Inner Circle

Unwilling to traverse nearly 4 years of blog posts to find where I’ve surely mentioned this before, let’s just pretend I haven’t and this is new information, ok?

Along the way, several instances of people whom I know – mainly, work with – have addressed me as Kel. And it makes me want to scream. You see, Kel is a very private name, like a term of endearment. It’s reserved for those closest to me, who have seen me on my best days and my worst, who know me. Kel is how I refer to myself. She’s special. She’s the voice I write in when you see something in italics. She’s Kel. The persona that most people see at work is decidedly not Kel – not until she speaks out of turn, gets loud, stands up, and/or becomes very authoritative. That’s Kel.

So, somehow, when I hear someone call me Kel who doesn’t know me like that, I cringe. And mumble under my breath. Indeed I love my name; however, it’s presumptuous to think anyone can call me Kel. One must ask for permission, to be invited into my realm of colors…or at least acknowledge that I’m very private about many things and maybe my internal voice is one of them!

Among other things that irk me are the removable pads inside sports bras. Just why? It’s nice to ensure everything is thoroughly clean; however, the amount of time I spend procrastinating putting them back inside the bra pockets is ridiculous. In terms of efficiency, it ranks last! Someone mentioned placing a few stitches around the seam so they wouldn’t come out. But then I examined my favorite run bras and they don’t even have the modesty pad. Which prompts another thought – what do I care about modesty? Have you read my blog?! I’m about as immodest as it gets. If you see my nipples when I’m out running, then you’re obviously searching for something to complain about. Modesty can shove it.

And I think that’s where those pads are destined: shoved in the garbage can.

__________________________

I ask you –

Have you ever had a taste of humble pie?

Do you like fried green tomatoes?

Rumor has it there will be a photo shoot with mini and cows!

(The post Inner Circle first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Summer Update, wk 5

Mini has now taken her traveling show on the road by returning to Tennessee for the week. Post recital, she vacated her mother’s side in favor of extended family and more summer adventures. I’m not dramatic.

Recital 2023

My southern roots are showing. But only when it comes to food. Tennessee green tomatoes!

The remainder of the week consisted of our final volleyball session, excessive heat warnings, a few runs (before sun-up), and preparations for mud volleyball. More on that next week!

Finally: my apologies to the classmates I made fun of and (possibly) ridiculed for the atrocious discussion posts they have submitted. It’s my turn. Recently I posted the biggest load of garbage that has ever escaped my fingertips. All 1100 words of it. I genuinely had no idea what I was writing and it sounded stupid even as I did. So, please accept this piece of humble pie as a token of my respect. You were probably just muddling through. Because…same.

__________________________

I ask you –

Have you ever had a taste of humble pie?

Do you like fried green tomatoes?

Rumor has it there will be a photo shoot with mini and cows!

On Again/Off Again

Short of 2 instances where I cycled off keto, for me, it has been the best decision. I’ve lost weight, reduced fatigue, and – the main point – decreased migraines from several a week to roughly one per month. I know diet is a polarizing topic and keto is decidedly not for everyone but it’s where I’m at right now.

Back story – I’ve flirted with keto for many years and staying true to it is difficult. It’s restrictive. It requires a level of discipline I haven’t always taken seriously. The past 2 times I cycled off keto, ahem, crashed, was in March for my birthday and mid-May for a long weekend. At this point, I have no reason to say yes to carbs or sugar. Every day that is pain-free is a reminder of the brain fog and sheer pain of navigating the migraine cycle. So if being pain-free means not imbibing in the things I thought I couldn’t live without, then I’m ok with my decisions. It is tough sometimes saying no or modifying a restaurant order – hamburger, no bun, please – but I feel a million times better than I ever have. It’s not to say this is a forever decision; however, I can’t see it not being one either.

Sometimes I wonder what I’ll do with my life when I don’t write papers day and night? When my time isn’t dictated by the magical dissertation? What do I want to be when I grow up?

Training cycle has wrapped up. And even if it hadn’t then my running outdoor days have most definitely. 100°+ in the shade is a hard pass. Alas, I managed a 12 week plan culminating in hundreds of miles, stride workouts, and some quality time in the outdoors. I was careful to stay hydrated throughout the entirety but it is mid-June and it’s time to move on to something else. And that’s a good thing.

___________________

I ask you –

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Do you excel at running when the temperature rises?

Tell me something you plan to do this summer! Survive.

Summer Update, wk 4

Hold on, I have to scroll through my photos to remember what the week looked like. Ok, here we go.

First, it was a long weekend in celebration of Juneteenth. Mini literally spent every day on an adventure and swimming in the pool.

SeaWorld!

I love this age for her because she has so many stories to tell and perspectives to add to where she goes. Her emotions are always clearly written across her face.

Me? I wrote over 35 pages in under 72 hours. It was a lot. I knew the weekend would bring an inability to write anything – hello, recital – so I made the most of my time. Also, we attended an outdoor concert, the final one of the season. At first, there was huge concern because the TX temperature is soaring past the 100° mark. As heat is a no go for me, I brought multiple cups of ice water – alas there was a shady spot and a breeze. Win win.

Hellen Bach!

We played some volleyball Wed/Thur! Kylee, that statement is just for you. Unfortunately, I’m old and tweaked my back resulting in horrendous back spasms. It will take a week to recover and then I can tempt fate with the upcoming mud volleyball tournament! Because I’m dumb and don’t learn lessons.

Mini returned with a wooden turtle we named Hammy and the best hugs and kisses! She even practiced volleyball before the Thur night event. As she fell asleep, she said “I love you, mama. Thank you for letting me practice with you.” One day she won’t call me mama anymore, she won’t snuggle as close to returning to the inside of my body as she can get – but my baby she will always be.

__________________________

I ask you –

Have you ever had a taste of humble pie?

Do you like fried green tomatoes?

Rumor has it there will be a photo shoot with mini and cows!

Is a daily adventure your kind of fun or do you prefer a slower life?

What have you been doing lately for exercise?

Tell me some alternative back spasm remedies!

Summer Update, wk 3

By the time you’re reading this, mini will be but a few days from my arms. Missing her is hard. Technology helps.

She ate snowcones and messed around, in true summer fashion. As she should!

Me? Well, I spent some of the week busy, accomplishing lots of things I can’t remember now. The other half? I was grumpy and had to be talked off the ledge a few times.

I spent most of my days like this (and I let the four letter words fly) –

Sometimes we let the less-than-best sides of our emotions get in the way; other times, life runs smoothly. I did retrieve mini’s recital costumes and was able to play 1 volleyball game. Due to player illness, we didn’t make it to the second opportunity but it’s probably for the best since my knees still look and feel like I’ve spent too much time on them.

Alas, it also looks like the triple digit temperatures are here to stay so that means an end to running outside. Good thing I just completed the training plan. Ugh.

Cheers to a better week!

__________________________

I ask you –

Have you ever had a taste of humble pie?

Do you like fried green tomatoes?

Rumor has it there will be a photo shoot with mini and cows!

Have you had a snow cone lately? What flavor is your favorite?

When was the last time you flew off the handle?

Tell me something amazing you have going on this weekend!

Phone Photos

Found a bunch of random photos in my phone so here we go:

This is how I know mini was left unsupervised in my office. Who was supposed to be watching her?

When you’re doing 2 workouts a day, your entire laundry basket is shorts and sports bras.

When I spent my niece’s graduation gazing longingly at their gymnasium bleachers and wanting to know the brand so I can beg the government to fund them.

My work bestie and I running everything, including our mouths, attitudes, and being generally obnoxious.

__________________________

I ask you –

Have you ever had a taste of humble pie?

Do you like fried green tomatoes?

Rumor has it there will be a photo shoot with mini and cows!

Have you ever had to delete photos to make room for others?

Does your laundry change with the seasons?

If one more person asks if that’s my daughter…

More Prison Stuff

Radio question: could you escape prison? First thought – absolutely no. Next thought – why yes, I think I could. Nevermind the escape part, I think I could even thrive in prison. I’m a likeable woman. I can make friends easily. I’m understanding and hilarious! Not only would I do well in prison but I’d also be able to escape using the skills I presently have.

I could play a lot of games, like spoons!

Case in point: I can break things. Now, you may be wondering how this would help me but I think this skill is underutilized. Perhaps breaking things would present an opportunity to escape. It would require people much more skilled in fixing things to correct what I broke so maybe I befriend them to help me escape.

Example #2: I’m a wildcard, a swing state, if you will. When I enlisted at age 27, my strategy for navigating the drama and noise of boot camp was to lay low, speak to no one, and wake up very early for time alone. Armed with my contraband – tweezers and nail clippers – I kept myself sane. Toward the end, when my fellow Sailors needed more people on their sides for shift switches and all that, I had bargaining power because I’d been able to watch and evaluate personalities for an extended period of time. I remain close with only one of those ladies. The rest…wow. Anyway, I’m industrious and no one would expect it from me, making escape entirely plausible.

Granted, I hope I never make a prison appearance but I won’t rule it out. It could be fun. Friends, food, and unlimited workouts. Maybe I’m on to something.

__________________________

I ask you –

Have you ever had a taste of humble pie?

Do you like fried green tomatoes?

Rumor has it there will be a photo shoot with mini and cows!

Could you escape from prison?

Have you ever escaped from prison?!

Tell me something funny!

Summer Update, wk 1

Wk 1 of mini’s Californian vacation –

I watched trashy albeit hilarious movies. Huge Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin fan. No, I don’t care about her past. I played on my phone for hours and got zero accomplished. Maybe I wrote a little. Maybe I didn’t. And I lost my voice, presumably attributed to the previous 2 week’s battle with allergies and a summer cold. Moms don’t have time to be sick. And we all know I need a voice when mini is around. Can you imagine? When I think about trying to parent her sans voice, I recognize the propensity for her to be leading a small country. Hmmmm. Maybe she’s the secret weapon to domination. I’ll tout this idea to leadership.

Additionally, I played nearly 2 hours of volleyball, got invited to play on a team for the remainder of the month, and ran. I ran a lot. Eventually my voice came back and people stopped avoiding me. Mini, on the other hand, is enjoying a semi-heated pool, new friends, and probably all the Youtube she could dream of. It makes me laugh when I think of how well-traveled and blessed she is; she really has no idea. While I sit here and go a little crazy with worry, she lives her very best life. Life is a little funny like that.

Miles are a cruel and unforgiving mistress that take nothing else into account but distance. So as I rack up the miles, in June no less, I try to fill my time with papers and plans. This week’s paper wasn’t so bad but next week’s has turned into a sweltering dumpster fire of garbage. Hot flipping garbage. But I’ll get an A. It’s what I do.

__________________________

I ask you –

Have you ever had a taste of humble pie?

Do you like fried green tomatoes?

Rumor has it there will be a photo shoot with mini and cows!

Do you prefer funny or serious movies?

When was the last time you lost your voice?

I wonder what semi-heated actually means. Slightly above freezing, I presume.

Thank You for Tuning In

A great guy doth not a leader make.
Me, after espresso

Therefore, on the day of our fearless unit leader returning to his rightful throne, aka big messy desk, I thought it fitting to mark his homecoming with a post. After all, he did hire me, unbeknownst to his well-being.

Fortunately for you all this post really isn’t about him. Exhale.

It’s about all the cool things I’ve done lately, you know, with all my spare time and non-demanding job requirements. Right. Those things.

a visit to 217 Coffee St

Returned to my first sport love: volleyball! I voluntold my coworkers that we were playing and they indulged me. This is fun! Note: a well developed running base sure does make volleyball a lot easier. What doesn’t make volleyball fun? A bandaged toe from racing a General (he didn’t know we were racing but of course we were) and the oft overlooked but no less important underboob. Well, the chafing of the underboob was the problem. Anyway, if you’re still reading after the mention of underboob – said three times now – then welcome to Running on Fumes, where we (and by we I mean I) type the ridiculous things that come to mind.

maximum, for sure

Fairly sure there was a point to this post.

Oh. Right. Cool things. I did stand out in the blazing heat giving out tickets to a drawing held by Spare Parts and the team of fabulous marketing folks who make all my wildest creative dreams come true. Mostly posters and schedules because I’m not creative at all. Also, I packed up an entire event’s worth of stuff in about 6 mins flat at the mention of severe thunderstorm, lightning, and hail. Did I already state it was hotter than jalapeno cornbread? They supplied me with multiple bottles of cold water, I worked for free. Until next year.

______________________

I ask you –

What’s your favorite sport? I particularly like curling.

Is it still cool where you live or getting hot?

Tell me your thoughts on cornbread! Yuck. Not a fan.

(The post Thank You for Tuning In first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

You Get the Idea

It takes a lot but occasionally I’m genuinely surprised at someone or something. Most recently, it was both. A woman whom I know from several joint interests told me she reads my blog. Fan girl moment. I was actually shocked. You wouldn’t know it by my kind smile and charming wit though. haHA! Of all the things this woman could read, she chooses to read my silliness. For real, I’m a complete fruitcake, a whackadoo, a few crayons short of a poster, or however that saying goes. Keep up here. AND she said she enjoyed it. I’m hyperventilating right now.

While I’m on an off-season training cycle (for 2 more years, but who’s counting), I decided to play around with different training styles, i.e. heart rate training, etc. I’ve never put much stock into HR training but why not. Turns out it’s difficult to slow down and run in the “easy” HR category. Not sure how my watch picked this for me.

Seriously. It’s like 2 mins slower than my slowest pace. Is that right? I read somewhere you should be able to converse when running easy. I could definitely do that. In fact, I could’ve made dinner and probably tap danced during it. S.L.O.W. But I guess we’ll try this for awhile to see what happens.

You know what irritates me? So glad you asked. The presumptuousness of weather people. And I quote… “The last of the nice days is today. This weekend it will be unseasonably cooler with highs in the 60s and considerably cloudier.” Listen, buddy with your fancy meteorologist degree, how dare you assume the 60s are not nice and that I don’t like cloudy days. Maybe this is my idea of nice. Just because it wasn’t 90° in late April doesn’t mean I’m unhappy. Personally, I’d like to skip the Satan’s skillet portion of the year. I’m truly happy you asked.

___________________

I ask you –

Have you ever practiced heart rate training? If so, do you have any pointers?

What’s the current weather like where you live?

Tell me your favorite analogy thingy.

(The post You Get the Idea appeared here at Running on Fumes.)