Bountiful Baskets.

"One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating."
~Luciano Pavarotti and William Wright, Pavarotti, My Own Story

Recently, I heard about Bountiful Baskets, a volunteer-run food co-op, wherein you spend ("contribute") $15 to receive tons of fresh produce. Today was my first pickup and here's what I brought home.

All that for only $15? Yup. It's going to be a tasty week.
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That's the Point.

"Giving up doesn’t always mean you are weak;
sometimes it means that you are strong enough to let go."
~Author Unknown

Just a random picture I took. I'd like to say I planned it.

Twelve years ago, I started dating my friend's boyfriend's friend.
We dated for a year, well after my friend and her boyfriend broke things off. My boyfriend and I weren't really right for each other.
He wasn't right for me, but he kept trying to make it right.
He was good to me. We were close. I liked being loved.
I liked having a boyfriend.
But ultimately, I just knew he wasn't the right one.
He was going nowhere fast and ultimately, so was the relationship.
There were a lot of things wrong therein, but he was "cheerful," as my mom put it
--unbeknownst to me, she actually dubbed him "the cheerful deadbeat"--
and I was just having fun.

I told him that I didn't feel like "we" were really going in the right direction
and that I knew I couldn't make him happy (he desperately wanted to get married
--which was part of the problem--
and there was NO way that was going to happen).
So I ended things, only somewhat mutually.
We never saw each other again.

He contacted me on FB a little over two years ago, saying,
"Hey. Wow, you have only gotten prettier as time went on! I still love those blue eyes! Sorry I didn't pull my head outta my a$$! Can we still be something?"
Really classy. Really classy.
Sounds like he never rid himself of the "deadbeat" half of his moniker.
I never replied.

So eleven years ago, when I told him I wanted him to be happy and I didn't think that meant with me, he replied,
"Do you really want to do this?
If you break up with me, you're never going to find someone like me again."
At the time, I knew breaking up was right, but still took those words as a dagger to the soul and said,
"I know," wondering if I ever would find someone to love.
But now all these years later, and several great relationships later
(the first one was only three months after he and I broke up),
I finally realized how I should have replied:
"I'm never going to find someone like you again? Well, that's the point."

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Random Friday Night Thoughts.

"The best way out is always through."
~Robert Frost

Photo found here.

I am in bed. I'm tired. I've been really tired for the last six weeks. Sleep, clearly, is needed, but I also feel extra obligated to my body, now that I'm slinging it across the pavement three times a week.

I should be asleep, but I'm not there yet. My mind seems to just be getting going. All kinds of thoughts. You know.

My life is good. It's hard sometimes, but for the most part, it's pretty darn good and I don't have much to complain about. I have a good job. I have friends, even if I often feel alone. I have a mother who loves me. A lot. I have a car that's as cute as can be. It turned one year old at the beginning of this month, which of course means that by the end of the month I have to renew my registration. Ugh. But, I'm traveling to Italy in less than two months. Mmm, gelato.

I ate Cafe Rio tonight. Super huge portions. But I didn't stuff myself and I successfully talked myself into throwing away what was left over. It wasn't really worth keeping. Tasty, it was, though. And my fingers smell like lime. I like that.

I've been thinking lately that I'd really like an adventure. I'd like to live overseas again. I think I'd just really like my own place to decorate. A space that really feels like mine. Someday.

Today, there was a bombing and shooting of some 80 summer camp attendees in Norway. Who does that? I haven't even been able to bring myself to read much about it. I don't know. I guess I'm feeling a little emotional and it might put me over the edge. You know, I go off to a wedding reception in my slinky LBD with red heels (hot red heels, I might add) while people in Norway are mourning the deaths of many of their friends and family. I'm sitting here contemplating my run tomorrow morning and how hard it's going to be, when there are people who are lying in the hospital. I pretty much start crying when I even THINK about one of my family members dying. Too painful to contemplate for very long, even for a morbid person like I am.

I don't know. Life is hard. It's full of pain. But I guess it's through the pain and the hard things in life that we come to know ourselves and God. I feel compassion for the peaceful Norwegian people. Somehow, I wish I could just go there and hold their hands. Hug them and hold them while they cry. Be the person who can think straight for them, while their minds are in shock. Someday, I'll rescue the world.

Instead, I'm lying in my bed... blogging. Preparing to drift off into a dreamy sleep. And when I wake, I'll roll out of bed, pull on my wonderful new sports bra (I got it in black) and go off for W3D1. Life goes on, I guess. But I can say my prayers. And I am. Someone's missing their mom tonight. But they'll see her again. Someday.

The wedding reception tonight was for two friends from Salt Lake Choral Artists. They're in their mid-30s and really great people. They give me hope that maybe, by my mid-30s (almost there) there will be someone out there for me too. She looked beautiful in her dress and they just seem really comfortable in their skin. That's nice. Someday.

Last Sunday, I walked into sacrament meeting (at my family ward) and sat down two rows behind my friend Melissa and her family. She was holding new baby Brynn, who was sleeping, so I said, "Anytime you need someone to hold her, let me know." She immediately handed her over and that sweet little baby slept in my arms for the next hour. I want babies. Someday.

That's why I'm going to the mid-singles ward (yes, still doing both, sort of). You know... to find someone to have babies with. :) Oh gosh, did I really say that? I did. And I guess it's true. And to branch out and make new friends. One can never have too many friends and everyone else needs one, so why not be the one to be one. Did that make sense? I think I'm ready for bed.

Glad it's Friday. Really glad. My fingers still smell like lime. Mmm. Goodnight.
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Beauty Begins at 6 Feet.

"Always wear expensive shoes. People notice."

~Brian Koslow

Today I taught Gospel Doctrine class--a beautiful lesson on Christ's resurrection and his unconditional gift to all. We too, will be resurrected, as he was, to an immortal perfect body. Really beautiful lesson. So, as I was getting ready for church, I stood in front of my closet, as many women do, vacillating between flats and these new 4-inch+ heels that my Mom bought me yesterday.

Flats--totally comfortable, cute, easy to run up and down stairs, keep me 5'10".

Heels--tall, leg-slenderizing, peep toe to show off the pedicure I got with Mom yesterday, sexy, fun...they totally won.

And I'm glad they did because a gentleman in my class came up to me afterward to thank me for a great lesson, followed by, "and thank you for having the courage to wear heels," or something like that. I laughed and relayed to him my inner battle with the two opposing voices in my head this morning, mentioning how I wondered if they "make me too tall," since they are 4-inch heels and I'm already 5'10". He stopped and said, "Oh, no. Not too tall at all." And with a kind smile, he continued, "Beauty begins at 6 feet."

Well, how's that for a compliment. :) Kind of made my day.

Oh, and I got my hair done with Mom yesterday. Many thanks to Amber for returning me to my more natural color. (Don't mind my end of the day face.)

And tonight's sunset lured me outside. That tree is obviously dead, but I love it.

C25k W2D2 tomorrow. Wish me luck. Good night!
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Couch-to-5k: W1D2 and W1D3

"The greatest pleasure in life, is doing the things people say we cannot do."
~Walter Bagehot

Okay, so I won't post about every single one of my days in the running plan, but I just have to share how excited I was when on Monday morning I randomly woke up at 5:15am and was WIDE awake. At first I was a little frustrated that I woke up before my alarm (well before my alarm), but then I realized that maybe God was giving me a chance to get up and run! So I got up and completed Day 2 of my first week.

What a beautiful morning! Though I usually bring my camera with me on my walks, I've decided it's way too much to carry when I'm running, so I don't have any pictures to share. But trust me, it was a gorgeous morning. I was really the only runner/walker/pedestrian I saw that morning and having the sidewalks and the park to myself with the cool breeze of the morning air was really something else. I think I might try to do most of my running in the morning. Seriously so pleasant.

For a non-morning person who has never been a runner, I'm just going to say I'm pretty proud of myself. Who says I'm not a morning person? Who says I'm not a runner?

My calves and shins were a little sore after Day 1 and slightly after Day 2. But most of that has been alleviated. Tonight, I completed Day 3 and the sunset was absolutely beautiful The weather was certainly hotter than the ideal temperature of Day 2's run, so I think I'm going to try my best to do a lot more morning runs and do my walks in the evenings.

Anyway, just some ramblings here.
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Couch-to-5k: W1D1

"All it takes is all you got."
~Marc Davis

I have jumped on the bandwagon!

Today, I started The Couch-to-5k Running Plan! I thought I was going to die about halfway through my 30- minute session today, but now that I'm back home and resting on my bed, blogging about it, I feel super proud of myself!

There are three workouts per week, which consist of alternating running and walking. Each week the amount of running increases while the walking decreases. The goal of the 9-week plan is to help the runner build up enough endurance to complete a 5k (3.1 miles) without stopping.

I have never run more than a mile at one time in my whole life. And I haven't even done that any time recently. I walk a lot, but this running thing is new for me. But I'm really excited. Nervous, but excited! I think I might even throw myself a party, if in 9 weeks I can run over 3 miles without stopping to cough up a lung! Since I will have just arrived in Italy in 9 weeks, I plan to party with some genuine, authentically delicious gelato! (More on that later.) How does that sound for a good reward!?!

Today's session actually wasn't as bad as I thought it might be. (Maybe that's hindsight speaking.) For a girl who gets winded walking up three flights of stairs, I was a superstar this morning! (Indulge me. I have to keep telling myself things like this.) I regularly work out at Curves, which is great for strength training, but running is a whole different ball game.

Please indulge my blogging about this; I want to make myself accountable. To you. And to myself. So I’ll keep you posted on my progress! Oh, and feel free to join in the fun with me. You can download the Couch-to-5k app on your phone (the app lady talks you through your workout) or take a look at the website also. I dare you.

Now to choose a 5k in September or October. Any ideas?

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Random Photo: Penny Backs.

"Money often costs too much."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

So how often do you actually look at the coins in your wallet? I mean, I'm sure all of us paid fairly close attention to quarters when all the "state quarters" were coming out. (Has that finished?) And maybe we even noticed when nickels started having a different picture of America's third president, Mr. Jefferson. (That happened a couple of times recently, once in 2005 and again, a change in 2006.) But really, when was the last time you ever looked at your pennies?

Did you know there have been so many different reverse sides to the American penny in the last few years? I sure didn't.

Oh, and I just checked out the U.S. Mint website and apparently they have completed the "State Quarters" series and are now minting 56 different quarters which will depict scenes from national parks and such, as part of the "America the Beautiful Quarters" program. Guess I need to start looking at my quarters again.
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A Wonderful Wednesday Walk.

"It is almost impossible to watch a sunset and not dream."
~Bern Williams

This last Wednesday's walk was really no different than any other. I took the same route I always take. I wore the same shoes I always wear. I took time for a self portrait session in the mirror. My phone was tucked in my sports bra, like it always is. The ducks were just ducking along. I had my camera, like I always do. The sun was setting, as it often is on my walks. But this time, over the course of my walk, the sunset turned out to be absolutely breathtaking and so, I just had to share.

P.S. Don't judge me for the title. You know I like alliteration.
P.P.S. I have grown to really dislike above-ground electrical lines.
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