As It Goes

“We’re not depressed, we’re discouraged.”

How often do we – the collective – find ourselves down, tired to the point of exhaustion, sad, or unmotivated? Pot, Kettle.

Credit: word porn via Instagram

I manage to find small ways to “fill my bucket”, so to speak. Seasons in life require us to take from one bucket to pour into another just to stay afloat. Anyone want to juggle?! At the end of the day, after filling countless buckets that may not even be mine, recharging my batteries – aka filling my bucket – is top priority. This isn’t relegated to end of day either!

Taking Care of You!

What do you enjoy doing? How do you fill your bucket? It’s easy to find myself saying I’ll go see them (insert whomever) soon or I’ll call them tomorrow or, my personal favorite, I’ll add it to my list! Which list, Kel? Then I never get around to it and my bucket is filled with other things and what-do-you-know it never happens. Supplies!!

Bucket filling can be as simple as taking a walk around a bookstore and indulging in expensive coffee. For me, I visit my children’s shelter coworkers. Those women know how to make me laugh. And they remind me where I came from…a 19 yr old girl missing pieces of her heart. She was a mess. They know more about what I believe in than any words could convey. We laugh, cry, and share what it means to be a true friend. They fill a bucket within me.

Taking Care of Others!

Perhaps you fill a bucket for someone else; you probably don’t even realize what you’re doing. It can be a kind word, a text, a joke, even a smile. You know the feeling you get when someone says they saw something the other day that reminded them of you? Unless it involves cops. It only takes a second for you to give the gift of water into an empty pail.

Speak good things into another’s life! How convenient we find it to blame, ridicule, or negate someone else’s happiness when it really shows how empty our bucket truly is. The “you never”s are a reflection of our own insecurities. You know that saying about ‘Be the change you want to see in the world’? Start being it.

As far as discouragement goes, I firmly acknowledge depression is real. It manifests physically, mentally, and spiritually. However, I believe, more often than not, we are more discouraged than depressed. Life lets us down. We get in our own way. Discouragement + empty buckets = sadness, loss of hope, etc.

Taking It All In!

Recognize your buckets! Share your struggles! Feel free to juggle, but don’t live on the Merry Go Round of Paul & Peter. You know, robbing Peter to pay Paul or however it goes. Stop occasionally. Ask for help!

If all else fails, do you know how much wine a bucket can hold?! Probably a lot…I’m willing to find out!

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I ask you –

Was this helpful at all? Do you understand the concept of buckets?

How often do you unexpectedly reach out to someone to say you’re thinking about them? You don’t remember? Then do it right now!

Please share what works for you when it’s time to refill your bucket!

This one? + She’s Home!

Holiday Half Marathon, circa 10 December, Portland, Oregon.

Oh elevation

It’s just an option. I’m really enjoying “training” during my “off season”. Sounds so professional! This is the time of year where I refuse to run a mile or commit to anything because it’s hot and I don’t fancy dying outdoors under the blazing sun. You really can’t blame me. So the fact I am actually committed to a training plan and – most importantly – STILL RUNNING should be celebrated. Preferably with ice cream!

Right now, I’m a few weeks in to a 10k plan feat. by Garmin. It includes hills and speed runs. Those are now dirty words in my vocabulary and I loathe them. BUT! Those hills and speed (cringe) workouts are going to come in handy when I run at elevation this winter. Provided I don’t freeze to death first.

Better get started on buying for real cold weather running gear. However, I did survive a few sub-zero runs during the February 2021 Texas Blizzard. I’ll be fine!

Speaking of weather acclimation, I stumbled across this great article about heat training, specifically in regards to the Olympic trials postponement the other day. You can read it here. There really are a lot of factors that make up our ability to either acclimate or suffer in hot weather. My fancy new watch tells me I’m now 18% acclimated! If I reach 20%, we’ll all be shocked.

my little love bug

Since mini got home, I haven’t had a ton of time…to myself, to run, to do much except focus on her. I’m not worried. Remember, I’m not training yet.

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I ask you –

What’s next on your race calendar? Anyone running RnR VA Beach next month? My nemesis.

How does running in the heat affect you?

Favorite hot weather treat? Ice cream, hands down!

Podcast Debut!

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.

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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.

Capers of the Dynamic Duo

The past several months have afforded my (older) half and I opportunities to get closer not only as sisters, but also as friends.

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.

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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!

Just a Few Thoughts

Actual conversation with my mini while working from home aka sitting outside in the sunshine, computer in lap:

Mini: Look, Mom, these are my babies! (pointing to 3 swings on the swing set)

Me: 3 kids?! How do you keep up with all of them?

Mini: I don’t know. This one is named dirtbag.

Me: Honey, that’s not kind. Dirtbag is a derogatory name for someone who is acting dumb.

Mini: Well, that baby is dumb!

And this, friends, is just another example of why I’m unqualified to be a parent. To my knowledge, I’ve never used the word dirtbag around her yet she did use it in the correct context. Minus the baby reference.

Then a few days later, mini was outside yelling at the top of her lungs. When she returned inside, I asked what it was all about and she said squirrels were stupid. After giving her the mandatory ‘we use kind words and stupid isn’t one of them’, I showed her the photo below. The look she gave me was one for the record books. Are you stupid?

Lastly, it seems I’ve been watching too much Pioneer Woman (mini adores this show). As I was working on the blog in the wee early morning hours, I had an urge to make jams and jellies immediately followed by this thought: Kel, you know that emoji with the wide open eyes and incredulous look? Yeah, bad idea.

Also, I’ve changed my mind about the Texas Triple. Specifically, running 3 half marathons back to back. More specifically, 3 half marathons back to back in one weekend. It’s starting to get hot and I’m somewhat worried about what I’ll feel like. Since I can’t predict the weather. Then there’s the toll training is taking on me and my feet. My poor, beaten feet. Feet issues aren’t new, but the constant pain is draining. All this being said, one good thing is my desire for a shiny new PR! I want to run a fast race; why shouldn’t it be sooner rather than later?! This particular training cycle has really shown me what I can do. And I’m going to capitalize on it!

So I guess I better get started re-working my training plan to account for some extra days. Suddenly I find myself with extra time on my hands.

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I ask you –

How much coffee do you drink on average per day?

Fan of chalk?

Taking bets on a PR time improvement goal! Dec 2019, I had a 10 min PR. Goal is another 10 mins in 2021.

Oh Where…is My Hairbrush?

It’s not unusual I find odd things in my purse, but sometimes I crack up at the scavenger hunter’s dream it has become. Fruit snacks? Check! Hair ties and barrettes? Check, Check! Sunscreen? Got it! Random banana? I have one of those! You just never know what you’ll find.

My Navy days have never let me down in terms of hydration. Though I’ve been known to let myself down. Water is a staple. I go nowhere without it. Luckily a huge purse can carry water bottles, too.

Something about springtime or maybe it’s just spring training makes me crave sandwiches. I grew up hating sandwiches so this is a big deal. Bread = yuck. Cheese = double yuck. Slowly I’ve come around to the adoption of the sandwich as a viable food option. Pile it high with vegetables and add “special sandwich sauce” aka Boar’s Head Deli Dressing. Ta-da! A sandwich connoisseur I am! Surprisingly the training hunger hasn’t kicked in. Yet. But it shouldn’t be too long until it does. Then the real fun begins. I’ll take a baker’s dozen of donuts, please! No, I’m not sharing these!

Maybe instead of “I Met All My Husbands in the Police Report” I should start with something easier to digest, like “The Sandwich Stories!” Would I become a food blogger then? Nah. Seems like a lot of pressure for someone who really only wants to cook chicken and fish and vegetables. Maybe next time.

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I ask you –

Are you the familial stuff holder?

What food did you despise as a child but love now?

Name the craziest thing you’ve found in your purse or pockets!

What I Really Miss!

Lies of Motherhood and other things they said I would enjoy but do not:

You’ll miss: getting kicked in the back or spleen or forehead whilst co-sleeping
You’ll miss: spending hundreds of dollars to dress them each season
You’ll miss: the level of exhaustion that comes from any sentence beginning with “Help Me”
You’ll miss: being bitten during breastfeeding
You’ll miss: throwing snacks at them like wild animals poised to attack
You’ll miss: a snarky ‘Why?!’ when asking them to do anything (including the things they WANT to do)

Truth be told, there’s people even funnier than me. And I don’t say that lightly. Here’s where I’d like to share I’m a tough crowd, that it takes a lot to make me laugh. But that’s a big lie! I laugh at everything: you, me, the dream I had last week where I literally woke myself up laughing loudly. Let’s not forget I’m still laughing about what made me laugh at my dad’s funeral nearly 25 years ago. I just now nearly made a joke that started with “we’ve got a live one” but I see I’m talking about a funeral so live one jokes might be a bit much.

Considering starting a spin-off of Running on Fumes titled “I Met All My Husbands in the Police Report”. Perhaps it won’t be received well, but I’m overflowing with great ideas! Also, did you know there is a limit to how many espresso shots Starbucks will give you before they cut you off?! Me neither! And it’s 12. Now you know.

I leave you with this: A woman was asked ‘What is the best thing about being 104 years old?’ She replied: ‘No peer-pressure.’

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I ask you –

What on my list reasonates with you?

Do you think my spin-off title will endear me to anyone?

Share your best joke!

Day in Photos, pt 921

“Day in Photos” started when I realized there were a lot of photos in my phone that maybe didn’t fit whatever topic I was writing about during the day/week. Now look at it. Just look at it! It’s become a successful way to share a whole bunch of photos, very few words, and still count as a blog post!

Let’s begin –

brand

I’m madly in love with my logo and what my sister gifted me with on our birthday: branded apparel. I truly enjoy advertising for other small, local, women-owned, military-owned, etc brands – and will continue to do so – but I also need to share my own!

oh the drama

No matter how many times I say ‘the foam roller is not a toy’ it never fails to become a group activity. Not really a group type of girl. Solo foam rolling is much appreciated. Unbeknownst to me, some people have no clue what a foam roller is or what it does. All I can say is it hurts so good!

sister, sister

Leaving you with this photo of my twin. It’s been nice catching up lately. Never a dull moment when she’s around!

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I ask you –

How often are you shocked at the number of phone photos you have amassed?

Are there items in your home with the designation “not a toy'”?

Tell me your sibling(s) name(s)!