Today, I managed to break my...really long...hiatus from working out. Since I arrived back in Yuma from my 2 week vacation in Ft. Sill, I haven't felt like working out, nor have I really had tons of time to fit it in.
One of my good friends has been asking me for the last 2 weeks to "train him" and I wanted to but, since it's WTI time and I've had some weird form of bronchitis for the last week, I haven't been able to...until today! It felt really good to get back into the gym. My friend and I struck a deal. I'll develop a diet plan and critique his lift form for as long as he manages to drag my really lazy butt to the gym, or whatever venue we're supposed to work out in that day. Hopefully, we'll keep each other on track through WTI.
Oh, I'm also running a half marathon in November. Even though I've run (ok, run/walked) 2 marathons, this is my first half. I have a bad habit of doing absolutely no training and showing up on race day, letting the cards fall as they will. My average marathon time is 5hrs, so I'm setting a goal for the half of sub-2:10. If I feel really squirrely towards the end of WTI, I might shave that down to sub-2hrs. Maybe I'll even train for this one!
24 September 2010
20 September 2010
Sad Redefined
Question: What is the most pathetic thing you've ever seen?
Answer: Two dogs who are barely able to walk...or can't really walk at all.
Story: It's WTI time, which means that normal tasks must be divided between Charlie and I. On Sunday, that meant that he took the dogs for their weekly outing while I went to the grocery store. He decided to go for a hike in the mountains and when he returned 90 minutes later the dogs were blissfully worn out. They both slept on the floor for a looooooong time, actually about until it was time for them to eat. Oden has never, ever missed a meal, nor does he ever fail to come running when the bag of food is opened. Well, on Sunday, neither dog came running. In fact, they attempted to get up, each attempted a step and then promptly laid back down. Upon further inspection, Bailey was sporting front toe pads that were cracked and one was torn. Oden doesn't have any visible pad or foot injuries but he was unable to walk on one front leg and one back leg. Basically, Charlie and I had to carry our poor puppies around all night and then again a couple of times this morning.
Luckily, both dogs seem to be feeling much better this evening. They are both still walking a little painfully but they can move under their own power and don't avoid walking.
The Lesson: Dogs don't wear shoes but they should!
Answer: Two dogs who are barely able to walk...or can't really walk at all.
Story: It's WTI time, which means that normal tasks must be divided between Charlie and I. On Sunday, that meant that he took the dogs for their weekly outing while I went to the grocery store. He decided to go for a hike in the mountains and when he returned 90 minutes later the dogs were blissfully worn out. They both slept on the floor for a looooooong time, actually about until it was time for them to eat. Oden has never, ever missed a meal, nor does he ever fail to come running when the bag of food is opened. Well, on Sunday, neither dog came running. In fact, they attempted to get up, each attempted a step and then promptly laid back down. Upon further inspection, Bailey was sporting front toe pads that were cracked and one was torn. Oden doesn't have any visible pad or foot injuries but he was unable to walk on one front leg and one back leg. Basically, Charlie and I had to carry our poor puppies around all night and then again a couple of times this morning.
Luckily, both dogs seem to be feeling much better this evening. They are both still walking a little painfully but they can move under their own power and don't avoid walking.
The Lesson: Dogs don't wear shoes but they should!
15 September 2010
Those Days
Ever had "those days?" This week, for me, seems to be full of them. I just can't seem to find motivation for anything...work, Crossfit, life...waking up in the morning. I've decided that it's a test of wills between me and the universe. So far, the universe is winning in Crossfit and life - I haven't worked out in about 2 weeks and I don't have a "life" - but, to date, I'm holding my own because I do wake up every morning and I do go to work every day.
We're in Service Charlies at work this week, for those who aren't familiar, it's a very uncomfortable uniform and the female version tends to look like something a flight attendant would wear. The silver lining of being in "Chucks" is that you can go places off base. Normally, we wear cammies to work and you can't be "in public" in cammies. Today, some of my colleagues and I went to lunch at this great hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant (off base). We ordered a TON of food, even taking into consideration that there were 5 of us eating. Anyway, a family paid for our meal. Sometimes I don't like my career choice. Sometimes I don't like the Marine Corps. Sometimes I don't like my job in the Marine Corps. More importantly, sometimes people do things that make me remember that, regardless of my momentary feelings, what we do is important and people do appreciate it.
Thanks to the family who paid for our lunch and fair winds and following seas to your son/grandson who's deploying to Afghanistan tomorrow. I think my streak of "those days" might be over.
We're in Service Charlies at work this week, for those who aren't familiar, it's a very uncomfortable uniform and the female version tends to look like something a flight attendant would wear. The silver lining of being in "Chucks" is that you can go places off base. Normally, we wear cammies to work and you can't be "in public" in cammies. Today, some of my colleagues and I went to lunch at this great hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant (off base). We ordered a TON of food, even taking into consideration that there were 5 of us eating. Anyway, a family paid for our meal. Sometimes I don't like my career choice. Sometimes I don't like the Marine Corps. Sometimes I don't like my job in the Marine Corps. More importantly, sometimes people do things that make me remember that, regardless of my momentary feelings, what we do is important and people do appreciate it.
Thanks to the family who paid for our lunch and fair winds and following seas to your son/grandson who's deploying to Afghanistan tomorrow. I think my streak of "those days" might be over.
07 September 2010
Snakes.
It's been 22 years since I've seen a snake "in the wild" and that was totally on purpose. The last time I saw a snake out of cage, I was 5. Little blonde me, with big blue eyes and chubby cheeks, was corraling my 4-H lambs in a pen outside my parents house. As I chased my lambs around the pen, trying to get their halters on them, my mud-booted foot stepped on a black snake. It was one of those garter/gardner...whatever...snakes that eats bugs and stuff and is basically harmless but this little guy shot straight up in the air, I remember it reaching apogee around my head height, and scared the ever living crap out of me! I was so scared that I ran back into the barn, jumped over the fence, ran out of the barn and parked myself on top of a very small tree stump in the side yard. I was standing on one foot, crying my eyes out and I did not move until my mom came and carried me off the stump and into the house. Hello fear forever!
That brings us to today. I don't have to work (I'll make up for that on Sunday, when WTI starts) so I'm spending the day lazing around the house with Oden and Bailey, doing just a little bit of work. I decided to let the dogs out to play catch for a few minutes. My dogs are prey driven so they love fetch...almost as much as they love chasing the little lizards that frequent my back yard. They took off toward the mulch pile where they normally chase lizards and started chasing something. After about 10 seconds, I realized that the lizard was moving much more slowly than it should and was not darting in and out of the cracks in the block wall at the back of my yard. My spidey-sense told me to go check it out and...my dogs...were chasing a baby snake. I have chosen not to learn all the types of snakes that live around here, so I immediately assumed it was a baby rattler and commenced franticly yelling at my dogs to leave it alone. By the time I got to the back of the yard, the little snake was standing up (raised up? hiked up? I don't know), striking at Bailey. My black dogs don't normally listen when they have prey in sight but I guess the pups are smart enough to tell the difference between "frantic yelling" and "regular yelling" because they obeyed and I immediately put everyone in the house. The moral? I hate snakes and I may have to move very soon.
P.S. - Neither of the black dogs were bitten and both appear to be totally confused by the fact that I refuse to let them go outside. Think I can train dogs to use a litter box? Additionally, my heart appears to be functioning normally despite the massive heart attack that I suffered earlier today.
That brings us to today. I don't have to work (I'll make up for that on Sunday, when WTI starts) so I'm spending the day lazing around the house with Oden and Bailey, doing just a little bit of work. I decided to let the dogs out to play catch for a few minutes. My dogs are prey driven so they love fetch...almost as much as they love chasing the little lizards that frequent my back yard. They took off toward the mulch pile where they normally chase lizards and started chasing something. After about 10 seconds, I realized that the lizard was moving much more slowly than it should and was not darting in and out of the cracks in the block wall at the back of my yard. My spidey-sense told me to go check it out and...my dogs...were chasing a baby snake. I have chosen not to learn all the types of snakes that live around here, so I immediately assumed it was a baby rattler and commenced franticly yelling at my dogs to leave it alone. By the time I got to the back of the yard, the little snake was standing up (raised up? hiked up? I don't know), striking at Bailey. My black dogs don't normally listen when they have prey in sight but I guess the pups are smart enough to tell the difference between "frantic yelling" and "regular yelling" because they obeyed and I immediately put everyone in the house. The moral? I hate snakes and I may have to move very soon.
P.S. - Neither of the black dogs were bitten and both appear to be totally confused by the fact that I refuse to let them go outside. Think I can train dogs to use a litter box? Additionally, my heart appears to be functioning normally despite the massive heart attack that I suffered earlier today.
06 July 2010
Half Days
Before I lament about the "half day," let me first apologize for my lack of pictures lately. I feel like I'm waiting to get the wide angle lense of my dreams but the truth is I really like sitting around my house and there's not a whole lot to take pictures of around here. Maybe when it's not 100 degrees at 9am I'll venture out and hike so I can take pretty out door pictures.
Now to my point...west coast Marines got a "72" (3 days off) for the 4th of July holiday. My squadron let us go at 1200 on Friday, though not very many were actually able to leave then, and had us return to work at 1200 today. I won't discuss how I didn't read that part of the email and showed up for work at 0720 to find a locked building. What I really want to convey is how useless half days are! It's feels as though you have no time to gather your thoughts, prioritize your tasks for the week and generally get organized! Everyone in my office sat around thumbing through emails (can you thumb through an email?) and talking about their weekends. No one did anything because we were all directionless. Not to mention the fact that most of the folks in my building are on leave right now so the place is empty. It's funny how lack of people take away a lot of the motivation to get stuff done. Perhaps those of us who are not on leave take the "they aren't working so why should I" approach? I hope that I can do that for someone when I finally get to take leave in August!
What are your thoughts on half days? Do you skip them all together because they are totally unproductive?
Now to my point...west coast Marines got a "72" (3 days off) for the 4th of July holiday. My squadron let us go at 1200 on Friday, though not very many were actually able to leave then, and had us return to work at 1200 today. I won't discuss how I didn't read that part of the email and showed up for work at 0720 to find a locked building. What I really want to convey is how useless half days are! It's feels as though you have no time to gather your thoughts, prioritize your tasks for the week and generally get organized! Everyone in my office sat around thumbing through emails (can you thumb through an email?) and talking about their weekends. No one did anything because we were all directionless. Not to mention the fact that most of the folks in my building are on leave right now so the place is empty. It's funny how lack of people take away a lot of the motivation to get stuff done. Perhaps those of us who are not on leave take the "they aren't working so why should I" approach? I hope that I can do that for someone when I finally get to take leave in August!
What are your thoughts on half days? Do you skip them all together because they are totally unproductive?
04 July 2010
My Favorite 4th of July
Today is the 4th of July. The birthday of our beloved nation. A favorite holiday for the great majority of the USA and of mine too. Whether it's for the colors, the family or the fireworks this day is special.
I love this country and because I love this country, I have spent a great deal of time away from it. I spend an even greater deal of time away from my family. This year, this 4th of July, this day, I can say for the first time since 2004 that I have spent three hundred and sixty-five days in the United States. That's right, one year ago today I got off a plane in Cherry Point, NC after stops in some place I can't remember, Germany and Iceland and I was home. Coming home is a feeling that you never forget.
I know I am not alone in my feelings for home and I know that I am one of the lucky few who can, today, say that I've been home for an entire year. To all my brothers and sisters in arms, those who are gone forever, those who are waiting to come home and those who were lucky enough to spend this day with their families, thank you. This country, our country, would not be without you.
I love this country and because I love this country, I have spent a great deal of time away from it. I spend an even greater deal of time away from my family. This year, this 4th of July, this day, I can say for the first time since 2004 that I have spent three hundred and sixty-five days in the United States. That's right, one year ago today I got off a plane in Cherry Point, NC after stops in some place I can't remember, Germany and Iceland and I was home. Coming home is a feeling that you never forget.
I know I am not alone in my feelings for home and I know that I am one of the lucky few who can, today, say that I've been home for an entire year. To all my brothers and sisters in arms, those who are gone forever, those who are waiting to come home and those who were lucky enough to spend this day with their families, thank you. This country, our country, would not be without you.
06 June 2010
Escape Artist
My new dog Bailey is a canine Hudini. In the 10 weeks she's lived with me, she has broken out of (and destroyed in the process) two kennels. The first was a full wire kennel, which is the same type I've always kept Oden in. She bent the walls and basically ripped the front out of that. This past Friday, I came home and she was running around the house. She had pulled the door out of the front of her plastic travel kennel, you know the two plastic halves with a wire door?
Well, Charlie and I decided NOT to spend $650 to buy an aluminum kennel and to try to make our own out of plywood and 2x4s...so that's what we spent today doing. Here's the start. I know, it doesn't look like much but that will change very soon!
This is about half way through. The top, bottom, front and back are 3/4" plywood, the sides (the kennel is laying on its side in the photo) are lengths of 2x4 to allow adequate ventalation for Bailey.
At this point, we were about 2 hours into the project. The only mildly difficult part was the door, which Charlie managed to cut and fit by himself because I made my weekly phone call to my parents.
This is the final product!
I put a kennel liner inside so that she has something soft to lay on. Please don't be frightened when you notice that there are 4 locks on the door. She really is a master of escape and we were afraid that if the door wasn't reinforced from all aspects that she would quickly be out and running around the house when she is not supposed to be!
Lastly, because I love him, he's such a good boy and it's been quite a while since I've posted a picture of he and I...here's my favorite boy Oden.
Isn't he just the cutest pup you've ever seen? You may have realized that sometimes I spell his name with an "I" and sometimes with an "E". I reserve the right to continue that interchange because I haven't decided which one I like better and, he's a dog so how I spell his name really makes no difference!
Well, Charlie and I decided NOT to spend $650 to buy an aluminum kennel and to try to make our own out of plywood and 2x4s...so that's what we spent today doing. Here's the start. I know, it doesn't look like much but that will change very soon!This is about half way through. The top, bottom, front and back are 3/4" plywood, the sides (the kennel is laying on its side in the photo) are lengths of 2x4 to allow adequate ventalation for Bailey.
At this point, we were about 2 hours into the project. The only mildly difficult part was the door, which Charlie managed to cut and fit by himself because I made my weekly phone call to my parents.This is the final product!
I put a kennel liner inside so that she has something soft to lay on. Please don't be frightened when you notice that there are 4 locks on the door. She really is a master of escape and we were afraid that if the door wasn't reinforced from all aspects that she would quickly be out and running around the house when she is not supposed to be! Lastly, because I love him, he's such a good boy and it's been quite a while since I've posted a picture of he and I...here's my favorite boy Oden.
Isn't he just the cutest pup you've ever seen? You may have realized that sometimes I spell his name with an "I" and sometimes with an "E". I reserve the right to continue that interchange because I haven't decided which one I like better and, he's a dog so how I spell his name really makes no difference!
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