Italia: Day 3.

"A journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it."
~John Steinbeck

So I've titled this Day 3 only because I know my last post was a combo of day one and two. I don't even know what day it is. We've had spotty internet in the hotel. Apparently, I was really lucky to get that last blog post posted because right after that, we lost the internet up until right now. I'm thinking that we all overwhelmed their server or network or whatever because my computer showed an excellent connection to their WiFi, but then it wouldn't load anything. We were all in the same boat.

The Mediterranean Sea from our window.

 Day 3, which I believe was yesterday, began with wonderful 30 minute solo run around Cagliari and down to the beach at about 7am. I've been swimming in the Mediterranean Sea before, but this view was just exquisite so early in the morning. I had a moment on the shore that morning. Just beautiful.

In the middle of the day, right before lunch, several of us walked to the Supermercati about ten minutes away. There is a closer one, but the further one also has a gelateria in the same shopping center. Yes, that was the true reason I went. In Italian, I ordered two scoops of gelato (one pistachio and the other strawberry) on a cone. Yum. Seriously delicious. Lisa's got a picture on her camera, so I'll put one up as soon as I download them.

Yesterday afternoon, we drove to Alghero, which was about a 3 hour and 45 minute drive from our hotel in Cagliari. I haven't done a long bus trip in awhile and didn't realize how car-sick I would get. Also, the seats were just squished in there. Sitting straight up, my knees were smashed against the seat in front of me. It definitely could have been much worse (I've been on MUCH worse buses), but it was a tight squeeze.

Our concert in Alghero was in Cattedrale di Santa Maria, a beautiful setting in the middle of the cobblestoned-centre of town, right on the water. The concert started at 9pm, I'm guessing because that's just what Italians do. Because they take naps in the middle of the day, all their evening activities last until late into the night. Also, it could be that the air is just a little more tolerable well after the sun goes down. It's been warm and humid, but not too bad. I just get used to sweating and take comfort in the fact that everyone else feels exactly the way I do. :)

After our concert, which was packed with extremely appreciative and complimentary Alghero residents, we changed out of our performance clothes and walked over to a restaurant called Il Ghiotto, where they prepared a full spread of pasta and seafood dishes. All of our meals are provided by the festival, which is wonderful. We either eat at the hotel or, like last night, at a restaurant. We've had lots of pasta and lots of seafood. Luckily, I love seafood. Last night's meal was my favorite, by far. Here's why:

I'm not sure if you can tell from the picture how delicious this was. My favorite was the seafood risotto and the crab, tomato and basil salad. Yum. Oh, and the little miniature pizzas were yummy.

After dinner we got gelato at the gelateria across the cobblestoned square. This time I ordered two scoops of nutella and coconut. Yes, that means I had gelato twice in one day. I told you that was my plan. It was delicious. Oh that coconut may have been my most favorite flavor ever. I'll have to try it again. :) Twist my arm.

The bus ride back to Cagliari was torturous. I got really sick and it was really late. We arrived at our hotel at 4:11am. I thought I was going to die. I felt dizzy and tired and I may or may not have run into a couple of walls last night.

I never want to be up that late again. :) It was worth it though. A great concert with great people.

Gotta run off to our next concert. Hopefully our internet won't be quite as spotty and I'll be able to update more. Ciao!
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Italia: Day 1 (and 2)

"We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open."
~Jawaharial Nehru

In-flight map; arriving in Rome.

Well, we have arrived in beautiful Cagliari on the island of Sardinia, which is southwest of mainland Italy in Mediterranean Sea. Wow, that just sounded exotic. Interestingly, I believe Cagliari is closer to Africa (Algeria, Tunisia, and even Libya) than it is to mainland Italy. That's what someone told me today (or was it yesterday... yeah, my time is all messed up.)

Good morning, Italy!

It really is amazing that I'm here. Leading up to my arrival at the Salt Lake airport, the idea that I was flying to Italy felt completely surreal. Now I'm here, and to be truthful, it still feels a bit surreal, probably because we haven't seen very much except the airport in Rome, the airport in Cagliari, a few uninhabited islands in the Mediterranean, and the inside of the hotel. However, it's nice to be here after 25 hours of travelling door to door.

Ashley and Emery on layover at the Rome airport. Not too bad after about 20 hours of airport-ness.

For those who may not know, I'm on tour with The Salt Lake Vocal Artists for a choral festival in Cagliari and a choral competition in Arezzo next week. We were invited to participate, as the only choir from the United States, so it's a real honor. We'll be able to hear and sing with several other choirs from around the world. I'm looking forward to that.

Cagliari Airport

 Right now, I'm just trying to fight my jet lag, which has been creeping up on my steadily but slowly all day. Day one melted into day two and I'm feeling it, though it's not nearly the worst "to-Europe jet lag" I've ever had. Not by a long shot. I think I did it well this time. I got about three hours of sleep on Tuesday night, then stayed awake on the SLC to Atlanta leg, allowing myself to fall asleep only on the Atlanta to Rome leg. With the help of a little Tylenol PM, I did pretty darn well in the sleeping department on that flight. It's helped me feel pretty good today on Italy time, though I can hardly wait for our 8pm dinner to be over so I can come back to my room and crash.

Swimming in the pool simultaneously helped to wake me up and make me feel more nauseated. I guess the far too many attempts at synchronized swimming tricks may have made me a bit dizzy. Since Marina wasn't here to do them with me, I enlisted Joseph. He was a wonderful willing participant. I'll have to pull a picture from Lisa's camera to put up here.

Um, hello luxurious pool. :)

Okay, that's it for now because we're about to meet for dinner. And the view out my window is better than staring at the computer screen...

Buona sera!
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I'm Committed, Now.

"Racing teaches us to challenge ourselves.
It teaches us to push beyond where we thought we could go.
It helps us to find out what we are made of.
This is what we do. This is what it's all about."
~PattiSue Plumer, U.S. Olympian

I can't even believe I'm doing this. I signed up this morning. Registered and paid.
I'm committed.
I'm running a race. Oh my gosh. Help me now.

If you are local and want to run with me sign up here. I can't promise that I will actually run WITH you because I'm kinda slow, but we can at least meet up for a picture and celebrate afterward.
Also, it's a "women only" race. Sorry, men! You can come cheer me on and take pictures (because hello?!?, this MUST be documented) and be ready with a cold bottle of chocolate milk at the end.

The girl at Salt Lake Running Company, where I bought my fabulous sports bra, told me that this was a great first race to run. Also, its date in early October will offer a cool brisk air, as well as allow me to recover after I get home from Italy and maybe even work off the pounds of gelato I plan to gain.

Oh, and yes, I'm aware that this is a 6k and I've been training for a 5k. But what's another kilometer when you're already on a roll? Eeep. I'm about to start Week 7 in C25k, so I'll get there. But right now, I just feel like screaming; I can't even believe I'm doing this. Wish me luck!

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Couch-to-5k: Week 5 Day 3. Success!

"Running is a big question mark that's there each and every day.
It asks you, 'Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?'"
~Peter Maher, Canadian marathon runner

Salt Lake City at sunset
August 2011


Last night as the sun was beginning to set, I chose to bite the bullet and be strong instead of opting for easier wimp status. I had been putting off W5D3 for a couple days, fearing the amount of running it required.

Let me illustrate the Couch-to-5k Running Plan for you, so you get the idea behind why I was delaying W5D3.

Week 1 Day 1: 5 minute brisk walk to warm up, then alternate 60 seconds of jogging with 90 seconds of walking for 20 minutes, then 5 minute walk to cool down
Week 1 Day 2: Repeat
Week 1 Day 3: Repeat

W2D1: 5 minute brisk walk to warm up, then alternate 90 seconds of jogging with 120 seconds of walking for 20 minutes, then 5 minute walk to cool down
W2D2: Repeat
W2D3: Repeat

W3D1: 5 minute brisk walk to warm up, then do this twice: jog 90 seconds, walk 90 seconds, jog 180 seconds, walk 180 seconds, then 5 minute walk to cool down
W3D2: Repeat
W3D3: Repeat

W4D1: 5 minute brisk walk to warm up, jog 3 minutes, walk 1:30 minutes, jog 5 minutes, walk 2:30 minutes, jog 3 minutes, walk 1:30 minutes, jog 5 minutes, then 5 minute walk to cool down
W4D2: Repeat
W4D3: Repeat

W5D1: 5 minute brisk walk to warm up, then alternate 5 minutes of jogging and 3 minutes walking for 20 minutes, then 5 minute walk to cool down
W5D2: 5 minute brisk walk to warm up, then jog for 8 minutes, walk for 5 minutes, jog for 8 minutes, then 5 minute walk to cool down

Can you see the rapid increase in the last week or so? Now we get to W5D3... the one I was dreading, the one I'd been fearing since I'd looked ahead to future workouts sometime in week 2.

W5D3: 5 minute brisk walk to warm up, then jog for 20 minutes with no walking, then 5 minute walk to cool down

Um, excuse me? Who wrote this program? Seriously, I'm supposed to jump from a max of 8 minutes continuously running to 20 minutes? Just like that?

Well, whoever wrote this program knows what's what because I did it! I ran non-stop for 20 minutes. I don't think I've ever done that in my life, and what's more? It was relatively easy. Wow. I almost have no words to describe the incredible feeling of accomplishment I had last night. I did not even have one bout of the "tightness-in-my-lungs/heart-I'm-going-to-die" shortness of breath. I'm a runner. I can't even believe it!

I had been putting off W5D3 for a couple of days, after I completed W5D2 on a treadmill. The treadmill run was my easiest run to date. I'm not sure if that's normal, but it was great. But I was just nervous about that 20 minute stretch of pure running (jogging). I'll admit that I kept telling myself that if I wasn't able to hack the full 20 minutes, that I could try again tomorrow. So initially, I set myself a goal to at least run 10 minutes. When I reached the 10 minute mark, I thought, oh just run the rest of the way home, at which point I was only 4:30 shy of 20 minutes, so I just kept going and ran around the block again.

Now, I can hardly wait to get back to W6D1. Seeing genuine progress is so motivating. So is rewarding myself with a glass of chocolate milk after each run. Did you know that chocolate milk is the best post-workout drink you can have due to its perfect combination of carbohydrates and protein? Well, now you do, so maybe that will add to your motivation. :)

The C25k plan really trains your body to build endurance with all the intervals of walking and jogging. Week 6 has more intervals and then ends with 25 minutes of running/jogging on W6D3.

I cannot even believe that *my* body (not to mention my mind) did this! It's really quite possible that I'll be running that 5k in October. Mid-week 4, I thought it was completely impossible that my body would ever get used to this. Now, I'm actually excited about it.
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Our Divine Creator.

"The more we learn about the universe,
the less it looks like a great machine and the more it looks like a great thought."
~Sir Arthur Eddington, British astronomer

I just saw this video and wanted to share. The images are incredible and thought provoking. John Lewis, the scientist in the video, presents a thoughtful, intelligent perspective on God and religion, which is refreshing. I really like when he talks about how our two eyes work together, and how science and religion are like two eyes or two witnesses.

God, our Heavenly Father, loves us, all of us, and He has prepared a plan for us all to return to live in heaven with Him and our families again. In the LDS Church, we often call this "The Plan of Happiness". He wants us to be happy. Knowing where I came from, what my purpose is, and where I'm going gives me something to reach for and look forward to, and offers beautiful assurance and hope when life is hard.

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Hiking to Cecret Lake in Albion Basin.

"Doubly happy, however, is the man to whom lofty mountain tops are within reach."
~John Muir

Cecret Lake in Albion Basin, Utah
August 15, 2011

Last night I hiked up to Cecret Lake in the Albion Basin, more than 9,000 feet above sea level, with the Singles Ward. It's situated in the middle of Snowbird and Alta ski resorts, and yes, it's spelled with a C.

It was a moderately easy 35-minute hike up, although, I did have one short bout of the "this-is-abnormally-high-elevation-and-my-heart-and-lungs-can't-seem-to-remember-how-to-function-properly-and-this does-not-feel-normal-and-do-I-have-asthma?-because-I-truly-feel-like-I'm-going-to-die..." shortness of breath that I get every once in awhile when I exert myself on hikes (or walk quickly up four flights of stairs). That was a success. I'm not really sure what it is because it's not the normal "I feel out of shape" shortness of breath. It's different. Much much different. Scary different. But anyway...

Cecret Lake is nestled in the mountains at about 9,500 feet above sea level, which is pretty high for this native San Franciscan who has spent the majority of her life at less than a couple hundred feet. To give you some perspective: my home in San Francisco sits approximately 100 feet above sea level and my home in Salt Lake City is approximately 4200 feet above sea level. So Cecret Lake more than doubles that... but it's beautiful. There was still snow up there. Not lots, but definite large patches.

The Albion Basin is liberally littered with beautiful wildflowers that are especially radiant this time of year. They make you want to just skip through fields with your arms outstretched singing something like "The hills are alive..." Either that or pretend you're Heidi.

Despite nine mosquito bites, I just really had a great time. The weather was beautiful, a perfect temperature, in my opinion (no hot hikes, please). And I met (and re-met) some really fun people, both once we arrived at the lake and in the carpool ride up to the trail-head. Good conversations.

What a beautiful Monday evening it was. I'm so happy that I've had opportunities to get out and experience all that is beautiful Utah. Utah's newest tourism slogan is "Life Elevated," and I think it's rather fitting.

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Random Thoughts for a Monday.

"The future depends on what we do in the present."
~Mahatma Gandhi

Nicaraguan Island Home
January 2008



About two weeks ago, I was doorbell-ditched by three little kids. :) I didn't answer at first because I knew what was happening. I finally did and they started laughing and running away. Then, they came back to introduce themselves to me. SO funny!

I miss the cloudy/thunderstormy summer we were having last month. Now, it's pretty much remaining cloudlessly in the mid 90s. I love the unexpected afternoon thunderstorms. LOVE them!

I still have that NYC trip post up my sleeve. Get ready. It's coming.

Being single only means you're patient enough to wait for someone you deserve and who really deserves you.

If you want your car to smell good, put a box of dryer sheets in an inconspicuous place. Then park in the heat of the sun in the middle of the day.

When I had a dream that one of my ex-boyfriends had a sex change and turned into petite woman about 5'5", I knew it was a nightmare and that I didn't want to find out what it "meant."

The hardest step of running for me is not the first one out the door, but the one about 22 minutes into it. :)

Never, never look at your 401k account the morning after the largest meltdown the stock market has seen since the onset of the most recent recession. Again, resist the urge the next morning when stocks have dropped even lower. Don't follow my example on this one. I'm more than obsessive about it, but we won't go there right now.

I'd like to live overseas again. I know I've said this before, but it's true. Maybe on an island. Like the one pictured above. An island home.

When attempting the Countries of the World Quiz on jetpunk.com, don't forget that South Sudan has recently been declared the newest sovereign nation.

Always splurge on a Friday afternoon chair massage at the office. Totally worth it. (Especially when you wake up with a knot near your right shoulder blade which prohibits you from turning your head when changing lanes.)

Last night, after watching "The Social Network," I got online and got immediately on Facebook. Interesting world we live in.

Four weeks down, five to go on The Couch-to-5k running plan! I'm set for W5D1 tomorrow morning. (That's Week 5, Day 1.) Eeek.

I'm going to Italy in 30 days. More on that soon, but I'm so excited. Wahoo!

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Bountiful Baskets: Just another peek.

"Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon."
~Doug Larson

I just can't resist showing you what I got this week from Bountiful Baskets. I promise not to post every time I pick up my basket, but those cucumbers were just so delicious! I don't eat potatoes very often, so I'm going to have to come up with something now that I've had two weeks in a row of potatoes. Oh, and the peaches! Yum. So incredibly delicious! Nono would be proud of me. I think he's smiling down on me, laughing that it took me so long to come to appreciate the pure deliciousness of a ripe, juicy peach. :) But now I love them!

Happy eating!
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Word of the Day: Orthography.

"When our spelling is perfect, it's invisible.
But when it's flawed, it prompts strong negative associations."
~Marilyn vos Savant

Photo found here.

From my Page-A-Day Calendar last Thursday:

orthography
\ȯr-ˈthä-grə-fē\ n *1: correct spelling
2: a way or style of spelling

*English orthography was not yet regularized in medieval times, so words often had many different spellngs.

Did You Know?
"It's a damn poor mind that can only think of one way to spell a word!" That quote, ascribed to Andrew Jackson, might have been the motto of early English spelling. The concept of orthography (a term that derives from the Greek words orthos, meaning "right or true," and graphein, "to write") was not something that really concerned people until the introduction of the printing press in England in the second half of the 15th century. From then on, English spelling became progressively more uniform and has remained fairly stable since the 1755 publication of Samuel Johnson's Dictionary of the English Language (with the notable exception of certain spelling reforms, such as changing "musick" to "music," that were championed by Noah Webster).

Who knew?! Poor spelling drives me crazy. It's rampant and I just don't get why people don't hire proof-readers. I'm not claiming to be a perfect speller, myself. People make mistakes, I understand that. But when you're printing something for a large audience or to market your product or to announce your wedding, don't forget that we live in the 21st century and we care about correct spelling. Please, please, please use spell-check and then, hire a proof-reader. Better yet? Hire me. :)
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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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A University of Utah Graduate, I Am.

"The lessons we learn from patience will cultivate our character, lift our lives, and heighten our happiness."
~Dieter F. Uchtdorf

I've been meaning to write this post for over a month now, but at first I used the excuse of not having any photos (which was mostly true), but then I've just been sitting on it because I wasn't sure what to say. I guess I'm not sure it's entirely sunken in.

On May 6th, I graduated. I've been working (on and off, admittedly) on this degree for a very long time, and I'm finally done. I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am and I'll just come out and say it, I'm pretty proud of myself. Historically, I've never been someone who does well at accomplishing things little by little. I haven't had the patience for it. I'm the one who stays up until all hours of the night to finish a silly project or to finish cleaning all the rooms in my house or maybe to clean out my closet or to clean out my files (oh, the stacks of papers I have...) or to write that all-important blog post... you know, things that can definitely wait until tomorrow or that should be accomplished little by little.

Well, this degree has come little by little. I've done it little by little. To say it's been a steady road would be lying. It's been hard at times, but plugging away knowing that there is light somewhere at the end of the tunnel (however far off it seemed) and having a bit of perseverance and patience is what it took. I suppose you could say just putting one foot in front of the other and just walking is what it took.

Doing something little by little while dealing with the mayhem of life is hard. But I can do hard things. And I did. A friend at church was congratulating me a couple of weeks ago and when I said something to the effect of, "I've learned in my life that I can do hard things," he chuckled and said, "Anyone who can spend winter in the northern latitudes of eastern Europe and emerge successfully to meet spring with a smile can do hard things." Wow. Isn't that the truth?!

I am a learner, always searching for new things to study up on, but completing my degree was a lesson in finishing what I've started. A lesson in forgiving myself of my shortcomings. A lesson in you're never too old to accomplish that which you want in your heart and work for with all your mind and strength.

My favorite number has always been 4. As you know, I'm into even numbers. But as I think about the date on which I received my degree, 5/6/11, I'm somehow led to really take an affinity to the odd number of 11. Class of 2011. 5+6=11. I know, it may seem silly to you. But I like it. 11.

Shep, Emery, and Marina.

All the members of my immediate family took time out of their lives (and money out of their pockets) to make the effort to be with me. That made me happy. I love them and am so grateful they were all there. They all were happy to make the weekend all about me, and that was kind of fun. You don't get that too often. :)

Mom, Nancy, Shep, Emery, Marina, Dad, and Stephen

I'll admit that I was smiley all day long, and even a little bit emotional during the ceremony. I did it. I persevered. I made it through the hard parts. And I worked full-time on top of it. I'm pretty happy to be a recent graduate, who already has years of professional experience under her belt. Life is good and the future seems even brighter.

Salt Lake City
6 May 2011

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Fortune Cookies.

Photo found here.

When I was 11, I told my mom that I was pretty certain that I could subsist off of Chinese food for the rest of my life. You know the game, "If you could only eat one kind of food for the rest of your life, what would it be?" Well at eleven, for me it was Chinese.

While today, I may have a different answer, Chinese still ranks rather high. High enough, that I have many, many, many fortunes that I've saved over the years. A couple of weeks ago, I decided to write some of them down (blog them), so I didn't have to keep the piece of paper anymore. Does that lack sentimentality? Maybe, but practicality often wins the prize in my mind.

So on that note, here you go. Some of my favorites. :)

*Star light, star bright, your wish will come true tonight.*
*Step by step you will ascend the staircase to success.*
*Love is a present that can be given every single day you live.*
*Cooperate with those who have both know-how and integrity.*
*Elegant surroundings will soon be yours.*
*The best teacher is also a student.*
*There is a prospect of a thrilling time ahead for you.*
*Among the lucky, you are the chosen one*
*Soon you will be sitting on top of the world*
*A fascinating project is in your future.*
*A surprise gift from another will leave a lasting impression.*
*A financial investment will yield returns beyond your hopes.*
*You will always be successful in your professional career.*
*Your hard work will soon pay off.*
*Keep up the good work. You will be rewarded.*

I like to believe they all are or will be true in my life.
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No Luck.

"Patience is the art of concealing your impatience."
~Guy Kawasaki

Dear Beth and everyone else who cares,

Remember how I spontaneously sent a message to a cute boy on FB asking him to ask me out? Well, I was trying to wait a few days to see if the man would message me back, so I could have something fun to share. No such luck. Seriously? Seriously. Wow. Is he really going to ignore me? It doesn't seem right to go around winking at a girl one night and then completely ignore and reject her the next. But I guess you can. And he did. And yes, I've checked and he has certainly been on FB. No doubt about that. Sad. He must hate me. haha :) Wow. Oh well, at least now I know.

I'll try to only be sad for a minute. (Long enough to take a self portrait in the mirror.)

Because really... what can you do?

As my mom always says, "It's all for the good." Meaning, I don't want to be with someone who doesn't want to be with me. So, like I said, at least I know now. No regrets, right?

Well, my friends, I love you and I know you love me (even if the man doesn't), and that's what counts right? I'm all about the love.

Love,
eclaires aka Emery

P.S. I reserve the right to change my mind about him if he does work up the guts (and maturity) to respond.
P.P.S. Should I say anything else to him? Should I retract the email? Or when I see him next, do I bring it up? I mean, I'd still like to have a friend in him, if not a date. What do you think?
P.P.P.S. Don't judge me for my self portrait sessions in the mirror or the funky coloring experiments with said self portraits. It's entertaining.
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