Setting the Bar High

So the New Year is upon us and this means new beginnings and new resolutions. Normally I do not set resolutions because I find like most people, I never full fill them. Though from this past years resolutions, Eat better and dress nicely one a week has ebbed and flowed but has probably been the most successful out of my 24 years of resolutions...Hmm, now that I think about it. I probably have only been setting resolutions for about 10 years. Interesting...

Back to the point, this year I have set the following:
Only eat one sugary thing per day
Do at least 30 minutes of exercise a day
Read all the books you have not read but are sitting on your bookshelf.

Now, doing the 30 minutes of exercise and eating less sugar are probably going to be easy (except for that time of the month, oh boy that is going to be difficult) but I realized today when I did my inventory of my books that I have 84 books I have not read on my bookshelves. I really think this is going to be the hardest thing to do. I have a list of the books I need to read on my List of Books Read page.

Have a Wonderful New Year everyone! :)

Yule

The shortest day of the year is upon us! Which means that the sun will become more prominent as each day passes! The Oak King has defeated the Holly King, and with his defeat the Oak King brings light and hope. So light a candle, be thankful and celebrate the coming of the light as the wheel turns to start another year.

My Yule Tree

Brrrr....It is cold outside!

Today was a day of adventures. The car got a flat tire which ended up not having any problems with it other then low air. Weird, but I was cold this morning when the weather was bitterly cold at negative nine degree Fahrenheit. This afternoon as I walked to pick my car up from the garage down the street, it was ten degrees Fahrenheit...Whoa it was warm!! :) Tomorrow will feel hot at twenty three degrees Fahrenheit!! I am so excited. I love winter in Wisconsin, especially when you can say twenty three degrees is warm! :)

Winter's Loving Embrace

Snow, ice, wind and cold. The elements which bring everyone's memories of sweat dripping from their bodies from the hot and humid weather of summer into mind and longs for those days. I always find it funny, for I do the same, when in the depths of winter, we long for the hot days of summer. Then when summer comes the joys of winter, like Broomball, skiing and hockey are missed but not the weather which allows for the winter fun. But yesterday as I was wandering around the city obtaining the gifts for my loved ones for the Holiday Season, I watched the cars make their way along the slick and slippery roadways. I thought how a fawn or any young long legged animal taking their first steps or watching an animal walk across ice. The awkward movements and slow pace was a vision which cheered me up as I waited in traffic for three quarters of an hour.

The tree outside my window has most of the snow fallen off of smaller branches but small ice globs encase the tips causing the light to reflect off of the small ice drops. The tree looks like small lights are shining off the ends of the branches. Even though the trees are sleeping, I enjoy the winter days. The sleeping earth awaiting its shift to bring the warmth of the sun back and allow all the trees and small plants to awaken and make the world green again. Spring will be wonderful. But for now I will enjoy the crisp mornings and the enjoyment of skidding across the sidewalk as the ice forms every morning.

The Wheel Turns

The year ages and soon the days will be equal with light and dark. The birth of the sun will give all hope that the spring will be near. The light will start to linger longer before he sets in the west. Yule is upon us, rejoice!

Our first snow fell last night and within six minutes of being awake and out of bed, I was out side playing. A snow angel was made and snow fights ensued. Now the neighbors are awake and the landlord is moving snow. The clean, pristine snow land I woke up too is no more. The tree in front of my apartment is nearly undisturbed. I feel that I should name the maple in the front yard. I sit and look upon the maple every day. He bore beautiful golden leaves this fall and I did not take a picture, I regret my laziness at capturing the beauty of autumn.

I hope people say home or spend the day with friends and family. Today is not the day to spend shopping, but a day to be happy for who you are with. I am missing my alumni track meet today because of the holiday shopping season. I was angry but I understand sacrifices must be made for others to have a good day. I hope UW-Platteville Track members and alumni have a good day. I am reliving the old days...

Go Runners!!

Safe Travels

Travel Safe to one and all. Stay warm and dry!

A Year and A Day

I looked at an almanac today and I realized how much changes in a year.

November 23rd 2009 I was coming home from GIS waiting for tuesday to end so I could go home on Wednesday for Thanksgiving.

Novemeber 23rd 2010 I am waiting to go to work at one of two part time jobs, engaged and not doing what I thought or dreamed I would be doing as a twenty four year old woman. I am living down the street from the hospital that I was born in.

November 23rd 2011I will be a quarter of a century old and married.

November 23rd 1986 I came home from the hostipal for the first time having been born two months early.

In a year life will change and it is amazing to think of what you accomplish in a year and all the times with friends and family. I was told today by an seamstress that times like Thanksgiving or Christmas, whether you think the holiday is commercial, overrated or not of your religion, those days when all your friends and family come together are the days that break up life and make life worth living for, worth remembering.

It is is a little early, but Give Thanks to all who are in your life.

In a funk.

I have felt like I have been in a funk for a while. I cannot seem to know why or what is causing the rut which I find myself in. I sit to write, and get a page written before I am zapped creatively or I feel that if I write anything it will be changed the next time I sit down. Or if I go for a run, I feel good but the next day there is no drive to get out and repeat. I sat and read but after about half an hour, I feel sleepy and decide to get up and do something else so I do not fall asleep early again. I sat in the circle today. While in the circle, I decided that I wasn't focused enough to talk but I reverted to the beginning exercises. Then I fell off the wagon and my mental strength failed. I wish I could stand out side and let the wind blow away the cloud which surrounds me...deep breath...I will turn on some Harry Potter book on CD and crochet the blanket I am making for Katie. 


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Turning to better subjects then my complaining about my mental attitude, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 was very good. I saw the movie with my fiancee's friend and wow...what a great movie. Sad, but now we are at the point where ground is gained and the stand off is close at hand. Evil will be defeated but at a cost...I cannot way for July. 


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Days to Remember

Dedicated to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Cross Country Runners.
Congratulations to the fourth place finish at Nationals! Congrats PK and Garvens on the All-American status!! 


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There are days as you are puking at the side of the M after running up the steps twice because Coach thought it was a good idea. That is a day to remember to tell freshman at Pigeon Lake.

There are days when you are running around the indoor track thinking that after a 100m, 200m, 300m, 400m, 800m that you are halfway done. That is a day to remember to when you ran your PR in the race of your choice (MDs all the way!!).

There are days when you step up to the line with the best runners in the Nation and look out over the first three hundred meters, feeling the adrenaline pumping through your veins as you watch the race official race the run. That is a day to remember when you cross the line and start to plan for the next season.

There are days when you step over the finish line for the last time. That is the day to remember all the great times you had as a distance runner.

There are days when you pull out your awards and dust them off. Place them on the shelf and you stand back and admire with a smile. Then all the good times and accomplishments are not tarnished by time or pettiness. That is the day you pass one more person and push a little harder on your run.

There are days when you pull down your All-American Trophy, Participation medal, and Conference medal to show your grand kids that at one point in your life you were one of the fastest runners in the nation. That is the day when you remember every single moment of your running career and relive it though the eyes of the young runner in front of you.

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Whoooosh...

I feel like I cannot wait for the weekend. Even though I work both days of the weekend but the fact that it is Friday nearing lunch, I just cannot wait for everyone to be doing something so they are not posting dumb things on facebook. Then I just realized as I went to go and state in a rather irritable state that if someone doesn't want to know about a movie, or a game or what ever you are not up to date on then do not read it...but then I realized I needed to take my own advice. So that blew all the steam out of my slight rant.

But back to my normal self, I love The Mists of Avalon. I did not find a lot of time to read this weekend and I am still on book one but it's great. Vivianne and Morgaine are great. I am interested in the younger life of Arthur and the little glimpses of Galahad are great! Maybe tonight I will brew a pot of coffee and read all night. :)

I love gray, cold November days. I just wish I could stay inside and read and write about Alistair. Instead I get to make people happy by selling them pretty things. But Alistair's Story is going well. I'm still running into difficulty with making him a bumbling, awkward young man, but I think I am getting there. I hope. :)