Penguin Shuffle

Sarah, my dear friend, sent me some of her suits. She's crossed over to the other side....the skinny side. She was generous to ship a bunch of her nice threads (that now hang off her skinny body) all the way from DC. Yes! That shirt I wore that one time I visited. Alright! A cute black skirt suit. Woohoo! A cute jean skirt. I had the some of the goods dry cleaned this weekend and threw on the black skirt suit this morning. Cute. And sexy.

It wasn't until late this morning that I discovered the slit in the back of the skirt. I have discovered that a good portion of my thigh is exposed every step I take. I will avoid stairs and work on my penguin shuffle the rest of the afternoon.

Runner's High

The dream started approximately 1 year ago. C and I saw a group of them running by the apartment, consistently on Tuesday nights. Then, a friend explained, “Jack Quinn’s has a running club on Tuesday nights – it’s a 5K, and after 5 runs, you get a shirt. Wanna do it with me?” Chyeah right, I hadn’t run in awhile and had only completed one 5K in my life and it was grueling. I wasn’t going to try to keep up with the skinny thing. “Mmmmm, I’ll probably need to do some training.” So, I avoided the run, although, joined her for the beer afterwards, and a couple of times, would holler and whoop for her from my balcony as she and her sister ran by. For a year I saw the runners and told myself someday…
I am proud to say that someday was this Tuesday. After time on the treadmill and out on Monument Creek, I was ready. Not fast, mind you, but ready. S and I did a trial jog on Saturday. Not too bad. The hill on Uintah is cruel, but aside from that, totally doable. Tuesday came with rain and thunder and perfect excuses to stay inside and on my butt. Instead, I dusted off a rain parka and laced up. S and I are not ashamed to use stimulants, so we stopped at Starbucks for an espresso on the way down to Jack's. The place was crowded and I'm sure I looked green non-runner, with fear in my eyes. Everyone had intense and expensive running gear, which made my cotton shorts seem infantile. S's friend joined us and we all took it slow and easy. The rain in the face was refreshing and exciting - such an extreme first time! I was most excited when I passed my aparment. I could see the old me peering over from the balcony at the new me running the trail. The celebration was at the city auditorium with lots of people and a whole running culture. I'm not sure where we came in but the point is we came in, we finished. Speed? That's for kids, I'm talking heart-healthy over here. My goal is to run the next 4 weeks to get a shirt and I like to think by the end of the summer, I might be up for something extreme, like a 1oK!

Tina Time

Sunday, after the “closure and clarification” break up conversation, while my heart was tender and my emotions on the edge of busting out…. I turned on my car. The radio came on, “who needs a heart when a heart can be broken? What’s love got to do? Got to do with it?” That’s right, Tina to the rescue.

Oh my! It's so good to see you!

Yesterday, I had Dunkin’ Donuts. Not one donut but two because you can justify things like that after a sudden and unexpected heart break and after learning you have not 1, not 2, but 3 cavities. I went to the dentist after at least (don’t judge me) 2 years without a cleaning or check up. I didn’t have dental coverage. Two of the cavities had been previously filled; I say that so you don’t think less of me. (Interestingly enough, I expected some cavities – I don’t have great teeth and I had specifically prayed that I would not have more than 3, because I would be devastated. I need to pray bigger next time, next time I pray for 0 cavities.) Anyway, I hadn’t had breakfast and was advised to eat on the side where they didn’t paint my teeth with a sensodyne-type ointment (did I mention I have receding gums – self-induced: I don’t know the power behind my left arm). I’ve been wanting donuts for awhile and they were perfect for the task. It’s one of those things I get in my head and nothing will satiate the desire except for just that, a donut. I was passing Dunkin’ anyway; it was just what I “needed.”
I entered and after being overwhelmed by all of the delicious looking sugar-bombs, I noticed the table of elders. There was a whole group of cute white-haired ladies, all in cotton pants and striped or flowered shirts. There were a few men in the mix, but definitely out numbered. The older couple who had come in behind me went over to greet the table. One of the women (W1) was so excited to see this pair, she squealed and hugged the woman (W2). I thought to myself, “Ahh, kindred souls. I bet it’s been awhile since they’ve seen each other. Maybe W1 has been in the hospital or unable to make their donut dates. Look at how excited they both are. Sweet. Thank goodness for my girlfriends, maybe we’ll be like that someday.”
W2 came over to her husband in line and said, “That lady over there knows us, knows me and everything about me. I don’t know who she is. I have no idea who she is!” She was baffled.
It was funny – maybe slightly sad because they’re older and you never know if confusion could be dementia, but all that aside… It was humorous.