tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291776062012-01-26T13:11:03.326-08:00Lounoreply@blogger.comBlogger4731100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-69715588404896211522012-01-24T11:14:00.000-08:002012-01-24T15:58:16.670-08:00

I woke up this morning to an unexpected email from a friend of a friend. Truth be told, I remember the friend, and I remember the party, which was in the summer during marathon training in 2008. I don't remember getting on my "Running Changed My Life" soapbox, but let’s be honest, it's not exactly a leap to believe that I might have said something like this: Hi Lou, I am a friend of G's and we

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-28448694658598490292012-01-23T14:25:00.000-08:002012-01-23T14:25:44.543-08:00

You know what I love? Did the title of this post tip you off? I love burritos. I am pretty open to a wide variety of vegetarian, chicken or pork varieties, but my favorite burrito is pretty lame: It’s a vegetarian black bean burrito (no peppers), rice, corn salsa, a little bit of sour cream, a little bit of cheese, lettuce, guacamole on the side from Chipotle. Mmmmm... Chipotle. But there’s a

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-43823398281475077262012-01-18T18:28:00.000-08:002012-01-18T18:37:36.785-08:00

I’m always trying and subsequently failing to make my life more functional, which is why the slow cooker (or “crock pot”) has always appealed to me. The only problem, my hand-me-down crock pot had a cracked lid, which I learned after attempting to cook with it several years was probably contributing to my inability to make anything decent in the damn thing. So I bought a new one and set out to

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-28417183266978915262012-01-13T07:04:00.000-08:002012-01-13T07:04:55.886-08:00

Dear Friends and Strangers from the Internet, It's been awhile, hasn't it? Please excuse the new posts showing up in your Google Reader (or other reader). I'm bringing blog posts from Reading Cookbooks (the URL no longer exists) back over to A View from the Park. My intention is to start blogging again, and what better place than here, where it all began. But in the meantime, I want to make

Lounoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-8463703493317222132011-11-04T18:38:00.000-07:002012-01-18T18:39:21.838-08:00

Maybe I’m jumping the gun a bit, but with as fast as the days move lately, my mathematically-sound guesstimate is that 2011 will be over in approximately 15 seconds. With November here, I’ve become increasingly reflective--blame the weather--and I’m thinking a lot about what I have learned this year AND what I want to work on moving forward. I did have resolutions in 2011, and I’m glad to say

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-89399090780781940762011-11-04T13:00:00.000-07:002012-01-26T13:02:01.583-08:00

Maybe there’s a little chicken versus egg going on here, but the point at which I started liking my job pretty much coincided with the point at which I became a Zumba Fitness instructor. But let’s first recognize what this really means... I not only managed to fulfill one resolution (the one about my job), I fulfilled a second one: Start teaching Zumba. I was pretty serious about this goal last

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-8794357020133413272011-10-05T13:03:00.000-07:002012-01-26T13:04:25.658-08:00

The following gchat is real and has only been edited to maintain anonymity and support the theory that we can both spell. My lovely mid-20-something coworker gave me permission to post this, so I'm not being an asshole here or anything. I think she's hysterical, and she helps to keep my mind sharp by speaking in an acronym-rich young person code that I barely understand. But she explains it to me

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-56627907887901034542011-07-21T11:11:00.000-07:002012-01-13T11:12:24.239-08:00

I made food!

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-72053541295820552032011-06-06T11:26:00.000-07:002012-01-13T11:26:49.368-08:00

After a long weekend in St. Louis filled with family as well as Zumba activities, MM and I returned to our home (and our dog). I decided it was time to get the seedlings into the ground. Raised bed #1 Organization is not really my strong suit when it comes to... um.... most things. My garden is no different. With the exception of the herbs that I transplanted from pots to the ground, and the

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-28353944039302659172011-05-17T11:05:00.000-07:002012-01-13T11:10:16.382-08:00

Two Saturdays ago, on May 7, after several months of studying, I took the three-hour, 150-question ACE group fitness instructor exam. I took the test at the same time as a handful of other people, all taking either the group fitness exam or the personal trainer exam. One by one, every other person plowed through their test and left the room. Two-and-a-half hours later (and alone), I finally

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-87665567572595929742011-05-16T11:27:00.000-07:002012-01-13T11:51:43.888-08:00

One of the big bonuses of moving out to the suburbs is having a yard, and (if spring/summer ever makes it to the Chicagoland) I am really looking forward to planting my first vegetable garden. But, as with most things that are new to me, the world of gardening initially seemed complicated and mysterious. I started with a book called “Small Plot, High Yield Gardening,” which was helpful for some

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-53105740792043142182011-05-05T11:14:00.000-07:002012-01-13T11:16:11.777-08:00

For a long time, I looked into becoming a group fitness instructor even before I had a decent track record with fitness. Why? It always seemed like a really cool job to me. From time to time, I’d research this possibility, and the whole thing seemed very complicated. A lot of gyms require that you have a general group fitness certification from a national governing body, like ACE (American

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-11454155270134183732011-04-26T11:16:00.000-07:002012-01-13T11:21:02.863-08:00

I have to tell you, when we first got Barkley, even though I really, really wanted a dog, I was terrified that we had made a major mistake and turned our lives upside down to cater to the whims of an animal who would destroy our home, our possessions and ultimately, our marriage. Yes, melodramatic. But the fear, which I didn't realize I had until Barkley came home with us, was a direct result

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-90032855740072248242011-04-18T06:57:00.000-07:002012-01-13T06:58:04.094-08:00

For those of you who are lucky enough to not live in Chicago, you’ll be glad to know that where you live it probably did not snow last night. But here in Chicago, we had a dusting of white snow on the ground this morning, and I wore the big coat, the big scarf and a winter hat to work today. And no, we’re not in some time warp that has forced us to relive February over and over again; it is

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-47209960886881971202011-03-01T11:29:00.000-08:002012-01-13T11:52:02.389-08:00

I am thrilled that March is here. I’m hopeful—fingers crossed—that the worst of winter is behind us (but you never know in Chicago!), and I’m grateful that the sun is still out when I get home from work. It’s not quite spring, but the signs that spring will in fact come again are finally here. Winter in Chicago is kind of becoming like my yearly gynecologist appointment. Every year it gets

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-17533988984478311822011-02-21T06:47:00.000-08:002012-01-16T06:50:38.858-08:00

On Saturday, running buddy Meg and I ran four miles on the lakefront path. While it wasn’t the greatest run for her, it was good for me. It was sunny and the air was crisp. The temperature, while still cold, wasn’t too bad, and it was nice to be outside. Overall, I was happy with my “long run” of the week. On Sunday, I decided to ditch my usual Zumba class (which is actually now called “Dance

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-35825680626250712722011-02-20T06:55:00.000-08:002012-01-16T06:56:52.294-08:00

For those of you who haven't heard the exciting news... Meet... Barkley! Yes, MM and I have a new family member. We met him at an adoption event on Saturday for a rescue group called Magnificent Mutts. Most of the dogs at the event were puppies, but Barkley was so sweet and calm, I gravitated toward him right away. We think he's a flat-coated retriever mix, and they told us he's about a year

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-41976261974500015172011-02-17T06:57:00.000-08:002012-01-16T06:58:03.501-08:00

Back during the New Year’s Resolution posting craze, I mentioned that one of my big focuses for 2011 was to become a Zumba instructor. To get this rolling, I need to get certified as a group fitness instructor. Getting certified seems to be a daunting task. First of all, there are a few associations that certify, and there’s really no definitive information out there as to why you should choose

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-9532205473085855592011-02-16T11:58:00.000-08:002012-01-17T12:00:43.722-08:00

Wow. I neglect the internet for two days and my reader is crazy filled with blogs to read. Man, this has been one of those weeks. I spent the last two days in focus groups, coming in to work early, leaving work late, listening to people talk about stuff for hours, and wishing I had some of those nifty glasses with the eyeballs painted on them so that I could take a nap. I have never been so

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-85371918575771382312011-01-31T11:55:00.000-08:002012-01-17T11:58:09.075-08:00

Meal planning is major key to leading a somewhat organized existence, especially once you’re a bit older and have to account for another person’s (or other people’s) meals as well. In my house, I take care of the grocery shopping and cooking, so meal planning falls under my domain. Planning takes time and energy, but the payoff is big. It dictates your grocery list, helps you stay on track

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-53442760040692620572011-01-26T16:01:00.000-08:002012-01-24T16:02:13.227-08:00

Spoiler alert: The answer is Julia, always, without question. Continuing on my journey of food reading that basically came out of nowhere, I decided this time ‘round to go with a slightly more current pop culture choice—not terribly current because I like to be fashionably behind the times, but you know, a little bit of pop nonetheless. For reasons I cannot explain, I chose Julie and Julia: My

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-31811809482074883252011-01-20T16:05:00.000-08:002012-01-24T16:06:07.545-08:00

Don’t they say that moving is one of the most stressful life events after divorce, death and major illness? (To be honest, I looked this up on the Internetz and moving is not at the top of the list or even in the top 10. It clocks in at No. 32 or something after events like “sex problems.” Also on the top 50 list, pregnancy, jail term, beginning or ending school, and vacation. Good times for sure

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-45522176027054134352010-11-15T06:52:00.000-08:002012-01-13T06:54:48.348-08:00

This weekend my two best friends from college came to visit. I haven’t seen them since my wedding in August 2009. Seeing them is always bitter sweet. I’m the only one of the three of us who does not have children, so they (in Ohio) tend to come to me (in Chicago) where we can immediately fall into old habits uninterrupted: sitting on the couch, gabbing and eating Cheerios straight from the box

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-81357797517337104862010-11-15T06:42:00.000-08:002012-01-16T06:45:29.074-08:00

Are you from Ohio? Are you a fan of Skyline Chili? Are you, at this moment, thinking to yourself, “What the hell are you talking about Lou?” If you’re not already acquainted, please allow me to introduce you to a little phenomenon called Cincinnati-style chili. Simply put, it is chili served on top of spaghetti. In the September 2009 issue of Cooking Light, a new version: Cincinnati Turkey

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-70041429046409770842010-11-09T06:50:00.000-08:002012-01-13T06:51:22.146-08:00

Have I mentioned that I am not a fan of business travel? From what I hear, some people like it. Those are people who take advantage of it, and use their time in other cities to see and do new things. That's not really how I roll. Many years ago, when I began traveling for work, the biggest perk for me was being able to eat room service in bed (Side note: I always get a room with two double beds

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-76321573515692138352010-11-07T05:38:00.000-08:002012-01-13T05:40:04.223-08:00

On Saturday, I ran my final race of the 2010 season, the Hot Chocolate 15K. So far, 2010 has been busiest year of my adult life. MM and I went through a maddening seven-month process to buy our first home, which we began renovating in September; several of our close friends and family married this year, including my sister, a close cousin in MM’s family, and my two Chicago BFs; and we

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-713489174822589072010-09-14T07:15:00.000-07:002010-11-04T07:16:05.554-07:00

On August 21, MM and I ran the Madison Mini Marathon. Yes, this race report is about three and a half weeks late, but it feels like it could have been a lifetime ago considering everything that has happened since then. But that’s another story. I decided to do this race in lieu of a half marathon in Chicago for a variety of reasons. First of all, I missed the Chicago Rock n’ Roll half because my

Lounoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-89152383960659412022010-08-12T12:03:00.001-07:002010-11-04T07:14:49.706-07:00

In late July, I turned down an invitation to Chelsea Clinton’s wedding to attend a much more important union of two individuals: my sister and the infamous Lars. Sorry Chelsea, family comes first. I’m sure you understand. And of course, I was the matron of honor, so I had some responsibilities and speeches and dancing to do. It was not a commitment I could really blow off. Sarah and her maids

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-38696614897161841342010-07-20T12:38:00.001-07:002010-11-04T07:20:46.177-07:00

On Sunday, I ran the Fleet Feet Women’s 5K. I’ve had so many other things on my mind—things like our house deal potentially falling through if we don’t close by the end of the next week (long story), and our landlord refusing to allow us to stay a couple extra months while our house (if we get it) is being renovated—that after the race was over, I pretty much forgot that I had run it. But today

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-87707884070414428122010-07-02T09:39:00.001-07:002010-11-04T07:21:29.875-07:00

Maybe you’ve taken Bikram yoga. Maybe you haven’t. If you haven’t, all you need to know is this: Bikram yoga is yoga done in a sauna. Intriguing, yes? I’ve never been a super fan of yoga. I want to be a super fan of yoga. I want to be Zen-like and capable of bending my body into positions worthy of a Cirque du Soleil performer. I want to mindful and meditative. But mostly—let’s be honest—I just

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-84112703920835969982010-06-28T11:26:00.001-07:002010-11-04T07:22:25.290-07:00

It’s official. I am no longer 30. I am now knee deep into my thirties. Um… ankle… let’s say ankle deep. Is it sad that I keep checking Facebook to judge whether or not an appropriate amount of friends/co-workers/former co-workers/acquaintances/friends-of-friends/total strangers have wished me a happy birthday on wall? Or is this just the reality we live in? You know, the reality where we can

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-41448131871996331292010-06-21T10:19:00.001-07:002010-11-04T07:17:32.595-07:00

Alternatively titled: Chicken Thighs 42 Different Ways (OK, maybe not 42) I know. You are let down by the title of my post. You were hoping for boobs. Boobs! If that’s what you’re in the market for, you may as well move along. Nothing to see here except for chicken. Chicken! Back in 2008, I read the book Skinny Bitch. Veganism was sweeping the nation (Was it?). So I decided to give it a shot. I

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-150321682178940462010-06-15T09:35:00.001-07:002010-11-04T07:22:55.519-07:00

Well, I’m fashionably late to this party, yes? I saw the movie a full 10 days ago. I planned on writing something, but forgot, which probably says a lot about how much of an impression the movie left on me. But, I still want to say something damn it because I am woman, hear me roar. Or something. Here’s the thing about Sex and the City 2. It’s bad. You’ve probably heard this a dozen and a half

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-58387402225243011312010-06-10T11:19:00.001-07:002010-11-04T07:24:13.814-07:00

I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, “Lou, why am I staring at a picture of an ugly-ass house?” Well, I’ll tell you. That ugly-ass house will (fingers crossed, knock on wood, etc.) eventually be owned and occupied by myself and MM. MM and I admitted to ourselves a long time ago that buying a house and leaving the city (read: moving to the suburbs) was eventually going to happen. Based

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-7487011252398605622010-05-25T07:18:00.000-07:002010-11-04T07:18:55.958-07:00

OMFG. Season… I don’t know what season this is… of the Biggest Loser ends tonight. Set your DVRs! Holy shit! Confession time: I’m hooked on this show, if only in a love/hate kind of way. I hate the first weeks of the show, which tend to focus on extremely overweight people falling off treadmills and crying. It’s exploitive, bottom line. I hate when Jillian tries to play therapist to each and

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-90065250964766383522010-01-08T11:10:00.000-08:002010-01-08T11:10:51.650-08:00

You can find my latest here...

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-28198846626638859292009-12-22T18:34:00.000-08:002009-12-22T18:34:26.132-08:00

What's this hmmmmm?

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-82049026178349426592009-12-21T09:13:00.001-08:002009-12-21T09:14:04.114-08:00

Shhh... don’t tell anyone, but I’m spending the first of my last two days at “work” putting together my shopping list for Christmas morning brunch... Please read this post at http://www.louwrites.com/. And don't forget to update your reader...

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-85064685211346191432009-12-20T10:14:00.001-08:002009-12-20T10:14:54.958-08:00

Read this post at http://www.louwrites.com/. I am one of those lucky people who works for an organization that actually shuts down between Christmas and New Years. And yes, I still get paid. Technically, I am “working” until next Tuesday, but with a good portion of my office already gone for vacation, it’s hard to feel like these last few days before my 12 days of bliss-mas actually count as

Lounoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-21736597751172652392009-12-17T12:39:00.000-08:002009-12-17T12:41:41.880-08:00

I threatened to move my blog? No? Well, I've been sitting on the domain www.louwrites.com for a few years. For whatever reason, I feel now is the time to make the move. I'll be posting double posting and then eventually, I'll stop posting here. Please update/add me to your feed reader.

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-85283522079310130872009-12-16T08:16:00.000-08:002009-12-16T08:19:41.791-08:00

Recently I achieved something significant that I would like to share here. I paid off my credit card. OK… it wasn’t I so much as we, but it’s significant all the same. I’ve never been out of control with credit cards. I take that back. I realized fairly quickly that I had the potential to be out of control with credit cards, and I stopped using them. However, sometimes life intervenes and you

Lounoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-19311787737286937612009-12-15T10:24:00.000-08:002009-12-15T10:28:57.295-08:00

Gather ‘round everybody; it’s announcement time!I’ve been thinking, and maybe it’s a long time coming, or maybe it doesn’t need to be something I “announce,” but here I am, all “announce-y” and shit. So, without further ado, here it is: I know this blog has never solely focused on running and training for endurance events, but as a four-year veteran (?) of the blogging world, I am officially

Lounoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-42464520791187602812009-12-07T10:42:00.000-08:002009-12-07T10:48:11.089-08:00

MM and I will be spending our first Christmas as people married to each other in Chicago this year. It will be the first time I have ever not gone "home" to Ohio for Christmas so... maybe more on that later...Since we'll be spending at least part of the Christmas holiday in our apartment, I decided that a tree was non-negotiable this year. It's not the best photo, but I wrapped our tree in gold

Lounoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-88998596773759599742009-12-03T12:19:00.001-08:002009-12-03T12:23:46.409-08:00

Well, the other shoe dropped. It’s officially ass cold and snowing outside, and this morning, I broke out the big coat.Maybe you live in a more temperate and you don’t have a “big coat,” or perhaps you don’t even understand the difference between a big coat and that cute pea coat you wear when it’s “cold” in… oh I don’t know… south of the Mason-Dixon line.This is the big coat:If you live in

Lounoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-21642617821139497462009-11-06T14:48:00.000-08:002009-11-06T14:52:08.930-08:00

Dear Internetz,How can I polish off the remaining 25 minutes of work for the week of November 2, 2009? A blog post! That’s how.Do you remembethat? Maybe it didn’t, but for me, as I’ve gotten older, “weekend,” has become less “sleep in and watch Sex and the City reruns,” (aka my early through mid-twenties) and more “HOW MANY CHORES CAN I MANAGE TO CRAM INTO THE NEXT 48 HOURS AND STILL HAVE A FEW

Lounoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-80775615372589668762009-11-01T15:29:00.000-08:002009-11-01T15:34:31.874-08:00

It may have *only* been a 5K, but I fought like hell for it. Mark it down folks: November 1, 2009, Hot Chocolate 5K, 31:16 (10:04 pace) place 1,667 out of 4,473.

Lounoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-44778367878671874112009-10-30T07:57:00.000-07:002009-10-30T08:01:16.259-07:00

I’ve probably mentioned this in the past, but I have a bit of a contentious relationship with my gym. Of course there are a range of people who workout where I workout, but mostly, my gym is an aging frat boy heaven. In general, I have no problem ignoring this fact, even when I use weight room, which has an air of “No Girls Aloud,” but it is what it is.I don’t mind it so much, and lately, I'm so

Lounoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-44231183526820117812009-10-22T10:50:00.000-07:002009-10-22T10:57:09.468-07:00

In light of my new initiative, I decided it was time to set out on my own rather than follow someone else’s “diet” plan. I don’t want to diet. I do not want to mess with point systems, pre-made food, expensive services, books, fads, other equipment, shakes, pills, supplements, or a mess of “helpful” tips and articles about weight loss, diet, and exercise emailed to me multiple times a day. I

Lounoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-42619828837711229822009-10-09T20:05:00.000-07:002009-10-15T07:22:22.598-07:00

Can you believe it's been almost two months since the big ol' wedding? Yes, now I'm just old and married. It is good times though, and less stressful than say... planning a wedding. Am I right?Of course I am.In the confusion and craziness of the pre-ceremony wedding day preparation, MM's running/triathlon buddy and groomsman D managed to get his hands on my phone and used the opportunity to text

Lounoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-42849795940338045632009-10-08T10:32:00.001-07:002009-10-08T10:32:46.440-07:00

The Chicago Marathon is approaching. I don’t know how I’m going to feel standing out there, a part of the crowd on Sunday, but I do know that right now, with all that I have had going on the last three months, I’m somewhat relieved that there was something that I could let myself let go. I may be disappointed come Sunday when I jump in with Lindy for her last miles, but doubt I’m in for any long

Lounoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-66302976626577842009-10-04T20:28:00.000-07:002009-10-04T21:03:45.982-07:00

Five measly miles and my legs are sore. Achy sore, not needs-a-good-stretch sore. Not sure what's up with that.Saturday morning, I took my running to the lakefront path for the first time since my "injury." I was going to run approximately four miles, but I was having such a lovely time that I decided to add a little distance to that destination. So five it was.Lovely doesn't even begin to

Lounoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-5002010159370136142009-10-02T08:23:00.000-07:002009-10-02T08:25:16.102-07:00

Oh Internetz, it’s occurred to me that my blog has lost its way, strayed if you will, quite a bit from its original mission statement (something about “running,” if I remember correctly)… not to mention, my posting habits over the last six months have been less than par.For some reason I’ve thought about this blog a lot lately, and I decided, I will never force the direction of the topics I write

Lounoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-32504622619385549392009-09-22T06:15:00.000-07:002009-09-22T07:09:58.581-07:00

Is it just me, or is it crazy humid here in Chicago? I was all proud of myself for putting on a cute shirt today, and now I'm pretty sure back sweat is soaking through it. Oh right... like you've never had back sweat. Isn't your life just charmed? Let's face it people. Back sweat happens. It happens to best of us.But I digress...Back to the task at hand. Yesterday I did my first run post injury.

Lounoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-65836317377427519592009-09-17T12:15:00.000-07:002009-09-18T12:12:08.604-07:00

I’m in the midst of a completely unproductive day. For a few weeks now, I’ve been complaining that I literally have nothing to do at work. And this isn’t a “I have nothing that I want to do,” scenario; I literally have had nothing on my to-do list. I took to reading various University newsletters that were printed in July. Fun and relevant.But now, lo and behold, I have stuff to do. And here I am

Lounoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-12250043784917536472009-09-10T12:19:00.000-07:002009-09-10T13:46:30.496-07:00

This boot is made for walking...Don't freak out. This looks worse than it is. I went to Athletico yesterday morning for a screening, and they told me that the pain I was experiencing probably wasn’t a stress fracture, but the spot where my foot was bothering me… well… that’s a pretty common place for a stress fracture. To be sure, they said, it wouldn’t hurt to talk to a specialist and get an

Lounoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-71910838976289033102009-09-08T08:43:00.000-07:002009-09-08T14:41:51.889-07:00

Eventually soon, I will do a recap of the wedding (in pictures!), but right now, I am taking a break from our regularly scheduled programming to recount for you my recent training escapades. Novel, yes?I mentioned in passing that I did not run for 10 days. On the Thursday before the wedding, running buddy Meg and I had ambitious plans for a 16 mile run. It became clear that 16 miles would be too

Lounoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-73008254936096455302009-09-03T16:21:00.000-07:002009-09-08T14:46:46.047-07:00

Once upon a time, about a week and a half ago, MM and I went on a real vacation. There was no half marathon, no marathon, no triathlon, no family, big event, or holiday. No... we spent five days sleeping, eating, sunbathing, swimming, sleeping, reading, sleeping some more, and walking around in the blazing hot Cabo San Lucas sun. That's enough to make a couple of newlyweds hungry.So here it is,

Lounoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-83041843871569770612009-09-01T09:14:00.000-07:002009-09-08T14:46:46.048-07:00

Gosh there’s so much to catch up on. I’m back in Chicago, back at work, back to training (as of yesterday after a 10 day hiatus), back to reality, etc. It will probably take a series of posts to say all of the things I want to say about the wedding ceremony, the reception, the weekend in general, and of course, the honeymoon. Lucky you, right?I suppose I never really thought about how I would

Lounoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-9554175057100954422009-08-20T20:40:00.000-07:002009-09-08T14:46:46.048-07:00

This is it folks! The next time you see me 'round the Internets, I'll be a married lady. Here's a sneak peek at the goods...

Lounoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-20487906174229454422009-08-17T05:54:00.000-07:002009-08-17T06:15:02.090-07:00

There's probably not going to be a lot of posting this week. The wedding is a mere five days away, and despite the fact that it has been more than one week since I had a meltdown (yay!), my body seems to be picking up the slack. Something has to fall apart, right? In the last three days I have acquired the following: a fairly deep cut on my hand, a burn on my finger (bith kitchen related), a very

Lounoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-41219714646647195302009-08-07T07:10:00.000-07:002009-09-08T14:47:12.267-07:00

You’re probably sick of the wedding chatter by now, but for me, it’s an eat-sleep-breath scenario, so at least I’m blogging about something, right?The latest (and possibly last?) major element that needs to be finalized is the music. We have a DJ (who, after responding to my emails immediately, has gone mysteriously MIA without setting up our final meeting, and I’ll be honest, this is starting to

Lounoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-55040301613879186092009-08-04T07:19:00.001-07:002009-08-04T07:20:51.480-07:00

Ah man. Just so you know, I was in the middle of finger typing an entire race report on my Google phone when suddenly, POOF! The whole thing disappeared. Oh the horror. It was, without a doubt, the best blog post ever. Probably.So where were we? Yes. The inaugural Chicago Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon on August 2, 2009. I spent Saturday night preparing for the race--setting out my clothes, filling

Lounoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-28985486484358788122009-08-01T17:32:00.001-07:002009-08-01T19:34:49.224-07:00

Oh decisions. They are hard to make... sometimes that is. The hardest part about this whole wedding mess? The decisions... so very many of them... so little time.After being wishy-washy about dozens of details from the dress to the cake to the... oh right... state where we would hold the event, I finally decided that I did not need my sister to choose my hairdo thank-you-very-much. Not that she

Lounoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-7027448795909955302009-07-31T06:38:00.000-07:002009-07-31T06:39:18.383-07:00

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon isn’t until Sunday, but I’m already pissed something fierce about this race and making rash declarations of “never again!” Why?Well first of all, the Rock ‘n’ Roll franchise bought the Chicago Distance Classic, my first half marathon. But sentiment aside, that didn’t bug me so much. This is what bugs me:From the Final Race Information packet:You may only pick up

Lounoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-3820719334641704622009-07-30T08:25:00.001-07:002009-09-08T14:26:15.402-07:00

Dr. Praeger’sHave you have heard of this fella, Dr. Praegar? Well, on a whim, I picked up his Tex Mex Veggie Burgers while shopping at Trader Joe’s a few weeks ago. I figured it would taste like a Boca or Morningstar patty, but this guy’s veggie burgers are fan-freaking-tastic. Well, turns out he’s got a whole slew of low calorie, low fat products that look yummy, only I can’t find them anywhere

Lounoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-1506105552082502182009-07-29T08:11:00.000-07:002009-07-29T08:26:16.367-07:00

I have exactly three goals in life right now: 1) lose weight; 2) finish planning the wedding; 3) try not to majorly fuck up at the new job. And yes, you're in for another diet and weight lose post. Deal with it (You wanted me back! Well, two of you wanted me back, but that’s entirely not the point in my opinion.).This morning, I was thinking about yesterday’s blog post and what took me so long to

Lounoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-54303331941308926902009-07-27T07:48:00.000-07:002009-07-27T07:49:11.067-07:00

I tried, in vain, to write a blog post from my fancy schmancy new(ish) Google phone while sitting in the airport on Friday. Despite the obvious obstacle of finger typing, it was going fairly well, until I accidentally deleted everything. So… yeah. Sorry.I spent the weekend in Ohio at the last of my pre-wedding parties, a very “intimate” shower (code for small) with family members and a handful of

Lounoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-73788598529886922652009-07-18T21:14:00.000-07:002009-07-18T21:17:45.317-07:00

I know I suck. I haven't blogged in forever... long enough for the people who only think to click on some random link titled "Lou's Blog" in their Bookmarks once every two or so months to start asking questions.Are you dead?Hardly.I was just waiting until I had news. Real news. Good news. Brace yourselves.I fit into my smaller sized jeans.Collective gasp.The truth is they've *kind of* fit for

Lounoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-26494644381618885572009-06-09T13:56:00.000-07:002009-06-15T06:23:34.945-07:00

I’m pretty chatty. Not as chatty as some people, but on a scale of tight-lipped to very chatty, I definitely fall right of center. I tend to be open about the majority of happenings my life, not to mention the stuff that is pissing me off, and if I have a few drinks, I’ll probably tell you everything else. That is why the last couple of months have been an exercise in self control for yours

Lounoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-1650106539720868712009-05-31T18:00:00.000-07:002009-09-08T14:30:41.190-07:00

After a week off of work, which sounds awesome, and on one hand was ('cause you know, I didn't have to go to work), but really was kind of stressful and depressing for a variety of reasons. MM and I wasted a few days fighting over my general laziness and bad attitude about various crap; we spent one entire day driving out to a far suburb to attend a wake (I did not know this person); and sadly,

Lounoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-83099455340119275282009-05-28T19:08:00.000-07:002009-05-28T22:16:35.745-07:00

Holy hell. Are you into this? This hot mess (literally) known fondly as endurance running?It's only been a week and yet, I do not remember how we got here. MM said something to me about an interview on NPR or something about running, some book, Mexican ultramarathons, something...That's sounds nice dear.I'm kidding, I don't actually talk to him like that.Then like a day later, we're walking

Lounoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-86680729665328221852009-05-11T10:15:00.000-07:002009-05-11T10:27:52.663-07:00

Oh look, here we are at the start of another race, the… which one is it? The Indy Mini Marathon, 13.1 miles of pavement, including the race’s claim to fame--a 2 mile stretch around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.Here’s what I love. I love running a spring half marathon. I love traveling to a different city (even if it is Indianapolis) to race. I love lounging around a hotel room catching up with

Lounoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-48704835770542218832009-05-09T23:03:00.000-07:002009-05-09T23:07:58.085-07:00

I've received some requests lately, and by "some" I mean exactly two. One was for an Indy race report and the other was for some "non-running" related blogging. Ah the love. I feel it.Let's see. I'm going to give a quick wedding update because I actually did start and almost finish an Indy race report, but it's unfortunately saved on a different computer, so I'm not going to start from scratch.

Lounoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-52528135015629704562009-04-20T08:14:00.000-07:002009-04-20T08:20:08.527-07:00

Every time I post to this blog, I’m all, “So I have some news…” My life is basically one news item after another. Exciting stuff that is.Right… um… so I have some news. Following in the footsteps of Lindy and CR and others I’m sure, after much consideration, I accepted the offer to pace lead the 12 minute per mile half marathon training group this summer for Chicago Endurance Sports. Only the

Lounoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-91351311027560979072009-04-01T19:38:00.000-07:002009-04-01T19:50:42.105-07:00

Oh dear God, yes... I was there. And no, I don't really want to talk about it, but I will because that's what I do.I can't lie to you. If it weren't for MM, there is NO WAY I would have gone downtown to run that godforsaken race. I would have woken up, heard thunder, not even looked out the window to see, ta-freaking-da, Chicago covered in a blanket of white shit on Marchfuckingthirtieth, and

Lounoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-42166475473123429512009-03-23T15:39:00.000-07:002009-03-23T19:05:34.780-07:00

Question: What do business travel and registering for wedding gifts have in common?Answer: Nothing.Just kidding. I have another answer…Answer: Both sound really cool, but actually suck. Both are stressful, time consuming, and involve navigating crowds of people who are in my way. Assholes.MM and I registered yesterday after two months of me saying things like, “We really need to register,” and “

Lounoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-6639631014182518182009-03-20T11:36:00.000-07:002009-03-20T11:37:38.332-07:00

The time has come.Race Season 2009March 29: Shamrock ShuffleMay 2: Indy Mini-MarathonAugust 2: Rock n’ Roll Half Marathon (formerly the Chicago Distance Classic)October 11: Chicago MarathonSo, yes. I’m a little short on races--and no triathlons this year--but I think this is plenty considering that the wedding is August 22. Thank god that doesn’t interfere with any major races in the area. I know

Lounoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-81287470785441874472009-03-19T07:27:00.000-07:002009-03-19T07:31:05.371-07:00

Oh mah gawd, she’s alive.Yes. I have been remiss in blogging since… oh let’s see… late 2008, early 2009. I am well aware of my unintentional, unannounced hiatus. And, I admittedly have wondered more than a few times if perhaps this party is over.But who am I kidding? If there’s a party, chances are I’ll stay too late and drink too much. So, I’m here until you kick me out, which isn’t going to

Lounoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-56437668969728179272009-02-21T20:31:00.000-08:002009-02-22T06:35:50.135-08:00

Oh excitement people. Things are happening. Exciting things. But first, a story about how one (me) learns lessons, the life kind.Many, many years ago (six) I was accepted into an "innovative" graduate program at a "good" school in the Chicagoland area. I had applied to three other schools, but this school.. this was my "long shot;" it was the offer I couldn't refuse. And so, I moved to Chicago to

Lounoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-57094827142948744272009-02-10T18:08:00.000-08:002009-02-10T18:09:19.543-08:00

Is it really February 10? Because as far as I can tell, it's spring, and not shitty Chicago spring (drizzly, 40 degrees), but real spring with sun and mild temperatures and no excuses pardoning us from the long run because this... this is distance weather.Alas, it will be gone too soon.This weather, though a short reprieve, could not have come at a better time. It's been a rough couple of days or

Lounoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-65397447269467027762009-02-04T19:13:00.000-08:002009-02-05T05:21:50.552-08:00

My mom lives out in the country now. So driving 20 miles into Columbus during a level two snow emergency at 6am took us about an hour or so. We had already seen the Filene’s sale on the 5 o’clock news--that's a.m. ya'll--but these were the women wearing matching t-shirts who had set up tents on the sidewalk and camped out overnight. There weren’t too many.When we arrived at 7am, an hour before

Lounoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-19928478326291124752009-02-01T05:54:00.000-08:002009-02-01T06:06:44.437-08:00

I'm pretty sure MM doesn't actually have time to check my blog anymore, but if he does, I need to warn him not to look at this page. It's his choice, you see, not to want to see the dress.But you want to see it, right?So here it is on a skinny headless mannequin:Ta da!See that tag? It says "$249.99." For real.Massive train with beading. Oh and the dress isn't really that virginal white white,

Lounoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-56169387442838686942009-01-28T19:51:00.000-08:002009-01-29T09:05:35.036-08:00

I'm procrastinating right now. I'm leaving for Columbus tomorrow to willingly subject myself to both shopping and crowds, but not just any regular shopping or generic crowds, but shopping and crowds to the power of... at least 10... maybe more. Brides-to-be, their entourages, and a store full of seriously marked down to like next to nothing wedding gowns. Yep. I'm going to Filene's "Running of

Lounoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-82430232889655684452009-01-20T19:20:00.000-08:002009-01-20T19:27:06.953-08:00

So much to share these days. As it turns out, my “get shit done” attitude is taking precious time away from blogging.And apparently, I have a lot of shit to do. I know because “The Knot Dot Com,” the website you are forced to join upon engagement lest you be ridiculed by other brides-to-be for not being a… wait for it… “knottie,” has a list about three point one miles long with my name on it.

Lounoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-59629634589642971152009-01-07T18:38:00.000-08:002009-01-07T18:44:29.858-08:00

Oh please. You didn’t think that I, the Queen of Good Intentions, would actually let the new year pass without resolving to change some such nonsense.This year I’m going big. For the last several days… maybe more… I’ve had that Yoda quote going through my head:Do or do not. There is no try.Now, maybe I’m simple, and perhaps it’s a little obvious to derive inspiration from Star Wars, when – let’s

Lounoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-56855063567874875962009-01-03T10:30:00.000-08:002009-01-03T10:38:39.063-08:00

Don’t get me wrong. I love training for endurance events. I love thinking about it, talking about it, planning it, doing it. I spent my spring, summer, and fall 2008 preparing for and participating in multiple races. Running, biking, swimming, and the occasional strength training or yoga class for good measure – all of this takes time. A lot of time. It is, as they say, time intensive. Then of

Lounoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-10863516612349755232009-01-01T20:40:00.000-08:002009-01-01T20:41:52.754-08:00

I don’t know if you noticed this or not, but it’s January 1, 2009. That’s right folks… the season of weight loss commercials and overcrowding at the gym. But like any good old fashioned woman, I’m making some changes to commemorate another year lost to my bad habits. First off, I moved my computer. Now, I have one of those adorable MacBooks – the kind that you can basically haul around your house

Lounoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-70487278432782666472008-12-29T13:19:00.000-08:002008-12-29T13:20:10.482-08:00

I am decidedly non-religious. For me, religion, the church-kind any way, is like yoga. I go expecting to have some huge spiritual awakening… and… nada. It’s disappointing. I want to be enlightened; I want to be moved; I want a perspective-shifting moment of clarity.I was raised Catholic, but for a time when I first moved to Chicago, I thought I might find what I was looking for (whatever that was

Lounoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-85227049499612990122008-11-27T20:58:00.001-08:002008-11-27T21:01:10.899-08:00

Well thank god that’s over. So today was it, the end of race season 2008. My sister and I ran the Columbus Turkey Trot, and I got to tell you, perhaps I’ve been off the wagon a few weeks too long, but five miles felt something more like 25. It shouldn’t have been that way, but it was.Ah well. There’s really not too much to report about the race. It was poorly managed, kind of a shitty, boring

Lounoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-69673323775421234682008-11-25T12:57:00.000-08:002008-11-25T13:02:13.825-08:00

This may not be the best week to “report in” on my weight loss efforts since I will struggle not to spend Thursday on the couch with my sister eating leftovers two hours after Thanksgiving dinner, but hell, why not? Let’s do this thing.So, after one month following Weight Watchers as best I could, I have lost 7.4 pounds. Now, this is progress. I probably could have done better, but I could have

Lounoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-52035191409426354752008-11-20T19:48:00.000-08:002008-11-20T20:48:45.247-08:00

One week until Thanksgiving people -- the greatest holiday ever. Why? Because nothing is expected of you. No gifts, no crazy social affairs, all you have to do is sit on the couch and eat and watch awesome movies about teenage girls finding their fathers/friends/soulmates and/or participating cheerleading/quasi-cheerleading/dance/drinking competitions. And by you, I of course mean me.Oh

Lounoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-66427355487395094552008-11-14T09:48:00.000-08:002008-11-14T10:16:54.143-08:00

So, it happened… it was bound to happen… inevitable, if you will… I just didn’t expect to happen so soon.I cried -- my tears shed in the name of wedding planning. Really, it’s even planning at this point, more attempting to plan.This location mess is quickly becoming a saga, isn’t it? To quickly recap: MM and I looked at a A New Leaf, a venue for both our ceremony and reception and put it on hold

Lounoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-74088565640255775452008-11-13T09:35:00.001-08:002008-11-13T09:59:26.001-08:00

A few wise women/friends/confidants said, "Lou, it really sounds like you're not totally sold on this wedding venue. And, if you're not totally sold, you should stop worrying about putting down a deposit and just take your time to look at some other places." You know what they say... when you know, you know. Just like with MM. If I was as on the fence about him as I am with the wedding venue we

Lounoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-74344982567355617402008-11-12T13:16:00.000-08:002008-11-12T13:27:42.889-08:00

I’m home! Well, I’m at work, but I’m in Chicago, and that’s close enough. I couldn’t be more thrilled that my whirlwind tour de United States is O-V-E-R, at least for the time being. Word to the wise, business travel is not all its cracked up to be. Even with a dozen people traveling with you, there’s something very lonely about being on the road on a regular basis. At least that’s how I feel

Lounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-6101297503214269472008-11-09T20:06:00.000-08:002008-11-09T20:17:56.757-08:00

Ug. I feel gross. I’m in Greensboro, at a hotel that evokes a strange sense of deja vu or "I've stayed here before." In another life... But this is my last business trip until… wait for it… January! Hooray! In approximately 48 hours I will be back in my house with MM, and I will never leave again. Ever. Again. And I will force MM to be shut in with me, perhaps hibernating until spring. Then… we’

Lounoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-35986423657231928242008-11-04T23:06:00.001-08:002008-11-04T23:16:32.077-08:00

Holy crap.We did it people.It's over, and we live in an amazing country where amazing things can still happen. And here we are in Chicago, at the center of the Universe for all intensive purposes, for, at the very least, one night. We did it. The world can change. For the better. It has. And it will. We can have some faith now. We can be proud of our country again. And, most importantly, we can

Lounoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-78680994341495676542008-11-04T07:04:00.000-08:002008-11-04T07:41:09.904-08:00

Holy crap people. The wait begins. Why don't we get a vacation day for this mess? How can I be expected to "do work" when I need to be spoon fed mindless news updates about polling locations and other stuff like who's going to win this here election. You know. I think I'll stay home, glued to CNN, for a little while anyway.Mom may not be thrilled to hear this, but MM and I have a couple of these

Lounoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-60477386300408932352008-11-01T20:25:00.000-07:002008-11-01T20:36:27.640-07:00

OK. Like forever ago, I was “tagged” by Roisin, which is awesome as I have never before been tagged. I always felt like I was missing out on something with this whole tagging business. Now I’m part of the club. Woo hoo!So, six random things about myself… Let’s see… Sadly, you hear dozens of random details about myself nearly every blog. Regardless…Focus. Focus…OK. In honor of me and MM and our

Lounoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-65960176656609186662008-10-28T07:49:00.000-07:002008-10-28T13:00:32.849-07:00

First of all, before we get all caught up in all that other nonsense, there's something that has to be done.I have been remiss in thanking all of the wonderful people who helped support me as I trained for the Chicago Marathon and raised money for PAWS Chicago. From PAWS website:PAWS Chicago (Pets Are Worth Saving) is the city's largest No Kill humane organization, focused on alleviating

Lounoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29177606.post-91005809482379354132008-10-26T20:09:00.001-07:002008-10-26T20:10:37.368-07:00

Lounoreply@blogger.com13