20 Miles

Doesn't sound like that long, does it? 20 little miles. A relatively short drive, if you're in a car. Not a tough bike ride. But did I use any of those modes of transportation?

No, I did it on foot. Why? Because I'm training for a marathon, silly. And the day I picked to do it was 90% humidity. Fortunately, it was only 73 degrees when I started out at 6 a.m. But even still, I could paint a lovely picture of sweat-filled sneakers (or in my case, they should have been called squeekers because you could hear me coming with my wet shoes and socks - eeewwww!).

The long run is over and now it's all tapering. Woohoo! Of course, a hard-core person I know told me I'm tapering too early and so I should do another 20. Whatever Wal-Mart worker. She can do it and tell me about it. But don't think that seed of negativity isn't planted in my head.

So now I'm going home to walk Dad's dog. That is who is gracing this blog. He's so darn cute, but so darn crazy. Love that mutt.

Free Stuff

If there's one thing in life that I love, it's free stuff. My love of free stuff started in college, when I learned how to survive on no money and free food at receptions. This love blossomed when I graduated and the law firm I worked at fed us free lunch (in retrospect, not so free) and had a happy hour on Friday nights that supplied me with enough food for the weekend. Don't get me started on the free stuff afforded me by grad school. (Although my dad was quick to point out that my 'free' ride around Manhattan on the Circle Line my first week of grad school was actually costing about $25,000 a year.) And then investment banking with all of its perks and other assorted jobs... ahh.... But the pinnacle was when I lived in New Zealand as a tourist and while living amongst the kindest people in the world who all had jobs in tourism, I was able to swim with the dolphins and sail and eat and drink for free while spending time with my friends while they worked. How cool is that?

Well, the free stuff movement has taken a new and different turn. What with freecycle.org, and now people who call themselves 'fregans.' I am not willing to go to the lengths of Fregangirl, but it's an interesting concept to see how you can make a small dent in our gluttonous, capitalistic, acquisitive world one small step at a time.

And for my part, I did finally put together my compost bin at my (not-so-new-anymore) house. In no time, I will have free dirt!!! Good stuff.

It's about time!

Apparently, I've forgotten how to type or blog or think or record a thought or whatever it takes to get me to post to this thing. Not like life is standing still and I have nothing to report. Since last we met, I've been to Virgin Gorda, Fayetteville, San Antonio, the Catskills, Maine, and Chicago.

And speaking of Chicago, for my birthday (which is now more than a month ago) I went to my first Cubs game at Wrigley! Right now, the Cubs are tied for first place with the Brewers...but the day I saw them, they beat the Brewers in a dramatic come-from-behind-bottom-of-the-9th win. Go CUBS!!!

Anyhoo, lots of other people have been posting such cool stuff to their sites that I thought I'd at least get a post out here to remind myself how to do it.

Really, that's all I have to say.