Category: brand

Races + Grumblings

“A (wo)man on a thousand mile walk has to forget the goal and say every morning, ‘Today I’m going to cover twenty-five miles and then rest up and sleep.’” 

LEO TOLSTOY

Some blog posts just write themselves; all that’s required of me is jot it down as it flows. Those are the best.

still blooming

Let me skip to the good part. Why are Ragnars and relay races so incredibly expensive? $600 for 4-6 people to run an unaccompanied, off-road, course- supportless route whilst sleeping in one of the two vans you yourself and your team must drive. Exactly what am I paying for here? The name probably. Before I make enemies, allow me to disclaim I have no problem spending money on races! Sign this girl up! I’m just attempting to understand where my money goes when there’s no course support, no aid stations, no on-site medical personnel (because I love those people), and no ability nor obligation to support the local community where the race starts/ends. I don’t get it.

Speaking of spending money, let me introduce you to my most recent piece of expensive jewelry. Indeed it does more than I ever imagined. Garmin really does make quite the tech gear.

smaller than it looks

Full review coming soon. Need time to take her for a spin outdoors and with the heat not cooperating it may be some time. Speaking of the heat: holy hell, I’m over it. Just when I think maybe, possibly, with angels following me, and a fan on top of my head I may be able to run outdoors…yeah, no. Did I mention the migraines have returned, too? Heat and headaches: my favorite!

Fall can’t come soon enough.

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I ask you –

Any interest in completing a Ragnar?

Do you have a small, medium, or large sized wrist? Schmedium for me

Tell me something you’re looking forward to! My mini will be home in less than 2 weeks!

Out of the Mouth and Into the Ears

Sometimes I think I may have – gasp – too much self control. It’s a thing because I have it! In moments of silence, I find myself pleading to say what needs to be said. Yet I keep my mouth shut, the words I need to say staying locked inside the confides of my inner self. Tragic, really.

In all my years – all three and some odd decades – I only recall ever getting screaming mad once. I didn’t even know who she was that yelled but it sure sounded like me. Shrugging. I’m not a “yeller”. There’s no need to raise my voice because my tone, inflection, and stare will tell you more than my volume will. Besides. Loud noises startle me.

I’m the sane one!

I realized I started this post many weeks ago but didn’t know where to go with it. Do I talk about being a not-very-angry person? Quickly I nixed that idea because I can get angry as much as the next person. Do I share how some people have an uncanny ability to make me roll my eyes at their ideocracy? Nah, I’m just as guilty of being the idiot. So what do I do with all this frustration? Ding ding ding. I know!

This is why I blog. And run. Mostly run. That wine cabinet is really missing the mark lately. I digress.

In my humble opinion, it comes down to picking your battles and knowing when you’re fighting all the wrong ones. Glass half full mentality. Instead of seeing it as a setback perhaps it’s an opportunity. Within a matter of days, many obstacles have found their way directly into my path of least resistance. No one enjoys feeling like someone is upset with them. That being said, personal responsibility goes a long way. For example, if you want someone to invite you to dinner, maybe you should mention it in a tactful way or – better yet – make the first move yourself by inviting them! Hello, rocket science. Or, instead of standing up beating your own drum about what’s right and wrong in your tiny sphere of the world, might it be a little more helpful to steer someone toward the truth? Please note I said “the truth” vice “your truth.” Though if you’re on a high horse, I have serious reservations about you coming down any time soon. At least get your facts straight before your foolishness is broadcasted.

those eyes

Suffice to say maybe I’m just grumpy because I miss my mini. The month on/off schedule was easier to accept because I knew it would only be 4 weeks until I saw her again. Just enough time to catch up on a bunch of random things and maybe read 2 books. 10 weeks is forever. 11 or 12 is even worse. Yes, I know it’s hard on her dad when she’s not there so don’t pick a fight with me on the “what about him”. With school coming up, it will be the hardest on him it’s probably ever going to be. Empathy is real.

For now, my pity party has only room for one.

_______________________________

I ask you –

Are you a person who yells when angry?

What’s been your toughest battle to “pick”?

Now seating: Party of One. I say again: Party of One.

Boots to Books

Back in the book writing business! Nothing like a midnight conversation to peak your interest in returning to a story. Just when I felt like perhaps I would always be at a standstill, I’m presented with an alternate ending. Now that I think about it more, did I ever decide on a title? I’m getting there.

Photo credit: Dina Nasyrova @pexels.com

  • Never have I ever – considered aspects of slander and libel before writing a book.
  • Never have I ever – felt driven to complete something so definitely my very own.

Requesting information from the proper sources takes time. If I was smart, I would have done this 2 years ago and be ahead of the game now. Alas, my plan wasn’t really a plan at all. I just thought I’ll write and see where I land. Who needs visual aids anyway? Speaking of which, I need to double back on this and figure out where my request went. No news isn’t always good news.

Some time ago, I saw a request for 25 pages of an unpublished novel to gauge a publisher’s desire to read more. Maybe I should look into it. What if I wrote under a pseudonym? Ehhhh, it loses shock value then. And we can’t have that! What happens if they do publish me? What happens if I ever actually find a publisher for this book? A good publisher would market the book for me, right? How do you not know how any of this works, Kel?

Update: I have a book title!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It came to me unexpectedly. Short of sharing it (yet), I can tell you it fits my de facto writing theme and my story. The little things always have a way of finding us. Promise to share more when I can. For now, the teaser will have to do. But it’s not really a tease if you get nothing. Sorry! Though I can honestly say the book is not about running.

Late addition – I always thought Hallmark was the end all be all of greeting cards. They have everything! The wax poetic’ers for every occasion. For some reason, though, no one has created an ‘I’m sorry a tree fell on your house’ card. Guess I’ll just have to make my own. Honey, you had to have known this would make it to the blog. And I still haven’t located an appropriate card.

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I ask you –

How much motivation would a motivated person need motivating if a motivated person was motivated? Say that fast!

Pseudonym or no? Why or why not?

Eyeballing a 2022 publish date. Because I don’t have enough on my to-do list.

Is This Goodbye? Never!

It may be time to take the plunge away from mindbodyshameless and more into RoF. In analyzing the statistics surrounding my blog, social media, and word of mouth, it seems my Instagram handle is throwing things off. Unless you’re observant – which many are clearly not – the title/name difference is preventing people from transitioning from my IG to my FB. Though I still don’t get it how they don’t get it.

So perhaps if I do away with aka change the name of my IG account it might make more sense to encourage followers and, therefore, blog readers. I have no hopes this is a quick, painless process. There will be confusion. There’s always confusion. For now, I just need a plan.

It’s a little saddening to close mindbodyshameless though. I mean, she’s me. And I’m her. Offhand I don’t remember the rules about how often you can change your name on there; it’s not like it’s gone forever. I’m typing this now with a huge shrug. Maybe the rules have changed. How would I know?

I’m also in the market for a new watch. Fitbit and I have been in a relationship for over 6 years, maybe closer to 7? I’ve tried their original Charge, the newer ideations of Charge, and then I fell in love with the Ionic. It has served me well. We’ve run a lot of miles together! The app is easy to use – really I don’t have any complaints except for wanting more analysis/tracking details.

Photo credit: Joshua Miranda @pexels.com

Which brought me to Garmin. Several friends use Garmin as their everyday and exercise-specific watch with only rave reviews. Enter weeks of research. Disclaimer: I get buyer’s remorse before I even make the purchase! Tech gadgets cost a lot of money and I work hard to ensure needs trump all wants. My watch may be on the downhill swing, but it doesn’t negate bills or car maintenance or my child’s impending school budget. No reckless spending here.

Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, I want a new watch. Garmin Forerunner 745. Slightly bigger than the 645 but more potential. Also holds music because I hate running with my phone. Has built in location and emergency notification so no one thinks I’m vulnerable outside. Don’t get any ideas. I carry weapons. AND – it designs workouts based on real temperature so I don’t recreate the Virginia Beach incident a few years ago. No need to go over that again right now.

All these changes. It will be fine!

__________________________

I ask you –

Input?

Do you understand some people have different titles for their accounts?

Tell me your favorite emoji! This is mine: 💁

Ready for an Experiment?

Sort of wish social experiments weren’t so morally questionable because I come up with some good ones. Think gentlemen’s clubs and masks. But maybe I shouldn’t even mention it here. After all, that PhD is still on the table.

A stranger asked what do I do when my spouse isn’t home? Surely he didn’t get the answer he was looking for. Unless he has a foot fetish.

Officially unofficially reached old lady status. I now proudly make my own iced coffee and all I think about when being away from home is this – When I get home, I’m going to make a cup of coffee! Welcome to my boring life.

Although I love a good charcuterie board, it’s come to my attention not everyone is familiar with the ingredients. And since they are varied, I’m not judging. Nonetheless, I’m happy to share my redneck, backwoods upbringing, though it did me no favors, is less apparent as I get older. Allow me to explain in blunt terms:

  • Cheese comes in many colors, flavors, and smells. Try them all!
  • Meat, namely prosciutto, does not require cooking. Just eat it!
  • There will be items you’re not familiar with. Refrain from turning up your nose, you ungrateful prude.
  • Have fun! It’s food! Food is great!

Great news! I’ve successfully blogged for 2 years! Funny how this was the opportunity I waited what felt like a lifetime for; now I can’t imagine not doing it. It isn’t a chore. I don’t dread it. Still, after 2 whole years, I love spilling my heart and mind all over these pages. A friend of mine likened blogging to a digital journal – and she’s not wrong. Cheers to more years!

an award!

Received some fantastic feedback on a previous post Using that Psych Degree. If you haven’t seen it, you’re missing out. I paid a lot of money for this geniusness inside my brain. Whoever thought I wouldn’t be blogging at year two was mistaken. P.S. no one said that. I think.

__________________________

I ask you –

Any social experiment additions to my list?

What’s your favorite item on a charcuterie board? Better question: do you know what one is? Should I have added a photo here?

Best guess time – how many years will I blog?

I’m a Pioneer!

I need friends. Running friends. Running friends who only run when it’s incredibly hot outside and I can’t go out there to run. Too much? So I joined Strava.

Find me on Strava!

Then I decided to channel my inner woman of the wild and become a canning master! Next up: living in a hut and churning my own butter. Right. I know.

  • Strawberry Jam!
Jam

As a writer, grammar and spelling are important to me, as well as consistent fonts across a document. It’s my job. I appreciate when someone’s email signature line is short, concise, and, most importantly, legible! You may be asking how an email could possibly be anything other than legible; rest assured, I’ve seen it all. It’s not pretty.

Full disclosure: I don’t believe everything I read on the internet. Tell me you don’t either. So I did my own research. Turns out it is true!

My dreamer mindset got a little excited, to tell the truth. But as for adding it to the bucket list? No thanks. The part that negated all my dreams was “The real-life walk would be grueling, filled with scary animals and diversely bad weather.” Nope, nope, and nope. Next, please.

_____________________________________

I ask you –

What’s your Strava information? Please comment below. I need friends!

Have you ever canned anything? What should I can next?

Tell me something on your bucket list!

Monday Mayhem

With the heat and humidity quickly rising to practically unfathomable degrees, I knew I wanted to spend my long holiday weekend resting and not doing anything to require copious amounts of thinking. Per the usual idea. But even as I write portions of this post on a Thursday afternoon feels-like-my-Friday, I’m struggling to take my mind off the big things.

Iced coffee afficionado

You know how sometimes you can feel change is coming…there’s something in the air, the anxious way you react, or where your mind drifts no matter what you’re engrossed in? Can’t be just me! Anyway – that’s where I’m at.

Today is Day 31 of my planned May Run Streak! Seeing as my personality is either all in or not at all, I kind of feel like I should just keep running, right? 90 days sounds good. It would get me right up to August then I can reevaluate. To race or not to race. That is the question. Hmmm. I could take a short break in August, pick up training in September, then finalize a race for either Nov or Dec. Got me thinking.

Or I could streak until Jan 2022. I could. But I probably won’t.

___________________________

I ask you –

Is it a full moon? Have the forces changed?

Should I keep streaking? Or train for a fall race?

Happy Memorial Day, fellow followers. Wars have been fought and won based on the sacrifice of many. Let us never forget.

Day in Photos, pt 17

Finally! With movie theaters beginning to reopen, there’s a possibility I might attempt to stay awake long enough to see something other than matinee.

my first choice!

I love coffee almost as much as I love running. Some days even more. But coffee is so expensive. Not that I mind paying for what I love and there’s several (one in particular) locally owned coffee shops I adore. However, I was pleasantly surprised at my ability to make decent iced coffee at home using my Keurig and some Green Mountain Vanilla Cream over ice coffee pods. It was soooo good!

brown, not black and not definitely not white

And, I have an ice cream addiction. A Halo Top addiction. Creamy, sweet, and keto-friendly?! Be still my heart. There’s 6 flavors of incredibleness. My boss saw me in the grocery store with a cart full of ice cream; he didn’t even blink. I pretended not to notice him. We have a mutual understanding.

Seeing as how I’ve never perfected any type of mechanic skills, my next trick is to convince you all I can restore an old truck. Ok, stop laughing. I feel the need to do this. No idea why. Something similar to the below photo. Nostalgia.

used with permission

I’m editing this post earlier than my usual, last minute, holy-crap-it’s-Sunday-afternoon time frame. Part of me self-congratulatory; the other part is fearful I’ll find other things to include over the weekend and will have to re-do the entire layout. Cheers to living dangerously!

___________________________

I ask you –

Any new movies you’re looking forward to seeing? Top Gun: Maverick. Fast & Furious 9. Hotel Transylvania 4.

What kind of tools are required to restore an old truck? And do you want to help me?

Tell me your favorite ice cream flavor!

Random Things, pt 11

There’s nothing easy or simple about reflecting on your past. It can be ugly back there.

new life in the neighborhood

I think back to my first marriage and how every sign pointed to a dead end street. But we blindly charged forward. We both had come from unhealthy upbringings surrounded by addiction and loss. Did I mention we were 18 & 19 yrs old? Hardly an age to be considered adults much less make such a profound choice. And we were wildly different. I was studious and practical whilst he was carefree and spontaneous. Prude meets bum. We were two kids with very opposite viewpoints on almost everything. A match made in heaven!

There’s comfort in this: “When fear knocks on the door of your life, let faith answer!”

Lately I’ve found myself connecting with much older and much younger people more than those my age. Could it be just a season of life? Maybe it’s always been this way and I didn’t notice.

Something made me think about how my addiction to coconut oil has become a habit to rub off on others. Get it, get it. Even before it was a “thing”, I was using coconut oil on my skin, face, hair, you name it. Personally I attribute my overuse of it to the reason I survived pregnancy sans stretch marks. Well, no more than I started with. Many years ago, my destroyer berthing mates knew if I had been in berthing by the smell of my lotion (pure coconut oil). I guess there could be worse smells. Now as I slather it on by the handful, even my mini gets in on the action. Like mother, like daughter. Some say it clogs your skin, etc but mine has never been healthier. Thousands of island-inhabited women can’t be wrong.

On a scale of 1 to You’re Fired, how well would it go over if every time I walked into the restroom at work, and noticed another person in the stall, I yelled “HOWDY, BATHROOM BUDDY!”? Can I tell you a secret? Anytime I go into the restroom in public and can sense (or smell) (or hear) other people being very quiet, I feel like they just want to poop in peace so I try to leave as quickly as possible. Kel, you’re so weird. Do men’s restrooms not behave this way? Why not?

my demise

Run streaking is going splendidly. The hottest run was nearly 87 degrees. My only saving grace was the incredibly strong, 20+mph winds. So instead of it feeling like a sauna, it was like a dryer! That’s always fun. I’ve managed to secure time during my lunch hour to go out to run so I consider myself very lucky. Until it gets above 88, then I’m out. Yay sunrise runs! “People make time for what’s important to them” – this is mine.

________________

I ask you –

How many times have you been married? Bonus points if you hit your state’s limit on marriages. Texas is 5, by the way.

Do you talk to others while in the restroom?

Tell me your go-to motto!

Slow Roll

Awhile back, my boss requested I add “Drive By Discussion” to the calendar with a list of people to meet with. So I did. But for the remainder of the day, I was met with “why would you write that?” or “did she really say that?” Yes, yes she did. Clearly I Amelia Bedelia’d it. Accidentally on purpose. It was just too funny not to take advantage of. No sense of humor, I tell ya’!

Anyway, as I took a weekend to complete my own drive by of others’ homes and yards and gardens, the gorgeous Texas photo opportunities were limitless. Hope you enjoy. And, if not, oh well.

the tiniest, sickly looking flower on the bottom right was in my yard, of course

For someone who can’t keep one plant alive, I sure enjoy looking at the fruit of other’s hard work. Too bad horticulture and the like aren’t inherited. Consolation prize. I got humor!

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I ask you –

What’s your thoughts on drive by’s? Not funny?

Have you ever stolen plants from someone else’s yard? I thought about it!

Tell me your favorite local/native flower!