(no subject)
Wow- a few minutes to breathe!
So work is going well. I like my job, and I really like getting a paycheck. I'm picking stuff up fairly quickly, and my bosses seem pleased with me. It's exactly what I wanted- a job I can come in and be damn good at soon, but can leave at work. Howard keeps talking about how I can use it as a stepping stone into the company and maybe I can, but maybe I'll be happy in this job for a while. I am getting to the point where I'll need more work soon, but I think that's been planned- it's just a matter of they really want me to get up to speed on this reactor first. That's my first priority, and then I'm pretty sure there will be other stuff after I'm proficient. And some days, I do spend my entire day with the reactor. Other days, like today, I get it set up and it goes off on its own and I don't even have to babysit it.
The kids seem to be adjusting, and so are we. Toby's giving me a little grief- "I don't like waking up without a mom home"- but I'm trying to ignore that because Howard's now always home in the morning to get them off to school. Yeah, he doesn't have Mom, but he has Dad, and what's he? Chopped liver? Turns out Toby also came down with a sinus infection, so I think that played into it a little, too. We'll see how next week goes- it's Howard's first week traveling since I started, which means I have to do both drop off and pick up.
I'm handling the change okay, although I've had a couple of "get home and cry" nights. But one was the night before I started my period, so that doesn't fully count, and the other was the other night, when I was tired and cranky and in a lot of pain from some blisters. I do feel like my time with the kids has been cut drastically, even though it's not really that badly, and I think I will feel less rushed as we get into the routine more. Thankfully, this happened while we don't have any sports practices, so it does make it easier.
I haven't fully hammered out how I will run, but I can see it coming. I can do whatever I want on lunch hours if the rig is running, which means I can run at work. Also, once it gets lighter earlier in the mornings, I could get up and immediately head down to work, run, then shower there and start not long after I'd start normally. (Or I could set my alarm a little earlier.) There's a trail right near where I work, so there's good running down there. But right now I'm taking a break, because I just ran the .
Philly was probably my last race of the year, barring a Turkey Trot or a Jingle Bell run or something, which I don't see as likely given all the things I want to do. This is the third year I've run Philly- I did 2010 and 2012, too. So I'll probably try to keep up a tradition and do it every two years :) I love the first half of Philly, which goes through the city, past all the historical landmarks and the zoo. I'm not as fond of the second half, which is an out and back along the river. The scenery is pretty, but it doesn't much change. Plus you keep seeing all the people finishing, and I wanted nothing more than to be one of those people.
I wasn't sure how Philly would go, because I really haven't run THAT much since the MCM. I got my long runs in, but not a whole lot else. On the other hand, it takes a good three weeks to a month to fully recover from a long run and now my my longest pre-marathon run was a 26.2. So it felt like it could go either way. Fortunately, the weather was perfect (sunny, 40s, and no real wind to speak of), and it ended up going well. My main goal was to run under 5 hours. Partly for my own satisfaction (my PR is a 4:55:13, and I've only run under 5 twice), and partly because I wanted to prove something to Howard's friend Chris. I told him that if he wanted to qualify for Boston (he's about 7-8 minutes off), he should try running Philly. Philly's a great Boston Qualifier course apparently, and he would have had those same benefits I did of running the MCM a month before. He decided against it, and a little part of me just wanted to prove to him that no, see, I was right. I'm getting better at pacing, I fueled a little better (took a little less Gatorade), and my last six miles were much stronger than at the MCM. I ended up coming in with a 4:58:32, which was six minutes faster than my time for the Marine Corps Marathon. And to top it all off, as I was in the last half mile, I heard someone screaming my name like crazy, and afrakaday jumped out onto the course and ran a little bit with me, yelling at me to catch and pass the 5:00 pace group! (I succeeded). It was awesome to see her, and it totally made my race :)
The one downside to Philly was that I got some terrible blisters on my feet. One side was pretty standard, but the other had a blister that extended all over my little toe- not just on the side and bottom but on the tip and even around to the next toe. I couldn't even walk on it, and when I went to the med tent, they didn't pop it. I ended up trying when I got home, but it was such an awkward place it was difficult. It took a couple of days to really finally get it drained. I rarely have issues with blisters- in fact, the last time I got them was at Philly in 2012. I wore the same shoes I usually wear, I wore socks I've worn on long runs before... what is it about Philly that I get blisters???? I also got horrendous chafing, but that isn't unique to Philly :P
So now I have four days off- whoohoo! Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, which will be spent cooking. We have a very small contingent coming. I'll talk about the drama some other time, but for now, let's just say we're down to 8 people, two of which are my own kids and won't eat much. I'm trying to keep it simple, but the thing about Thanksgiving is it's one of those holidays where having more people really doesn't make more work. I'm still making turkey, stuffing, potatoes, green beans, and dessert- just one batch of each instead of two. Which is the same amount of work, really. In fact, it's more, because if my SIL was coming she'd bring the potatoes and another side, and this way I have to do it all :P But the pie is made, I've made the cornbread for the stuffing, and I'm going to go brine the turkey in a minute. I could probably get away without making cornbread-sausage stuffing and just make Stovetop, but I love the stuffing and hate Stovetop, so that ain't happening. In fact, that's pretty much what it's coming down to- I'm making what I want this year.
Friday I'm going Christmas shopping. It's tradition, and I don't get up super-early and go. Besides, now that I'm working, I've got to start getting it done. I'm not sure what I'm getting, but I should start getting it done :) It's not a year my sister is coming, unfortunately (well, fortunately in terms of Toby being sick and the snow), but I'll still go and enjoy myself. Howard's going to take the kids to see Big Hero Six, so that should be fun. Saturday and Sunday... I don't know yet. I want to see people, I need to paint, I'd like to do stuff with my kids, I need to do chores... I don't know. And I really want to see Mockingjay at some point.
Way behind on geekish stuff. Been writing my R/S small gift (thank God and mods for extensions!), and it's coming slowly. Need to catch up on Korra. (And wishing these were real, because I'd buy the Lin one so fast your head would spin.) We're caught up on Shield, catching up on Person of Interest. (And I'm suffering through the Newsroom for my husband and Dev Patel.) I did actually manage to almost finish a book- I've been reading Ready Player One, which I bought over a year ago. I'm debating how much I like it. On the one hand, tons of 80s references, and it is very reasonable, and I love Aech and the twist there, which I didn't totally see coming. (I mean, I knew there'd be a twist with Aech. I just thought Aech would be someone else.) On the other hand, it's a total geekboy fantasy, which isn't necessarily a terrible thing, just not my thing. But I've almost finished it and it was pretty entertaining, so it was worth something. I'm debating if I should let Toby read it quite yet, but I think not. It's actually not the violence (which isn't too graphic), but 1.) the way the videogamer geek boy is handled, and 2.) the 80s references are too much a part of the plot.
On the one hand, I think a lot of Wade's obsession with Art3mis is shown to be unhealthy, and I really think- just based on the language that Cline used describing Wade's behavior- that we're not supposed to think Wade's persistence is a good thing. He steps over the line a lot when Art3mis breaks things off, and I don't want that to be a model of how to handle rejection that my son reads. Especially since, despite the implications that Wade's obsession isn't totally healthy or handled well, it's also clear it will pay off in the end and he'll still get the girl. It's a contradictory thing, and almost feels like the author put some negative things about Wade's pining and stalking in because someone told him that Wade wasn't being healthy. I don't think that's true, especially since some other things come about very organically (like Aech's backstory, which was believable and I enjoyed very much), and the author seems pretty aware of issues like that. But Toby's almost 9, and yeah. Besides, like I said, the 80s references are just too prevalent in the book. The person I should give the book to is Howard, since he LOVES 80s pop culture.
guess I should go brine that turkey. Hope you all have a great day and a great holiday!!!
So work is going well. I like my job, and I really like getting a paycheck. I'm picking stuff up fairly quickly, and my bosses seem pleased with me. It's exactly what I wanted- a job I can come in and be damn good at soon, but can leave at work. Howard keeps talking about how I can use it as a stepping stone into the company and maybe I can, but maybe I'll be happy in this job for a while. I am getting to the point where I'll need more work soon, but I think that's been planned- it's just a matter of they really want me to get up to speed on this reactor first. That's my first priority, and then I'm pretty sure there will be other stuff after I'm proficient. And some days, I do spend my entire day with the reactor. Other days, like today, I get it set up and it goes off on its own and I don't even have to babysit it.
The kids seem to be adjusting, and so are we. Toby's giving me a little grief- "I don't like waking up without a mom home"- but I'm trying to ignore that because Howard's now always home in the morning to get them off to school. Yeah, he doesn't have Mom, but he has Dad, and what's he? Chopped liver? Turns out Toby also came down with a sinus infection, so I think that played into it a little, too. We'll see how next week goes- it's Howard's first week traveling since I started, which means I have to do both drop off and pick up.
I'm handling the change okay, although I've had a couple of "get home and cry" nights. But one was the night before I started my period, so that doesn't fully count, and the other was the other night, when I was tired and cranky and in a lot of pain from some blisters. I do feel like my time with the kids has been cut drastically, even though it's not really that badly, and I think I will feel less rushed as we get into the routine more. Thankfully, this happened while we don't have any sports practices, so it does make it easier.
I haven't fully hammered out how I will run, but I can see it coming. I can do whatever I want on lunch hours if the rig is running, which means I can run at work. Also, once it gets lighter earlier in the mornings, I could get up and immediately head down to work, run, then shower there and start not long after I'd start normally. (Or I could set my alarm a little earlier.) There's a trail right near where I work, so there's good running down there. But right now I'm taking a break, because I just ran the .
Philly was probably my last race of the year, barring a Turkey Trot or a Jingle Bell run or something, which I don't see as likely given all the things I want to do. This is the third year I've run Philly- I did 2010 and 2012, too. So I'll probably try to keep up a tradition and do it every two years :) I love the first half of Philly, which goes through the city, past all the historical landmarks and the zoo. I'm not as fond of the second half, which is an out and back along the river. The scenery is pretty, but it doesn't much change. Plus you keep seeing all the people finishing, and I wanted nothing more than to be one of those people.
I wasn't sure how Philly would go, because I really haven't run THAT much since the MCM. I got my long runs in, but not a whole lot else. On the other hand, it takes a good three weeks to a month to fully recover from a long run and now my my longest pre-marathon run was a 26.2. So it felt like it could go either way. Fortunately, the weather was perfect (sunny, 40s, and no real wind to speak of), and it ended up going well. My main goal was to run under 5 hours. Partly for my own satisfaction (my PR is a 4:55:13, and I've only run under 5 twice), and partly because I wanted to prove something to Howard's friend Chris. I told him that if he wanted to qualify for Boston (he's about 7-8 minutes off), he should try running Philly. Philly's a great Boston Qualifier course apparently, and he would have had those same benefits I did of running the MCM a month before. He decided against it, and a little part of me just wanted to prove to him that no, see, I was right. I'm getting better at pacing, I fueled a little better (took a little less Gatorade), and my last six miles were much stronger than at the MCM. I ended up coming in with a 4:58:32, which was six minutes faster than my time for the Marine Corps Marathon. And to top it all off, as I was in the last half mile, I heard someone screaming my name like crazy, and afrakaday jumped out onto the course and ran a little bit with me, yelling at me to catch and pass the 5:00 pace group! (I succeeded). It was awesome to see her, and it totally made my race :)
The one downside to Philly was that I got some terrible blisters on my feet. One side was pretty standard, but the other had a blister that extended all over my little toe- not just on the side and bottom but on the tip and even around to the next toe. I couldn't even walk on it, and when I went to the med tent, they didn't pop it. I ended up trying when I got home, but it was such an awkward place it was difficult. It took a couple of days to really finally get it drained. I rarely have issues with blisters- in fact, the last time I got them was at Philly in 2012. I wore the same shoes I usually wear, I wore socks I've worn on long runs before... what is it about Philly that I get blisters???? I also got horrendous chafing, but that isn't unique to Philly :P
So now I have four days off- whoohoo! Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, which will be spent cooking. We have a very small contingent coming. I'll talk about the drama some other time, but for now, let's just say we're down to 8 people, two of which are my own kids and won't eat much. I'm trying to keep it simple, but the thing about Thanksgiving is it's one of those holidays where having more people really doesn't make more work. I'm still making turkey, stuffing, potatoes, green beans, and dessert- just one batch of each instead of two. Which is the same amount of work, really. In fact, it's more, because if my SIL was coming she'd bring the potatoes and another side, and this way I have to do it all :P But the pie is made, I've made the cornbread for the stuffing, and I'm going to go brine the turkey in a minute. I could probably get away without making cornbread-sausage stuffing and just make Stovetop, but I love the stuffing and hate Stovetop, so that ain't happening. In fact, that's pretty much what it's coming down to- I'm making what I want this year.
Friday I'm going Christmas shopping. It's tradition, and I don't get up super-early and go. Besides, now that I'm working, I've got to start getting it done. I'm not sure what I'm getting, but I should start getting it done :) It's not a year my sister is coming, unfortunately (well, fortunately in terms of Toby being sick and the snow), but I'll still go and enjoy myself. Howard's going to take the kids to see Big Hero Six, so that should be fun. Saturday and Sunday... I don't know yet. I want to see people, I need to paint, I'd like to do stuff with my kids, I need to do chores... I don't know. And I really want to see Mockingjay at some point.
Way behind on geekish stuff. Been writing my R/S small gift (thank God and mods for extensions!), and it's coming slowly. Need to catch up on Korra. (And wishing these were real, because I'd buy the Lin one so fast your head would spin.) We're caught up on Shield, catching up on Person of Interest. (And I'm suffering through the Newsroom for my husband and Dev Patel.) I did actually manage to almost finish a book- I've been reading Ready Player One, which I bought over a year ago. I'm debating how much I like it. On the one hand, tons of 80s references, and it is very reasonable, and I love Aech and the twist there, which I didn't totally see coming. (I mean, I knew there'd be a twist with Aech. I just thought Aech would be someone else.) On the other hand, it's a total geekboy fantasy, which isn't necessarily a terrible thing, just not my thing. But I've almost finished it and it was pretty entertaining, so it was worth something. I'm debating if I should let Toby read it quite yet, but I think not. It's actually not the violence (which isn't too graphic), but 1.) the way the videogamer geek boy is handled, and 2.) the 80s references are too much a part of the plot.
On the one hand, I think a lot of Wade's obsession with Art3mis is shown to be unhealthy, and I really think- just based on the language that Cline used describing Wade's behavior- that we're not supposed to think Wade's persistence is a good thing. He steps over the line a lot when Art3mis breaks things off, and I don't want that to be a model of how to handle rejection that my son reads. Especially since, despite the implications that Wade's obsession isn't totally healthy or handled well, it's also clear it will pay off in the end and he'll still get the girl. It's a contradictory thing, and almost feels like the author put some negative things about Wade's pining and stalking in because someone told him that Wade wasn't being healthy. I don't think that's true, especially since some other things come about very organically (like Aech's backstory, which was believable and I enjoyed very much), and the author seems pretty aware of issues like that. But Toby's almost 9, and yeah. Besides, like I said, the 80s references are just too prevalent in the book. The person I should give the book to is Howard, since he LOVES 80s pop culture.
guess I should go brine that turkey. Hope you all have a great day and a great holiday!!!