Hey Sistah, soul sistah...

So I’m thinking about having a Goddess Party.

It sounds as if it would be a lot of fun, and a good bonding experience. I’ve been a little disconnected over the past few months from some of my friends, so I think it might be a nice way to sort of regroup and bond. Life just sometimes gets in the way, and the free time that I had before which was always minimal, seems to be nonexistent. And while I’m not up for throwing an all out bash, I think a quiet evening doing something unique would be perfect. It seems like a very intimate type of experience (not quite lingerie pillow tossing intimate, for all you guys who had that thought going through your mind!) and it sounds like something that would be fun and different from the usual types of gatherings. Plus, I’m being a little selfish when I say that I think I need this kind of thing. I’ve put so many walls up around me, it would be nice to have some soul baring moments with those who I would like to let in a little bit more. And since that was one of my New Year’s Resolutions, I’d be able to check that one off of my list.

I looked into this a few years ago, and I remember thinking that it was a little pricey; my concern is that the cost may defer some people I invite from wanting to participate; but I hope not. I’m also hoping that now that this particular type of party has “caught on” and has been around for a few years now, maybe the woman who does this has come up with a pricing structure as opposed to one blanket price.

If not, then I will just have to come up with some other kind of fun experience for an intimate girls night in.
Suggestions?

So my rose colored glasses are a little foggy this morning...

Ah yes. Things are bugging me today.

1. People who stir the pot. Some people just can’t let things go, or leave them be. Why cause trouble where there isn’t any? Drives me crazy when people create chaos where there isn’t any. I have no use for drama. And the mere fact that I’ve let someone like that affect my thoughts right now irritates me. I know better than that. I should just laugh it off, and think about how sad it must be to go through life constantly being caught up in drama. Clearly, I need a good cup of coffee – and maybe a handful of MnM’s to help me laugh it off.

2. The conditions of the ladies rooms in this place is horrifying. Really, horrifying. I couldn’t imagine how people I work with keep their homes! I have public restroom issues as it is – but some of the people I work with, I’m convinced – are animals.

3. Personalities that “bounce”. Highs that are high – and lows that are low, with very little in between. Why can’t there just be a happy medium? Even keeled and smooth, so that I don’t have to guess what mood I’m going to encounter. But wouldn’t that be refreshing!

4. I’m a little ticked about this working group I’m on at the moment. It’s a redundancy of work, effort, and truly – it’s a waste of time. I have very little tolerance for business concepts that don’t make sense, and this is one of them. Where’s that change of jobs I was hoping for?? I had really hoped that by now I’d have heard something from some of the offices I submitted to, but with the contract recompete going on, I guess everything is just up in the air at the moment. I’ve received lots of positive “yes, we’d love to have you”, so I guess I just need to find some patience.

So for me, this is one of those “Grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change....” kinds of days. (and no – it’s not hormonally based!) And.... maybe a good run after work to make me sweat all these feelings away.

Picture Perfect Weekend.....

What an absolutely gorgeous weekend it was. The weather was the best for this time of year that I can remember, in a long time.

So here’s a pictoral review of this girl’s weekend. Lots of stories can go along with the photos but for now – I’m too tired to translate and truly – pictures say a thousand words.

Collage one: My son’s birthday party. Gorgeous weather. Lots of laughs. And for me – two glasses of wine and no food (because I’m cooking, and ugh, who wants to eat after smelling all that food all day long?!?!) was a very dangerous combination.

Collage two: The Red Sox game last night. Great seats, great weather, great company, great game. Yes, I've got many more pics, but truthfully - I might be the only one who really enjoys seeing them since they're mostly of my "boyfriend".

Whew....

Tomorrow is my son's 6th birthday party. And for those of you who have been reading my blog for some time now, know that the food is the main attraction. I can't help it- I just love to cook.

It's an XMen party - and would you believe that I could not find one thing of Xmen anywhere? I had to use one of his video game covers in order to have an XMen cake! I saw the stuff everywhere about a month ago - but it was far too early to think about it then...and now, nothing. So, I'm just decorating everything in XMen colors and of course, the cake.

Menu du jour for tomorrow is: BBQ chicken, teriyaki chicken, tons of hot dogs and super thick burgers, turkey burgers, hot & sweet sausages, tons of peppers and onions on the grill (just spent forever cutting them!), fajita marinated steaks, sirloin wrapped in bacon, scallops wrapped in bacon (I love bacon!) red bliss potato salad, pasta salad, regular garden salad. And of course...the cake. Cookies, etc...are usually brought by people who come, so I don't bother buying any.

I'm taking the weekend off from blogging - but will be back on Monday full of hopefully something valueable to say - and if nothing else, maybe some great shots of my boy 'Tek from Monday night's game which I cant' wait to go to. A little Cask n' Flagon....a little Fenway....who can ask for more?

Please take time to honor your troops, both past and present - those still standing, and most importantly those fallen. If it wasn't for those who selflessly put their lives on the line for us, we would not be the great country we are today. Do yourself a favor...and go to a Memorial Day parade if you have the chance to.

You'll be glad that you did.

Being provocative isn't a sin...maybe you're uncomfortable in your own skin!

I was talking with an acquaintance of mine in work the other day in the break room. He’s recently divorced and just getting back into the dating scene, and so we were discussing about how he’s not looking for a relationship or anything like that, which is a good thing I think. I don’t know the circumstances surrounding the end of his marriage – I would never ask, and that’s such a deeply personal subject I wouldn’t expect him to tell me – but generally speaking, I think since it’s a very recent divorce it’s a good thing for him to take some time to nurse his wounds and not rush into any relationship. He mentioned something about his dilemma regarding asking a girl about her romantic past. He said that to date a girl with little or no experience, would cause him concern because he would always be wondering if she’s experienced enough to remain faithful; to date a girl with a vast experience, would cause him to question her fidelity as well. So he asked what I thought.

I said to him that it shouldn’t even be factored into the equation when dating. In my opinion - that’s a sure sign of insecurity on his part. What difference does it make who she was with before him – it was before him. Does he want to compete with ghosts? The only reason why a man wants to know that about a woman is if he wants to use it against her at a future time. A woman’s sexuality should not be used as a weapon against her, ever. And let’s be honest – at this stage in the game, he’s not going to be meeting any virgins – so he should assume that just about everyone has a “past”. And if he can’t accept that, then maybe he’s not ready to date.

Women should not be defined by their sexuality or the number of sexual partners they’ve had in their life. It’s unfair and unjust. And women are judged not just by men – but by other women as well. We all do it. We’re quick to call someone a “whore” or a “slut” because it’s a quick and easy way to attack someone when you have nothing else to go on – or if you’re looking for the quick weapon to sling. Who are we to judge someone else? Since when did we all become perfect? And who’s to define what the appropriate number of partners a person should have is? And shouldn’t we feel badly for the individual who might be openly promiscuous because they’re searching for something that they think everyone else has? Or maybe – admire the woman who feels comfortable with her sexuality to enjoy what pleasure she is deriving from being comfortable in her own skin, so long as she’s not hurting anyone else – and is practicing safe sex.

It’s that damn double standard, men vs. women.
And while a freespirited and casually intimate lifestyle was never the choice for me – far be it for me to judge anyone else on their choices either.

Brought to you today by the letter...."D"

Disconnected. Dysfunctional. Discouraged. Disturbed. Disenchanted. Disdain. Disregard. Disguised. Disrespected. Dismissed. Disparaged. Discontinued.

Who knew such a little letter, had such big impact.
Never underestimate the power of the spoken word.

Happy, Happy Birthday Baby...

Six years ago today, one of the two loves of my life made their appearance and inspired me to be the best person I could ever be.

It is impossible to describe the emotions you feel when you have a child. If you think you love someone now....you have no idea of the wave of emotion you will feel once you have a child.
You suddenly notice all the beautiful things in the world....and you instantly recognize all the ugliness that you once turned a blind eye to as well.
You will for the first time, in a long time – feel pure, unbiased love with no judgement, no expectations; true and unconditional.

Happy Birthday to my handsome little boy...

I am so proud, and blessed to be your Mom.

The struggle for balance....

Time is a funny thing. In the past tense, it’s a state of being – a point of reference. In the active tense, it’s a living and breathing thing that needs to be managed.
Sometimes, I’m just not good at managing my personal time.

I often try to be all things to all people, and don’t always know when to say “no”. It’s something I’m working on, and sometimes I’m successful at it; other times, not so much.

It’s not really the issue of me of being a “people pleaser”, as much as it is an issue of knowing and acknowledging my own limitations. Or maybe accounting other factors into the equation of estimating time needed to accomplish things. It’s funny because in work, I overestimate my time so as to always come in under schedule. In my personal life, I tend to undercut my time and sometimes have conflicts or overlaps. It’s not entirely my fault when that happens –often life overlaps in general, and there’s nothing you can do about it.

Sometimes it’s a combination of both. That’s where I feel less comfortable because I may have either overcommitted myself, or underestimated my time.

Life is busy. And it’s not going to get any easier, any time soon. So I need to become better organized....more focused.

And buy myself a daily planner to try to keep my normally quiet life -- a little less hectic this summer.

I'm so bored with all the.....rain!

Jeesh, I'm so ready for the sunshine! Isn't everyone else who's here in MA feeling the same way right about now? Will the Sox ever get to play again?!?!?!


Speaking of Sox - my first game of this season is the 28th. Great seats - going with my girlfriend Lynne who's been laid up from surgery, so we're very much looking forward to it! I can't even begin to think about the pitching rotation because with all this weather delaying things, and injuries - it's hard to tell who's going to be on. Not that it matters who's pitching, really. It's going to be a great game no matter what.


"I've got sunshine on a cloudy day"...
I'm trying, really trying to have my rose colored glasses on, but I've gotta tell you - I'm so done with the rain.

You Are Rain

You can be warm and sexy. Or cold and unwelcoming. Either way, you slowly bring out the beauty around you. You are best known for: your touch Your dominant state: changing

What Type of Weather Are You?

More than words can say....

I love, love, love greeting cards. They just seem to capture what you’re thinking or feeling. I can spend hours (if I have that luxury!) in a card shop or a store that has cards and just thumb through them. If it makes me laugh, or makes me feel something – then it’s a keeper. So, if you ever receive a card from me – chances are, I really liked the card I chose for you.

Music is the same way for me. Sometimes, a song can just say it all. Other times, it’s just fun and maybe there’s nothing more to it than a catchy riff or beat that makes me feel good about it. The thing about music is that sometimes there’s a release of nothing good to listen to and I struggle to find something I really like. But occasionally, there’s a run of some good music – and right now is one of those times. These are just some of the songs I heard this week that I am just really enjoying -- and I can’t help but share them! There’s many more, and of course, I’m still loving my recent recommendations too; but I thought I'd give a small list today.

George Strait: Wrapped
Kimberly Locke: Change
Taylor Swift: Teardrops on my Guitar
Billy Currington: Good Directions
Fall Out Boys: Thanks for the Memories
Lifehouse: First Time
Dashboard Confessional: Stolen

It’s Friday...and I am freezing. Looking forward to the typical wrapping up of my week with some hot yoga (the hotter, the better in today’s case!), some cheap Chinese w. the kids and a nice glass of wine! Saturday brings me a day and evening full of parties.... and hopefully some downtime on Sunday.

Well, it's just about lunchtime and I'm ready to be recaffeinated. I am freezing cold, have my heater on at my desk - and can't bear to bring myself back outside. Thank God for friends in the office!

Sometimes, I just don't get it...

Why is it when I go to Dunkin’s everyday....to the same Dunkin’s here on base at lunch....to the same person every day, I get this:

I say “hazelnut and coconut” – and they ask “french vanilla?”
I say “extra skim milk and 4 splenda” – and they come back with “extra cream and how many sugars”.
Seriously. I know I complain about this topic a lot, but give me a break already!
Mark the cup if you have to. Us coffee enthusiasts need our coffee a certain way.
What, are just trying to mess with me?

I think my body is going into temperature shock. Tuesday, I wore cute business style summer shorts and a fun shirtsleeve shirt with it – and froze all day until the temperature finally rose around 4 p.m. Yesterday, I wore a nice skirt and sleeveless shirt and open toed shoes to work. It was gorgeous out! We had a test run evacuation and I couldn’t bear to go back in the building. By 3p.m. – it was freezing and pouring rain. And wouldn’t you know, today’s a knee high boot, long skirt and long sleeved shirt kind of day. What’s that all about? Only in New England....

Why do people set up VTCs and telecon’s, invite other people (such as myself) without having a clue how to set them up? I was tasked to be the Hanscom rep on a VTC with other bases this afternoon – but then it got changed to a telecon and the hosting office’s admin folks were asking me how to set it up? I have no idea, truthfully. I usually rely on the admin staff here to help me with that. Fortunately, the girl I work with who supports those areas has a good sense of humor about it all and educated me in a "Remedial Admin 101" class. I just never had to set up a telecon, I just usually am involved in them. Funny thing is – I didn’t even set up this meeting! How did it become my responsibility to get everyone else online?

Very interesting quote I came across today....
"By the time you swear you're his, shivering and sighing; and he vows his passion is infinite and undying -- Lady, make a note of this: One of you is lying" Dorothy Parker, "Unfortunate Coincidence"

I'm looking forward to my run this afternoon to clear my head from all of this...

A noun is a person, place or thing.....

In work this morning, some of us were talking about classic television shows and what we used to watch when we were kids. Many of these shows were in syndication so I watched them when they were on their second or third time around on television – but they were classics none the less. It was really a fun conversation and we were all laughing about the different things we remembered and so I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite television shows from when I was small, and some of the funny little things I remember about them.

Lassie: Big family joke in my house. When I was small, I was “forbidden” to watch the show. I cried every episode. C’mon now, Lassie and Timmy almost always died in those shows!!
Land of the Lost: I wanted to look just like Holly when I was little. She was tomboyish with towhead blonde hair. The best part was, she had a brontosauraus for a pet. Every time I go to a dentist, to this day – I still think of the sounds that the Sleezaks made.
Barbapappas: They could change their shapes and sizes...very easily!
The Shazam/Isis Hour: I loved that it was half cartoon – half real life. Who didn’t want to be Isis?
Jana of the Jungle: Wait, didn’t every little girl want a white Tiger as their sidekick? I remember running in my bathing suit and jumping from my bed to my sister’s bed, pretending to be leaping through the jungle like her. Plus, I loved her name.
The Flying Space Nuts: Bob Denver was in this show. I used to tell my sister it was “Flying Gilligan” to get her to let me watch it.
The Banana Splits: What a great show this was! I loved “Treasure Island” and of course, “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”. Growing up, Rebecca wasn’t a common name – not nearly as common as it is today, so to see a person on TV named Becky was just very, very cool for me.
The Monkees: I posted about this last week – and have a very interesting prologue to that post coming tomorrow, actually.
Sigmund the Sea Monster: All I have to say is, Sid and Marty Krofft really knew how to get a kid’s attention.
Davey & Goliath: This show affected my conscience even as a small child. The one with the “boy with the polka dot tie” and his Dalmation dog – I still can’t watch to this day.

And then of course, there were the educational commercials - including recipes!
"I hanker for a hunka cheese!"
"Conjunction, junction...what's your function?"
"I'm just a Bill, yes I'm only a Bill..."
"Verh, that's what's happening!"

What television shows do you remember?

So, is it wrong to want to beat up a 6 year old?!?

I woke up at 2am last night, and stayed awake most of the night. I had a conversation with my son before he went to bed earlier that really weighed heavy on my mind, more so than I had realized at the time.

His birthday party is coming up, and so I was planning on sending in invitations to all of the kids in his class, because you certainly don’t want anyone to feel left out. I spoke with his teacher last night and she said that we didn't need to invite everyone, they make it clear that as birthdays come and go – not everyone has a party, or can invite everyone so no one should feel slighted if they don’t receive an invitation to someone’s party. But I said that I thought it would be best not to exclude anyone. And then I spoke to my son....

He told me about a boy that is mean to him in school. They take the bus together, and he lives on the same street as a group of girls that my son is friendly with. I guess, he calls my son “dumb”; and yesterday, my son went to school with his fingers splinted. He got a bad sprain on Sunday afternoon playing catch with one of his older cousins and so he has to have his hand taped for 2 weeks. Well, I guess when he got on the bus, this little boy laughed and said “good, Tyler’s hurt!”. So as my son’s explaining this to me, he said he didn’t want to invite him. And I started to tell him all the different reasons why this little boy might not be so nice to him....maybe he’s jealous? The girls all love my son (the mothers always tell me how “all the girls on Ashwood Ave loooooveeee T”) so maybe he wishes they talk like that about him. Or maybe he’s just shy and doesn’t know how to make friends in a nice way? I told my son that maybe he should invite him so that they can have fun playing together – and that sometimes, one good day can erase the bad days and make a friendship.

T looked at me, and said “He never even gave me a chance. I’m not dumb, and he’s never liked me without even knowing me. The girls are my friends too and they never say anything when he’s mean. I want to tell the girls that they should be careful because if he’s mean to me, then one day he might turn around and be mean to them...but I don’t say it because I’m too shy”. How did a 6 year old get to be so smart?? So I told him that he shouldn’t say anything...they will learn that for themselves and to just ignore him -- which he already does.

So, I decided while I was tossing and turning last night....he’s not inviting this boy to his birthday party. Or any other child from his class that he’s not friendly with. The lessons I’ve learned about finessing people come from going through the bumps in life myself. And while I can teach him, and guide him on how to handle situations – I do not have to make him invite a person to his birthday party that he doesn’t want there. He doesn’t have to be the “bigger” person; just ignoring this boy and being his own person is doing the right thing. It’s his day and he should only be surrounded by those who like him for who he is.

My heart swelled with pride when I left his room – it sounds corny but I thought it was going to burst from my chest. I kissed him goodnight and told him how proud I was of him and how he is such a kind, smart and good boy. But I am so thankful that he couldn’t tell how much my heart was breaking at the thought of someone hurting his feelings.

Welcome Back...

Serene mornings and quiet evenings, with birds chirping all around...
Perennial flowers starting to bloom....
Robust colors, filling what was once dull....
Imagining what shapes the clouds are forming...
Natures embrace with the warmth of the sun...
Grass is vibrant, swaying in the breezes...
Trees sheltering soft shoulders for the sun’s bright rays....
Ice cream cones, ice cream sundaes, ice cream kisses...
Magic in the air from the scent of fresh rain....
Everything is beautiful in the springtime.

A moment to say "thank you"....

We very rarely have casualties of war (thankfully) here on base. At least not that I’m aware of. In the years that I’ve been here, I don’t think I’ve heard of any of the folks that are stationed here -- but deployed in areas of struggle supporting any number of missions – fall victim to the violence they’re surrounded by. Which is a very good thing. I don’t know how I would do emotionally if that was the case. I don’t get very friendly with too many people I work with, partly because most people rotate out every 3 years. And truthfully not everyone keeps in touch, although the intentions are good. I learned my lesson the hard way many years ago, and so as a result I don’t get too involved with making friends in the office. But I digress....

Today, the remains of Army 1st Lt. Brian Jones of Westminster, MA arrived on base this morning. He died on Wednesday in Baghdad, Iraq from wounds he suffered when his vehicle hit an explosive device. The motorcade for his funeral procession left here, and drove right by my office building – so we all went outside to pay our respects and give our thanks to this young man and his family for their sacrifice.

It was very brief, but sobering. It was an emotional moment for me, truthfully. I mean, I didn’t cry – but I did get a little choked up at seeing one of his family members – who I’m guessing was a brother -- look out the window, and seeing everyone saluting them as they drove by. I couldn’t imagine as to what was going through his mind.

“Freedom has a taste to those who fight and die for it, that the protected will never know....”

And on this note....
I will be out of the blogosphere until Monday, so have a great week – and to all you “moms” out there – have a lovely, lovely Mother’s Day.

What was up with the flashy announcement anyway....?

Note to Roger: We didn’t want you anyway.
(Hmmmph. Flipping my hair.)

Listen, call me crazy – but. I did want him. I don’t care what the papers say about how our pitching staff is full, and we wouldn’t have had room for him anyway, yada yada yada. To me, those are saving face answers. Yes, I know that the newspapers printed a quote that morning from the Red Sox saying we don’t need the “Rocket”. I say – to hell with that – what could it hurt? Listen, it’s early in the season – and while all is going okay right now, we can’t live in the “right now”. Injuries can happen at a moment’s notice. What happens if DiceK can’t get command of the ball? What happens if Lester isn’t able to come back as anticipated. Do you want to keep Tavarez in the rotation long term? I don’t. Wouldn’t it make sense to have him in middle relief somewhere – and if that’s the game plan and Lester isn’t able to come back, well then what? What’s the back up plan? Might have been kind of nice to have Roger Clemens in the rotation, with Tavarez as the back up plan - is what I’m thinking.

Sure, we can all laugh and say “but he’s all the Yankees have...” or, “he’s really just an NL pitcher”. But it sure would’ve been nice to tout that he was in our rotation, wouldn’t it? It wouldn’t have hurt any to stick yet another thorn in the side of Steinbrenner, either.

I don’t know a lot all the ins and outs about baseball, admittedly. And maybe I sound silly in my thought processes, but I know what I think makes sense and so I can’t help but spout it.

Isn’t that what all armchair managers do?

Saturday Ice Cream Special..

Well, I didn't get my run in yesterday - it was too chilly for me, so I skipped the run but did manage to accomplish mostly everything else I had planned for the day. Yoga was awesome. Love, love, love the new studio -- it was really crowded and very warm, and while she didn't go crazy on us for a workout, the heat alone was worth it.

I'm pretty tired today. I've been up since 2 a.m. when I took my daughter to the emergency room for what turned out to be a double ear infection. And a bad one at that. She never complains so for her to be waking in pain crying about her ear, I knew it couldn't wait until morning. So, a lazy day around the house for us today - which is fine because I started a sauce around 6:30 a.m. shortly after I got home so that smells awesome; and I've got lots of laundry to catch up on. Life has been pretty hectic lately so a down day might do some good anyway.

But for some reason, I'm obsessing over ice cream today. I don't even really like ice cream - I mean, I do - but it's not something I eat regularly. And yet it's on my mind. Maybe it's because I couldn't go and get any today, even if I wanted to...?

What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? Vanilla, Peanut Butter Cup
What is your favorite brand of ice cream? Store Brand: Breyer's Vanilla Bean. Ice cream stand: Kimballs in Westford
What is the weirdest flavor of ice cream you've ever seen? Wasabi
Where does it hurt when you eat ice cream too fast? I've never had that happen! But I eat my ice cream slowly. And I chew it. Weird, huh?
When is your favorite time to eat ice cream? I like it either for lunch, or after a workout. Frozen yogurt soft serve is really what I love to have after working out. That's the best.
How often do you eat ice cream? Hardly ever. Truthfully - maybe a couple of times a year!
How much ice cream do you eat in one serving? A scoop, maybe two?
Do you share your ice cream with your pet? I would
What type of ice cream do you like most? Soft serve is really my fave
What toppings do you like on your sundaes? Caramel, Reese's Pieces, Peanut Butter cups, Butter crunch, and of course chocolate fudge. Oh - and whipped cream!! That you need to pile on if having a sundae!
If you could have your dream flavor of ice cream, what would it be? Peanut butter ice cream, with Peanut Butter cups and swirls of peanut butter sauce and chunks of peanuts.

It's guh-guh-guh-gorgeous outside....

"Why am I here today?" was the thought going through my head as I ran to Dunkin's to get my wheat bagel and "high maintenance but keeping it real" coffee. Oh - maybe because I'm off tomorrow...yeah, that's the ticket. And, a pretty fun day I've got lined up.

Tomorrow, I have a hair appointment for a little trim and brightening for the summer. But it's not until 1:00, so before then - I am planning on doing a little shopping (notice I said "a little"), maybe meeting a friend for coffee beforehand. But if the weather is nice - I may go for a run on the beach before all of that shopping. Maybe. It depends on if my girlfriend blows me off for running today after work. If she does - then I'll take a ball class this afternoon, and run tomorrow instead of today. So much more fun running alone at the beach, than at work -- even if it's on that awesome track.

After all of that hair "stuff" - the ponytail goes up,(hate to ruin a good hair style, but I certainly can't work out with it down!) and myself and a few girlfriends are taking a power yoga class which afterwards - there's a wine/cheese social going on because it's the first class at the "new gym". The yoga studio is moving - and so there's a little celebration. And then it's back to my house for some takeout - whomever wants to come over and hang out, that is.

I am so looking forward to Friday.

Run Forrest, Run....

I am sore today. But it’s that good kind of sore...not to be confused with the sore I’m feeling about the Red Sox loss from last night. Ouch... now that hurt.

Anyway – yesterday I ran on the track here on base for the first time. Whatever had I been waiting for? It was amazing to run on! I ran 1.75 miles, and walked another half mile. My girlfriend is just starting to run again and so she walked more laps than running – but just having us both out there together was motivation enough to keep going and push a little more. But the track itself was just awesome. It was like running on air. I used to sprint in junior high and high school – but the tracks weren’t nearly as comfortable as this one is. Having people to watch is a good thing to, since PT is mandatory for military, there’s almost always people out there doing something. Even if it’s only the traffic passing by – it beats running alone....on the treadmill...staring at the wall. I can’t wait to run again tomorrow.

Last night, I went to yoga and it was a more advanced class which I really enjoy. And it ran late – instead of an hour and a half – it went for two hours. So I am feeling pretty darn good I have to say.

I’m hoping the rain holds out, it’s T’s first baseball game tonight....very exciting! We’re going to go out for dinner after, since the game is at 5:30 – smack in the middle of dinner time for the kids. It’s fun having these sporting events to go to – and it’s great watching him play. Best of all, the newspaper in town writes articles about all the sports in town – even the kindergarten kids – and they report them as if they were pro athletes. It’s so very cute. I’m adding the clippings to his scrapbook, and of course photocopying them and mailing them to family.

Guess it’s time to get a subscription to the town paper it seems...!

What I'm listening to lately....

You know what I love about Sirius radio? If there's a song that I really like, I can set a reminder to be notified whenever it comes on. In some ways it's difficult because there's almost always some song I like on, and so I get reminded constantly mid-song and then I have "song envy" because I wonder if I should continue listening to the current tune - or switch to the one that I'm being notified about. Another thing I love, is that I can rewind and listen to a song over and over again -- which is awesome if you're a lyric addict like I am and really want to either learn or analyze a song.

So here are some of the songs I've got set for reminders that I'm loving at the moment.....

Girlfriend/Avril Lavigne: Probably my guiltiest pleasure at the moment. Not only do I love the lyrics despite their lack of depth – what I love about them, is their lack of depth. “She’s like, so whatever”....

Little Big Town/Give me a little more you: How fun and flirty is this?

Brad Paisley/Ticks: I laugh so hard when I hear this. Sounds like such a pretty little love song and then.... well, if you haven’t heard it – check it out.

Eric Church/Guys like me: Needs no explanation. Who doesn’t like those kinds of guys?!?!

Secondhand Serenade/Vulnerable: Love this song. He sort of reminds me of Dashboard Confessional, so if you like them you definitely should check this out.

Maroon 5/Makes Me Wonder: Fun, funky and thought I’m not traditionally a Maroon 5 fan, this sounds like it might be a cd worth checking out.

JoJo/Anything: It always surprises me when the songs by this 15 year old are so good. I think she was 12 when “Get Out” was done or something like that. She’s really young and yet I really like her songs.

Linkin Park/What I’ve done: There’s not much I don’t like about Linkin Park. Especially the voice on their lead singer....