Friday night was spent at home.
I know, lame.
I went to the Saucy Noodle to load up on carbs and a glass of wine. Plus, I wanted to see my friend, Jamie, and didn't feel like cooking for myself. My aunt was busy, too.
I returned home and spent the evening writing thank you cards. I enjoy doing this and I especially enjoy doing it after people have donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society on my behalf. It means, that fundraising is going well and that I won't be paying for this all out of pocket. I do believe in this foundation and of course, am benefitting from the training.
I went to bed after watching an episode of Seinfeld. Nothing says summer like that show. I watched the one where Jerry was trying to romance the Native American, but kept putting his foot in his mouth with racial slurs--scalpers, reservations and the cigar store indian. George entertained a lady in his parent's bed which was also a funny side story.
I digress. Everything was going well. I fell asleep and woke up at 5. I didn't feel like getting up, quite yet, and so I slept, and slept and slept until 6:30. Yikes. I needed to meet my group at 6:50, warm up my car, stretch and run. I arrived at 7 and felt confident that others would be late. They were. We didn't stetch as a group which is normal and off we went.
An hour of running. Both of my running friends were there and so I didn't listen to the ipod. Lindsay is a great running partner since she is realistic...she runs for herself and motivates me. She doesn't make me feel inferior to her. Jamie, on the other hand, is a runner. She sets her pace and goes, and goes, and goes. I know this and I repect it. I am not ready to run with her though since I do not have that endurance.
Saying this, today, I ran 6 miles in an hour. I feel great. I know that I can do a half marathon. I will do it.
We ran in south Denver on a really nice trail. We crossed a few major roads--Bellevue and Quincy. Ironically, as we crossed Bellvue, cars were whizzing by. There is a cross walk and a sign for drivers about being cautious and aware of the pedestrian traffic. A car cruised down and I kept going. They stopped. A few people commented that it was dangerous with the cars and I said, ironically, I was almost hit yeaterday because of a similar situation. We all have the responsibility, as pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, to be aware of other people. Summer has arrived and so there are many more people on trails and side walks. We should support more greenness in our lives, right? It is a two way street. I do not walk across Speer Blvd., unless it is a clear shot. I do not like creating accidents due to my negligence as a pedestrian either. Watch for people and enjoy you day.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Friday, June 5, 2009
Pedestrians have rights, too
I went to yoga and felt awesome. I try to walk to both locations since parking is awful. More so, at the Grant location, and so I walk to ponder life, love and liberty. Really, I walk to avoid having to park in capitol hill in Denver. It is always super crowded and most of the streets surrounding the studio have meters attached to them.
After class, I was walking south on Logan and this couple was attempting to pull onto Logan. Logan is a one way, going north and so this guy was only interested in checking out the south side of the street. I coughed. I waited. I knew the guy wasn't looking my direction.
Sure enough. He pulls out, sees me and is stunned. I skipped the urge to kick his car or yell, but really, how hard is it to look both ways as a driver?
How many times have you heard of bike/car collisions where the cyclist wins? Or a pedestrian for that matter? Drivers should be aware of their surroundings, too. This happens often. A few weeks ago, this woman almost hit me on Speer Blvd. and she waved at me. What would happen if you hit a pedestrian? I doubt a wave would suffice. Slow down. Pay attention. Quit texting/talking on the phone.
Speaking of texting while driving...one of my co-worker's daughters was in another traumatic accident because the faulty driver was texting, going 40, through an intersection. There was a slight hesitation on the part of my friend's daughter; otherwise, she would have been t-boned and her child would have died, probably. A few years back, the same girl was in a horrific accident with her child and husband. I think the other driver walked away unscathed, but he was drunk. Again, a reason to not drive.
I make mistakes. I drive while on the phone. I don't text since I am a shitty texter, anyways, without any impairment. But, I feel that I attempt to watch for pedestrians and cyclists, since I walk so frequently. I am annoyed that I was almost hit, again, but I know that it won't be the last time and that yes, people make mistakes. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to walk everywhere and not be rushed to my next meeting, date, whatever. I can enjoy the sunshine.
After class, I was walking south on Logan and this couple was attempting to pull onto Logan. Logan is a one way, going north and so this guy was only interested in checking out the south side of the street. I coughed. I waited. I knew the guy wasn't looking my direction.
Sure enough. He pulls out, sees me and is stunned. I skipped the urge to kick his car or yell, but really, how hard is it to look both ways as a driver?
How many times have you heard of bike/car collisions where the cyclist wins? Or a pedestrian for that matter? Drivers should be aware of their surroundings, too. This happens often. A few weeks ago, this woman almost hit me on Speer Blvd. and she waved at me. What would happen if you hit a pedestrian? I doubt a wave would suffice. Slow down. Pay attention. Quit texting/talking on the phone.
Speaking of texting while driving...one of my co-worker's daughters was in another traumatic accident because the faulty driver was texting, going 40, through an intersection. There was a slight hesitation on the part of my friend's daughter; otherwise, she would have been t-boned and her child would have died, probably. A few years back, the same girl was in a horrific accident with her child and husband. I think the other driver walked away unscathed, but he was drunk. Again, a reason to not drive.
I make mistakes. I drive while on the phone. I don't text since I am a shitty texter, anyways, without any impairment. But, I feel that I attempt to watch for pedestrians and cyclists, since I walk so frequently. I am annoyed that I was almost hit, again, but I know that it won't be the last time and that yes, people make mistakes. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to walk everywhere and not be rushed to my next meeting, date, whatever. I can enjoy the sunshine.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Affirming the positive attitude
My lemonade award made me think about how I deal with things, sometimes.
It was great to receive it and know that yes, I am positive and grateful for my life. I have much to be thankful for and do not always honor it.
I have read the Secret. I know that it is good to be thankful for your life and retain a positive attitude.
At work, though, it is difficult to be positive. I am surrounded by many negative people, with some legitimate complaints, and others that feed off of it. To a point, that when I see them, I have nothing to say. I say, hello, but I don't want to hear about their negative day. I don't want to know why my boss sucks or why they are still angry about something that happened last week. These people, I want to limit my interactions with.
Today, I arrived at work, and immediately my boss goes out of her way to complain about a shelf that she felt was overlooked the night before. Since I closed, it was my job to make sure that all of the side work was finished. I will be honest. I wasn't too strict with my co-workers. We are all adults and should know how to maintain cleanliness. I felt she was being unreasonable, but I didn't react. Of course, my initial response was to tell someone about it. Actually, I wanted to tell her to go f*** herself, but instead, I remembered my lemonade award and how happy I was to receive it. I didn't want to spread negativity.
Next, the day shift was slow....molasses slow. I had 5 tables, which was 3 more than two of the other servers. There is no way to judge if we are going to be busy or slow. You just have to roll with it. I know this. My co-workers know this, but in order to pass the time, they bitch about everything...why do we have 4 servers on this shift?...blah, blah, blah. I walked away from their conversation since I had nothing to contribute. I felt better, too.
I read on the World n Me blog that Jun used to be angry a lot, but then he realized to let it go and meditate. I haven't incorporated this into my daily practice yet, but what exactly does anger accomplish? Control, yes, but limited, since people do not respect this tactic, they fight against it.
I am still reflecting on my work interactions. I do not understand why people obsess about things that mean nothing. If you see something on the floor, pick it up. Don't wait for someone else to do it or complain about it to someone. Take action, be accountable, and yes, be positive. Life is much easier or more pleasant when people are positive, as opposed to drenched with negativity.
It was great to receive it and know that yes, I am positive and grateful for my life. I have much to be thankful for and do not always honor it.
I have read the Secret. I know that it is good to be thankful for your life and retain a positive attitude.
At work, though, it is difficult to be positive. I am surrounded by many negative people, with some legitimate complaints, and others that feed off of it. To a point, that when I see them, I have nothing to say. I say, hello, but I don't want to hear about their negative day. I don't want to know why my boss sucks or why they are still angry about something that happened last week. These people, I want to limit my interactions with.
Today, I arrived at work, and immediately my boss goes out of her way to complain about a shelf that she felt was overlooked the night before. Since I closed, it was my job to make sure that all of the side work was finished. I will be honest. I wasn't too strict with my co-workers. We are all adults and should know how to maintain cleanliness. I felt she was being unreasonable, but I didn't react. Of course, my initial response was to tell someone about it. Actually, I wanted to tell her to go f*** herself, but instead, I remembered my lemonade award and how happy I was to receive it. I didn't want to spread negativity.
Next, the day shift was slow....molasses slow. I had 5 tables, which was 3 more than two of the other servers. There is no way to judge if we are going to be busy or slow. You just have to roll with it. I know this. My co-workers know this, but in order to pass the time, they bitch about everything...why do we have 4 servers on this shift?...blah, blah, blah. I walked away from their conversation since I had nothing to contribute. I felt better, too.
I read on the World n Me blog that Jun used to be angry a lot, but then he realized to let it go and meditate. I haven't incorporated this into my daily practice yet, but what exactly does anger accomplish? Control, yes, but limited, since people do not respect this tactic, they fight against it.
I am still reflecting on my work interactions. I do not understand why people obsess about things that mean nothing. If you see something on the floor, pick it up. Don't wait for someone else to do it or complain about it to someone. Take action, be accountable, and yes, be positive. Life is much easier or more pleasant when people are positive, as opposed to drenched with negativity.
Returning to training...
4 days of not running or going to yoga...I feel terrible.
I feel awful for being lazy. I have been working and so it isn't like I have been couch-bound, inhaling bon-bons all day. Although, yesterday, one of my co-workers brought in Special K treats that his mom made. I haven't had one of those since childhood. You know what I am talking about, right? Peanut butter bars with chocolate topping and a great crunch taste. My friend, Jenny Minard, likes to make them, too. I remember arriving at her birthday party a few years ago, and she was coaching her friend on the best way to do it. They were yummy.
I have been icing my legs and resting as much as I can. I am walking somewhere today and on Saturday, I will rejoin my group and go for a run. I feel that I will be ready at that point. I feel confident that I can return to training with a few adjustments.
I enjoy running in my neighborhood and so avoiding concrete is not possible. I do not belong to a gym and do not have access to a treadmill yet. My neighbor, Megan, is giving me the remainder of her membership when she moves at the end of the month. I will have a 5 month membership for $50. I was excited and flattered that she thought of me. She approached the manager at her gym about me taking over her membership before broaching me with the idea. She felt that I would want to run inside when it was too hot. She is right. I do want to train inside.
I also need to stretch. I do go to yoga on a regular basis. At the group trainings, the coach shows up and off we go. We do not really focus on stretching. He seems cavalier about it and I took this approach as well until the onset of shin splints. I need to stretch. I know this. In the past, I have always respected stetching. Until, I saw this guy, who, granted has run multiple marathons and is a runner. He doesn't stretch, but it is part of his regimen. Me, I need to stretch and I need to remember that.
I want to fuel the body. My sister told me with enthusiasm---you can eat bagels, again. Not that I stopped, but I thought it was cute. Yes, I will be eating more complex carbohydrates. Training is fun, right. I have a friend that is a fitness fanatic. Michelle is more of a cyclist, though. Her friend is a runner and he is running the Chicago Marathon as an elite runner in October. He is a vegan and has been for 15 years. I feel, that alone, would be enough of a challenge, but it is his lifestyle and he is comfortable with it. He is blogging his whole experience with the training, diet, etc up until his event. It is a work in progress and I want to read his musings. I do applaud his decision to be a vegan even if I would never do it.
Today is a new day. I have opportunity to return to running and enjoy the cooler weather. Oh, and Burn Notice returns tonight. Yes, I watch it and a few other shows, too. Be well...
I feel awful for being lazy. I have been working and so it isn't like I have been couch-bound, inhaling bon-bons all day. Although, yesterday, one of my co-workers brought in Special K treats that his mom made. I haven't had one of those since childhood. You know what I am talking about, right? Peanut butter bars with chocolate topping and a great crunch taste. My friend, Jenny Minard, likes to make them, too. I remember arriving at her birthday party a few years ago, and she was coaching her friend on the best way to do it. They were yummy.
I have been icing my legs and resting as much as I can. I am walking somewhere today and on Saturday, I will rejoin my group and go for a run. I feel that I will be ready at that point. I feel confident that I can return to training with a few adjustments.
I enjoy running in my neighborhood and so avoiding concrete is not possible. I do not belong to a gym and do not have access to a treadmill yet. My neighbor, Megan, is giving me the remainder of her membership when she moves at the end of the month. I will have a 5 month membership for $50. I was excited and flattered that she thought of me. She approached the manager at her gym about me taking over her membership before broaching me with the idea. She felt that I would want to run inside when it was too hot. She is right. I do want to train inside.
I also need to stretch. I do go to yoga on a regular basis. At the group trainings, the coach shows up and off we go. We do not really focus on stretching. He seems cavalier about it and I took this approach as well until the onset of shin splints. I need to stretch. I know this. In the past, I have always respected stetching. Until, I saw this guy, who, granted has run multiple marathons and is a runner. He doesn't stretch, but it is part of his regimen. Me, I need to stretch and I need to remember that.
I want to fuel the body. My sister told me with enthusiasm---you can eat bagels, again. Not that I stopped, but I thought it was cute. Yes, I will be eating more complex carbohydrates. Training is fun, right. I have a friend that is a fitness fanatic. Michelle is more of a cyclist, though. Her friend is a runner and he is running the Chicago Marathon as an elite runner in October. He is a vegan and has been for 15 years. I feel, that alone, would be enough of a challenge, but it is his lifestyle and he is comfortable with it. He is blogging his whole experience with the training, diet, etc up until his event. It is a work in progress and I want to read his musings. I do applaud his decision to be a vegan even if I would never do it.
Today is a new day. I have opportunity to return to running and enjoy the cooler weather. Oh, and Burn Notice returns tonight. Yes, I watch it and a few other shows, too. Be well...
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Lemonade award
I received a lemonade award from Jun Bullan. His blog is the world n me and I enjoy his positive postings and feedback that he writes on my blog. I haven't quite figured out how to post the award on my blog and so I am just writing about it.
I thought it was a wonderful way to begin the day and a positive affirmation that my week is still on the upswing. I have been green in recycling and dining out with new friends. I am going to miss my weekly wine nights with Megan. She leaves at the end of the month to join her husband in D.C. I suppose a visit to D.C. is in the near future. I haven't been there since I was 15 and this way, I can visit Mark and Megan and possibly see Cotten, too. Cotten is a friend of mine from college. He was my GTA for western civ., and we became friends afterwards. I have always respected his opinion/suggestions when considering big changes in my life. I consulted him when I considered my backpacking Greece trip in 2001, and again, when I decided to cancel my trip and move to Denver. He was still accessible to me at that time, since he lived in Lawrence and I was in Lawrence frequently, visiting Michaela and Jeremy.
Now, he lives in Pennsylvania. I asked him if he would meet me in Boston for dinner since he enjoys food as much as I do, but it is a 5 hour drive for him to come to Boston. He mentioned that he could meet me for dinner if I ever made it to D.C. or Philly. A few months later, my friends said they would be relocating there. I feel a trip to D.C. in my future.
If and when I make the time to post the award, I would pass it along to Scarlethue, of A Beautiful Truth and Rachael of Rachael's Carrma. Both of these ladies are reflective, positive and have a great attitude about life.
The Lemonade Award is to be passed on to those who display a positive attitude or a positive gratitude. I feel great to receive it and again, pass it along to Rachel and Scarlet.
Enjoy your day. I am having lunch with Colleen and her newborn. We will check out D Bar Desserts. I wanted mexican, but she cannot eat spicy food since it affects her son. I suppose mexican will have to wait!
I thought it was a wonderful way to begin the day and a positive affirmation that my week is still on the upswing. I have been green in recycling and dining out with new friends. I am going to miss my weekly wine nights with Megan. She leaves at the end of the month to join her husband in D.C. I suppose a visit to D.C. is in the near future. I haven't been there since I was 15 and this way, I can visit Mark and Megan and possibly see Cotten, too. Cotten is a friend of mine from college. He was my GTA for western civ., and we became friends afterwards. I have always respected his opinion/suggestions when considering big changes in my life. I consulted him when I considered my backpacking Greece trip in 2001, and again, when I decided to cancel my trip and move to Denver. He was still accessible to me at that time, since he lived in Lawrence and I was in Lawrence frequently, visiting Michaela and Jeremy.
Now, he lives in Pennsylvania. I asked him if he would meet me in Boston for dinner since he enjoys food as much as I do, but it is a 5 hour drive for him to come to Boston. He mentioned that he could meet me for dinner if I ever made it to D.C. or Philly. A few months later, my friends said they would be relocating there. I feel a trip to D.C. in my future.
If and when I make the time to post the award, I would pass it along to Scarlethue, of A Beautiful Truth and Rachael of Rachael's Carrma. Both of these ladies are reflective, positive and have a great attitude about life.
The Lemonade Award is to be passed on to those who display a positive attitude or a positive gratitude. I feel great to receive it and again, pass it along to Rachel and Scarlet.
Enjoy your day. I am having lunch with Colleen and her newborn. We will check out D Bar Desserts. I wanted mexican, but she cannot eat spicy food since it affects her son. I suppose mexican will have to wait!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Red red wine or perhaps, white...
Megan and I went to Solera tonight.
Our intention was to have calamari at Solera followed by dinner at Elway's. One glass of wine led to two, to three. Actually, we realized that dinner would not be unavailable at Elway's due to timing. We were at Solera until 9 pm and I think that Elway's kitchen closes at 9 on Tuesdays. I abhor being the late diner. I try to not go to restaurants that are closing within 15 minutes of my arrival.
We ate calamari, salumi and a golden beet salad. Food was fantastic, service okay and Maghan. Maghan was awesome. He treated us to a gewurtzaminer that he brought and entertained us with service stories. I always enjoy hearing stories from other restaurants. It reaffirms that I am not crazy. Other diners are. For instance, this woman dined at Solera with another woman. She insisted that her friend have the pasta, but her friend declined. The server listened to the friend and the original diner was offended that her friend wasn't served pasta and called in to complain about the server. Some people do not like to be ordered for or ordered about. What is the best way out of this situation? I opt to listen to the person refusing to eat more, or drink more. I err on the side of caution.
I love dining out, but I dislike being ordered about or told that I have to try this or that. If I don't like liver ever, why would I like it with you, tonight? I believe that people know their own preferences/dislikes and do not need to force them to try something that I enjoy or dislike. I prefer pleasant dining out experiences and surround myself with people who have similar likes/dislikes. Although, my sister Jade, used to be difficult to dine with. She used to only enjoy super bland food. She would complain if anything peppers or onions on it and was super boring to dine with. Thankfully, she has grown up!
Red wine and some white. Preferably, red, it is...a glass of Gundlach Bundschu, french and a glass of shiraz that smelled like paint thinner--yuck!!! Seriously, disgusting Aussie wine--the Lackey. Anyways, have a great night, enjoy your drink and sleep well....
R
Our intention was to have calamari at Solera followed by dinner at Elway's. One glass of wine led to two, to three. Actually, we realized that dinner would not be unavailable at Elway's due to timing. We were at Solera until 9 pm and I think that Elway's kitchen closes at 9 on Tuesdays. I abhor being the late diner. I try to not go to restaurants that are closing within 15 minutes of my arrival.
We ate calamari, salumi and a golden beet salad. Food was fantastic, service okay and Maghan. Maghan was awesome. He treated us to a gewurtzaminer that he brought and entertained us with service stories. I always enjoy hearing stories from other restaurants. It reaffirms that I am not crazy. Other diners are. For instance, this woman dined at Solera with another woman. She insisted that her friend have the pasta, but her friend declined. The server listened to the friend and the original diner was offended that her friend wasn't served pasta and called in to complain about the server. Some people do not like to be ordered for or ordered about. What is the best way out of this situation? I opt to listen to the person refusing to eat more, or drink more. I err on the side of caution.
I love dining out, but I dislike being ordered about or told that I have to try this or that. If I don't like liver ever, why would I like it with you, tonight? I believe that people know their own preferences/dislikes and do not need to force them to try something that I enjoy or dislike. I prefer pleasant dining out experiences and surround myself with people who have similar likes/dislikes. Although, my sister Jade, used to be difficult to dine with. She used to only enjoy super bland food. She would complain if anything peppers or onions on it and was super boring to dine with. Thankfully, she has grown up!
Red wine and some white. Preferably, red, it is...a glass of Gundlach Bundschu, french and a glass of shiraz that smelled like paint thinner--yuck!!! Seriously, disgusting Aussie wine--the Lackey. Anyways, have a great night, enjoy your drink and sleep well....
R
Small changes
2009 is all about becoming more green for me. I follow this blog, Reduce Footprints, and they provide several ways in which to incorporate being "green" into daily life.
In the past, walking or public transport were my top ways of being green. Granted, it cuts down on gas money, which I appreciate and enables me time to think. I ponder. I think of things to write about and when I sit in front of the computer, I am blank. Nevertheless, walking is a wonderful way for me to be green.
I recycle, as do my neighbors. Typically, we fill up the container and run out of places to put the items. I was at work, last week, and realized that we don't recycle. It wasn't a big light bulb moment. Of course, I knew we don't recycle...I take out the trash every Saturday night when Dave closes. Erik tends to do this when he closes. I thought about all of the bottles of booze that we throw away. It is ridiculous and so last Sunday, I set two cases of empty vodka bottles to the side and carted them off to Whole Foods when my shift ended. I have decided that this will be my weekly thing. Every Sunday, I will make it a point to recycle bottles and this will be my small additional contribution to making Denver a "greener" environment.
I feel that every contribution, regardless of how small, makes a difference. I have the means to do more and I want to. Plus, I figure that I will have my car on Sundays as opposed to days when I walk to work.
The last few days have been lazy. I have rested. I feel like a sloth. I cannot wait to go to yoga tomorrow. I want gauge how my legs feel before hitting the trail, again.
I feel lethargic and sleepy. Wow, I miss running...
In the past, walking or public transport were my top ways of being green. Granted, it cuts down on gas money, which I appreciate and enables me time to think. I ponder. I think of things to write about and when I sit in front of the computer, I am blank. Nevertheless, walking is a wonderful way for me to be green.
I recycle, as do my neighbors. Typically, we fill up the container and run out of places to put the items. I was at work, last week, and realized that we don't recycle. It wasn't a big light bulb moment. Of course, I knew we don't recycle...I take out the trash every Saturday night when Dave closes. Erik tends to do this when he closes. I thought about all of the bottles of booze that we throw away. It is ridiculous and so last Sunday, I set two cases of empty vodka bottles to the side and carted them off to Whole Foods when my shift ended. I have decided that this will be my weekly thing. Every Sunday, I will make it a point to recycle bottles and this will be my small additional contribution to making Denver a "greener" environment.
I feel that every contribution, regardless of how small, makes a difference. I have the means to do more and I want to. Plus, I figure that I will have my car on Sundays as opposed to days when I walk to work.
The last few days have been lazy. I have rested. I feel like a sloth. I cannot wait to go to yoga tomorrow. I want gauge how my legs feel before hitting the trail, again.
I feel lethargic and sleepy. Wow, I miss running...
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