It can be so difficult to make time outside of your home and work to reconnect with those friends who hold special pieces of your heart. But we did it!
My best friend, Sam
on the boardwalk where I almost died once
Just a few…a lot…of photos where we ate and drank our way through Ocean View.
There’s tons of other photos but we genuinely had the best time together. Beach in the morning, beer and shopping in the afternoon, and copious amounts of shenanigans in the evening!
I caught a crab!
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I ask you –
Have you visited the beaches at Norfolk, VA?
Do you have a vacation planned?
Tell me your thoughts about seafood! Love it? Hate it?
Somehow in my… shortsightedness, ignorance, lack of basic comprehension…I missed the fact I don’t turn in my manuscript for a whole 6 weeks. Essentially, in this 15 week course, I submit it at Wk 1, Wk 7, and Wk 14. Which is mostly insane because can you imagine not having any discipline for an assignment that you fudge the weekly “Have you made any progress?” question and tarry on (yes, tarry) for 6 weeks without doing anything? CAN YOU IMAGINE?!
Completely unfathomable. This is a doctoral degree! So basically I’m not worried even a little bit but if you’re someone who struggles with zero accountability, then you might have issues. Thank goodness for my “insane drive bordering on absolute nutcase” or however that paraphrase of an actual insult? compliment? went.
Another thing is the rabbit hole of variable research studies I’m suddenly stumbling upon. Somehow I can write 7 pages a day without realizing how much time I’ve spent perusing tons of material. Again, a foreign concept to most. One morning I spent 2.5 hrs writing and only added 2 pages. Balance, I guess.
Random funny –
Actual conversation at approximately 0600 on a Wednesday:
Me: *examining an empty milk jug with a missing lid* What goes on around here after hours?
Parts: Some real shady sh*t!
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I ask you –
Do you have any good examples of a compliment that functions as an insult? I’d like to include it in my repertoire.
Have you ever found a milk jug without a lid?
Tell me about something lately you would consider absolutely preposterous!
(The post Preposterous! first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)
I have never been more impressed with a keto recipe than this one for Cinnamon Rolls, courtesy of Keto4karbaholics.
Note: I did not add pecans or use the ChocZero syrup and I was still impressed with the texture, taste, and inability to eat just one.
I’m super. And I’m a runner. Does that make me a Super Runner? Technically, yes. But probably not in the same category as those people.
On the super subject, for Mother’s Day I received a cycling helmet and sunglasses so I guess it’s official – I’m a cyclist. Hahaha I’ve done maybe 3 rides and now I’m a cyclist. Looking and feeling the part is half the battle to conviction so I’m getting there! There’s an upcoming Mini Triathlon I’m considering participating in. While I know I can ride a the route and I can run a 5k, too, the swim isn’t so much my concern as the way the day will rapidly heat up. In discussing it with McK, the worst that can happen is I end up walking the 5k…or she picks me up and I ride back to the finish line. With no entry fee, there’s not much to lose!
I also found this event: Tour of the Wichitas. The route lengths vary from nearly 17 miles to over 50 miles and it literally takes you on a tour of Ft. Sill, LETRA, and the beautiful area near Mt. Scott. As it’s only about an hour drive from me, I was considering it but am unsure if I can commit 3 hours to a bike ride. Interestingly, why are cycling events so cheap?!?! $35 to enter?! The last time I entered a half marathon, it was at least double that. Granted, there is no price tag to the medical attention I have found myself needing, but still.
_____________________
I ask you –
Would you try keto cinnamon rolls?
Can anyone explain the cycling vs running price conflict?
For those who dabble in the cyclist world, share some cycling suggestions!
(The post Cinnamon Cyclist first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)
What’s fascinating about the leadership role and a dissertation is the perplexing desire to convince others to care. Crazy, right? Dubbed the “significance of the study” section, the goal is to convince a bunch of strangers that your topic is both important to everyone, including you, and relevant to some issue in society today. It’s so much fun, I’m here to tell you.
Once I made my 15-week plan for this course, my appetite and desire to type tanked. Attributed mostly to allergies and the realization that mini is leaving soon on her TN/CA fun-filled summer adventure, I know I’ll be left with a lot of time on my hands to write. And write. And write some more. Although I’m looking forward to diving in and wracking up the page count, I’m also…meh. Pretty sure it’s just a phase though.
Lastly, what I thought was a phase has turned into a longstanding love affair with hot dogs. So sarcastic. I do not love hot dogs. I don’t even like hot dogs. I’m sick of hot dogs. Alas, I am in the hot dog business.
Those are my hot dog friends. And that’s a cooler filled with hot dogs. We brought the band back together for another hot dog escapade. The third, in fact. If I never see another hot dog, it will be too soon. I know a hot dog song and will gladly sing it for you.
The final look of relief when another course is completed. But, by the time you read this, I’ll have begun Dissertation I. The pre-dissertation course wasn’t difficult, per se; however, it was somewhat tedious. Communication with my chair has been one of the best experiences so I can see how that’s a make-it-or-break-it portion of others’ stories.
If you’re wondering what I’ll be doing this summer, well, there you have it. 15 weeks, then another 15 weeks, then a 3-4 week break, then 15 weeks, then…something. Defense, maybe? It’s a huge change from the traditional 8 week courses I’ve been doing for nearly 2 years. I need a plan!
Instead of making a plan, I forego any real responsibilities and eat ice cream. As Blue Bell is decidedly not keto, pick the battles well. Good thing this Snickerdoodle ice cream by Rebel was conveniently located in my freezer!
_______________
I ask you –
What’s your go-to responsibility avoiding task?
How often do you indulge in sweet treats?
Tell me something great you have going on!
(The post Here We Go Again! first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)
I made a pink lemonade creamsicle with Sugar free pink lemonade, Jordan’s Skinny Syrups coconut, heavy cream and ice. Amazing!
I like jelly beans. I don’t like Dunkin. Didn’t buy them but was considering it.
Still recovering from Air Show. My poor feet took a beating. Once the chronic pain returned, I could tell something wasn’t right. There’s extensive bruising under and around my pinkie toe, as well as a large swollen area under the toe, nearest the side of my foot. It’s non-weight bearing and, early on, was causing pain on the outside of my calf. What now? So, short of religious usage of ibuprofen and staying off it as much as possible because right I’m totally on top of that then here we are. Again.
Also trying red light therapy for mini’s skin issues, as well as testing its claims to be great for healing. We’ll see how it works out.
______________
I ask you –
Do you like creamsicles?
Have you ever tried red light therapy?
Tell me your favorite brand of jelly beans!
(The postMaking Things first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)
Yes. I bought it. Honestly, not their best work. The pieces of cake are delicious but the ice cream is plain vanilla. Not a huge fan.
I think about this sandwich more than I should. But it’s keto so not a big concern. It’s also amazing with just scrambled eggs, bacon, and avocado. Trust me.
Jada, Gia, Luli, me, and Jarrod
A team photo from the recent 5k. We had our largest turnout of participants probably in the history of installation fun runs.
Jumped on the permanent jewelry bandwagon. A huge thank you to our beautiful friend, Lyndsie, for the opportunity to get bracelets. If you come across Sacred Strands, you’re in for a treat!
It’s a good thing the expedition called for tiptoeing because my knees are very bruised from volleyball but we’re undefeated so I can’t complain too much. Also, a day after turning 38, I managed to bust all the blood vessels in my middle finger putting the volleyball net away. Not my middle finger! I need that one! This is why…I have spare parts.
Back to the tulips, the Texas Tulips located in Pilot Point, TX. Only accessible about 6 weeks out of the year, it’s a fun getaway, one I didn’t know anything about until a few weeks ago. Spring Break presented the perfect opportunity.
I might have also overindulged in sushi and cookies. Both were incredible! If you’re in the DFW area, Sushi Axiom is one of my favorites. I probably should have taken a photo but I ate it all before considering the photo op. For the cookies, Insomnia Cookies is the way to go. Only available near college campuses, they’re open until 0200ish and offer delivery of warm, fresh cookies to your doorstep. Not kidding.
___________________
I ask you –
What are your favorite flowers?
Have you heard of Insomnia Cookies?
Any idea on the origin of the word tiptoe?
(The post Tip Toe’ing first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)
I seriously overestimated my ability to complete a 40 source annotated bibliography during spring break. It’s not that I couldn’t do it, it was entirely manageable, but I encountered some unexpected issues that prevented me from completion. First, the Internet was undergoing prolonged maintenance. As we use a local company, the customer service is incredible but sometimes things take longer than a conglomerate company with billions of dollars at its disposal. Then, our birthday happened, aka making evening plans in lieu of writing. Finally, I’m still figuring out how to navigate volleyball games with my ideal writing schedule. Luckily, this was a late game which theoretically meant I could write pre-game. Instead, I spent that time getting ready for said game, getting mini ready for said game, and doing all the things I would normally do before bedtime (remember, late game). Alas, the excuses are rampant.
Calzone @ Luigi’s CrumblNothing Bundt Cake
All the food I ate on my birthday, minus some incredible nachos and probably a few other things is above. It was pretty yummy!
Pretty sure I’ve forgotten to share here how I gave up Gummies on Jan 1st and haven’t returned. I realized that my game play was becoming a slight problem, my productivity wavered, and I wondered if I could truly commit to quitting. Based on how the first several days went, I think I may have been addicted. Seriously. My fingers automatically went to the app each time I picked up my phone, I was severely tempted to play out of boredom, out of response, out of habit. Fortunately during that time, there was plenty to do around the house and it might have been the most productive period, partially due to the school break but also in a concentrated effort to forego Gummies. Sometimes I still get the urge to open it up and play “for a minute” – but I know about addictive tendencies and “a minute” will stretch into hours. Be strong!
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I ask you –
Have you ever set any lofty goals?
Do you overindulge on your birthday? Every time.
On a scale of 1 to Rick Roll’d – did you think believe I’d ever quit Gummies?
(The post Lofty Goals first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)
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