There were school parties.
And work parties.
A lot of walks.
And even more coffee –
More to come in 2025.
____________
I ask you –
Recap your holidays!
(The post Holiday Recap first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)
© 2024 Running on Fumes
“Why yuck their yum?” – the phrase recently brought up while radio surfing. The book, also the title of this post, was written by Amy Pleimling who references gross and desirable foods. New to me, but the phrase was coined in 2013.
The radio question pertained to how long does a parent support their child in an activity the child is clearly not excelling at but is arguably something the child really enjoys.
For some, the monetary cost and time investment are determining factors in this decision. However, what do parents without these issues do? Let their child continue because it brings them joy? Or gently redirect to an activity the child may excel at? Is it worth it to partake for sheer joy? Who says lack of skill is a bad thing? Maybe the child isn’t headed to the Olympics, but it makes them happy. Besides, being good at something is subjective.
I’m not good at a lot of things, but I enjoy my mediocrity! Preferably hobbies including food. However, I am certain that goat cheese is yuck and anything with pepper jack is yum.
____________
I ask you –
Had you heard the aforementioned phrase before?
Were you a participant in an activity you didn’t excel at?
Tell me your favorite type of cheese!
(The post DON’T YUCK MY YUM! first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)
© 2024 Running on Fumes
Help.
The pain (burning) in my knee warranted a doctor visit with some not-so-great news. I most likely reinjured the previous meniscus tear or am having complications from scar tissue. All I know is it hurt really really bad when he pressed into the back of my knee. Soon, I’ll begin the X-ray, other assorted scans, PT regimen to ensure we’re treating it correctly. This means no running, no volleyball, no cycling. He pointedly said walking and elliptical only. Me?! Never!
I won’t pretend I’m surprised. Fireworks in your knee isn’t the norm so obviously something was going on. But I really expected cycling to be included in the can-do list.
In the meantime, he encouraged walking, so that’s just what I’ll do. Starting with a lengthy weekend stroll! On the bright side, I guess I’ll have more room for clothes since I won’t need to travel with running shoes. By the time you read this, I’ll have defended my proposal. Stay tuned!
____________
I ask you –
Has anyone ever licked your forehead?
If you said yes, then I need a full explanation!
Any recommendations for New Orleans?
(The post What Is Going On?! first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)
© 2024 Running on Fumes
All of a sudden, I was no longer waiting. Despite it being a very weird feeling, I’m excited for this step. My manuscript was approved for proposal defense! Granted, it’s not until mid-November but it turns out I’ll be traveling during that time and will defend from a hotel room. Could be worse places. Even with a heavy edit, the first three chapters of my manuscript span 303 pages at nearly 71, 500 words. Thank you, Microsoft Word, for reminding me.
My text to friends and family informing them of this momentous news included all caps. Seemed fitting. Until this post, I have slowly been updating some formatting issues and putting the finishing touches on the presentation. Waiting is somehow better received when there’s a date to look forward to.
I feel as if November will fly by, much like October, even though some weeks took a month to pass. I’d like to start a movement advocating 31 October only be held on Friday or Saturday because trick-or-treating on a Thursday night is awful. The mini gremlin awoke Friday morning confused and slightly feral. Thankfully, next year it will be on a Friday. Surely, I can find something else to complain about. Until then, check out some Halloween shenanigans.
__________________
I ask you –
Do you send texts in all caps?
Will November pass by quickly or slowly?
Name your favorite costume!
(The post Into November first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)
© 2024 Running on Fumes
Long live volleyball! I just wish I didn’t hurt myself so easily. Yes, I own knee pads. Several pairs. But did I remember to bring them and put them on? Clearly not.
My kind doctor said I had 6 months to fix my high cholesterol levels. In his defense, he’s given me 3 yrs thus far. The good stuff is getting better but it’s still overall too high for comfort. I blame my parents. In the meantime, I’ve made some easy switches – less fat, more good stuff. Turns out turkey bacon is really good, and I definitely enjoy balsamic vinegar on my salad. More avocado, less fried stuff. We’ll see what happens. I’m always up for an experiment!
Me: I know it’s Saturday morning at 0500, nearing FY end, so let me check my email and really test these new anxiety meds. My brain: Dondnekndicngmeixnwkffiend🤯. Long story short – now I will worry and feel ill the remainder of the day for forgetting for 4 months! to order something I agreed to.
Definitely needed a run to clear my head from that disaster. Later in the day, I saw the victim of my forgetfulness and apologized profusely. She didn’t seem to mind much, which was a big change from my anxious brain telling me to escape. Ugh, such a liar.
_________________
I ask you –
Do you enjoy any healthy alternatives to your favorite foods?
What is your go-to activity to clear your head?
Tell me about forgetting something important!
(The post I’m a Forgetter first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)
© 2024 Running on Fumes
Mini has an opportunity to try out for UIL events and my little heart exploded with pride and memories. Except for chess, I excelled at these events. Storytelling was my breakthrough – shocking, most definitely – into a world of possibilities for competitive scholastic events.
Many years ago I made a keto carrot cheesecake that was sublime. Really. It was incredible. I haven’t baked in a lonnnnnng while and now I have some free time. You know. While I wait. Anyway, I wanted to bring a family dessert to game night, to impress my friends. And that’s where it ended. The photo below doesn’t look too horrible. But the taste? Let’s just say something went awfully wrong with the carrot cake layer on bottom. It was gloopy, gross, and inedible. The cheesecake layer wasn’t bad, had it not been on top of the carrot disaster. Needless to say, I did not take it anywhere except to the garbage can.
As my brain functions in some sort of random, non-linear, jumbled mess, I can appreciate life’s linearity. One would think dissertation work is linear. Oh, but you (I) would be so wrong. I do the things, then wait. I do other things, then wait. My frustrations are apparent as I check and double check my email waiting for a notification of scheduled defense proposal. I complete the IRB documents, then wait. Turns out IRB approval can take up to 2 months. Although I despise speaking this fear into existence, I’m not sure if I’ll begin the research portion this fall. No approvals = no research. I will have spent nearly the entirety of a very expensive semester awaiting approval. Sigh.
Patience is not my strongest virtue.
_________________
I ask you –
What events did you participate in as a young person?
On a scale of 1 to me, how much patience do you have?
Tell me your worst cooking fail!
(The post Patience, my child first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)
© 2024 Running on Fumes
…finish writing my book, the one I started circa 2019? Considering a PhD is a nonfiction work of art, the answer remains to be seen.
…purchase my dream car? Maybe when mini graduates high school or I excel at a second job.
…volunteer to be room mom or the parent who channels their creativity to make school parties successful? Ha. Probably never. But I will be the cleanup crew. I can handle that.
…tune in to the upcoming presidential debates, tour stops, and all the related political rhetoric? You know, I really should. I should want to. But I just can’t stand to listen to either of the candidates speak. And my attention span? Yikes. I will instead concede to perusing non-partisan articles.
…what I thought was the beginning of Wk 3 in the review process is actually Wk 0. There was a miscommunication of email proportions and my manuscript wasn’t submitted yet. Alas, I am not a patient person but I guess this means I have more time for football?
_________________
I ask you –
What’s your dream car?
How long is your attention span?
Wk 0 – waiting for manuscript review. Tick tock, tick tock
(The post Will I… first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)
© 2024 Running on Fumes
Last week’s September 11th memorials had me considering how it’s hard to believe 23 years have gone by. For the families and loved ones of those lost on that date, 23 years probably feels like yesterday. For mini, who honors the date with school functions, doesn’t have a memory of this event and most likely doesn’t understand the way the world changed that day – it can be difficult to grasp the significance, which got me thinking about the events our young people will remember as they age. For example, a string of recent school shootings. Although I rarely, if ever, speak of political things on RoF, it saddens me these are the memories and perhaps fears of our youth. Someone, somewhere, is remembering today (whatever day you read this) as the day they were rushed out of a school in the wake of some tragic circumstance. Someone, somewhere, is grieving their loved one who lost their life in a place they should have been the safest.
I don’t have the answer. I don’t proclaim to know what we should do to prevent senseless acts of violence. I do know firearm ownership is protected by the Constitution/Amendments. I also know many individuals do not have the mental or physical capability or capacity to competently exhibit those rights. And I absolutely do not wish to debate any of these points.
However, it’s a shame our society is punctuated with tragic, life-taking acts. It’s devastating. We should do better. We should want to do better, especially for our children.
So, today, hug your children, whatever age they are. Call them just to hear their voice. Never has anyone said “I wish I hadn’t held them”.
_________________
I ask you –
No questions today.
(The post A Tough One to Write first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)
© 2024 Running on Fumes
An ode to personal growth, making tough choices, and speaking my truth. Wherever there is – as we have no idea where life will take us, why, or who it’s surrounded by.
Belief first, correction later. I saw this on a post and it hit me like a ton of bricks. How often do I correct mini before I believe what she is saying? Guilty. We probably all do this – we fact check others before acknowledging they have a right to their opinion and, more importantly, a right to their feelings. The post went on to say our children need us to sit in the discomfort with them, to know we care about their feelings, PRIOR to reasoning with them. How many people know anxiety is not reasonable? Hands high. I don’t need someone to say my thoughts are not realistic, I’m well aware they’re not!, what I need is reassurance I will be ok.
Along the lines of being ok – middle of last week, I very nearly lost my life. Ok ok, so I’m dramatic. As I’ve stated before, the final year of my dissertation is comprised of 15 week semesters. Last week was Wk 14. Until it wasn’t. I received an email stating Friday, 16 August was the due date for both Wk 14 and 15. WHICH MEANT…I was required to submit my manuscript more than a week before I intended.
One week. Just one week. Sounds minimal, right? If you don’t keep meticulous planning calendars and structure your entire existence around writing a 600+ page manuscript, then sure, it’s probably minimal. Not for me! So, I cried. I got frustrated. A little angry, too, perhaps. Then I cancelled all my plans and got busy. Suffice to say, in 3 days, I completed a manuscript worthy of expedited submission and now we wait. 14 weeks, 296 pages, 69.3K words. Easy, right?!
The good news is I get an unexpected break. And I purchased a pair of shoes as a reward. Short of the submission being classified as an official failure, I’m in good shape for the shape I’m in.
Correction: Hahaha I jest. I made another miscalculation and I don’t have a week break. It appears Wk 14 and 15 are jammed together (aka were due Friday) because the next course starts the following Monday. i.e., today. Wonderful. Lovely.
“There” is wherever life takes you and I’m just along for the ride, it seems.
P.S. this is the final iteration of the chart. It served its purpose and now I feel like it’s more of a chore/unneeded pressure to include it. Thanks for playing along. Surely I can find something else to entertain you. Maybe I should be monitoring my stress levels more?
________________
I ask you –
Are you a corrector or a listener?
How surprised would you have been?
Tell me about your most recent unexpected event!
(The post Wherever There Is first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)
© 2024 Running on Fumes
“We rise in the wait, not the arrival.” Waiting is not everyone’s (maybe anyone’s) strong suit. Never have I heard a eulogy or a bio or an introduction which said “So-and-so excels/excelled at waiting!”
According to mini, waiting is hard. An unnecessary endeavor, if you will. Absolutely pointless. In many ways, I understand. We live in an instant gratification society, where nearly every want or desire is available at our fingertips, literally and figuratively. As I say it, this is an instant potatoes world. But how often does waiting truly bring us valued joy? Let me count the ways. In other words, innumerable times. And we’re stronger because of it.
Side note. I’ve always considered cereal for dinner an exotic meal. Crazy, right? I think it’s because a) I don’t eat cereal and b) don’t drink milk. Therefore, it’s always been out of the realm of my ability to experience it.
I know I already posted a July recap but what’s the rules on posting when a month runs into another? Run, run, get it get it. Posting for posterity, of course! That’s a lot of action for a vacation!
You know what I wasn’t waiting on this week? This manuscript to write itself. 45 pages! 45! Sure, I didn’t run as much as I’d have liked to but I did create tables, graphs, figures, and somehow overcame my limited knowledge of Excel to beautify a bunch of numbers into APA-worthy additions to the current 279 pages.
_________________
I ask you –
How much exercise do you get when away from home? More? Less? Depends.
I should have a second question here but I do not.
Rate your level of patience for waiting. On a good day, 1.
(The post Strength in Waiting first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)
© 2024 Running on Fumes
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