The end of the year ADD Post

I'm not a Christmas person. I'm just not. Deal with it.

Furthermore, I think Christmas music a vile invention. Particularly Barry Manilow singing Chistmas songs, in case you were wondering, but to be honest, I don't like any of it. When I lived in Northern Virginia there was a spoof Christmas song - spoofing Baltimore - that I loved. I can't remember what the name of it was or who recorded it, but it was a mockery of Winter Wonderland, sung by a guy with an exaggerated Dundalk (suburb of Baltimore) and involved things like VD and impregnating your girlfriend. So that ought to give you an idea of my christmas music taste. Oh, and don't even get me started on that Grandma got runned over by a reindeer song. I will gleefully beat you to death with a Christmas wreath if you sing or play that crap anywhere near me.


I love me some Christmas lights though. In Virginia there was a street - Juniper Street - in Sterling, the whole street went apeshit over christmas lights. The houses had themes, cool themes. One had spiderman (Hi Mat!) in lights climbing the side of their house; another had Snoopy on waterskiis behind santas sleigh; one house had the grinch on their front lawn stealing a real, decorated christmas tree, there were many more, it was a big street, but those were my favorites. They also had a large donation box for a local charity, and the week or so before and the week after the holiday, they gave out hot cider and cocoa for the people walking around admiring the lights.


I looked forward to going down that street every year. I took everyone I could think of with me. Of note, this was not always appreciated.


When I started running, this street was always included in my routes, no matter how out of the way it was. (P.S. those big, inflatable, floaty character things are a little creepy during daylight hours, but at night, or pre-dawn? totally creepy) I swear you can feel them watching you.


Every year, I think I'm going to decorate my house with pretty white lights, and every year I don't do it. I go look at the lights, I imagine what it is I want. Then I realize with my luck I'd probably overload a circuit and burn my house down, and well, somehow I think that would not help with the fact that I'm not a christmas person.


I'm glad the rest of you do it though, it's truly one of my very favorite things about the end of the year, and since the end of the year usually finds me just wishing it would get on with it and over it already, I try to make the most of the few moments I find myself enjoying the current moment.


The turning of a new year always motivates me. I have some internal device that kicks in and tells me to make this year better, brighter, just more (Staci) than the last. Of course I run through the standard list of telling myself that this year, I will: clean baseboards, balance my checkbook, give more to charity and rotate my tires on a regular basis; and no, I never actually do these things. I'm not a new years resolution-er either. Generally those people bug the crap out of me. Especially the ones that join the gym -- because all of a sudden there 4457 more people in my gym and I can't accomplish what I need to. I KNOW I should be more selfless and encouraging but quite seriously, by mid-February 4455 of them have given up, and I'm just glad I can use the chest press with-out a 90 minute wait and a need to run for a snack.
Go ahead, call me selfish. I'll wait.

This year I may make an exception on the new years resolution thing. If not, I'll likely need to call on friends to stage an intervention (sidebar: I may also need an intervention from the show Intervention which is likely a whole 'nother kind of sickness I'm not ready to face, so hush) because I have a problem. It's name is E-bay, and I am an addict. Where is my Jeff VanVonderen when I need him? Last night after paying for my 6th auction win in 28 hours - that's right I said 6th - I found myself researching leather sofas on E-Bay. This is not good. This is not good. This is not good. Oh, and this? All the fault of the Redneck Scottsdale Princess, I'm just not sure which personality I need to blame.

If I am able to avoid the e-bay bankruptcy, I have trips with friends, more intense dog training, the start of competing with my own dog, family weddings, and just maybe another marathon in the works. If I'm really lucky I'll get to meet some new people and make some new friends along the way - there's a Bruce Springsteen fan in Austin I'm dying to meet, and a chance I'll be in Austin next fall. And then there's the best part - there's stuff I don't have any idea about that's coming.

Squeeee! it's like Christmas......er.. um.. huh.
Now there's a new way to look at things.

The return of an old friend

For the last few months, in the back of my head I've been reminding myself on a daily basis that I ran a marathon in 2005. That not only did I run 26.2 miles, but I did everything that goes along with the actual race, ie the training. FIVE MONTHS OF TRAINING.

This fall was going along nicely. I was training for the Raleigh half, I was working through the umpteenth injury of year, but I was still putting them down. Then the stupid toe thing happened and it blew my long run mileage off the map, and I was out for the race. The "toe blow" wasn't just physical in fact, it's what it did to me mentally that had had me chanting the marathon mantra. It was really getting me down. I missed running. The first frost came and my brain immediately went to how much I love frosty early morning runs ...and I was quietly snarky about the runners I'd pass to and from work each day.

Last week, I went for a run. Three miles after work one day. It was rocky. I felt rhythm-less in breath and pace, and awkward (feelings I usually reserve for dancing). Friday night I ran again. It was awful. Painful. Breathless. Slow. N.e.v.e.r.e.n.d.i.n.g... and it was only 3 miles.

Tonight I laced my shoes and set IPOD playlist and hit the road. Just three miles was the goal. Running normally clears my head. Not tonight. The thoughts came as fast as Rage Against the Machine's Township Rebellion and with it the 2 mile mark. Two more RATM songs and I'm at 3 miles. I'll just run til I hear Lenny Kravitz tell me he can't breathe without me., that's worth running a few more minutes, so is hearing my favorite song lyric ever - 'first one to complain leaves with a blood stain' .. yeah, I'll just run to the end of this song, I love running when Christmas lights are up, man my hair is getting long, I wonder what 2008 will bring, I really wish I had some pie at home, okay, just one Manson song, how do you *not* run during 'The Beautiful People'.. and then there it was the 5 mile mark. Enough.

My pace is slower than it was three months ago.
It was only 5 miles.
But I found it again, the reason I love running.
Running doesn't let me take it for granted. It gives me what I give it. No more, no less. It kicks my ass but leaves me feeling stronger. There's a new challenge on the other side of street even when it's the same street day after day. It never changes, but it's always different.

It's good to be back.

Like The Foxfire 5 joke, or playing "ketchup"

For a couple years before I left Virginia, I made an attempt at my own Thanksgiving tradition -I hosted a 'girlfriends' Thanksgiving. I invited my single friends over and started serving margaritas at 10am. I made a pot roast for Jodye, who doesn't like turkey, and home made macaroni and cheese. Dawn came and brought venison and other "Pennsylvania delicacies".


Everyone spent the night, and the next day we went to brunch and had mimosas and toasted our birthdays (early, but we only saw each other a couple times a year, so we had to optimize our time together as well as maximize the damage to our respective livers.)


When I moved here, Thanksgiving weekend happily became home improvement weekend. Last year, I painted my bedroom. This year my plans were far more ambitious. So ambitious in fact, I needed professional help. I had 11 unruly, pokey-leaved-holly bushes ripped out , and little odd looking trees chainsaw-ed down.. old stumps were removed, two bottles of round up went onto the odd-potentially human eating plant growing in the southeast corner of the yard. Other things on the list include replacing the front door and the back storm door (arguably the most important door in the house, as it's the one with the dog door in it) a hole in my bedroom wall will be patched and painted, a new light fixture hung over my kitchen table, new window blinds will go up in all the windows in the front of the house and some old, unused wood structures in my backyard were torn down. Grass seed will go down, mulch too. Also, I bought hardwood flooring for the living room and master bedroom. I've been getting estimates on a new deck for the backyard.

Pictures, they will be a-comin'. Those of the before and after variety.

If you're thinking I got carried away, you're probably right, but hush up, okay?, because I'm really happy. My non-traditional spending of a very traditional holiday leaves me pleased as punch.

For my birthday frivolity, I took the advice of the lovely Redneck Scottsdale Princess and went designer handbag shopping on E-bay. I came away with two Coach purses and one Coach wallet. I also blew more than a few bucks at L'Occitane. That's frivolous, and fabulous, and just what this girl wanted for her birthday. The actual birthday will likely be spent doing yardwork..because the paying of someone else to do the big stuff leaves the little stuff for me. Of course, I could always wake up on the day and decide I want to eat pie and wear my pajamas all day and make the yardwork wait. It's been known to happen.

I've been completely unable to finish a blog lately. I start them and then my brain turns to mush. I'm blaming it on my productiveness at home and at work which has been leaving me busier than the proverbial one-legged man in a butt kicking contest.

As usual, the end of the year always leaves me feeling like I can't catch up, but I never know what exactly it is I'm trying to catch.

Right now, though, I'd settle for 8 hours of sleep.

Ala Mandaroo, it's Trash Day.

I dreamt last night that I invented a new Barbie, her name was Freaky Varroom, and she was stylishly dressed (if this were 1980 something) in a black denim jumpsuit and trench coat.
I have no idea yet am somewhat afraid of what this means.

I am overwhelmed this fall by a sense of urgency to just get to the end of this year. I just want January to get here, and I have no real reason to feel that way. I keep catching myself looking at the calendar and wish I could flip the page, hang the new runner’s world calendar and get on with it.
Get on with what, I don’t exactly know.

I just heard on the news that Triple A expects this Thanksgiving to be the heaviest travel year EVER! Is it just me, or do they say this crap every year? Do you ever wonder if it stops anyone from traveling? Stop wondering. It’s probably going to stop me. I am not proud of this fact about me, but it is true that I often find myself praying for a fully automatic weapon when surrounded my mini vans loaded down with luggage and DVD watching children that want me to wave at them.
This probably makes me not a very nice person.

After reading the story of the 14 year old girl that killed herself after a MySpace relationship ended - a relationship that turned out to be a cruel joke played by A FULL-GROWN ADULT – the mother of a child that used to be friends with the dead teenager, I am even more convinced that having children should require a mental examination, and a license of some kind. Just because you can reproduce, doesn’t mean you should. This whole thing makes me ill. I’m pretty sure we should all stop with the “what’s wrong with kids today?”, and start asking “what’s wrong with parents today?”

After my disappointing seminar in Atlanta a few weeks ago, I couldn’t help but be a little happy (or maybe, a lot) at the fact that the woman who taught the seminar did horribly (for her) at the National Championships a few weeks ago. I’d like to say this was her Karma – but it’s probably just me being a small person.
I can totally live with that.

I spent a large portion of the day yesterday with a leaf blower in my back yard. It took me the first hour to teach the puppy that the leaf blower is not an evil thing trying to kill me, and he really shouldn’t bite it. I’m pretty sure I had more fun blowing leaves than anyone else on my block yesterday, well anyone but the puppy.

On a more together day, I probably could have written an entire post on any of these topics. Instead, I took a cue from Mandy, and left the clutter in my head out on the curb with all those leaves.

Like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, They Do Exist....

I went to a wine tasting/art show a few weeks ago. The wine was way better than expected, and the art was, well art, which I’m pretty sure isn’t my thing. I often look at art hanging in public places and usually, it leaves me wondering; a) why someone was compelled to paint/draw/sketch that particular scene, and b) who thought it appropriate for the lobby/hallway/room of the building I’m in.
I usually never get either question. It’s just not my thing.

I had a great time though; the artist was pretty much every artist stereotype you can think of, including slightly drunk and overly affectionate to complete strangers; BUT, she was funny and gracious and it was very endearing. I hope she does well (and I hope someone was driving her home).

There was a funky guy playing guitar and singing everything from Patsy Cline and Willie Nelson to Green Day. He was far better than the average guitar-player-in-a-bar, but I remain quite sure the only person who should be singing Patsy Cline IS Patsy Cline.
It should be a rule.
Maybe even a law.

It was a quick date, but it was the date of my high school dreams.
He was on time, dressed nicely, and complimented me. He was charming and thoughtful, he opened doors for me and introduced me to the people he knew and I didn’t, he held my hand and stole kisses on the elevator.

I admit to being a little sad when he kissed me good night at the door, not because of anything that happened that night, but because it took me this long to find someone who treats me like this.

I've made plenty of bad calls along the way, sure. It's just that tonight, I'm equally sure that all of them together don't add up to not deserving this.

Thanks T.

A little happy

This morning I got stopped on Main Street in downtown littletownIlivein.
Stopped by a police officer, who stopped traffic going both ways, then helped a guy push his broken down car across and down the street to the mechanics shop.

Everyone stopped, not one horn honked, and I saw the police officer and broken down car guy smile and shake hands with each other when the task was done.

Have I mentioned lately, how much I love living here?

Wordnerd Made Me Do It

A Thursday Thirteen that is… and I wasn’t off today and I’m not eating dove chocolates. I do however, have a bunch of random crap rolling around in my head and lack the drive to focus on just one of them and turn them into something meaningful.

So.. that means if you’re up for some meaningless drivel, you’re in the right place.

1. I saw/talked to one of my ex-boyfriends yesterday. Other than starting to lose his hair, he’s exactly the same person he was 10 years ago, and for that, he should be ashamed.

2. For the first time in I don’t know how long, I wanted to give out candy on Halloween and by the time I got the store to buy some, the cupboards were BARE. Everyone was disappointed.

3. I did get to see a ladybug, a cheerleader and a little red devil. Those kids made me happy.

4. The teenager lurking around my neighborhood dressed like the grim reaper almost made me pee myself.

5. The dogs had the same effect on him, though - that’ll learn him to walk up behind a girl in the dark with TWO German Shepherds. Heh.

6. I spent a ridiculous amount of time looking at thermometers and rain gauges online today, cause I secretly think they are cool.

7. I love pygmy goats.

8. I want to leave a bag of flaming dog poo on my across-the-street neighbors’ doorstep.

9. A friend told me today she’s expecting a baby in the spring. Her joy was infectious.

10. Next summer my best girlfriends and I are renting a house on the coast of North Carolina – I have the distinct feeling this will be one of the best weeks of my life. I’m already excited.

11.The only couple I ever set up is expecting their first child in January. I don’t think I’ve ever known two people more perfect for each other.

12. I want to buy something ridiculously extravagant and utterly useless for my birthday this year.

13. I’m taking suggestions for #12.

Happy Friday and weekend all.