tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59688184729074632242024-02-18T19:10:57.229-08:00No Disassemble Charlie No. 5No Disassemble Charlie No. 5http://www.blogger.com/profile/00457719072373345591noreply@blogger.comBlogger237125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968818472907463224.post-3936075492428723062018-03-02T13:07:00.000-08:002018-03-02T13:07:52.162-08:00Fit For A Summer Wedding<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Current Fragrance: <a href="https://www.tomford.com/champaca-absolute/T0-CHAMPACA-ABSOLUTE.html?cgid=3-555-624&dwvar_T0-CHAMPACA-ABSOLUTE_color=OC#start=40">Champaca Absolute</a> from Tom Ford</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Currently Listening: Paramedic! by SOB X RBE</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Friday is my off day where I normally go out do things I want to do, but sadly there's a nor'easter and I have sequestered myself inside away from the wind and the rain. What a better day to dial into some escapism and talk about the heady and summery Champaca Absolute from Tom Ford.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I really didn't know a lot from Tom Ford, all I had personally tried was <a href="https://www.tomford.com/neroli-portofino/T0-NEROLI-PORTOFINO.html?cgid=3-555-624&dwvar_T0-NEROLI-PORTOFINO_color=OC#start=18">Neroli Portofino</a>, <a href="https://www.tomford.com/tobacco-vanille/T0-TOBACCO-VANILLE.html?dwvar_T0-TOBACCO-VANILLE_color=OC&cgid=3-555-624#start=36">Tobacco Vanille</a>, <a href="https://www.tomford.com/tuscan-leather/T0-TUSCAN-LEATHER.html?cgid=3-555-624&dwvar_T0-TUSCAN-LEATHER_color=OC#start=37">Tuscan Leather</a> and <a href="https://www.tomford.com/cafe-rose/T1-CAFE-ROSE.html?cgid=3-555-624&dwvar_T1-CAFE-ROSE_color=OC#start=38">Cafe Rose</a>. Of those I really like Tuscan Leather and Tobacco Vanille. I decided upon getting into perfume again it was time to try some different Tom Ford's. Upon talking with the salesperson, she hooked my up with samples of both Champaca Absolute and <a href="https://www.tomford.com/noir-de-noir/T0-NOIR-DENOIR.html?cgid=3-555-624&dwvar_T0-NOIR-DENOIR_color=OC#start=42">Noir De Noir</a>. (More about that one in an upcoming blog post.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I really like Champaca Absolute! On first sniff I immediately thought it would have been something I would have liked to have worn to our wedding. (Which was a very perfumed affair. All my bridesmaids got a different <a href="http://trishmcevoy.com/c-115-see-all.aspx">Trish McEvoy</a> scent to match their personalities as bridesmaids gifts.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To me Champaca Absolute is very heady and lush. It contains notes of t<span style="background-color: white; color: #353535; font-size: 16px;">okaji wine, cognac, bergamot, magnolia champaca, orchid, violet, jasmine, vanilla, amber, sandalwood and marron glacé. To me the magnolia is the floral star...making it to me, not ok if you wear it above (I'll be generous) I-70, of if you are of Southern heritage. ;-) The amber,sandalwood and vanilla ground it, </span><span style="color: #353535;">keeping the fragrance from being too fleeting. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">All geographical kidding aside, this is exactly what I want to wear on a day today where the air is a little bit thicker, the magnolia trees bloom and there's sweet tea in the fridge. (Who am I kidding? There's two pitchers of sweet tea in my fridge as we speak.)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">*Currently Listening: Black Panther by Kendrick Lamar</span></div>
<br />No Disassemble Charlie No. 5http://www.blogger.com/profile/00457719072373345591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968818472907463224.post-54432007859099048672018-02-25T14:56:00.002-08:002018-02-25T14:56:59.645-08:00All You Need Is Love*Currently Wearing: <a href="https://www.bykilian.com/product/19797/50771/perfume/love-dont-be-shy/loeuvre-noire#/sku/85867">Love</a> from By Kilian<br />
*Currently Listening: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srwxJUXPHvE">Can't Buy Me Love</a> by The Beatles<br />
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I openly admit that I totally am a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srwxJUXPHvE">By Kilian</a> fan girl. I have owned several of the travel sized spray (budget y'all), I love the whole aesthetic of the brand, they use my favorite perfumer Calice Becker quite a lot. I met <a href="https://www.bykilian.com/about/kilian-perfumes">Kilian Hennesy</a> and found him to be charming and completely swoon worthy, their social media content in some of the best that I've seen and I'm budgeting in time to go to a Kilian boutique during my upcoming trip to NYC to get to full Kilian experience and I'm sure give them some of my hard earned dollars.<br />
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I first become acquainted with the Kilian brand on a trip through my local SAKS enjoying looking at things I couldn't afford. L'oeurve Noire was new and I took multiple trips back collecting samples for all nine fragrances. This is when I fell in love with my dearly beloved <a href="https://www.bykilian.com/product/19797/50773/perfume/liaisons-dangereuses-typical-me/loeuvre-noire#/sku/85889">Liaisons Dangereuses</a>. (Upon smelling it on me one New Years day, my Mother told me I smelled just like my Great Grandmother, whom I am supposed to be a carbon copy of. Naturally that fragrance and I were bonded for all time then and there.)<br />
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I also find it important to point out that Kilian now has lingerie where the lace is scented with love. He featured photos on his Instagram with his wife modeling them. Something that I found totally sweet.<br />
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After stepping away from serious sniffing for a bout 5 years. (School, school and more school. I'm still in school but decided I needed a hobby to keep me <a href="http://www.thesaurus.com/browse/sane">sane</a>. So perfume it was.)<br />
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I've started to amass samples of L'oeurve Noire again, and Love came up second. I really didn't remember it that much from before, but this time I was blown away. I tested it first on Super Bowl Sunday and liked it SO MUCH that I proclaimed if the Patriots won, I would buy a full bottle. Much to New England's disappointment and my wallet's delight, we all know how what went.<br />
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To me Love strikes a balance of sweet and sexy. In my opinions, taking intellectual prowess out of the equation, not a bad way to be. Maybe it's the Southern Belle in me. (Now after simply typing that I want to watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G93qJ1IIgkw">"Steel Magnolias"</a>.)<br />
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I think that Love smells like orange blossom and honeysuckle that have been rolled in sugar, but there is this fleshy compontant that's like this sexy little wink to me. Here is what Kilian's website had to say about Love, "Love's first innocence makes itself known with juicy honeysuckle and plush rose softly caressed by the sweetness of luscious marshmallow sugar accord, satisfying the craving pang of new love. A warm amber base lends a pulsing touch of sensuality, hinting at the possibility of soon knowing a new soul, inside and out."<br />
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O.K., so I wasn't that terribly far off.<br />
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I think the fragrance delicately balances the floral and the sweet. This is one of those fragrances that I feel very familiar with. It's almost if I knew the smell without actually smelling it. Those are few and far between.<br />
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*Photo credit: luckyscent.com<br />
*Currently Listening: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9l5L34VqzlU">Blackbird </a>by The BeatlesNo Disassemble Charlie No. 5http://www.blogger.com/profile/00457719072373345591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968818472907463224.post-66277405161523068592018-02-18T14:44:00.001-08:002018-02-18T14:44:13.109-08:00Amouage Discovery Set<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Currently Listening: "La Traviata" Act 3: Prelude by Giuseppe Verdi</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Currently Wearing: <a href="https://uk.lush.com/products/lust">Lust</a> by Lush (RIP old black bottled that I spritzed the last of this morning.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Welcome back y'all! I'm honestly blaming my absence last week on the Olympics. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. This <a href="http://www.amouage.com/women-s-sampler-set.html">discovery set </a>was a gift to me some Christmases ago from my husband. For whatever reason I spritzed a little here and there but never full bore tested the entire set. Again, life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Amouage is not necessarily what I would be drawn toward, but many I know of in my fragrance community absolutely love it, so I figured it was worth my delving into. Here's what Fragantica.com has to say on Amouage's background: "His Highness Sayyid bin Hamoud al bu Said had a dream to restore the great Arabian art of purfumery to the region. Amouage is a luxury perfume house established in Oman in 1983 by the Sultan of Oman. Amouage uses traditional for the middle east perfume ingredient such as agarwood, incense, musk, rose, and spices. . . . Almost all of the perfumes are in traditional Amouage bottles: bottles with the woman's scents recall the shape of the <a href="http://www.amouage.com/fragrance/collection/gold/gold-woman.html">Palace Ruwi Mosque (Oman)</a>; bottles with men's scents have a shape of <a href="http://www.amouage.com/fragrance/collection/gold/gold-man.html">Khanjar</a>, the traditional dagger of Oman."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">But Kathleen, musk? I thought you tried to be cruelty free. I have asked many more knoweldgable about perfumes than me, and they said in modern perfumery is mainly all synthetic music. Using actual musk is simply not cost prohibitive. With the exception of some Middle Eastern attars, which can get next level expensive. I try to live cruelty frees, I am not perfect, but I do try. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">For me in this set, there were some hits and some misses. Let's delve deeper shall we?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Gold - Upon first spritz I thought "grown up fancy lady with some powder." I could defiantly pick out the base of woods (Sandalwood and cedar wood.) The lily of the valley was very predominant. The dry down could best be characterized as woodsy and soapy. I could see myself wearing this in maybe 20 years, but it just seamed too mature for me. Luckyscent describes Gold as,"Gold Woman is a marriage of French tradition and Omani luxury that no 1903's movie, no matter how glamorous, could top." I couldn't get the emotionality out of it. I couldn't get any real feelings associated with it. I like it technically and objectively.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Reflection - A little fruity, nothing special. When we get into this price point territory, but better knock me over with how special it is. This was my least favorite as I thought is was the least special. There was something very mass marketed about it. Almost TOO delicate for my liking. Magnolia is supposed to be the main star of this perfume. This makes sense. I love a fresh off the tree magnolia blossom any day, but that does not translate in perfumery for me. The main thing I said about it was, "it's pretty".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Jubilation - I quite like the interplay of lemon and tarragon, very grounding. This literally has everything and the kitchen sink in it. My nose is not refined enough to pick everything out. Maybe it will one day, because I'm going to teach myself how to become a perfumer as a run my roadside boiled peanut stand in North Carolina during my retirement. I found the dry down to be very complex and pleasing. In my notes I wrote, "this isn't what I look for in a fragrance." Again, I like it objectively. It hard for my to wax emotively when I don't have an emotional connection to the perfume. Luckyscent calls it, "discretely sensuous and truly compelling." We have different definitions of truly compelling.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #353535;"><span style="background-color: white;">Epic - This one I really life! As evidenced by the empty spritzer vial. My nose picks up on cinnamon, tea, rose and geranium. All notes I love. Given Amouage's </span>heritage, this is what I thought more of the fragrances would lean towards. (Although it seam that they have something for every taste. Epic was inspired by Puccini's "Turnadot". There is not an opera composer I love more than Puccini. It's FATE that I loved this one. Interesting enough, this is one of the few fragrances that my husband has turned his nose up to in quite some time. Clearly his taste for drama and mine are not on the same level. This surprises NO ONE who knows us. Here's Luckyscent's take, "</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #353535;">The sensuous, honeyed and dark blend of rose, tea and geranium in the heart of Epic evokes Turandot herself, the femme fatale beauty who lured love-stuck princes to their death." See, dramatic.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #353535;">Honour - This perfume is inspired by "Madam Butterfly". I feel that the attempt is only half baked. I get the beauty from the jasmine, gardenia and tuberose. (I LOVE tuberose!) The drama is missing for me. The fragrance is quite pretty, but a little too "nice" for what it is trying to evoke. Master perfumer that I am, I would have kicked out the leather and added in oud to give it more depth and darkness. Luckyscent explains, "</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #353535;">How could it not be emotional when it's based on the story of a heroine who kills herself when the American soldier she's pined for returns to her homeland to take their child?) 'Death with honour,' proclaims the heroine before dying, 'when one can no longer live in honour.'" Again, it's pretty, but it missed the mark for me with drama.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Memoir - Again, this smells a little "mature" for what I normally go for, but I really fell for it. There are certain scent combinations that I know I just like. Cardamom, rose and leather - plus a whole host of other notes - I know I like. I had fun with this on trying to pick everything out and sometimes failing miserably. Luckyscent describes memoir as a "scent of </span>shadows". It think that is very appropriates. Certain notes lay cloaked and veiled by others. I wrote in my notes that maybe this it my perfume for when I go see "Elektra" at the Met next month. Clearly, it MUST be special and have a certain amount of refineness to be put on that short list. I image that Memoir is what a fancy tea house in the East smells like.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">There are male versions for all the above mentioned scents. I would be curious to a side by side comparison and let my husband have the spoils. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Currently listening: Overture to "Fidelio" by Ludwig van Beethoven</span><br />
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<br />No Disassemble Charlie No. 5http://www.blogger.com/profile/00457719072373345591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968818472907463224.post-83672928986242171062018-02-04T11:05:00.002-08:002018-02-04T11:11:36.453-08:00Honey Dipped Roses: Parfait de RosesCurrent Fragrance: <a href="https://www.bykilian.com/product/19797/50771/perfume/love-dont-be-shy/loeuvre-noire#/sku/85867">Love</a> by <a href="https://www.bykilian.com/">By Kilian</a><br />
Currently Watching: <a href="http://www.hallmarkchannel.com/kitten-bowl">The Kitten Bowl</a><br />
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I love rose jam. Both the <a href="https://www.lushusa.com/fragrances/body-sprays/rose-jam/07334.html">Lush version</a> and the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCWpn5Lndsg">Harry Partch version</a>. I normally wear the Lush Rose Jam body spray to work, as I consider if incredibly off brand to wear another brand's perfume to work. I quite like it. I have it in every other interaction it comes in: <a href="https://www.lushusa.com/shower/soap/ros-argan/06089.html">soap</a>, shower gel, <a href="https://www.lushusa.com/hair/shampoo-bars/jason-and-the-argan-oil/05564.html">shampoo bar</a>, <a href="https://www.lushusa.com/body/massage-bars/pearl/05569.html">massage bar</a>, <a href="https://www.lushusa.com/shower/body-conditioners/ros-argan/9999903590.html">body conditioner</a>, <a href="https://www.lushusa.com/bath/bath-bombs/rose-bombshell/06616.html">bath bomb</a> and <a href="https://www.lushusa.com/bath/bubble-bars/rose-jam/04133.html">bubble ba</a>r. I love the interplay between Turkish roses, geranium, and lemon can evoke a beautiful rose jam. I love that the body spray can get a little boozy in excess. I have to be careful that I don't get too much of a good thing so I reached out to my Facebook fragrance group and got MANY suggestions for a jammy rose.<br />
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One of the suggestions that peaqued my interest was Maison Lancome <a href="https://www.lancome-usa.com/fragrance/collection/maison-lancome-eau-de-parfum/parfait-de-roses/LAN109.html#start=7&cgid=L3_Fragrance_Women_Maison_Lancome_Eau_de_Parfum">Parfait de Roses</a>. I didn't know that Lancome's perfume had gotten "fancy". All I really knew of Lancome was <a href="https://www.lancome-usa.com/fragrance/collection/tresor">Tresor</a>. <a href="https://www.lancome-usa.com/fragrance/collection/maison-lancome-eau-de-parfum">Maison Lancome</a> "<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">has appointed some of the greatest contemporary perfumers to pay homage to Lancôme’s founder, Armand Petitjean. The result is Maison Lancôme, a new collection of fragrances that so exquisitely touch upon and carry on Petitjean’s dream, and the essence of the House itself." It was easily for my to go to Saks and get a sample to try. (I never trust a spritz in the store.) I LOVED it! It like taking a </span></span>beautiful pink rose, rolling it in honey, then a little of good mixed berry jam, and dusting it with a kiss of powder.<br />
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Parfait de Roses is a little pricey for my right now. (I love it, but I'm not in love with it.) So a full bottle is out for right now. (Plus I want to try all of Maison Lancome before I decide on a favorite. I have a sample of Oud Ambroisie in my sample quest to try.)</div>
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I was lucky enough to find someone of my Facebook group that was selling splits of Parfait de Roses so I was able to buy a 10 ml spritzer. Soon I will write a face on how to love high end fragrance on a budget. It's doable.</div>
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Parfait de Roses and light, romantically cheerful, slightly gourmand, and the key word for me - nostalgic. It's like baking something sweet in the kitchen of your childhood home with a vase a fresh cut roses sitting on the counter, and somehow the entire memory got sprinkled with baby powder. Right in my wheelhouse.</div>
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Currently Watching: STILL the Kitten Bowl</div>
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<br />No Disassemble Charlie No. 5http://www.blogger.com/profile/00457719072373345591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968818472907463224.post-6573331578790621352018-01-26T08:24:00.002-08:002018-01-26T08:24:57.786-08:00Got Me On My Knees - LailaCurrent Fragrance: <a href="https://geirness.com/">Laila</a><br />
Currently Listening: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDBnqBZA3DM">Running on Faith</a> from Eric Clapton, Unplugged<br />
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I have been on a rather intense "perfume nostalgia" kick as of late. Particularly I have been drawn to the scents I wore right around the time Hood and I got engaged and married. Laila is one of those scents. Laila, I'm pretty sure, was the scent I wore when we got engaged, but let me back up a bit.<br />
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I VIVIDLY remember the day I bought my bottle of Laila. We were working in a newly opened mall outside of Raleigh, NC and my work was 63 steps from Nordstrom. (Think I shopped there a lot?) I had a good working relation ship with one particular fragrance SA (it was fragrances and shoes....still is). I came in to see if there was anything new. I was wearing my black dressed and dress-length jacket that was trimmed in turquoise. (Don't anyone ever tell me that scent and memory aren't closely, CLOSELY linked!) She showed me Laila. Said it was inspired by the wildflowers of Norway. It was extremely pretty and somewhat chilled. Naturally I left with a bottle.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQBLhEAIsSQMFpo37iNJh619yHPfvvChtD7dszWb_gw7y-QM76fOJtsVSFog5ArA_8y7O6OxLo1qBpbiXJxgQJVM0friioNc1e2H_zRiv4Ism1dU5HWWTuAV7gQAcZ-o934cM1FOnjSUA/s1600/NorwayWildflowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="736" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQBLhEAIsSQMFpo37iNJh619yHPfvvChtD7dszWb_gw7y-QM76fOJtsVSFog5ArA_8y7O6OxLo1qBpbiXJxgQJVM0friioNc1e2H_zRiv4Ism1dU5HWWTuAV7gQAcZ-o934cM1FOnjSUA/s320/NorwayWildflowers.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
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Now onto our engagement. This is how I remember it. It has been over 15 years, and Hood might challenge me on some of the details, but the whole evening was such a fantastic blur. We had talked marriage over, what I'm remembering, was a super fancy early dinner at the Golden Corral. Later that evening, he suggested we go take a walk around campus. I hadn't really spent that much time ON campus, just around it, and thought a walk on campus would be nice. It started dragging me from point to point in a rather rapid pace, and was acting rather odd. It was when we ran into some of his <a href="https://www.sinfonia.org/">fraternity</a> brothers and he acted REALLY odd that it stuck me, "he's going to propose! OH MY GOD!" And propose he did, in front of the Old Well. Basically THE spot on Carolina's campus.<br />
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Over winter break we went back to Carolina's campus and stayed a stone's throw from the Old Well at the <a href="https://www.carolinainn.com/ppc-specials?rt=google%7Ccpc%7CCRL04-The-Carolina-Inn-Brand-15564-21441%7Ccarolina%20inn&gclid=Cj0KCQiAwKvTBRC2ARIsAL0Dgk3sxe3j0BdU3yWWMMAoF3Q-thn1Jb_qju2mUiZUEUOA3qm5JQh1CFQaAk5yEALw_wcB">Carolin Inn</a>. We took the trip to see the Tar Heel's beat Boston College, visit family, walk around campus, and very importantly eat at <a href="http://carolinabrewery.com/">Carolina Brewery</a>, <a href="http://bojangles.com/">Bojangles</a>, and <a href="http://www.kwcafeterias.biz/">K&W Cafeteria</a>. My time in North Carolina, although brief, was one of the happiest and most care free times in my life and I cherish getting to go back.<br />
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Laila is available only <a href="https://geirness.com/collections/laila-for-women">online</a> and in <a href="https://shop.nordstrom.com/c/laila-perfume">Nordstrom</a> stores, so we went back to the Nordstrom store where I purchased my bottle those 15-some years ago. One spritz and a while host of memories came flooding back. It was glorious! White flowers, wildflowers, watermelon and a bit of ice. Gier Ness did a LOVELY job with Lails! It is so innocently alluring. It is somehow simple and complex at the same time. As I'm saving for the big New York City <a href="http://www.theacc.com/standings.aspx?path=mbball">basketball</a>/<a href="https://www.aedes.com/">perfume trip</a> over Spring Break, I did not buy a bottle, but soon my pretties, soon. I did walk out with several self made sample vials to tide me over, and will say that the hand is body cream is exquisite with excellent longevity!<br />
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I think I would classify Laila as one of my all times favorites. It's just so lovely, and I have such history to it. It's not generally what I go for, as I tend to lean towards roses and gourmands. Scent is a powerful time machine and this one brings me back to a time and place that I'll always want to stay just a little while longer.<br />
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Currently Listening: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtxO1gwbHPQ">Layla</a> from Eric Clapton, UnpluggedNo Disassemble Charlie No. 5http://www.blogger.com/profile/00457719072373345591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968818472907463224.post-37296501198778356622018-01-21T11:25:00.001-08:002018-01-21T11:29:47.181-08:00Atelier Cologne - Perfume PaletteCurrently Wearing: <a href="https://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Jovan/Silky-Rose-16072.html">Silky Rose</a> by Jovan<br />
Currently Listening: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2v8YragSIuI">Point of No Return</a> by Expose<br />
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I love a good <a href="https://www.sephora.com/product/perfume-palette-P423435">perfume sampler</a>. It's a great way to try out a brand you don't know much about. I impulse bought this on in the line at Sephora for just $18. <a href="http://www.ateliercologne.com/">Atelier Cologne</a> can be a little pricey for me (although there are varying sizes and price points and the do offer a "Discovery Set" on their website for $35), so this is a really good way to see if it's worth it.<br />
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Atelier Cologne was started by Christophe Cervasel and Sylvie Ganter. Here's a bit of their story. I find it sweet:<br />
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<span style="color: #272d30; font-family: "euclidflexlight"; letter-spacing: 0.04em;">"We met for the first time in New York in 2006 and very quickly we fell in love. We discovered that we share the same passion for the legendary Eau de Cologne and that we were on the same on-going search for a Cologne of character, elegant and fresh at the same time with exceptional long lasting power.</span><br />
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Together, we decided to create the first fragrance house entirely dedicated to cologne. Our dream: to create colognes to be worn as Pure Perfumes. <span style="letter-spacing: 0.04em;">After many years in the making, our dream came true. We gave birth to a new olfactive family: the Colognes Absolues."</span></div>
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I had fun testing this one. I did one fragrance a night for 8 nights. The results are as follows...</div>
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<a href="http://www.ateliercologne.com/orange-sanguine-200-ml.html">Orange Sanguine</a>: It was described as "Bitter and fresh blood orange from Italy with sweet sandalwood." I got a very pure scent of freshly squeezed orange juice with a herbal swizzle stick. The sad thing about citrus scents is that they burn off so quickly. Orange Sanguine was fleeting.</div>
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<a href="http://www.ateliercologne.com/clementine-california-200-ml.html">Clementine California</a>: "Sunny composition built around clementine from California: fruity, green, and sweet." My nose can distinguish between many different types of citrus, but different types of oranges and clementines it cannot. To me it was a sweet citrus. Like walking though a citrus grove with a citrus and rosemary lollipop. When the citrus burns off, you are left with a bouquet of bright herbs, that I visualize being tied with raffia.</div>
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<a href="http://www.ateliercologne.com/vanille-insensee-200-ml.html">Vanille Insensée</a>: "An unexpected vanilla from Madagascar, fresh and woody." This is the only one of the lot I have smelled before, so I knew I liked it. It's comforting like a hug. Very inviting yet sophisticated. It's like a milk punch made with good Bourbon and vanilla vodka.</div>
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<a href="http://www.ateliercologne.com/cafe-tuberosa-200-ml.html">Cafe Tuberosa</a>: "An addictive espresso coffee accord blended with an elegant tuberose from India." I went MAD for this one! It's SO lovely, and unexpectedly elegant! Coffee and tuberose in equal parts. Reminds me of getting all dressed up to go to the bar at the <a href="https://www.thetajboston.com/?infinity=ict2~net~gaw~ar~218205793174~kw~taj%20boston~mt~e~cmp~Brand%20Terms%20-%20Massachusetts~ag~Exact%20-%20taj%20boston&gclid=Cj0KCQiAkZHTBRCBARIsAMbXLhFKKALEdACvx-PyIYwJjzu7ekma2_SbTJ6NZgpO-SgBQuybAF2TAd8aAo21EALw_wcB">Taj</a> (my favorite bar here in Boston) and having the perfect cup of decaf as a night cap.</div>
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<a href="http://www.ateliercologne.com/santal-carmin-200-ml.html">Santal Carmin</a>: "Sweet, creamy sandalwood from New Caledonia with a bold accent of saffron." I like it objectively, but its' nothing I would choose to wear. I think the saffron makes the sandalwood smell brighter. Not the sandalwood profile I'm used to. I want to smell this on my husband. He has 2 bottles of fragrance, I'm encroaching on 100.</div>
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<a href="http://www.ateliercologne.com/oud-saphir-200-ml.html">Oud Saphir</a>: "Dark oud from Malaysia, smoky leather and sparkling bergamot." This one may have changed my mind on our, I found it to be GLORIOUS, I couldn't stop smelling my wrsit. Very "clean". The oud is nice and not heavy-handed. Often-times oud will make my head hurt. I think the bergamot makes it. It is "sparkling". It's such a departure from what I normally wear, but tastes change and evolve. It was a nice surprise. It's the perfect blend of woody, smoky and sparkling. I can't come up with an anaolgy for it.</div>
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<a href="http://www.ateliercologne.com/mandarine-glaciale-100-ml.html">Mandarine Glaciale</a>: "An icy mandarin spiced by sweet ginger." This one way WAY too fleeting for me. Most likely my least favorite of the lot. I also wanted the ginger to be much more sharp.</div>
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<a href="http://www.ateliercologne.com/cedre-atlas-100-ml.html">Cedre Atlas</a>: "Crisp blue cedar from Morocco enveloped by amber." This one confused me greatly. In my notes, all I have is "why does this smell like my beloved Jo Malone <a href="https://www.jomalone.com/product/3589/10106/fragrances/colognes/floral/orange-blossom/orange-blossom-cologne">Orange Blossom</a>?"</div>
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So that's it. My first real post back! I think I'm going to add bottles of Cafe Tuberosa and Oud Saphir to my ever expanding full bottle wish list. I have an <a href="https://www.ormondejayne.com/">Ormonde Jayne</a> and an <a href="http://amouage/">Amouage</a> sampler to wade through, but I want to do a few single fragrance entries so I can live with things I little more and weave some better fragrance stories and analogies for you.</div>
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Until next time...OOO,</div>
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Kathleen</div>
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Currently Listening: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyYnnUcgeMc">Bootylicious</a> by Destiny's Child</div>
No Disassemble Charlie No. 5http://www.blogger.com/profile/00457719072373345591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968818472907463224.post-59354265758942681292018-01-14T13:06:00.000-08:002018-01-14T13:06:39.077-08:00So It's Been A MinuteCurrent Fragrance: Atelier Cologne's <a href="http://www.ateliercologne.com/vanille-insensee-200-ml.html">Vanille Insensee</a><br />
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Currently Listening: Carolina Hurricanes v. Calgary Flames</div>
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"I need a hobby." I thought to myself both mentally and physically exhausted from the Fall semester. Yes I have my Sunday evenings in Cambridge, but I needed something to do alone that feeds my soul. All work and no play makes Kathleen a very, VERY dull girl. As I've said before and will say over and over again, "you can't pour from an empty cup." I really do need to practice what I preach.</div>
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Over the break I had more me time, and I had special events over the holidays where I would need to "scent" myself that took my back into my collection. Then the day before the husband and I left on vacation I went to both Sephora and Saks and sniffed what I had missed. I ended up with several samples, which I'm sure I'll end up blogging about at some point, and purchased the Atlier Cologne's <a href="https://www.sephora.com/product/perfume-palette-P423435">Perfume Palette</a> for the budget friendly price of $18! I had forgotten how much enjoyed thinking about perfume on my own time, and how happy it made me.</div>
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So I thought resurrecting the blog would be a good idea. My goal is to write one entry a week. I think I can hang with that. If there comes a week that I'm too swamped, that's ok...no ones's going to die.</div>
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It is also worth noting that I've been on the project of amassing all the perfumes that I wore when Al and I were first married. This'll take awhile, but I will blog about them as I add them to the collection.</div>
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If you haven't read the ORIGINAL incarnation of NDCN5 (it was a weight loss blog for a bit), I know you must be thinking, "but Kathleen...why perfume?" Simple answer: I love perfume and it makes me really happy. I think perfume is truly a form of art. NOTHING can take me back to time and place like a scent can. Furthermore, perfume (like jewelry) doesn't care what size you are. Any while some of the perfumes I like can be pretty pricey, there are many things in my collection that I truly love that were about 12 bucks.<br />
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I remember my perfume journey very well. It started with Luv's Baby soft that I bought with saved money from my allowance, I remember getting Debbie Gibson's Electric Youth and Exclamation for Christmas when I was seven. Then when I was eight, I saved quite a bit MORE allowance money and bought Elizabeth Taylor's Passion. That's a whole lot of perfume for an eight year old girl. I didn't care. I was "fancy". </div>
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Growing up my mother wore Charlie. (More on that later.) My maternal grandmother wore Emeraude and While Shoulders and my paternal grandmother wore Chanel No. 5 and White Diamonds. See what I mean about fragrance and memory?</div>
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I am firmly a child of the 80's. In my mind, the 80's had really great everything. (Or really great everything that the brain of a 2-12 year old take in.) The blog name is an homage to both my mother's signature scent during the 80's and one of my favorite movies growing up, "Short Circuit."</div>
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So that's where we are. What you can expect is a lot of love for fragrances I truly love. I see no point in writing about things I don't like. (Unless it's discovery sets, those are never 100%.) Snarky, sass, nostalgia, the opinions of my cats, some giveaways, and maybe by reading you'll learn something about fragrances you didn't already know or find some fragrances you want to try.</div>
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Thanks for reading!</div>
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I hope you'll be back!</div>
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- Kathleen<br />
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No Disassemble Charlie No. 5http://www.blogger.com/profile/00457719072373345591noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968818472907463224.post-7833468077930965902015-08-26T09:10:00.001-07:002015-08-26T11:47:36.848-07:00M is for MotivationI put it out there on Facebook on what to write for an upcoming blog entry, and it was requested to write on Motivation. I think it's something important to talk about, as in has implications in just about every facet of life. I wrote something earlier this week for the Challenge group I'm co-leading about goal setting, and I think that the two have a whole lot in common.<br />
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I'm a big ol' nerd, so when I want to figure out anything new, I open up a book to figure out what's going on. So let's go to the dictionary:<br />
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<i>noun</i></div>
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noun: <b>motivation</b>; plural noun: <b>motivations</b></div>
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the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way.</div>
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"escape can be a strong motivation for travel"</div>
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<tr><td class="lr_dct_nyms_ttl" style="padding-right: 3px;">synonyms:</td><td><a data-ved="0CB8Q_SowAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh" href="https://www.google.com/search?biw=1261&bih=615&q=define+motive&sa=X&ved=0CB8Q_SowAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh">motive</a>, motivating force, <a data-ved="0CCAQ_SowAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh" href="https://www.google.com/search?biw=1261&bih=615&q=define+incentive&sa=X&ved=0CCAQ_SowAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh">incentive</a>, <a data-ved="0CCEQ_SowAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh" href="https://www.google.com/search?biw=1261&bih=615&q=define+stimulus&sa=X&ved=0CCEQ_SowAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh">stimulus</a>, stimulation, <a data-ved="0CCIQ_SowAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh" href="https://www.google.com/search?biw=1261&bih=615&q=define+inspiration&sa=X&ved=0CCIQ_SowAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh">inspiration</a>, <a data-ved="0CCMQ_SowAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh" href="https://www.google.com/search?biw=1261&bih=615&q=define+inducement&sa=X&ved=0CCMQ_SowAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh">inducement</a>, <a data-ved="0CCQQ_SowAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh" href="https://www.google.com/search?biw=1261&bih=615&q=define+incitement&sa=X&ved=0CCQQ_SowAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh">incitement</a>, <a data-ved="0CCUQ_SowAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh" href="https://www.google.com/search?biw=1261&bih=615&q=define+spur&sa=X&ved=0CCUQ_SowAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh">spur</a>, <a data-ved="0CCYQ_SowAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh" href="https://www.google.com/search?biw=1261&bih=615&q=define+reason&sa=X&ved=0CCYQ_SowAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh">reason</a>; <br />
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<i style="padding-right: 4px;">informal</i><a data-ved="0CCgQ_SowAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh" href="https://www.google.com/search?biw=1261&bih=615&q=define+carrot&sa=X&ved=0CCgQ_SowAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh">carrot</a> </div>
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"his motivation was financial"</div>
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the general desire or willingness of someone to do something.</div>
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"keep staff up to date and maintain interest and motivation"</div>
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<tr><td class="lr_dct_nyms_ttl" style="padding-right: 3px;">synonyms:</td><td><a data-ved="0CCkQ_SowAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh" href="https://www.google.com/search?biw=1261&bih=615&q=define+enthusiasm&sa=X&ved=0CCkQ_SowAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh">enthusiasm</a>, <a data-ved="0CCoQ_SowAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh" href="https://www.google.com/search?biw=1261&bih=615&q=define+drive&sa=X&ved=0CCoQ_SowAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh">drive</a>, <a data-ved="0CCsQ_SowAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh" href="https://www.google.com/search?biw=1261&bih=615&q=define+ambition&sa=X&ved=0CCsQ_SowAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh">ambition</a>, <a data-ved="0CCwQ_SowAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh" href="https://www.google.com/search?biw=1261&bih=615&q=define+initiative&sa=X&ved=0CCwQ_SowAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh">initiative</a>, <a data-ved="0CC0Q_SowAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh" href="https://www.google.com/search?biw=1261&bih=615&q=define+determination&sa=X&ved=0CC0Q_SowAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh">determination</a>, <a data-ved="0CC4Q_SowAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh" href="https://www.google.com/search?biw=1261&bih=615&q=define+enterprise&sa=X&ved=0CC4Q_SowAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh">enterprise</a>; <br />
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<i style="padding-right: 4px;">informal</i>get-up-and-go </div>
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"keep up the staff's motivation"</div>
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Origin</div>
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<img data-deferred="1" height="96" id="lr_dct_img_origin_motivation0" src="data:image/png;base64,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" style="border: 0; height: 96px; margin: 10px 0 12px; max-width: 100%; width: 186px;" width="186" /></div>
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late 19th century: from <a data-ved="0CDAQgCswAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh" href="https://www.google.com/search?biw=1261&bih=615&q=define+motive&sa=X&ved=0CDAQgCswAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh">motive</a>, reinforced by <a data-ved="0CDEQgCswAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh" href="https://www.google.com/search?biw=1261&bih=615&q=define+motivate&sa=X&ved=0CDEQgCswAGoVChMI_snb_YnHxwIVhjM-Ch0bygLh">motivate</a>.<br />
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I read that and distill it to one simple thing, "the why." I want to loose weight, but why? I want to become a nurse, but why? I want a million dollars, but why? I want a puppy/a second cat, but why? (These are all from my own life.) None of those things are ever, EVER going to come to a fruition if you can't come up with a real and relateable. Notice I say real and relateable. I say this because "because I want to," and "just 'cause." are cop-outs. If you can't think of anything any better than "because I want to" and "just 'cause," then you haven't put in enough time and energy into thinking about your potential life changes. I'm going to venture to guess, that at this stage, they just aren't going to work out. </div>
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If motivation is the "why", then goals are the "how". Now I can, and pretty much have, written a whole post on setting goals, so I don't want to post too much about them. I will point out this: they are your road map. You will get nowhere very quickly. Make them specific and attainable and WRITE THEM DOWN. (Like with a pen or paper.)</div>
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You're motivated to start, you've got your goals and you're off to the races. Everything is going great, and then the breaks are quickly applied. SHIT! What just happened? Where'd my motivation go? Before you throw in the towel and quit realize this: anything worth attaining is not going to feel comfortable all the time, you're not always going to feel good and happy go lucky. That's just life. Life's tough. Changing yourself is even tougher. In this instance think of yourself as iron walking through the fire, it's only going to make you stronger, and that's where the real change takes place.</div>
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This is just the way it is. There's no panacea for loss of motivation and plateaus other than gritting your teeth and knowing that if you stick to your plan you WILL reach your goals, no matter how long it takes. Remember it's not magic. It's hard work. Also, there's this....I always, ALWAYS watch this any time I'm feeling suck:</div>
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There are also things that we can do to help us along there way. There are two that work for me. One is my weightloss rewards. (I like stuff. More specifically, I like pretty jewelry). Every 5 pounds I lose, I buy myself something that will work within my budget. For me this stems from ending the cycle of rewarding myself with food every time something went right in my life.</div>
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The second thing is music. It almost drives me to tears thinking about what a run would be like without my Running Playlist. Going every fifth song it contains: Eminem, Fort Minor, MIA, Kanye & Jay-Z, Foo Fighters, Beyonce, RuPaul, Van Halen, Blackcherry, Macklemore, and Miranda Lambert. Pretty diverse. This taps into all the music that gets my brain, heart, and the athlete in me going. I also, honestly, listen to this type of music most of the time on my commute so I can come across as the best version of myself when I'm around the general public. Let's face it, the not so good versions of myself are no picnic. </div>
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Big take away. Find your "why" and don't let it go. No matter what happens. That's going to get you going and keep you going. Also remember, that why is going to come from the deepest places of your soul. Don't be scared, that's where all the good stuff is kept!</div>
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No Disassemble Charlie No. 5http://www.blogger.com/profile/00457719072373345591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968818472907463224.post-31140799199075602692015-08-05T15:08:00.001-07:002015-08-05T15:08:49.742-07:00Metaphorical Carrots...the 60 lb edition...yet again!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii2qu6YOmdlbcGdYK1p3tl5OVLCvCBX7_Xdi1XH-ha2hnoNMDFVCXTTYXPfrCxQXSq9Q5BlHMjwPEOgqPyfyZtPJI2V2jDLziNt-x5ltiDwIE-kfoik_EY9LUGPe6ygBFKHOS3UksnzwU/s1600/derpiest-ermahgerd-bunny-carrots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii2qu6YOmdlbcGdYK1p3tl5OVLCvCBX7_Xdi1XH-ha2hnoNMDFVCXTTYXPfrCxQXSq9Q5BlHMjwPEOgqPyfyZtPJI2V2jDLziNt-x5ltiDwIE-kfoik_EY9LUGPe6ygBFKHOS3UksnzwU/s320/derpiest-ermahgerd-bunny-carrots.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
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Let me review the rules! Every 5 pounds lost, I reward myself with a little something, and every 10 pounds lost I reward myself with something a little bigger. (Sometimes I do have to shift this a budgets dictate. Normally I've found that these rewards come in the way of jewelry and I can wear them as a constant reminder of what I've accomplished. That, and I really like jewelry...a lot!<br />
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As you may or may not know, I am back down to 60 pounds lost. This is a significant milestone as that puts me HALF WAY to my goal weight. We have been here before, however. Last time I bought a beautiful moonstone ring from <a href="http://www.sikara.com/">Sikara</a>.<br />
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Many times I have something in mind as to what I'm working for. I've got my eyes on <a href="https://www.minnetonkamoccasin.com/women/styles/moccasins/me-to-we-moc/">these moccasins</a>, but its just way too hot. Maybe at 70 pounds.<br />
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I had my last weigh in on Saturday, with plans to go to the <a href="http://sowasundays.com/">SoWa Market </a>on Sunday. PERFECT! I'll find something there. I went with my friend Mike - I can't think of a clever nickname for him - plus, there are about eleventy billion Mike's in the world...so...Mike it is. I was looking for a particular booth that belongs to a gentleman who sells jewelry from around the world, but he wasn't there. =( We did a lap, and I stopped and checked out just about all of the booths that sells jewelry. I cam back to, and settled on these....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbtxzPZsmCrUVBP03uCDWw2I9YQeZ6DgniEonbh-M609zYA1bZNXnv3IJui2_prB-AWLTXUIp5SxnkSX-2OdFueE_QMpIuf83cyR7xJpRYpCG7CT_TNU96XbOCHB2Qxz3pieZq4qVXY9A/s1600/60lbearrings.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbtxzPZsmCrUVBP03uCDWw2I9YQeZ6DgniEonbh-M609zYA1bZNXnv3IJui2_prB-AWLTXUIp5SxnkSX-2OdFueE_QMpIuf83cyR7xJpRYpCG7CT_TNU96XbOCHB2Qxz3pieZq4qVXY9A/s320/60lbearrings.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I got them from from <a href="http://www.mprintjewelry.com/">MPrint Jewelry</a> out of Portland Maine. They are cast from vintage coins from The Netherlands. Very, very cool in my opinion! I enjoyed wearing them to work yesterday, and they for sure will make it into my earring rotation.<br />
<br />
Stay tuned for the next "carrot update" in 5 pounds.<br />
<br />
OOO,<br />
Kathleen<br />
No Disassemble Charlie No. 5http://www.blogger.com/profile/00457719072373345591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968818472907463224.post-45620377442322588562015-07-27T14:05:00.000-07:002015-07-27T14:05:09.070-07:00Not as Scary as You Think...If I was going to subtitled this blog entry, it would be "Slow Runner", but the real point is "Not as Scary as You Think."<br />
<br />
I am, in fact, a slow runner. There I said it. To be completely honest, sometimes it bothers me, sometimes it doesn't. I'm human. I have insecurities. Where the growth in life comes is what I chose to do with those insecurities. I choose to push through them, and not let them consume me. Again, one of those life keys....consumption. Not everything in life is going to feel all sunshine and rainbows. That's just not feasible, and quite honestly it reminds me of <a href="http://giphy.com/gifs/film-nicole-kidman-YvVJATyEJ4tfW/tile">Stepford Wives</a>, and THAT scares the everliving shit out of me.<br />
<br />
When I started getting back into fitness and watching what I ate, and loosing weight again, I noticed that my run times were significantly slower. It was weighing on my mind a little, but I was doing a pretty good job of not letting it weigh on me. Then I realized WHY my running was slower: the last time I was REALLY running, I was 30 pounds lighter. I'm dragging an extra 30 pounds with me as I run. Now, I've made peace with the fact with I've gained thirty pounds back from my lowest weight and am still able to run up to 5k, and am ready to start running beyond on my way to 10k. While gaining 30 lbs back is a setback, there is a big triumph that is coming out of it that I can be very proud of. Success is not linear. Big life lesson in that one.<br />
<br />
I never wanted to be a runner. I remember running the mile in elementary school and always being one of the LAST to finish. I was HUMILIATED. I HATED it. That hatred stuck with me. I thought running had to be the most absolutely STUPID way to achieve physical fitness. ZERO cells in my body got it, ZERO. I MOCKED runners. Then one morning I woke up and decided, "I'm going to become a runner." There was no real be conversation that I had with myself, or anything big that happened that made me decide that this was a good idea. If you know me really well, you know these "mighty pronouncements" are pretty much how I roll when it comes to these sorts of things, and a majority of the time, they always turn out well.<br />
<br />
How does one become a runner? Duh! BY RUNNING! However I needed three things first 1) permission, 2) a goal and 3) a plan. By permission, I'm talking my physicians permission. I had already been swimming at that point, but I wanted to make sure that at my weight my joints could take it. Her answer was "good for you", and yes, just train smart. OK, goal....I found a 5k on <a href="http://www.bostonharborcruises.com/harbor-islands/?gclid=Cj0KEQjwrdetBRCJg92s44SB77IBEiQAEIWmVfj3evACv2G_s2eZ-Tc1skOIEDB74Wd-Zehu9aUxALcaAv3h8P8HAQ">Spectacle Island</a> that would happen in enough time to train. Now plan.....I had heard about Couch to 5k....downloaded it....checked it out....that looks reasonable. So I was all set. Time to start running....right?<br />
<br />
Eh...not so fast. I was TERRIFIED going on that first run. TERRIFIED. I don't know what I was so concerned about. Was it that I physically unable to do it? That people would make fun of me? Probably a little bit of both. I very vividly remember telling my coworker that if I was not back in 40 minutes to come to the Public Garden and look for me. I was dead serious. But guess what? I did not die, and no one pointed and laughed at me. YES!!!! I concurred one thing that thought I would NEVER do, and I was SO PROUD of myself. It was not as scary as I thought. I was hooked.<br />
<br />
Now I venture to guess that no matter how much weight I lose, I will never be a "fast" runner. (Whatever that means.) My time will improve with more running and weight lost...I've proven that before and look forward to that happening again. Maybe it just goes with my personality, but I can withstand just about anything for a specified period of time just as long as I know when it's going to end. To me, 10k is a MAJOR distance and I can't wait to get their again. According to my plan, it'll happen in 70 days. I doubt that I'll ever run a 1/2 of full marathon...but never say never.<br />
As much as I love how running makes me feel, one little quirk about me is that initial mile. I BLOODY HATE IT!!!! It starts pretty much 30 seconds in, "what the f%ck are you doing? Why the hell are you doing this!?!?" It continues for an entire mile, and then it miraculously vanished. I've learned to laugh at it, because the negative chatter is so blatantly indignant...I just have to.<br />
<br />
But once I just past of that I do some of my best thinking, enjoy spending time in nature while still being INSIDE the city, listen to the sound of my own breathing, and be proud of every single bead of sweat. Running is how I mediate. I've tried traditional meditation. I can't sit still that long. I really think running makes me a nicer person. Lord knows I work a good part of that aggression through the music I choose to listen to.<br />
<br />
So what can this mean for you? Start running? Maybe. Only if it feel right for you. That's a gut thing. I totally believe in and trust my own gut feelings and think everyone should be more in touch with those things. I think you should, however, do something that scares you and you don't think you can do. You'll probably end up surprising yourself. Remember that success is not NOT linear. Real growth comes from dealing with your insecurities. While life is not always sunshine and rainbows, the Oracle that is Dolly Parton did impart on us that "The way [she sees] it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain." That's a lot of wisdom that I've gained by putting one foot in front of the other and just keep running.No Disassemble Charlie No. 5http://www.blogger.com/profile/00457719072373345591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968818472907463224.post-60809550227752025322015-07-15T10:57:00.001-07:002015-07-15T10:57:06.227-07:00Back At It!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<br />
I'm back! (And wow, has it been awhile!) It honestly took me a little while to remember how to do a post in Blogger! I've been back on the weight loss train for about 3.5 weeks now, and in that 3.5 weeks I've been from running 1.5 miles to 5k and have lost right at 5 lbs. (I had a little gain this week). I have to tell you it feels great to be back at things and to be successful! I really did miss the accomplishment I felt by watching the lbs. tick away and watch myself achieve my fitness goals.<br />
<br />
Speaking of my goals...what are they? Well, 1) I'm 65 lbs away from my goal weight (a number that is flexible) and 2) to FINALLY crush that competitive 10k. (Many thanks to Pretty Pretty Princess for agreeing to run that with me!)<br />
<br />
Speaking of goal...you all know I do the weight loss reward thing: small things for stopping on a 5, bigger things for stopping on the 0. For this last 5 reward I got myself an Antique Kochi ring from Afghanistan at the <a href="http://newenglandopenmarkets.com/">SoWa Market</a>. Pretty!<br />
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<br />
I should make a point of saying that getting back on track wasn't easy. I had been trying to for several months with zero success. (I did run that one time while I was in Texas for three weeks.) It took my boss having a 4 week fitness challenge that made ALL the difference for me, so thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! I think the biggest takeaways I had from that was 1) follow the 80/20 rule - eat 80% of things that are good for you and you can have 20% of those things no so good for you, and 2) read 10 pages a day of a book that could benefit you as a person. Just 10 pages. That's easy, right?<br />
<br />
No new super exciting narriative to report. Just that I'm back at it and really proud of myself. It would be easy for me to get wrapped up in why I didn't stay on the wagon, but I think that's just silly. Forward. That's the only way to go.<br />
<br />
I had forgotten how much better eating well and working out made me feel. There's some pretty substantial change going on in my life, and I shudder to think how I'd be navigating it if I weren't taking care of myself.<br />
<br />
More soon!<br />
<br />
OOO,<br />
Kathleen<br />
<br />
<br />No Disassemble Charlie No. 5http://www.blogger.com/profile/00457719072373345591noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968818472907463224.post-39414482639558742522014-06-16T15:31:00.001-07:002014-06-16T15:31:39.850-07:00Is That A Canyon On My Forehead? I'm back! Yay! I shouldn't have been gone for so long, but I was....aaaaaand enough with the pleasantries.<br />
<br />
I'm in my mid 30's. There I said it. Later this year I will be in the front side of my later 30's. HOLY BLEEP!<br />
<br />
I don't feel my age...whatever that means, I don't think I LOOK my age, whatever that means (more on that later). <br />
<br />
I spend the majority of my time - like the rest of the world (you know what I mean) does at work. I work with a people who are mostly quite a bit younger than I. While I love their youthful exuberance, seemingly endless stores of collagen....wait, I'm starting to sound bitter, I don't mean that. I do truly like them...a lot. We're just in different places. I'm in the place where I have canyon's on my forehead. They're not<br />
<br />
Let me explain.<br />
<br />
I'm boycotting the mirrors at Sephora.<br />
<br />
Let me explain more.<br />
<br />
After I got off work today I had a perfectly beautiful and sunny Monday afternoon to myself. I took myself to get a slice..ok two...of pizza and a tasty fermented apple beverage and then to Sephora to pick up some <a href="http://www.sephora.com/melted-liquified-long-wear-lipstick-P386033?skuId=1603976">new lip color </a>said young friends had told me about. I haven't never met a red lipstick I don't like, and w/ the promise of being long lasting and shiny...I was IN!<br />
<br />
While I was there, I decided to try on all the other colors this particular lip color came in. I've never liked makeup mirrors in retail stores. I feel like they make me look green and uneven. So, when I'm trying on makeup there, I take special care. I TOOK special care. Right up to the moment where I liked I color, backed up to see it in context and BOOM....<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0TDlTy_V7yOgT9KxTLlxR0SLg8MS1ohy8lpm2qqxuRg4sI8VOsUTSg2rmMQdX-si4QCcKXGEmFa3f6lNj9dGR1atStCuAfYn4UjZfpT-LlvTs29FXLOaPqX7BTMGE_80qX-mAapRVQxU/s1600/canyon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0TDlTy_V7yOgT9KxTLlxR0SLg8MS1ohy8lpm2qqxuRg4sI8VOsUTSg2rmMQdX-si4QCcKXGEmFa3f6lNj9dGR1atStCuAfYn4UjZfpT-LlvTs29FXLOaPqX7BTMGE_80qX-mAapRVQxU/s1600/canyon.jpg" height="400" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CANYONS!!!!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
ALL OVER MY FOREHEAD!<br />
<br />
CANYON!!!!<br />
<br />
WHAT?<br />
<br />
THE??<br />
<br />
FUCK!?!?!?!?<br />
<br />
I'm sure the Griswold's are going to be coming by my forehead any second now....<br />
<br />
So what do I do? I do the mature thing.... look at my forehead in EVERY SINGLE MIRROR in Sephora in the most nonchalant manner possible. Then when I get home...? Stare at myself in a mirror in the bath room for a REALLY LONG TIME.<br />
<br />
As I stare, I start to realize....they're not canyons. They're "worry lines". FUCK. I worried my way through my teens and twenties, and then I hit my 30's and am FINALLY living my life free from stifling worry, and what to I get? WORRY LINES, like some screwed up tattoo I got with magical delayed ink. Guess all sins are never absolved. Personal evolution can only take you so far. I would find all of this "ha ha ironic" IF IT WEREN'T ON MY FACE!<br />
<br />
Sigh.<br />
<br />
To acompany the canyons - worry lines...whatever, are boulders. The boulders are my makeup that get in the canyons and makes them look 10x worse than they already are. So what? Quit wearing makeup? Ha...no. Not going to happen. So we must build a better mouse trap.<br />
<br />
I do the logical thing, google "makeup tips for women in their 30's". Really interwebs!?!??! Really!??! Give me some tips better than not to be fushia lipstick or bright blue eyeliner.<br />
<br />
I'm kinda set in my ways when I comes to makeup. I've been using the same types of products for a very long time now, but just tweaking the colors.<br />
<br />
Perhaps I should go to someone that get PAID to do this. Maybe all I need is a primer. Just to fill in the canyons, but not color them. I don't know....<br />
<br />
Now I'm self conscious.<br />
<br />
I pride myself that I don't act old or boring or old and boring. This is the first real signs of aging I've noticed. OK, that's a lie...it was the grey hairs, but that's so easy to cover up.<br />
<br />
All the other people my age that I'm regularly around are men. They get better looking with age. It's not like women get uglier, but I feel that societally we devalue a little. I hate myself a little for even typing that, but it's true. At least that's what the world at large tells us.<br />
<br />
I'm in a better version of my body than I was in my 20's. Hell probably since I was since I was 19. I want to feel fetching and sexy and youthful. I know it's all in my mind. But right now all that's on my mind are these damned canyons.<br />
<br />
I want to age gracefully. But if I do, when why are lines on my forehead sending me into a little mental free fall.<br />
<br />
Maybe I need a complete mental overhaul about how I view aging.<br />
<br />
Or maybe I just need a tube of primer.No Disassemble Charlie No. 5http://www.blogger.com/profile/00457719072373345591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968818472907463224.post-79172688030028248312014-01-07T13:36:00.000-08:002014-01-07T13:36:04.551-08:00Time for Healthy(ier) Food Choices I know, I know...this is craziness. It's the 7th of the month and this
is pretty much my third post for the year. In all seriousness, I've got
some time on my hands between days off, snow days, and having a 24 hour
bug....so lucky y'all...y'all get a lot of me. Please try and keep your
cheering to a minimum.<br />
<br />
If 2013 was all about getting
my exercise groove on, 2014 shall be about making healthy(ier) food
choices. What brought this on, you ask? I think that it was a over dose
of rich holiday foods, coupled with stress eating while preparing for my
final. (I didn't go hog wild, I still managed to loose a little bit.) I
just went into 2014 feeling sluggish, bloated, weighed down, a bit
emotionally down, and more anxiety than normally experience.<br />
<br />
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<br />
Time to cut out some of the crap. Notice I said SOME of the crap? It goes right back into my <a href="http://nscharlieno5.blogspot.com/2014/01/there-is-no-right-only-what-works.html">previous post</a>.
Now not only will I be eating less, I'll be eating MORE quality. I look
at it this way: I'm not making this adjustment with the PRIMARY thought
of losing weight - I've already proven that I can lose weight the way I
was doing things - but to be healthier; and if you look at my reasons
for wanting to lose weight, not dying unnecessarily young was one of the
big two. I'm going to go ahead and draw a correlation between eating
healthier and not dying. Makes sense, right?<br />
<br />
How do I
plan to go about doing this? First big one: continue the moderation
thing. If I try to cut out everything, I WILL BINGE AND FALL TO PIECES.
Know thyself.<br />
<br />
I have to be mindful as not to go whole
hog and make all these healthy food chances. My husband should be
allowed to eat what he wants to eat. Just because I'm doing this doesn't
mean he has to do this. This is not how our marriage works. <br />
<br />
Here's
my plan. It's my goal to focus on two major elements: cut back on
caffeine and healthy snacks (that can also be mini meals for work and
class days). Thus leaving dinner time for more wiggle room. GENIUS!!!!<br />
<br />
Caffeine,
particularly cokes is my Achilles heal. I figured it was playing into
three health issues I'd been having recently and was told to cut back
on: 1) heartburn, 2) digestive issues as a result of having my gall
bladder removed and 3) anxiety. I won't cut out all caffeine, but I will
cut WAY back. Yesterday I brewed some iced green tea - I know there's
still caffeine in there, but there's a lot less than what I normally
drink...<a href="http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/health-benefits-of-green-tea">plus you can't ignore the health benefits</a> - tomorrow I plan on taking a trip to <a href="http://www.davidstea.com/herbal-tea">David's Tea</a> to get some nice fruity herbal options, and also reacquaint myself with the <a href="http://www.polarbev.com/PRODUCTS/Seltzers/tabid/59/Default.aspx">Polar Seltzers.</a> That's my caffeine cut back plan. <br />
<br />
As for healthy snacks, I was very <a href="http://m.skinnyms.com/50-clean-eating-snacks/">inspired by this list</a>.
My plan is to go down the list from top to bottom, three a week. I'll
skip anything that is too complicated to make easily and quickly, as
well as those that I know I just won't like. These snacks can also
double as small meals for me to eat at work or something quick and
portable that I can eat right before my class. I'm taking A&amp;P
this semester, BTW.<br />
<br />
So that's the healthy eating plan
for 2014. Have any of you made changes like this, lovely readers? If
so...how did it work out for you? Anyone with these changes on the
horizon? If so...how can we help keep one another motivated?No Disassemble Charlie No. 5http://www.blogger.com/profile/00457719072373345591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968818472907463224.post-53306337248610040022014-01-03T14:57:00.001-08:002014-01-03T15:42:20.523-08:00There Is No Right, Only What WorksTwo days off blissfully doing nothing but sleep, eat, watch TV and run (OK, maybe drink champagne), added to two days of snow days, equals quite the case of cabin fever....this particular brand of cabin fever has me feeling a bit preachy.<br />
<br />
It's the beginning of the year, and I'd venture to guess that close to 90% of the public's New Year's Resolution is to lose-weight-get-healthier-exercise-more or something of the like. Listen to me and listen to me closely: THERE IS NO ONE RIGHT WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT, and if they insist upon it....THEY ARE FULL OF CRAP!!!!!<br />
<br />
Find what the motivation for what makes you want to lose weight and then tailor your approach around that. For ME it was to not die unnecessarily young and fit into designer clothes. Those two things together have given me this meta game plan...well, part 1.....<br />
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<br />
For me, it really is that simple. Now...there's some other things that come into play like: find an exercise that you really love (swimming), how about tackling something that scares you (running), setting in public fitness events (5ks and Swim Across America), reward yourself (I'm super good at that! <a href="http://www.alexandani.com/bangles/jet-flapper-bracelet.html">Here's what I've picked out for my 80lb. reward, come on pay day!</a>), and make yourself accountable (I choose to use the LoseIt app and log all my food - yes, it does get exhausting and tedious, but it works for me.)<br />
<br />
Also, there is no super food that's going to cure all your health problems...conversely, there is no one demon food that's going to kill you just for eating it (given you don't have some wicked allergies). So this I say...meta part 2...<br />
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Some days you just need to eat the steak, and the cake, and drink the champagne. Life's meant to be lived, not to be deprived. OK, my life. I can't say this will work for you, maybe it will...maybe it won't. Give it a try. I believe this type of control can be exercises in OTHER areas of our life...and we enjoy being a bit out there, but there are consequences that will later be paid.<br />
<br />
Let me add one more thing in there.....<br />
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Yes, I know that I have the ability to lose 5 pounds in a week, but I also know that that's a REALLY GOOD WEEK! It won't happen every week, and the more you lose...the harder it gets. That's been my truth. I spent the entire month of December yo-yoing up and down 5 pounds and then losing an addition three, but more on that later.<br />
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Realize that your way is not the only way. I would venture to guess that if someone who was my weight and height ate the same exact things I did and did the same workouts I did over a set period of time, we'd still lose different amounts of weight. Why? Simple. We're different people. Our metabolisms, our body chemistry, our jobs, our lifestyles....all different. We are all unique snowflakes.<br />
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That in mind, when talking about weight loss, be humble...be kind. You never know who is reading, and how it may being affecting them. Kindness. Totally under-rated human trait.<br />
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Don't be a door mat though, and sell yourself short. Be proud of what you've done. Be fucking proud. It's HARD work....both physically, and (what a LOT of people don't realize) mentally as well as emotionally. Shout your successes from the rooftop. Just do so mindfully.<br />
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I hope this blog entry serves some good to you if you're on a weight loss journey, just thinking about starting one or simply observing/cheering on someone who is. More than anything, I needed to write this entry for myself. As I said before, December was HARD. Between the EXTREME stress of a final exam in FOREVER (yes, the extreme needed to be in all caps - if you know me, know me...you knew how stressed I was), working retail at Christmastime, and holiday food...swimming 5 times and running I think 3....I somehow, SOME WAY ended up with a net loss. It was my smallest net loss since November 2012, but it was a net loss nonetheless.<br />
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I'm 20 pounds from losing 100 pounds (<a href="http://vitafede.com/shopping/vitafede-bracelets/Mini-Titan-clear-quartz-stone-bracelet">already got a great celebratory bauble picked out</a>) and 40 pounds from reaching my initial weight loss goal. I'm feeling a great bit of not disbelief, more like awe that I'm a mere 20 pounds away from losing 100. I want to make a list of 100 things that happened/didn't happen because I was so over weight and post them on the day I loose 100 pounds, and then have a list of 100 new opportunities that I have FROM losing the weight the next day.<br />
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Each pound isn't simply a pound, they MEAN something.<br />
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New year = new goals. (I hate resolutions.) Here are my new goals....<br />
1) Swim two miles continually<br />
2) Compete in a 10k<br />
3) Compete in some sort of Triathlon (indoors counts)<br />
4) Curb my anxiety<br />
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So, lovely readers, what weight loss adages have worked for you? What are your health/life goals for the new year? Share for me in the comments..No Disassemble Charlie No. 5http://www.blogger.com/profile/00457719072373345591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968818472907463224.post-62726043899162011262013-12-31T11:34:00.000-08:002013-12-31T11:34:44.882-08:002013: A Year in Pictures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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What a year 2013 was in my life! It was a year of great personal growth and change, yet was not without its dark times and trials. I'm not feeling very verbal today, and since a picture - they say - it worth 1,000 words...here's about 80,000! Enjoy my 2013 in pictures! You may just find yourself included.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZz6yd1Sla9SsKogULrqZ7SmhvMatfXJR2gYjVVxh9Mlo-2YSvzxYLg3igf5Lo13kdiMqdX0Gxzr7vk9Qr-1MAq5UhYKcZw5vfKF1zipyAd7bRIystSGKWWXY-Ct3BRY-SiOeP_TbNOx4/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZz6yd1Sla9SsKogULrqZ7SmhvMatfXJR2gYjVVxh9Mlo-2YSvzxYLg3igf5Lo13kdiMqdX0Gxzr7vk9Qr-1MAq5UhYKcZw5vfKF1zipyAd7bRIystSGKWWXY-Ct3BRY-SiOeP_TbNOx4/s320/1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Started the year off right with my favorite champagne</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihiHmewGGAhszM1-vy5USIwg-_fhT9jCPVKUsKtHC92KEWKwhxZ9rRSu6xVJbRay1y9YFtYT4DFyUzWNpcDz14OOp82qFKXHcdrUnFyQvmw6kBIXkC7c69bWg7YO504yGoXN0l07TqGK0/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihiHmewGGAhszM1-vy5USIwg-_fhT9jCPVKUsKtHC92KEWKwhxZ9rRSu6xVJbRay1y9YFtYT4DFyUzWNpcDz14OOp82qFKXHcdrUnFyQvmw6kBIXkC7c69bWg7YO504yGoXN0l07TqGK0/s320/2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early year trip to the Berkshires</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFyohpmFGBNcQk2wUV8XEfyO0LdVgb8mcwLklFo4Brdy1__w0vlFxuIqFzGFABSurnJJZFbQjc7SFZMuxAHoyU3KFQWJLDSbwKim4UxwxEG4aD7bkxpPgc9enOnnl7qjIM0ovkAzyKUMM/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFyohpmFGBNcQk2wUV8XEfyO0LdVgb8mcwLklFo4Brdy1__w0vlFxuIqFzGFABSurnJJZFbQjc7SFZMuxAHoyU3KFQWJLDSbwKim4UxwxEG4aD7bkxpPgc9enOnnl7qjIM0ovkAzyKUMM/s320/3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I completed a cleanse to kick-start my weight loss, and rewarded myself with this Alex & Ani Path of Life bangle</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWS6y2cIh5WZFZmhs3zJIxE0HZX3jV3tAru9DMSjSVJUtnNJS39644XhhHRwI_3hUcjMGBY3vaBCyuZrmDzXkObzkwNQ1PuTpIAmvfulE0ATrQaDPUNcipqOvc5QcFOlu50vexrBJk2eE/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWS6y2cIh5WZFZmhs3zJIxE0HZX3jV3tAru9DMSjSVJUtnNJS39644XhhHRwI_3hUcjMGBY3vaBCyuZrmDzXkObzkwNQ1PuTpIAmvfulE0ATrQaDPUNcipqOvc5QcFOlu50vexrBJk2eE/s320/4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Decided to reward myself every 5 & 10 lbs. lost, these Kendra Scott earrings are an example</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeMKknud5VNa9CGguywcSJ1DNWvICkk4H0LIpOYa8NSCTswXZVFFpGESvRP3ZV3WRKTs2yAO6Ku_Uf9Sl8C4fj0W8xVz5Xoz-Hxi3qD1ohbmAmkPH3Nxv3g6biVWW0ywK4wMfbnD7gIF8/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeMKknud5VNa9CGguywcSJ1DNWvICkk4H0LIpOYa8NSCTswXZVFFpGESvRP3ZV3WRKTs2yAO6Ku_Uf9Sl8C4fj0W8xVz5Xoz-Hxi3qD1ohbmAmkPH3Nxv3g6biVWW0ywK4wMfbnD7gIF8/s320/5.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winter storm Nemo. BTW - I think naming winter storms is LAME</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiSPMyvDopc_8VWYzmuaHSrHHGeBpsctG4AZqL8iQKYO8i1sqVmZ1a4KzVpr2G9V4xfdwApKCoEO-wWfy-J9IdAqP52KWl55Pu9ALRYf4IVgKr1Jg1xIDGgp-HFRXe5O9vUHHVjugmaso/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiSPMyvDopc_8VWYzmuaHSrHHGeBpsctG4AZqL8iQKYO8i1sqVmZ1a4KzVpr2G9V4xfdwApKCoEO-wWfy-J9IdAqP52KWl55Pu9ALRYf4IVgKr1Jg1xIDGgp-HFRXe5O9vUHHVjugmaso/s320/6.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For awhile, my favorite morning OJ gave me positive affirmations</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOVcEAE4HKLMSJDouBmg-opbZlfVmGfj-TxwURyzObuhl3fzhtNFm8BGsEGW2OwTvXCya1M4941kZWiNGpMinvC9pAjuWUg-DDGmPlWvlIR36Ka-_T0t8JDi3eigt0AAbva9hid8CwxIQ/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOVcEAE4HKLMSJDouBmg-opbZlfVmGfj-TxwURyzObuhl3fzhtNFm8BGsEGW2OwTvXCya1M4941kZWiNGpMinvC9pAjuWUg-DDGmPlWvlIR36Ka-_T0t8JDi3eigt0AAbva9hid8CwxIQ/s320/7.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Al and I perfected the art of at home margaritas</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD5vLPxF-IDUU9ZIXntd88VumBD9NX0IMjsCAf2KXSD5xWvbIbNgo8RwMwMj7YxH2Acqz-gDgqiVwfyi9Qt09vAeGQJm2mhEdA2vBtbKngkBUVyFEzSRpYPReHScW2rtKvqvYGxVf9txg/s1600/8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD5vLPxF-IDUU9ZIXntd88VumBD9NX0IMjsCAf2KXSD5xWvbIbNgo8RwMwMj7YxH2Acqz-gDgqiVwfyi9Qt09vAeGQJm2mhEdA2vBtbKngkBUVyFEzSRpYPReHScW2rtKvqvYGxVf9txg/s320/8.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joined a gym and got to working out</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlJl8b-bZ5ncF2DwRfGOwsUuYJGQgXT7r8nYbW_tQnfLB4J1rvDhXlLxW2mLnhe-o6Jq1t-Eb6_7iNFO9E8OA7WEzJHqzEfZHaK8klaC6p9TTNqwxkbnMzthwlqVAkmhK_HkhuYuDSCE/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlJl8b-bZ5ncF2DwRfGOwsUuYJGQgXT7r8nYbW_tQnfLB4J1rvDhXlLxW2mLnhe-o6Jq1t-Eb6_7iNFO9E8OA7WEzJHqzEfZHaK8klaC6p9TTNqwxkbnMzthwlqVAkmhK_HkhuYuDSCE/s320/9.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Started to see a real transformation in my body and documenting it</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBbwe_3YJF0d_YHJCetXrHWcPd8rztjC1L59VfrPf3YN1kOgC2z4iIc4KJbFUkoRzfIkgZDymp9VBqlqKRlJn3A4bomzIx3bs1LaQ7y4zuJnbZoHjpkvtX8toFuudIHhJVhBtZw0xUWGQ/s1600/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBbwe_3YJF0d_YHJCetXrHWcPd8rztjC1L59VfrPf3YN1kOgC2z4iIc4KJbFUkoRzfIkgZDymp9VBqlqKRlJn3A4bomzIx3bs1LaQ7y4zuJnbZoHjpkvtX8toFuudIHhJVhBtZw0xUWGQ/s320/10.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Much smaller size leggings, MUCH bigger victory</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxllDxKFUPFxfYDB-B8AHQp8fbROusKsxVBteZwKcFASEhbGrBujRNiUhJX0N6Cy_xut5-lqRd4iuUEiMSlpEl26DRa3i5o8xoWRK46KHcyf2vP0WfFumcwdBRSdANE-1LmR9jc0V6QM8/s1600/12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxllDxKFUPFxfYDB-B8AHQp8fbROusKsxVBteZwKcFASEhbGrBujRNiUhJX0N6Cy_xut5-lqRd4iuUEiMSlpEl26DRa3i5o8xoWRK46KHcyf2vP0WfFumcwdBRSdANE-1LmR9jc0V6QM8/s320/12.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I enjoyed a lot of oysters</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2a4jv-_-xUKjAV9yeJcxGjyVxsz7PZ8sRBh7YMvewEPqfJV_-N9qXChKYXhps2mINSv3v6wKNut-Z37syVAs2uJWiBPRs9DUV6owzSbFeymn7i6dCkbewCia9POV7cPl_9jLlPidTzU/s1600/13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2a4jv-_-xUKjAV9yeJcxGjyVxsz7PZ8sRBh7YMvewEPqfJV_-N9qXChKYXhps2mINSv3v6wKNut-Z37syVAs2uJWiBPRs9DUV6owzSbFeymn7i6dCkbewCia9POV7cPl_9jLlPidTzU/s320/13.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A LOT of oysters!!!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilKbumlIbO3KpCI31b1Flaw93fIdOXC8fLD9fHQOU7zpltvACAyWKsIHwr2rsA2Q6w0LxeZn4isbv_2uTSYQ6qMY3j3t33YqzBrBS8Pv2e11yv4BuO2bXQvTMVcyHgyUTvDHXKEu0N5_E/s1600/14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilKbumlIbO3KpCI31b1Flaw93fIdOXC8fLD9fHQOU7zpltvACAyWKsIHwr2rsA2Q6w0LxeZn4isbv_2uTSYQ6qMY3j3t33YqzBrBS8Pv2e11yv4BuO2bXQvTMVcyHgyUTvDHXKEu0N5_E/s320/14.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Started swimming pretty seriously</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-XWhD4UDZLja12QhCoaOhpJ2P-vhhnphllFi8fvwozIhqubwR4cr__ymyc3hSn0A4RouXFPcCSVjAodbFhUa8Wwb9I_lKAhfBNq8AlctzveKT9vVAdrhsOyEtBKwOOnD651P67dgi89c/s1600/15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-XWhD4UDZLja12QhCoaOhpJ2P-vhhnphllFi8fvwozIhqubwR4cr__ymyc3hSn0A4RouXFPcCSVjAodbFhUa8Wwb9I_lKAhfBNq8AlctzveKT9vVAdrhsOyEtBKwOOnD651P67dgi89c/s320/15.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Started to see real changes in my face. (This is my FAVORITE picture of me up close from the past year.)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY4OidgkYb0YuQhgnD3Y_HmJHw2gRy2vKl3Mmz2GgUgoWvuaipPgvPljEYxLpbXxR2c-k_Evw22UTtvvxpmg6hGGqUsJ5GpLADYef5MzR75x9u_cQ7WHpgqWweUw0saTFO78t4s914hJM/s1600/16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY4OidgkYb0YuQhgnD3Y_HmJHw2gRy2vKl3Mmz2GgUgoWvuaipPgvPljEYxLpbXxR2c-k_Evw22UTtvvxpmg6hGGqUsJ5GpLADYef5MzR75x9u_cQ7WHpgqWweUw0saTFO78t4s914hJM/s320/16.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoyed many lovely girls night with my other Other Half</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIxnNUq2BJFpZrb8MMhjUXU2wTcwBsfAEY6o03-Wfa_5SJoG5Gxzf771XRJyR1ZKXqdx8LXtnDozw-rzAs-tVKXs6MHF0eBlbcZ7uevSt8l59WaSTKPrs70TCA_qqeX_CF5I6hQxADNkA/s1600/17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIxnNUq2BJFpZrb8MMhjUXU2wTcwBsfAEY6o03-Wfa_5SJoG5Gxzf771XRJyR1ZKXqdx8LXtnDozw-rzAs-tVKXs6MHF0eBlbcZ7uevSt8l59WaSTKPrs70TCA_qqeX_CF5I6hQxADNkA/s320/17.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tradition of pay day sushi lunches</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOoseEN1aNQN3fwJzcSbIJsQRVqfHMGTFs6k4w19m2IPAFd65Jc1j1TdzDz5PyIYMafW7pcpU_SPLflHKrUkxhkhphDeTXq4QVmLvwnsY-l-0XbZx8cLVGfpOp6QA1QpjtKUTo0oAyAP4/s1600/18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOoseEN1aNQN3fwJzcSbIJsQRVqfHMGTFs6k4w19m2IPAFd65Jc1j1TdzDz5PyIYMafW7pcpU_SPLflHKrUkxhkhphDeTXq4QVmLvwnsY-l-0XbZx8cLVGfpOp6QA1QpjtKUTo0oAyAP4/s320/18.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Started Couch 2 5k...on a treadmill</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJK2BIr9kB9MKggly0SruxTv6guOlZbUQBQ_JRkda5MtbMAGpW10l7XvKKGpD47hfUVxaDzpxlMzjRNYdBc1CrQwrceUW33SWQ15Gi6TiY6glY9EUWF_VJOrDo6ZI7B3Hc2pgNl58ZZ0/s1600/19a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJK2BIr9kB9MKggly0SruxTv6guOlZbUQBQ_JRkda5MtbMAGpW10l7XvKKGpD47hfUVxaDzpxlMzjRNYdBc1CrQwrceUW33SWQ15Gi6TiY6glY9EUWF_VJOrDo6ZI7B3Hc2pgNl58ZZ0/s320/19a.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spring finally sprung</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtaevBrXl6E_X0Va2M2KdW4iNuf4AobecEMmj5vRx3PvGiVX6QxtBAkcNoDtiKQRJtpYDiJaqJ5TjFN2KQJ5-cyARiZOtAMXMsvoO02ZY46-hKx75edp8fWzLN5WJ2olUqBGnXXRwxivY/s1600/19b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtaevBrXl6E_X0Va2M2KdW4iNuf4AobecEMmj5vRx3PvGiVX6QxtBAkcNoDtiKQRJtpYDiJaqJ5TjFN2KQJ5-cyARiZOtAMXMsvoO02ZY46-hKx75edp8fWzLN5WJ2olUqBGnXXRwxivY/s320/19b.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fit into my first non plus sized dress</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizaKH10H6DNTPTVIHRkSzsCSgdrATbYnSAh8CFjaYWVi6USg_s5kuBORxH3mzURZXStj1MwIuaoGWLgVt6VAratrx9BGsHrVFs1_6-jkFsojZDjJaZR0UlWe1ymp09ZwGcLRyn-Q6FbCQ/s1600/20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizaKH10H6DNTPTVIHRkSzsCSgdrATbYnSAh8CFjaYWVi6USg_s5kuBORxH3mzURZXStj1MwIuaoGWLgVt6VAratrx9BGsHrVFs1_6-jkFsojZDjJaZR0UlWe1ymp09ZwGcLRyn-Q6FbCQ/s320/20.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Boston Marathon Bombings hit really close to home, even closer to work</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsriAt4mYQF7qASTEUqUmEAvIDunHDsdZ5keLcdV7JRwx0wY6hVGyAotbQb-m6urzlj4ut3t54i0g0lXwV71PWQM8pN1nhigHh1c8tsMJ04Fb7cGcjEIao0GeumOQ_kCSp-yDan5YDUmM/s1600/21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsriAt4mYQF7qASTEUqUmEAvIDunHDsdZ5keLcdV7JRwx0wY6hVGyAotbQb-m6urzlj4ut3t54i0g0lXwV71PWQM8pN1nhigHh1c8tsMJ04Fb7cGcjEIao0GeumOQ_kCSp-yDan5YDUmM/s320/21.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But we stayed Boston Strong...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_cTF4a7mjID9vZ66ZAb4ALcEyMJaUXlDzOkatVFXqy4JR0nnTgKpr3MkM1mahYwvG1PmH6j3YN7jA72XYOAoUYhgtR7_eW8WcM3-Yp2cVVRKSeSXJ5_i7eoQzTwlQ3LgWcAHlnFRSjPs/s1600/22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_cTF4a7mjID9vZ66ZAb4ALcEyMJaUXlDzOkatVFXqy4JR0nnTgKpr3MkM1mahYwvG1PmH6j3YN7jA72XYOAoUYhgtR7_eW8WcM3-Yp2cVVRKSeSXJ5_i7eoQzTwlQ3LgWcAHlnFRSjPs/s320/22.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and breathed a collective sigh of relief when it was over</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiry0M7A2l9hPN38uVDetfZ1Sc3Z61_KTo2Ix5x65KT6l03kvWdDGwt85osGcPASSPHGvbUHp7TrNgph3tnhDXFN61AiNm44qB6L3XY0O983j9XYdvGPEk57yoFaqZFdwMod0T52xalftg/s1600/23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiry0M7A2l9hPN38uVDetfZ1Sc3Z61_KTo2Ix5x65KT6l03kvWdDGwt85osGcPASSPHGvbUHp7TrNgph3tnhDXFN61AiNm44qB6L3XY0O983j9XYdvGPEk57yoFaqZFdwMod0T52xalftg/s320/23.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amy had the best recital ever! THERE WERE BAG PIPES!!!!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRuiNzi5OgKTocd-J3TxfGfJ1BizMYj70Tmr5Kn0rvdJPBMyA5UZMCnH8ex8amA6izgQWHJpdv4pz3G_cRJ_erydSRhpTaVF2wRyMx1YPV46u5n-QoOUCYv0_1kBmiUqTUhfWpJctYAWg/s1600/61.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRuiNzi5OgKTocd-J3TxfGfJ1BizMYj70Tmr5Kn0rvdJPBMyA5UZMCnH8ex8amA6izgQWHJpdv4pz3G_cRJ_erydSRhpTaVF2wRyMx1YPV46u5n-QoOUCYv0_1kBmiUqTUhfWpJctYAWg/s320/61.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add caption</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJNKECKa4VwuFTnXaHlYzEbBKUD8eikiLa0I_n_nOB89dhtnF0fnT6WjY-EfCgSaNo7OOjPOPecaqNZUeCT83WT99GzxGK0HPIiWDgHrQZaIf39y5DaQqnNc1qPABC-4r7tfrBBQGJUGU/s1600/24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJNKECKa4VwuFTnXaHlYzEbBKUD8eikiLa0I_n_nOB89dhtnF0fnT6WjY-EfCgSaNo7OOjPOPecaqNZUeCT83WT99GzxGK0HPIiWDgHrQZaIf39y5DaQqnNc1qPABC-4r7tfrBBQGJUGU/s320/24.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the bombing aftermath there were Therapy Dogs AND Cats</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieyMT-11Hmp-KVozPrzIO1POMvMfbXNoDYZV6_FQVfoJedBPmKZPPdXEKJSeGBtD8FRPR_2sJJciI5gGhsDU47fJl_HQDgixSWBrWSkIimO66dWoD1SUKc2ex-cTmY-BdjJZnxw_7Jg5Y/s1600/25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieyMT-11Hmp-KVozPrzIO1POMvMfbXNoDYZV6_FQVfoJedBPmKZPPdXEKJSeGBtD8FRPR_2sJJciI5gGhsDU47fJl_HQDgixSWBrWSkIimO66dWoD1SUKc2ex-cTmY-BdjJZnxw_7Jg5Y/s320/25.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ventured into the world of running shorts</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinXIhkAOSCc0ECKvckTmlZgfhEeBVyj6sdjeJruqFWH_dC3IrCEMA2hJxuidiXJv3zwL8UIVYMnQj8nCWI_KHlt3iZpvTknhx-XGLPKyXyAsn85ci4BveakCdCU7DYboFPUU01Rd8hT1s/s1600/26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinXIhkAOSCc0ECKvckTmlZgfhEeBVyj6sdjeJruqFWH_dC3IrCEMA2hJxuidiXJv3zwL8UIVYMnQj8nCWI_KHlt3iZpvTknhx-XGLPKyXyAsn85ci4BveakCdCU7DYboFPUU01Rd8hT1s/s320/26.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Al and I enjoyed some classy date nights; and some not so classy ones</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBQ2Eb2gPRI7_j3EAOHSLN3LZevhkksgeELZ-hyos2x1_vuCSaW_JZ3kalLmkBaoSEOi0C920WFqMor-WAhTn8lVFouL_ZQOWZuIGubBi5GX1xeVHODXrLYo7hask6dFN5z978OR3ZvoM/s1600/27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBQ2Eb2gPRI7_j3EAOHSLN3LZevhkksgeELZ-hyos2x1_vuCSaW_JZ3kalLmkBaoSEOi0C920WFqMor-WAhTn8lVFouL_ZQOWZuIGubBi5GX1xeVHODXrLYo7hask6dFN5z978OR3ZvoM/s320/27.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I started to dress outside my comfort zone, perfect the art of selfies and refuse to clean my bedroom</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlml-nGPrKCLKWYWyUpXp7OU-qIgpkK9JwhZqBDjgmMuq2mpcU-2Zl4CCoJLmHXMpQClx-rosr2-jDhAtLlV9yEIHDjxDGB9H99De40ftK7kKrJBtXXUcKIHfMKrQ9C0pk6ANJPdZozU8/s1600/28a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlml-nGPrKCLKWYWyUpXp7OU-qIgpkK9JwhZqBDjgmMuq2mpcU-2Zl4CCoJLmHXMpQClx-rosr2-jDhAtLlV9yEIHDjxDGB9H99De40ftK7kKrJBtXXUcKIHfMKrQ9C0pk6ANJPdZozU8/s320/28a.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Further transformation</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEbMF5_ZRNy06fNLZsRZzAOyboEuwHLO1_7aTPJ4q6KWTKbdM7BFogxISYXH3F5LZIgoEmJJNIXfjfc1_z9U5w4w7BUVYqAJFAD61gi36RbGdfthN_jK-TKD6foqdsFs5DdrbOD2aVXPc/s1600/28b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEbMF5_ZRNy06fNLZsRZzAOyboEuwHLO1_7aTPJ4q6KWTKbdM7BFogxISYXH3F5LZIgoEmJJNIXfjfc1_z9U5w4w7BUVYqAJFAD61gi36RbGdfthN_jK-TKD6foqdsFs5DdrbOD2aVXPc/s320/28b.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hair & face shape transformation</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijS7Sx0Gq5PLRQwj7Ohb9XGLIofMoP24E6_xA8oWx09TNjamztQdb33tonrwS2FU6sTJkGVEIEYmdJ38K5MF2h0bj-7Vze7FrV7H9kA6aOMvVeQtHGgO6Tc7a7nHQAfbo-9K8YhfIWaDs/s1600/29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijS7Sx0Gq5PLRQwj7Ohb9XGLIofMoP24E6_xA8oWx09TNjamztQdb33tonrwS2FU6sTJkGVEIEYmdJ38K5MF2h0bj-7Vze7FrV7H9kA6aOMvVeQtHGgO6Tc7a7nHQAfbo-9K8YhfIWaDs/s320/29.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunchtime sunshine on the Comm Ave. mall</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjurpDTryqdvblz6s4SWGA0XQJAUkPb2ZsriQQATGjkieVpWuhyphenhyphenHRELKp4kTbK_wsa5LXVrOar922KcgvUKVDejKrgoeLrKLv1E-ur_3SN51VQOizvTi_CeZ1xOlJqzpbb-9K5pPjIMJw0/s1600/30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjurpDTryqdvblz6s4SWGA0XQJAUkPb2ZsriQQATGjkieVpWuhyphenhyphenHRELKp4kTbK_wsa5LXVrOar922KcgvUKVDejKrgoeLrKLv1E-ur_3SN51VQOizvTi_CeZ1xOlJqzpbb-9K5pPjIMJw0/s320/30.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My other Other Half graduated from Law School and I couldn't be more proud</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSpcntFUQEcRgFFfhkWwMQ0uUsR8vMjKxzGoACvERsw7wTEbzMwM3ZPJSOWbUmhujrh9e5tsI0Mmaj0FFCrhj8giQ9Qk-QPm-1U1GwEytreW5Nl36HBlZXgOaFNoOBkg8svq0gpM-RkIg/s1600/31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSpcntFUQEcRgFFfhkWwMQ0uUsR8vMjKxzGoACvERsw7wTEbzMwM3ZPJSOWbUmhujrh9e5tsI0Mmaj0FFCrhj8giQ9Qk-QPm-1U1GwEytreW5Nl36HBlZXgOaFNoOBkg8svq0gpM-RkIg/s320/31.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally fit into things from Betty Paige Clothing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV5-UMZOBaKx-s-I_Pr-Jy_ASbhdVpUwHNEmdqErO5p6-ET6fuYGZzVsvmYypdagBnwGDPH6W6SaiHqMDz74Umd-eZuSrDXhCwAoEa7Wu5JUp1Wy9u4rBzFKJbKrbjlNrvIEGRd_IUkb8/s1600/33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV5-UMZOBaKx-s-I_Pr-Jy_ASbhdVpUwHNEmdqErO5p6-ET6fuYGZzVsvmYypdagBnwGDPH6W6SaiHqMDz74Umd-eZuSrDXhCwAoEa7Wu5JUp1Wy9u4rBzFKJbKrbjlNrvIEGRd_IUkb8/s320/33.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First of many trips to Cafeteria</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPW68WqhI6XuQYb5wejv2p85puarujcONqihjIsGGaSFJ9nMCD0PfId4b4sp3noUTf9Chh7RQngokHT8uYj2CYCDzKxn9vPxVFbCIoa_vhbPHtgtMviDMQkgkXUt8TUJnlYugne3GJba4/s1600/34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPW68WqhI6XuQYb5wejv2p85puarujcONqihjIsGGaSFJ9nMCD0PfId4b4sp3noUTf9Chh7RQngokHT8uYj2CYCDzKxn9vPxVFbCIoa_vhbPHtgtMviDMQkgkXUt8TUJnlYugne3GJba4/s320/34.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amy and I ran our first 5k together....</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtnhicJ9RsacXIy8wh2v9ooiT0-paQwR-m4m7XMpDx9cr3UHr9tPfGWQwgWqiS2MQkKRkaDl1Dc3N9zsZYpFKvTclzzZoRQ7o9Zf0Fn5oQ9balqYF8DLvC7WrjVJk-0kWh5Lq9uTj-Y0Y/s1600/35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtnhicJ9RsacXIy8wh2v9ooiT0-paQwR-m4m7XMpDx9cr3UHr9tPfGWQwgWqiS2MQkKRkaDl1Dc3N9zsZYpFKvTclzzZoRQ7o9Zf0Fn5oQ9balqYF8DLvC7WrjVJk-0kWh5Lq9uTj-Y0Y/s320/35.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">....on Spectacle Island</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCr9Oa2R1LtpToD7hS2CI8TS6pErU2FsnhTDF2LwnfutqGD3y1e3LW6WrIABfOBJ-5-yjIuhc-1iMem-eYq8YsJeF9B83gY0DGHEXOW9CgsU4dttPz4TxA3TIGA9v3cyAPkMzs52S9Tqo/s1600/36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCr9Oa2R1LtpToD7hS2CI8TS6pErU2FsnhTDF2LwnfutqGD3y1e3LW6WrIABfOBJ-5-yjIuhc-1iMem-eYq8YsJeF9B83gY0DGHEXOW9CgsU4dttPz4TxA3TIGA9v3cyAPkMzs52S9Tqo/s320/36.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All while being on a quest for the perfect red lipstick</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSq_nZzDZC_uOqIAFz8PeSUlkCt8Y6YcOxPeY5ugYZHTlYImgRk-0l9Clqpz3A9ArLu5AXtEpcpV9D1asPAmznp6TamrWDtgmg2wzBnarWKRcCj_dwwi4gowsuyEx56pXK82eEVAPRhrg/s1600/37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSq_nZzDZC_uOqIAFz8PeSUlkCt8Y6YcOxPeY5ugYZHTlYImgRk-0l9Clqpz3A9ArLu5AXtEpcpV9D1asPAmznp6TamrWDtgmg2wzBnarWKRcCj_dwwi4gowsuyEx56pXK82eEVAPRhrg/s320/37.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jumped, pulled, and tugged my way into a wet suit for the first time</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgkF7cke_HJ_sDe5sX5r-gXPXWBHn6P0pXmYLeU25KC7Z8YPLC8OSTDreDlRiRoYTWYTXaLC1oLhxpjO95COfdnDiy1act-7tUigUet_ijgsH83kTgAIXEVnbaW-_iRfbxl140LyPAUPs/s1600/38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgkF7cke_HJ_sDe5sX5r-gXPXWBHn6P0pXmYLeU25KC7Z8YPLC8OSTDreDlRiRoYTWYTXaLC1oLhxpjO95COfdnDiy1act-7tUigUet_ijgsH83kTgAIXEVnbaW-_iRfbxl140LyPAUPs/s320/38.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was time for new specs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ4omgtqZVZj-CTlWZ4uyW1Pq1SGiM2dsGsLv8sLH8oCGNW2gndPB_KSoD82Llx-QhpAszCOMoDc2z6MQEhP_WYUSFukqmRPiZAnfhCwZY1ibKgXtfoeWtzjwKLSe27TXBE2_ogUjhLTU/s1600/39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ4omgtqZVZj-CTlWZ4uyW1Pq1SGiM2dsGsLv8sLH8oCGNW2gndPB_KSoD82Llx-QhpAszCOMoDc2z6MQEhP_WYUSFukqmRPiZAnfhCwZY1ibKgXtfoeWtzjwKLSe27TXBE2_ogUjhLTU/s320/39.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quality brew time with Amy before she moved to LA</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKPcP9ZW-NNzY_UG_IPxZWON4XKeWdZr32yU3zea67ApTHf2LvIvVZmizPKVVHB11W4Z_kXvZ2TyOr-il9W7v1s2E-HyhLycsekLP1GF1Q7nu32l1IlHXe8e10hyZqD1eJQGukD08F0Xs/s1600/40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKPcP9ZW-NNzY_UG_IPxZWON4XKeWdZr32yU3zea67ApTHf2LvIvVZmizPKVVHB11W4Z_kXvZ2TyOr-il9W7v1s2E-HyhLycsekLP1GF1Q7nu32l1IlHXe8e10hyZqD1eJQGukD08F0Xs/s320/40.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And the transformation continued</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8pbRMZRiZvg-ubhDdcP6zsH8AzStT_mxZKlmqdy5w-55txp6J-HNY5mFQTVgWCH_txDxR3p606LHMMoeyIxK10upLpQOKeUZmKLZuAK5lvE4EMVJphe6rijNtfmgk2PaMHcmqDejILkI/s1600/41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8pbRMZRiZvg-ubhDdcP6zsH8AzStT_mxZKlmqdy5w-55txp6J-HNY5mFQTVgWCH_txDxR3p606LHMMoeyIxK10upLpQOKeUZmKLZuAK5lvE4EMVJphe6rijNtfmgk2PaMHcmqDejILkI/s320/41.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Celebrated the 4th on the Esplanade with friends</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhODf307qe_R1Ti2akdN2sBK785euwDmsGIKx-ZKZGi9FpAGQ2jRCtVVT_q5DkjxtdnURZXMmx21r12CmvfzPvjk1lPs0htMr5TP_as3qfrD3G1_dWsaHfaUgW3UNDH-_GNY5JDGvP7n8Y/s1600/42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhODf307qe_R1Ti2akdN2sBK785euwDmsGIKx-ZKZGi9FpAGQ2jRCtVVT_q5DkjxtdnURZXMmx21r12CmvfzPvjk1lPs0htMr5TP_as3qfrD3G1_dWsaHfaUgW3UNDH-_GNY5JDGvP7n8Y/s320/42.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swimming at Walden Pond - this my FAVORITE picture of the year</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZWHeMFqgt8WJ6XhnJcRRIbNrPzTSygbvlVg5A8rE5gM2OGeyFOWfeqQiMtzyv-2rEc83FVVVM2bL1AzXvPwwx9Fb5p686syoIwT-ml3I167pnZ8mG5w1RvbzY2Qfwjx7tTRHK0_SJqss/s1600/43a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZWHeMFqgt8WJ6XhnJcRRIbNrPzTSygbvlVg5A8rE5gM2OGeyFOWfeqQiMtzyv-2rEc83FVVVM2bL1AzXvPwwx9Fb5p686syoIwT-ml3I167pnZ8mG5w1RvbzY2Qfwjx7tTRHK0_SJqss/s320/43a.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to go Swim Across America and raise some funds for local cancer research</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2wxNvWm22JOk8nwgVERhZXlI_w4QqvEfoALgnC_rQ2U4DHn9oAtw29fuo4vP3vLupAWnzOx4KfwlLb21kwFxBfR8LRXCZ_lC8X1Hgdf71mi-gP7rN8bpy5vjbLn2QSkrFWMLDDPGyvw4/s1600/43b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2wxNvWm22JOk8nwgVERhZXlI_w4QqvEfoALgnC_rQ2U4DHn9oAtw29fuo4vP3vLupAWnzOx4KfwlLb21kwFxBfR8LRXCZ_lC8X1Hgdf71mi-gP7rN8bpy5vjbLn2QSkrFWMLDDPGyvw4/s320/43b.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was THE hardest but THE most fufilling thing I have EVER done</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHRx91mAVew2NOVKLk_jT65SpJKnyR6MX4d6xC-Ma6Eobmg5n6daUfzxUagKtC51h5HuFcJnGL4yjLm2wplEZIpjecjvOEr1CWF9ieZWHxXaFgzMuAtVzOnK7vtisaiXqiVjt3YEiBE-A/s1600/44.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHRx91mAVew2NOVKLk_jT65SpJKnyR6MX4d6xC-Ma6Eobmg5n6daUfzxUagKtC51h5HuFcJnGL4yjLm2wplEZIpjecjvOEr1CWF9ieZWHxXaFgzMuAtVzOnK7vtisaiXqiVjt3YEiBE-A/s320/44.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Got brave and posted a picture of myself in a swimsuit on the intertet</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzidtboZJEcDsLtfP1OutgXTEeDIKu9A-KMhyjE6ul1186ekPTS2qlxQXlEM479wxxg9NKMbkctIcMqm06STwN21qLCp786PquTb-A3GHH6skL0POWp13oLSwiLZf6WAQc1sda-OcH1ow/s1600/46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzidtboZJEcDsLtfP1OutgXTEeDIKu9A-KMhyjE6ul1186ekPTS2qlxQXlEM479wxxg9NKMbkctIcMqm06STwN21qLCp786PquTb-A3GHH6skL0POWp13oLSwiLZf6WAQc1sda-OcH1ow/s320/46.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom and Allison came to visit and a fun time was had by all</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCiXe41BN10T1qwpJj9UNa3ziJE7VRGG1L3MsIrVDNCd8xQJBjRh22nhm4beSmdbemuyswgcIoXPgb49UnmbMZU8yi3QkQw2FeHsvO58b9mzHisDhO3rw7LBCNVTgdAswHkpAJsab68Do/s1600/47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCiXe41BN10T1qwpJj9UNa3ziJE7VRGG1L3MsIrVDNCd8xQJBjRh22nhm4beSmdbemuyswgcIoXPgb49UnmbMZU8yi3QkQw2FeHsvO58b9mzHisDhO3rw7LBCNVTgdAswHkpAJsab68Do/s320/47.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite new to me song of the year</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRCtF4a-coZsPnvtUUvWJ2S-cpCerAOy4ynOZkwJhLtb_1OLZeCbVClJ19rSV4Qip-pysjCoR3T3a7BJ9klaPyMv5QiXxD8BzVIVs11m9iV876Jmaf8MMroxYaevwdo4Wqqs13NBoR730/s1600/48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRCtF4a-coZsPnvtUUvWJ2S-cpCerAOy4ynOZkwJhLtb_1OLZeCbVClJ19rSV4Qip-pysjCoR3T3a7BJ9klaPyMv5QiXxD8BzVIVs11m9iV876Jmaf8MMroxYaevwdo4Wqqs13NBoR730/s320/48.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best anniversary gift EVER</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUmfUcsu53VVAK_UOkVsIVfi_WLXXlYIngVUYjKSIYP_VGvTgadqY3K6hqGlBxMUoKeeeqVEQFidmiS0M5BjQI2oFz4wMUSueiX9Z6dE88O9bnnx6fsDV4RlVpLchqNJagQBJ343VfPDg/s1600/49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUmfUcsu53VVAK_UOkVsIVfi_WLXXlYIngVUYjKSIYP_VGvTgadqY3K6hqGlBxMUoKeeeqVEQFidmiS0M5BjQI2oFz4wMUSueiX9Z6dE88O9bnnx6fsDV4RlVpLchqNJagQBJ343VfPDg/s320/49.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Zoe! Come look!! There's a giant chickpea walking down the street!!!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0vFAq0iEmqkaSc8_tnExyZJs6pVTsJmT_-cx_KO2Syy2K6lPbwjgOzbE0fgTACo6CcDEVivLtCzCCBNvsLUX3iEtsIlDrM5EBBI7Pv2xEnHnr6ge5Cx4IGgMAlFYUm2eqwmOSZXGkj9U/s1600/50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0vFAq0iEmqkaSc8_tnExyZJs6pVTsJmT_-cx_KO2Syy2K6lPbwjgOzbE0fgTACo6CcDEVivLtCzCCBNvsLUX3iEtsIlDrM5EBBI7Pv2xEnHnr6ge5Cx4IGgMAlFYUm2eqwmOSZXGkj9U/s320/50.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anniversary dinner date time</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqmEfomp3nth6jOjMYWjADMG-Ci25bvSp6ZfvQ1gFJnxGiJmv9KHG_tTN7Rvek3KALqI2ZZ7zccDtBhyphenhyphen-yztsp1KkICRDUs9ZPd8zUnrReY_wyMOwY837duUdq3pSfa7WqtzLIKuvj7pQ/s1600/51.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqmEfomp3nth6jOjMYWjADMG-Ci25bvSp6ZfvQ1gFJnxGiJmv9KHG_tTN7Rvek3KALqI2ZZ7zccDtBhyphenhyphen-yztsp1KkICRDUs9ZPd8zUnrReY_wyMOwY837duUdq3pSfa7WqtzLIKuvj7pQ/s320/51.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5k #2: Chestnut Hill Reservoir</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBuMuNPcE1s9ujB0DFTc2OhLuy7sL1IueFdVCOyE3qJblaU19sw1vrabsTieUOaJ3ByMXzlUX_4kd7x7LlqbgoHsaaekl3TYxAEmeCbypWvPhGBWqnCwk9b-33Sv6EJy-qpvBphn1ilWg/s1600/52.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBuMuNPcE1s9ujB0DFTc2OhLuy7sL1IueFdVCOyE3qJblaU19sw1vrabsTieUOaJ3ByMXzlUX_4kd7x7LlqbgoHsaaekl3TYxAEmeCbypWvPhGBWqnCwk9b-33Sv6EJy-qpvBphn1ilWg/s320/52.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Took the art of relaxing baths to a new level</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDpT-n4_8n8pc92dTIH3yYD72k_z18f1KZZ25OYya6-X9d2UzzZI7EQeS6GjtftboNOMrY5RSfI23vQw5ClRQzVzGxCCmAZqWCjql3ZumnhNl0NYx63FT092QnfT4o42c4F7_5gBPL784/s1600/53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDpT-n4_8n8pc92dTIH3yYD72k_z18f1KZZ25OYya6-X9d2UzzZI7EQeS6GjtftboNOMrY5RSfI23vQw5ClRQzVzGxCCmAZqWCjql3ZumnhNl0NYx63FT092QnfT4o42c4F7_5gBPL784/s320/53.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swam my first continuous mile</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi1C43dPJl5b7aP99e9OM0j-8PwQ1xmHZLPeD6RkC_kNmfCUTS2OEr-aIq_37ufZhmRMbOkqK59TLqqHr_exWgCvU_UHsySFmZEZ4b9_XHAuq-CeAB6gvoyRudHLTZSAtRW5_eo2DuJDo/s1600/54.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi1C43dPJl5b7aP99e9OM0j-8PwQ1xmHZLPeD6RkC_kNmfCUTS2OEr-aIq_37ufZhmRMbOkqK59TLqqHr_exWgCvU_UHsySFmZEZ4b9_XHAuq-CeAB6gvoyRudHLTZSAtRW5_eo2DuJDo/s320/54.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back to school to get my RN starting with Human Biology</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbxKoCuMxT-nRMf-O3dF9lS0ooRS2WFss2uitUXyyYA1UxjpOSjDCOZ1bZpigt1PtpGhylRdrlIZRNA3NKkS376XESYoSI0dB1eESJFDEJzxxcMbQ4fUUiKrcHRGRYqF712hH41khS8sM/s1600/55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbxKoCuMxT-nRMf-O3dF9lS0ooRS2WFss2uitUXyyYA1UxjpOSjDCOZ1bZpigt1PtpGhylRdrlIZRNA3NKkS376XESYoSI0dB1eESJFDEJzxxcMbQ4fUUiKrcHRGRYqF712hH41khS8sM/s320/55.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Took Ezra to a staff meeting</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFlf8W5jHTCwx7D7O6f28kv8O8w8_YcTcW6c3h8AEGCnW0GcpEJcx7fFLCqu_rNv1gs9ysJzWB_ML8xUq5DAvYCp4_qaecDj9tbjsZXmKsDaSga_E5dpLgSXR7eyTi0yoKpoNNaG7oaQ/s1600/56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFlf8W5jHTCwx7D7O6f28kv8O8w8_YcTcW6c3h8AEGCnW0GcpEJcx7fFLCqu_rNv1gs9ysJzWB_ML8xUq5DAvYCp4_qaecDj9tbjsZXmKsDaSga_E5dpLgSXR7eyTi0yoKpoNNaG7oaQ/s320/56.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Celebrated my birthday in style, with elegant shot taking.....</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Vo9WxAiA16jlLdBKgla4JjxOX4eCjD7_Inrkgr29P6ANz1880-YHbty-FDdr8IkaX466zFbGxWwJRQpwn5obfmXFDhQA7_Th5EVufwWX6zdWRh3kq4r8DiVvBzI4SM4uIFibR1YVfNM/s1600/57.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Vo9WxAiA16jlLdBKgla4JjxOX4eCjD7_Inrkgr29P6ANz1880-YHbty-FDdr8IkaX466zFbGxWwJRQpwn5obfmXFDhQA7_Th5EVufwWX6zdWRh3kq4r8DiVvBzI4SM4uIFibR1YVfNM/s320/57.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">showing a little leg...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDzFAkF4DeOdMk2ppV0WJ4dCWbSdbqfrT3yrLiQI9oD9wz9UQNcpR_6_Yj7UweDvywlJc6_M0zwk-YSD62nNFkt7l2b7LhL1pjYT8l74pTa4lEdB7ubjuhL7gfhTEqHGajYuR2rDML9CA/s1600/58.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDzFAkF4DeOdMk2ppV0WJ4dCWbSdbqfrT3yrLiQI9oD9wz9UQNcpR_6_Yj7UweDvywlJc6_M0zwk-YSD62nNFkt7l2b7LhL1pjYT8l74pTa4lEdB7ubjuhL7gfhTEqHGajYuR2rDML9CA/s320/58.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">& kayaking on the Charles.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV-z6BA07Vx48w8CMJi_bH_E0RzuuM4I4Th5JL8-2C8fSb4rCQi9m0LR4MvvfKjY25obZQBC78upzp30ppz8PnVKNdAJmcSko3v0R6QlnShjMO6QeDrdHTH3ENzU5cF972SaCKrfpZM5E/s1600/59.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV-z6BA07Vx48w8CMJi_bH_E0RzuuM4I4Th5JL8-2C8fSb4rCQi9m0LR4MvvfKjY25obZQBC78upzp30ppz8PnVKNdAJmcSko3v0R6QlnShjMO6QeDrdHTH3ENzU5cF972SaCKrfpZM5E/s320/59.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A grand time was had by all</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKN7A7Yr4JrILom7jTfQWoBja2D3F11Bcgof491D_P70oIW6agErLrD804DsUaZNS7UGdjgHthYNSPIIcFQlahYNW1CGboTt9PexW3oOVD1UwQgW3hjREU-rdGPoXIPU1BH4RvSc9Km1A/s1600/60.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKN7A7Yr4JrILom7jTfQWoBja2D3F11Bcgof491D_P70oIW6agErLrD804DsUaZNS7UGdjgHthYNSPIIcFQlahYNW1CGboTt9PexW3oOVD1UwQgW3hjREU-rdGPoXIPU1BH4RvSc9Km1A/s320/60.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watched Olympic medal winning swimmer Alex Mayer swim in Boston Harbor</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjBhQjfOgetiGPHF_B7XBcGvhccWM4oOsrlr7fNEYo2mNg29Usd_6TqJ1WFpAe_xc-LMkKoIJZrL-4S_AjZSkkJAwNUPx6UlgJoKeqtHzIIFnPFgdwfp_MrKEmSxP-9N8tXMEW5JjG-o4/s1600/61.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjBhQjfOgetiGPHF_B7XBcGvhccWM4oOsrlr7fNEYo2mNg29Usd_6TqJ1WFpAe_xc-LMkKoIJZrL-4S_AjZSkkJAwNUPx6UlgJoKeqtHzIIFnPFgdwfp_MrKEmSxP-9N8tXMEW5JjG-o4/s320/61.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best caption ever: "All you need is love...and Ben & Jerry's!....and good sex, lipstick, tequila and kitties. Oh, and a swimming pool. THAT'S all I need!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKEb5b5CWdHp2xyg5umIDhxDXDeLQD_bG98ScrWHAxPzLC4cj8Q7dtw9cZFlH-d00RDXeg0EXWiGqc3U1nNMahO2wq_hQmu8z5xg41s_c4RbpTCX7JurEerUZLqFJRNiD94pTwwyoDQVk/s1600/62.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKEb5b5CWdHp2xyg5umIDhxDXDeLQD_bG98ScrWHAxPzLC4cj8Q7dtw9cZFlH-d00RDXeg0EXWiGqc3U1nNMahO2wq_hQmu8z5xg41s_c4RbpTCX7JurEerUZLqFJRNiD94pTwwyoDQVk/s320/62.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almost the same size and when I was 19/20</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM9lYOBAOX5_qst3E7DFf1vI-sV8vAFei_SrPzgt4ivbBwLUU-s8pjU4CXXqGMMKZxYfVICoJmcGCPZtBe2HLPktSvtSHG_I_xqg13j3cYOIXYuyGeLN1M1vkUcMXYPdfeOqEj28ljsGE/s1600/63.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM9lYOBAOX5_qst3E7DFf1vI-sV8vAFei_SrPzgt4ivbBwLUU-s8pjU4CXXqGMMKZxYfVICoJmcGCPZtBe2HLPktSvtSHG_I_xqg13j3cYOIXYuyGeLN1M1vkUcMXYPdfeOqEj28ljsGE/s320/63.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ezra continued to be adorable</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlMMDOUcJkRaZSy-VwOnBaznTjm9pthsKAO7ZodEI-cQhEB4thdytjyBdStCDpAU7L2pnZ9WbEie4hyphenhyphenXfyHzs8aXTqUkjDNDkWFtBjolg_PCSJZr37iihIgM1m0OsbksJaa5sTh2DetAM/s1600/64.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlMMDOUcJkRaZSy-VwOnBaznTjm9pthsKAO7ZodEI-cQhEB4thdytjyBdStCDpAU7L2pnZ9WbEie4hyphenhyphenXfyHzs8aXTqUkjDNDkWFtBjolg_PCSJZr37iihIgM1m0OsbksJaa5sTh2DetAM/s320/64.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I cut my hair - for me - all off and added bangs</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbzH8r6UarOyb2sDaKgB2NlU5s7XF0ZnlgqcxlXi4u2NvP7YondGNBnSuaveh-f_p9lB1Dv1kusiv_Wsemjdzuha9kcstX8RiWiilyx1jkWOrz38Oi1-O1OwS6qYENJPp8yZYoSj2v9Eo/s1600/65.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbzH8r6UarOyb2sDaKgB2NlU5s7XF0ZnlgqcxlXi4u2NvP7YondGNBnSuaveh-f_p9lB1Dv1kusiv_Wsemjdzuha9kcstX8RiWiilyx1jkWOrz38Oi1-O1OwS6qYENJPp8yZYoSj2v9Eo/s320/65.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walked for the Humane League with Roxy and Zoe</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-gtdwMUjVkbyFmpg5Pzl2g8UgziB50AOy0CNeT9y6CIo4_6xAJorDgPodrTUx1K1WzzcfzepY_0aiql1emALz4cQxM3e7OlmKhNhTDtVopBGl7XkY4aLo3DUqsvp2W2Zkr6B6n6Zq854/s1600/66.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-gtdwMUjVkbyFmpg5Pzl2g8UgziB50AOy0CNeT9y6CIo4_6xAJorDgPodrTUx1K1WzzcfzepY_0aiql1emALz4cQxM3e7OlmKhNhTDtVopBGl7XkY4aLo3DUqsvp2W2Zkr6B6n6Zq854/s320/66.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5k #3: and Al's first, the Blacklight Run</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkMb52NH7NnE-gqFziWWX6dGTU16Ik1CU1RwxVBY-tNWeDzdNHUXVt5iHpJkVHtdxerT4ofcjDxm-mbSv73o3SdM1XEwd5MtJOOpJ6A2fFPIvaYSmGUBf4q7R3jTWBiD9Xvhq7u3GQCbU/s1600/67.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkMb52NH7NnE-gqFziWWX6dGTU16Ik1CU1RwxVBY-tNWeDzdNHUXVt5iHpJkVHtdxerT4ofcjDxm-mbSv73o3SdM1XEwd5MtJOOpJ6A2fFPIvaYSmGUBf4q7R3jTWBiD9Xvhq7u3GQCbU/s320/67.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back home for 5k #4: Compassion Hospice's Color Run</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOw9sn9_5zfoBP1c_52_od401PULv3GP8ots-GHyjb5vgFiTd7TBCn7LhAX1lvGxLgReS2jDv7fux9RN1qjjtygVukVqkHSBwnsJuR7p1azMJRnLZPss3jr5K8BWGhBOW86ItacJ5X_Sw/s1600/68.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOw9sn9_5zfoBP1c_52_od401PULv3GP8ots-GHyjb5vgFiTd7TBCn7LhAX1lvGxLgReS2jDv7fux9RN1qjjtygVukVqkHSBwnsJuR7p1azMJRnLZPss3jr5K8BWGhBOW86ItacJ5X_Sw/s320/68.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harley continued to be adorable as well</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ZEbJTP9qvRqaeiyBFFTj9bUD7LHFEwSaNgQJXEI_aANrA3ohZ5JvLf-X-1Zn_b1ZEgZ27iij5Og3pjTPcKL8eIa2QY6ZkMUREUsMBNolV8Yje23mtepzryrUFujfODS2IMqsA0MIHSg/s1600/69.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ZEbJTP9qvRqaeiyBFFTj9bUD7LHFEwSaNgQJXEI_aANrA3ohZ5JvLf-X-1Zn_b1ZEgZ27iij5Og3pjTPcKL8eIa2QY6ZkMUREUsMBNolV8Yje23mtepzryrUFujfODS2IMqsA0MIHSg/s320/69.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Learned how to run in 19 degree weather</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjKKinLwhk7CL9kLOLc9NBFkayStY2U48K77NEAtwryYF0skA_ESkDsTzpP3E7ifQSzKW5qEvf5Xc722R3GMmbfT1KVa7adyy9tVsRN4uQeHSiLldTPZ6kEKj6J7VQ2Vi1h8Yd1qdF34Q/s1600/70.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjKKinLwhk7CL9kLOLc9NBFkayStY2U48K77NEAtwryYF0skA_ESkDsTzpP3E7ifQSzKW5qEvf5Xc722R3GMmbfT1KVa7adyy9tVsRN4uQeHSiLldTPZ6kEKj6J7VQ2Vi1h8Yd1qdF34Q/s320/70.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bobby and I looked killer on Thanksgiving</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPmoOxHfRW5kJhyphenhyphenRdMLRCTKpeBqO1_1Uo8mZBIn2SvciJNbd_sl8dwpB495UrMhJUiCaafgieiEPzDmHhj7n_VUK3dZI75nq6Q1Z-h0BAvjo58WvrEzUt3_TAkyvhmtotTKPM3t-IqriQ/s1600/71.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPmoOxHfRW5kJhyphenhyphenRdMLRCTKpeBqO1_1Uo8mZBIn2SvciJNbd_sl8dwpB495UrMhJUiCaafgieiEPzDmHhj7n_VUK3dZI75nq6Q1Z-h0BAvjo58WvrEzUt3_TAkyvhmtotTKPM3t-IqriQ/s320/71.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Started 5k to 10k</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF9M-KKZTo2APHZob8sC6seoqCBO4LByRftG7PJohGf1QwiJMbRwEoPXkpTCSDzJlSqeFWPHCaDeDQAToAnoEx6TBG8ErQWVAzhzQcbZjcbaj4zNjJLRyaLGTYOw5h7BproYpAUddIpRg/s1600/72.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF9M-KKZTo2APHZob8sC6seoqCBO4LByRftG7PJohGf1QwiJMbRwEoPXkpTCSDzJlSqeFWPHCaDeDQAToAnoEx6TBG8ErQWVAzhzQcbZjcbaj4zNjJLRyaLGTYOw5h7BproYpAUddIpRg/s320/72.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5k #5: Jolly Jaunt to benefit Special Olympics</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXbKPRqbZ1PSkKzLKHsUwoR3lSEe5SK0nOxThfIi_-pAXkgQJ55NRqNf1LJw8FheoUv4BJ1G14NmBtI3vt3GYX3FI4AyCr1hmCPj_H67KYtRL-8Zwb0pvpKe13Wl0GXtKh9uYE_QwWFNU/s1600/73.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXbKPRqbZ1PSkKzLKHsUwoR3lSEe5SK0nOxThfIi_-pAXkgQJ55NRqNf1LJw8FheoUv4BJ1G14NmBtI3vt3GYX3FI4AyCr1hmCPj_H67KYtRL-8Zwb0pvpKe13Wl0GXtKh9uYE_QwWFNU/s320/73.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Celebrated the Mr.'s birthday in style</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHoproMjkSYXs6rTXyMu6J4FmpLyGyhiv6DQMi6yDAGXAV1FM2DGUESskL2k2bFph9FtaVJbBSl_rkLVHUoYFExwWBvN5TbFYTMoWH6TcJZEInc2OAFGl_nmxohm0Ro1NH76fcZfgni5I/s1600/74.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHoproMjkSYXs6rTXyMu6J4FmpLyGyhiv6DQMi6yDAGXAV1FM2DGUESskL2k2bFph9FtaVJbBSl_rkLVHUoYFExwWBvN5TbFYTMoWH6TcJZEInc2OAFGl_nmxohm0Ro1NH76fcZfgni5I/s320/74.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Celebrated the end of my first semester back to school AND making an A</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqF_6I6TSAwo3rExBmLOKst0UOW4497Klr_U_eAlcjWnTXr07JWt-fENMT5cCBhh77SO9lT-qGCR_CR38zMjb3EPj5dNPmx4eA5kt8OZ-U0Jn1UqVGTQBSGtsdTGPGN2VDWwq87R9qlxs/s1600/75.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqF_6I6TSAwo3rExBmLOKst0UOW4497Klr_U_eAlcjWnTXr07JWt-fENMT5cCBhh77SO9lT-qGCR_CR38zMjb3EPj5dNPmx4eA5kt8OZ-U0Jn1UqVGTQBSGtsdTGPGN2VDWwq87R9qlxs/s320/75.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cafeteria time with my LUSH Puppies</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRpSj7_FOvwrr_Yh4BaaafutM6nlqyzq5FvnfdkX4fKavYGLd_0Ky20DqjbYA8b99gRT77MA1bjaGOgcrWJhu_2976_RnwCAZELcR4EWic8GziVd0TH8C6kzVRU8p5xtJbiUALhlUDSKw/s1600/76.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRpSj7_FOvwrr_Yh4BaaafutM6nlqyzq5FvnfdkX4fKavYGLd_0Ky20DqjbYA8b99gRT77MA1bjaGOgcrWJhu_2976_RnwCAZELcR4EWic8GziVd0TH8C6kzVRU8p5xtJbiUALhlUDSKw/s320/76.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ezra and I admiring the pretty Christmas lights</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrxgdLHA4mnQxS4EMzhDq_6tQI_fbIs0G6isSdi6oNX-G7ZM4iL9lhyphenhyphenuqs1yL4LLEpxlCA9YUcbMMoSzfnQx4zrm5IfE1nP_tzXv13kFKKQC06MmpZfUiHB4UV5MAR9sVkU3EcB-0XZs/s1600/77.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrxgdLHA4mnQxS4EMzhDq_6tQI_fbIs0G6isSdi6oNX-G7ZM4iL9lhyphenhyphenuqs1yL4LLEpxlCA9YUcbMMoSzfnQx4zrm5IfE1nP_tzXv13kFKKQC06MmpZfUiHB4UV5MAR9sVkU3EcB-0XZs/s320/77.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We found a Currier and Ives setting in Sutton</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIDqpvQMfHb1A98bXvwags1kluBqtDXXhP4tE9hxWqnFFmTW7OxkwIWvkgLNtctE4B20WXH0jAeI3X-WaZTkVYAsWZNW5Exnkwwo-9BelqPCXmsi3J9Cn9YojgEkRm0BCYZNGhr3zczyE/s1600/78.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIDqpvQMfHb1A98bXvwags1kluBqtDXXhP4tE9hxWqnFFmTW7OxkwIWvkgLNtctE4B20WXH0jAeI3X-WaZTkVYAsWZNW5Exnkwwo-9BelqPCXmsi3J9Cn9YojgEkRm0BCYZNGhr3zczyE/s320/78.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas 2012 / Christmas 21013</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTet23opuSpMuLQVpskaatvsyGGx4Mzrgg0Ln2QY7KxikJurl1yrwybj9n7p_H5-5axlxLDkVjFdfHrDZ0Tqudrh5h5enAeFfwSG9H16chW9CUcMal8TlulCbxrAz6SBcAB7aWji4VVxQ/s1600/79.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTet23opuSpMuLQVpskaatvsyGGx4Mzrgg0Ln2QY7KxikJurl1yrwybj9n7p_H5-5axlxLDkVjFdfHrDZ0Tqudrh5h5enAeFfwSG9H16chW9CUcMal8TlulCbxrAz6SBcAB7aWji4VVxQ/s320/79.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished the year with a hotel staycation and a FANTASTIC view of the city</td></tr>
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<br />No Disassemble Charlie No. 5http://www.blogger.com/profile/00457719072373345591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968818472907463224.post-42413671894811288622013-10-29T19:10:00.006-07:002013-10-29T19:10:56.271-07:00Spousal Pride AKA Boston Blacklight RunI think one of the most fun parts about being married, is when you're proud, like reeeeallly f-ing proud, of your spouse. This most DEFINITELY happened this past Saturday, when my Mister ran his first official 5k: the <a href="http://www.blacklightrun.com/#!blacklight-run---boston/c5pk">Boston Blacklight Run</a>. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Us post race.</td></tr>
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Here's one of the things that makes Hood and I work as a couple: we are yin and yang...polar - yet complimentary - opposites. Al set out to do Couch to 5k with quiet determination. He was steadfast, he was consistent, he did not bitch, he did not whine, he did not brag, he did not boast. All I had to do was buy him the running shoes. See... opposites!<br />
<br />
Let me back track a bit. It wasn't just Al & I running, we were joined by Mr. & Mrs. H-Bomb who made the trip down from Manhattan so we could have a fun time all running together. It was Mrs. H-Bomb's first 5k as well; while Mr. H-Bomb put us all to shame, completing a half marathon a few weeks earlier.<br />
<br />
Before I get started on the actual race experience, I need to list my playlist for the run. I take great pride in these and really enjoy making them. Here you go....<br />
<br />
1. It's Time by Imagine Dragons<br />
2. Let the Groove Get In by Justin Timberlake<br />
3. Soul Man by The Blues Brothers<br />
4. Hearts on Fire by John Cafferty<br />
5. Applause by Lady Gaga<br />
6. Murder by Justin Timberlake<br />
7. Love Shack by The B-52's<br />
8. Can't Hold Us by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis<br />
9. Work B**ch by Britney Spears<br />
<br />
The race, altogether was, interesting. It was dark...in a field/some sort of industrial complex. Nothing was actually clearly marked. This went from the registration area to the actual coarse itself. I would have been REALLY happy if things would have been more clearly marked. (Both where things were to go to AND the actual race path itself.<br />
<br />
I really, REALLY wish there would have been some more race officials around the entire coarse. See, Mr. & Mrs. H-Bomb had an agreement to run together as to that what works for me. Al and I... nope. Only if we wanted the race to end in the non-tears-of-joy tears. This left both him and I running alone.<br />
<br />
There was one part of the course the ran alongside the edge of the property that ran adjacent to a lot of bushes, shrubbery, and tall grass. I kelp thinking, "you know...this would be a prime place to hide in the bushes and abduct someone...." (Blame growing up with a father who had been both a cop and an Army medic.) So I ran in a straight line all the while scanning the bushes. Then there was another moment where a turn took us through a bank of parked school buses, and I mentally remarked "Wow! This sure is Halloweeny." (Translation: "This looks like a great place for someone to hack me to bits.") But still, I kept running.<br />
<br />
I think it was the lack of informing runners how uneven and pothole riddled the terrain was that ended up being my biggest complaint.<br />
<br />
Most surreal moment, and Mrs. H-Bomb can confirm it....a woman on the race course, wearing a race shirt and bib....SMOKING! ARE YOU F*CKING KIDDING ME!?!?!?!?!<br />
<br />
The end of the race was a flat out mess: having to wait to cars to let out, dodging participants that were done with their waves and milling about, along with a complete breakdown with there the marked coarse was for about the last .35 of a mile.<br />
<br />
It was the missed marking that made me think I didn't run a TRUE 5k, but when I crunched some numbers, I think I would have made the 5k in 42 minutes...2 minutes and some change faster than my August race. More on why I was so keen to get to the finish in a second.<br />
<br />
Do I think I'll be running the Black Light Run again? Ummm....no. Did I have fun? Absolutely! Getting brightly colored flower thrown at you (sometimes VERY hard) as you run past...maybe it's because on the inside I'm a 5 year old...HIGHLY SATISFYING.<br />
<br />
Now, I wanted to get to that finish line quicker because I wanted to see Al as soon after he finished as I possibly could. I'm so proud of him!!! I remember how emotional he was with I finished my first 5k on Spectacle Island, and I think I was equally as emotional for him.<br />
<br />
There was a big party afterwards but we elected not to stay. We decided that a Tex-Mex feast at Border Cafe was much more out speed.<br />
<br />
It was super nice to have running buddies in Mr. & Mrs. H-Bomb. I sure did miss having one once Reed Making Warrior moved to LA.<br />
<br />
So what's next? For Al - continuing to run and finding what running App works for him. Also possibly running a December 5k with myself and Inky Lady.<br />
<br />
As for me, I run my next 5k in a mere twelve days I'll be home in SETX running the <a href="http://compassionhospice.org/">Compassion Color 5k</a> with my sister, my Mom (she'll be walking) and a few other friends from home. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZRU6CROKFdkszZ8oPjTBL4F89DMlKl-cpRiE2TB1GKmcCAJo_HX3OyLg_vR9WAPkY594k7ocBABVjpxvoc04Ic8IWOjqtTZcBiXP8V8VMxid_OpgYH3E6LEZbocnyVMPEWdrZklfS-E/s1600/tres5ks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZRU6CROKFdkszZ8oPjTBL4F89DMlKl-cpRiE2TB1GKmcCAJo_HX3OyLg_vR9WAPkY594k7ocBABVjpxvoc04Ic8IWOjqtTZcBiXP8V8VMxid_OpgYH3E6LEZbocnyVMPEWdrZklfS-E/s320/tres5ks.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A-one, two-hoo, threee....</td></tr>
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Also, now that I've got three (and very soon to be four) 5k's under my belt...well, I thought it's time to embark on 5k to 10k. It'll be nice to have my BWJesque Drill Sargent in my ears again. I've already done the first run and do the second tomorrow. This time I've decided to commit to running two times a week instead of three, given that swimming is still my biggest priority exercise wise. I know I thrive well on a challenge, on having a goal. I'll be done with the program in late February, so I'm pretty sure that finding a 10k in New England in late February will be my biggest challenge.<br />
<br />
<br />No Disassemble Charlie No. 5http://www.blogger.com/profile/00457719072373345591noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968818472907463224.post-70005993249501674432013-10-23T06:20:00.008-07:002013-10-23T06:20:53.129-07:00On Setbacks and Being HumanWhat? You mean I'm actually human!?!?! What!?!?! But I digress....it's been a little over two months since my last NDC#5 entry & I apologize. Perhaps this entry will explain some of that.<br />
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Damn it! You mean I'm NOT super human. Well, damn....<br />
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Life has been lately, to put it mild, harried. Sometimes life just gets like that I get it. However, when it affects my weight loss journey, I've got to write about it here. I also feel that it's important for me to talk about it here because so far my weight loss journey has been full of successes. I guess I was a bit naive to think that I wasn't going to have any set backs. I mean seriously, self...you've lived through enough life to know if you've been doing something seriously for almost a year, there's GOING to be some sort of set back. Thank you life for reminding me that even how one handles life is a work in progress.<br />
<br />
The past two months have been a bit of a whirlwind for me. Starting back to school has been both a joy and an enormous stresser, but more on that later...I'm trying my damnedest to be concise and topical.<br />
<br />
During this whirlwind of stress, I stopped logging my food on LoseIt. OK, fine. I was doing pretty good at keeping my weight at a standstill. I wasn't loosing but I wasn't gaining. This I could live with for the time being. So onward I trudged, life would get better. This currently wasn't the number one concern in my life at the moment, I could deal.<br />
<br />
Then life didn't relent, I started to get exhausted. I looked at all the things in my life that could give a bit, I chose my work out routine. I went from working out from 5-6 times a week to MAYBE 2. This was a mistake. Not only did it affect me physically, it also affected me mentally. For me, swimming is better than therapy, and cutting down on my time in the pool was now adversely affecting me<br />
<br />
Then I stepped on the scale last Friday. 7 pounds gained. F%CK!! Are you kidding me life!?!?! I gritted my teeth and tried to breathe. Breathing wasn't working. I was trying to cut myself some slack, but I did was feel like a lazy sack of sh$t. Great. Awesome. Lovely. What's that? Oh...it's symptoms of depression just knocking on my souls door.<br />
<br />
Even though I know that I deal with depression, and other things, and feelings of complete inadequacy....even though I know that it's part of my truth, I CONTINUE to feel like a complete...I don't know what the word is exactly...everything I could say seams much too much cliche.<br />
<br />
My name is Kathleen and I am human.<br />
<br />
UGH! That statement makes me shutter.<br />
<br />
I don't want to be human, I was to be extraordinary.<br />
<br />
What do I find these two things to be mutually exclusive?<br />
<br />
Back to less esoteric things.<br />
<br />
After stepping on the scale and seeing that 7 pound gain, I vowed to get back to working out 5-6 times a week again. Since Friday, 4 pounds have managed to melt off. I also know I need to cut it on the comport eating.<br />
<br />
Are these sort of gaining setbacks "normal"? I mean, I really detest the word "normal", but I can't think of a better word for this case? "Customary"?<br />
<br />
I know that in the end, I'm just stewing in things right now. I'm also really, really, REALLY tired. Luckily, I've been given the opportunity to rest today, so that should be somewhat better.<br />
<br />
There has to be a lesson in this, for both me and for those that read my blog. I know that in the midst of good work, there can be lulls and there can be setbacks. The point is that you get out of them. I KNOW this. I'm not naive, I'm not out of touch with reality. Maybe I just want the time to feel a little sorry for myself. That's OK too. Yet I'll still fight as to not let myself fall into a full fledged depression. That turns into a real battle then.The good thing is I have excellent resources in place.<br />
<br />
Maybe being human isn't all that bad. That's what we are all after all. I'm pretty sure I CAN be both human and extraordinary.<br />
<br />No Disassemble Charlie No. 5http://www.blogger.com/profile/00457719072373345591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968818472907463224.post-78351462194577060842013-08-27T18:57:00.006-07:002013-08-27T18:57:34.657-07:00Sweaty (Schweddy) BandsOK, maybe the title wasn't totally necessary, but seriously...I saw an opportunity to reference <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6R5xcydYKqU">Schweddy Balls</a>, and I went with it! We're not talking about ball, however...we're talking about bands, <a href="http://www.sweatybands.com/en/timeline">Sweaty Bands</a> to be exact, and why I love them! (Follow the link for a little about their story.)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyoIzSNGbG8Ahll3-IkD87mjyramPWdSdEuppEb9-LIXbYgayMFMC4krtpOJqjr5Ukf9E4jowCYqs1ubXQFcP2ppZRtXOBwuEbFxN0-nvpUs_fOjrwfItJAh4oH1vYJBKDvp6ytO348t0/s1600/SweatyBands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyoIzSNGbG8Ahll3-IkD87mjyramPWdSdEuppEb9-LIXbYgayMFMC4krtpOJqjr5Ukf9E4jowCYqs1ubXQFcP2ppZRtXOBwuEbFxN0-nvpUs_fOjrwfItJAh4oH1vYJBKDvp6ytO348t0/s400/SweatyBands.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taken today, post run.</td></tr>
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I bought my first Sweaty Band <a href="http://www.commonwealthsportsclub.com/Club/Scripts/Home/home.asp">at my gym</a>, in the spring, when I started training for my 5k (using the couch to 5k program). Additionally in the Boston area, I know they're available at both <a href="http://www.marathonsports.com/">Marathon Sports</a> and <a href="http://www.citysports.com/">City Sport</a>s, but I'm getting ahead of myself.<br />
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My hair is rather short, here's a recent picture of the length it's been hanging out a little more than a year.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFHwAVUdcfLepKC2lI6SGLj41a7xzu9aEQIerUW05Cr0rEHUsykUkZtStFU7JYfYon3mzZfS-6YDuMczBrf7xb0GPyA8B5eCq_RyBlDMOrhlNye0KABFDIGp7O01ulJwguS5pGsJi51IY/s1600/hair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFHwAVUdcfLepKC2lI6SGLj41a7xzu9aEQIerUW05Cr0rEHUsykUkZtStFU7JYfYon3mzZfS-6YDuMczBrf7xb0GPyA8B5eCq_RyBlDMOrhlNye0KABFDIGp7O01ulJwguS5pGsJi51IY/s320/hair.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Pretty short for a pony tail, huh? Well...pretty short for a functional with running pony tail given I don't want to use a can of hair spray and a full card of bobby pins every time I run. Enter the sweaty band: heavy fabric on the top, a no-slip velvety fabric for the under side, and some elastic for the base of you neck....GENIUS!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Lnh5SK-vZ77ZsAZNCzjiUMO5ogxXsZBT2w34PaHg4PpK0O-KVt31KHHM5NLYSLsCEPr3Yr_4KoeG40VgsLDwgpELN7h1TldNNiFtvlBXYQbq9lzVHi2Ltn5WybzRA5_0F5O1-YAeyR4/s1600/TopSB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Lnh5SK-vZ77ZsAZNCzjiUMO5ogxXsZBT2w34PaHg4PpK0O-KVt31KHHM5NLYSLsCEPr3Yr_4KoeG40VgsLDwgpELN7h1TldNNiFtvlBXYQbq9lzVHi2Ltn5WybzRA5_0F5O1-YAeyR4/s320/TopSB.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglwYXbG4wREOhkCfdBO1apDW_7CfEoVp2jKt36nmqbf2v7SezNLJVpPZoPDGVxJcWG8pX11Qud622KymgkGSR0plpzVUwZK9QJxxy_PvJCgM6jFc3O7xnLVbXtFGAiAtV1BQpjaNE7XTU/s1600/UnderSB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglwYXbG4wREOhkCfdBO1apDW_7CfEoVp2jKt36nmqbf2v7SezNLJVpPZoPDGVxJcWG8pX11Qud622KymgkGSR0plpzVUwZK9QJxxy_PvJCgM6jFc3O7xnLVbXtFGAiAtV1BQpjaNE7XTU/s320/UnderSB.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Under-belly</td></tr>
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It doesn't slip, it doesn't move, it doesn't pinch, it actually (shocker of shocker) DOES ITS JOB!<br />
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I've decided to make the Sweaty Bands my "trophies" for the 5ks that I've been doing. The pink and blue was for Spectacle Island 5k and the iridescent white shimmery thing was for the Chestnut Hill Reservoir 5k.<br />
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Now it's time to start shopping for the ones I will wear for October's events (Yes. I said eventS!!!) First, the <a href="http://www.thehumaneleague.com/WalkBoston/about.htm">Boston Walk for Animals</a> and then <a href="http://www.blacklightrun.com/#!blacklight-run---boston/c5pk">The Blacklight Run</a> a week later.<br />
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This is where you come in, beloved readers! Time to help me pick a Sweaty Band for each of the events!!!! All you need to do is pick one choice for Boston Walk for Animals and one for The Blacklight Run, and tell me your two choices in the comments. Simple, huh?!?!? Here are there choices....<br />
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For Boston Walk for Animals.... 1) <a href="http://www.sweatybands.com/en/shop-sweaty-products/animal/animal/bite-me.aspx">Bite Me</a> in green and pink, 2) <a href="http://www.sweatybands.com/en/shop-sweaty-products/animal/animal/slow-and-steady-wins-the-race.aspx">Slow and Steady Wins the Rac</a>e in green and blue, 3) <a href="http://www.sweatybands.com/en/shop-sweaty-products/animal/animal/rabbits.aspx">Rabbits</a> or 4) <a href="http://www.sweatybands.com/en/shop-sweaty-products/animal/animal/this-little-piggy.aspx">This Little Piggy</a>.<br />
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For The Blacklight Run... 1) <a href="http://www.sweatybands.com/en/shop-sweaty-products/animal-prints/animal-prints/strut-your-stuff.aspx">Strut Your Stuff</a>, 2) <a href="http://www.sweatybands.com/en/shop-sweaty-products/funky/funky/ghost-in-the-graveyard.aspx">Ghost in the Graveyard</a>, 3) <a href="http://www.sweatybands.com/en/shop-sweaty-products/exclusive-sweatys/exclusive-sweatys/out-of-this-world.aspx">Out of This World</a>, 4) <a href="http://www.sweatybands.com/en/shop-sweaty-products/bling/bling/fabulosity.aspx">Fabulosity </a>in Gold or 4) <a href="http://www.sweatybands.com/en/shop-sweaty-products/exclusive-sweatys/exclusive-sweatys/getting-groovy.aspx">Getting Groovy</a> in black, yellow, pink, and blue.<br />
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Just so you know, you'll have until Sunday, September 8th to put in you comments. Happy choosing for me! :-D<br />
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No Disassemble Charlie No. 5http://www.blogger.com/profile/00457719072373345591noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968818472907463224.post-10566043677566595202013-08-22T06:56:00.000-07:002013-08-22T06:56:34.946-07:00Chestnut Hill Reservoir 5K<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzPjw8ctG_42s0UkJ6igB6aOoXkqxeOgBWFMJktMZhvwLLhUMPE9d92PNb_YnyvRhzT7i47QKu975eqL2NCjrmwiAg5i7W5TOVXDKDJPjGLXzM9R8ihqq6gmMJ8oWjVXz0hsGfdKjGIys/s1600/ChestnutHillRes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzPjw8ctG_42s0UkJ6igB6aOoXkqxeOgBWFMJktMZhvwLLhUMPE9d92PNb_YnyvRhzT7i47QKu975eqL2NCjrmwiAg5i7W5TOVXDKDJPjGLXzM9R8ihqq6gmMJ8oWjVXz0hsGfdKjGIys/s640/ChestnutHillRes.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beauty in my own "back yard".</td></tr>
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HUZZAH! My second 5K is complete!! For several hours there I thought it wasn't going to happen, as a crowned tooth giving me FITS over the night before (I'll be seeing my dentist on Friday to see what's going on. Thankfully, I'm in MUCH less pain now.) I guess that sleep deprivation actually works for me.<br />
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This 5K was a COMPLETE different vibe from my first 5K: <a href="http://nscharlieno5.blogspot.com/2013/06/spectacle-island-5k.html">the Spectacle Island 5K</a>. For Spectacle, I had to take the Green line to the Blue line, to a ferry to an island. For Chestnut Hill Reservoir, all I had to do is walk the 2-ish block that I normally walk. Chestnut Hill Reservoir is where I normally run.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgefmjdmqrOgZpM5OeKf7KZamkjTThf5L3Sq5VtH102CxpNxZ7AFyf5P11kmIReWzQg4uznJj33aMqhkBOxU7YxWVausTaw5mIj-I1660VWBWUcJV6JGrs2hJeQyA_mvvrk-hc37XqeTXI/s1600/PreRace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgefmjdmqrOgZpM5OeKf7KZamkjTThf5L3Sq5VtH102CxpNxZ7AFyf5P11kmIReWzQg4uznJj33aMqhkBOxU7YxWVausTaw5mIj-I1660VWBWUcJV6JGrs2hJeQyA_mvvrk-hc37XqeTXI/s320/PreRace.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre Race</td></tr>
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This 5K was a lot less structured and much more lax of a race. There were no announcements and we all just kinda herded together towards the start. According to my race, the GPS ended up being 3.4 miles instead of 3.1...oh well.<br />
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I love running at the reservoir. The gravel is soft (yet it ALWAYS gets in my socks), there's fun wild life to watch, the people are always friendly, there's water nearby (given it's a...you know...reservoir), and it is quite literally in my back yard.<br />
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Holy geewillekers did I sweat! It wasn't all that HOT, but it was super sunny and I was DRENCHED afterwards. (As drenched as one can get in New England.) Thankfully, I remembered to wear sunscreen this time and escaped free from a Spectacle-esque sunburn.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqA9Gqmk6twVqSJl1uSjNjSZAga20VtYrqP_ZYTu12gyVa6VZFyI5Qi7teSrdNfYNxKCOiE8JxBmAaYBCzfE1FEFT-pqRzoAv9YPPP2sldhtBtBkwo_nZsNjwx5OWYGntteagm5gQe7g/s1600/PostRace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqA9Gqmk6twVqSJl1uSjNjSZAga20VtYrqP_ZYTu12gyVa6VZFyI5Qi7teSrdNfYNxKCOiE8JxBmAaYBCzfE1FEFT-pqRzoAv9YPPP2sldhtBtBkwo_nZsNjwx5OWYGntteagm5gQe7g/s320/PostRace.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post Race</td></tr>
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If I look super happy, it's because I am...and here's why: Spectacle Island 5K time - 50:06, Chestnut Hill Reservoir 5K time 44:57!!! That's 5 whole flippin' minutes. I didn't do anything "special" to improve my time, I just ran more. I still run like a turtle, but I'm a consistently improving turtle. Plus, if I take that much time off every 5k that I run, I would be a VERY happy camper. However, something tells more it's going to take a bit more than just "running more." A plan to be made later....<br />
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After the race was over...what I WANTED was brunch like booze...but since it was 9am, and we weren't in the city center, there would be none of that. Instead, we "settled"for breakfast at <a href="http://eaglesdeli.com/">Eagles Deli</a>. (On the way home, we picked up mimosa making supplies from the local liquor store and 7-11 and had the bottle of champagne polished off by noon. Hey! I head earned it!)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjNsNP5jqiJm_8VylaE1zmhldkMpW9U6bH2DE35aoJBgNVHoLvZ7N6kbncf9rPk3GrF2TTqbGKXs8RnMKuMvhjnWVtmh3AU0yqio6lkmCEM_91jn0Fqin0CylV90tyWJDbcyjwlRzYSqw/s1600/Breakfast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjNsNP5jqiJm_8VylaE1zmhldkMpW9U6bH2DE35aoJBgNVHoLvZ7N6kbncf9rPk3GrF2TTqbGKXs8RnMKuMvhjnWVtmh3AU0yqio6lkmCEM_91jn0Fqin0CylV90tyWJDbcyjwlRzYSqw/s320/Breakfast.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pancakes with Nutella and fresh strawberries. YUM!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Since I have been overtly interested in running play lists and how they affect your performance, here was mine for this particular 5K:<br />
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1) It's Time - Imagine Dragons<br />
2) Bulls on Parade - Rage Against the Machine <br />
3) Come Around - M.I.A.<br />
4) Immigrant Song - Led Zeppelin<br />
5) A Little Party Never Killed Nobody - Fergie<br />
6) The New Workout Plan - Kanye West<br />
7) Radioactive - Imagine Dragons<br />
8) Can't Hold Us - Macklemore<br />
9) Land of 1,000 Dances - Wilson Pickett<br />
10) Titanium - David Guetta<br />
11) Sandstorm - Darude<br />
12) Infinity Guitars - Sleigh Bells<br />
13) Thunderstruck - AC/DC<br />
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So <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCXerGxRfRc">what's next</a>? It's the <a href="http://www.blacklightrun.com/#!blacklight-run---boston/c5pk">Blacklight Run</a> on October 26th at Osgood Landing out in Andover. I think Mr. & Mrs. H-Bomb will be joining along with a very special guest. STAY TUNED!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv2b2GS9GQQW0iQAHj5ekqsc09RR44j7NKhvK4TuP6GeGXfxXzCJQly25YQWrZLOoxjM2fiNausOeDGznBaIwQm_87msk_h729kdt9yevVObPUKJvPM00Wh_MI9nBxzCRRtIUlikIY83I/s1600/e22341934dcfee32d29227562a07ac37.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv2b2GS9GQQW0iQAHj5ekqsc09RR44j7NKhvK4TuP6GeGXfxXzCJQly25YQWrZLOoxjM2fiNausOeDGznBaIwQm_87msk_h729kdt9yevVObPUKJvPM00Wh_MI9nBxzCRRtIUlikIY83I/s320/e22341934dcfee32d29227562a07ac37.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />No Disassemble Charlie No. 5http://www.blogger.com/profile/00457719072373345591noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968818472907463224.post-19475963242017852732013-08-21T14:42:00.003-07:002013-08-21T14:46:55.770-07:00Just Keep Moving On<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>"I chose, and my world was shaken - So what?</b></i></div>
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<i><b>The choice may have been mistaken,</b></i></div>
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<i><b>The choosing was not</b></i></div>
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<i><b>You have to move on</b></i></div>
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<i><b>Look at what you want,</b></i></div>
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<i><b>Not at where you are,</b></i></div>
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<i><b>Not at what you'll be..."</b></i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj02Gk2Yy4T106UkPHzJZc65z6_bASjeAr7e8buXBM2GP-Xkkq7iXuq2MaQDFway3tjMw91SvywhzwzJM2iaMpnYXMMrGJ76FR1mm1UU9Q-tzN38m3oLCuyhA_E1Z6LXsZnEpyTTh2TMKI/s1600/maxresdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj02Gk2Yy4T106UkPHzJZc65z6_bASjeAr7e8buXBM2GP-Xkkq7iXuq2MaQDFway3tjMw91SvywhzwzJM2iaMpnYXMMrGJ76FR1mm1UU9Q-tzN38m3oLCuyhA_E1Z6LXsZnEpyTTh2TMKI/s400/maxresdefault.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't you just want to give Mandy Patinkin a big ol' bear hug?!?</td></tr>
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Sorry for the long blogging absence, but life & work have been PRETTY hectic this month, but I am back. :) I'm back and have something actually not weight loss related to talk about: starting September 3rd I am OFFICIALLY headed back to school and couldn't be more excited.</div>
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That being said, the process of getting ready to go back to school both mentally, emotionally and tactically has been a bit of a doozey. Once I was finally registered for my class, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MCVsMSsIJU">"Move On"</a> from Sunday in the Park with George immediately popped into my brain. "What the heck?", I thought.... but after a little more pondering, it came to mind...it was very sage advice, from a trusted mentor...finally registering some 3 and a half years later.</div>
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Something that I've learned about myself, and probably has a large deal to do with why I write this blog...is my overwhelming desire to help people, to make a difference...and to sound TOTALLY cheesy, to leave this world a better place than I found it. (Doesn't that actually have a name? I think it's a Hebrew term...cookie goes to someone who can tell me what it is...)</div>
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Could I have done that by being a musician? Yes. Being a music educator? Absolutely! In my current job? To some small extent, I surmise. As a nurse? ABOSO-FUCKING-LUTLEY!</div>
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(Oh, yeah...in case you've spent ZERO time around me or have no knowledge of anything I write on an social media outlet...I'm going back to school to first get my prerequisites and then go to Nursing School for an accelerated BS in Nursing. Right now I THINK I want to work in a hospital in either ER, OR, or Mental Health, but then again...I'm not naive enough to think that I'll go through ALL of my nursing program with the same wants, or that's where my job search will take me. For now, however, those are the goals.)</div>
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This is a long way from what my 18 year old self thought I was going to do. Eighteen is when you go to college, when you decide "what you're going to be", right? That's such a stupid notion, seriously...how is an eighteen year old supposed to be equipped to answer that? In many instances, our youth are asked to answer this question MUCH younger than 18. Shouldn't kids just be...oh, I don't know...riding their bikes or gossiping about boys...? You get my drift.</div>
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But I digress. I know that my circumstance is not an exclusively unique position, but it is unique in my little circle of friends: I have several friends looking for first time employment in their given field, one looking for new employment in the same field, one starting her doctoral degree and a husband who is employed in a field FAR from from his college degree.</div>
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I think I relish this territory. I get to figure this out on my own. This can be mine. </div>
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At the same time, this really isn't all that unique. We take our life experiences -- our strengths, our weaknesses, our lessons learned, our battles fought and carry them around with ourselves every single day, into every single circumstance.</div>
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I think that's what I love most about life -- it is never EVER static. It's dynamic even when it seemingly at its most placid. Perhaps that's why I love the water so. It's a great metaphor for life. Honestly, have you every seen water be 100% still for more than a nano-second.</div>
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Life's about the journey, not the destination. This is true. Also, it's less about "what" you are and "who" you are. Why don't they teach that in public school curriculum? Yay! You got into a good school, but you act as a wretched human being... Please do not mistake what I am talking about...I'm talking about CHARACTER, not morality or religion. I don't know if character can be taught, but certainly it can be shaped...or nudged along.</div>
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Yet again, I digress. </div>
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I do wonder what it's going to be like to walk into the first Human Biology class. Am I'm going to be noticeably and significantly younger than everyone, will they annoy me, will I find the class easy, will it be difficult? All this not knowing is simultaneously exciting and petrifying. If you know me well, you know that I thrive on the dichotomous existence. </div>
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When I started my undergrad, I remember my mother telling me, "watch out for the middle aged ladies in your classes. They'll blow your curve."</div>
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Now I think I'm that middle aged lady. Woo-hoo!!!!</div>
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This whole going back to school thing has me excited, introspective, little nervous, proud. If I had to pick some emotions I'd be down with being for quite some time...those would be fine by me.</div>
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<i><b>...Just keep moving on</b></i></div>
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<i><b>Anything you do</b></i></div>
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<i><b>Let it come from you</b></i></div>
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<i><b>Then it will be new</b></i></div>
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<i><b>Give us more to see..."</b></i></div>
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No Disassemble Charlie No. 5http://www.blogger.com/profile/00457719072373345591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968818472907463224.post-69048682589906676482013-08-01T13:23:00.000-07:002013-08-01T13:23:05.662-07:00Running PlaylistHello lovely readers! My apologies for my absence of late. Between my actual vacation, my mom and my sister visiting for ten days, and my bit of a hectic return to work....well, No Disassemble Charlie No. 5 had to take a little time on the back burner. Never fear...we're back!!!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhieO-8L5fdFD94PNcRiLAW6sTl0FcHGB0CjXOmr_kG527mrFdoe3lZmzKSFkpotFLxiay2qaNFHO_grtgza6z9y0ypLODDPbKoxRecHLIW6ePHZ67ege7p521JI-Uhv1YlBiazcml6jy4/s1600/as-long-as-you-dont-give-up-running-picture-quote.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhieO-8L5fdFD94PNcRiLAW6sTl0FcHGB0CjXOmr_kG527mrFdoe3lZmzKSFkpotFLxiay2qaNFHO_grtgza6z9y0ypLODDPbKoxRecHLIW6ePHZ67ege7p521JI-Uhv1YlBiazcml6jy4/s400/as-long-as-you-dont-give-up-running-picture-quote.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
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Something's fun on the horizon: The <a href="http://www.runthousandmiles.org/chestnut-hill-reservoir-5k.html">Chestnut Hill Reservoir 5k</a> will be here in a mere fifteen days. I'm pretty excited about this race! I can walk to it from my house, as it is at the reservoir where I always run. It's a absolutely GORGEOUS place to run!! That being said, I really don't LIKE to run. I am learning to LOVE to run though...if that makes any sense. I love when I get to the point when my mind goes blank, I love that I'm doing that LAST possible form of exercise I'd EVER thought I'd be doing. That being said, how do I bridge the gab from "like" to "love"? Very simple: MUSIC!<br />
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Here's my list, that keeps me going....in no particular order.<br />
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1) You Can Do It by Ice Cube<br />
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2) Run the World (Girls) by Beyonce'<br />
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3) Draw a Crowd by Ben Folds Five<br />
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4) Extraordinary by Liz Phair<br />
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5) Crazy Bitch by Buckcherry<br />
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6) Mama Said Knock You Out by LL Cool J<br />
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7) Survivor by Destiny's Child<br />
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8) Thunderstruck by AC/DC<br />
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9) Pour Some Sugar on Me by Def Leopard<br />
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10) Do It Anyway by Ben Folds Five<br />
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11) Free Your Mind by En Vogue<br />
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12) Starships by Nicki Minaj<br />
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13) Land of 1000 Dances by Wilson Pickett<br />
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14) It's My Life by No Doubt<br />
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15) Titanium by David Guetta & Sia<br />
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16) Eye of the Tiger by Survivor<br />
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17) Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You) by Kelly Clarkson<br />
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18) Comfortably Numb by Scissor Sisters<br />
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19) Immigrant Song by Led Zeppelin<br />
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20) Epic by Faith No More<br />
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21) Come Around by M.I.A. feat Timbaland<br />
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22) Riot Rhythm by Sleigh Bells<br />
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23) Soul Man by The Blues Brothers<br />
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24) Hall of Fame by The Script<br />
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25) Ducky Done Gun by M.I.A.<br />
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26) Lose Yourself by Eminem<br />
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27) Show Me How You Burlesque by Christina Aguilera<br />
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28) Infinity Guitars by Sleigh Bells<br />
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29) Breakin' Dishes by Rihanna<br />
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30) How You Like Me Now by The Heavy<br />
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31) This is the New Year by A Great Big World<br />
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32) A/B Machines by Sleigh Bells<br />
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33) Boyz by M.I.A.<br />
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34) Army by Ben Folds Five<br />
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35) Bang Bang by will.i.am<br />
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36) 99 Problems by Jay-Z<br />
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37) Fighter by Christina Aguilera<br />
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38) It's Time by Imagine Dragons<br />
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39) The New Workout Plan by Kayne West<br />
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40) It's A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock 'N Roll) by AC/DC<br />
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41) Vanity by Christina Aguilera<br />
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42) Can't Hold Us Down by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis<br />
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43) On Top of the World by Imagine Dragons<br />
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44) Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke<br />
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45) The State of Massachusetts by Dropkick Murphys<br />
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46) For Boston by Dropkick Murphys<br />
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47) Bulls On Parade by Rage Against the Machine<br />
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48) Radioactive by Imagine Dragons<br />
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49) Tell 'Em by Sleigh Bells<br />
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50) Girl on Fire (Inferno Version) by Alicia Keys feat. Nicki Minaj<br />
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51) Hearts On Fire by John Cafferty<br />
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52) Fly by Nicki Minaj & Rihanna<br />
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53) I Love It by Icona Pop<br />
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54) A Little Party Never Killed Nobody by Fergie<br />
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<br />That's it folks!!! Does my list line up with any of yours? Is there anything awesome I'm missing? Anything you're stealing from me? Let me know in the comments!No Disassemble Charlie No. 5http://www.blogger.com/profile/00457719072373345591noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968818472907463224.post-56088216423039095102013-07-15T15:01:00.004-07:002013-07-15T15:01:33.656-07:00Swim Across America - Nantasket Beach<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>"Long have you timidly waded holding a plank by the shore,</b></i></div>
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<i><b>Now I will you to be a bold swimmer,</b></i></div>
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<i><b>to jump off in the midst of the sea, rise again, not to me, shout,</b></i></div>
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<i><b>and laughingly dash your hair." - Ovid</b></i></div>
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I don't know if I laughingly dashed my hair, but on some level I was a bold swimmer. That was, without a doubt, the HARDEST thing I have ever done in my life!!! Both physically and mentally, but I'm so glad I did it and finished. (No matter how many times I wanted to bail while I was out there.)</div>
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Chop man, chop. But more on that later.</div>
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I have to say that <a href="http://Swim Across America">Swim Across America</a> is an AMAZING organization! The event was run so well, everyone was so nice, and the whole experience was incredibly uplifting. I urge you, if you live near where one of the swims are held at the very least volunteer, find a swimmer you know and donate, or hell...SWIM! I'm trying to find FIVE people to do it with me next year. Yes, I got tossed around like a piece of dead kelp and I cant wait to train harder, smarter and get back out there next summer and raise even more money!</div>
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Speaking of raising money, with the very generous support of my friends, family and colleagues I raised $1,115!!!! That made me the 8th highest individual fundraiser for the event. And here I was afraid I wouldn't be able to raise the $250 that I had to to be allowed to swim. The people I associate with and surround myself with ROCK! With the Boston Harbor Relay swim (google it and have your mind blown) and the Nantasket Beach swim combined, SAA raised $300,000!!!! $150,000 each was given to <a href="http://www.dana-farber.org/Pediatric-Care/Treatment-and-Support/Pediatric-Treatment-Centers-and-Clinical-Services/Survivorship/The-Story-of-David%E2%80%99s-Clinic.aspx">The David B. Perini, Jr. Quality of Life Clinic at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute</a> and The <a href="http://www.massgeneral.org/children/services/treatmentprograms.aspx?id=1610&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=childrensppc&utm_term=children%20cancer%20center&utm_content=Cancer_Center&gclid=CMum6fv727cCFcqj4AodkBQAUg">MassGeneral Hospital for Children Cancer Center</a>. It makes me smile to think of all the amazing work your dollars are going to do.</div>
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That all being said, this swim kicked my ass! (Remember, dead kelp?) It wasn't the darkness/deepness of the water, it wasn't extreme saltiness of the water (for what it's worth, the New England coast is WAY saltier the the Gulf Of Mexico), it wasn't the mass of people, it wasn't necessarily the waves, it was the chop and the current. See, most of the swim was done past the breakers, you should have been golden. "Golden" being a relative term. Let me backtrack.</div>
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I know that I trained well for this event and that I am a very capable swimmer. I also know that I did everything in MY power to get ready for this event. (With the exception of going to a beach and swimming, but doing that alone is just madness. What was I going to do, have my husband treat water and act as I buoy? I enjoy being married....) Now, if you're all, "pft! how hard could it be?" Here's what you do....go out in the ocean (still water won't work for this) make it through the breakers and then turn and swim parallel to the shore in a straight line and report back to me. Do this all while wearing something so tight, it will make you feel sorry for the rice in boudain.</div>
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I should have known that this wasn't going to be beach swimming business as usual when 1) they wouldn't let the mile swimmer do their full distance and cut it back to a 1/2 mile for everyone, 2) they completely changed the coarse and 3) the event kept getting delayed. By a grand total of 45 minutes (I think). </div>
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This'll explain things for you. I would swim, with someone on my left ahead of me about a body length. I would swim five strokes, he'd be on my right. I'd look up to site and I'd be FACING the shore. Insert "expletive deleted here." </div>
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The important thing is I swam out, and I know I'll do it again, and do it better! I also know that I wouldn't have been able to do it had it not been for the help of a Swim Angel named Trevor and a life guard name Allie. If y'all ever run across this blog and are reading this, I know I already told you a few times, but...thank you, thank you, thank you! </div>
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I did get some "free" technique advice out there. One of the other swim angels was hanging about and said, "Hey, you're a REALLY strong swimmer. Did you know you're pulling REALLY hard with your right hand?" "Funny," I said, "because I'm left handed and was try to compensate. Guess I'm over compensating." I was very aware of this in the pool this morning. </div>
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Favorite part of the swim? Allie had asked me why I decided to do this swim, you know who was I swimming for? She asked me this as I was clinging onto her surf board & engaged in some very negative self talk. "For my mother in law and my Dad. She passed away from her second bout with breast cancer a few years ago. My Dad, he's fine now....but he had to have a third of his tongue removed. They both loved/love the water, so it's rather fitting that I'm....ok...we're swimming now."</div>
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People battle and succumb and survive cancer every single day. I could let the Atlantic Ocean bitch slap me around for a few more minutes. I made sure I swam until my finger tips scraped sand and made sure I ran through the finish line. No matter how much help I needed to get there. I finished on my own.</div>
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I WILL be back next year. Who's swimming/volunteering with me!?!</div>
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So maybe I'm not exactly Ovid's "bold swimmer", but I will be. For the moment, I choose to take Emerson's warmer and fuzzier approach....</div>
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<i><b><span class="userContent">"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air." - Ralph Waldo Emerson</span></b></i> </div>
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Before I launch into picture-palooza....three more things....</div>
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1) I have to publicly say thank you to my husband throughout this little endeavor. From the endless swim talk to carting my ass out to Walden Pond he's been awesome. Nothing says let's work a full work day and then stand on the shore while your wife swims lines in a lake where some dude wrote some poetry. Also, he's been wet suit putter oner extraordinaire.</div>
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2) Also, thank you to my friend....let's call her InkyLady and Mr. InkyLady for coming out to Nantasket and supporting me during my swim. It was great to see your pretty face and I can't wait until we run a 5K together!</div>
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3) Speaking of 5K's that's what is next. <a href="http://www.runthousandmiles.org/chestnut-hill-reservoir-5k.html">The Chestnut Hill Reservoir 5K</a>. This one is pretty much in my back yard, so time so loose a bit of my sea legs!! Before that, it's already time to start thinking of open water season for next year. I emailed Coach Bill of <a href="http://www.breakwatersportstraining.com/default.html">Breakwater Sports Training</a>, explained my current swimming "issues", what my short term and long term swimming goals are, and I have a video evaluation this Wednesday evening in Watertown (appropriate) where we can look at my stroke together and come up with a plan. How exciting! I feel like a "real" athlete!</div>
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*** Biggest "I wish I had" take away, and great advice for anyone about to do any type of open water swimming or triathlon...I wish I had clear goggles. All I had were mirrored and tinted blue. With the grey skies and chop, I REALLY wish I had clear goggles. I'll be ordering some with my next pay check. Have options! We cannot control nor accurately predict the weather. </div>
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Now....THE PICTURES!!!!!</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKLr8aW_KvaTTnczh9BRbRcUTBB_Xj-iK-WCC9Ri7tfNBWptRHnOBxhtLo_M6A1yqOz3lJ7Ul1zC-Pw2hJ45ioooOLw-X3EN4S2yqMVRKnoj4U-8DaV5cqn1S41M0ufuRftRUkAeAt5Q/s1600/SwimmingPool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKLr8aW_KvaTTnczh9BRbRcUTBB_Xj-iK-WCC9Ri7tfNBWptRHnOBxhtLo_M6A1yqOz3lJ7Ul1zC-Pw2hJ45ioooOLw-X3EN4S2yqMVRKnoj4U-8DaV5cqn1S41M0ufuRftRUkAeAt5Q/s400/SwimmingPool.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My swimming pool / ass kicker for the morning</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4to8re_KLOMjECDZ3AKFLzR3KvQLLnEpNOnIETLQt1DO0DV41M00ys2rcxUQFsnHEDgyMXYhT7gKSRCL1QWfhmjVRvoObTuQhZMLy8zNsrucAB6D69AXL1JkHYAcFHNs8Cu5E_LEYksc/s1600/Rookie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4to8re_KLOMjECDZ3AKFLzR3KvQLLnEpNOnIETLQt1DO0DV41M00ys2rcxUQFsnHEDgyMXYhT7gKSRCL1QWfhmjVRvoObTuQhZMLy8zNsrucAB6D69AXL1JkHYAcFHNs8Cu5E_LEYksc/s400/Rookie.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My "Rookie" tattoo!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg18zFp5KP9dAbK2XN8mOHLuz9uEI71PlTHVn0Kgqg6z4cuqEUAE_DvXE6Pb99_I6zKXC8acKyLrXWsOI7lUffFLT9fIHMaXMNmnpQutXsLK-YDleuBq2Fr6_0ZCpsiupYWqN3GqlHsHeM/s1600/WhyISwim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg18zFp5KP9dAbK2XN8mOHLuz9uEI71PlTHVn0Kgqg6z4cuqEUAE_DvXE6Pb99_I6zKXC8acKyLrXWsOI7lUffFLT9fIHMaXMNmnpQutXsLK-YDleuBq2Fr6_0ZCpsiupYWqN3GqlHsHeM/s400/WhyISwim.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Why I swim.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Yc4z5cR7rXSkSgjRx3T6rSbMi11_208hbMPSyyWLU8nCUfyNSRW1SLlKlzH5-nuhmj_6M9I0E6Yjzq9U52vi6w1R7BUXSFtqr13d8tS3oENhVWgJeunI5eN5pOrRH2w_nBWt3QYusj0/s1600/SettingUp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Yc4z5cR7rXSkSgjRx3T6rSbMi11_208hbMPSyyWLU8nCUfyNSRW1SLlKlzH5-nuhmj_6M9I0E6Yjzq9U52vi6w1R7BUXSFtqr13d8tS3oENhVWgJeunI5eN5pOrRH2w_nBWt3QYusj0/s400/SettingUp.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Setting up the course</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYRMwkujv-rFj1Uu2y9QVyNQs9EerhcDCV7z8CimmpXjg7lSwv65ioec_91z6t28jOHybBrd9smurHqe2GEtaKARgJJH8xoiVvcBT9jQRJnJh4FCZG4nGsZcRO5EqAnVPslw-yx2BDggA/s1600/cap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYRMwkujv-rFj1Uu2y9QVyNQs9EerhcDCV7z8CimmpXjg7lSwv65ioec_91z6t28jOHybBrd9smurHqe2GEtaKARgJJH8xoiVvcBT9jQRJnJh4FCZG4nGsZcRO5EqAnVPslw-yx2BDggA/s400/cap.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I considered my Carolina Blue swim cap a good omen, as that's where my husband went to school and he proposed on campus.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKOolCsFgu3z2uWBfyxX4JVfEgg3JXWVqHoN0r-bxS5b42UKjXp6xdKlpO_2sRHZLQMch_0yKe-wVkKpTz1HhNaXWGDxPlDi1Be-J9yxzKlDio9l_8GAmcxDn79mq7HqZEzQUVtjGfa_o/s1600/Ready.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKOolCsFgu3z2uWBfyxX4JVfEgg3JXWVqHoN0r-bxS5b42UKjXp6xdKlpO_2sRHZLQMch_0yKe-wVkKpTz1HhNaXWGDxPlDi1Be-J9yxzKlDio9l_8GAmcxDn79mq7HqZEzQUVtjGfa_o/s400/Ready.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to rock 'n roll! (or be rolled around by the chop...)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsmjpW4-OrKR443HVFAikcVoV-jb6T7DU-vsi81RYCzufU1uB_gA-ZJ2Rqv-G86OYiQTRtur-y2OJSKmr529z7so02Sjjxd2CBOBO4dXyPzS8RZPhMEQGKOrxWzo9WwAAPLnEQRmkqtl8/s1600/MenWaitingToStart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsmjpW4-OrKR443HVFAikcVoV-jb6T7DU-vsi81RYCzufU1uB_gA-ZJ2Rqv-G86OYiQTRtur-y2OJSKmr529z7so02Sjjxd2CBOBO4dXyPzS8RZPhMEQGKOrxWzo9WwAAPLnEQRmkqtl8/s400/MenWaitingToStart.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "mile men" now "1/2 mile men" waiting to start.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAUOuchzETDLJLTc7q9JDICl5cdIFxKLIeK7Vxu_9lKLwxh58bqhC3vWI0ZolINlCC3JAjrNBqBY84gApjicD3HgmwduD4lsvsHVOJZvzVCpCctNLZg8fCWv7QfJGrGoxXQNRVMAfnKCw/s1600/Walking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAUOuchzETDLJLTc7q9JDICl5cdIFxKLIeK7Vxu_9lKLwxh58bqhC3vWI0ZolINlCC3JAjrNBqBY84gApjicD3HgmwduD4lsvsHVOJZvzVCpCctNLZg8fCWv7QfJGrGoxXQNRVMAfnKCw/s400/Walking.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking down the the start</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6D4s1C23XKfe6vraA21ZI4WYileK0T4vycegpbd4EXZNUMnUnXLFvanEc9ODLwfh8VgKtiBfq_WpHBQDOJHygxUfLCxfRELHKtV9w4aZMFjTmMwYX1LEHE8v5rQMzzmX-uIqMKRJOXqs/s1600/Start.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6D4s1C23XKfe6vraA21ZI4WYileK0T4vycegpbd4EXZNUMnUnXLFvanEc9ODLwfh8VgKtiBfq_WpHBQDOJHygxUfLCxfRELHKtV9w4aZMFjTmMwYX1LEHE8v5rQMzzmX-uIqMKRJOXqs/s400/Start.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting to start. I'm somewhere in there. The blue caps are the 1/2 mile swimmers and the while caps are the swim angels.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGCUM1HDRFN6sU1DWtiINBl5UxkU7Rq2BdRbPxseIRc9lhUDavZU7j-aeanUzVw9VBuKmchBtaE0e4l7DrKgy-XunC_JU__JAaZ36OpgnjjEUT7fkwVMl5R0nBjgF73Jr9wD6pIdDJlhc/s1600/somewhereoutthere.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGCUM1HDRFN6sU1DWtiINBl5UxkU7Rq2BdRbPxseIRc9lhUDavZU7j-aeanUzVw9VBuKmchBtaE0e4l7DrKgy-XunC_JU__JAaZ36OpgnjjEUT7fkwVMl5R0nBjgF73Jr9wD6pIdDJlhc/s400/somewhereoutthere.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm somewhere in there....</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg0p52h5Y1iHRUiV2b3Uy53WfuSIaPzfs8UFLFMRXnOAVEnz_WabdhrU3v9d2qiFlMxSYI62VddIzrMyPa958LcS6ADdIwqZ7LOKEMUf0tzJp3LPkQzvtVCUmV1XTvUwbjdvo0CYIpcK0/s1600/Angel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg0p52h5Y1iHRUiV2b3Uy53WfuSIaPzfs8UFLFMRXnOAVEnz_WabdhrU3v9d2qiFlMxSYI62VddIzrMyPa958LcS6ADdIwqZ7LOKEMUf0tzJp3LPkQzvtVCUmV1XTvUwbjdvo0CYIpcK0/s400/Angel.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Angel Swimmers</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXB3BBzamzGKQnmjtOi64wnyBTcQmPrYWdOfZhjfHU8urGRZxfeYdJyn-Pvv2lxYGXfLdm-F2KjZLhWLBqKEYZRoUK4wATwyly0TlbtNMepSJErcSygNs0ikMx1J8CBaHvQHXaWRy3Cgs/s1600/Checks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXB3BBzamzGKQnmjtOi64wnyBTcQmPrYWdOfZhjfHU8urGRZxfeYdJyn-Pvv2lxYGXfLdm-F2KjZLhWLBqKEYZRoUK4wATwyly0TlbtNMepSJErcSygNs0ikMx1J8CBaHvQHXaWRy3Cgs/s400/Checks.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Presenting the checks to Doctors from Dana Farber (he swam!) and MGH Children's.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhilMmUxXiiRh1hp-0MbSdDjoETGxl8f8b08NXOROn0erEPvxhRG_1hyphenhyphenTfnc-_ZxfrIerBj8lJB7gOUlIWUsnS7jYvXr58FNR_Szhu3lrQcYH6MqRoqPIpaO59lbI_srTrr2zxUR4UxX7k/s1600/Towel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhilMmUxXiiRh1hp-0MbSdDjoETGxl8f8b08NXOROn0erEPvxhRG_1hyphenhyphenTfnc-_ZxfrIerBj8lJB7gOUlIWUsnS7jYvXr58FNR_Szhu3lrQcYH6MqRoqPIpaO59lbI_srTrr2zxUR4UxX7k/s400/Towel.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proud of my towel. Proud of myself. Proud of the money we raised. Proud to be part of such an AWESOME organization. Shallowly proud of how good my arms look!</td></tr>
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No Disassemble Charlie No. 5http://www.blogger.com/profile/00457719072373345591noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968818472907463224.post-24480285377262570022013-07-11T07:26:00.001-07:002013-07-11T07:26:12.850-07:00Tales from Walden Pond Open Water Swimming<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiSLhd22kvKoSt4WzwXOBdy2OJmAQCgKFfiEOzDLdFpcnQdi_JFBCrtH9avbqgZ19P-0RbDXK0jkti3WzOjS-oaI4pTWa8T10D0bIAsvv02Z7B6fjgtuFb8YaahnS0I013v8s5_DC55lM/s1600/walden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiSLhd22kvKoSt4WzwXOBdy2OJmAQCgKFfiEOzDLdFpcnQdi_JFBCrtH9avbqgZ19P-0RbDXK0jkti3WzOjS-oaI4pTWa8T10D0bIAsvv02Z7B6fjgtuFb8YaahnS0I013v8s5_DC55lM/s400/walden.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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All it takes is a quick 30 minute drive out of Boston, and you're in Concord at Walden Pond. Thoreau did stuff the and wrote...yadda, yadda, yadda, but to tell the truth, that didn't interested me AT ALL this time. I was on a mission.<br />
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Open water swimming!<br />
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For the record, I must state....that I am VERY grateful to Kosher Biker for pushing me to get some open water swim time in before the <a href="http://www.swimacrossamerica.org/site/TR?fr_id=1940&pg=entry">Swim Across America event.</a> I learned some very important lessons.<br />
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Sunday was the first trip out. Al and I got there relatively early so we could get one of the limited parking spaces. The pond told us via twitter that it had been filling up a lot late. Did you know that <a href="https://twitter.com/waldenpondstate">ponds have twitter</a> these days? Well, they do!<br />
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As it was a summer weekend the pond was quite busy. Lots of families, lots of screaming kids, a few open water swimmers dotting the pond, three or four kayaks, and one small aluminum boat.<br />
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I was super excited! I quickly got into my wet suit, found my stop to start my triangular 1/2 mile route and plunged into the water.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieIFgtxg80FhhVVJuRAyO5CN66NqyCU7ZMxyT17K_Dd3MPpMfyWUFuUg6OpsKlh5CE3WEZc4OqjUSRtVgYwRW-7yNlcrKkVacNIR3XgZV3o4SH2TIHfWQAfr8Z_MoC_-QXCPxVUbW9YdM/s1600/swimd1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieIFgtxg80FhhVVJuRAyO5CN66NqyCU7ZMxyT17K_Dd3MPpMfyWUFuUg6OpsKlh5CE3WEZc4OqjUSRtVgYwRW-7yNlcrKkVacNIR3XgZV3o4SH2TIHfWQAfr8Z_MoC_-QXCPxVUbW9YdM/s400/swimd1a.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This shows exactly why one should wear a BRIGHT swim cap for OWSing.</td></tr>
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S<i><b>wim, swim, swim, swim.....this is kinda hard....wow it's REALLY dark down there....swim, swim, swim....this wetsuit feels so tight around my chest....swim, swim, swim....I'm really moving fast...how fast am I going?.....swim, swim, swim....STOP...how the F%CK did I get in the middle of the lake so fast....wow...I'm in the middle of the lake....alone. F&CK! F#CK! F*CK & PANIC!</b></i><br />
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This would be a good time to mention that "swimming outside the lines" at Walden is 100% "swim at your own risk." <br />
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This is going to sound really strange when I say this, but I'm so glad that this was not my first panic attack. Spending a good portion of my life as a rather anxious person, I've had my share of panic attacks. I haven't had one in a good two and 1/2 years, but at least I knew what I was experiencing. Had I not had this knowledge under my belt on Sunday, I'm pretty sure I would have thought I was dying and that would have been a lot worse.<br />
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Just when I was starting to REALLY panic another open water swimmer was coming in from a swim across the pond longways. He was toting a safety float around his waist. Once I got his attention, he offered to swim in slowly and offered me use of his safety float to get back to the shore.<br />
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I was shaken.<br />
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I was humiliated.<br />
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I've NEVER...EVER...gotten scared in the water in my life. What the HELL was this all about? I'll explain more later.<br />
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The swimmer that helped me in was very nice to me, asked what was going on... What WAS going on? I think the biggest thing that got to me was the realization that I was ALONE and if something really bad DID happen, I was screwed beyond belief.<br />
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He reassured me that he had a very similar situation happen to him during his first OWS, which was why he swam w/ the safety float. He also encouraged me to get out the again and give it a try.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLx0dbLcDhzjFdoiknzWiPx8Qpd5tPvhQ3KXNzbGyVexEuEASacfO_aqVKmCpyEOUEGMYlWhXGURs4BJ8q_43YVkrwCdFHIYDpccKUs8PhmKotZhnnxkdvP-oBvncN1lnjsOKOPwG7Qh4/s1600/swimd1b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLx0dbLcDhzjFdoiknzWiPx8Qpd5tPvhQ3KXNzbGyVexEuEASacfO_aqVKmCpyEOUEGMYlWhXGURs4BJ8q_43YVkrwCdFHIYDpccKUs8PhmKotZhnnxkdvP-oBvncN1lnjsOKOPwG7Qh4/s400/swimd1b.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giving it another go!</td></tr>
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I ditched my wetsuit this time, I really wanted the reassuring feel of the water against my legs...and was honestly thinking that the wetsuit was weighing me down. I swam just outside of the designated swimming area where my best guess the depth is 7-9 and I was cognisant of the bottom and couldn't "see" it. I was still a little shaky from my panic attack and could never get into a smooth rhythm like I know I am capable of, but I got back out there and shook off the earlier debacle off. All in all I think I swam somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2 a mile.<br />
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I told myself, well....you maybe flailed a bit, but you weren't a quitter and you were smart and didn't repeatedly put yourself in a potentially dangerous situation.<br />
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Leaving the pond I was more ravenously hungry and more sore than I have been since I started swimming in February. Adrenaline is amazing, isn't it?<br />
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Al and I quickly made plans to get back out to Walden after work on Tuesday. I had to get a 100% positive OWSing experience under my belt before Nantasket. Firth though, what really contributed to my panic attack.<br />
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There are a lot of things I could have done A LOT better...and that's the main reason I'm penning this blog entry.<br />
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<b>1) Biggest thing -</b> I really shouldn't have gone out that far alone on my first time out. Never in any race or OW event are you completely flying solo. Hell, even people that swim the English Channel have a boat super close to them and sometimes even a ghost swimmer to give them company. That feeling of being 100% alone. It's much more daunting that I EVER expected. Lesson learned. Solution? Either joining an OWS group or Al falls desperately in love with kayaking. The make inflatable kayaks now, you know. Totally perfect for apartment dwelling & I could take it on the T!<br />
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<b>2) Lack of pacing - </b>When I swim in the pool, I know exactly where my body should be for each breath to not tire myself out for the length that I'm swimming for any given workout. This wasn't to easy in open water. Add that to the adrenaline of being in the open water....no wonder I booked it to the middle of the pond and wondered how the hell I got there so fast. Solution? Through some "swim math", Al determined when swimming the 1/2 mile I take a stroke on average each 1.5 seconds. If I sing a march in my head and sing just a TAD fast and stroke every other beat, I can keep pace. As I result, I just sing "Stars and Stripes Forever" over and over and OVER again as I swim. Why just that march? Well, it's been awhile since my march playing days and I'm starting to forget a lot of the orders the strains come in for a lot of marches. This just pisses me off in the water and I'll stop swimming and float until I can remember what comes next and continue swimming. Totally efficient, right? "Stars and Stripes" it is!<br />
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<b>3) I just jumped right in -</b> This covers a multitude of sins committed. I always, ALWAYS stretch before I swim....I didn't do that Sunday at Walden. Also, I didn't take time to acclimate to the water. I didn't let any water into my wetsuit to help it expand a bit. I didn't get a feel for myself, in my wetsuit, in that particular body of water, on that day. Maybe that sounds a little bit metaphysical to actually be a thing, but I really think there is some truth to that.<br />
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<b>4) Millimeters matter -</b> Just as in clarinet playing, they matter in wetsuit donning. Wetsuit wearing really does have a learning curve. I feel like you can just say, "there's always more" room to be found. Take you time, and get it on RIGHT. Once it's on correctly, (I've learned) that swimming in a wetsuit can be FUN and actually give you a secure feeling. <br />
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Monday I did a 1/2 mile swim in my wetsuit in the pool and it went awesomely! I started to really understand the wetsuit and enjoy it. I shaved my 1/2 mile time from 27 to 24!<br />
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Tuesday it was back to Walden. I had a SMALL window though, was able to take the train to Al's work and leaving the Boston area at 5:15 and had to be back from a work meeting in the Back Bay at 8. (Eating had to happen at some point as well.) Al and I decided while still in the car that at 6:50 he would signal for me to get out of the water and and HAD to get out of the water at that time. No discussion.<br />
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Things went MUCH better at Walden on Tuesday.<br />
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The vibe was a lot different. There was ONE family, one dude just lounging, a lady randomly playing the ukulele, and a good deal of open water swimmer. I stretched, I eased into things, and then I started swimming close-ish to the shore. I didn't want to do anything stupid.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I. Love. This. Picture!!!</td></tr>
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This was a much better and much more fun experience than Sunday. The water a lot less murky than it had been on Sunday. (Which makes zero sense to me as Sunday was sunny and Tuesday was cloudy.) I enjoyed and sometimes got a little distracted checking out the fish down there. There was what was either a really large perch or really small trout that hung out around me. I named him Bob. Yesterday on the T I wondered to myself, "I wonder how Bob's doing today?</div>
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I have one more easy swim workout to go before Saturday. I can't believe it's almost here! I'm getting really excited!!!! I just keep telling myself any time I get nervous, stop and think about WHY I'm doing this and it puts in ALL into perspective. </div>
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Speaking of which! It's not too late to make a donate! Just <a href="http://www.swimacrossamerica.org/site/TR/OpenWater/Boston?px=1212116&pg=personal&fr_id=1940">follow this link</a>.</div>
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BTW....Al made friends with the Walden ducks on Tuesday!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">QUACK!!!!</td></tr>
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No Disassemble Charlie No. 5http://www.blogger.com/profile/00457719072373345591noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968818472907463224.post-18863136148710968912013-07-10T21:50:00.003-07:002013-07-10T21:50:30.209-07:00Metaphorical Carrots v 6.0<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This was a big one! My official "You Are Half Way Done With Your Weight Loss Goal" metaphorical carrot. I didn't want something I'd grow out of. I wanted something that would be part of my every day life. I had been thinking of getting a right hand ring. So, on my dinner break today...I headed over to <a href="http://sikarajewelry.com/">Sikara Jewelry</a> and visit my friend....we'll call her Turbi....to pick out my little treat to myself!<br />
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Here's what I ended up with....<br />
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A stunningly beautiful, yet simple Capri moonstone ring from the <a href="http://sikarajewelry.com/catalog/category/view/s/rings/id/8/?country=10">Italian Collection</a>. :) Shiny, pretty new things make this girl happy! What do y'all think? Appropriate way to commemorate the milestone?No Disassemble Charlie No. 5http://www.blogger.com/profile/00457719072373345591noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968818472907463224.post-51883895847448911902013-07-03T08:36:00.000-07:002013-07-03T08:36:03.903-07:00Metaphorical Carrots v 5.0<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yep, I've been TOTALLY slacking on these posts...and I apologize for that! Most of my "weight loss rewards" have been clothing, since I'm getting too small for all of them. Good thing is...now I that I'm firmly NOT in plus size clothing anymore, my clothes have the ability to be A LOT CHEAPER!!! I'm talking 30% cheaper. Seriously retailers...plus size clothing doesn't have THAT much more fabric...the price hike is a shitty, shitty thing. Nonetheless, I'm ecstatic I don't have to deal with that anymore.<br />
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This blue dress is my new favorite dress right now! (Paired w/ the only black cardigan I own that actually fits!)<br />
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Y'all are getting to really know what my vanity looks like and judge the rest of my messy, messy bedroom. Oh well!<br />
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I got this "real green dress" to wear to Ben Folds Five/Barenaked Ladies/Guster later this month, but it's just a little too casual. (I've already got my eyes on another green dress from the Gap. WOW! I have gotten clothes from the Gap in the LONGEST time!) This dress lends itself better to a quick trip to Trader Joe's or throwing over my bathing suit to go to the gym. The cardigan is already one of my most favorite things in my wardrobe and I honestly could have ordered it a size down. It's this paper weight t-shirt material, and I love it.<br />
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All new clothing, per usual, is from Old Navy. Carrots...NOMZ! Even if they're metaphorical!<br />
No Disassemble Charlie No. 5http://www.blogger.com/profile/00457719072373345591noreply@blogger.com1