Running Away ~ October Dingos - Page 2

[MelW]

My gluten-free vegan cake recipe (and corn-free, too):

Ingredients:
2 cups brown rice flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp guar gum (can use xanthan if corn is not a problem, or ground flax, or any other binder of choice)
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder (the gf, corn-free kind)
pinch sea salt
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 cups chocolate almond milk (this is essential- makes it much more chocolate-y)
2 large ripe bananas, peeled and mashed (I often substitute one or both bananas for applesauce or other fruit)
1 tbs vanilla (I rarely use this, but it's in the original recipe)

A handful of vegan chocolate, chips into the batter (optional, but nice)

I make it in the electric mixer, and bake at 350 until done. This makes a pretty decent chocolate cake- it rises and is quite cake-like, though it does get stale very fast. I make as cupcakes and freeze all of the ones that aren't eaten the first day. I admit that I'm also pretty terrible at measuring when I bake, so this is as close as I can get to the "official" recipe, but I make little adjustments as I go along depending on how the batter looks. To make it more like a brownie, go for more guar/xanthan, and extra bananas.

[Nickarolaberry]

Originally Posted by doctorjen 

Nick - mm, chicken pot pie.  Can you shoot me the recipe?

Okay, Chicken Pot Pie (with vegan and gluten free variations): (This recipe contains no cream-of-anything soup or commercial/processed ingredients other than tofutti sour cream).

Ingredients (for the innards):

1 onion, diced

1-2 potatoes, peeled (if you want to) and diced

a few carrots, peeled and chopped

1-2 cups petite peas (I like the Trader Joes frozen petite peas)

Any other vegetable you have on hand and want to get rid of, EXCEPT for leafy greens which don't work so well

Olive oil

3 rounded TBSP cornstarch

2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

2-3 cups diced cooked turkey or chicken (I make two separate 'pies' -- a larger one with meat, and a smaller one without. Both are gluten free and one is also vegan)

Ingredients for mashed potato crust:

4-5 large potatoes, peeled, chopped and boiled

olive oil

vegetable or chicken broth

tofutti sour cream

Directions:

Sautee the onion in olive oil til it's getting soft. Add the carrots and potatoes and put the cover on the pan; let them cook until they're all firm/soft (not mushy). Add the peas and any other veggies that don't need as much time (today I added some diced butternut squash I had on hand; I've also put in sweet potato, which I add at the same time as the white potato; or celery; mushrooms, etc.).  

Dissolve/whisk the cornstarch into the COLD veggie or chicken broth. Cornstarch does not dissolve well or work as a thickener when added to hot ingredients. Ask me how I know this. 

Pour the broth/cornstarch into the vegetable mixture and stir occasionally until it gets thick and creamy.

Meanwhile, set aside a pan or deep casserole dish and spray it with nonstick spray. If you're using meat, you can add it directly to the dish or add it to the veggie mixture on the stove if you don't need to separate your pies for carnivorous vs. vegetarian family members. It all gets mixed together anyway so it doesn't really matter if you add it on the stove or later. When the veggie mixture is smooth and creamy and a little thick, add it to the casserole dish.

For the crust, boil the potatoes til very soft. Then drain them, and add in some olive oil, broth, and tofutti sour cream and whip until you get the consistency you like with mashed potatoes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Dollop the mashed potatoes over the top of the veggie/chicken mixture in the casserole dish at different intervals spread out. Then take a spatula and sort of gently spread them so they form a layer on the top. If you add them all in one place you'll end up mixing it into the chicken/veggie mixture and not getting a crust.

If you are NOT gluten free, you can add a pastry crust on top. You can make your own or take a short cut, which is the Pillsbury Crescent Rolls in the blue cylinder can. They are not so healthy but they are downright delicious and you just spread it out right over the top of the pot pie rather than rolling them up into rolls. 

Bake at 350 til the top looks brown/starts to crust.

Yum. 

[kitteh]

Ok, I'm going to try to do this race report again. I kind of feel like a jerk just coming here to report on my run when I really haven't been consistently contributing to the threads, but honestly I kind of feel like a girl who's moved to a new town in which most of the inhabitants have lived for generations. You all have such a history together and know each others' back stories and I'm still just reading reading reading and trying to get to know you all. In the future I hope to become a member of the community and respond with more substance, but until then:

So very last minute (like, the day before) I convinced DH to join me for the SM5000. He's been picking up overnight security shifts at the hotel he works for, so he came off an 8 hour shift on his feet, then waited 2 hours and ran 6.2 miles with me, all without any real training. He usually runs with me once a week, but he's been adjusting to the new schedule for two weeks and stopped running all together during that time. Gotta love him.

I didn't run at all the week leading up to the race, because I'd had a particularly overzealous weight training circuit (after which I failed to stretch because dd woke up wanting to nurse) that seemed to throw my whole lower body off kilter. I ran an easy 4 miles the next day and two days after the weights circuit as I was about to go for a another quick run my muscles all seized up and it was super painful just walking across the room to fetch my shoes. So I didn't run that night and instead decided to stretch. That was a good choice. I took the next three days off due to pain, and then decided to run 9 miles on the 4th day. That was a bad choice, and it put me out of commission until Race Day.

RACE DAY--Woke up at 6:30AM after going to bed around midnight. I probably should have slept more, but whatever (mistake #1.) I made some tea and started getting ready but was too stressed/nervous to eat (mistake #2.) I had to get dd ready to go and gather all the gear and before I knew it we were heading out the door, and I still hadn't eaten. So I grabbed two nutri-grain bars and a Gatorade gel pack and off we went. Got down to DH's work and he changed into running gear while I fed half of my nutri-grain bar to Ela and ate the other half myself. DH and I shared the gel pack and then trotted off to the start line, which was about a mile away. It was a really great easy warm up, but we timed it poorly and arrived at the race too early. We lined up in back, behind most of the other Baby Joggers (mistake #3.) And then we waited. And waited. And WAITED. We waited so long that I'm pretty sure my muscles cooled back down, DH started getting fidgety, and Ela darn near melted down. FINALLY the gun sounded and we were off!! Sort of... Actually, we were so far back that we had to wait a bit more for the crowd to get moving. And once they did I realized what a mistake it'd been to line up so far back--we spent the first 1/2 mile frustrated and blocked behind a wall of trotters/walkers. I'm pretty sure our warmup jog to the starting line was faster paced than our first 1/2 mile of the race. Whoops. So finally the crowd started to thin out a bit and we found our way around the trotters, at which point I decided to REALLY pick up the pace in order to make up for lost time. My Garmin tells me that I made it up to a 6min/mile pace at that point, which is pretty near sprinting for me (mistake #4.) DH was pulling ahead of us and Ela started to yell DADA! at him and admonished him (in toddler gibberish) for leaving us in his dust, so he slowed down a bit.

Around the 3rd mile or so I felt like I was hitting the wall a bit. I was hungry, but too dry/thirsty to eat the last bit of nutri-grain bar we had. Instead I sipped some gatorade and passed the jogging stroller off to DH to recover a bit. I dropped down to a 10+min/mile pace and tried not to think about the fact that we were only half way through. I only intended to pass the stroller off for a short recovery period, but never ended up getting it back. At one point I asked DH for it but he told me to relax and focus on the race, and I didn't have the breath or energy to argue with him, but I'm kinda disappointed in myself for that. Anyhow, the turnaround came around the middle/end of mile 4 and that gave me a bit of a boost, so I picked up the pace a little. Then mile 6 was slightly downhill, so i picked up the pace a little more. I ended up finishing pretty strong, which makes me think that maybe I left a little too much in the tank earlier on? But it felt good to pass the finish line and not want to collapse immediately on the other side! heh.

My official time was 56:19. I was secretly hoping to be under 55 minutes, and that was WITH the jogging stroller. If I'd have kept the stroller the whole time I probably would have been at least a minute slower than I was. So meh. I'm kinda disappointed in my time, but I had a great time running my FIRST RACE EVER with DH and Ela, and I definitely learned some good lessons for training and running my next 10k, which is in 6 weeks. Overall I loved the experience and am definitely hooked on racing.

[modmom]

Hi Dingos,

Have not posted in ages, having some great runs love this weather.

Plady I had to post something you are such a kind compassionate it shines through.  I am so sorry that your dd is struggling.  I wish peace and comfort in this time.

[kerc]

Originally Posted by kitteh 


My official time was 56:19. I was secretly hoping to be under 55 minutes, and that was WITH the jogging stroller. If I'd have kept the stroller the whole time I probably would have been at least a minute slower than I was. So meh. I'm kinda disappointed in my time, but I had a great time running my FIRST RACE EVER with DH and Ela, and I definitely learned some good lessons for training and running my next 10k, which is in 6 weeks. Overall I loved the experience and am definitely hooked on racing.

Are you taking chip time or overall time? (Just saying, a chip time might be faster cause if you're running iwth the jogger sometimes you can't even cross the start line until 2 minutes have gone by).

Hey ladies: lookie here ---> running related post from me. WHoa.

Went to my beginner C25K "class" and started running alongside a lady who looked like she was my speed. Everyone started off together, walking 5 min and then advanced beginners broke off and ran for 20 minutes while beginners did (90 run + 2 walk x 6). Anyhow, lady I ran next to didn't stop and she talked me into running the 20 minutes with her. So I did. And there. 2.3 miles. In a row. Without stopping. Of course, my Leah Lu was absolutely bawling when I said goodbye. Like leaving kids at daycare, always hard.

[MelW]

for the run, kerc!

And congrats on a terrific time, kitteh (even if you're not thrilled about it). It's a PR, and one that you'll probably smash with better placement, better fueling, or stroller-less

I've been spending the afternoon looking at 2012 races. There is a trail series with two races within reasonable distance- one 6k "ascent gut-buster" with a 505m gain in elevation locally, and another that's not too far that has a 12.5k or a half marathon option. Looking at the results, they're all pretty slow/hard courses. I like hills, but I'm not sure I like them that much!

[Realrellim]

Ack. It lost my post, so I'll just say:

kitteh: great job!

Plady--if you don't want to bake from scratch, check out the Pamela's mixes, especially the chocolate cake and brownie ones. They're GF and DF, and includes instructions for making an egg-free version too.

kerc--yay for a group!

Now, looking for lost mojo....

[1jooj]

kitteh, that's a time I'm only capable of dreaming of these days. You did great!

I headed out a little earlier today than yesterday and did a full 5K around the park, and walking to and from for about 8km total. If I had to guess, I'd say I ran about 4 of the 5km. Feels like more a breathing issue than a cardio or legs thing, so I just have to live with it and know that, as temps and humidity improve, so will I. I'm also down almost 10 pounds from where I was at back in May/June. The woman I met yesterday GAINED 60 pounds living here (over 2 years), so I need to just stay on-task, be OK with slow and steady, and be thankful that either I'm not stared at or I'm so oblivious it doesn't matter (because if anyone tried anything on me, I'd kick their @$$es anyway).

Kids have a half day at school today and dd already warned me we'd better do "something fun." Borders has super markdowns (presumably soon to be closing here too?), so I'm thinking we'll go blow $20 at the bookstore and maybe get Thai for dinner. Nice mid-week break.

[bec]

I'm surfacing for air for a few minutes!  In the last 6 days, I've worked 50 hours.  Stay at home mom for 10.5 years to a 50 hour work week leaves me exhausted and with a small cold.  I did manage to get out during my 12 hour day (6.5 hours at Charming Charlie, 5.5 hours at Bath and Body Works) for a 30 minute run (only about 2.3 miles because I got a phone call I needed to take).  I have a half marathon this weekend, and really don't feel ready.  This would have been fine if my friend was doing it with me, as a run/walk strategy seemed to be what she would need, but she needs to work that day.  So, now I have no excuse.  I'm on my own.  I'm going to go and just see what happens, have fun and finish. 

Kitteh - That 10k time is fabulous!!!  Like Jo, a time I would never dream of being able to get!  Anyway, congratulations!  It sounds like you had fun and learned a lot on how to race. 

Zub - I'm SO excited for you!  I hope this is a happy, healthy, and healing pregnancy for you. 

Jenlove - SO close! I remember those last days of pregnancy so well, feeling so impatient. 

Plady - I think everyone else has said it all so much more eloquently, but I love your Yin/Yang of pregnancy.  You are such a compassionate, caring mama.  Please, please be gentle with yourself and feel good about your decisions.  You are having to figure out what the best choices are for your entire family.  Without the benefit of foresight!!!  Definitely use us as your safe, soft face to fall. 

Speaking of being gentle - Nic, I think G-d isn't the problem for forgiveness.  I think we all need to learn to be more forgiving with ourselves! 

NRR:  On Saturday, I had a Girl Scout Cookout for my troop at my coleader's house.  Where, one of the girls managed to chip a tooth on a swing set.    It turns out, she had a hairline fracture gong all the way to the root.  I am now trying to navigate dealing with Girl Scout insurance to make a claim, etc.  We have never had so much as a skinned knee before this, and it had to happen during the period where I am mind numbingly exhausted!  Ugh!  It's just sort of a when it rains it pours kind of thing.

Oh, and my period started, so I'm feeling very sensitive to everything, but trying VERY hard to take things with a grain of salt.  I'm working on just not responding until I have the emotional energy to do so calmly. 

[JayGee]

bec ~ yikes!  That's a LOT of working.  You need to buy something for yourself with all that additional income !  Get some rest, and be grateful that  arrived today and NOT during your 1/2 this weekend!

Jooj ~ have fun at the Border's sale.  We scored some major deals at ours just before they closed the doors completely.  I read your blog post and wanted to tell you a) that you're an amazing writer, and b) now that you're at the emotional trough of expat living, it's all bound to get better!

kerc ~  for a real, honest to goodness run!!!

Hi modmom!  Good to see you again.

Mel ~ all that climbing!  Not so sure your race choices would me mine!

kitteh ~ congratulations on your race!  I think your time is great, especially since you were pushing the jogger!

Nic ~ I MUST make that pot pie!!!!!

Geo ~ congratulations to your DD's team.  My DS's team has lost every.single.game and most of them by a huge margin.  DS doesn't seem to care if they win or lose, he just likes to play soccer.  His teammates are a little more despondent about all the losses though.  DH is going to start assistant coaching and is so excited.  He was a PE major in college, and has been playing soccer for 35 years.  He's pumped to get the boys working together (their main issue).

DrJen ~ check out the Go! St. Louis Marathon/Half-Marathon.  I am pretty sure it's in April.... and you've got a place to stay!!!!

JenLove ~  easy labor vibes, coming your way!

Plady ~ a huge, giant, squeezy  for your DD (and for you too).

RR ~ none.  Back and hip are killing me.  Argh.  WTF, man.

NRR ~ Lots of chores, lots of mum planting, lots of raking.

[Mel38]

Hello Modmom

JenLove,

Great race, Kitteh, despite all the troubles! Congrats!! And it's nice to have the next one lined up already.

Plady to you again. Let me just add my support to everything that has already been expressed. And I really hope that your DD is feeling better this week - poor girl.

Congratulations Alex!!!

Jo - absolutely, that heat must have a huge impact on running. Is there anywhere a person can run indoors on a treadmill nearby? Have fun with your kids today! I hope you get some good books.

Kerc - fantastic run!

Bec, wow, that sounds like such a crazy hectic week. I hope you can rest up a little this week and so you feel really great for your HM!

We had a great weekend camping trip to a gorgeous lake. The bottom of the lake is all sand, and the water looks blue-ish green like the Caribbean! It was just so different than I expected. We had fun just hiking with the kids, playing on the rocky shores, making campfires and playing games. It was awesome.

Now I'm back to running 3x per week, although I need to get my bike out today. I am really enjoying swimming and running has been pretty decent lately, but I am having trouble motivating myself to get the bike out.

First, a trip to the fabric store. I had a stress-dream this weekend that I woke up on Halloween morning, and my kids had no costumes. Problems, right?

[1jooj]

JayGee,  Thanks. :) Here's hoping for better days ahead. Weather-wise, it's practically a sure bet. My ds likes to play for the sake of playing too. We scored a few books today, nothing great, though. Going to the used bookstore this weekend, I think. And need to work our way through the piles of books that are waiting.

Mel, I wish I could afford a club, but can't justify spending 3x what I spent on a family Y membership for some limited ladies-only place where I use their TM or stairmaster.

bec, mine too, but I'm superwoman when she shows up here. I hope you get some rest, mama.

Plady, I know firstborns can be so serious and take so much on themselves, too. I hope you can draw a lot out of her, help her feel supported and energized, and exorcise some of this sense of doom that's pulling her down. So much love to her and to you.

Phone interview tomorrow afternoon.  It's a big conglomerate that actually owns a fitness chain, so I wonder whether they offer any sort of discount benefit to their corporate employees...? Guess we'll see. After all, I have all these wiggy-weird ideas about just how much I want to work, and when. And when not. kerc, labor laws here are a little...erm...Dickensian? There are the possibility of employment bans and all manner of odd things that can happen to employees who don't finish contracts, get fired, etc. I'm still in the discovery phase, but it's kinda cool to be doing it.

[Plady]

Kitteh - I think that sounds like a great experience!  First of all you were plenty fast, and chances are you'd have beat your goal time if you'd not gotten stuck at the beginning, but now you know all sorts of important race day stuff for the next one.  I love how psyched you sound, it's very cool.

Kerc - Yay for a run!  After all the IL time I bet it felt awesome.

JayGee - Meant to say that I love the thread title this month.  So resonant.

Originally Posted by bec 
 This would have been fine if my friend was doing it with me, as a run/walk strategy seemed to be what she would need, but she needs to work that day.  So, now I have no excuse.  I'm on my own.  I'm going to go and just see what happens, have fun and finish.

~~

  Definitely use us as your safe, soft face to fall. 

You can still use the run/walk strategy right?  Just keep yourself safe, you don't have to prove anything to anyone, you're going to be out there doing it.  And thank you, I do feel like I might need a spare face to fall on these days.  :)

Originally Posted by JayGee 

RR ~ none.  Back and hip are killing me.  Argh.  WTF, man.

 

I'm sure you've thought of this but psoas?  I think that is the answer to the pain I've been dealing with.  And I love the thought of your ds being immune to the agony of defeat.  I hope that lasts, it sounds very healthy.

MelW - Thank you for that recipe.  It does sound a little daunting for next week but I'm stashing it.  I'll check out the Pamela's mixes for this round.

Nic - Yum!  I think I need to try this out on my family asap!

Originally Posted by Mel38 

We had a great weekend camping trip to a gorgeous lake. The bottom of the lake is all sand, and the water looks blue-ish green like the Caribbean! It was just so different than I expected. We had fun just hiking with the kids, playing on the rocky shores, making campfires and playing games. It was awesome.

That camping trip sounds idyllic, how lovely!

Modmom too!  And thank you.

Jo - All that job investigating does sound exciting, it's interesting though to bear in mind the local laws about working.  In Mexico there are some very different rules about hiring and firing too and it's crucial to know about the details before signing on to anything.  I hope that Fall falls soon for you, I'd be exhausted on every level in the incessant heat.

Things were calm here this morning.  Everyone got off to school without any drama, it was really nice, I think we all needed a lull.  It's interesting though, I sent dd's teacher an email yesterday explaining what's going on with her, not to excuse her from schoolwork but just so the teacher has a little backstory.  But I haven't heard anything back.  One one hand there may not be much to say but I kind of thought a quick little, "thanks for the heads up" type reply could be expected.  But, she's got 30 students and who knows how many other kids in the class are in crisis mode too.

[bec]

Originally Posted by Plady 

You can still use the run/walk strategy right?  Just keep yourself safe, you don't have to prove anything to anyone, you're going to be out there doing it.  And thank you, I do feel like I might need a spare face to fall on these days.  :)

Whoops?!  Typing while exhausted, not a great combo, lol.  But, you are certainly welcome for a spare face as well!

I guess I could do the run/walk thing.  But, without a friend to talk to through the walking portions, it just makes me want to get through it, and keep running.  I know, not logical, but there it is. 

My first day with the store open was a success, with the exception of the guy that was stuffing his pockets and stealing from us!

[Nickarolaberry]

Hi mamas.

Today was a good day.

I got a call for an interview to take a maternity leave temp teaching position at the local (well, 40 mins. away...but the closest one) Jewish high school, for mornings. So I am going there Thurs. to see what's what. 

I went thrifting and scored big time. Wanna hear? Well ok I'll tell you anyway. 

2 J Crew corduroy skirts

1 denim skirt

1 Chicos velvet skirt

1 Chicos silvery knit vest/tank

1 Under Armour base layer turtleneck

1 Eddie Bauer skirt (NWT) and Ann Taylor vest (for dd1 -- didn't fit so it's going back, but still)

1 brand new with tags hoodie sweater from JJill in a gorgeous butter yellow cotton trimmed with celery green, my fave

1 Gap cotton turtleneck sweater

1 Ann Taylor turtelneck sweater for dd1

1 new with the tags pair of mittens for ds

Grand total: $32

Tee hee.

I still have to get some of my stuff altered. The JCrew skirts could use a little taking in, and I have another cord skirt I like that needs taking in. My dilemma is whether to get my favorite Levis denim skirts taken in; they're so worn in and faded but they are my favorites and I wear them constantly...and they don't make them anymore. Hmmm.

Then dh came home and told me:

1) we now have health insurance. Good health insurance. 

2) He gets some money toward going to a CME conference so we might actually get to have a trip together...away...alone. For the first time in, oh, 11 years or so. 

He gave me another time goal for the trip to Israel.  4:20 or better. That's 10 minute miles the whole way. I don't know if I can, but hey, it's worth a shot. For myself, my goal is 4:45. Since I totally bonked and bombed in mile 23 in the last marathon...I am in better shape now and faster in general but you know...you just never know. Gotta respect that distance. It's a m-f.   My friend posted an awesome pic on facebook; it was a photo of a street sign that said "To Hell and Back..26.2 Miles" Sundays and Holidays. 

I think Asics put them out. I would so love to get my hands on one of those. Impossible to find but I'm trolling ebay.

Have a good evening mamas. I think...yes...ice cream.

[1jooj]

 Oh, Dingoes. Looks like they want a FTer. And also looks like they want me. I am going to have to steel myself to move forward with the plan. I will see what their offer looks like (sounds like one might be coming ) and counter with something I could live with. I got the "when can you start?" And also the "what are you thinking for salary?" It was a good conversation, but sounds like a big commitment. Wish I could make it work, but this is beginning to look like someone else's opportunity.

[Geofizz]

Originally Posted by 1jooj 

 Oh, Dingoes. Looks like they want a FTer. And also looks like they want me. I am going to have to steel myself to move forward with the plan. I will see what their offer looks like (sounds like one might be coming ) and counter with something I could live with. I got the "when can you start?" And also the "what are you thinking for salary?" It was a good conversation, but sounds like a big commitment. Wish I could make it work, but this is beginning to look like someone else's opportunity.

Counter with what you want.  My sister did that - saying she'd only take a 25 hour a week job on her schedule as a counter to a full time offer.  The response was ok, but it would take them three weeks to move the weekly meeting she'd be running to fit her schedule.  

Ask for what you want.  The worst that will happen is they'll say no.

[Nickarolaberry]

Originally Posted by Geofizz 

Counter with what you want.  My sister did that - saying she'd only take a 25 hour a week job on her schedule as a counter to a full time offer.  The response was ok, but it would take them three weeks to move the weekly meeting she'd be running to fit her schedule.  

Ask for what you want.  The worst that will happen is they'll say no.

Yeah, that.

Does anyone use mamapads? I only need pantiliners or very thin pads. Anyone have a recommendation?

Good strong 6 miler this morning. It was nice to NOT run in the rain for a change. Was supposed to do 7 but it was so dark still and I didn't know how to tack on another mile to my route without going way out of the way, so I just called it a day at 6.

[Realrellim]

Nick--I do, but I'm looking for something a little thinner these days. On the marathon time: maybe you should follow Geo's advice to Jo and counter with what you want? Couldn't hurt. I agree about respecting the distance, and unlike any other race, there so much more variability in how you feel and how you're able to control your pace.

to all.

I've been reading but feeling too grumpy to respond. AF seems to be arriving which should explain a lot of that. Well, that and the continued lack of sleep issues. Not sure how I'm going to make it through the semester. Trying to cheer myself up with the reality that the spring should be easier because all the class prep stuff eating up my time (i.e., updating old Powerpoint presentations and notes with the music selections of our current textbook) will be done. Have I mentioned that I hate, HATE powerpoint? And yet it's so much easier to use it than to juggle a stack of CDs and overheads for picture and other examples and writing on the board and getting chalk all over my hands and clothes. (Yes, I am feeling incompetent and useless in all ways. Another documentary about how lectures in college are basically ineffective is not helping. Perhaps I need another line of work, but what? Why did I get a PhD in something useless?!?!)

Eh, clearly I am still grumpy. Taking my grumpy self elsewhere until the hormones change. I'm hoping for the rush of AF energy others describe, because I desperately need it. Maybe I'll just go for some half-caf coffee instead. It ought to do the trick.

[JayGee]

Real ~ your PhD is not useless!  And I agree, Powerpoint sucks, except it's so useful!

Jooj ~ Geo's suggestion is a good one.  I think you're in a good place to bargain for fewer hours with them since they really want YOU for the job.

Nic ~ sweet thrift shop finds!!!  I need you to come shopping with me because I never score like that.

RR ~ I took a pilates class this morning in hopes that stabilizing my core will keep my hip from rotating so much.  I really enjoyed the class (a mat class done with this torturous bendy ring) and think it will help.  I ended up going to the chiro yesterday and my ileum was rotated out of position causing my left leg to be a full 2 inches shorter than my right.  He thinks running on the cambered roads might be a big part of the problem.  In Bloomington, I almost exclusively ran on trails, but here it's all on the side of the road.  He adjusted the hip and it felt a ton better yesterday, but this morning it's whacked out again.  Argh!

NRR ~ I also got invited to interview for a job at DS and DD2's old preschool.  It's an awesome Reggio preschool that really does cool and innovative things in the classrooms.  The 4 day teacher is retiring this year and she e-mailed me to tell me that she really wants me to apply to be her replacement.  Part of me says, YEAH, I love preschoolers!  Part of me says, teach preschool?!  No Freaking Way!!!  Still mulling it over.  It would be M-Th from 9-3. DH doesn't think I should do it because he likes me doing all the volunteer work and having time to myself finally.  But, it's an opportunity that might not roll around again at that school.  Argh!  Decisions.....

Off to get ready for a 3 hour PTO Executive Board meeting.  Aaaaahhhhhh!