Miles :) Wow... can't believe this weekend is here already! So tomorrow I embark on the biggest physical challenge thus far in my life. The New River Trail Challenge. I'm pretty excited, a little bit scared, and kinda ready for it to be over :) Luckily I won't be on my own. My good friend J took the bait and signed up for the race also... we're planning to stick together so we can encourage and help each other through the day. Should be interesting to see how well we stick together while canoeing the 12 mile stretch of the New River.
Saturday night I will (even if I can't walk.. I've already had volunteers willing to carry me) be downtown celebrating.. so if you're in town give my cell a ring.
Leadership NRV
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PURPOSE: The objective of Leadership New River Valley is to assist in the development of community leaders by providing participants from diverse backgrounds with an understanding of the problems, opportunities and issues facing the community. The program will also foster the development of leadership skills and techniques in an environment that encourages the establishment of new relationships and communication networks between the participants.
A friend participated in this program though the MCCC last year and encouraged me to apply. Since I've officially decided that Blacksburg really is home and I plan to stay awhile the promise this program offers of learning about the town and county, meeting key people, honing some buisness skills, and making new friends made it a no brainer for me. The more (or in this case less) I found out about the group, the more I wondered what I'd signed up for :) This past weekend was the kick-off retreat and all those doubts were squelched. I'm very excited about the activities in the coming year.
The group consists of about 25 professionals, all ages, marrital statuses, years in the area, and careers. Some loud and boisterous, others more subdued. I didn't count, but pretty even across genders. Most from Blacksburg/Christiansburg, 2 from Radford, 2 from Roanoke (these two work close by). The weekend retreat really helped jumpstart relationships, I really felt like they were all friends by the time we left. I'm looking forward to building on these friendships throughout the year.
The main event this weekend was SIMSOC. This is a society simulation game. Hard to really go into details. Basically we were broken into different groups of a society and assigned different jobs, then based on 'complex' rules left to fend for ourselves. I was a bit skeptical reading the rules prior to the retreat, it was fun though. Definitely a good activity to jumpstart this group.
Some things outside of 'class' I'll be required to do is attend a town meeting, attend a school board meeting, and participate in a police ride along. I'm really excited to expand my knowledge of what goes on in this place! I'll let you know what I find out :)
A friend participated in this program though the MCCC last year and encouraged me to apply. Since I've officially decided that Blacksburg really is home and I plan to stay awhile the promise this program offers of learning about the town and county, meeting key people, honing some buisness skills, and making new friends made it a no brainer for me. The more (or in this case less) I found out about the group, the more I wondered what I'd signed up for :) This past weekend was the kick-off retreat and all those doubts were squelched. I'm very excited about the activities in the coming year.
The group consists of about 25 professionals, all ages, marrital statuses, years in the area, and careers. Some loud and boisterous, others more subdued. I didn't count, but pretty even across genders. Most from Blacksburg/Christiansburg, 2 from Radford, 2 from Roanoke (these two work close by). The weekend retreat really helped jumpstart relationships, I really felt like they were all friends by the time we left. I'm looking forward to building on these friendships throughout the year.
The main event this weekend was SIMSOC. This is a society simulation game. Hard to really go into details. Basically we were broken into different groups of a society and assigned different jobs, then based on 'complex' rules left to fend for ourselves. I was a bit skeptical reading the rules prior to the retreat, it was fun though. Definitely a good activity to jumpstart this group.
Some things outside of 'class' I'll be required to do is attend a town meeting, attend a school board meeting, and participate in a police ride along. I'm really excited to expand my knowledge of what goes on in this place! I'll let you know what I find out :)
VB - Good Times
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The trip to VA Beach this past weekend was chock full of good memories :)
~ adventurous ride involving a AAA phone call and unplanned lodging with a pal in Richmond
~ excitement of pre-race expo and lots of cool running gear (I only window shopped!)
~ the beach! sand castles - waves - frisbee - boogie boarding
~ hanging out with old friends and new friends
~ three very adorable littles girls I don't get to see often enough!
~ US vs Mexico soccer
~ the half marathon (thanks J for keeping me company and letting me walk!)
~ the finish line (amazing experience... very addictive!)
~ VT vs NCSU with a huge group of Hokie fans :)
~ J scaling the balconies to break into our hotel room since the door lock was broken
~ perfect weather!
~ chaos!
~ laughs!
~ fun!
Congrats to all the finishers!! A special congrats to all the first timers! YOU ROCK!
Let's do it again soon :)
~ adventurous ride involving a AAA phone call and unplanned lodging with a pal in Richmond
~ excitement of pre-race expo and lots of cool running gear (I only window shopped!)
~ the beach! sand castles - waves - frisbee - boogie boarding
~ hanging out with old friends and new friends
~ three very adorable littles girls I don't get to see often enough!
~ US vs Mexico soccer
~ the half marathon (thanks J for keeping me company and letting me walk!)
~ the finish line (amazing experience... very addictive!)
~ VT vs NCSU with a huge group of Hokie fans :)
~ J scaling the balconies to break into our hotel room since the door lock was broken
~ perfect weather!
~ chaos!
~ laughs!
~ fun!
Congrats to all the finishers!! A special congrats to all the first timers! YOU ROCK!
Let's do it again soon :)
HASH
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As I was reading the latest edition of Blue Ridge Outdoors last night I ran across an article that instantly made me think of J and R. Unfortunately it's not posted on the web so you'll have to pick up your own copy of the magazine to read the whole article, here's the basics though.
HASH
byline: Follow in the inebriated footsteps of foul-mouthed runners chasing a 'hare' through the woods
"It's Sunday, and a mix of a dozen Charlottesville twenty- and thirty- somethings are exactly where their mothers want them to be -- church. Actually they're just in the parking lot of a Baptist house if worship, getting ready for their weekly run by pretending to stretch. At first glance, the Charlottesvilly Hash House Harriers seem like an average jogging clan. But suddenly a spunky browned-haired woman cracks a can of Natural Light and says, "It's time to get started!""
"Every hash pack from Charlotte to Bangkok carries the ubiquitous nickname, "A drinking group with a running problem.""
"The focus here is not fitness. This is about having fun. The laid-back, short-distance running is always spiced up with booze and the thrill of the hunt"
So these comments might give it a negative spin.. but I'm too lazy to type more.. the article is great and covers the history of Hashing.. the fraternityness of it.. etc. Apparently there are groups worldwide. It's interesting. You should read it :)
(The Charlotte group has a nice description of hashing on their site)
Other local (kinda) hashing groups:
Washington D.C. Hashes
Richmond Hash House Harriers
Lynchburg-Seven Hills Hash House Harriers
Southern Comfort Hash House Harriers (Atlanta)
I just started reading this Magazine this summer and have been very impressed. It does a good job covering the range of outdoor activites and events through-out WV, VA, NC, and GA. I'm learning all sorts of stuff :)
HASH
byline: Follow in the inebriated footsteps of foul-mouthed runners chasing a 'hare' through the woods
"It's Sunday, and a mix of a dozen Charlottesville twenty- and thirty- somethings are exactly where their mothers want them to be -- church. Actually they're just in the parking lot of a Baptist house if worship, getting ready for their weekly run by pretending to stretch. At first glance, the Charlottesvilly Hash House Harriers seem like an average jogging clan. But suddenly a spunky browned-haired woman cracks a can of Natural Light and says, "It's time to get started!""
"Every hash pack from Charlotte to Bangkok carries the ubiquitous nickname, "A drinking group with a running problem.""
"The focus here is not fitness. This is about having fun. The laid-back, short-distance running is always spiced up with booze and the thrill of the hunt"
So these comments might give it a negative spin.. but I'm too lazy to type more.. the article is great and covers the history of Hashing.. the fraternityness of it.. etc. Apparently there are groups worldwide. It's interesting. You should read it :)
(The Charlotte group has a nice description of hashing on their site)
Other local (kinda) hashing groups:
Washington D.C. Hashes
Richmond Hash House Harriers
Lynchburg-Seven Hills Hash House Harriers
Southern Comfort Hash House Harriers (Atlanta)
I just started reading this Magazine this summer and have been very impressed. It does a good job covering the range of outdoor activites and events through-out WV, VA, NC, and GA. I'm learning all sorts of stuff :)
A full weekend
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Somehow my schedule went from being in town most of the summer to being in town one of 8 weekends in a row. Well I guess I'll be in town 2 of the weekends, but one is my race.. so I'm not really countin it :)
So this is weekend 3 of the stretch, my in town weekend, really it should be my recovery/relax weekend... haha! It's my only chance to get things done around the house. Here's my TODO list:
- My weekly house chores
- Floyd tonight for the Jamboree
- Bike for 3 hrs (hopefully 40 miles) on the trail sat morning
- Canoe from Foster Falls to Allisonia (12 miles) after biking
- Clean up my tornado of a room/bathroom
- Unpack my boxes of books finally
- Arrange the garage so we can start using it :)
- Weed flower beds/Plant flowers
- Mow/Weedwack
- Pay bills/Review Budget
- Write a letter to Raines PMD telling them just what I think :)
- Run 10 miles on sunday
- Rest
Should be fun!
So this is weekend 3 of the stretch, my in town weekend, really it should be my recovery/relax weekend... haha! It's my only chance to get things done around the house. Here's my TODO list:
- My weekly house chores
- Floyd tonight for the Jamboree
- Bike for 3 hrs (hopefully 40 miles) on the trail sat morning
- Canoe from Foster Falls to Allisonia (12 miles) after biking
- Clean up my tornado of a room/bathroom
- Unpack my boxes of books finally
- Arrange the garage so we can start using it :)
- Weed flower beds/Plant flowers
- Mow/Weedwack
- Pay bills/Review Budget
- Write a letter to Raines PMD telling them just what I think :)
- Run 10 miles on sunday
- Rest
Should be fun!
The smells of early morning SWVA
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Nothing beats a bike ride at sunrise through the back roads of the burg.
The smells had me gagging, smiling, craving and laughing this morning...
Out in the country it's a mix of road kill, manure, and if you're lucky blooming flowers. Once back to town the smell of Starbucks and Carol Lee donuts had me wishing I had cash on me!!
The smells had me gagging, smiling, craving and laughing this morning...
Out in the country it's a mix of road kill, manure, and if you're lucky blooming flowers. Once back to town the smell of Starbucks and Carol Lee donuts had me wishing I had cash on me!!
Changing Pains
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Last week I renewed my cell phone plan and picked up a new phone. I LOVED my old phone, so it was kinda hard to say bye to it. The battery and signal were starting to become and an issue and I knew I should take advantage of the verizon offers for renewing my plan, plus as much as all the features phones have now annoy me - I was kinda excited about getting a camera phone and one with an external display. Why I stress so much about new phones I'll never know, maybe I'm overwhelmed with all my choices, or the fact I'll be stuck with this phone for 2 years!, I make way to big a deal about picking the 'wrong' phone. It was ridiculous how I acted two years ago during this process, I flipped out way too much!!
I'm happy to say I'm acting a little more mature this time around :) haha. So I ended up going with a Samsung SCH-a670. Took a chance going with an all digital phone, so far haven't had any signal problems. I love the size of it. Very disappointed with the wallpaper selections and ringtones. I guess since the cool thing now is to download this stuff they don't bother giving you decent options. (The site with the good Gary ringtones doesn't work with zerizon!! :() Other then the fact there are WAY to many options I've been pretty happy with it. Realizing I just need to get used to all those options.
I did find one big flaw that's been driving me insane all week! I was all excited to have an external display, but I couldn't figure out how to activate the backlight without opening the phone. Ok what's the point of having the external display if I can't see what time it is without opening the phone anyways!! Most phones you hit any of the side buttons and they light up. I flipped through the manual, went back to the Verizon store to ask them (bad idea... they are idiots!), looked online, emailed Samsung technical support. I was pretty much ready to track down the designer and call him/her an idiot, and contimplating trading in the phone :) The email back from Samsung said 'This would be something that you should call in for assistance to troubleshoot.', so I gave them a call. (Was impressed not to be put on hold for hours.) Tech Support - hit both buttons at once. Me - nope. Tech Support - hold them down. Me - That turns on the camera. Tech Support - hold on. Me - (light bulb goes off) I hold down just the volume button. SWEET! :) I'm happy. It works. When tech support came back I told her I'd figured it out. (And why could this not be said over email??)
So now I'm excited again about my new phone. Just need to learn all the features :) Moral of the story - the brown hair doesn't make me any smarter :)
I'm happy to say I'm acting a little more mature this time around :) haha. So I ended up going with a Samsung SCH-a670. Took a chance going with an all digital phone, so far haven't had any signal problems. I love the size of it. Very disappointed with the wallpaper selections and ringtones. I guess since the cool thing now is to download this stuff they don't bother giving you decent options. (The site with the good Gary ringtones doesn't work with zerizon!! :() Other then the fact there are WAY to many options I've been pretty happy with it. Realizing I just need to get used to all those options.
I did find one big flaw that's been driving me insane all week! I was all excited to have an external display, but I couldn't figure out how to activate the backlight without opening the phone. Ok what's the point of having the external display if I can't see what time it is without opening the phone anyways!! Most phones you hit any of the side buttons and they light up. I flipped through the manual, went back to the Verizon store to ask them (bad idea... they are idiots!), looked online, emailed Samsung technical support. I was pretty much ready to track down the designer and call him/her an idiot, and contimplating trading in the phone :) The email back from Samsung said 'This would be something that you should call in for assistance to troubleshoot.', so I gave them a call. (Was impressed not to be put on hold for hours.) Tech Support - hit both buttons at once. Me - nope. Tech Support - hold them down. Me - That turns on the camera. Tech Support - hold on. Me - (light bulb goes off) I hold down just the volume button. SWEET! :) I'm happy. It works. When tech support came back I told her I'd figured it out. (And why could this not be said over email??)
So now I'm excited again about my new phone. Just need to learn all the features :) Moral of the story - the brown hair doesn't make me any smarter :)
Where are you?
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Interesting concept that's been mentioned twice in the past week to me in two totally different areas of my life. (at a bible study and while reading a fitness magazine)
Someone asks you for directions to point B, what piece of information are you missing? Where are they starting from?
Not a hard concept, but when applying it to life... makes you think. We all have some idea of where we want to be and what our goals are. But how often do you actually sit down and assess where you are right now. Maybe you do. I don't really.
And to combine with this I have a fear of living life but when I look back not having much to show for it. I feel like life is just moving along.. and I'm just going along with it. Sure I'm loving life, but I wonder if I'll look back and think I've wasted any of it. I don't want that to happen.
This concept caught my attention and I'm thinking it's time I do some thinking about where I am, in all areas of my life, and where I'm going. Not really something I enjoy or that's natural for me.. but something that I'm sure will do me good. Wish me luck.
Someone asks you for directions to point B, what piece of information are you missing? Where are they starting from?
Not a hard concept, but when applying it to life... makes you think. We all have some idea of where we want to be and what our goals are. But how often do you actually sit down and assess where you are right now. Maybe you do. I don't really.
And to combine with this I have a fear of living life but when I look back not having much to show for it. I feel like life is just moving along.. and I'm just going along with it. Sure I'm loving life, but I wonder if I'll look back and think I've wasted any of it. I don't want that to happen.
This concept caught my attention and I'm thinking it's time I do some thinking about where I am, in all areas of my life, and where I'm going. Not really something I enjoy or that's natural for me.. but something that I'm sure will do me good. Wish me luck.
Los Angeles
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LA is great! Hanging out with Heather is awesome! The weather is amazing! Relaxing is underrated :) Got to town sat. Hit up COWBOY COUNTRY in Long Beach sat night. Ya'll know I'm a country bar snob, this one passed my test!! Great crowd, good dances, and a great live band! Merchants of Moonshine, maybe they'll make it to nashville one day. The bass player had a on great shirt which provided plenty of entertainment for the evening :) Wish I had a camera to capture it. Heather had rounded up a great group, most dancing virgins but they all got out there and danced! They had to drag me out of the bar, at 4am my time!
Sunday got to go on a tour of LA from the sky. J's roommate another Hokie out here has his pilots license. We took up a 4 seater cesna something or other. Sorry I don't remember the details. We left from March Airfield.... flew out to the coast... touched down at Hawthorne then headed back to March. The best part was when we were kinda at the wrong altitude in a restricted air space and had an accidental fly by. The jet wasn't that close.. but it was zooming and close enough! Kinda felt like Top Gun :)
Sunday night we caught the Kairos service. It's crazy to be 3000 miles from home at church and know 25 of the folks there. Actually it's crazy to be out here and run into lots of people I know. Fun though :) During the day I pretty much chill. Try to get some work done. Take a nap. Hit the gym. Go for a run. Enjoy the rooftop hottub. Today I ran down to the beach in Santa Monica to have lunch with Heathers roommate. Prob about 9 miles total.
Heather shares my love for quality movies, she's been stocking up so I set aside a stack to watch this week. So far I've seen Love Don't Cost A Thing (ghetto version of the 80's Can't Buy Me Love - seriously some dialgue was word for word), Uptown Girls (surprisingly decent story), Win A Date With Tad Hamilton, and Honey (fun dance movie). Still to watch 10 Things I Hate About You, Two Weeks Notice, Maid in Manhatten, Whatever it Takes, and Dirty Dancing Havana Nights. We also went to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory yesterday. I liked it, some good lines, a little freaky and out there for me.. loved the free refills on popcorn!!
This sign is in there elevator. It makes me laugh everytime I see it. So you're telling me appartments that start with 3 are on the 3rd floor. What a concept. Here's Your Sign :) That pic above is the rose bowl :)
Sunday got to go on a tour of LA from the sky. J's roommate another Hokie out here has his pilots license. We took up a 4 seater cesna something or other. Sorry I don't remember the details. We left from March Airfield.... flew out to the coast... touched down at Hawthorne then headed back to March. The best part was when we were kinda at the wrong altitude in a restricted air space and had an accidental fly by. The jet wasn't that close.. but it was zooming and close enough! Kinda felt like Top Gun :)
Sunday night we caught the Kairos service. It's crazy to be 3000 miles from home at church and know 25 of the folks there. Actually it's crazy to be out here and run into lots of people I know. Fun though :) During the day I pretty much chill. Try to get some work done. Take a nap. Hit the gym. Go for a run. Enjoy the rooftop hottub. Today I ran down to the beach in Santa Monica to have lunch with Heathers roommate. Prob about 9 miles total.
Heather shares my love for quality movies, she's been stocking up so I set aside a stack to watch this week. So far I've seen Love Don't Cost A Thing (ghetto version of the 80's Can't Buy Me Love - seriously some dialgue was word for word), Uptown Girls (surprisingly decent story), Win A Date With Tad Hamilton, and Honey (fun dance movie). Still to watch 10 Things I Hate About You, Two Weeks Notice, Maid in Manhatten, Whatever it Takes, and Dirty Dancing Havana Nights. We also went to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory yesterday. I liked it, some good lines, a little freaky and out there for me.. loved the free refills on popcorn!!
This sign is in there elevator. It makes me laugh everytime I see it. So you're telling me appartments that start with 3 are on the 3rd floor. What a concept. Here's Your Sign :) That pic above is the rose bowl :)
Artificial Intelligence
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So far LA has been a blast. In typical H/J style last night we had a dye party. Usually this is me dying her hair, but last night... we switched things up a bit. I've always wanted brown hair.. for a day. Which I know just isn't possible. But curiosity got the best of me.
BEFORE
AFTER
Still not sure what I think about it. It's what I wanted yes, so I guess I'm happy with the results. Just very different!
Let's see if the box was correct and I'll be back to blonde in 28 washes. My fingers are crossed!!
BEFORE
AFTER
Still not sure what I think about it. It's what I wanted yes, so I guess I'm happy with the results. Just very different!
Let's see if the box was correct and I'll be back to blonde in 28 washes. My fingers are crossed!!
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