T-100 Days to Chicago

This blog has taken a turn for the 3-Day, really its called 3-Day Addict so I better start blogging about the 3-Day! Its officially 100 days from Chicago and I'm only at 9 percent of my goal. I'm disappointed but then again I did change my tactics this year and went viral with my fundraising letter so I'm going to get the snail mail going here and step it up my stalking tactics.

Speaking of steps, I'm training again. Finally the allergens in MN decided to back off a bit so I can go outside without fear of repercussions of running nose, itchy eyes and feeling like I got my bum kicked the next day. Last Saturday I spent 3 hours outside then spent Sunday sleeping for 14...not ideal when you haven't finished unpacking from moving in January. I live alone, who cares if I'm unpacked but it does keep me from crafting.

Training for the 3-Day is no joke and if you are serious about the 3-Day you need to be serious about the training and everyone that's done the 3-Day knows..."The best training for walking is walking." That means lots and lots of walking. Yes, it is tedious but its worth it when you cross that finish line knowing you accomplished something amazing for a good cause.

Tonight my friend Peggy hosted a training walk at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and its tulip season or week, hence the picture above and beyond. I guess last week there were daffodils everywhere but I missed that one, I was at my second outdoor baseball game of the season :) That's another blog post though.

All day today it was cloudy but as we got started on our walk the sun came out and shined and it was the most perfect evening, except for the geese poop. Yeah, there were geese, poop and I did yell at the geese for honking at us because they had to move off the side walk.

6-miles in the perfect weather with 3-Day friends and beautiful surroundings. Shout out to the Arboretum for sponsoring the training events for us, so nice of them.

Of course I was going to take photos of the pink tulips, I was on a 3-Day training walk!

I received an email this afternoon from a co-worker informing us that has been diagnosed with breast cancer. It broke my heart at first, the nicest lady of course with a horrible disease. Just puts this entire day in perspective and makes my soar arches tonight feel not so soar knowing that what I am doing will hopefully find a cure. Punky, this flower is for you.

Make sure you do your self exam tonight.

Latest Obsession, Etsy

Okay if you know me, that’s not new but I realized after being employed again and getting a good paycheck, I had some money left over after paying my bills which is a first for me to finally be financially sound. It’s been a good year since I purchased something fun and rarely have truly shopped Etsy because I was afraid I’d buy the whole site. Now that I purchased some more items; I thought I’d do a little blog pimping on their behalf with their permission of course!

Note about my technical ability...I have no clue how to link to link the photo back to the transaction or sellers site so I linked the title.

Obsession/Purchase 1: Disapproving Cancer Bunny, Apple Green

 

If you aren’t familiar with the concept behind whap/damn it doll, you take the doll when you are frustrated and beat the crap out of it on the counter/leg or any object near by, not kidding. My step-grandma gave me one a while back but since it was from Helen, I couldn’t beat the crap out if it, she handmade it! Over a year ago I came across Spidercamp’s store and the bunny with cancer across the chest and it was in my favorite color, green. I hearted the item and it was my first post-unemployed paycheck purchase! I really wish I could bring myself to beat the crap out if it though because that’s what I’d like to do to cancer but it’s just too cute, the bunny that is.


Obsession/Purchase 2: Spiral Wrapped Amethyst with Pearl Dangle Earrings

For my 26th birthday I bought myself a really pretty amethyst necklace from Lia Sophia but never purchased the matching earrings. Yes, I’ve spent 4 years looking for the perfect pair of Amethyst earrings and found them on while just checking out the “shop local” feature to see what my fellow Minnesotans make, and there are some very talented people here in sota! CosmicPony’sLair had a lot of cute items and poof; there were the earrings I’d been looking for. Better yet, the seller was Minnesotan with great product.

Obsession/Purchase 3: Long Wires... Sterling and Jade

 

Now I was obsessed with the jewelry sellers, well the truth is I’ve been obsessed for a while just never looked intensively because of my lack of funds. Did I mention I like green or really obsessed with green? I’m wearing green right now and my blog is green until college hockey season is over (Go Sioux!).


On the forums I came across a post by BityWhismy promoting a link share, which I have yet to get up and running. I promised I’d go and visit every store and did and came across ContempoJewels’ shop and these earrings and I fell in love instantly with these earings. They are so beautiful, contemporary and simple; I just don’t know what else to say except perfection and I got great compliments on Monday when I wore them to work!

That's all for this week and yes the geese are still making noise. To prove the geese do exist I took a photo this evening of them sleeping at 5:30 at night, no wonder they are up all night long!

Really Random Thoughts

I'm exhausted and when I'm exhausted I have the most random thoughts and I ramble. Just on the drive over to drop my car off for a transmission fix I started thinking these thoughts and instead of doing a bunch of posts, I'm clumping them together so you may chose your topic:


I don't live in the land of 10,000 lakes (Minnesota) I live in the land of 10,000 pot holes.
Its spring in Minnesota, at least it was for one day when it was 64 and ever since then it’s been in the 40's and cloudy and rainy, gross. As I sit at Panera Bread deciding what to eat, I'm also very indecisive when I'm exhausted, I can see a pot hole about a foot in diameter waiting to claim its next victim. Damn, a BMW swerved around it and avoid damaging whatever potholes damage that is expensive to fix. The BMW did almost hit that suburban swerving which would be interesting...I wonder who would win.

Still haven't decided what to eat, really regretting starting Weight Watchers yesterday.

Geese, lots and lots of geese which means lots and lots of other things geese deposit.
Last night I'm sitting in my apartment that overlooks a nature preserve (wonderful views, I'll try and take some photos). I'm looking out and watching the ducks and the birds and finally the sun sets. All I hear for the next 3-4 hours are geese, lots of geese honking up a storm. Okay, I get it you're back in town now be quiet I'm watching Jon Stewart.

Nope more and more honking and now I want to go to sleep and they are still honking. Seriously geese you are already despised for your friendly deposits on the sidewalks that I have to avoid when I'm out for a training walk and let's not forget to mention when you all decide to cross the street or freeway at an extremely slow pace and stop traffic, please take your time, I'm not late for work and now you are going to keep me up at night...at least your kids are cute till they molt.

Random photo moment from the 2009 Boston 3-Day of my mom and me before opening ceremonies, that would be energizer bunny ears in my face from the soaking rains.

Uh, I just ran out of random thoughts and a baby just sat down next to me, or really its mom put it next to me. My nephew is way cuter.

Shameless posting of the cutest baby ever (aka squirmy worm) by the best auntie ever.

He smiles a lot more now but this is his general expression unless he's having a conversation with me...he made some very profound statements about healthcare reform Sunday. That baby just keeps staring at me, I think it knows I'm writing about him. Now its smiling at me but my car is finished so I never did order anything. I'll pick something up on the way out.