A running story

For those of you who have known me for years, you've probably heard this story.

It's something that people inquire about - especially those who do not partake in this activity themselves.

This is the story of how I became a runner.

I get asked a lot if I ran cross country in high school. Negative. I hated running in high school. Freshman year track was torture but growing up with a father who was a high school all star in basketball, football, and track I didn't want to let him down by quitting (even though as the greatest father in the world he still would have been proud).

So I attempted to be a sprinter - because distance was oh-so out of the question - and sucked at it - terribly. Someone should have told me that the short legs that prevented me from being a decent basketball player also hindered my speed on the track.

Hindsight is 20/20.

Thankfully, good genes meant I didn't have to work too hard to stay slim. (Thanks, mom and dad). That is, until college.

My first week in the dorms included chips, soda, candy, beer, and pizza from every place in EL that would deliver. I gained 7 pounds in one week.

SEVEN pounds.

I'm just over 5 feet tall - that's a LOT of weight for one week.

An article like this really would have helped a girl out...

So I decided to take action and start working out, at the gym, for the first time in my life.

it. was. painful.

And for some reason, the treadmill seemed like my only option. But I kept at it, through the long winter, and when the weather turned nice in the spring I hit the running trails. Just like that, addiction.

I joined the running club, started racing, endured foot and back injuries along the way, and am still at it. I'll admit, I've taken time off out of pure laziness - but as I've said before, I run so I can eat, so I always come crawling back.

Watch out, because one day that fat kid inside of me may just get out and steal your cookie.

So tell me dear readers, how did you get into your most cherished hobbies?

Cheers!

-A

Come back

Oh what I would give to have the weekend back.

This one was one of the best I've had since my return to the Midwest.

Intrigued? I hope so, because I'm going to tell you all about it!

This weekend was one of those rare fall weekends where I stuck around town. Fall is a great time to travel and go back home for tailgating with friends and college football watching with my pops, but it was wonderful to have a lazy couple days to myself for a change. Though it was a fairly active lazy, if I do say so myself.

Friday night was sushi date night - and not with my girlfriends this time. I actually went out on a date.

*gasp*

I know! Stepping out of the comfort zone, ladies and gentlemen.

What's even better...I accepted a second date with him for later this week. I'm just as shocked as you are.

Ultimate laziness ensued on Saturday. Sleeping in, running a couple errands, watching movies alone in my apartment all afternoon, a quick workout and some Saturday night grocery shopping. Yep, I'm that cool.

A late night trip to Target was the most beneficial as I picked up a few pumpkin spice and Glade apple cinnamon scented candles. These things are amazing - the scent fills the entire room (highly recommended)! Now my apartment constantly smells of fall and I love it!. I can't wait for my trip to the cider mill next weekend for some apple cider and pumpkin donuts...mmmmm.....

Sunday included brunch with a long lost girlfriend, a trip to a local national forest with a friend for some hiking and photography, cleaning my apartment top to bottom (I even vacuumed the couch cushions) and finishing the weekend with some yoga.

And now, sitting here at the office preparing for a hectic four day work week, I can't help but look back and wish that I could do it all over again.

A great weekend indeed.

Aside from Alexa, who's weekend was also awesome, and CC who managed to carve out an entire day to herself, anyone do anything exciting this weekend?

Cheers!

-A

New habits

They say it takes 21 days for new habits to congeal.

YIKES!

So you're telling me that when I start a new routine with the best of intentions it's going to take 21 days of will power and determination to make it stick?

Now I'm no expert, and for all I know they aren't either, but that seems like a hell of a long time.

Who the F-word are they anyway? And since when can they tell me how long my habits are going to take to form. They don't know me! Unless of course, they read my blog - ha! Who am I kidding!

From experience, when new habits are consciously entered into my life they really begin to set in when I see results - running more means I can eat more, which is a great incentive to keep it up! I'll take any reason I can get to eat. Deep down, there's a fat kid inside of me, just waiting to get out and steal your cookie. I'm sure there are other examples but I don't feel like thinking of them. It's Friday, give a girl a break.

In thinking about it, 21 days is probably an average. Some mathematical calculation that the collective they came up with to sound smart, while in reality they watched people for a few weeks and said "yeah, I'm bored, 21 days is probably about right. We'll say that, people always believe us!"

So tell me dear readers, what are some of your new habits? Have they stuck? How long has it taken for your habits to congeal?

Cheers!

-A

(Editors note: this post is really stupid - probably the worst yet. It should be Photography Friday and I've been slacking so this is what you get. Come back Monday for some crap that's only slightly better.)

Another Football Post?

Yeah, I know, there are a few of you - or at least one of you - who have probably already quit reading because so many of my thoughts lately have revolved around football. What can I say, this time of the year gets me all nostalgic over my college days and tailgating with the 40,000 other undergrads at my alma mater.

Which is exactly what I got to do this weekend!

Party it up at the tennis courts, student style, with my girls from college and even some friends from high school.

(The crew, minus a few, at the tennis courts - a student tailgate hot spot)

Then I got to watch my Spartans kick some Fighting Irish booty in style, with one of the biggest MSU sports fans known to man, and one of my favorite people in the universe - my dad.

(Not bad seats, eh?)

Let me tell you, it was a fantastic weekend - as you can see.

And I get to do it all over again in two weeks when homecoming rolls around. I'll be home for four days to partake in more tailgating and joyous fall festivities including a trip to my home town cider mill and some much needed photography time - it's bound to be rather beautiful in Michigan that time of the year.

So tell me dear readers, what fall festivities have you enjoyed so far this year? What are you looking forward to most in the remaining months of 2008?

Personally, I'm getting excited for the holidays. But then again, not so excited for the snow and bitter winds. Again with the catch-22 - I'm full of them this week!

Cheers!

-A

Being scared isn't a weakness

Okay, so maybe it is. But just like everyone else, I don’t like admitting weakness. And I suppose, just like most other 20-somethings, I’m freaking scared.

Scared of growing up, being an adult, scared of being out on our own, scared of losing our jobs in this roller coaster economy, scared of the wrong candidate getting elected into office. Scared of being alone, yet scared of commitment. It is the latter, my dear friends, that scares me the most.

Sure, I’m scared of all of the above from time to time, and probably a whole host of other things – but I recently uncovered my current fear, being alone and being part of a couple.

Gotta love a good catch-22.

This, of course, leads me to hang onto my single-ness for dear life, purley out of comfort. It’s what I know, and for some reason I’m more comfortable with myself than with someone else.

WHAT THE…

Why the heck is this?

I mean, it’s not as if I have that much trouble finding a date – it’s just that I have trouble going on them. Recently the BFF said something to me that helped, briefly, “c’mon Ash, it’s not as if you’re marrying the guy – give him a shot.”

Point taken.

But that doesn’t mean that I’m even remotely capable of wiping away my fear that going on a second date might eventually lead to something great, yet something that has the potential to take away my independence. After all, if there’s one thing in my life that I’m proud of, and that I’ve worked so hard to become, is a strong, independent woman.

More than changing things, though, I’d like to figure out what exactly I have to be afraid of. Going on a date is not making a life-changing commitment – as proven by the BFF above. Is it that I’m just not finding the right guy from whom to accept a second date offer? (If you have any recommendations, please don't hesitate to send them my way!)

Or is it about getting hurt? Better yet, is it about letting someone else in? Or maybe, fear of letting go of the past?

Maybe I should just accept that next date invite, and see where it goes…

Who am I kidding, I don’t even like talking about it, let alone acting on it.

Anyone else finding themselves in a similar situation?

What are you scared of?

Cheers!

-A

Editor’s note: I was even scared to write this post. But then I realized how great my readers are – and if anyone is willing to listen, it’s you.

Friday Frivolity

I stole the title of this post from the weekly Friday column of my good friend Luke Armour. I hope he doesn't mind - it just suited today so well. Thanks, buddy. If I ever manage to write anything good, you can borrow it too!

Yesterday sucked.

A big steaming pile of elephant dung.

Seriously. And this wasn't just the case for my little corner of the world. It was a trend. See here, here and here for proof. C'mon, you didn't think I'd expect you to take my word for it, did you?

But it's Friday now, and that's fantastic! That means tomorrow is the big day - MSU vs. Notre Dame.


It's a white out game - I love those! More than that, tailgating starts promptly at 10 a.m., at the tennis courts, with some of the best friends a girl could ask for. Turns out, this is an unplanned reunion for the girls I lived with freshman year. Guess that takes care of this problem. We're missing a few of the gang that became our Lou Ha's group every Thursday senior year, but plans are in the works for a later date.

But that's not the point.

The point is that I'm taking a long weekend to enjoy my time at home and soak up every ounce of Michigan State in the fall that I can. I'm counting on an Autumn-tastic weekend and getting to partake in all my favorite fall past times.

Therefore, I will not be posting for a few days. I know, you're heart broken, I'm sorry. And I'm not cool enough in the blogosphere (yet?) to have a guest blogger on the scene to fill your need of bad stories. But I promise, I'll be back with plenty of crazy encounters to share with y'all on Tuesday.

Until then, enjoy your weekend. It's supposed to be beautiful in the north!

Cheers!

-A

I love... a good story

It has come to my attention recently that I am a bad story teller.

I think this comes as no surprise to some of you. If you've ever found any of my written thoughts to be scattered, just wait until you talk to me in person!

(Though I'm not nearly as awful as this man when it comes to stories...thankfully!)

Most stories start with me getting the listener all worked up, "you're never going to beelieeve what happened to me last night!"

Followed by a part of the story, then me realizing that I missed an important detail," wait, but before that, this happened, and then we went to meet up with Steve."

Oh and of course when I realize you have no idea who Steve is, I have to give you the back story of our friendship - if you're even still listening at this point. By the time I've finished explaining all the mundane details, the story really isn't all that great (which it probably wasn't to begin with), and I walk away perplexed, "well I sure that it was funny."

But that's not even the point of this post.

See, tangent, before the story even started - and you're probably so tired already you don't even want to read on. It's okay, I understand.

What I'm really here to write about are my loves - those things in my life as it stands right now that I cherish. As a people, we don't take enough time out of our day to appreciate all the wonderful things happening in our lives, and all the people we are blessed to share it with. Thanks to Jenn for her Addicted to Love post that inspired my positive outlook today. So without further sappiness, here's a quick snapshot at the current loves of my life:

Crisp fall morning runs, changing leaves, reunions with college friends, laughing, weekends with the family, thrill seeking, feather pillows, nightly walks to the park, pumpkin flavored everything, blogger friends, sushi, Miller Lite and cornhole, clean sheets, photography outings, meeting people everywhere, fall colors at dusk, green tea with blueberry, impromptu brainstorms with coworkers, reading in the evening, planning my week on Friday, Home Improvement reruns, honesty, organization, thinking about the holidays, libraries, Michigan State's campus.

It's very autumn-esque.

So tell me dear readers, what is it that you love?

Cheers!

-A