Meanwhile, DD back at the condo yanked out her loose top front tooth, so now she has a space you could drive a truck through.  And I had to scramble to make tooth fairy plans, since our kids get a dollar plus a foreign coin, which I didn't think to pack.  She's getting a fake gold doubloon from one of the souvenir shops.  Tomorrow I think mini-golf might be on the agenda. 

So, as you can probably tell, I'm just full of exuberance about vacation.  Tune in next week when we land back on the ground in Boston and crushing depression descends.

Okay, back to basking in the Florida ambiance.    Even at nighttime, I can FEEL it.

[tjsmama]

about nic, the nerdy badass!

[Realrellim]

Nic--that parent story left me . Ugh!

Nemesis--sorry. Hope the rest of your day improved anyhow.

La4--enjoy Florida!

and to everyone else, since I didn't take time to do personals yesterday.

Ran 9 here and it was a very nice run. The first 2.5 were miserable: I was running on a ridge into 25mph winds and that was miserable. So I turned south and even though it involved a mile of running downhill and another mile of running back up that hill, it was a lot more pleasant than the wind.

Also, I think the run may have felt so good because I'd napped for an hour while nursing J just before I ran.

NRR: I need to finish baking heart-shaped chocolate chip pumpkin mini muffins for R's class party tomorrow, and then I need to make some baby food for J. Mostly, the poor kid is getting jarred because I don't have time to do it this time around, but every time I pull out kale she grabs at the leaves and if I give her tiny little pieces she'll chew on them very happily. I wouldn't give her any the other day (because eventually she starts choking on the pieces, no matter how small they are), so I told her I'd make some nice kale food cubes. Then laundry, the abs video, grading, and anything else I can squeeze in. My in-laws arrive Thursday because DH thought it would be fine for them to come over a long weekend. I'm not a fan. I'm now less of a fan considering all that needs to be done and that I'm volunteering for the party tomorrow, in the classroom on Tuesday, and that will only leave Wednesday to get any last minute things done because they will be at my house by the time I get home from teaching Thursday night. Bleh. (I'm already telling DH "never again." He's still like "can't we decide this on a case-by-case basis?" Sure, and the answer to each case is "no.")

[MelW]

I'm laughing about Nic as a nerdy badass, too, because "Michael Buble" is an allowable "swear" for my family. When my oldest was four she heard something about Buble on the radio and she thought it was the funniest name she had ever heard. At the time we were fighting the potty talk, so told her that giggling about Michael Buble was allowed. After her first day at her new preschool I had warned her about not using potty talk, and she came home and confessed about saying Michael Buble. It caught on with some of the other kids and the teacher thought it was hysterical (luckily!).

[JayGee]

Originally Posted by MelW 

I'm laughing about Nic as a nerdy badass, too, because "Michael Buble" is an allowable "swear" for my family. When my oldest was four she heard something about Buble on the radio and she thought it was the funniest name she had ever heard. At the time we were fighting the potty talk, so told her that giggling about Michael Buble was allowed. After her first day at her new preschool I had warned her about not using potty talk, and she came home and confessed about saying Michael Buble. It caught on with some of the other kids and the teacher thought it was hysterical (luckily!).

 I love this!!!! 

And I love Nic as the Nerdy Badass (I think I see a DDDDC here....)

Real ~ may you survive the week... and the weekend with the ILs.  I think a long run will be in order.

tjsmama ~ how frustrating!

Lalalala ~ have a fantastic time in Florida!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!  Lots to do today, not the least of which is picking up a Valentine for DH.  He's got some huge, special exciting surprise for me that he keeps alluding to.  Also going to spin class and meeting with yet another landscape contractor for another bid on my backyard disaster area.
 

[tortuga]

Fly by posting to say hi. And share a few NRR details.

Z is home again this morning, she wasn't feeling well yesterday, but if she is still clearly feeling fine this afternoon I may let her go to school for the Valentine's Party.  I don't know.  As a public health measure I really try to keep the kids home when they are sick. 

N has a black eye.  She was walking around yesterday with her underwear on her head, couldn't see, and walked right into the corner of a bookshelf with her eye.  She is also wearing her vampire fangs from Halloween.  It is quite the tough look.

I start orientation on Wed, I am so excited to get on with the professional aspect of my life! 

I just had to look up Michael Buble.  I had never heard of him before.  N.  just giggled about his name.  It must be a four year old thing.  :)

Nic, I love the sound of a skull and crossbones totebag!

Okay, hopefully I will be back later to report actual running.  I have to take N to school and try to figure out a frustrating issue relating to benefits/insurance for the kids. 

And Z just asked me if she can have my Harry Potter books when I die.  Snort.

[bec]

Tortuga - I had to laugh at the black eye because of underwear.  My middle has a shiner right now from colliding with a friend in a very 3 stooges manner.

RR: I did 4.5 miles today on the indoor track.  My legs were tired from yesterday's run, but it was totally doable, and I'm glad I am done.

NRR: The yearbook needs a disc to be burned, and two questions to be answered before I can send it out of my life forever!!!!!

[kerc]

tortuga thanks for sharing. It made me laugh.

I am home sick. With the flu-like symptoms that I thought were strep throat but my throat's not sore today. If I didn't have almost 3 hours of lecturing on monday I would have gone in and kept that precious sick day (we have to claim sick days since we are overpaid public employees). In other news: I'm pretty sure that I will be taking at least 10% pay cut from my already low pay. Private sector work sounds better, minus the significant travel required. But when my friends talk about comp time and their billable rate approaching $100/hr to start I get excited and think of the possibility of $30/hr with a good workplace).

Reasonably nice weekend out with my family. Kids are rockstars - they aren't sick and I'm sending them to daycare even though I'm technically ok. They're having a little valentines day shin-dig over there that is too precious to miss.

Nic: i read Animal Farm in 8th grade too. Although I'll admit the story was lost on me. The story is almost always lost on me when you require me to read it and specify the specific pages I need to read each night. I do better with get this done by next monday. then i sit and read it all in 2 sittings. Urgh on the bullying: both for teachers and students. People (even adult people) can be so hard to get along with. Here's hoping there's a break soon for you! I absolutely LOVE that you're published and she is not. So there! Nerdy badass and all.

LaLa: Please continue to share your vacation energy. We're in the midst of the mid-winter blahs here. You know everyone feels it: craptastic weather (whatever that means for your region), nothing really going on, etc. Doldrums. In my house my children have a feb break + an April break. I have march break. My husband works at 3 local instituions so he has 3 semi-break weeks. Geez I wish we could all get together on this.

I see no forward motion in my near future. I'm well enough to consider surprising my 2nd grader at her valentine's party. She thinks we can't come because we both work (in the classroom) from 1-2. But I took the sick day so I could go.....

[JayGee]

RR ~ 1 hour spin class that kicked my butt!  Time to de-sweatify myself in the shower.

[tortuga]

Glad the black eye tale provided entertainment.  I was trying to be appropriately sympathetic when it happened, but probably failed miserably. :)
 

Originally Posted by kerc 

 In my house my children have a feb break + an April break. I have march break. My husband works at 3 local instituions so he has 3 semi-break weeks. Geez I wish we could all get together on this.

This is us too, Z has a Feb and April break, N attends an on campus program so she has March break for two weeks, and I have no break as I'm graduated!  One would think that in a college town breaks would be better coordinated. 

No running to report yet, but my workout wear is now clean, so I have no more excuses. 

[mommajb]

We also have the never matching breaks - dh in Feb and April, The older kiddos one week in March and the younger two an overlapping but not matching break. That means L and I have 3+ weeks all messed up but not off.

I should have more to say but alas, I lack the energy to even type it all in. I must need a recovery day. It feels after yesterday's .

[bec]

Thankfully, no spring break issues here. 

RR: 4.5 miles today at the gym.  Hard, but good!