Dingoes March into Spring...Come and run with us! - Page 3

[MelW]

I totally need a cat. If my husband wasn't pretty deathly allergic I'd do it. Funny conversation from yesterday:

N (not-quite-4), yelling out the back door at some robins: Hey, birds! You can eat the worms in the grass, but don't eat the seeds by the compost. It's a trap!

Me: What if the rats heard you?

N, still yelling: Hey, rats! Plug your ears!

kerc, I hope you're feeling 100% soon. And hooray for a clearing rash.

lofty, I'm glad the weight move is helping. I hope the light and the end of the tunnel keeps getting brighter.

RR- A ton of shoveling, weeding and other garden prep with the kids yesterday. Aching arms. And today, the best run in ages. I wasn't afraid of the hills and managed close to 7k with still a bit in the tank when I got home. I even liked running again.

NRR- A colleague has a sick family member and I may be doing a lot of substitute teaching over the next few weeks. My husband just picked up two courses for a colleague in a very similar situation. We're re-arranging schedules minute by minute, but things always seem to come together. At least that's what I say, as the resident optimist.

[MelW]

Sparkle, we must have cross-posted earlier. Big, big hugs to you. I really hope that there is something (anything!) that can help. I'm amazed that you're managing to plug along with kids and school even. Take care!!

[1jooj]

sparkle, I just don't want to believe there is nothing besides ssris to help. But it seems like you've approached from virtually every angle over time. I feel your desperation, though. I wonder whether I would be trying things like an all red meat diet or very large amounts of fats or something. I know you're handling your D, but even taking bottled D doesn't do for me what an hour in the sun does, so I wonder about this, too. I'm all the way off the ssris now, and just taking the low-dose bcp, and it seems to help me. But I am also grain-free and in the crazy AD sun. Too many variables. Meditating or not?

lofty, I'd have been a little mortified, but I hope it is a good sign for the next 16. Congratulations! 

kerc, I get the feeling that the gparent hangover will never go away. Heck, I have a parent hangover. It's more a function of their (the Gs') personalities, I think, and this Gma is hardcore. But Day 4 of this week is here, and we are back to real progress. And word is the Gs are saying nice things about us and our kids, so all is well.

MelW, we have some monster-looking rats here, along the shore and at the fish market. Everything is also well-infested with cats, so they are controlled, but even for an animal-lover (and former rat-keeper) like me, it's ooky.

RR: A couple of good movement days. Kids and I did about 8km day before yesterday, plus some swimming, and yesterday we all (including dh) rode bikes for an hour before sunset. We'll likely swim again this afternoon. I'm so thankful for the physical gains both kids (but especially dd) made this year.

Lots going on around here. Dh is (as always) very busy, but has been around enough to see and appreciate my work with the kids, so that has been nice. Kids have been mostly good getting back into the swing of school, and this is partially managed with lots of art sessions. Dh still wants to squeeze in a vacation (he is set on Kuala Lumpur and I just don't know why; I may push for something in India), so I am fiddling with schedules to make sure all the math gets done. And I need to start communicating with people about our summer housing plans. We will definitely be moving apartments (found something AWESOME, 3BR+maid's, all en-suite baths, window in the kitchen, excellent location), but dh will handle that as kids and I will be in US.

Holy . I've only got 11-12 weeks left before summer.

[Nickarolaberry]

Hi all.

I've missed you. I"ve been lurking along, reading and running but not posting.

I can't even remember the last time I posted.

Sparkle, I get it. I so, so, so get it.  I am sending you vibes of love and light and hope that you find the right cure/management for your depression and begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel. This year's bout of SAD as well as life circumstances has had me really struggling. I am not willing to do meds (yet) because I tend to react so abominably to medication of any sort. Sigh. 

Mel, it sounds like things are going really well for you. I hope you get your schedules worked out.

Lofty, happy anniversary! Amazing how little things like moving the weights to a different room make a world of difference, right?

Jo, wow on getting through the visit so mentally intact!  You sound like things are going in a good direction for you. This summer we'll try again to make a visit happen I hope. 

So, as for me. Running a lot, as I still have in mind the May 26 marathon (haven't signed up yet though). I struggle with feeling oppressed by my running schedule whenever I have a marathon planned, vs. needing that spur to get my running in gear purposefully. I haven't been going to yoga as much as I should, what with everyone's schedules etc. Have to go back again as it's good for me in a lot of ways. I am suffering still with SAD and the glimpses of warmth and sunshine are not enough yet, although hopeful. Our days in Florida were wonderful for that but also hard since I know we're not moving back there any time soon and I don't know how I'm going to get through winters. REally, I don't.

Right now also really having a hard time with frustration and feeling totally ineffective at my job. I do love teaching but sometimes the payback is... just not there. My AP students are basically in free fall, having bombed their research paper and two of the last tests, despite all the various interventions I have implemented (a la Geo and Kerc suggestions). In general these kids are overcommitted and seriously underestimated the intensity of this course, and now that it's crunch time, it's biting them in the butts. Sigh. I'm also emotionally exhausted as yesterday we took the students to see Paul Kagame, the president of Rwanda speak -- so I spent the last several days teaching all the students in the school about the Rwandan genocide and its history. I find that completely wrenching. I am not sure why that is really -- I teach history, and Jewish history, and the Holocaust, etc. -- you'd think I'd be more inured to it by now. But I'm not and perhaps this is even more difficult as it's so current. I don't know. It doesn't help that sometimes I feel very (maybe unfairly!) angry that my students seem unable to have empathy, and are so privileged in so many ways (not necessarily even financially, although for some that's true) and sheltered. It's unreasonable of me, and yet when I teach these things and I see blank and bored faces, internally I'm both devastated and enraged. It takes a lot out of me.

Not to mention that, with the AP class at least, my job security is in part tied to their performance. That's also been true for me when I taught in public school (standardized tests) but the expectations here (college prep class, high achieving students/parents, etc.) are intense. Ugh.

RR: Not yet today. I needed the sleep, hopefully will get out later this afternoon. 

[kerc]

((nic)) -- I wonder if a short period of stepping back the intensity or time "off" will allow the students to gel?
 

[Plady]

Sparkle - I'm sorry you're feeling in so deep.  I wish I could help haul you out.  Could it be that time in the year that's darkest right before the dawn?

Nic - for you too.  It's got to be so hard to to have your outcome dependent on kids regardless of what else is happening in your own personal background.  Maybe, with regards to empathy, they could have some sort of creative writing assignment in which they write a first person account of some atrocity you've studied over the year.  Maybe something creative would help them connect to the history in a more real way. 

Jo - I'm always so happy to read how much better this year is than last year.  What a great turn-around.  And good call on approving apartments before handing the job off to dh.

MelW - Your schedule makes my head spin!  So funny too to think about how busy you are when I happen to catch a view of your coastline.  It all looks so quiet and peaceful from here!  Good luck with the rats!

RR: Boxed yesterday and finally felt like my old self.  That was a relief!  It has been weeks and weeks!

NRR: Also finally got my voice back for singing.  Also a huge relief.  I was really beginning to feel scared that I'd broken it or something.  Now I just have to stay healthy until May 15. 

The talk of depression peaking now is familiar.  Dd had been having some seriously down days a couple weeks ago.  And for no obvious reason.  But this week she seems to have regained some resiliency so I'm hopeful that it's all part of the tail of end of winter and that the return of light and growth and fragrant breezes will buoy her for the spring. 

Okay, time to cruise!

[Geofizz]

Plady, everyone is exhausted this time of year.  Do you have a sense of the performance of previous kids from this school on the AP test?  You've learned a lot this year about teaching this type of class, but a sense of the levels would help for a reality check.  I just remember back to high school and hearing people say things like "I'm signed up for 2 AP classes, so I've decided to drop X, Y, and Z after school activities so I have time."  I don't hear that any more.

Off to PT.  Cross your fingers I get someone good.

[Shantimama]

Hi Dingoes  Reading along but I think I will save my updates for elsewhere. We aren't using the wood stove now but my asthma is still enough of a problem to mean no running. One of these days I will join you all again  

[tjsmama]

lofty~Happy anniversary!

sparkle and nic~


I do believe that it's that time of year for Secret Sprinter, is it not? Actually a few weeks late, but I think that there may be a few dingoes in need of that pick-me-up that spring and some fun gifts bring! I'm happy to organize (we used a cool website for our Secret Santa at work that I think will work for this, too). Are people interested this year? I'll post over on the FB group, too, for those who are there but not checking in here at the moment.

I am currently sitting on my couch instead of being at work. Ahh. I probably should have declined when they asked me if I wanted release time tonight, but it was just too tempting after working the last two nights. The good thing is that, as long as I don't get called in tonight, I should get a workout in tomorrow, which would not have happened otherwise.

[calicocj]

Hi all!!

I have no idea why, but today the universe told me to come see what was happening with the dingoes on MDC, after, um, an embarrassingly long time since last posting. Maybe it was those amazing pics that Jen and Monica posted!

I am running, like zero, but these days I'm mostly a yoga dingo 

[mommajb]

sparkle, I really hope you feel better soon.

plady, so good to hear you are feeling better and back to boxing and singing.

lofty, I have cross of mid-life issues collected from and matching various dingos - my check up is next week and I hope I get answers that help. When you post I am nodding along and wishing nothing but the best for you.

I really want to post more as I haven't been here in a while but I *need* to get some of these girls and boys to bed before my head explodes!

[Nickarolaberry]

Hi Callie!!!

Yes, on the Secret Sprinter!!!!

[Geofizz]

Hi Callie!  Too bad you're not running as much.  A yogathong doesn't have the same ring as a marathong.

No, you'll never live that down.

Physical therapy is my new part time job.  I liked the therapist and she seemed competent.  I've got about 40 minutes of exercises and stretching to do each day, and I have 8 more appointments in the next three weeks.  I'm supposed to strengthen, loosen, rotate, and straighten.  I've been walking wrong for 38 years, sleeping wrong for longer, and probably not breathing or blinking correctly either.  It's all IT band, and the quad muscle problem is due to the fact that the IT is adhering to the quad and tugging on it where it attaches at the top of my knee.  The goal is to get me running ("if anyone needs to get back to running, it's you"), possibly as early as next week.

I find it interesting that every health care provider seems desperate to get me back running. Evidently being jumpy and twitchy in the exam room is seen as needing more exercise.  ;)

I filled out a form for the PT, and there was something about other conditions.  I marked anxiety as a condition.  She asked how that was treated and what medications I was on.  I said I have self-diagnosed it and I treat it by "running so hard I don't have energy to flip out."

[loftmama]

Geo, you are cracking me up. Good luck with your new " temp job."

Callie, was *just* wondering how you were doing. Love the yoga.

Gaye, yes.

Mommajb, let me know about that appt. Am very curious what others are going through and how they are processing it.

Workout Related: Did fabulous long outside yoga with my friend (who just left). She's a psychologist so we had wonderful discussions. I am getting in touch with another psychologist friend of mine who I do yoga with about specific menopause/perimenopause relationship issues. May be too private to post... But The Wisdom of Menopause has been enormously helpful. I am 2/3 way through the 700-page tome. Weights in the bedroom has helped my energy as well! It's just so easy to do a few before heading out the door or coming in the door. Still no running yet. Maybe soon...

eta:

One more thing -

She talked a LOT about the book, Lean In, and now I am just dying to read it. If anyone here has read it, I'd love to know what you think. Heading to Goodreads now.

[MelW]

Shanti, I was knitting up some arm warmers for birthday party gifts this weekend, and thinking of you.

Geo, good luck with the new PT gig! I really hope it helps and that they can get you running ASAP.

mommajb, I hope your appointment goes well. I am using the collective dingo wisdom as anticipatory guidance for my future midlife issues. I'm taking advantage of being a slighly younger dingo in this regard.

Nic, I hope the coming sunlight gives your SAD a lift. The struggle with the AP students and testing and all of the pressures on high school students is disappointing. I feel that somewhere in the high pressure (and often "helicoptering") kids are losing so much opportunity for learning. What an amazing opportunity to hear Kagame speak, and how disappointing that it's not connecting for them right now. I can only hope that one day they will be able to reflect back and realize the impact and importance of all of this.

lofty, I'm glad that the weights are working and the yoga is helping.

Plady, hooray for feeling better and having your voice back!

As I hear both you and Nic talking about moods/weather connections I try to transmit all of my optimism for better summer moods on to my husband who is in a winter slump right now. He's doing some instense Chinese medicine, which brings with it a lot of restrictions (daily naps, some food/drink directions, no cross training, no cardio). I hope it's helping, but he's feeling discouraged at the moment by an arthritis flare and mood issues (chicken vs egg...)

RR- Yesterday I did 2.13 km at a 6:44 min/km pace with my youngest on her bike and me running. She's so fast on her bike- I tried bike/run stuff with my older daughter at this age and it was just annoying. I'm hopeful for a future of running alongside the bikes. Today I ran 7.5 km on my own on the trail. Running feels so good right now. I went into work L&D yesterday evening for four hours, and today's run was exactly what I needed to get over my frustration at the unfairness of the world.

NRR- Rat update: As long as I move the trap to a new location, I keep catching them daily. I think there must be rat fear pheromones that get left in the old locations making them stay away if I leave the trap in the same place a couple days in a row. My daughter's school is a 25 minute drive away, so I load the trap in the trunk and release en route, hoping that it's far enough from home that they don't come back. They're rats, not homing pigeons, right?

[calicocj]

I totally want a yogathong!! not sure exactly what that would be though, hmm.....

Geo - hope the PT gets you back on track asap.  I had a similar experience - I spent a couple months moving around my house by doing side steps with one of those big rubber bands around my ankles (but also a good excuse to skimp on housework.... )

Mel - homing rats 

plady - your mention of your DD feeling down resonates here - DD has been in such a funk lately ("I want to run away," "I hate school and I have no friends," "i feel like a piece of trash" (!!))  and it has been so concerning.  I know the winter funk is happening as well, but I just don't know what is normal...and what I should be really concerned about?

lofty - outside yoga sounds awesome, although maybe not today, we got a bit of snow!

I did yoga over lunch today (our uni has a nice set of faculty/staff fitness classes for cheap and with some really great instructors).  But it's feeling like a double workout; I gave a tour of our new building to a group of visitors and after an hour of walking around and going up and down 4 flights of stairs (and talking!), I am totally exhausted.... phew

[Geofizz]

Yup, I already did my 3 house laps side stepping with a rubber band of torture around my calves. Not as bad as the dominatrix exercise.

[mommajb]

Nothing is easy. Or maybe everything feels so hard. Or maybe my family is driving me nuts. Yep, that is it.

Dh and the two older ones are on spring break so there is no productivity for the rest of us. Actually ds is gone, dd is trying to be helpful and dh is underfoot and out of sync but trying.

We had PE volleyball and a park day with a group of home-schoolers today. In an odd turn of events my children enjoyed PE and did not want to play at the park. We went home and they ran to the back yard to play. I don't get it. There is a weird dynamic going on an the moms I get along with best do not have playmates for my children. I am still trying to sort this one out. It is a case of not actually having much in common I think. It combines with end of season downs (really? even this far south and sunny?)

Callie, we cross posted as I hadn't reloaded the page for a while before I posted last night. So good to hear from you. I too am confused about the 10 yo melodrama and how to tell when it is something more and warrants more than loving support intermixed with a bit of "Toughen up little girl!"

plady, from my girls to yours. We would all love another beach and sushi day. You could stay with us and I would find out if evenings call for glasses of wine or cups of herbal tea. I am guessing if we sat downstairs while girls played upstairs it might be some wine - this house makes that kind of noise seem worse than it is.

geo, keep up with the PT - it sounds like you need a run!

lofty, I think I just read a promo for Lean In. It wasn't that I exactly disagreed about what she had to say but I didn't feel terribly comfortable reading it right now. I am sure she would accuse me of having puled back too far after having children and I don't need to be made to feel worse about that right now.

nic, I hope you experience spring feelings soon.

RR: I am consistently running which feels good for the most part. I have lost a lot of muscle and may be under fueling so if I add any distance those two items will need to addressed. A, my 14 yo dd and I challenged each other to run everyday of spring break. I am so proud of how she has done I could burst. When she heads back to school I plan t add in some simple, heavy weightlifting
My most unathletic 10 yo dd signed up with a friend for 10k this weekend. I ran it last year and it is relatively flat course around the bay but she is going to take forever. The mom walking it with them is supposed to have a rest day and a half marathon the next day. I fear she will be on her feet for over 2 hours. I hope they have a great time. I

[tjsmama]

I am at yogathonging, homing rats, and blinking incorrectly...

Callie!

SECRET SPRINTER: Send me your email addy, either PM here or on FB, so I can get you invited to the exchange. You will receive an invite from Elfster.com when I get it all set up. For those who may be new, Secret Sprinter is like a Secret Santa exchange, with the idea being to brighten up these last few dreary weeks of winter when we all really need a boost to get us revved up and running into spring. The rules are pretty loose, but typically, we do a handful of small gifts (I try to do one package a week with a slightly larger package for the reveal). Gifts might include yummy snacks, a cool headband, a favorite coffee or tea, some fun running socks, something fun for the dinglets, etc. The sky's the limit, whatever fits your heart and your wallet. Homemade gifts are totally fine, and usually much-loved (I still love the coffee sleeve that poppy knit for me several years ago!). My goal is to have the exchange set up by the end of next week, with reveal gifts to go out sometime the week of April 21.

I spoke too soon on work last night. Got called in at 11, it was slow-ish until maybe 5, and then it got crazy. There was a stop-n-drop (aka precipitous birth) in triage, an outborn (with the placenta going MIA in the outpatient pavilion!!), a c-section, and a birth where the mom was giving the baby up for adoption, all in the last two hours of the shift. So yeah, no workout today. And skiing tomorrow. Oh well.

[kerc]

hi!  I got my first real exercise since last friday and it was kind of pathetic: I went downhill skiing with my kids at the local one-run hill. for an hour.

and I'm wiped.

but I'm ready to swim tomorrow, I think. and I'm hoping to get out and ski tomorrow afternoon, again with kiddos.

i had a totally crazy day.

from out of nowhere I started working on a paper (like the science kind that ends up in a science journal)  I last worked on in earnest about 5 years ago. and I didn't stop for 6 hours.

then I decided i would indeed go to an academic seminar. So I packed up my stuff, drove across town to my alma mater and attended seminar. The seminar was kind of meh. I went because I was interested in the topic. I didn't realize it was a job interview kinda seminar. That meant the last 25% were about what he might do with students and not the actual topic. <delete all kinds of comments that no one except maybe callie and geo will understand and move on>

So hey: progress on the paper. And I might just do it again tomorrow.