Excited to give
Thank you for your comments on my “Needy” post yesterday. The comments were exactly what I needed (hee hee). I feel better knowing I am not the only one who sometimes feels that way.
So, if you’re like me*, you’re more excited about giving gifts during the holiday season than receiving them. I would be lying if I said I don’t like receiving gifts, but I really, really, really love picking out gifts for people and anxiously awaiting gifting them!
This year I am super excited about the gifts I am giving. I really want to tell you guys what the gifts are and who they are for, but I can’t! Everyone I am giving gifts to reads my blog, except for my two nephews. And I just got them kid stuff (which they will hopefully like!).
Maybe you can tell me about some of the gifts you are excited to give instead?
The interesting thing about my gift buying this year is that I did a lot more of it online than I normally do. I wanted to stay out of stores as much as possible (too much stress). The problem with buying things online though, is shipping. One thing I ordered and paid extra for it to arrive by last Saturday. Last Friday it was “out for delivery” in Des Plaines. I don’t live in Des Plaines! I live almost 30 miles from there! After a talk yesterday with a very nice man the local post office in my town, the package was located and delivered to our house that day. Phew! A few days late, but it still came.
Did you shop in stores or online this year?
*Not in the crazy, needy way, keep reading…
This is totally unrelated, but one of my bridesmaids asked me to send them some pictures from our wedding last night so I was looking through pictures. What a crazy party. We had so much fun. Here I am playing the air guitar (even got on the floor). And no, I hadn’t been drinking. I only had a sip of champagne!
My sister and sister-in-law:
All the bridesmaids:
Dad getting groovy:
I should mention that Steven was chatting up the guests while I was dancing. Thanks Steven!*
*Before the wedding we discussed that we would stick together during the entire reception… I think that just lasted through dinner.
Needy
Confession – lately I have been feeling a really deep need to feel, well, needed. Included. Wanted.
Not accepted – it’s different than that. I want to feel like people want me in their company. Like people want to spend time with me.
And it’s not that anybody is making me feel the opposite of this! I have just felt so needy!
I’m not one to have a low self esteem. And I am not one to be very social. But something about right now is just making me feel that way.
I see blogs posts of people attending wonderful holiday parties with their close friends, and I sometimes I think “I wish I had a wonderful holiday party to attend with close friends.”
Maybe it’s the multitude – maybe it’s that I wish I had a group of “close friends”? Maybe it’s that I wish I belonged to a “group,” period? Why do I feel this way? I’ve never been one to fit in with a group. And I am not sure if I do well with group dynamics. Or with people dynamics.
I say all this, yet I have friends I make plans with… and know that if I had a full social calendar right now, I would be stressed out about THAT.
I just hate the feeling of being unsure. Unsure if I am a good friend, or an annoying friend. Unsure if I am fun to be around, or a downer. And I have to admit, I have been a downer. I haven’t been the happiest camper these last few months. And that may be what is making me feel this way.
Maybe this spam comment I got was good advice:
Thanks Kenguru! I think the first part of your comment is good advice (the rest doesn’t make sense).
Have you ever felt needy in the way I am describing?
I wonder if this is just a holiday-related feeling. Maybe I am just feeling a need to be around lots of people because it’s the holiday season. That is kind of what I am used to – spending Christmas day with family going from one celebration to the next, seeing so many people you have to talk over one another, laughing so hard you cry (or pee your pants), eating too much, making new inside jokes, goofing around, feeling exhausted at the end of the day, yet making plans for the next because you had so much fun…
I miss the grass. And daylight.
That came out of no where, I know. Just saying.
Who else thinks going back to therapy might be a good idea for me? Thanks for reading my crazy babble!
Gift of Baked Goods / The Garden Project: Edible Sweet Potatoes
Steven is such a sweetie. I kind of last minute hinted that it would be nice to give my five teammates one loaf each of homemade bread for the holidays… and Steven fit it in to his busy schedule!
Such a nice wrapping job I did (one loaf is not pictured, we started slicing it up to eat).
He made four yesterday, and has four more to make.
4+4=5? Ha ha.* I will give five away, and we will eat one… and maybe freeze the other two!
Do you like receiving baked goods as gifts for the holidays? Do you like gifting baked goods?
Last year my coworker made me vegan gingersnaps and they were scrumdiddlyumptious! And I like to give baked goods, especially if I know it’s someone’s favorite treat!
*Just teasing. I think it’s easier to make an even number of loaves, based on the recipe.
In other news, we finally cooked some of our sweet potatoes from the garden and… they taste like just like sweet potatoes** (according to Steven). SUCCESS!!!
We just steamed them in water with some margarine on top.
I am still not that gung ho about sweet potatoes (hence the cooking of white potatoes too). I think I need to try them with baked beans – everyone says that is fabulous!
**I was the one worried about how they would taste, not Steven.
Cold weather sweater
I have one wool sweater, and I only wear when it gets really cold – otherwise, I feel WAY too hot.*
Today it’s kind of cold. High of 15°F, negative wind chills, blah blah blah.
When I get dressed for work, I think about two things:
- Will I be comfortable? and
- Do I have any meetings today? (implies I might wear something “nicer”)
Today, comfortable means “are the clothes warm enough for the 10 minute walk from Union Station to the office?” I wore this sweater and turtleneck, warm pants, knee-high ski socks, utility boots, my Columbia jacket with a hood, and of course, a hat, gloves and scarves. I skipped the running tights – sometimes when it gets really cold, I wear them under my pants. So I was warm enough, except for my thighs.
What do you wear when it gets really cold and you have to go walk outside? Do you have certain things you only wear “when it’s ‘cold'”? How cold does it get where you live?
I’ve actually walked to work before in below 0 temps accompanied by well below 0 windchills. I don’t mind the cold, as long as it’s not a suprise. I check the forecast the night before and plan what I am going to wear that way. I am shocked** to see people outside without hats and gloves!
Aww, Data is so cuddly in the morning when he wants to be fed. Muah ha ha.
*I was too hot in it getting ready for work this morning – our bathroom lights are really bright (that is not our bathroom in the pictures above – that’s the guest bathroom). But I don’t have to worry about getting too hot in the office, because it’s always cold.
**And I am equally shocked by the people who constantly*** complain about the cold – it’s the midwest! You know it’s going to get like this! Duh?
***I don’t mean the occasional, “WOW! IT’S COLD!” I mean the constant, “It’s so cold outside, wah wah wah, I am a little baby who loves to complain all the time…”****
****Don’t worry, I am not referring to anyone who reads this blog with that statement! I am referring to someone who always complains to me in person about how cold it is, and not in a fun, “Wow, it’s cold” (as mentioned above) way.
Training Week 60
Day 414 | December 6, 2010: rest
Day 415 | December 7, 2010: 3 m run
This was my first run of the season wearing the head lamp – I used it to scan the ground and watch out for ice! (Note: my head sure does bob a lot when I run!)
My post head lamp run conclusion? The same people as last year are doing a half-assed job of shoveling their sidewalk. I don’t mind the cold of running in the winter. It’s the snow and ice I am dodging on the sidewalks. Okay, and it sucks that the trails are covered in snow.
It was in the mid 10s for this run. I wore tights and pants, knee-high ski socks, a ColdGear top, my jacket, balacalva, a hat and gloves. I felt warm everywhere except my thighs. Maybe I need warmer tights.
Distance: 3.0 | Start Temp: 15° | End Temp: 14° | Time: 28:28 | Avg Pace: 9:28 | 1: 9:40 | 2: 9:31 | 3: 9:14
Day 416 | December 8, 2010: cross
Bike Time: 30:00 | Distance: 4.87 | Average Speed: 9.74 mph | Set on “Forest Ride”
Day 417 | December 9, 2010: yoga
Despite not doing the YogaWorks Beginngers DVD for some time, I still felt pretty flexible!
Day 418 | December 10, 2010: 3 m run
The roads were covered in snow so I had to venture in to the street. Luckily, there were not many cars out! Running in the street really freaks me out.
The first mile felt really good, but my lungs said “no” after that. And my left ankle started to hurt – is that from the camber of the road?
Distance: 3.0 | Temp: ~30° | Time: 27:54 | Avg Pace: 9:17 | 1: 8:45 | 2: 9:27 | 3: 9:38
Day 419 | December 11, 2010: rest
Day 420 | December 12, 2010: rest
Week Summary: 6.0 miles
Well, this was a really crappy week. I have a cold that won’t go away and is making me feel like crap. Since it’s in my chest, I decided not to run any more this week, even though I really want to (of course, I could have done other things… but I’m just being lazy!).
On the bright side, I did find the half marathon training plan I was looking for – FIRST Half Marathon Training Plan. I was starting to make my own when I stumbled across it. I think I will use it as a base, and adjust the tempo runs and long runs as I see fit (instructions for speed and tempo start here).
| Week | Tuesday | Wednesday | Sat/Sun |
| 1 | 4×400 | 3-mile tempo | 6-mile long run |
| 2 | 4×800 | 4-mile tempo | 8-mile long run |
| 3 | 3×1600 | 5-mile tempo | 10-mile long run |
| 4 | 6×400 | 6-mile tempo | 6-mile long run |
| 5 | 3×1600 | 4-mile tempo | 10-mile long run |
| 6 | 4×800 | 8-mile tempo | 8-mile long run |
| 7 | 6×400 | 6-mile tempo | 10-mile long run |
| 8 | 4×1600 | 8-mile tempo | 12-mile long run |
| 9 | 3×800 | 3-mile tempo | 6-mile long run |
| 10 | 4×400 | 2-mile tempo | Half Marathon |
Does anyone else feel extremely guilty for not working out when sick?
Thumb Holes
I decided to get a new running jacket a few weeks ago (most of mine are cotton and they were getting too sweaty and damp) and ended up with one with thumb holes. Thumb holes weren’t a deciding factor in buying the jacket, but I really like having them!
Usually, on cold days, I tuck my Under Armour top in to my gloves to keep my wrists warm:
The thumb holes add an entire extra layer of protection:
It’s nice, especially since I am running in this now:
And sometimes it’s kind of cold.
I might keep an eye out for tops with thumb holes. I like that you can use them when it’s really cold (15° during Tuesday’s run) or choose not to use them, when it’s warm.
Do you have any tops with thumb holes? Do you like them?
I wonder if sometimes the thumb holes are in the wrong spot – for people with really long arms? Maybe?
Friday Question #139
Do you like wrapping gifts? Are you good at it? Do you have any gift-wrapping tips to share?
I really stink at wrapping gifts. In my mind, I am being really careful and precise, and they are going to turn out beautifully. No. Only in my mind.
Here are Gina and Courtney’s gifts (hopefully going out today!):
They almost look okay, despite the mis-matched ribbon. Then you see the back.
Oh.
Sigh. Maybe I should just put everything in a box, and wrap the boxes. Boxes are easier to wrap, right? Unless it’s a special kind of box…
Some years, I get so discouraged (lazy?) with wrapping that I put everything in gift bags. But this year I am really going to try NOT to do that.
I wish my mom lived closer so she could help me/teach me. She is really good at making presents look beautiful. Steven is actually really good at wrapping them too. You can give him some funny three-dimensional trapezoid shaped box, and he’ll make the wrapping paper look like a second layer of skin (if presents had skin that is*).
Side note: Has anyone noticed how Data makes his way in to most photos I take? What a dork.
*Can you tell I am still sick? I am making even less sense than normal.
Holiday (desk) decorations
Well, we still don’t have our holiday decorations up at home (maybe if I am feeling well enough this weekend?), but I did put some up at work this morning.*
Lethargic bear:
Sad Christmas Tree (too lazy to cut and reassemble the rest of the presents):
Santa Lego magnet and photos:
Close up!
Lego Snowman:
Some assembly was required this morning…
Do you have decorations up at work? At home? Do they make you feel more festive?
*Why so late? My workstation was reconfigured to a smaller size for the past 6 weeks and all of my decorations were in storage. Today the workstation is back to its normal size and I could put them out!
Parrot Cat
I
NEED
A
BREAK.
I’m not sure if it’s work, life, or just certain people, but I am just not feeling like myself. Maybe it’s just the lingering cold (sickness, not the weather), the short days, and the short tempers.
I like to think that planning some “fun” time off around the holidays would make me feel better, but let’s be honest – I have plenty of three (and four and five) day weekends now as it is. What will additional time off from work do? Maybe what I REALLY need is a vacation!
Aruba anyone?
Wah wah wah. Things aren’t that bad. I am just particularily stressed (annoyed?) today. Maybe wrapping some holiday gifts and drinking chai tea tonight will cheer me up!
Do you start to feel “blah” when the days get shorter?
I feel like the darkness is really bumming me out this year!
Half Marathon Training Plan
Do any of you recommend a good half marathon training plan, that is about 12 weeks, only has 3-4 runs per week, and perhaps incorporates speed work and tempo runs?
There is a local half marathon I would like to run in the end of March. I know I could just “run” it, but I would like to train for it.
For kicks, here is the self-devised half marathon training plan I used for our first half marathon (which still holds our PR):
CLICK TO SEE LARGER
We started training on January 12th and took 14 weeks to train. It looks like in the first 6 weeks we ran 4 times a week, and in the last 8 weeks we ran about 5 times a week. I don’t think my body can do 5 times a week right now.
I’ve been looking at plans, but a lot of them don’t seem right for me:
- Hal Higdon’s Intermediate
- A random Runner’s World plan
- Cool Running Beginner Half
- Running Planet for Beginners
- The Fitness Motivator Plan
- Fitness Magazine (pdf)
The thing is, the more “advanced” plans scare me away with running so many days a week (and all the confusing runner’s terms and symbols that make it look like a math equation) but the beginner plans don’t have many long runs. I love doing a long run (10+ miles) every weekend if I can. Does half marathon training mean I don’t get to do long runs anymore?
I’ve only done three half marathons. And I say “done” instead of “run” because I walked the last one! I would like to run more half marathons in 2011!
Hi! I’m Kim, a 40-something-year-old living in northeastern Illinois with my husband Steven, and our cats, Khaleesi, Apollo, Starbuck, and Eddard aka Ned. My current main hobbies are running, painting rocks, flying, reading, and eating. I follow a vegan lifestyle and work in an account management role. I write about a variety of topics and consider this a “life” blog – a place I can share anything that’s on my mind. Please visit the “About” page to get a better idea of who I am! 🙂
