The Winter of Our Discontent: House Guest

I woke up this morning to a house guest.  A house guest I didn't know about.  My husband and my son went and picked up a family friend (his side of the family) from the airport and brought him back to our house at 11:30 or so at night.

I'm not sure where the line of communication broke down.  I just know that I almost walked out of my room in some raggedy old pajamas and no bra.  My husband had gone to work and left the bedroom door open, I wasn't thinking about company.  I started out the bedroom door, luckily, He was sitting in a chair in our living room that had its back to the door I was walking through.  I quietly closed the bedroom door and got dressed while I took a mental inventory of what had been said.  I couldn't remember.  All I knew now was there was a visitor in my living room.

I rummaged around and made some waffles and coffee.  We'd been on vacation.  There was very little food in the house.  Especially the absence of syrup after I'd already started the waffles.

Turns out my son had offered to take him down to my mother in law's house some time that morning and they didn't tell anyone because my mother in law left her volunteer position to come get him at my house.  Meanwhile, we were headed south to her house.  She wasn't home, so we went out for lunch.  It wasn't a huge deal.  Just one of those things that no one communicated about.

Fitness Tuesday: Very Sad News

I read that Dirty Foot Adventure Run is being cancelled--forever.  Apparently, they were not able to get or agree on permitting.  The one I did a few weekends ago was their third.  One would have thought they were out of the bushes.  I know these things must be very expensive.  I enjoyed the race, terrain,  and the obstacles.  In October 2011, there was another obstacle course race sponsored by another company that disappointed a lot of runners.  I had a good time.  Now this race is being pulled.  This leaves Central Florida with the Warrior Dash in February 2014.  Very disappointing.

Books and Movies: In Praise of Chris Bohjalian

It happened quite innocently.  I read a book from the library called Midwives and didn't think a thing about it.  I liked it, and the plot stuck with me more so than most books.  Then I saw the book at the bookstore with another on of his books tThe Double Bind.  I was so creeped out by this book, I had to have another.  Skeletons at the Feast, Secrets of Eden, and The Night Strangers.  I have now read five Christ Bohjalian books (that I can recall).  His books are never long--about 400 pages--there is nothing gratuitous or unnecessary.  For example, I have read books that I got into the middle and ended up skimming through the middle section and not missing a thing.  With Chris Bohjalian, the reader better pay attention and not miss a word.  Consequently, my next five reviews will be Chris Bohjalian books.  Probably not necessary to dedicate a whole blog to each book, because they are all so very good, but I think it takes a lot of work to write quality fiction and have it stick out over the others, so I'll give Mr. Bohjalian his props. 

Fitness Tuesday: Dirty Foot Adventure Run COMPLETE

Turns out the run was 5.5 miles and every bit as exciting.  As I had predicted, there was a lot of upper body strength obstacles there was no way I was going to do, but there were enough easier obstacles it didn't feel like a waste.  I went with a friend that did all the obstacles, so my time of just over an hour ended up being a pretty true time.

If you live in Central Florida, and you like obstacle course racing, I highly recommend this event for the rough terrain, and even more rough obstacles.

The next Dirty Foot Adventure Run is some time in July 2013--I think.

We will be signing up for the Dirty Duo in Sarasota that benefits their JROTC.  That race is in May, so maybe a July race will be a nice span of time?  Who knows.  I'm addicted to these things.

Books and Movies: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

I realized I have finished this trilogy and never review the first book.  I bought this book after the fervor for the Stieg Larsson trilogy had dissipated.  I didn't want to be the next one in line with the latest book, instead, I found three paperbacks and eventually made my way through all three.  I think this trilogy is best read from beginning to end.

Plot aside, one of the things that seemed to hit me about these books--and the second one--is how easily the main character seems to find someone to have sex with.  He's already in a casual sex relationship with a woman who is married and her husband knows about it, and is OK with it.  Along the way, he sleeps with others.  This disturbs me a little, but maybe it's just the times or the country the book was originally written in.

Other than that, the girl in the bookstore, was right, it took a little while for the book to get going.  I might add I was almost half way into the book before I reached that "I can't put this down" moment.  The oddest thing about reading this first book is that I found the most unbelievable character--Lisbeth-- the most believable.  There were a lot of details in this book that didn't seem necessary until reading the second and third installments.  So, if you're deciding whether to buy, finish, or complete the trilogy, it was a good read.

Beware, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest is over 800 pages long.  Ironically, it is the best of the three.  Everything finally makes sense, in other words, so hold out for the end.  There are a few things Larsson takes liberties with that left me thinking, um, no.

Winter of Our Discontent: Defensive

My husband and I are back going through one of those phases I guess couples go through.  He doesn't care and I pretend it doesn't bother me.  I suppose I could end the discussion there and save myself some time writing a blog, however, that's not the reason people write blogs.

The big picture is I'm trying very hard to gently phase us into the time in our lives when I will be going back to work.  It's going to be quite a shock for both of us and even though I've thought about it a lot.  I'm not sure who will be affected most.  The career path I have chosen is not going to be easy.  It will take a while to gain momentum, but I think in a few years, I will be making some pretty good money.  However, I don't think it will be an easy transition when it comes to our home life.  So, consequently, I've been a little more critical that usual lately.  Most of the time I just let it go.  I'm home all the time I'll pick it up, wipe it off, clean it out, etc.  Those days are quickly fleeting, so I have begun point things out like food left on dishes put away from the dishwasher.  Toothpaste on the faucet.  Facial hair around the sink.  Picking up behind ourselves, etc.  I tried very hard to make it a group effort.  For months I adamantly stood by the "we" and the "our" in critical statements.  As time progresses, nothing is changing and I will admit that I am stepping it up a bit.  I am pointing out specific things.  I try not to bring anything up two days in a row.  I try not to bring up more than one or two things at a time.  This process is so tedious.

Last night my husband had retreated to the computer room to watch hockey and pursue his hobby obsession while I tried to finish my homework for school.  I made several announcements that I was done with my homework.  What was I going to do with myself for the rest of the evening.  I even made several passes through the computer room looking for something to do.  I even stated that this was my only day off this week and I was trying to think of something to do together.  He didn't catch on to my desire to find something to do together.

Later, he began to do the dishes in his usual half baked manner.  When he left and went back to the computer room I came out to finish up.  i.e. wash out the pitcher, clean the counters, and do some busy work.  Then he suddenly reappeared and started moving papers around the counter.  Piling up unrelated coupons and pieces of plastic with newspaper flyers and mail.  I asked him rather rudely what he was doing.  He said he was "finishing" the kitchen.  This made me angry.  He was done in the kitchen until I came in and decided to finish the job.  Now he was pushing papers and junk around on the counter that had been there for a week.  I simply wanted to know why.  Why tonight?

He disappeared as soon as I turned my back.  It took me about 15 minutes to go through the accumulated miscellaneous on the counter.  I turned off the light and picked a book to read.

Mental Messages: What are You Passionate About?

If you had nothing else to do,what would you do?  When you have so much to do, you don't know what to do first, what do you wish you could do?

I've been thinking a lot about this as I work toward the end of five years back to school.  Five years.  I went 18 years dreaming about someday going back to school.  Back before my loans reached epic proportions, I used to sooth myself into thinking I could finish school and just click that off my list.  Finish school.  Check.  Things would return to where they were before.  I could keep my small struggling music teaching business and we'd ride happily off into the sunset.  Free time intact, emotions intact, and some pretty important hurdles jumped.

In those five years, my husband has gotten exactly one raise and I have lost all of my students.  I can tell you this.  After more than 20 years teaching music privately, I think I was done five years ago.  I'd lost the desire.  It had been a long time since I'd had that special student that made it seem worth it.  I'd lumbered along with just enough students for it to be annoying and too many to commit to anything else.  The truth is the business started dying 10 years ago, but that's another story.

I will be graduating in less than six months.  Anyone can do six months.  Now I realize that the original plan is not the plan.  I don't want to teach anymore.  I don't want to share my false passion for music.  I want to get a real job.  I want to obsess about my career.  I want to do well in my new life and leave the old one far far behind.  That's my passion for today.

Warrior Dash III

I was thinking today that I ran the third Warrior Dash back in January and had a good time.  I ran with a friend that has now run three of them with me.  This is the first race I ran at my new weight.  I could really tell a big difference.  I did all but the last real obstacle.  It was like two "W"s.  With nets, ropes, and pieces of wood nailed to plywood.  I made it about 1/3 of the way into it and just got worn out from waiting and holding on.

It was way too crowded at that obstacle.  We stood waiting to master it for over 20 minutes (when we finally looked at our watches).  That was disappointing to wait all that time and not be able to finish it.  It just seemed so crowded the whole time.  I think our decision to run earlier at Dirty Foot Adventure Run paid off.

Books and Movies: The Bourne Identity -- The Book

So many people have seen the movies--including me.  It seemed silly to read a book written so long based on a movie written quite a while ago.  However, I got a gift card to a books store and since that is one of my favorite things to do, I bought a triology: The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, and The Bourne Ultimatum.  Now I did learn that there are some new books being written about the main character Jason Bourne by a new author, we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

It was difficult to read The Bourne Identity after seeing the movie so many times.  I remember feeling this way when I sat down to read James Fenimore Cooper's Last of the Mohicans.  The book was very, very, good.  After seeing the Daniel-Day Lewis running through the woods to save Madeleine Stowe, I had to approach the book as if it were a completely different story.  Turns out, when they made the movie version of The Bourne Identity, they took a lot of liberty.  I appreciated that the book could go in to more detail.

It actually took me two tries to read the book.  I started the book on vacation, and didn't return to it until I couldn't remember what I had read (Seems I do that a lot when I start books on vacation).  I have started The Bourne Supremacy and as I stated before, got interrupted with school work, so it's back on the shelf.  The real Bourne Identity (in book form) is a good read.  It wasn't as exciting as it could have been, in that it was just close enough to the movie to spoil it, and not close enough that it didn't ruin it.  I wish I'd known about the books before practically memorizing the movies.

Overall, I wouldn't run out and buy them, but they were an exciting read that didn't require a great deal of commitment.

Winter of Our Discontent: Drive By

I think if we live long enough, we have that chapter or moment that we'd just like to forget.  One such event is a location I have to drive by just about every day.  The location is a former employer.  What a mess.  I really liked that job, but when things turned sour.  The honeymoon was over.  I quit when the going got tough, while at the same time, the going never should have gotten tough.

I drove by the building with my husband in the car.  I looked over at the building and made the statement that set the tone for the rest of the afternoon.

"Have you ever had that thing that you just kind of stay angry about?"  I paused for about a second and continued.  "What happened there never should have happened.  I think 51% of it was my fault, but it just never should have happened.  I still get angry about it.  Not anger like rage, but that annoyed kind of anger that it still bugs me.  Just a little."

My husband basically asked me when I was going to let that go.  Of course, I got angry at him.  He's lived such a charmed life.  I asked him if there was anything in his life that still kind of bugged him, even just a little.  He couldn't think of anything, so that made me more angry.  Finally, the remaining five minutes of the ride home was laced with me becoming even more angry because he'd never been hurt that badly, or affected that greatly by something he had no control over.  Must be nice.

The conversation ended with me telling him I was sorry I had things in my life that were bigger than I was.  Things I couldn't just drop, let go, or forget.

Fitness Tuesday - Dirty Foot Adventure Run!

Well, it is the first Fitness Tuesday after a year.  I am 40+ pounds down.  I've run three Warrior Dashes, one Iron Crusader and I'm scheduled to run in the Dirty Foot Adventure Run this weekend, March 9.  I've been training as much as I can since the Warrior Dash has ended up being only five weeks before the Adventure Run.  The adventure run is 4.75 miles and appears to have more obstacles.  I have been working out my upper body much more these weeks in hopes of it being enough.  I'm frustrated with the fact that I can't run any faster or farther than I could a month ago, so that last 3/4 miles are going to take nothing but grit and determination, but I think that's the idea.  I've been working on the treadmill with inclines on the theory that without the incline, perhaps the flat terrain will be easier and not be as tough on me.  That remains to be seen.