i call her honey bee

triathalon results

2006-09-11T07:57:00.000-07:00

i made a table showing my results from pacific grove from last year and this year. as you can see, my number were better this year and i was able to shave about 9 minutes of fmy total time. i'm so excited!

thank you to my bota and eric for coming and supporting me. it was a wonderful time and i appreciate you guys waking up so early to go watch me compete. :)

also -- a shoutout to my parents for putting us up in monterey. couldn't have done it without you -- thanks! :)

trainers are like kindergarten teachers....

2006-08-24T10:18:00.000-07:00

another great class. lots of things to think about, especially the idea of trainers being kindergarten teachers. my instructor and i spoke afterwards and we were talking about my new job (making the transition to corporate is weird for me!) and he was saying that i have to think of myself as a kindergarten teacher... he said that we always remember those zany instructors who help build who we are and that's what i'm bring to the team -- i've lived and breathed this software for so long that i'm now able to "give back" to the company and be a part of the tradition this new growing community.

assessment is the next big leap for online education. glad i'm in this profession. *hoorah*

first day of class

2006-08-22T10:40:00.000-07:00

i'm deciding whether or not to start a new blog all about my classes or not... so for right now, i'll start by posting here.

i had my first class in product evaluation. we are going to learn all about roi (return on investment) and how to provide criticism in a way that improves learning. i'm so excited to be a part of this class and apparently, as my instructor states "this will be the most important class we take." my academic heart is going pitter-patter!

on a side note, i'm meeting with my graduate chair (who also is teaching product evaluation) next tuesday @ 7:00 am (before class). very excited. going to be designing a rubric instead of a model. this should be very cool!

well, i haven't posted in a long time...

2006-08-15T10:58:00.000-07:00

... because i haven't had much to blog about until now!

i just accepted a position with a company in ny, but i get to telecommunte from chico! and i moved into a new apartment *hooray* and school starts next week!

very exciting stuff...

chicago was awesome

2006-07-17T08:24:00.000-07:00

every conference is different, but i think this was my favorite one so far. i'm not sure if it's because i've grown-up slightly, or that i'm just comfortable with my career; but everything this trip was amazing. i'm working on a photo album and will make that available soon. some higlights:

the city: claudine and i went to millennium park on thursday - it was awesome! worth the trip :)

pre-conference: our workshops were awesome. i think the people who attended my session about evaluating their training got some very useful information... i did too, working on modifying it into a business model (who knows what will happen).

networking: met some very cool people this trip, specifically, people from NAU. wow, what a great school!

dig: what a cool site! this is a must for anyone worthy of their nerdiness! dig.

heading to chicago!

2006-07-09T13:24:00.000-07:00

i'm at the airport, riding on the free wireless wave! next post -- i'll be in chicago :)

oh say can you seeeeeeeeeee...

2006-07-05T13:34:00.000-07:00

happy post-4th of july! berta a few of ryan's friends bbqed burgers yesterday - lots o' fun! we also had potato salad (my mom's recipe) and watermelon. *yum*

eric and i then went to a different social gathering and then drove to the china star buffett and watched the fireworks from the silver dollar fair. it was a very happy fourth.

five days until i leave for chicago *hooray*

some things are better not planned

2006-07-03T07:47:00.000-07:00

i don't think either berta and myself thought that we'd ride honeyrun on july 1st, 2006. berta said she would have stayed in bed if that was the case :) glad she didn't... in fact, i'm pretty happy that we never drove up the road, because as berta pointed out -- we probably never would have rode up it.

so, we had planned to ride to centerville, but i really wanted to see the base of honeyrun so we started riding up that way and just kept going. in fact, we kept saying "we only have a few more miles..." we made a number of stops, but kept going. i think the biggest motivator was just to finish together, and not die. :)

here we are in front of amigos de acapulco (after our pollo asada tacos), berta on our descent down... me trying to hitch a ride back to chico.

we rocked the honey run... :P but we didn't do it for the fame and fortune, just for the bragging rights!

they roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth...

2006-06-30T07:49:00.000-07:00

last night, eric and i read the giving tree and where the wild things are. i forgot how great these books are!

eric felt that the giving tree was sad and couldn't believe i use to read that one as a kid (no wonder i'm so pessimistic!) but the story reminds us how important it is not to just take from mother nature (aka the tree) and create a sustainable environment, one where you replant what you take. if you haven't read the story, i recommend going out there and getting it.

my favorite book, of course, is the where the wild things are. i love the story and the pictures. i love everything about this book. i also read the story like my first grade teacher with the deep/sinister voice... oh, spike jonze making a movie our of the book! *eeeeeee* very exciting...

Here is my favorite passage from the story:

And when he came to the place where the wild things are
they roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth

and rolled their terrible eyes and showed their terrible claws

till Max said "BE STILL!"
and tamed them with the magic trick

of staring into all their yellow eyes without blinking once
and they were frightened and called him the most wild thing of all

and made him king of all wild things.

i'm moving!

2006-06-30T07:45:00.000-07:00

for those of you who know me, understand how much i hate were i currently live. :) berta and i went to parkview apartments yesterday and toured my new apartment! yes, i'm moving :) i got a call from the manager last night saying i passed my credit check and all he needed was my rental history and viola -- i can move in on august 11th. i'm *so* excited. not only is there a dishwasher *hooray* there is also a washer/dryer in the apartment. yes, the rent is more, but it's worth it.

berta is also going to teach me how to decorate, since i have a place that i actually like.

hooray hooray hooray!

danny and the dinosaur

2006-06-28T10:47:00.000-07:00

so, eric read me danny and the dinosaur last night. it's a pleasant story about a boy named danny who was visiting a museum and wished that he could play with a dinosaur, and viola the dinosaur came to life! the dinosaur looks female with soft features, but is referred to as him in the story. so they play throughout the day (danny riding on the neck of the dinosaur) and obey all the laws, such as stopping at the red light and not eating grass because it said "keep off" but defy logic when danny moves electric wires for danny (because he's so big) without getting electrocuted. it was a cute story with some strange undertones but i can see why eric enjoyed it (how can you top an adventure with a dinosaur?)

side note: i added a biography for danny which included building things in the backyard using a bucket of nails and plywood. :)

thanks amber for reminding me to share our thoughts about the book.

poop-a-licious

2006-06-28T07:55:00.000-07:00

i'm not going to let my bad mood stop me from enjoying the day, dammit. *hanging on*

and now for something completely different...

2006-06-27T11:00:00.000-07:00

eric and i were talking last night about his model un conference (long story short, i felt it's better described as a competition. i went so far to pull out my huge dictionary and read the definition of conference, but it supported his claim and i had to award him as the winner. ok, so now it's eric 1, jenn 342 - haha.)

anywho -- while i was at my book shelf, i came across the book alexander and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. i brought it back into bed and asked started reading it to him (yes, i read the book and did the librarian pass so he can see the pictures.) this activity prompted us to talk about our favorite childhood books and he brought up books i never heard about and vice versa.

so... after checking at the library here at school they actually have a juvenile section, one that i'm visiting today to check out where the wild things are (my selection) and danny and the dinosaur (eric's selection). i know - we are nerdy. i think we will call it the 30 days of summer madness and read one book every night.

for the record: eric thinks this is nerdy, but i gave him "the look" and now he's on board. :)

nothing exciting in my world...

2006-06-26T08:12:00.000-07:00

... i finished twelve sharp this weekend (thanks mom for sending me the signed copy!) and i worked. i have a sinus infection; not much fun. busy day at work today and then back to the gym. congrats to berta for going to the gym twice this weekend after i bailed on her. *throwing confetti* you are my fitness hero.

highlights from san fran

2006-06-19T07:11:00.000-07:00

we had such a good time this weekend... here are some highlights from the trip:

dinner at ristorante cinqueterre - eric and i had dinner at this small, newer restaurant just outside of north beach. we started out with bruschetta (free from the owner) i had homemade black and white linguine with seafood (scallops, shrimp, calamari, clams, and mussels) in a basic tomato sauce. it was absolutely fantastic! after dinner, the owner came out and brought us free shots of something yummy (he had one too). then he returned again with chocolate tiramisu. and then he return one more time with a shot of kahlua. it was a great evening.
yellow submarine- this is eric's favorite sandwich shop and i understand why... it was awesome. i had an italian steak sandwich and it was orgasmic. we ate our sandwiches on twin peaks and the view was amazing. it was nice to experience another part of the city, one that is not full of tourists. the farts were not great afterwards, but who cares? it was one of the best sandwiches i've ever had.
the north beach fest was pretty crowded, but a lot of fun. they had live music and lots of vendors. it was a fun time!
made a little web photo album of the trip. some photos are better than others... i was able to clean up the grayish photos in photoshop, but are not posted yet. :)
oh yes, and macys. bought three new shirts for chicago!

my arm keeps falling asleep...

2006-06-16T10:09:00.000-07:00

... i don't know why! maybe i'm just wearing it out and it needs naps (haha!) i've got million of 'em! and i burned my eyebrows last night -- wax was too hot! berta thinks i'm still sex tho.

oh and if you weren't jealous before...

2006-06-14T08:24:00.000-07:00

... the webct conference party is going to be held at the navy pier in chicago. :D

purdue -- where are you?

2006-06-14T08:14:00.000-07:00

so there is a job posting for an instructional designer at purdue. holy crap.

i imagine working for a school like purdue would be like working at apple headquarters designing new technology -- this is where the bleeding edge happens; where technology hits the "educational" rubber and doesn't stop, it just keeps getting faster and faster until you are just part of techie blur. *whew* i love academia!

and yes, i did apply. i don't want to leave, but... it's worth a shot!

behold the gaseous stench of skeletor's breakfast burrito

2006-06-13T08:38:00.000-07:00

berta thinks i need to post more about the funnies in my life -- so here is one:

last night, i watched a few (really, 10) episodes of robot chicken. if you never seen robot chicken, you need to stop reading this post, go to your nearest blockbuster and pick up the first season. it's fucking hilarious, especially if you are in the 24-28 age range and remember watching cartoons like the thunder cats, gi-joe, and he-man.

so... eric and i were enjoying the robot chicken marathon and then this one came on. the clip shows it about half way through the short, but begins at the part where i almost peed myself for a few reasons...

-- it's all the villians carpooling to work and they run into the "good guys" on the road, carpooling as well. come on, how funny is that?
-- i still do the fart thing in the car with my family and get that kind of reaction.

i almost had a hernia. watch the clip! what do you think?

yup yup yup -- guess who's back!

2006-06-13T07:36:00.000-07:00

ok, so i've been off a few days... i've been exploring the northern california with my family. chester is beautiful and i can't wait to go camping :)

this weekend, i'm getting out of chico and heading to the bay! there is a street fair in north beach and i'm going with eric and his family. very exciting stuff!

it's hump day!

2006-06-07T09:17:00.000-07:00

hooray for wednesdays... my parents are coming into town and i have two (count 'em) two trainings today.

go love the one you are with!

it's been a while...

2006-06-06T07:49:00.000-07:00

... i know, i know. but dangit -- been busy at work!

berta and i went on a our first hill ride yesterday.. it was flippin' awesome! we rode 17.1 miles in 1.2 hours (totally wicked) and had three hill climbs. we've decided to attempt honey run a bit early and go after i get back from the webct users conference in july. sometime this month, we are going on another hill ride to prepare.

i looked hot in my jersey which was given to me from amber.

we are swimming tonight and then going over to my house to wash my cats. should be an exciting filled night :) my parents will be in town tomorrow! i'm so excited and can't wait to see them...

fitnessjournal.org

2006-06-01T10:53:00.000-07:00

ok, this is the coolest thing ever. berta finally convinced me that i had to try this service out and it freaken' rocks. you can even show your accumulative distances in a map. so damn cool!

back to work after a long weekend

2006-05-30T07:45:00.000-07:00

it was yet another busy weekend. my brother and dad were in town... that is always a fun time. :)

on saturday, it was eric's graduation party. what a blast! i got a lot of compliments on the new dress and my heels . my dad and brother talked to eric's dad quite a bit... they seemed like they were enjoying themselves, so that's a good sign :)

on sunday, we went to a coworker's (dan-a-licious)graduation/birthday party. berta and ryan were there as well... we played bocce ball, croquet... and drank gin & vodka tonics. lots o' fun!

la salles

2006-05-26T07:39:00.000-07:00

man, i'm growing to really like that place. pool was fun last night. too much beer tho. broke down, had a cig *ick* but that was it. ate a slice of mushroom pizza on the way home. fantastic.

today is xmen. i'm going at 10:30 -- can't wait. :)

cycling with the ladies...

2006-05-25T07:56:00.000-07:00

amber, berta and i went on a bike ride out to durham/dayton/chico. it was a nice ride... i was a little shocked that i didn't feel like dying afterwards like our previous ride.

estimated calories burned: 1,620
(based on 14-16 mph / 90 minutes of riding)

hooray!

today, berta and i are going swimming after work and then to thursday market. amber is joining us as well because alcohol makes the knee stop hurting.

way to cute for words

2006-05-24T08:19:00.000-07:00

nothing really exciting happening in my world except for this link brought to you by bota.

first workout

2006-05-23T07:49:00.000-07:00

berta and i officially began training yesterday with a 20 minute jog. i did intervals (5 warm up / 3 run / 1 walk) while berta just jogged. we then stretched and worked on our upper body (two machines).

today we swim. only 200 yards, but i might go a little longer. i'm going to practice on my stroke... i need to check out total immersion (highly recommended site/plan from amber. hooray!

what a weekend!

2006-05-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

long weekend... friday night was berta's graduation. it was flippen' awesome and so inspiring. i can't wait to get my masters!

on saturday (7:00 am) eric received a few medals for his academic achievement (he's so smart!) and then it was his graduation at 9:00 am. we hung out for a bit and then i went to berta's grad party where we ate, drank, and were very merry! the turn out was fantastic and the people were awesome. jane goodall even made an appearance (well, not really, but in spirit). then, the ladies and i decided to go downtown to panamas. we started out slow, but finished strong. amber let loose with the vodka redbulls :) we then went to jacks for a dinner/bfast. it was wild.

on sunday, lauren, cindy, and i (eric's sis and mom) went to sacramento to torrid to buy a dress that looks somewhat like this -- just a different pattern. a woman was wearing it at graduation and she told me she had gotten it at torrid. it's an amazing dress -- fits in all the right places. i also bought this one and wore it last night to lana's (eric's good friend) going away dinner at tres. eric and i finally made it home and hung out with my dad and my brother (in town for camping) and watched sopranos.

i'm exhausted. :)

you've come a long way baby

2006-05-18T07:34:00.000-07:00

i was just sitting here thinking that one year of graduate school is down. that is just so cool! this was one of those things that i kept saying i was going to do and now, i'm finally doing it.

my goal this summer it to finalize my project and get my chair's signature on it so i can continue with the modifications of my chapters that i prepared this semester. i'm hoping to have this done by next spring so i can defend the following fall (*if i have all the classes i need*) this way, i will have the following spring to do nothing but walk (hooray for me!)

i think i can drink to that!

poems

2006-05-17T11:49:00.000-07:00

i just came across these poems and thought i'd share them with...

The time will come
When with elation,
you will greet yourself arriving
at your own door in your own mirror,
and each will smile at the other's welcome,
and say, sit here. Eat.
You will love again the stranger who was your self.
Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart
to itself, to the stranger who has loved you
all your life, whom you have ignored
for another, who knows you by heart.
Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,
the photographs, the desperate notes,
peel your own image from the mirror.
Sit. Feast on your life.

Derek Walcott, “Love after Love”

Starting here, what do you want to remember?
How sunlight creeps along a shining floor?
What scent of old wood hovers, what softened
sound from outside fills the air?
Will you ever bring a better gift for the world
than the breathing respect that you carry
wherever you go right now? Are you waiting
for time to show you some better thoughts?
When you turn around, starting here, lift this
new glimpse that you found; carry into evening
all that you want from this day. This interval you spent
reading or hearing this, keep it for life--
What can anyone give you greater than now,
starting here, right in this room, when you turn around?

William Stafford, “You Reading This, Be Ready”

huge bike ride to lift the spirits

2006-05-17T09:18:00.000-07:00

amber and i went on a bike ride yesterday. she is in amazing shape and totally rocked the house! i did pretty good myself (ahem - i survived, but did complain a lot...) we went out to Durham (12 miles) and then road out Ord Bend and back Chico River Road (18 miles) back to her house for a grand total of 30 mile ride. we started at 5:45 and ended at 8:16 (but we had at least a 1/2 hour break built in when we doused ourself in water in durham). all in all, it was a fantastic ride and much needed.

i then went home and ate a huge veggie burrito and finished chapter III. now all i have to do is proof it and turn it in tonight :) hooray for me!

a listless melancholy attitude

2006-05-16T08:10:00.000-07:00

i don't know wtf is going on with me but it's driving me and the people around me nuts. i'm in a fog. bleah.

on a side note - going on a bike ride tonight with amber. something to look forward to :)

i just cancelled weight watchers...

2006-05-15T11:57:00.000-07:00

i realized that i've been doing this on my own for the last couple of weeks, so i might as well save $16 bucks a month... but this means that i'm going to use the blog a lot more for that sort of stuff (aren't you excited?!?) lmao.

awesome weekend

2006-05-15T07:14:00.000-07:00

wow, what can i say? trinidad is one of the most beautiful places i've ever seen -- the perfect location for the celebration of my brother's graduation from HSU. all of his old friends were there and we drank, ate, and were very very merry. it was a great weekend.

i also managed to get a few good rides in. gosh, i love my bike! (thank you berta for kicking my ass and telling me to get it!) i'm planning on another ride tonight before i begin my "skeletal" third chapter (due on wednesday) and revise my hw paper (due tomorrow). from my calculations, i will have a an 82 out of 90 for one of my classes... the other, pretty sure it's an a. i'm crossing my fingers for straight a's this semester.

on my way out...

2006-05-11T16:10:00.000-07:00

i'm heading to humboldt for the weekend to watch my brother graduate from hsu! congrats to him :) this is the first time i've been in humboldt since breaking up with john, should be interesting. but, i am taking my bike, so i hope to get a least one ride in this weekend on the coast. it's very pretty out there...

j

haven't posted in a while...

2006-05-08T13:13:00.000-07:00

a lot's been happening!

- dewayne and andrea had their baby boy on may 4th, 2006. his name is mark thomas doud.
- school is almost over! i have a presentation tomorrow, paper due on wednesday, another due next tuesday, and one more next wednesday. too much work.
- my brother graduates this saturday from humboldt state (hooray!)
- berta graduates next friday.
- eric graduates next saturday.
- my preconference workshop stuff is due on may 17th (yikes!)
- my first vista 102 workshop is also on may 17th.

it's going to be a busy couple of weeks.

full of blah...

2006-05-04T07:50:00.000-07:00

or full of something!

i'm just full of blah and don't have much to say except my day is going to suck (two trainings + 2 meetings= 1 unhappy jenn) and i didn't sleep very well... bert kept licking me (not to be confused with berta -- get your mind out of the gutter!) and i had crazy dreams. *sigh* i know... poor me... LOL.

on a side note, i found out my boyfriend is even geeker than i thought. the boy wrote a shareware program. i thought it was a coincidence and he told me "yeah, like there would be another eric stecklow out there."

tom is back in town...

2006-05-02T09:08:00.000-07:00

yes, it's true, tom petty is touring yet again this summer. i'm super excited! i just signed up for a special deal to get pre-pre sale tickets (super cool). cost me $30 bucks, but I get the new cd titled highway companion. there are no ca dates yet, but i'm willing to travel. :) hooray!

it's like putting salt and pepper in the same shaker!

2006-05-01T07:32:00.000-07:00

i had a perfect weekend. no complaints, seriously! on friday, i went shopping and bought a new dress that i wore out to dance (peter was spinning records at off limits). i got so many compliments and hit on by one crazy girl!

eric and i found time to hangout despite all of his homework... saturday, we wandering around the farmer's market (where i got flowers from the boy!), international fair, and indifest (which was live, independent music). i also went on a bike ride (two loops of river road) with my friend brian... one that i'm still recovering from. that night, eric and i bbqed *yum*. oh! i also bought two new books... fast food nation and the art of happiness. (eric bought the art of war -- how quaint!)

on sunday, i rode my bike over to claudine's to pick up my car (left it there since saturday). then she and i went to lunch... i then did laundry and just when i got home, berta called asking if i wanted to get a beer ... went to normal and then hooked up with eric and went to a play on campus which was in spanish about la frontera (the border). then we went back to my place for sandwiches and sopranos. afterward, we were an old married couple -- i was reading and he was studying for his exam today in bed. how cute!

this is how a weekend is suppose to be spent!

margin of error

2006-04-28T07:24:00.000-07:00

berta and i went to la salles last night to get our beer on (but we did finally walk through the market!) :) we played pool and boy was i terrible. pool is one of those games where you are either on or off. berta was on and made a few great shots *throws poof of confetti* hooray for berta! jared met us out as well... it was fun watching them play -- they are both hustlers.

after that, jared and i went to the bear to meet up with eric. i stayed for one beer and then called it a night (but did try to get the boy to come home with me -- didn't work!)... i hung out with my brother (who was in town, but didn't want to go out) and went to bed. i got a call from a drunk eric around 1:15 am saying he was coming over (i'm getting to the point of this story, i promise!) he comes in the door and says "honey, there were some hot chicks at the bar but i knew what i was coming home to. you are a smidge better than any of them. maybe even a spoonful." (and yes, i did memorized what he said) wtf does that mean? depending on what type of instrument was used (yes, i'm a graduate student!) i would think i was more than a smidge (even a spoonful) better than a girl that's just "hot". sheesh. what ever.

i heart food!

2006-04-27T07:41:00.000-07:00

today is my month anniversity for not eating chicken! yes, i didn't say meat because i had steak one night with berta, sausage on easter, a kosher meat stew, and a few shrimp gorges. regardless, i'm very proud of myself for sticking to this as best as i can. as many of my friends noted, i went from a hardcore carnivore to eating a more vegitarian life style. hooray for me (and my butt which is producing some very toxic smells!)

PS: you've gotta check out this blog vegan lunch box. I just love it!

i'm done!

2006-04-26T18:19:00.000-07:00

just finished my second/third/forth/fifth draft of chapter 1 and 2 for my master's project. :D now i need a beer!

workout galore!

2006-04-26T09:14:00.000-07:00

i thought i'd post something about my most recent workouts -- gearing up for tri season!

sunday 4-23: eric, his dad pete and myself went for a long bike ride. started at eric's apartment and then we went for the river road loop. afterwards, his dad and i went for a couple loops in the park. i was dead. it was about 2 1/2 hours of biking and i burned 1254 calories. *weeee*

tuesday 4-25: i ran in the park for an hour doing 3 minute jogging / 1 minute walk intervals. very proud of myself!

wedensday 4-26: lifted weights with berta -- always a fun time!

yes, haven't been able to get into the pool consistantly as i want, but... but... but.. . i don't wanna yet!

miss me?

2006-04-25T07:16:00.000-07:00

i stayed home yesterday -- my allergies were really bad. but now i've got some alavert and i'm feeling better, but not totally back to normal.

what will they say?

2006-04-21T12:34:00.000-07:00

this is just a random thought that i did not want to forget...

i've been reading some obituary listings (read jshua jacob riehlman) and i've been thinking about what will people say for me? what would i write about my parents or brother? i know, morbid, and something that i DO NOT WANT TO DO ANYTIME SOON, but we will at some point or another have to write an obituary for someone we love.

moderation is the key to success!

2006-04-21T07:59:00.000-07:00

in honor of amber's comment, i dub thursday our official drinking night (especially since it's thursday market and cheap pitchers of beer at la salles.)

i'm still trying to finish my second draft of my lit review and chapter 1 (ick). i'm thinking of going home tonight and sequestering myself in my apartment until i finish at least chapter 1, if not half way of the lit review. it's all my own damn fault since i'm the queen of procrastination... *sigh* will i ever learn?

gold nugget days

2006-04-20T07:35:00.000-07:00

yup, it's official -- i'm truly a chicoan! on saturday, i'm going to gold nugget days with my bf and his family. i guess every small town has it's traditions -- i grew up in fallbrook, home of the avocado festival which is strangely on saturday as well! coincidence? i think not!

i like weights!

2006-04-19T09:22:00.000-07:00

today, berta and i lifted weights *yeeee* we also ran for 15 minutes (i did intervials of 2 1/2 minutes of running 30 seconds of rest) while berta ran the whole time (she rocks).

we then lifted weights -- my knee started hurting when i was doing the leg press even though i went down a whole stack. not sure what that means, but i'm going to take it easy for a week or so and see how it goes.

this morning i spoke to some of my cronies from sm. they rock! that's the only thing i miss from sm. i will have to write a post about them one day soon.

i'm off to a meeting *woohoo*

had my obgyn appointment yesterday...

2006-04-18T08:06:00.000-07:00

... and boy am i tired! LOL.

ok, you might be wondering why would she be posting about her obgyn appointment, well... don't let me hold you in suspence any longer. Since my last visit, i've lost 22 pounds and my blood pressure is perfect. my doctor asked me what i was doing and i told her weight watchers and working out at least an hour a day / six days a week. so, the total weight lost for me so far is 78 pounds. *beaming* i'm so excited! yea for me!

on a side note, things are getting back in order. eric is back and we went to costco. i bought the boy a helmet so he can go bike riding. we were suppose to go for a ride yesterday, but there just wasn't enough time. i'm going today by myself b/c it's suppose to be 72 today and b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l and sunset is not until 7:49 pm. can you ask for anything more?

yesterday... sheesh

2006-04-14T07:46:00.000-07:00

so much happened yesterday, i don't even know where to begin. first work -- well, work is work and you just need to make your peace with it. i have, it's done, nuff said.

yesterday was beautiful so i went for my first official bike ride. while driving to the park, i saw a cyclist run right into a red van. he had the red light and didn't stop... he hit her and then fell off his bike. he was wearing a helmet, but, he didn't get up. i called 911 and by the time i parked over by the sidewalk, people were aiding him. it was the scariest thing i ever seen. my mom said that it was good for me to see - to remind me to live in the moment and pay attention to what i'm doing. there is nothing in the paper about the accident, so... i hope he's ok.

berta and i did go out last night *sigh* it was a beautiful day and the second thursday night market, although we never offically made it there. we started at woodstocks (mushroom slice, pale bock, and a salad) then met up with her friend dusty at la salles to play pool. very nice guy -- we might be going to cabin with him and he said we could bring the boys... anywho, we had too much beer and shots there... then we ended up at normal street (ya for normal!) and had more beer and more shots. i got a t-shirt out of the whole thing, but a nasty headache this morning.

ok, too much writing -- going to eat my burrito now.

sunshine... finally!

2006-04-13T07:39:00.000-07:00

the man upstairs is finally giving us a break from all the rain we've been having... thank goodness! i think i'm going to go for a ride after work now that i know how to change a tire *thank you berta* i'm so ready for summer, it's not even funny anymore.

after the ride i'll probably go home and eat something from my veggie meat splurge! safeway has 2 for 1's on a lot of their soy products. i've been going a little hog wild (no pun intended) buy up their stock of no meat chili, riblets, and ground soy meat. my little stash is growing!

anywho -- have a great day peeps! go out and enjoy the sun (if it's sunny where you happen to be). as eric would sing "go fly a kite, up to the highest height..." damn i miss the boy!

hot girl action at the gym!

2006-04-12T09:20:00.000-07:00

nice title huh! got your attention? good, because today class, we will be discussing the proper etiquette of girl on girl action during racquetball.

tip #1: where a thong that fits properly
- you don't want to be playing racquetball and trying to rearrange the front access point... just ask berta!

tip #2: watch for flying balls
- when slamming the ball really hard, remember that it has the possibility of flying right back at you and smacking you right between the eyes.

tip #3: locker position
- never get the locker above someone you are working out with... the area is tight and you have the possibility of smacking right into the nipple of the other person.

:D

be delicious!

2006-04-11T08:09:00.000-07:00

i went to the gym last night (yah for me) and i rode a bike for 15 minutes then jumped onto a treadmill and walked/jogged for 30 minutes (2 walk/ 8 jog/2/4/1/5/1/3/4). nice little workout.

i have new neighbors upstairs... surprise surprise they have a dog. they seem nice, a younger and less strange than the last set, so we'll see how it goes.

on a side note, i got a call from eric last night and he was telling me about the drama unfolding in ny. apparently, there are two groups of girls who are ignoring one another and causing lots of drama. plus, there is a lot of boozing going on, so it only makes it worse. LMAO. come on ladies, isn't that what we do? we divide and conquer, while keeping a smile on our face and drink in our hand. even if we intend not to be, there is a little mean girl in all of us because of our insecurities. do you agree?

i hate coming back to work...

2006-04-10T08:12:00.000-07:00

... after you've been away and everything didn't go as planned. *sad face* now i'm going to get some coffee and then try and kick (or is it kiss) some ass.

who gets a flat tire on their first ride? ME!

2006-04-04T07:34:00.000-07:00

yes, it's true... i took my new road bike out for a spin. the good news: i was cruising at 20 mph w/out any effort. the bad news: i got a flat. and i didn't know how to fix it. so there i was talking to berta on the cell as she's trying to explain to me how to fix it. since i'm such a nowotny, i can't figure it out so i decide to carry the bike the 1 1/2 miles back to my house. oh and i'm in my cleats... LOL... AND i'm on old river road -- the same road i got my other flat tire on; you'd think i'd learn something from the first time.

funniest moment? a guy passed me walking his dog and said "it's a good thing your bike is light." yes, it is kind sir, yes it is...

berta is coming over tonight for beers and tube fixing. i'm her young padawan and she, my yoda. how lovely.

hooray for eric!

2006-04-03T09:40:00.000-07:00

he just got a ticket to see david letterman on april 10th while he's in ny. lucky bastard.

i bought a new road bike!

2006-04-03T08:16:00.000-07:00

woohoo! finally, i have a new road bike. this is what it looks like" http://lombardisports.com/images/product/Cycling/Lemond/reno.jpg.

i haven't had a chance to ride it yet because of the rain :(

midterm

2006-03-30T08:15:00.000-08:00

so, this week marks the midway point in my second semester as a graduate student. last night i had my first midterm in about 4 years. i could have studied harder, but, i didn't.

this is also the beginning of day three without meat. the gas is killing me, but it could be all in my mind :P

back on the farm...

2006-03-29T09:14:00.000-08:00

i completed my first weight sheet today (yea!) if you don't know what a weight sheet is, basically, it's a yellow card with 15 slots which you use to track your weight training progress.

nate is an evil temptress!

2006-03-28T08:31:00.000-08:00

berta and i decided to go to normal street bar last night (our cheers) to see our favorite bartender and hottie nate-a-licious! yes, we both have boyfriends, but nate is our fantasy man... *sigh*

anywho... he bought us our first round (grey goose/tonic for berta, tanqueray/tonic for me). then of course, we had to have another since eric was meeting us out... then another because berta was buying... and then i had to leave b/c i had too much to drink and i was becoming a drama mama. to much drinking on a monday night. the worse part? i left berta behind. i know, rule #1 when drinking with friends: never leave a soldier behind... i am a bad friend.

so we've decided that no more drinking on monday nights. no drinking on school/work nights with nate. period.

ps. nate has a moustache like lord licorice from candyland. evil nate.

back in the blogger world

2006-03-28T08:24:00.000-08:00

so this is like the fifth time i've started a blog. i try to quit but they just keep pulling me back!

i've started training for another triathlon (woohoo!) i've already signed up for the pacific grove sprint, but i'm also going to participate in treasure island. training is a lot more fun this time around since i'm already in pretty good shape and i recently purchased an iPod nano.