Monday, September 14, 2009

Happy Anniversary To Me!

Today's my 7th wedding anniversary.

Where has the time gone?

I find it difficult to understand how time has really flown by. I remember getting married back in 2002 (it's a little hazy but I have photos!). We bought a house that year. 2003 were my "running days". 2004, got pregnant, gave birth in 2005. 2006 and '07 are a blur (with a kid, that's a given). 2008, got pregnant again and gave birth by year end...

And here we are in 2009.

I wanna say I'd like to celebrate our 7th anniversary, but it's a moot point when we've been together for almost 18 years.

Yes, high school sweethearts. I've been with the man in my life for longer than I haven't been. We went to the same high school; I remember seeing him in Grade 8 across the hallway at his locker. No, it wasn't love-at-first-sight (he may disagree), but he was cute: aren't all red heads? Something about that fiery colour and quirky freckles does something to me. Well, I had a Raggedy Andy rag doll which I still shared the same bed with, so I did have a penchant for red heads for as long as I can remember.

And, yes, we were band geeks (why my love for the show Glee is growing fervently!). Technically, he was the band geek, playing trumpet, while I was rocking with the guitar club -- I migrated over to the vocal jazz and chamber ctoir soon afterwards. We went on a week-long music department field trip by bus in the Spring of Grade 10, when he tried to "talk to the cute girl" and introduced her to the styling rhymings of Flava Flav and his Public Enemy crew (he was a wanna-be white boy rapper, back in the day!). I don't think I ever returned his cassette tape!

We wouldn't talk again until Grade 11. There, we sorta went our separate ways, so conversations were pretty limited: I, the Honour Roll student, taking every single accelerated class I can fit in my schedule, and he, trying not to flunk out of English and Math, tired from early morning hockey practices and evening bowling leagues (yes, he was a 5-pin bowler!).

Another summer would pass and still no contact. He phoned me once, and I wasn't home, and I phoned once, and he was out too. I guess we couldn't be bothered to try a second time.

So, come Grade 12, he was determined to get to know me better. After spending 4 hours on the phone, watching the movie Space Balls "together" -- to this date, THE longest conversation we shared, married or not :P -- our first date ensued (saw My Girl, where he cried and I didn't -- the first of many movies where he would shed a tear while stoic-me would roll my eyes). A second date a week later would culminate in an awkward first kiss and a "would you be my girlfriend" request. I obviously meant "yes" but I seem to recall shrugging "why not?".

We would date -- I kid you not! -- for another 10 years before he proposed to me. I know not many people would have waited, but given that we started seeing each other rather early in our lives, and with my university and post-grad studies and my career, only the last couple of those years were dragging.

We've had our ups and downs before and during marriage, but it's been good, overall. He's a part of me, regardless of how crazy he drives me when he's drunk, tries to be a handyman, tries to avoid being a handyman, when he's drunk again. As a testament to his nature, he has many friends who find him indispensable, and sharing him with the world has been one of my many trials.

He appreciates me, I know he does: we'd be swimming in socks and underwear in the living room if it weren't for me. All kidding aside, today of all days, I at least get an honest-to-goodness I Love You.

"The best seven years of my life" he told me today.

Aww, shucks...who would've known that a "why not" would have led to something so good.

Happy Anniversary, Honey!

Sunday, September 13, 2009

My Running Hopes

I have been toying with a crazy idea since yesterday, and it's consuming me.

I want to run another half-marathon.

Yes, silly, I know.

As if losing weight isn't a challenge enough, I thought it would be great if I could get into a regular running routine and run a race or two. In 2002 and 2003 I had ran several 5K and 10K events, culminating in running the Half at the Vancouver International Marathon in May 2003, and it was the time of my life! I was crazy-fit, logging in up to 20 miles per week for training. I felt fast and strong, ready to conquer the world. I was beaming with accomplishment every week.

I want that feeling again.

Mind you, haven't as so much stepped foot on the hot pavement yet, logging my miles on a treadmill, but I'm determined. I'm armed with my trusty Hal Higdon's Novice Half-Marathon guide, a few new ones for comparison, and re-reading my running bible, The Complete Book of Running for Women by Claire Kowalchik. I've even got a 2010 year-at-a-glance to figure out when the races are and how they fit in the training schedule.

Yes, I know, I've written before about running here and here but I'm serious this time....I think.

My Goal: run the Half at the Vancouver International Marathon on May 2, 2010

The Plan:

- buy new shoes (soooo important!)
- loosely follow an 8-week 10K training schedule starting Nov 1, 2009
- follow a 12-week Half-Marathon training schedule starting Feb 7, 2010

Training is hinging on the fact that I can afford new shoes. My current pair of runners have definitely seen 500 miles, even though they look pretty good for being so loved. But it's the inside cushioning that's so vital for running, and it's wear isn't apparent from the outside. This will probably set me back $150-175 a new pair of New Balance runners (LOVE them!). They have obviously discontinued my beloved 1022's, so I'm going to have to try another model. I'm not a heavy pronator, even though I have really flat feet, and if anything I suponate (roll outwards) and sometimes twist my ankle when I walk! So I need cushioning with neutral gait, without a stiff arch. Did you understand my Greek? LOL

So, there. The goal is finally in writing. That's a start, isn't it?

I feel the endorphins kicking in already!





Friday, September 11, 2009

Flash Mob Alert: Oprah's Season Opener!

This is so cool....I love flash mobs!

I posted one back in April, at a Belgian train station to the Sound of Music -- click here to view. Love it! As Oprah says...

Amazing...just wanna makes you get up and dance! Kudos to the producers of Oprah for staging the world's largest flash mob of 21,000 strong!

I Gotta Feeling...woo hoo hoo...

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Being on Maternity Leave

I'm coming up on Month 9 of my maternity leave and although I'm enjoying my time with my little boy, I can't help but start counting down the clock until I return to work on January 4, 2010.

There's something about being distant from my coworkers that leaves me with pangs of jealously. I think of it this way: those folks I worked with day in and day out, even though they aren't officially family, actually are, since, when you think about it, we spend more time together than we do with our spouses. So, to be on maternity leave, and not get any news of how they're doing, what they're up to, how their kids/husbands/girlfriends are doing, leaves me jealous of those that know what's going on.

And I'm not talking gossip. I despise gossip, especially when there's enough office politics to go around already. No, I'm talking hard news.

Case#1: I left on my maternity leave Nov/Dec 2008. By June, my coworker tells me via Facebook she's getting married in November. When I left, she was single, and when she told me she was getting married, I didn't even know she had been dating anyone.

Case#2: I just found out one of them is pregnant again. She just returned to work 3 months ago. When I go back, she might be leaving....or already gone. Again, I don't know details. The person who told me thought I already knew. Nope.

Case#3:The one coworker who sits beside me and spends a bit of time chatting with me is apparently having a lunch thrown for him this month. You'd think he'd told me what's up with that. Again, no word directly from the horse's mouth...same said person in Case #2 tells me this news too, as if I knew what she was talking about. I've since asked for clarification from both of them. No reply, yet, of course.

So, as I'm living the isolated life on this side of the fence, my coworkers world continues to revolve without me. I wonder if I'll even recognize them when I return. I sure won't recognize the lives their leading now.