It's hot!

 And as hot as it is I would like to say I love my new pants.  I picked up some capris from Walmart (yes, Walmart) for a whopping $11 and while they probably won't last as long as my name brand ones they can definitely hang.  So anyone who is looking should check out Danskin yoga pants.  I needed the new pants because it has started to get HOT.  It was 95+ today.  I did manage to get out and do four miles.  Not all running, in fact there was a copious amount of walking involved and I did my stairs- all 15 sets.  And as I was running around the State House grounds I realized how much I love Palmetto trees, not so much the lack of shade they provide, but the look of them.  Granted I was probably also a little delusional at this point.

My favorite part of the grounds in the summer is this spot next to the garage.  Anyone want to take a guess why?  There is this cold spot that surrounds the area like you have walked inside an air conditioned building and it feels amazing!


Another amazing feeling is that our project celebration event is over and went so well.  At the end of the awards two of my coworkers and I got recognized for our help... and then I realized we really got recognized for our help (my view was blocked by a podium) and we got these cute little trophies as a thank you.  It made my day!
I have also been working hard on getting things together and ready for the upcoming fundraising events that I am trying to get together for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  Moe's Percent Day is on June 1st (Don't forget your flyer!- You need it for us to get credit) and I am working on a wine tasting event for July 12th 6-8pm (There will only be 50 tickets so let me know if you want one- getting all the details together.  We will have wine and Cupcakes so the important stuff is taken care of ;) ).
Don't forget you can also make a donation directly to LLS- by giving directly to me or by donating on line (see widget on this page)

For Mom

I saw this and thought of my mom :)  Taken from google images when I was looking for work stuff.  (I don't know what this has to do with identity management but that's where I found it.)

I have a long way to go...

If you put change your change in you will weigh less!

But I have started taking the first steps!  Widget is on the page to your right ----> to make it easy for you to donate :).  I have ordered (free) business cards with the LLS website and information, printed out donation request letters (I love the FedEx Office print online- so easy!), and created a little change jar for my desk at work.  'Cause all donations count and pennies add up.  I will say that Lincolns are ok but I would like to see some Benjamins in there!  Back to the letters, I plagiarized the mess out of them, but other TNT participants had written really good and really cute ones.  So I mashed them together and added a little info of my own.  If you would like some to hand out to your friends and family on my behalf  that would be great!  Seriously though, if you would like some please let me know and I would love to send some to you.

I may have bitten off more than I can chew.

I signed up for the Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon through the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society today.  So for those of you at home I am now doing two fundraisers right now.  This and the Mud Run that is being carried over from the Spring.  Also, I had previously signed up for the Governor's Cup Half Marathon.  And I am taking rock climbing again this summer.  I think my Allegra was switched with some other drugs today cause I don't have any other explanation for the craziness.  I am super excited for the late start on this event.  This one starts at 10pm!  Yay no early mornings!  The money for both the mud run and the half go to an amazing cause so I am really excited to start (continue) fundraising.  I have several ideas and I met with Bayne, who is the fundraising coach today, and we talked about several ideas.  So I really hope everyone is ready to eat, drink, and play some games/win some prizes for a great cause!  Details to follow on said eating, drinking, and winning stuff as things flesh out.

In addition to signing up for big events today I went to a Zumba class for the first time. And had it confirmed that I am horribly uncoordinated. I can move my hips or my arms but doing both at the same time is like patting my head and rubbing my stomach at the same time. It's just not happening. I will however be back next week to try again! Tomorrow is yoga which will hopefully be followed by a run. But the yoga is a must- I need to breathe right about now...

Perfect representation of today.

And summer is here today.  At least that is how I felt.  Like these poor flowers.  They were so looking forward to the warm weather but when they get it they start to wilt.  So summer checklist:  Strong thunderstorm last night.  Check.  Heavy humidity this afternoon. Check.  The weather channel lying to me. Check.  86 degrees, 50% humidity, and feels like 85?  it sure didn't feel like 85 to me!

Group ex classes

My two left feet

A couple of years ago I fell out of going to USC's Group Exercise classes.  I loved going to lunchtime yoga but schedules changed and I wasn't able to go any more.  And once schedules worked out again I just didn't start back up.  So this Maymester's Group Ex schedule came out and I decided that I was going to get back into it.  Monday night is Zumba, Tuesday and Thursday are yoga.  Well, last night was Monday and I had talked myself into going and to have fun embarrassing myself.  'Cause this girl don't dance... not without alcohol anyway.  (Though if I have enough tequila I will be on the bar Coyote Ugly style :)  Thank goodness Facebook wasn't around in college).  So back to the story, I got to class and the instructor comes in and it's a sub.  No Zumba last night but we did have a great cardio sculpt class and afterwards I got a quick run in on the treadmill.  Tonight was yoga.  I haven't done yoga in awhile and I was out of practice.  Also, I realized I needed a pedicure with so much looking at my bare feet.  Running and nail polish are not always BFFs (especially when you are wearing the cheap stuff).  The goal is to get into a good routine and cross train, something that was lacking before.  I got into the habit of jogging and that was it.

I have also recently discovered my new favorite fruit, the loquat.  There are trees outside the office that we have international students and their family's swarm this time of year.  While I had not seen any sick or dead students around I am not going to eat something that I don't know what it is.  Finally someone knew the name, I could Google it, and all was good.  And I found out the seeds contain cyanide (as do many other things- like almonds, but I am avoiding them to be safe).  Anywho they are awesome and I need a ladder or a spotter to climb the trees.  Especcially once a Kimberly suggested loquat margaritas. 
As I came in from lunch today I grabbed a couple and a coworker saw and asked if I was that hard up for cash that I was picking my own fruit.  Funnily enough, shopping for loquats and they can be up to $12 a pound  .So I will take the free ones please.  Maybe that can be my workout tomorrow, climbing the tree.  Also it would be good training for the Mud Run in October!

It was a WTF kinda day...

Or at least the late afternoon portion.  Also, sorry about the language implied in the title of this post.  Mike and I finished our tour of the state today with a trip to Lancaster.  The trip up there was nice (very pretty drive) and the meeting went well (very nice people).  The WTF moment happened when we were getting ready to leave and Mike went into the USC Lancaster bookstore to get a soda.  He was checking out and I looked over and saw some orange.  I made a beeline to that rack to see what it could be.  I turned the shirt around and it was Clemson merchandise!...?!!?!?...!?!?1?! (infinity)   I then asked the cashier what was going on and she said they used to carry a lot more and it is on the sale rack.  I am dumbfounded cause it shouldn't be there at all, ever, end of story.  Does anyone think Florida carries Seminoles merchandise or Georgia Tech carry Bulldog figurines?
So then on the drive home we see this guy (see picture).  What is that spray painted on his truck.  I guessed a fish.  Mike guessed a shark.  What do you think it is?
And lastly, I went for a run tonight.  Another blog I follow touched on this issue but why is it when you are grungy and look rough guys come out of the woodwork?  I was running around the State House tonight and I had four cars catcalling me tonight.  One I expect/understand.  There is always an idiot somewhere showing out.  But then to have three more.  What? I don't find red faces, sweat rings, etc huge turn ons.   I started checking myself out in windows to make sure my pants hadn't ripped or a t.p. trail.  I couldn't see anything so I don't know what was going on today.  It was just a WTF kinda day.

Food, flowers, and more.

Yum!

David and the new spoon.

David and I took an Indian cooking class last week (almost two weeks ago- what can I say?  I've been slack).  We made turnip greens and dal  with everyone else in the class making other dishes.  It was a tasty meal once we got it all done.  I am definitely going to try and make it again.  And a the risk of having my status as a southerner revoked, it is the first time I have ever liked greens.  The class was not without bumps.  The pan was so hot the original spoon David was using melted.  It was not heat safe... and since we prefer our food BPA free our group started over.  We were not the only mishap.  The father and son next to us burnt the rice.  And the chestnuts.  And the rice again.  No one told them that they needed to put a lid on the rice in the microwave.

The instructor took matters into her own hands

I have been running my usual route after work but since there has been more walking than I would like lately I have added in some stairs.  It has been quite toasty lately and I have not acclimated back to hot yet so I am back to the running a mile/walking a couple blocks/running a mile/walking a couple of blocks and depending on how much I walk translates into how many stairs I have to do.  Some days it's a lot.  See the picture to the left.  I am taking a well deserved break after 15 sets. :)

Starting line obviously :)

And we're off

Steel drums playing a little DMB

On Saturday was the tenth annual Heart and Sole five miler.  It was a BEAUTIFUL day.  Several of my coworkers signed up as a team and then we forgot to pick a place to meet.  Oops.  After about a block I saw Kimberly and we jogged the first couple of miles together.  All along this course were the best volunteers, entertainment, etc of any event I have participated in.  Everyone was very engaged.  It was so great.  Although I did laugh crossing the finish line they were handing out roses and I was like ok, that's nice, let me get to the dude handing out water :)  Then at the end of the race Kimberly and I stumbled upon Sue.  Sue had been done for awhile since she placed 2nd overall in her age group.  She did an awesome job!

Sue racked up  Win and a door prize!

Kimberly and I waiting in line for a bagel

Also, I realized (remembered- it had slipped several times) that it was the last day for the Governor's Cup early bird special at around 11:30.  So I quickly signed up.  Which means I will be having an active, busy Summer and Fall.  I signed up to take rock climbing again.  I have training for the Mud Run, take two, with the whole team (yay whole team! Dad, Mitchell, Brooke, and myself) starting around June hopefully.  Just waiting to hear back from Kim from LLS-TNT.  And, start training for the Governor's Half.  Last time I trained distance wise, but did not work out a good snack plan, which meant by the time I rounded Lake Kathrine I had very little energy left.  I need to work on that this time.  I finished last go round but the course won.  I want to go in and show it that it didn't scare me off.  Hopefully I didn't bite off more than I can chew!