Oh dear, here comes the positive peer pressure

I’ve been part of one blog community or another for over three years now. While I could go on and on about all the aspects and my response to them, that is a topic for another day. The knitty nitty gritty of it all is the people. Honestly though, you must have some sort of connection to read a post of to have random twitter exchanges that eventually become the norm. Add a conference here and there and you have a good mix.

My mix has a lot of runners. I was a runner… well semi runner. I intended to run. I signed up for a 5k, barely trained for it yet really intended to do so and still managed to finish with a 43:07 as a run/walk. I walk quite a bit in general (over 12 miles a week) so the walking was probably faster than I could run at times but oh well. All in the past. Now I’m reworking it again – “newbie runner who fell off the bandwagon and decided to run after it again” as listed in my current “About” in bullet list form. (It’ll change again eventually.)

I didn’t run last year. Every time I wanted to run there were either something going on event wise, horrible weather, or I wasn’t feeling well. Could I have figured something out? Of course. Did I? No. There were things that were stressing me out and I zoned out to deal rather than running it out. Either way it helped me but in long run (pun intended) running probably would have been a better option. I wouldn’t be starting over from scratch and that is how I see it.  I cannot run around the block without stopping, I’m starting over.

Running was a back burner thought lately since I’ve been wanting to get back with a more constant yoga routine that incorporates my usual basic stretching but goes much further than that. I tried Zumba and am back on the search for a class that works. Basically running would come to mind in about April or so like it normally does.

Yeah that didn’t work. Like I mentioned earlier, I have friends that are runners. Some are long distance, some run trails and impress me with day long team relay races. Some have cats. tea issues, and at least twice a week phone conversations (via text since I’m more of a text talker than talk talker)… ok maybe one.

This one.

Me (left) with Jess at Healthy Living Summit 2010

Jess and I got on the topic of the Marine Half Marathon this September. In my head cold induced haze (think of the scene from A Christmas Story where he blanks of about the bb gun and agrees to the football after thinking a moment… “football? what’s a football?”) I started considering jumping on a plane, flying to the east coast (or is it southeast? I’m not good with this east of Michigan terms!) and running a half marathon.

A half marathon means 13.1 miles. THIRTEEN POINT ONE. Time for a reality check (as Wrex N Effect pops into my head for some reason maybe since it was on an intended running playlist that never got played) and a moment to pause. This wasn’t something that is a quick train ride. There’d be a lot of  thought put into it in terms of planning and funding. There is training involved.  I cannot be impulsive.

I needed more input and that I did get. People thought I could do it. Dawn and Lauren weighed in, both positively, that it was doable. I alluded to them both earlier and since they are accomplished runners, I respect their input. Plus knowing the faces they would make it I slack off help too.

So the plan right now is not to slack off or rather to just start. I am planning a 5k in early summer. It is a run/walk so I’ll be less self-conscious and for a children/family based charity which is always inspiring. Will I do the half? I haven’t made that decision yet. It’s like cooking. I’m not looking to prepare a feast for eight right now. My focus is starting small like making everything end up ready at the same time or not forgetting the rolls which I know almost everyone has done once or twice.

Now where did I put the Garmin…

And the plague exits stage left…

Long weekends usually mean a mix of being extremely lazy (Hello Netflix and Hulu+), yelling at the dogs and the squirrels taunting them, laundry, intending to clean out the pantry, and laundry. There’s other stuff as well but those are usually the norm if you swap the pantry with some area of the house. This time I was sick, like in bed sick for the majority of the weekend.

I’m finally starting to feel better where my train of thought isn’t tissues, cough drop, sleeeeeeep,can’t breath, coughing please stop, sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep,whine whine whine. I’m a big baby when I’m sick and believe that whining, within reason, makes me feel better.  This time it was a bit scary since I haven’t had a cold this bad in a long time. Luckily I had Darth Husband here when I needed him. Kudos to anyone who lives alone.

Oh please go back to sleep…well now I need to wake up

When you are sick and can’t sleep you do crazy things like rethinking your entire to-do list for the day or puttering about on Twitter esp w the #zombiemoms hashtag. (No I am not pregnant nor planning, it’s just interesting and info gathering for whenever we do have a family as well as a nice timesuck when I’m trying to not wake up Darth Husband.) It got me thinking of when I actually post or writing – usually in the evening unless it is a weekend day. I’ve gotten to the point now where I also have more notes and half written posts going too. I think this is a good change and while I’m not planning to get rid of the ok-lets-go style posting since I am writing this in bed, still pj-ed (though it is an attempt to sit upright w the heating pad a bit to help me sound less like a frog this congestion.)

Since it is now time to fire up some tea since that is how my throat will feel or at least some warm water and get moving to get to the train I’ll leave you with the following poll for my fellow bloggers who are readers as well.

Just Call Me Classic Then

I’ve started reading up more on the current ipods and my eyes keep going back to the “classic” design.  I realized earlier that I’m going on about 3 years sans an iPod. While this isn’t something that I NEED right at this moment, I had my old one from back in ’04 (I think) for a long time and Binx served me well. Yes, I named the iPod after the “cat” in Hocus Pocus since when the setup asked me to name it that was what first came to mind. (As we all take a moment to go Amuck! Amuck! Amuck!)

What got me thinking of this was a discussion with The BFF about our local library and books in general including audio books.  Usually audio books were too slow for me pace wise.  I am a fast reader since the days of Babysitter’s Club  and Boxcar Children. I usually carry some sort of reading material for my commute even if I forget about it and start a small magazine collection in my bag. If I switch to audio books then that is less weight I need to carry with me every day. While it might be a minor amount lighter, it will help my right shoulder be less “crunchy.”  I’ve paid more attention to what I’ve been carrying the last month or so and that has helped. Ditto with taking magnesium almost daily. Plus this will force my mind to slow down when homebound in the evening and give my eyes a rest.

I generally don’t listen to too much talk radio yet podcasts intrigue me. I know they are nothing new and I used to listen to more ages ago and then just stopped. I honestly have no idea why. Most were knitting related (BIG SHOCK!) and I have kept the links. I just need to go back. I’m thinking perhaps to add podcast listening to dinner prep/cleanup. I’m trapped in the kitchen and as long as I don’t zone out and burn something worse than normal I’ll be fine.

Do you listen to podcasts? If so, what would you recc I check out?

Music for this post: Sucker Punch Soundtrack

Winging It vs Writing It Down

I am married to a magician in the kitchen. While he may look at a recipe, the norm is that he opens up the spice cabinet or spins the rack (yes we have both.) Then it’s throw this that and whatever together and it works. I think we’ve had something end up too spicy maybe once. He’s also managed to throw together a better version of TGIFridays cajun chicken and shrimp pasta.

I can make things work by winging it in the kitchen but getting the same thing twice is a different story. I can get it close but not exact. If something turns out really well, of course I want to repeat it. Ditto w the opposite if something goes wonky. Sometimes one aspect can ruin a dish and of course finding that out after the fact sucks. Adding too many ingredients that are “(something) salt” is usually a dead giveaway. Others are more stealthy.

So I am making a point to start writing things down when I am making something from scratch, sans recipe. Once I can get it to turn out well then I’ll move it to a recipe card. (I picked up a recipe box not too long ago and am determined to use it.) I make it a habit to make notes in cookbooks so it makes sense to do it that way. I’d rather a final version on the card and not the beginning recipe with misc scratch offs and rewrites.

One of the big reasons this all came to mind was a recent dinner at The BFFs.  She has her grandmothers and mom’s recipes.  One of the things her mom did when she got sick was make sure all the kids had the family recipes. Even though we lost her to thyroid cancer a few years ago, I can still remember her standing in the kitchen with her binders and folders. It’s a good memory.

My mother has family recipes going back to great-great (possibly great-great-great) and while I might not have known these family members personally, their food is part of my life. We have my great-grandfather’s stuffing every Thanksgiving and cookies made from a recipe of an aunt (or cousin, I can’t remember exactly now) several generations back every Christmas.

My latest goal is to figure out the chicken soup that I made probably last year that turned out amazing. I recently got it close but not exactly the same. I have the notes written down and still need to tinker with it.  This last time it was too much broth and the bay leaf amount is slightly off. I know it will take a few more tries but eventually I’ll get it.

Maybe if it is liked that much it’ll become a family recipe someday.

Are you a write-it-down or a wing-it person?

Music for this post: Blue Crush soundtrack

Is This Really Motivation?

Since 2012 is brand new, I’ve started seeing “motivational” photos popping up. True, this isn’t new since there are tons of good and “bad” ones already online especially on the fantabulous timesuck that is Pinterest. This time it is a bit different.  It is older pictures of the person who has deemed themselves needing to get motivated.

I think this is a double-edged sword. True, this is the actual person. It is their body type, their bone structure, etc. It is sorta their metabolism (sort, and so I’ll get to this in a moment.) They aren’t photoshopping their head on someone else’s body and looking like some creepy cartoon.

However, it is the when that gets me thinking. What is a realistic gauge especially considering age? 5 years? 10 years? Does it make a difference if you are looking back at 25 from 30  vs looking at more like 10 years, even putting the person back in high school? Aging alters your metabolism too doesn’t it?

Personally, I would go back only a few years before some crazy times when stress took over. I was pretty active and went to classes pretty regularly (and could bust out a few decent real push-ups and some good balanced yoga poses.) Is it that big of a jump from where am I now? Nope. For me, that would work and it is something that I know once I get going I know I can do it. Being very early 30s and looking back to my late 20s isn’t that huge of a jump and way far from a decade jump. However, to someone else, this might not seem realistic.

Maybe I am over analyzing it (big shock right) but is it also setting the brass ring a bit too high or it is high enough? Let’s put it in running aspect for a different view. I am a newbie runner who fell off the wagon, ran after if a bit, then sat down until the dust cleared. I want to do a 5k again. I’m content with that now. Now wanting to run a 1/2 marathon is awesome but isn’t the best goal being able to run completely around the block first without stopping? Or is that long-term goal of running it the true brass ring?  (Honestly if I ever ran a long long distance race I’d cap it at a 1/2. I have no interest in a full.)

So as I asked in the very beginning: Is this really motivation? 

Music for this post: Dispatch

Farewell Eleven, Hello Twelve

I have always been on the fence with resolutions. Are they a plan to improve for the upcoming year or a sly way to chastise yourself for all your holidays ills? Are they too general to work or too specific to be more than nitpicky? Is the grass always greener on the other side of the fence?

Maybe it’s just the new CYSA that is a bit greener. Yes, I know, the philosophical blabberings above are just a ploy to unleash the new Can’t Survive on Yarn Alone post the revamp/reboot.  I felt it was time to evolve a bit. Ok maybe evolve isn’t the best word. Mutated? Meshed? Shuffled along and started falling back to doing the running man instead of that obnoxious Run DMC wannabe hamster dancing?

Basically, some of the old, some of the new and maybe a bit of the unexpected. This blog is a hobby and I don’t make any money from it so why not have fun with it. I’m not saying that I haven’t been having fun with it before. I have and my plan is for it to continue. There might be a bit more whine, wine, and society commentary/snark. There will definitely be more of my search for a fitness groove that actually works to motivate me to take the cat off my lap and do something as well as figuring out how to make some of my favorite tasty hodgepodge meals look more appetizing and less like cat barf, (or maybe it was dog barf?) as it has been compared to before by a certain husband.

Reboot talk aside, I am not planning to set specific resolutions. I’m sticking broad this year.

Be happy. Be healthy. Be wise. Be present. Be realistic. Be creative. Be brave.

Music for this post: Metric (acoustic)