This is just gonna be a quickie (TWSS) but I needed to stop in and say

LAST DAY TO ENTER MY GIVEAWAY

so if you haven’t yet done it, step ya game up and send me a photo already! Yes folks, it is really that easy.

I also needed to say that I just bought 48 bags of popcorn for $1.89 because I love Costco and I also happen to love coupons and I’m a boss (warning – mucho profanity ahead with that one). Really though… I am.

(excuse the blurries.. la madre doesn’t have practice taking photos on a cell phone)

Whhoooo does that? I felt like I was holding a child. A child stuffed with three types of meat, cheddar, swiss, and tomato slices. Beast. Or I guess I should say “Big. Overloaded. Sub. Sandwich.”

So basically, you really should go enter the giveaway. And then my friends, life will be complete.

Innn other news – so I told you about the bone growth stimulator. Well, turns out with insurance and the whole the 80/20 deal, my “20%” is $700. Somehow I don’t think that fits in my college budget. BUT!!! Silver lining here.. maybe. Hopefully! As an independent and a student, I qualify for financial assistance. So if everything works out (go find some wood – knock on it!!) then I wouldn’t have to pay anything out of pocket. I’m prayin!!

I may not be eating any BOSS sammies, but I definitely am still getting good solid training in, and the appetite is high, in true Sperly fashion. My mom and I made our mother-daughter-tradition venture over to Costco today to get some goodies. As mentioned above, BOSS Orville Redenbacher popcorn – my favorite!! – had a coupon in the biweekly Costco Coupon book. $4 off an already low price of $5.97, making my 48 bags of salty goodness only $1.97. Also included in the purchases were many a produce: broccoli slaw, tomatoes, asparagus, mushroooms, and sugar snap peas, as well as my staple of all staples: egggg beaters a la Kirkland. I really do love Costco.

Wait wasn’t I talking about training? Right. So Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday is SPIN on my schedule, and this morning SPIN I did. It is not running, but at least it makes me sweat and I feel like I’m working. NTM, my Thursday/Saturday instructor is also a BOSS (how convenient) and he makes it that much more appealing to go to class. He had a sub today (as in substitute teacher, not SUB sandwich. I’ve moved on), and she is ALSO really great. My list of I-Like-You-Spin-Instructors is short and selective, but these two are both on the top. If you’re ever venturing into the world of Lifetime Spinning.. lemme know and I’ll hook you up.

I took this photo a long time ago, and have been meaning to post it, because really, I do love my gym. BOSS? Hahha yeah I think so. This is over the railing, going down into the world of cardio/weights. I especially love my gym when I’m injured, as in now. They have so many options, and so many classes! In place of our run workouts on my practice schedule, I have “RSC” – otherwise known as Running Simulating Cardio. My favorite machine isn’t included in that picture, and it’s definitely NOT running (I don’t count it as “x miles” or any of that b.s. business…) but it is good. Good indeed.

Alright kids, that’s about as much random goodness I have time for today. If I didn’t mention it before, I got a research position at school through my kinesiology department and am a co-investigator on an awesome study we are about to start! I have to finish my IRB training, which if you’ve had to do it before, is loooooong, tedious, and did I say long?  I think I need to go pop some popcorn…

Love,
-E

Well, in short, I will just tell you guys that I had a fun filled day at the hospital. I didn’t want to bring it up earlier on the blog because I already feel like I’m getting all this “sympathy” here at home.. and honestly sometimes it’s just hard to take.

(University of MN Fairview Hospital. photo credit!)

Don’t get me wrong – I am so thankful for my support network: my family, my friends, my teammates, here on the blog.. you guys are all amazing. I think I struggle with even talking about my hip/health problems because that means I’m admitting that there is something wrong there, and that potentially it could be a big deal.

But anyways, yep – the hip. Again. MAYBE. 

I have been experiencing some discomfort/pain/feelings that I know shouldn’t really be there for about a month now. I have an amazing doctor who is the chairman of the sports medicine department at University of Minnesota Fairview. He is also the physician for all of our athletes, and I definitely know I am in good hands. On Tuesday I had xrays done, which were basically inconclusive. Good news is my pins are all still in place… for a while I got myself thinking “what if they’re poking through the other side of the bone!?!”

Today I had lab work at 1:00, injections at 2:00, part 1 of a bone scan at 2:10, a ct scan at 2:40, and part 2 of the bone scan at 4:00. That was all I was scheduled for today, but they could see some “abnormal activity” in the bone scan, so then I went in for a combo PET/CT scan. It was actually really relaxing.. I fell asleep on the table! My only battle wound for the day are a blown vein in my left arm, and a huge blood pool under the surface of the skin on my left hand. I can’t blame them… I have some tiny freaking veins. 

My doctor wanted another doctor to read the scans.. and he said he’d call me within 48 hours, so hopefully then I will have a better idea of what is going on. My plan is to still run Twin Cities Marathon, although ultimately if I’m putting myself at risk of needing another surgery or fracturing something again, I will listen to the advice of my doctor for sure.

Anyways.. just wanted to keep you guys in the loop. I don’t like feeling like I’m hiding something! And as much as the “sympathy” is something that is hard for me to deal with, I am not too big to ask for prayers and thoughts. I really appreciate all the support I have found in you guys in the past, and I know it’ll be there in the future.

I’m off for a quick ride with some of the team.. will be good to clear my head. Be back soon!

-E

I’m not sayin’ its an excuse for going AWOL on you guys, but I just wanted some proof to back me up – this chick has been BUSY. My last post was over a week ago, and the days have just been going by so dang fast! In addition to anything on the ToDo list, I’ve had class, training, we had a yard sale this weekend, work, and work #2. Luckily, my trusty iCal has helped keep me on top of the game.

Like I said.. no excuses though.

So anyways, now that the school year is underway, I wanted to share with you guys my schedule, and how I fit running/training into that. I have talked to some med students here that I know are runners, or people who are in residencies, and asked them the same thing. Not gonna lie – sometimes it scares me to think I could find myself already in scrubs at 5:00am, working all day, studying, and before I know it it’s 11:00pm. I think of that and the image that comes up in my mind is this blood-shot med student (OOOMG. Do not go type that into flickr.) decked in scrubs, falling asleep over a text book. Well, I don’t have to worry about that yet because I’m still working on undergrad, and then oh yeah – I still have to get in to med school! Haha.. I’ll worry about it when the time comes. So without further ado, here is my current class schedule:

Every semester up until this point I have alway had a 3 day weekend – either Monday or Friday off. Honestly though, I feel like this is the BEST schedule I have ever had, and especially for training purposes. Because that’s why I’m going to school.. to train.. right? If you can’t see.. my earliest class starts at 11:15 M/T/W/TH, and I don’t start until 1:25 on F. I’m done with class at 3:25 M/W/TH/F, and done by 12:30 on T!! I also have two nice little breaks on M and TH in between classes. Wednesdays are my packed day,  but honestly, it’s still not that bad. These are the classes I’m taking this semester:

So then what about school? Because that IS what I am here to do. As much as I joke around about it, school is my number one priority. Scary as it may be to think about not getting to do what I want to do when I hit med school.. or even now.. I just gotta suck it up! There are days when I have had to just say forget it – you’re not getting a run in today. As much as my running (and now, slowly but surely, my biking and swimming) is my one grounding element in my life, there are times when you have to sacrifice and make adjustments. This has been a good challenge for me and my type A++ self – learning to accommodate! Maybe I don’t have time for the 8 miles that I wanted, but I can still fit in 5 – then I can still do the 5! I come from a very black and white/all or none mind set.. and this is good practice for getting ready for real life, when you don’t always get to be the one in charge.
 

Ohhh wow. I just looked down at my hands as I started to type, and WTH my cuticles are all torn up!? Granted I did just get out of the pool, and that always makes them look worse, but what happened? That only used to happen when I had to break down cardboard boxes a lot at work…

Random. Sorry.

So. I am writing to you from the 114A Express bus – U of MN to Uptown, and wherever it goes after that. I am on my way home from school.. and I am not in my car.. and it feels SO good.

I have officially become a bike/bus student commuter. My lil Accord is still sitting out front, but I am making every effort to only use it when there is no other option. This whole summer I have done really well with eliminating/minimizing/combining car trips, walking when possible, biking when possible, and carpooling if it’s an option. It’s one of those things that just makes me smile.. I can’t help it! It’s kind of like when you’re going to a race at 5 in the morning, and anyone else out on the highway you know is going to the race too because they have their 26.2 sticker on their bumper, or their bike with aero bars on the back of the car. C’mon.. you know you’re sitting there behind the wheel with a hugh jass grin on your face! 

I feel like I’m being introduced to a whole new club being a bike commuter. You see “regulars” on the path at the same time each day… people get to know you at the bike shop en route. And then the bus.. there are DEFINITELY regulars there. (cough** and some cute ones at that **cough) 

I’ve talked before about the environment being really important to me. I wouldn’t have included “recycle” in the name of my blog if I didn’t care about it. (Ok.. so maybe not on the same level as tatting “I Love Alfonzo” on your hip, but close!) Unnecessary has been my signature word for so long, and it still is. Lately I have become really aware of gas prices, time wasted in a car, the sheer NUMBER of cars out on the road, and that is what I want to talk about today.

[ETA: I'm at home now... quick bus ride!]

BIKE COMMUTING

Bike commuting has so many benefits! Aside from the “insider’s club” mentioned above, I can name so many more:

• you’re obviously helping cut down on pollution – each and every gallon of gas we burn leads to about 20 pounds of CO2 gas in the air, and that contributes to the crazy climate change business we have going on. 
• Want to know what you’re gonna burn on your bike? Calories. Want to know what’s going to be heating up? YOU, because you’re going to get crazy toned legs. 
• What about money saved? A typical U.S. family spends about $8000 per year operating a car. A  bike requires no gas, no oil changes, no new tires, and maybe a $50 tune up. You can even get PAID to bike – the government started a program with some companies that reimburses employees who bike commute! If you’re interested in this program, check out this site from the League of American Bicyclists.

BUS COMMUTING

I’ll just start right off again with all the benefits of riding public transportation:

• Again, the big obvious one – helping cut down on gas emissions that are harmful to our environment. The average Twin Cities driver releases about 2.6 tons of green house gasses each year when they drive to and from work.  (Source.) Um.. I’d rather not! And that’s just ONE person. Take that, times every other Joe-Schmoe-why-won’t-this-traffic-go sitting next to you.. and you have a very. very. large number. 
• Minneapolis now has HYBRID busses! 28% better fuel efficiency.. quiet.. and clean! 
• No questioning whether or not you’ll go outside after work and be snowed in. 
• No more scrapping ice off your windshields. 
• No more parking tickets. 
• No more expired tabs. 
• No more running out of gas on the high way.
• No more speeding tickets (hey.. if the bus driver does it, not my problem!!)
• Nooo more! 

I <3 Minneapolis!!

The fact that I have these options – public transportation and paved bike pathways or bike lanes around my city – makes me so grateful!! It is definitely not something I take for granted, because I have been in plenty of cities where there is no such thing as city bus, biking is used only when there are training wheels attached, and not much longer there after, the closest anything is a good 15 minute drive, there just really aren’t many other options besides using your car! Minneapolis for sure has a few areas in which we could improve our public transportation system (and we’re working on it – hellooo more lightrail!) but for my needs at this time, the bus routes we have and the bike paths are sufficient, and they get me where I need to go. I would LOVE if the Lightrail was extended to go up to St. Cloud so I could visit family without driving, but I have a feeling it will happen some day. 

What is your public transportation system like where you live? Do you use it? Do you walk or bike places instead of drive? I feel like because this my blog falls into the health/wellness category, answers are more likely to be YES than if I were to ask the general public. But that’s great! And if you don’t or haven’t started trying to cut back on your automobileage.. I challenge you to ask yourself why? What can I (you…) do to start taking those steps? If you’re stuck.. here is a site that offers some great TIPS!

 Well.. I could go on and on about this issue for a really long time, so I think I’ll cut it here. I hope you guys don’t mind reading a little non-running post every now and then.. although now that I think about it, RUNNING is a great alternative transportation option too!! Hahha.. a little hard to get those textbooks to school though.  And because I’m not sure how to even write a complete post without mentioning what isss going on running wise – tomorrow is my LAST 20 miler before TCM! A huge group of us is starting at mile 6 and running the last 20 of the marathon course. It should be fantastic. (Ignoring the 5:30 wake up call.. I don’t like that so much.) Know how I’m getting to the start? BIKING. Know how I’m getting home? CARPOOLING!

Rockstar.

Seeee ya soon peeps! 

-E

Well, in the mean time while I’m so indecisive about where I want to direct my focus on this blog, here’s a lil run-down of what has gone on since Boston. When I left I was:

•  just finished with finals
•  getting ready to fly home to Minneapolis for the summer
•  sad because I had to defer my 2009 Boston Marathon
•  hurting with the hip/car accident. still going to PT. still dealing with the insurance fiasco
•  just ready to be HOME

School got out April 24th, and wow – so much has happened since then! I’ll try to be brief:

•  moved back to Minneapolis.
•  looked into transferring back to the U of MN, realized deadline was June 1st, applied.
•  got in (well they better take me.. half of my credits are from there anyways!)
•  now a kinesiology major / pre-med track still. MUCH better fit!
•  so really.. MOVED back to Minneapolis (!!)
•  healed (mostly) with the hip
•  took a summer class
•  moved into my own place
•  adopted a dog
•  still working at the restaurant
•  picked up a 2nd job
•  had to have my dog adopted from me just 2 months later
•  training for Twin Cities 2009
•  joined a great group of women for training. finally got my ass back in the pool!
•  joined the U of MN’s tri team. still going back to TURC – the University Running Club
•  did my first “real” triathlon!
•  getting ready to register and head back to school.I can’t believe summer is almost over!
• *eta* sister got MARRIED!

Work is at the restaurant is great as always, but I can tell I’m definitely ready to wind down. I took a lit class this summer to knock out one of the required courses, and I could tell I missed having a school schedule. That isn’t a promise that you’ll never hear me stressed with school, but I like having that academic side too.

Right now the biggest things on my plate are figuring out registration. As a transfer student (which still is hard for me to grasp since half of college education is at the U of MN), I register LAST, definitely leaving me with the short stick in terms of class schedules. I am guessing I’ll have 8ams AND evening classes – we’ll see. I’m just worried I’m not going to get the stuff I need that is actually part of requirements – both for staying on track for med school, and completing a kinesiology degree. There really hasn’t ever been a time when registration didn’t stress me out.. but at least for the spring semester I’ll be back with the rest of the juniors.

ANYWAYS, time to wrap up! I got in an 8 miler this morning, and I worked the lunch shift at the restaurant. Now I’m headed off to go find me some CYCLING SHOES! I’m looking at the Pearl Izumi Tri Fly shoes.. but we’ll see. Hopefully I can find something on sale! And my bike is coming to me tomorrow!!

the Tri Fly IIIs

My bike!!! A Quintana Roo Kilo!

Thanks for hangin with me while I get this back in action! 
-E

p.s. Saw Harry Potter last night – torn between loving it and frustrated because they had to cut so much from the book!

..and NO, I don’t mean in the way that it seams everyone else has been talking about. I don’t need a diet cleanse after the 4th of July weekend (although, there were some yummy delicious things involved!).. I’m just kind of at the point where I just need a life cleanse.

Hah – wow. Could I sound more dramatic? I’m not trying to be.. but hopefully putting this in writing will be a good step in moving forward. (And because I do everything in photo form.. it will of course be accompanied with pictures. Some of which may be irrelevant.)

Sperly’s Lovin Life Lowdown: Phase 1- Detox

Everyone has bad habits.. whether we admit to them or not. And if you don’t like the words “bad habit”, lets just say there are some things we could all do better at in life – I have my fair share of those things. Maybe this should be Phase 2.. because Phase 1 would have been like recognition and claiming responsibility or something along those lines.. but I didn’t think of that till now, so too bad. Here are the things I’ll be workin on for the next… while.

1. Sleeping. I’ve accomplished all of my new years resolutions, except for getting back on track with a decent sleep schedule. I used to go to bed after the sports on the local news, and ever since 2nd semester last winter I’ve been staying up until like 12:30 or 1:00.. or later. And then waking up still at 7:00 because my body is incapable of sleeping past sunrise. I’ve had to reset/change my sleeping patterns before due to a new job or a different class schedule.. and for some reason this last effort has efficiently FAILED. Work on it.

2. Letting go of my mom’s relationship decision. I have no say in who she dates. Why she dates them. What they do. When they do it. I don’t get to pick if she choses to get married again. My parents aren’t getting back together and I know that. Missing our family 4 and wanting it back are two different things. I can miss it, but they’re not getting back together. I may not love my mom’s boyfriend, but I love my mom. Work on it.

3. Letting go of my own relationship non-relationship stress. After my last relationship ended I was really enjoying being single.. but to be honest I’m not exactly feelin’ that right now. I’m torn because I want a relationship, yet at the same time I only let myself get to a certain point before I close myself off and don’t allow one to develop. My outlook on relationships has been jaded, and I don’t know how to get around that. And especially considering my current situation – I’ll be leaving in two months. That’s not time to start anything serious. But I don’t know that I’m enjoying being on my own. Aah! God knows what’s up, and he’s got a plan, so I need to leave it to him and let life take it’s course. Work on it.

(This photo is from 4th of July 1 year ago when I was up at my bf’s grandparent’s house on Lake Michigan. It was so much fun! We’re still friends. )

4. Stay excited about going out to Boston. I do love the school. I do love the city. I love architecture and I know I’m passionate about it. Every now and then though, I remember that we can’t really afford it, and I’m leaving behind a full ride at the U of MN. And then I remember that I’m going to be hundreds and hundreds of miles away from my home and my family. And then I think about how much I’ll miss the lakes, and how bored I’ll be running the Charles (I clearly have my priorities figured out). I need to find a way to stay excited about this, because if I don’t go now, I never will. Work on it.

5. Being a better person all around, to everyone. I feel like I’ve been more irritable/fake with people than I used to be, and that’s NOT ME. I’ve still kept my promise (to myself) about not talking about people behind their backs, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been thinking just as (if not more) bitchy thoughts them (whoever “them” happens to be at the moment). It didn’t use to (used to?) take a conscious effort to be a legitimately nice person to everyone. Despite how much I gritted my teeth, I could always find the good in someone, and remind myself that God made them too – we’re all human. Maybe I’m just irritable because of the major sleep debt I’ve been in? Maybe more sleep will help? I sure hope so. Work on it.

I’m only going with 5.. because I feel like more than that and I’m being over ambitious.. I like setting goals in smaller steps. Plus, everything is better in odd numbers (flowers, candles, cookies) (OK I lied.. being the 3rd wheel SUCKS).

I honestly have no clue where this post is headed, and what a future follow-up post will be, but there you go.

In Other News..

I’m flying out to Boston on Sunday (wayyyyy early in the AM), and I’ll be there through Thursday. (Or Friday – take your pick. My flight gets in at like 12:08 in the morning on Friday.) I’m SO EXCITED! Sunday/Monday I’ll be staying in the dorms on campus, and Tuesday/Wednesday I’ll be staying at the Colonnade Hotel. I’m not sure which one I’m more excited about – the Colonnade is pretty sweet!! It’s right by campus though, so I’ll be getting used to commuting from “home”.

I had my highest mileage week.. um, ever.. last week. 72! Unintentional, but felt fine. (And please [do I even need to say this?] – no anonymous “you shouldn’t run that much” comments. It won’t get posted, and you’ll be wasting your time.)

(There’s a ME in there.. running at Harriet. I love these photos.)

My mom’s BF is coming.. TOMORROW. For 2.5 weeks. Please see above for my feelings on that.

(bahhaaha.. kidding. Hope mom can take the joke.)

Well, I’m gonna have to sign off here folks. Time for a shower and my bathroom cleaning/laundry duties for the night. I apologize for posting so infrequently, but I’ve been working every day (look forward to a very photographic TF post coming soon!), + running, + friends and family, + prepping for Boston, and I just don’t have a ton of free time. Be back soon!

Gomer arrived on May 13th just after 5:30 pm. My love for this little guy is pretty extreme.. like so extreme I better not have one when I have real kids, because I’m pretty sure it’s a sin to love your garmin more than the children you give birth to. (*edited to add.. Gomer IS my garmin. Yes. I named him.)

I’m gonna keep this post short and sweet, because really.. what can I say? Oh.. here’s something: someone earlier was like “Wow, you’re loaded! You got the 405!” Nope. Not loaded in the least. It’s not like I had a Garmin 305.. and just wanted the new model. I’ve never had a gps, much less a decent watch (although I actually kinda love my $15 Target one..) and I was saving up for a LONG time for this! THENNN my Honda decided to fall apart [again] and I had to put $970 in to that. Goodbye Garmin.

Luckily.. I’m having this going away party deal.. and as a “going away” present.. my dad decided that if a Garmin was what I really wanted, than a Garmin is what it is! My parents went together on it.. and I am very very thankful. My life is officially complete. (More complete than just being a Gold Star member at CostCo.)

All my fellow little wristed runners – don’t get your hopes up. The 405 is actually not a lot smaller than the 305. It just looks way nicer. I stole my buddy’s 305 once for like a week and had a blast playing with it.. but I gotta say the 405 is super cool, especially with the touch sensor ring around the face. I haven’t tried out the little virtual running buddy yet.. but trust me – I’m taking him DOWN.

A little ego boost for me: I found out my 6 mile loop (which as you might have seen, I do quite often) is actually 6 and a HALF miles. I usually never wear a watch when I run, but on the rare occasions that I did, I’d get done with the run and think I felt great, but I’d be like “damn.. that’s actually a pretty crappy time.” I knew I slowed down since I used to race 5Ks.. but I didn’t think I had slowed down that much! Well.. adding in an extra half a mile brings my pace down quite a bit. Order is once again restored to the world

Non running related.. I’ve been working quite a bit. I picked up an extra shift tonight, and it’s a good thing I was there because it was BUSY! Not surprising though, it was freaking gorgeous out today. I’m kinda in the mind set of ‘I’ll take all the hours I can get’ because I’m going to be in debt for the rest of my life after transferring to Northeastern. Right now.. I have a full ride at the U of MN. Well the U must see a lot more potential in me than NU because I’m not getting anywhere near that kind of aid from Northeastern. Anyways.. if I didn’t like my job, that might be a problem. Luckily, that’s not the case – I’d marry my job if I could. (Yes. I realized that analogy doesn’t work. But it’s late. Give me some credit )

One of my [hot] professors came into work today [with his girlfriend].. and joked “you ready for that final Saturday?” Only it wasn’t a joke. And I have ONE FINAL left on SATURDAY at ONE FREAKING THIRTY in the afternoon. Seriously.. who does that? And WHYYY are there so many couples at work?! Damnit anyways.. I always regret breaking up with (insert name here) when it gets to be summer. No one likes being single in the summer. No one, as in ME.

Holy smokes.. this last week has been flippin ridiculous. Good and bad. I’m in serious sleep debt, but that’s life. I got a lot to cover, and a little time, so lemme get down to business.

First things first: I decided. I’ll be transferring to NORTHEASTERN! I seriously didn’t make my decision until about half an hour before I had to make the phone call.. I was that on the fence about it. Just trying to process all the options was really draining on me (and on my mom too). There were nights when I couldn’t sleep, and my mom would come down at like 3 in the morning saying “Well what if we did this_____.” But really – I’m happy with my decision. (Except for the part where I’m drowning in debt until I’m 85.. that still blows.) To add some icing to the cake, I got a voicemail Wednesday morning “extending me an invitation” to the Honors program! SO EXCITED! Aside from smaller classes and amazing professors.. you also get to live in the Honors LLC which is suite style dorms We get our own little kitchen, bathroom, and lounge room!! I. Can’t. Wait.

Secondly.. prom was great. I had a really fun time with James and all my old high school friends. We all took pictures at the Sculpture Gardens, went to Buca for dinner (huh?? Yeah.. that clearly wasn’t my planning), and then Grand March.. dance.. after party.

There were TWENTY TWO people in our group!! That made dinner super fun And some good dancing..

Hahha.. I definitely felt very high school.. but hey – that’s what prom is for! Dancing definitely passed the time. The last prom I went to.. my date was LAME and didn’t dance AT ALL. Oop.. no, I lied. He’d dance the slow songs.

So after the dance we went back to my house to change quick before the after party. When we came up to the door.. it was wide open. Which was weird because we never leave our door open. Much less unlocked. James joked “like it even matters.. you live in such a safe neighborhood!” but I know it doesn’t matter WHERE you live. Our house was broken into once before like 10 years ago.

We walked through the porch and into the house (porch door open too..) and right on the rug in front of us was my purse and my moms purse.. everything strewn on the floor. It took a second for me to realize what happened.. credit cards – gone. Cash – gone. Both my mom’s cameras – gone. The scariest part is that my mom had been home when it happened.. asleep on the futon upstairs. The TV was on and there’s no way the person could have not heard it. Aside from me just being super pissed.. I’m SO thankful she was OK.

We canceled all our cards and stuff.. but the lame ass still used mine to fill up with gas in St. Paul.. then make a stop at Cosetta’s (an Italian grocery store.. wtf?).. and go on a little shopping spree at Walmart in ST. FREAKING CLOUD! Gotta say.. the guy works fast.

I was supposed to run the Minnetonka Half Sunday morning, but by the time the police left and I got back from the after “party” (which I only went to for like an hour).. my car pool would have been coming in like 2 hours. PASS! My friend biked with me while I did 14 Sunday afternoon.

I made a teeny bouquet of flowers (yes.. that’s a shot glass) for my madre. We’ve both had a rough week. Speaking of rough – today was my last class for the semester. I have this big project for my Arch Studio due today at 4:00. I’ve literally been working on it all day, every day, for over a week. Around 1:00 today when I was in the studio, I had to accept to myself that the amount of work I had left to get done would take more than 3 hours.. no way around it. Our teacher said he’d rather we turn in a stellar, 100% best effort project on Monday, and be marked down half a grade, than turn in a shitty/unfinished project on Friday and probably get more than half a grade off anyways. I’m trying to be OK with the fact that I’ll be turning in on Monday, but it’s hard. I feel super defeated.. especially since I’ve been working SO HARD and SO LONG on this. It’s not like I procrastinated or something, and now I’m stuck dealing with the consequences. The fact is – there is just more detail than 3 hours worth of work. So I left the studio, and drove home.

I’m about to go for a quick run to clear my head. Today is my first day back at work for the summer (psh.. it’s only like 62 degrees here..) and I’m working 5 till close. I’m really excited to be back! Just kinda down about the project..

I’ll leave you guys with some good eats. Ignore the fact that this looks florescent.. it’s freaking amazing. It’s vegan stuffed cabbage rolls smothered in sweet & sour sauce and it’s freaking fantastic. I don’t get time to make this often.. but when I do I make a lot so I can freeze and have it for like a week straight

And last but not least, this GINORMOUS box of splenda. 1,000 effing packets!!!! This will last me until I’m about 25.. going with me off to Boston next year. I have no idea why we bought it at COSTCO.. but hey.. fake sugar doesn’t expire. We’re good to go for a lifetime.

I apologize for the novel.. but that’s what happens when you can’t post for forever! I can assure that my posts will be more frequent now that school’s over. (Well.. not quite. I guess I have to turn in my arch project on Monday, and then SATURDAY the 17th I have one last final. Who does that?!) Ahhh. Time to run. Thanks to everyone for all the support in making my decision and the rough last week!

Ugh where’s my effin camera when I want it? Upstairs in the office, at home.

Well I just woke up from a much needed 2 hour nap, and even though my body’s still in sleep debt, it was a good start at getting some hours back. I wanted to take a picture of where I slept.. hahah lame. One of the only great things about the U is that because it’s sooo big, and because there are so many commuter students, they put in a TON of chairs and couches in the student union. Seriously.. theres about a bajillion places to sleep, and some of them are even QUIET! I scored a nice big comfy chair and a big ottoman (so I could lay down) over by the bowling alley in the basement. I wouldn’t have even needed the ear plugs.

So like I said, I pulled an all nighter on Monday to get this drafting project for Arch Studio done, and then the two nights after that I was up until at least 1:00 finishing a 20 page field report of Minneapolis. And I feel like I need to defend myself – it’s not like I waited till the last minute to do these. There was just that much work plus other stuff I needed to be working on before that. I guess I could have skipped run club, but I needed to keep some level of sanity.

Yikes I need to go to the bathroom, and I want to make a pit stop through starbucks before class. I’ll have to finish this post later! With pictures and a recap of the last couple days!

[EDIT - EDIT - EDIT]

Arighty.. time to finish up:

This bad boy is the culprit that made me pull the all nighter on Monday. I had to skip my 1st class on Tuesday morning too so I could finish up another drawing. I don’t know if you guys can click on it and make it bigger.. otherwise it’s pretty hard to see. I’m really grateful that drafting isn’t done by hand in the real world any more. Like really really glad.

This lil guy is pretty random.. but it just so happens I really like salsa. And I happen to be pretty bomb at making my own. This is a kick ass tomatillo salsa I learned how to make way back when I was like 12 from one of my old best friends’ mom. (Is that apostrophe in the right place?) Salsa is a good combo with almost anything.. but cottage cheese is at the top of the list. I was trying to be cool artistic.. hence the candles.

It also just so happens that I really like edamame. And apparently Dora and Boots do too. BOOO on me for buying the individual packages (something I openly disapprove of), but these are soo damn cute.

Did I mention my 20 page Minneapolis Field Report? Yes I did. Well that 20 pages required driving around Minneapolis for 11 hours. I could run like 68 miles in that amount of time! I broke it up into two different outings (for the sake of my butt. Literally), and my dad and I did part II last Sunday. We went out to Noodles to fuel up for the trek. No offense pops.. but this is not a flattering picture of you – you’re hair is not really that long, and the camera is giving you way more than 10 pounds

And last but not least, closing with two U of MN pics. This is the shoe tree over at the end of the Washington bridge on West Bank. There are a ton of different rumors about it’s origins, but no one really has a definite answer. My asics are too precious to leave on a dang tree if you ask me.

Here’s the view looking across the bridge from West Bank over to East Bank. A) This is a half mile bridge. It’s no wonder I get so many walking miles in – I have class on both banks every day but Friday (and Monday of course – no class). I guess the Mississippi is just pretty darn big! B) You may look at this and say why would you leave such a nice campus? Look at the blue sky, the nice buildings, the [Minnesota] nice people. Welllll.. it’s just not the school for me. I’m sure if you’ve been to college, you know the deal. If it doesn’t feel right.. it’s just not.

OHHH one more thing! I have an interview with Ellerbe Becket tomorrow afternoon! If you’ve never heard of them.. they’re a big architecture/engineering/construction/design firm.. and a pretty big deal. They have offices and have done projects all over the world, including in every flippin state in the US. Check out their website to find a project they’ve done near you!

It is time for me to sign off my dear friends. I have a couple things saved up for future posts, so keep comin back!

I am still alive, I’m just super super stressed.

I pulled an all nighter last night (OK.. I slept for like an hour and a half on the futon) to get this big arch project done, and right now I’m half way done with this field report I’m writing. Not due till Thursday, but tomorrow is so packed already!

I’ll update once this madness is all over (this week’s madness at least) and I get a chance to breathe!