Today I...

... went for a two-mile walk
... made a dent in cleaning up my bedroom
(filled a large garbage bag - more to come!)
(and that's when I found that quote I posted earlier)
... washed all my sheets, blankets, and pillow cases
(I'm looking forward to bed tonight!)
... went to lunch with a friend
... cleaned out the aquarium
... cleaned out a fishbowl
(I decided that the two other bowls can wait - their occupants died and were disposed of long ago)
... washed both dogs
(and got 'help' from my nephew - who soaked us both in the process ~ I let him take charge of the hose)
... went for a 'little walk' with my nephew and the dogs
(where the four of us all dried off)
... made whole wheat pancakes for my nephew's dinner
(so good that I had to have some too)
... did a little cleaning up in the yard with my dad
(very little)
... talked to a friend whose slogan should be 'for all your welding and haircut needs contact...' because she does both
(how cool is that?)
... went to bed early
(well, not yet, but I'm planning on it)

and all because I submitted (another) draft to my committee on Thursday

~and good night~

Not Sure When I Wrote it Down -

'We take our own standards of life so much for granted, that we simply have no conception that they are not universal.'

- CD Williams, 1941

also --

'Tues - work, dead
- busy (or lazy?) night @ home
Wed - work, dead
- up to Draper for Devil Wears Prada
- left right after
Thurs - work, dead
- watched 'Rope' Jimmy Stewart Hitchcock movie
- packed for CA
Fri - work, dead left @ 11:30
- Dom and Jen's - airport around 1:20 (flight @ 2:20)
- delayed for engine trouble
- just read book contains two plane crashes
- guy that told me my flight was late did this weird scratching thing on my arm
- left @ 5:40
- gorgeous sunset - fiery red, golden orange, clouds divided layers of color, silhouette of mountains - fabulous
- arrived in Vegas
- plane @ our gate delayed getting off'

~ the first thing is a good quote
~the second thing is some weird itinerary thing I wrote down in which I obviously 'died' a lot...
~ i think it was when i was on my way to CA to surprise my sister (i had coordinated the trip with my bro-in-law) and my flights kept getting delayed.

So Beautiful.

And so much what I've needed lately.
Thanks Becky for posting it!

Bryce Canyon Half - In Pictures

the drive in:

the manager of our motel - The Padre Motel - giving us a history lesson
on the area around Bryce

the 'padre'

the manager's stash of books of mormon in many, many languages

annikki scored a new German version from the manager

cowboy blues - fine dining
they boast 'the best margaritas in town' but it doesn't
take much for them to admit that they're the
only margaritas in town
~they're the only place with a liquor license~
there were maybe six dinner options on the menu, but the service was great and really friendly

so happy to be on a bus before 5 am

even happier they have fires while we wait for the start

runners getting ready to go...

scenery from the race

the girl in the red on the left turned and said, 'you're doing awesome!' as they passed. she couldn't have been more than 15 - but i'm thinking she was even younger. what a sweetheart. i saw her friend (sister?) turn to her after but i didn't hear what she said. the first girl's response was - 'i'm just trying to encourage her.' so sweet.

check out the population...

scenery from the drive home
we took the back way
and didn't regret it - such a gorgeous drive!

the Bryce Canyon half was awesome. i might have to do it again. it's such a beautiful run with a lot of downhill.

despite my being untrained for it (see my time...) i really enjoyed it and am fast recovering.

{More}* Words of Wisdeom

*'more' because i'm sure i've used that title before, but i'm too tired (substitute busy, lazy, etc.) right now to find out for sure. even with the cool search feature on my blog.

Speaking of my love for Sabrina... (which I was doing just recently)

'You seem embarrassed by loneliness; by being alone. It's only a place to start.'

I'd much rather hold on to that than,

'La vida es sueno... - Your life is a dream and now it is over!'
(say that with a Spanish accent and it sounds fierce)

although that may be a good thing to remember every once and a while...

A Few Things. All Connected. At Least in My Head.

1 - As I've mentioned in recent posts - I've gained weight recently. I blame it on my thesis. And my apparent (sometimes complete) lack of willpower/self-control when I'm stressed out over my thesis. Which is almost constantly.

Today, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror.

I did not like what I saw.

My first (and only, really) thought was - 'I'm fat.'
(before you go needlessly jumping into platitudes/explanations/sympathetic mumblings, please hold. that's not the point of my story)

I walked out and immediately saw two women who were bigger than I. One of them muchly so (I know that's not a word). My first thought was (as I've been told by my oldest sister on numerous occasions) - 'Some people would kill to have my body.' to which I add - 'and if they wouldn't, they should.' (not that I'm being vain - see above.)

Not that that makes me want to stay where I am, but I can appreciate the fact that I'm not as bad as I could be.

Thank heavens.


2 - I went running tonight.

For the first time, in way, way too long.

Especially considering that I'm signed up to run (I mean walk) a half marathon next weekend.

However, it's in Bryce Canyon and I figure it will be a beautiful walk/run and I can enjoy it for what it is.

The run tonight felt great, by the way. I remembered how much I love running.

Even on a treadmill.

And compared to outside running, I hate treadmill running.

But Sabrina helped me.

Have I mentioned how much I love that movie?

maybe once.

or twice.

or three times...

... or four.

But not enough, I'm sure.


c - I'm totally not on track to lose 30 by 30... sadly.

However, I can still do it. I've just got to be more invested. And start acting on it. 1.67 lbs a week for the next 18 weeks (exactly!) and I've got it. I can do this.


4 - I eat better when I exercise. Which is why I made myself get on the treadmill tonight. I went to a Relief Society presidency meeting in my running clothes so I wouldn't have an excuse when I got home.

It worked.


e - I'd say more. Because I'm sure there was more. But I've forgotten what it was.

And I was hoping to be in bed by 10. Which isn't going to happen since it's 9:58.

And I still need to shower.

Because I went running.

Did I mention that? (:

Oh Yes I Did. And It Was Fun.

Here it is in the news:

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

And here's proof that I did it:

and I'm totally in it.
don't believe me?
check me out at 1:53 - that's the first time you see me...
(: