THE RULES
1. Post these rules.
2. You must post 11 random things about yourself.
3. Answer the questions set for you in their post.
4. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.

RANDOM THINGS
1. I wear a mouthguard OR retainers at night.
2. I now wear a wrist brace at night too. I'm dead sexy.
3. I think Dean Karnazes is a little blow-hard-ish.
4. I like making up new words like "Blow-hard-ish"
5. Crossfit scares me.
6. Things on my desk right now: 4 coffee cups, Curel lotion, hand sanitizer, neutrogena lotion, Trader Joes Organic Blue Agave Sweetener, phone, Pillars of the Earth, and lots of crumbs. And an unopened fortune cookie.
7.I am very indecisive.
8.I have 15 library books in the trunk of my car.
9.I like to cuss. A lot.
10. My current favorite "adult" beverage is kaluha and soymilk.
11. I make up secret nicknames for most people.


11 NEW QUESTIONS:
1. Which movie/tv show/character most resembles your life? Modern Family.

2. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? "Life isn't fair".

3. What was your ultimate dipshit moment (so far)? There are so many to chose from, but probably when I inadvertantly cussed out a teacher who was in a bathroom stall--I was in 6th grade.

4. Marry, f*ck or kill: choose either group – (a) Val Kilmer (current, not young version), Kevin Federline and Russell Brand; (b) Lindsay Lohan, Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton. I'd kill them all.

5. Which country would you most likely be arrested in and/or shot at and why? Probably afghanistan because I'm an outspoken female who doesn't like to be covered from head-to-toe in a black bag. And I don't like listening to what men say because they are usually wrong.

6. Which person (alive or dead) would you most want to bitchslap? See any from #4 above.

7. Which special talent or skill do you wish you had? The ability to not need any sleep.

8. Who or what would you consider to be your archenemy? This guy.



9. Pop or soda? What the heck is POP? Do you mean pop rocks? Soda of course.

10. What’s your favorite holiday? THANKSGIVING!!!

11. How would you prefer the apocalypse to go down? I prefer it takes all those who believe in the apocalypse. Those of us unbelievers, can stick around.

That's it for now. .. Every blog I read has already been tagged... So I won't be tagging anyone else. If i've missed you, consider yourself tagged.

Paula Deen: The Queen of Mean or just Obscene?

The recent news that Paula Deen, the Queen of southern cooking-- the woman who peddled deep fried butter-- has acquired Type II diabetes didn't come as a shock to me. I have watched her program once or twice. I saw her laugh and giggle as she made a breakfast burger out of donuts and meat. I was surprised that she didn't deep fry it.


I don't care for her style of cooking, personally. It is unhealthy --full of fat, sugar and salt. But this is a free country and people are free to chose to eat what they want. And they do--even if it is garbage.

The thing that gets me, is that she knew about her Diabetes for 3 years and within that time, wrote and sold several cookbooks with the same unhealthy diet. In other words, she made money promoting the same food choices that led to her diagnosis.

Now she is teaming up with a company to be their spokesperson for a new diabetes drug. That just seems, ICKY to me. It is as if she has no conscience.

Promote grotesque food, acquire a disease that WILL SPEED UP YOUR DEMISE (sorry Paula, your pitch that "Diabetes isn't a death sentence" is inacurate. People with even well managed diabetes die an average of 15 years earlier), and then sign on to be the public face of a new drug for the ailment. Something is rotten in in Paula's Kitchen. Perhaps it is her colon?


She is right when she says "practice moderation". But is deep frying butter really moderate? Really? Does anyone believe that? I'm not a "moderate" person by any means,and I've NEVER DEEP FRIED BUTTER.




I'm trying really hard not to be the food nazi here, but at what point does she take ownership of promoting such an idiotic food plan? Is she the devil as Anthony Bourdain says or is she simply a good capitalist who turned her "lemon" into "lemonade"? What do you think?

Fear-based living

I'm still sad, confused and scared from the outcome of the story of Sherry Arnold. I didn't know her and in all likelihood never would have met her. Her death has had a profound effect on me though. After reading SUAR's post and the news of Sherry's death I started to see the bad out there. I saw it everywhere. SUAR can concentrate on the good, but I was having a really hard time. I refused to go for my morning run, convinced that someone "bad" was out there. When I ran a short run in broad daylight, I had pepperspray in hand, ready to shoot it at anything that looked menacing. Basically, I was living in total fear.

I hate violence against women. I abhor it to a degree that makes my blood pressure go up anytime I hear of a woman (or child) being hurt, maimed, killed, tortured by some asshole who has mommy issues. I don't know that my feelings are all that unusual, but I also have personally been a victim of violence directed at me--I was an easy target at the time; 5'2"; 90 lbs; and a need to try to "fix him" so he would "really love me." I know, totally stupid, but I was 19 and in love for the first time. For 5 years, I accepted the unacceptable hoping that THIS time things would be different. He would change or I would change enough that his temper would get better. I finally walked away with my dignity in shreds.

I am not wanting to make this a post about "ME ME ME" but the news of Sherry struck a nerve. We were both the victims of violence and her death has unfortunately effected my day to day life. I no longer feel that I can simply run in my quiet neighborhood. I feel on edge. I feel that I must carry pepper spray, my GPS, my phone and maybe even a handgun. A little overboard, but I feel as if I am a target-- as if ALL women are targets simply because we carry two X-chromosomes.


When time came for my satuday run, I couldn't do it. It was broad daylight outside; 10 a.m. and chilly. I had the excuse of a sick child, but in reality it was difficult to motivate myself. Unlike several other bloggers, I am not brave. I didn't go out running. I stayed home and sulked.

Sunday came and I tried to find an excuse to not run. I didn't want to leave RugRat#2 since she still wasn't feeling well. Husband was going out of town for a Crit (bike race) and would be gone all day. I ate my breakfast. I sat and looked at my shoes and running clothes. I was supposed to run 10 miles. I stared and contemplated my life, Sherry's life and how random violence against women could horribly effect generations of a family.

Then something weird happened.

I quit thinking and put on my running clothes and laced up my shoes. I got my IPOD, my GPS, my water and my MACE. And I went for a run.

I won't pretend that I wasn't frightened, or that there was some sudden freak bravery that came my way; or that I was Forrest Gump trying to outrun the pain of Jenny leaving him.

I ran because I didn't know what else to do. Running is who I am, and I would be damned if that was taken away from me because of idiots who happen to share the world with me. I had my MACE in my hand the whole time I ran. When my GPS read "5 miles" I did an extra half mile--I might say that I did it for Sherry-- but I did it for myself as well. I wanted to have 11 miles under my belt for the day.

Am I brave? No. Am I stubborn? Hell Yes. I will still run outside as much as possible. With trepedation and fear, but I will keep doing it, MACE in hand, 911 on speed dial of my fully charged phone. If I need to carry a handgun in my waist pack to feel safe and run, I will do it. But nobody is going to take away my ability to run. Nobody--not even myself. I won't let my own fear stop me.



One final note: Fuck those hillbilly asshole evil-doers that are hurting people. Fuck'em!

This is my own personal reaction to the story of Sherry and I realize that it may be totally out of the ordinary for someone else.

Had a shitty day

I had a shitty day today.
Sometimes there just aren't enough rocks.

Learning Every Day

There are a lot of little rumblings going on in my head. Sad things, frightening things that occur in the world and I am trying to make sense of them while being thankful for the great life that I have. It's hard to balance ...

• I recently learned that two local race directors, Bob and Linda Mathis, who's race I did last year in Cool, were killed on December 30, 2011 while crossing the street. I spoke with each of them right before and after my race and I was impressed with their love for the sport of trail running. Although I didn't know them in any way more than a passing conversation, I am so very sad for their passing. They had a respect and pure love of the sport that can't be faked.
  
  
• As many of you have undoubtedly seen, Sherri Arnold has been missing since saturday morning in Montana. She left for her usual early morning run and hasn't been seen since. Only a running shoe has been found in a ditch nearby. The FBI has arrived and is continuing with the search for Sherri. I don't know her, but I am so sad for her family enduring such a horrific ordeal.
  
  I am hoping that Sherri is found safe and sound, and that the Mathis family has some peace after such a horrible event.
  
  
  --K
  

There will be no resolutions

I try not to indulge in resolutions. One could say that I resolve not to make resolutions but every year I mess up and after a couple of beers on Dec 31st I think, "No more fried foods! No more sugar! I'll do an Ironman this year!!"

• This year, I made the same resolutions to eat healthier, yada yada.
  
  
• I broke my first resolution on Jan 1 at 9 a.m. by making and eating stacks and stacks of pancakes.
  
  
• I somehow got talked into pacing someone at AR50 –most likely the last 9 miles from rattlesnake bar to the finish. See that sudden incline at the very right of the grid--that's the part I'm supposed to help with.. Yeah I laughed at that too.
  
  
• I’m pretty sure I can’t manage to do the Pasadena marathon since it will cost me over $500 (flight/hotel/registration, etc)
  
  
• The Modesto Marathon is too close (only 6 weeks) for me to feel that I can get ready adequately.
  
  
• During my first track workout of the year, I felt every single piece of pecan pie, peach pie, apple pie, hot cocoa, bloody mary, and Mai Tai I’ve indulged in over the past few weeks. Every. Single. One.
  
  
• I got on my bike twice this year already. I’ve got a 3rd and 4th ride planned.
  
  
• I still haven’t swam despite a friends’ pleading that I do the Auburn Triathlon on May 20th.
  
  
• Because I was feeling lousy about the marathon issues above, husband came up with some hairbrained scheme for me to simply map out runs that are 26.2 miles long around our area and run those. He even said he would work as support crew for me. He suggested I try to do one in the immediate 5 county area—one in each county and then expand to include every county in California. Some people try to run marathons in all 50 states; I run in all 58 counties in california. Cute. I like to swing for the fences here folks...
  
  
  
• I joined a new biking group. They seem awfully nice and supportive.
  
  
• I am trying to keep craziness and crazy/emotionally sucking people out of my life, but they keep finding me.
  
  
• This is because they are all in my family.
  
  
  
• I still don’t have a new phone since the Mai Tai Incident in Hawaii. Not sure if I want an Iphone 4S or if I should wait for the Iphone 5. Or should I just get a Motorola Droid Razr. Fk I don’t know.
  
  
  
• RugRat#2 made a great vegan dinner from scratch the other day. She picked out the recipes herself, chopped all the veggies and got everything organized. It was the best meal I’ve eaten in a long time. Fettuccine with mushrooms/garlic and marsala wine sauce and Sicilian stuffed Tomatoes. Delish!
  
  
• RugRat #2 and I participated in the Resolution Run once again this year. She got 3rd in her age group (again) even though she puked during the run. I managed to move from AG 9th to AG 7th and PR’d on the course by about 1 minute. Hurray!
  
  
• I still haven’t decided definitively on any races for the year. I am registered for Shamrockn half marathon and the Superbowl Sunday 10k. Other than that, everything is up in the air.
  
  
• Running with Merrill Pace Gloves is fun but very very scary. I'm going to keep going with it though and see what happens. An interesting note is that I find that my regular ASICS running shoes feel like big heavy bricks on my feet and I keep stumbling when I wear those.