Day 43

It's cold here!!!!!! I had to wear a hat tonight while we ran...in the dark.

I ran a little over 3 miles tonight with a minute of walking in the middle. I ran the first 1.5 in 14:28 and the second in 14:17. Awesome!

Day 43 (42 min.)

5 min. shuffle

15 min. jog 1 min. walk x 2

5 min. walk

Day 42

Yesterday we were 6 days away from our wedding....and our run was 6 miles. Coincidence....naw! hahaha. Our few weeks off have really made it hard to run - Physically for Evan, and mentally for me. I just didn't want to run yesterday. If Evan had not been with me, I probably wouldn't have.

I got into it once I got going and was really proud of myself for finishing. It feels good to be a runner.....especially when crossing the finish line!

Day 42 (1:02:44)

5 min. shuffle

10 min. jog, 1 min. walk x 6 miles

5 min. walk

Day 40-41

Schedule changes and sickness has put a damper on our running schedule the past few weeks...so we're a bit behind. We've tried to run the same week for 3 weeks in a row. I think we'll make it this time.

Day 40 (1st attempt)

2 miles

15 min. jog x 1 min. walk + a little extra job

Day 41 (success! 58 min.)

5 min. shuffle

15 min. jog 1 min. walk x 3

5 min. walk

I went pretty slow, but ended up running around 4 miles. I call that a success, especially after 2 weeks break!

Day 38-39

I think we're getting back into the swing of things....and we're running a 3k on Saturday. I know it's not a lot, but I'm excited about an actual event. And, a free t-shirt. Yep, that still works for me.

Day 38 (40 min.)

shuffle 5 min.

jog 15 min. walk 1 min. x 3

walk 5 min.

around 3 miles

Day 39 (50:24 min.)

shuffle 5 min.

jog 10 mim. walk 1 min. x 5 miles

walk 5 min.

Day 37

 3 miles in 27:37 min. Awesome.

I had to run the old route around the apartment complex tonight. It was a nice change, but I'll be glad to get back on the soft cushy track on Saturday.

Day 37 (47 min.)

shuffle 5 min.

jog 8 min. walk 1 min. x 3

walk 5 min.

Day 36

We've made it to phase 4 of our training! Tonight, Evan ran with me most of the time so my pace was a little bit quicker. We finished our first mile in 9:06 min., 2nd mile at 19:10, third mile at 29+, and 4th mile was a little over 40 min. I think it was a pretty good run. 

Day 36 (54 min.)

shuffle 5 min.

jog 10 min. walk 1 min. x 4

walk 5 min.

Day 36

The sweatshop girls take to the track.....

Mom, Mamaw, Debbie, and I got in our morning exercise together today. I am so proud of my family for being active, especially Mamaw. She walked two miles this morning (which is her regular routine.) She walks 10 miles a week! I love it!

I kept a good pace today, even though I couldn't breathe through my nose and my ears started hurting from the colder weather. It is cold here! My first mile timed in at 9 min. 30 seconds. And that's with 1 minute of walking. I finished a little over 2 1/4 miles.

Day 36 (34 min.)
shuffle 5 min.
jog 5 min. walk 1 min. x 4
walk 5 min.

Day 35

It was soooooo hot tonight. I can't wait to get my fill of cool weather this weekend in North Carolina!

Day 35 (37 min.-2 1/2 miles)

shuffle 5 min.

jog 8 min. walk 1 min. x 3

walk 5 min.

Day 33-34

I can't even remember what I did on Thursday. I know I didn't follow my training exactly, but I did do something. So, I'm not even going to put in the training. 

The past few training days have been completely messed up because of rain and our sleep (or lack of) schedule. This weekend we are making a trip to North Carolina, and further screwing up our training schedule. We were planning to run Monday, Wednesday, and Sunday this week, but Evan's schedule has already put him off a day. I did do my long run (from this past weekend) today, though. It went pretty well too. I stopped every mile and half for a drink and stretched at my halfway point. Tonight I ran 6 miles in 1:03:30. Pretty good, huh?

Day 34 (1:03:30)

shuffle 5 min.

jog 6 min. walk 1 min. x 6 miles

walk 5 min.

Day 32

Today was a tough day, but we did it. We jumped up to 10 minutes of running. I wasn't sure if I would be able to keep my 5 min./half mile pace, but I did (plus or minus a few seconds). I ran 4 miles total. Mile 1 was around 9:35, Mile 2 - 10:00, Mile 3 - 10:03, Mile 4 - 10:04. I can't believe it. My knee started bothering me a little near the last lap of mile 3, but I was able to finish without a lot of pain. 

Day 32 (44 min.)

shuffle 5 min.

jog 10 min. walk 1 min.

walk 5 min.

Day 31

We've had a slack week of running. Tuesday, it was raining and neither of us really wanted to run anyway. Wednesday and Thursday I wasn't feeling well. Stomach virus I think. We finally ran today, but it wasn't much. 

We decided to go back to last weekends training and start this week over again. The first few miles were surprisingly fine. I was staying at a good pace, a little under 10 min./mile. The last lap of my third mile, though, my knee started hurting. We were supposed to run 5 miles, but ended up stopping after Evan's 3 and my 2 and 3/4.

Day 31 (35 min.)

5 min. shuffle

5 min. job 1 min. walk x 3 3/4 mile

What's in a name?

Avery Lee Johnson

That has been my name for the past 30 years. In a few months, though, I'm supposed to change it. I'm not sure how I feel about this. I mean, that's my name. I love my name. I don't really know what I'm going to do.

Dear name,

I'm so sorry I took you for granted for so long. I didn't realize how much I loved you and just how much you have meant to me these past 30 years.

Love always,

Avery

Avery Lee Doyle?

Avery Johnson Doyle?

Avery Lee Johnson Doyle?

Avery Lee Johnson-Doyle?

Adult literacy tutoring

Today was my second day as a literacy tutor, and it was so much better than the first. Well, I felt better about it today anyway. 

Last Saturday was difficult because I hadn't met my students yet and didn't know what to expect. I went into the session with all these ideas of lessons and practices we could do, but the ladies really weren't interested. Or, so I thought. I left the library very unsure of myself and my abilities to help my students. 

Today was much different. Only one lady came today and we got a lot done. She told me that I was doing a good job. We were  able to talk a lot, which is what she wants to be able to do.

We've started a list of new words. When we come across an unfamiliar word in the lesson, we just add it to the list. I'm feeling a lot better about this.

Day 30

Go speed racer! Go speed racer! Go speed racer, gooooooooo!

Tonight I was running less than 10 minute miles! Awesome! I had a little bit of knee pain about the third mile, but it stopped after a few laps.

Day 30 (48:25 min.)

shuffle 5 min.

jog 5 min. walk 1 min. x 4 miles

walk 5 min.

literacy tutoring

Today was my first day of adult literacy tutoring. I'm not really sure how it went. I have two ESL students. They are very nice ladies, but we all have a little trouble understanding each other. 

I planned to have the ladies describe and set goals today, but I couldn't quite get them to understand what I meant. All I know is they want to communicate better in English. But, since they don't communicate well yet....I have no idea how they felt about the session today. I mean, they said it was good, but we did talk about antonyms today!!!!

Day 29

Day 29 (40 min)

shuffle 5 min.

jog 5 min. walk 1 min.

walk 5 min.

Day 28

Day 28 (46 min.)

shuffle 5 min.

jog 8 min. walk 1 min. x 4

walk 5 min.

I finished 3 1/4 miles.

honeymoon reservations

Today, I finally made our hotel reservations. We were hoping to go to Mexico again, but when Evan's parents got a good deal on Disney tickets. It just made sense to go to one of our most favorite places. 

I'm so so so excited!! Every time I start making plans for a Disney trip, I just get so excited! I love that place. I'm so lucky that Evan loves it as much as me....maybe even more!

Day 27

Awesome run tonight!!! I think I can finally call myself a runner!

I could have wimped out today. I wanted to earlier too. I wasn't feel very well and definitely not in the mood to run. But, once I got started, I just had to finish. Tonight, I decided to shuffle instead of walk for my warm-up. It definitely helped. My first couple of laps were great. I think because I was more warm and loose than if I had only walked. 

I finished my first mile in 10 min. 15 seconds. My third mile was the hardest and slowest, but I made up for it running my last lap in a little over 2 min. 5 miles in 52 min. 22 seconds!

Day 27 (52 min.)

shuffle 5 min.

jog 4 min. walk 1 min.

walk 5 min.

Day 26

Boo Day 26!

I've got to get out of this slump. My legs just don't want to work. It takes me a couple of laps before my legs start working properly. I think next run I will shuffle during warm up instead of walk. Maybe that will be a better warm-up. The run was pretty short, but my body acted as though I had been running all day.

Day 26 (35 min.)

walk 5 min.

jog 4 min. walk 1 min. x 5

walk 5 min.

Day 25

Tonight wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. I didn't try to go fast and I'm really glad about that. I felt really good afterwards....and not too bad during. My pace did slow down quite a bit from Saturdays run though. I ended up running a little over 4 miles in 48 minutes. Not bad.

Day 25 (59 min.)

walk 5 min.

jog 6 min. walk 1 min.

walk 5 min.

Oh, and no foot pain today. Hopefully that's gone now. I need to remember to wear better shoes on subbing days. Tomorrow is 2nd grade/ half day....wish me luck!

Day 24

New shoes change everything! Okay, not really, but today's run was pretty great. And....it could be because of my new shoes right? Tonight was the end of our recovery week. I'm too scared to look at next weeks schedule. I cut 18 seconds off my time. I know that's not a lot, but it's a start! I'm now running/walking 10:56 minute miles. hahaha!

Day 24 (54 min.)

5 min. walk

2 min. jog 1 min. walk x 4 miles

5 min. walk

new running shoes

My wonderfully generous grandmother bought me new running shoes today. I actually went to a running store and got "fitted" for new shoes. It was a really interesting experience. At first, i was a little intimidated being in a specialty store like that. But, now I have shoes that will be good for me. Now hopefully this shooting pain in my right foot will go away. Ready for a run tomorrow! (After we get Evan's new shoes! Shhhh. It's a secret.)

Day 23

What's the deal? This week was supposed to be an easy week, but I just don't feel like running. Thursday's run was a total joke. I was such a flake. Evan even had a hard time finishing. It wasn't that we were tired or that the run was even hard. I think it's just been a weird week and were both out of it. I have a feeling the next few weeks is going to be a test of will power. Will we keep going or head back to the couch? KEEP GOING!!!!

Day 23 (40 min.)

walk 5 min.

jog 2 min. walk 1 min. x 10

walk 5 min.

Day 22

Tired feet and sore legs.....My legs and feet were already tired from standing all day in the classroom, so running didn't do anything to alleviate them. I'm running at about a 12 min./mile pace. We're still early in our training so I'm too worried about it. Evan is going a lot faster than me. He's going to be waiting around for me to finish from now on (on our long runs).

Day 22 (40 min.)

walk 5 min.

jog 4 min. walk 1 min. x 6

walk 5 min.

Miss Johnson Fall 2009

Tomorrow, I will walk into my first sub job of the year. 5th grade Science, here I come. 

Day 21

Luma at Miller Outdoor Theater! How can you pass that up? Well, we for sure didn't. I was so glad something was happening at MOT while Mom and Mamaw are visiting. We packed up our picnic basket (facon, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches. YUM!), our chairs, and a blanket - and prepared for a night under the stars. 

Anyway, that pushed our run to Sunday. And boy was it a tough one! It was our furthest distance yet - 6 miles! I can't believe I actually ran 6 miles! That's just crazy. It took me 1 hour 12 minutes to finish. Evan lapped me once and finished about 4 minutes earlier. He sent me a message today telling me that the BH Cross Country team ran it this morning in 47 minutes. 

I was very very sore and tired afterwards, but today I'm not sore at all. We're doing great!

Day 21 (1 hr 12 min)

jog 4 min. walk 1 min. x 6 miles

Day 20

My morning job interview drained most of my energy today. It would have been nice to know the aide job was for the kids with severe behavior issues, before I went. Anyway, I was very disappointed when I left. I didn't cry, though. So that's new for me.

Band practice was great today. I got all of my energy back and more from a great afternoon on the field. So, I was pumped by the time we got the track to run. 

Even though our run was shorter today, I had a hard time. I'm still sore from Tuesday. Plus, today my feet were really tired and kept getting stitches in my side. I made it though. I think I ran about 2.5 -3 miles.

Day 20 (40 min.)

walk 5 min.

jog 4 min. walk 1 min. x 6

walk 5 min.

Job interview

I haven't had a job interview at a school since May. I did actually get called for an interview for the library job I've applied to twice, but it seems that I am not the person they're looking for to re-shelf books. Hmm. 

Anyway, I have a job interview tomorrow for an aide position at a nearby high school. I'm gonna nail it. Maybe.

Day 19

I AM SOOOO TIRED. Yes, today wore me out. My feet haven't been this sore in a while. 

We ran after band practice at the track near Evan's school. I ran a little over 13 laps (around 3.5 miles?) in 42 minutes. I don't feel like I was going much slower than normal, but that time sounds like I was. We decided not to run together today and run at our own paces. It was actually nice. I had time and space to think.

I really wanted us to run together and do all of our training together, but it just doesn't make sense if our "comfortable" paces are different. Why didn't I think of this sooner? Anyway, I'm pretty sore and very tired.

Day 19 (52 min.)

walk 5 min.

jog 6 min. walk 1 min. x 6

walk 5 min.

Day 17-18

Okay, so it was bound to happen sooner or later. We totally flaked (twice) on day 17. Thursday was the last day of summer band for Evan, and the kids had to be at practice early for pictures. So, we decided to run on Friday.....then the lighting came. The rain never came down, just sprinkles, but it was looking treacherous. So, we went out to eat instead.

We started running our long run on Saturday, and two miles into it, I made Evan so mad he had to go in and get away from me (or can I blame my alter ego?) FYI....in case you didn't know already...men and women communicate very differently. I'm not saying which way is better...yet. Sometimes the forms of communication just aren't compatible. I guess Evan hit a wall. I did finish my 5 miles. On my own. At my nice steady pace. Done and done.

Day 17 (1 hour)

walk 5 min.

jog 3 min. walk 1 min. x 5 miles

walk 5 min.

Day 15 - 16

Our Sunday long run started off well, but I'm still getting aggravated with my slow pace (compared to Evan's). We finished and at pretty good time.  My knees haven't bothered me since last Sunday, but my hips have. Evan said today it's my hip flexors that need to be stretched or worked more. 

Today's run was our most running time. I stayed at a steady slow pace while Evan stayed several feet ahead of me turning around backwards every now and then to let me catch up. I hate that it aggravates me so much that he's always ahead - but it does. We decided to try to meet halfway on our pace to stay together. I hope we can, but I have a feeling we're going to end up training separately. We'll see. 

Day 15 (52 min)

walk 5 min.

jog 2 min. walk 1 min. x 4 miles

walk 5 min

Day 16 (52 min)

walk 5 min.

jog 5 min. walk 1 min. x 7

walk 5 min. 

Aggravation

To Whom it May Concern:

Please help me to stop being angry about situations I cannot control (as my body shakes with intense anger and exasperation).

I am so frustrated, I could pull my hair out. I am existing JOBLESS yet completely qualified to do a multitude of jobs, while I witness other people getting paid to do their jobs poorly. Normally, I can overlook this. I can leave my annoyance in the grocery store parking lot after witnessing the teenage banter between the check out girl and the bag boy. I can forget about the clueless receptionist with her equally clueless answers when she has been given the task to answer phones...and questions. There are many occasions that have left my memory, but tonight I am furious. I am so angry to see someone do a job poorly and get paid for it when that particular job should have been mine to begin with! 

FYI Little Miss CGI: It is not okay to text message while you are getting paid to do something else. It is not okay to bring a friend with you and let them do your job. It is not okay to waste 1 hour and 45 minutes of a two hour job. 

I'm angry. I should be able to let it go - just let it be what it is, but I can't. I wanted that job and I am furious that a great situation with so much potential is a total fiasco and no one will do anything until it's too late to save it. Booooo to you!

Day 14

We've entered Phase 2 of our training, complete with really sore back and tight hips. I don't like this. After Tuesdays run, my back has been so sore. I'm blaming the running, but maybe it's because I've been so lazy lately. I know I can blame my hip on the running though. Slowly, my right hip has gotten tighter and tighter the further we get into our training. I need to figure out some kind of stretch or strengthening exercise to help loosen it up.

We were supposed to run on Thursday, but put it off a day. I think my BEhind weighed a ton because I could not pick my feet off the ground. I wasn't tired or out of breath during our run, but my legs did not want to work. I don't know what that was about. Back is still sore, but my knee wasn't bothering me...um, okay?

Day 14 (32 min.)

walk 5 min.

jog 2 min. walk 1 min. x 8

walk 5 min. 

Day 13

Tuesdays run was tough, but not so much because of the running. This week was a bad week emotionally, and Tuesday was the lowest point (or highest point depending on which way you look at the grid). I was already feeling completely defeated by life. You know, the whole jobless - can't even get an interview- mess. Tears trickled down my face for most of the run. Every upsetting thought punched me in the stomach as Evan ran one step ahead of me. I couldn't catch up. Couldn't keep up. And, that was just another blow to my already weak body. I made it though. Evan slowed down and kept me going. I won't lie and say I feel great because I finished the first training day of Phase 2. I'm still bothered that Evan's pace is always going to be quicker than mine. So, we can never truly be our best together. But, for now (for this race anyway), we'll be sticking together.

As for the job thing. "Everything happens for a reason" is getting old. 

Day 13 (46 min.)

walk 5 min.

jog 3 min. walk 1 min. x 9

walk 5 min.

Day 11-12

Phase I - Done and done.

This week was a "recovery" week. So the last two training days were a breeze!

Day 11 (30 min.)

5 min. walk

2 min. walk 2 min. shuffle x 5

5 min. walk

Day 12 

5 min. walk

2 min. shuffle 2 min. walk x 3 miles

5 min. walk

Day 10

It's getting serious now.

Day 10 - (40 min.)

walk 5 min.

jog 3 min. walk 2 min. x 6

walk 5 min.

Basically, we jogged/walked 3 miles in 30 minutes. We're on our way to records or something. And.....even though Evan keeps telling me this, and my pants keep proving this, it has only come to my attention today....My waist is getting smaller.

The big bummer, though, is I still don't have a job. Texas, what's your deal? It's my phone number, isn't it?

Day 8-9

What should my action figure name be? Today, when Evan and I were running, I told him how I picture myself running. I think of one of those figure drawing dolls or action figures. My arms and legs can only rotate forward and backward while the rest of body stays the same. It makes me laugh when I think about it.

Today's run was not funny at all. It was the hardest yet! We decided to run this morning so we wouldn't be running before we went on our picnic to Miller Outdoor Theatre. Running in the morning to me is 8 or 9. We didn't get out the door until after 10:30. I don't know if you know this, but it's hot in Texas!!! I was burning up! I didn't think I was going to make it because I was so hot and didn't have any energy (even though I ate my spinach last night!)

We did make it though. We jog/walked 5 miles this morning in about an hour. We're averaging 12 minute miles, which Evan keeps saying is a good pace for walking/jogging. We did have to stop halfway through and get some water and a little AC for a few minutes. Then, before our last mile we took another water break. Never again will I run between 10 and 5. 

No problems today. My knees, ankles, and feet were fine today. We were jogging a little slower than Tuesday so that might be the reason. I've been trying to stretch my hamstrings and quads a lot before and after running. So, maybe that's helping.

Day 8 - (34 min.)

5 min. walk

2 min. jog 2 min. walk x 6

5 min. walk

Day 9 -  (1hr 10min.)

5 min. walk

2 min. jog 2 min. walk x 5 miles

5 min. walk

Day 7

Maybe you don't know this about me. I'm a teensy bit competitive. Okay, actually I'm really competitive, but I think I hide it enough to seem only teensy. Well, tonight I a hard time hiding it. 

Day 7 - 45 min.

5 min. walk

3 min. jog, 2 min. walk x 7

5 min. walk

Evan constantly walks faster than me. Everywhere we go. He tries to pay attention to it since I've pointed out how much it annoys me, but he's trying to meet all my other demands. Poor guy can't keep up. Oh yeah, I also try to hide my bossy and demanding tendencies. 

Well, tonight that one step ahead of me was making me crazy. With each lap I was getting more and more annoyed. So on our 6th rotation, I spent my whole 3 minutes making sure I was a step ahead of him! We kept getting faster and faster because I would get in front then he would speed up to keep up. Then, I would try to get ahead again, and he would catch up. By the end of just 3 minutes we were both breathing hard. Good grief!  I just wanted to be ahead one time.

Right foot at ball of foot inside, a little pain. Sharp pains but only for one rotation. Toes  felt a little numb. Knees are hurting tonight.

The one about food....

Hi guys! Before you read this (if anyone actually reads my notes), I just want to make sure you know that I'm not at all trying to be pushy. I really really care about this, and sometimes I get a little out of control about it. If you get annoyed or just don't want to read anymore, skip to the bottom for a list of books, articles, and interesting things I learned. I'm sharing with you because I feel like I can't NOT tell you. This note is about food books that I think have really valuable information. And, since we all eat.....

First off, I've been a vegetarian for almost 2 years. Here's why...... I read a book. I woke up too early one Saturday, read Skinny Bitch in a few hours, and SNAP! I was a vegetarian. I just decided. And, that was that. This book pushes a vegan diet, and, at the time, I was completely turned off by that. What did hit me, though, was the small section about the horrible conditions in slaughterhouses. 

Face it. We all know what happens at a slaughterhouse. Animals are, well, slaughtered. Think about the word "slaughter." Not exactly warm and fuzzy, right? Okay, I'm not going to go into the details. I'm very tempted. I'll just say it's a lot worse than I imagined and, from what I've read, it's not always regulated the way it should. 

That was it for me. I'm not saying it was easy. Thanksgiving was hard. I almost cheated and had some ham. I still crave meat all the time. The smells from friends' plates make me salivate a little. Steak, burgers, chicken nuggets, ham sandwiches.....all delicious. I won't deny that, but I could never kill an animal and I don't trust the sanitary regulations when other people do the dirty work for me. Luckily, though, I already had a love for vegetables. I mean L-O-V-E. Do you know about me and broccoli? Yep, it's pretty serious.....we're gonna make it.

After reading Skinny Bitch, I read a few articles here and there about vegetarian eating. I read a lot of cookbooks, too! I tried to read Fast Food Nation, but I'm pretty sure I didn't finish it. This year, though, I've become a maniac about food. I can't get enough information. I've pestered Evan, a few family members, and now I'm coming for YOU! Just kidding....kind of.

My next three books were Detox, In Defense of Food, and No More Bull. Let me explain how I ended up with these. First, I got a library card (which resulted in books stacked everywhere in our apartment), and second, I started hearing all these people talking about the Master Cleanse. I was disappointed that they didn't have the Master Cleanse book at my library on my first visit, but instead, I came home with Detox and In Defense of Food. What I got from these books is basically what we've all heard a million times - you are what you eat. Duh. 

You know how sometimes you understand something, but you don't get it? Well, I got it that day. What we put into our bodies not only affects our energy levels, our size/shape, our amount of time spent in the bathroom.....food also affects our moods. And, a lot of what we (Americans, anyway) eat isn't really REAL FOOD! 

What do you mean? Not real food? How dare she say I'm not eating real food! Have you ever noticed that there are no advertisements in the produce section? Lists of vitamins....enriched....good source of blah de blah blah...nothing. The vegetables sit there quietly. We know they are good for us. And, they know we know. (We know, they know, we know?) Okay, but go down the other aisles and they are screaming at us - Good source of protein, daily serving of Fiber, Vitamin C, D, F, Z, K, #, %, &, *, $, builds strong bones, heart healthy......

o⋅ver⋅com⋅pen⋅sate

 [oh-ver-kom-puhn-seyt] verb, -sat⋅ed, -sat⋅ing. 

to exhibit psychological overcompensation; strive to overcome a sense of inferiority

Okay, that's enough of that. If you don't care about any of this at least think about reading In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto. No disgusting slaughterhouse stories (that I remember). It's just about deciding; What exactly is Real Food?

Sorry, got a little bit off of the point. I'm back now and I hope you're still here too. A few months ago, I decided to conduct an experiment. I wasn't going to eat processed for a week. I concluded that processed food was anything that came with a label. I did make a few adjustments to allow brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and Hummus from a mix - which, at my Kroger anyway,  all come in  beautifully designed packages. Okay, and a teensy bit of feta cheese the first day! Geez!

My week turned into three weeks and here's why. It felt great! I was in a great mood all the time and I had so much energy. I noticed the things that normally made me cranky and annoyed just floated away from my mind. Energy? I had so much energy, I couldn't sit still to watch a half hour sitcom! And, I finally tore a tag off a pair of (let's say snug) pants that I have had in my closet for a year (yes, I'm that person). I was exercising too, but not a serious amount. Everyday, I walked/jogged 2 miles. So, it was barely even half an hour. The point is - IT WAS AWESOME! 

My latest read was No More Bull. This one is written by a Montana rancher who, at age 55, became a vegan. Now, seriously, when someone who grew up on a farm, raising animals for food doesn't want to eat them anymore, somethings got to be up. The book starts off talking about mad cow disease - another thing I understood but didn't get until now- but broadens out to talk about all animal products and how agricultural chemistry experiments are changing the make-up of our food. He talks about the links animal-based foods (including dairy guys!) have to diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and even Alzheimers! Eek! Here's the fact guys - Cholesterol comes from animal-based foods. Cholesterol->clogged arteries->heart problems->medical bills->surgery->ba dum, ching.

I'm going to stop....and I didn't even get started on milk! I'm sure you're relieved. If you've made it this far - Thank You! I'm gonna say it again. I'm NOT trying to be pushy. Whatever you decide to eat is your choice, but I hope that it is an informed choice. I absolutely do not think I know everything. I'm not vegan (yet) and I still occasionally eat fish. I just really care about this subject and would feel very irresponsible if I didn't share it. 

Reading list:

Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin 

Detox by Denise Whichello Brown

In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan

No More Bull by Howard F. Lyman

Articles:

"If Slaughterhouses Had Glass Walls"

"Antibiotics in Meat"

"What About Grass-fed Beef"

"Dairy milk is singled out as the biggest dietary cause of osteoporosis"

Interesting Facts:

• The American Heart Association recommends no more than 6 ounces of meat (fish, shellfish, poultry without the skin, and trimmed lean meats)  per day. They offer no suggested limitations on meat substitutes such as dried beans, peas, lentils or tofu.

• Milk might not do a body good. It might be causing (vs. eliminating) more cases of osteoporosis. "The acid and protein from the meat and dairy products damage the bone tissues, thus causing calcium and other bone materials to be lost through the kidneys." Dr. John McDougall from No More Bull

• Foods from plants (fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds) don't contain cholesterol. American Heart Association

• It's all about Corn. Even if you don't eat corn, you're being corn-fed. King Corn

• Antibiotics in our food. Corn-fed beef>feedlots>fat lazy unhealthy cattle>antibiotics>Big Mac with 2 all-beef antibody patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun.

If you have articles to share, please do! I want to know what you're reading and what you think!

Avery

Bill Nye the science guy

I keep thinking I'll go back to sleep after my sweet Pal wakes me up for his breakfast.....but, so far, that hasn't happened. So, at 6:30 on a Saturday, I'm up and trying to find something "quiet" to do while Evan's still happily snoozing away. (He was up until 3 working on drill....so I'm not gonna bug him about it)
Yesterday, I discovered something wonderful on "On Demand". In the Planet Green section there are these videos with Bill Nye in a series called Stuff Happens. Basically, I love Bill Nye. I didn't even think I liked science until this guy showed up in town! Anyway, yesterday I watched three videos. My favorite, though, was the one about the bathroom. He talked about conservation of water, being careful what we flush, toilet paper, dangers of chemicals in cosmetics.....all this is right up my alley!
I decided I could write all this stuff down, but I have notebooks of things everywhere. So, I'm going to start making eco tips in my blog when I found out information about conserving/preserving/going green the right way. Here we go!

planetgreen.discovery.com/

look under videos > Stuff Happens

I found this toothpaste recipe at www.care2.com

Skip the harmful chemicals in many commercial toothpastes and make your own. This is a simple, inexpensive, odor-eliminating, tooth-whitening, and very effective formula from Organic Body Care Recipes (Storey, 2007) By Stephanie Tourles.

INGREDIENTS
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, finely ground
1 drop peppermint, spearmint, sweet orange, clove, or cinnamon bark essential oil
A few drops tap water

Combine ingredients in a small bowl and mix them thoroughly with a toothbrush, your finger, or a small spoon until a smooth, thick paste forms. The paste shouldn’t be too runny; it has to stay on your toothbrush.

Dip your toothbrush into the paste and use as you would regular commercial toothpaste.

Another reader suggested leaving out the water to store a larger quantity. When you're ready to brush, put a little of the powder in your hand, wet your tooth brush and mix around with powder until there is a paste on your brush. 

Store in an dark-colored, airtight container.  Should last at least a month.

Days 5 & 6

I don't like blogging everyday, or even every other day....obviously. 

We have now completed 2 long runs (and 2 weeks of training). Yesterday, after only 2 miles, I was already beginning to wonder if I can actually make it 13 miles! I'm not getting discouraged, though. I'm just preparing myself for the hectic plans to come. Right now it's only our bodies getting in the way of running. We are both on summer vacation. Yes, we do have some work to do, but our schedule is very open. Soon we will both be busy with our jobs (that's if I actually get a job!) and it we will actually have to make ourselves get outside and run. I know there are going to be days that I come home and just want to crawl into bed and never come out. I'm just getting ready. But Hey, 2 weeks! Yay!

Day 5 (31 min.)

5 min. walk

1 min. shuffle 2 min. walk x 7

5 min. walk

Day 6- long run (1 hour)

5 min. walk

1 min. shuffle 2 min. walk x 4 miles

5 min. walk

(a few sharp pains in right ankle/heel for about ten steps)

Days 2-4

So I'm a slacker at keeping this blog thing everyday. So what!

Evan got back from his last DMA of the summer and I got him on board with the training schedule. So, we started our first run together. Slow, slow, slow. Evan gets very frustrated with running slow, but he's been a good sport. Today was our third day running together and I think we're off to a great start

Day 2 - 28 min.

5 min. walk

1 min. shuffle 2 min. walk x 6

5 min. walk

Day 3 - long run / 3 miles

5 min. walk

1 min. shuffle 2 min. walk for 3 miles

5 min. walk

Day 4 - 38 min.

5 min. walk

2 min. shuffle 2 min. walk

5 min. walk

Another awesome event also happened. I think Evan has decided to become a vegetarian. I'm so excited about this. We never really had a problem eating together, but I do always feel like the odd kid out. Now, I think we will both be eating a lot healthier. And be more of a team. I was also starting to think about how we would raise our children...when the time comes. Would we argue about what we were feeding them, but now I might not have to worry about it at all. It feels really good to be on the same page sometimes. I'm so excited about us doing  these things together.

Day 1

I haven't worn a watch in 3 years, but I put one on today. I'm officially a runner.

Today's plan: 34 minutes

5 min. shuffle

1 min. shuffle, 2 min walk x 8

5 min. walk

It turned out to be a little more than 2 miles. So, it wasn't bad since that's what I've been doing for the past month. I have to say, though, I don't much like shuffling. I feel like I'm not doing anything. I mean, I feel like I should be going faster. I do, however, like being able to breathe. Normally I'm out of breathe while jogging and I start concentrating on when I'm breathing in and out. I didn't even have to think about it today. That was nice. 

*Everytime I think about breathing...you know, the kind they tell you to do while running, in through the nose and out through the mouth....I think of Heather Rutkowski. She told me once that she couldn't run because too much concentration on breathing was hard for someone with asthma. Weird that I think about that.

I was at 1 mile (apt mile) at 13 minutes. That sounds okay for a beginner. Right? Breathing was good. Legs were getting a little tired and my right knee started to feel swollen, but not hurting. I think a pat on my back is in order.

Beginning: Take 2

Here's the scoop kids. For the past month I've been a new person. Okay, not new, but more of my old lost self with a new perspective. I'm a month (and 2 days) away from being 30 and I, almost suddenly, feel 30 times more aware and in control. It's weird because the things that i thought were bogging me down- being away from home, not having a career goal- are still here. I'm poor. Evan had to pay my last car payment, among other bills. And, that was hard. It's still hard, but i'm dealing with it. Coming back from a visit to NC was hard. But, I'm dealing with that too. The hardest thing has to be trying to be okay with being rejected from all the jobs I've applied for so far. Not because I absolutely had to have them, but because I still do need a plan. Especially if I'm going to keep up what I've been doing. I'm getting way off the original subject I wanted to write about.

So why am I a new person? I think I've figured out a secret. Even though it has been around and in my face my whole life. Some switch got turned on to allow this secret to wiggle into the decision making part of my brain. Diet and Exercise. Don't those sound like dirty words? They always have to me. I think because diet has such a negative connotation. You hear it and automatically think "fat." Maybe you don't, but I do. The truth (light bulb on) is that everyone is on a diet....just some aren't the most healthy. 

New Discovered Love - In the past 2 years, I've discovered that I LOVE reading about food. I love it! After reading Skinny Bitch....seriously seconds after reading the last page...I made a drastic decision. I was and still am a vegetarian. That's all it took. Last month, the same sort of thing happened to me. I mean I've been reading about all these cleansing diets...master cleanse especially....juice diets, fasting...all that. I think on my very first trip to the Baytown Library, I came home with one of the best books I've ever read- In Defense of Food: An Eaters Manifesto Then, I found a book called Detox at the library.  I didn't follow either book exactly, but I did decide to stop eating processed foods. I did cheat a little, but for three weeks, I only ate about 5 foods that were processed. And guess what? I felt great...and as an added bonus, I fit into a pair of pants that I had never been able to wear but just couldn't take back. I had so much energy, I couldn't sit still. I was doing a little yoga everyday and running/walking 2 miles everyday. So....diet and exercise does actually work. 

Here's the thing though. Once you fall of...it's hard to get back on. I did pretty well on my visit home. I mean, I knew I would have to eat processed foods with my family. And, I also wanted to visit my favorite restaurants. But, no biggie. That's another thing all those dieticians are always saying. Don't deprive yourself. Well, I didn't! I've been back home for three days and I've been lazy and have been craving junk food like crazy. I gave in, but today I'm back on it. 

The biggest leap - I've decided to train for a half marathon. One of Evan's friends is planning to run the half marathon in January in Houston. So, I looked it up. And, with a snap of a finger, I've decided to train for it. I even got a book. (The library is my silent BFF). I have 27 weeks to train for 13.1 miles. And today is Day One. Here we go.

Miss what's-her-name

Do I need to tell you that subbing was not my favorite....or can you tell by the lack of motivation to write anything since January? I'm not going to go too deep into but I will leave a few tid bits from my semester as "Miss."

Most memorable moments: *a whole class of 4th graders singing "five...five dollar...five dollar foot long...........subway eat fresh" and "1-800-safe auto pick up the phone the call is free"......and so on. * the one and only time I sent a kid to the office...and got the phone call asking exactly why a kid was sitting in the office..geez, sorry to bug you. * Timing how long it took a kid to ask me if I spoke Spanish. Then one day asking back, "do you speak French?" I can't believe that worked. * Oh geez, the high school kid who apparently did whatever he wanted because his mom was a teacher. He totally brought the guitar and asked about my favorite band. Gag. Even Evan got a good laugh out of that one. * That same kid was in the class whose real teacher called me a socialist because we turned in a group paper. * Watching movies is a fun way to pass time. Not so much fun when you watch the same movie for 3 or more class periods - Finding Nemo...yea, we never made it to the part where he was actually found...all THREE times I watched it. Disney music cartoons were okay, but the kids weren't very interested after about 5 minutes. My favorite days were the Apollo 13 and United 93 days. Those were good movies. I still haven't watched the end of Apollo 13 though.

You get it right? So what am I doing now you might ask. Surely she's staying clear of any education jobs. Nope. I worked with Evan's colorguard for three days and was reminded how much I like teaching guard. Too bad his district won't hire me for anything. So, I'm still trying to figure it all out. Job wise anyway.

Mission 4, substitute teacher

Today was my best substitute day. I taught 7th grade language arts. For the most part the kids were good. I had 3 block classes. The first on (of course) was the best. The middle broke me. I finally just sat down and let them be loud. The third was quiet when they really needed to be.  I was at a new school and the teachers were really nice. I was a stranger and they were nicer to me than the people i worked with for 5 months. The best part of the day was reading the book they were all reading. It's called The Girl Who Owned a City. I read the whole book today. I should probably edit this post...but I probably won't. Yay weekend.

Mission 3, substitute teacher

If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. That's what I'm going to stick with for today. Oh except....I did enjoy the little boy who kept asking for hugs and asking if I like his hugs.

Mission 2, substitute teacher

Today I was a 76 year old 7th grade math teacher who smelled bad. Don't worry, the kids didn't tell me I smelled bad (I could smell myself) or that I looked old.  I had the patience of a.......someone who has a lot of patience. I actually surprised myself. No serious problems. I mean it could have been a lot worse. There were probably 4 students out of each class who didn't need constant reminders about the instructions. There were also about 4 students in each class who would have been more productive sleeping. Should we graph this? Mean? Median? Range? Are those complimentary or supplementary angle?

A few kids made me so sad. They just didn't care. I don't understand that. Probably because I was the furthest away from that kind of kid when I was in school. What do you say to those kids who refuse to do work? I almost had this one today. I had him teaching two other students how to do a problem. I'm pretty sure I had him convinced he was "giving them the answer." Then SNAP back to I'm-gonna-put-my-feet-in-the-chair-and-cheat-and-rush-through-my-work-because-I-don't-care-what-you-think-me kid. tear

Positives:

1. The few kids who were actually respectful and made me feel like I was actually helping them.

2. When I was leaving I stopped to look at the color wheels that art class had painted. Some of them were really awesome. One kid had painted cats and dogs (heads) all around his color wheel. I couldn't believe how good it was really.

3. Also, on my way out (leaving was good) I had a good chat with one of my students for the day. He's in orchestra. He plays the cello. I found myself wishing I was going to see this kid again so I could see how he was doing. I hope he sticks with it. He said he likes playing and that he's going to keep playing through high school. I wish I knew his name.

3. Going home.

Ms. Pep has left the building.

I'm frustrated. I'm annoyed. I'm ready to go home. So, I don't know when this happened to me, but I am no longer a glass half full person. I think I used to be one, but I'm not sure anymore. I emailed a few people on Tuesday about some volunteer work. Okay, I know I can't pay my bills, but the volunteer work was more appealing to me than the actual paying jobs. Sad? Yes, I think so. Anyway, I found out that I am too late to volunteer with libraries adult literacy program. Bummed part 2. Yesterday I was told that there is no animal shelter in the town where I live, but I can "join" some people who go to a nearby city to work with animals. 

I guess I just keep getting myself in trouble because I see things in my head and get excited way too early. I had this vision of coming back from Christmas break, finding a job really close by. Then, I was going to sell my car and get a bike. You know what? I'm not home anymore, because that would make since there. I could probably find a club of people who ride there bikes to work and stop by the super awesome organic foods store on the way home. They have baskets on their bikes I have a toll tag on my car. 

Does anyone know of a job where I can pet puppies and kitties all day? I clean up after them...I don't have a problem with poop.

New Rule: Stop. Stop. Stop. dreaming up these ridiculous images of how my life is going to be.

Mission 1, substitute teacher

Kindergarten on a Friday. Can you imagine? They told us in our orientation that students would try to get away with breaking the rules with a substitute teacher. I knew that. I mean, I did go to school! I really don't know why I expected things to be different with Kindergarten. 

I felt a little sick when I made it to the classroom. I had no idea if the teacher would leave me a lesson plan. I really didn't know what to expect. I guess I better get used to that though. It turned out that the teacher was there, so she explained things to me.

Positives about the day:

1. No one peed in their pants (that I'm aware of).

2. I learned all of the kids names.

3. I learned that I don't hate working with children after all. (Don't seem so shocked. I was wondering for a while.)

4. It's nice to know that kids still like to color.

Negatives:

I'd have to say the only thing negative that happened that day...was my "mean girl" experience. I have never been around so many two faced petty adults. It's sad really. I'm glad that I grew up where I did and around the people that I was around because I would hate myself if I turned out like these people. Wait...should this be moved to the positive list?

The beginning of the.....beginning?

So here I am writing my very first blog. I'm going to pretend like someone else will actually read this and hopefully not get bored too quickly. I'm also going to assume you are a stranger.

I've recently moved halfway across the country, almost a day away from my family and friends. Not only that, but I decided to change careers. Something else you should know about me—I romanticize jobs. I mean, I picture myself in a career like it's a movie or something. I can see myself doing so many things that it's hard to concentrate on one job. Does that sound fun? I am trying to enjoy that part of myself, but it does get a little frustrating. 

Anyway, I've been here for almost 7 months. I don't have a job. Well, not really. I don't consider substitute teaching as a real job. I guess it kind of is though. 

Backup: I did have a job until December when I resigned from my position as an elementary school teacher. The picture I had in my head about being a role model and a fun teacher who was patient and funny...well that picture didn't quite materialize. 

Now I'm substitute teaching. Well I have for one day (I'll tell you about it next). I have no idea if I want to try another teaching job or move on to something completely different. Maybe I should stop picturing myself in jobs....because I can only see the ones I know a little about. And the ones I do know a little about...well, I can't REALLY picture myself there because I don't REALLY know what I will be doing. 

I'm almost 30. I did what I thought I was supposed to do. I mean, I did my work in school. I went to college. Got the degree. Found the job. Moved out on my own. Went through the major heartbreak. Found someone to fix it. All of that. So why don't I know what I'm doing with my life now? I guess that's what this blog will be about—finding out what I like and what I might like to do.