A week ago I got a really bad sunburn while tubing with Beth and Matthew. That was fun healing from, the itchy-ness, the pealing of legs, back, hands, some part of my arms too. I have no pictures of the burn or the pealing, which I think most people would be happy about, but I do have fun ones as we went down the river, here are a few.
Yesterday, I was making some fish for my mom for her dinner, when I put the fish in to fast and splashed melted butter on my right hand wrist area. _________________________________________________________________
Well today, I cut myself with a box cutter. I now have 4 stitches on the top of my left thumb. Luckily I didn't cut anything important (tendons, muscles, etc.), but there was a lot of blood going on. There was a reason, I know a box cutter, but actually I cut my artery in my finger, so it spurted blood as the doctor was trying to close me up, but he had to clamp it to sew up the sides before he could sew up the artery.
Tah-da...all bandaged up. I will take it off tomorrow afternoon and then I will wear a bandage, and a stint(like they use for sprained fingers) for my other work days this week. I get the stitches out on the 27th the day before I am planning on going to schlitterbahn with my dad, Justin and Stephanie.
I went tubing on Saturday with Matthew and Beth it was so much fun other than the bad sunburn I received. (pictures up later in the week-if they turn out good). I am officially sunburned - blisters and all(which started forming on my back this afternoon). I am pink/red on my legs, arms, breasts, tops of feet, tops of hands, and back. Lets just say if I was ever captured by a terrorist or someone trying to hurt me all you have to do it make me itch. I will give up any information to make the itching STOP. My back is driving me up the wall. Itch, itch, itch all day long. I am now using lanacane which is a miracle cream that makes the itching stop for a few hours. HEAVEN!
I am planning a trip - a couple of them actually. So I need some stuff. I went to REI because they are nice people, well informed, answered any of my questions, and always willing to help out a customer in finding the right thing for them. Even if that means stuffing 25lbs into several different backpacks for me to try on to feel the structure of the backpack with real weight in it. Saturday May 1st, they had a friends and family day. If you spent over $200 then you received 25% off and if you spent less than $200 then you received 20% off. So overall a good deal from them. Here is what I bought (you may see it, if you live close by or on one of my upcoming trips). The best thing about REI is 100% return. So if what I buy doesn't work for me they will take it back and give me a full refund.
This is going to be my day pack. It is called REI Flash 18. Link Here.
I needed a water bottle to attach to me, so I don't have to carry it in my hands. I liked this design because I could drink from it without untwisted a big hole and the loop wasn't attached to the lid part. Link Here.
Every time I travel I have a hard time finding good size bottles for my stuff. With the new TSA rules nothing can be over 3 fl. oz. The above picture is exactly 3 fl. oz. and the below one isn't. I think they are cool because they are easy to squeeze and the tip where the stuff comes out is has a protective lip (like the upside down ketchup bottles). Link Here.
These are similar to the 3 fl. oz., but these are 2 fl. oz. and they have a suction cup on the back to adhere to a shower wall. Link Here.
I also bought a 1 fl. oz. hard plastic bottle for my lotion. It is small and has a flip up tiny spout so I can have easy access to the lotion without a lot coming out and a lot going to waste. Link Here.
The next thing I bought was compression bags. I don't know if these work, but if I travel in winter and have to take a heavy jacket then I rather get all the air out to save some space. These I bought to try out I hope they work, but if not I will have to research some other ways to compress bulky clothes. Link Here.
Finally, some small things, I bought a Nite Ize S-biner size 2 (bought 2) (Link Here) and size 3 (bought 1) (Link Here) and a small veralink carabiner (bought 2). Link Here.
I spent a lot, but not as much as I could have if there wasn't a sale. I will be enjoying these shortly, in the next few weeks.
This dinner was Macy employees around this area to come to a dinner and the money would go to March of Dimes (Macy's matched it, too.). I think we raise $7,000, so in total with Macy's match we raise $14,000 for March of Dimes. So it was a good night with good food and good company. First course was a yummy salad with sugered pecan, bleu cheese, and i put a peppercorn ceasar like dressing on my salad, second course was shrimp and beef with a sauce and carrots and green beans on the side, and the final course was cheesecake with a cinnamon graham cracker crust with a blackberries and sauce on the side. I didn't take pictures of it, but it looked good too. There were personal stories about one woman who had twin boys at 31 weeks (they were there- they are 5 now). Also, a women who had a little girl at 27 weeks (she was also there bouncing around with her parents, she was also 5). We had dancing for some of the night, there was also a silent auction. So overall good night.
Here are a few pictures of what I looked like that night.
Run/ Walking hasn't been a top priority, due to injury, emotional ups and downs, exhaustion from work, and overall excitement. I still occasionally run/ walk and I am doing 2 minutes walking and 1:30 running. So not so bad. I will see what happens on race day. I am going run/walking today. The last time I did this route I made is a 2.8 miles in 35 ish minutes. I didn't go as far as I wanted because I had a time limited to get back home. Now I am trying to do 3 miles, hopefully under 40 minutes. I will see....Okay I am back and I did 3 miles in 40 to 50 minutes. - written the 9th two days prior of the race -
I also started trying to do pilates/ab workout. Not a lot, only a total of 10 minutes every day. The first day was tough. It was hard to laugh and to touch my stomach, luckily it wasn't as bad as it could have been. I didn't know how this also would effect me in the 10K (6.2 miles).
Here is a picture of us on race day.
We decided to walk 3 minutes and run 1:30. In the beginning of the race, we zigged-and-zagged through the walkers. We kept up pace of the 3/1:30. In the end I was falling apart. My breathing wasn't bad (meaning my lungs weren't burning), nothing was overly sore or hurting me to stop, I just couldn't seem to have the energy to pick-up my legs. BUT, dad was there say 'you can do it,' 'you aren't on your reserves--yes dad I am--do you feel like throwing up?--no dad--then you are not on your reserves yet,' and 'you are almost there, just a mile or two left or just around the bend.' I am glad I had support, because without it I would have walk when instead I ran.
Dad made a goal of doing it in 1 hour and 30 minutes. I told him I did 3 miles in 40 to 50 minutes, which means we wouldn't finish in that time frame. When we hit mile 1, I thought I cannot, I mean CANNOT keep up this pace. Dad says we are going up hill that is why mile 1 feels tough. We did mile 1 in 14 minutes, mile 2 in 13 minutes, mile 3 in 14 minutes, we missed mile 4 marker and mile 5. I couldn't tell you the time when we hit mile 6, but I was ready for it to be over with. I was spent. We official crossed the finish line at 1 hour 23 minutes and 55 or 56 seconds depending on which watch (dad or mine)...I am going with mine at 55.
This was a faster time that the IBM 10K which I finished in 1 hour 31 minutes and 24 seconds.
April 18th - Dinner downtown with Macy employee's around Austin, Round Rock, and Temple - Not everyone is going, it is a fun event that supports March of Dimes. I bought a dress today for it. (Picture below) I need to alter the straps a little. Now I have to figure out what to do with my hair. Then question if I want a pedicure? Hmm.
May - 25th Birthday
May - (Signed-up today 9th) Cooking Class - Seasonal Bistro: Spring - Treat your taste buds to flavorful dishes based on bright, fresh seasonal ingredients. Menu: Curried Shrimp Kabobs; Pan-Seared Chicken with Pecan Coconut Sauce and Sautéed Seasonal Greens; Mixed Berry Cups with Chocolate Ganache and Crème.
May - Whitney's college graduation
End of month hopefully going to hit my next goal of savings- GO ME!
May 17th through June 9th or 10th - Grandmommy here in Texas
June - Patrick's High School Graduation
June - Mom's Bday
June - Dad's Bday
June - Lillee's 6th Bday
June - (JUST SIGNED-UP the 8th: SPACES GO QUICKLY FOR THIS CLASS) Cooking Class - Sushi 101Summer was a sushi chef at Kenichi Restaurant, and has the distinction of being the first female to work behind a Japanese sushi bar in Texas. In this workshop, learn how to prepare Tekka Maki (tuna roll); Ebi Zushi (shrimp sushi); Nigirizushi (salmon sushi); Kani Gunkan (crab battleship style with salmon roe garnish); Smoked Trout Temaki (smoked trout hand roll with cucumber, sprouts and cream cheese).
I decided to take a break from doctors appts.. I wasn't really doing the stretches at home and I felt like I wasn't getting really much out of the sessions. I am going to try it at home for awhile. I started back up with my exercising. I only went 30 minutes- half was run/walking 4.00min : 1.45min and the other half was walking and talking on the phone. I didn't want to push me knee. I am hopeful that I can get back on track for training without hurting myself more. I am debating about joining a gym. There is a 24 hour fitness that is close by (maybe 2-3 miles) and their monthly rates are $32. There is also a planet fitness about 8 miles away and it $1 to join and $10 a month. I am weighing the desire to join. I realized that I would spend more money on weight watchers in a month than the gym. I just don't know how fully committed I am to the gym, but I need strength training and I do like treadmills and ellipticals. Hmmm...tough decision.
I also joined the pound for pound challenge (click here). I thought it might make me more motivated because other are depending on me (or might make me fail) either way it is a commitment to something other than myself. I have lost focus on weight watchers, I am slow getting back to the reason why I started, are they still the same reasons, and where do I want to head now.
UPDATE: Not going to join a gym, at least not right now. I am not fully committed to going and being there. I will contemplate it at a later date. Saving my pennies right now.
Postsecret Book Signing Okay so I have wanted to post this for awhile, but I couldn't because my friend was getting a gift from the signing. It has been quite a number of years that I have read postsecret.com every Sunday for secrets. It was an art project that one man, Frank Warren, started. He passed out 100 to 150 blank postcards with his address on it. He want anonymous secrets that were anything from any range of emotions. He than put them together into an exhibit still on display. He didn't know it then, but the project had a life of its own and it spread. He was done with the exhibit at the museum so he used new media, the internet, to share the secrets every week. He scans in about 20 of them out of the 1,000 he gets a week. Frank said at the book signing that he wants to get a range of emotion in each posting and that he wants to connect it in some way.
I like to read other people secrets, I guess that is the voyeurism in me. Sometimes I find something I relate to, other times I feel like nothing speaks to me. I felt awkward getting my book signed and my dad got my friend's signed. My dad said I could get a picture with him, but that weird'ed me out. I am not that type of person who needed a picture or anything. It was nice to just hear his stories of how he started, some secrets, and an a overall experience of it all. I knew my friend would be thrilled about the book. I didn't mention it to her so I didn't have to lied to her about it all.
I planned out in my head that I would also put post-its in the book of secrets, stories, and comments on things. I also got my mom involved in putting post-its in it (it was her present to my friend). It turned out to be an excellent present. She is slowly devouring a few postsecrets every day to extend out the book.
My Knee Issues--more like doctor issues Okay lets do the math---insurance with high deductible = out of pocket
$180---Doctor Appt. 1st- meet doctor, had 4 x-rays done $130---Active Release Techniques(ART-definition below in blue) Therapy doctor- meeting 1- meet him, messaged my knee, sent me to another person to do exercises $80---ART Therapy doctor- meeting 2- messaged knee, sent me to another person to do exercises $80---ART Therapy doctor- meeting 3- messaged knee, sent me to another person to do exercises $130---Physical Therapy doctor- meeting 1-meet her, checked out legs walking and flexiblity, show some streches that I could do $80---Physical Therapy doctor- meeting 2- did strectches, massaged calfs, did more stretching $80---Physical Therapy doctor- meeting 3---$80(meeting Thursday) $5(one time charge)---Electrodes pads- used to send small electric charges into the hurt area
In the past 2 weeks, I have spent $765.00 out of pocket on doctors. Not very happy about it. I have been trying to save and this is just sucking it all out. My knee is still the same (some days it hurts, some days no problems). I have had trouble convincing myself to go to both doctors, 3 appt. is $240, which is a chuck of change. I am also going with my gut instinct and going to go to my Physical therapist more often than my ART Therapy doctor for right now.
Also, in all this fun of spending money, I was told by my physical therapist that I was in the wrong running and walking shoes. So I had to purchase shoes that better fit my feet. I also don't have the best socks, too, so that was also added on top of getting new shoes. I think it came out to be roughly $100(not bad I was thinking about $150-$200). I will be wearing my new shoes tomorrow (wed.) to work, hopefully it goes well. I am hoping for the best.
What is Active Release Techniques (ART) to Patients?
ART is a patented, state of the art soft tissue system/movement based massage technique that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves.
Since December 5th I have had pain in my knee. I ran/walked 7 miles one day, then 8 miles the next. I took two days off, one day I was sore on my thighs, then my knee started hurting the next day. It has been hurting ever since. It ranges in pain from 'please cut off my knee' to 'why does it not hurt now? *confusion*' Finally after 11 or so days I decided it was time to go to a doctor no matter the cost. I needed to get it checked out. Yesterday I went to the doctor, they took 4 x-rays and checked out all my muscles. The doctor stated that I have runner's knee. I now have to go to a physical therapist to strengthen my inner quad muscle, pictured below. (note: not my knee- it is a female bodybuilders knee- nor will I be making my muscles that big) Hopefully with the physical therapist the pain will get better. Unfortunately, I have to take my run/walking easily or not at all. I have to try to stay away from going downhill until this is better, unfortunately I live in a area that has hills. I think it is better if I take time off from my run/walking because even walking a short distance I have pain in my knee. Generally, this is just a frustrating time. I think after the physical therapist I might join a month to month gym membership or YMCA. I don't know yet, but I need more strength training in my routine.
WHOOO-HOOOO 41 lbs. GO ME......GO GO......GO ME...YEAH!
I finally made it to 41 pounds lost. FINALLY. It has been a struggle, but I am excited. I went to Freebirds to celebrate with a regular burrito. I don't know if that was the smartest thing to do, but I enjoyed myself. When I finished eating it I was thoroughly stuffed. I remember a time when I could have eaten a Monster burrito and then eaten some more food after that. Now I can barely eat a Regular Burrito or Half bird size. They fill me up so much that I usually don't eat very much dinner.
I am soooo excited. I don't know where my weight lose stops for me, but I feel like I could lose a little more, but not a lot. I am nearing the end though. Then it will be time to just start maintaining my weight at whatever I choose to stop at.
Okay, this morning, my dad and I completed the IBM Classic 10K in 1 hour, 31 minutes, 24 seconds. That time is what our clocks said not the official time with the electronic chip. We finished so that was good. Yesterday I had to do 6 miles with my running group and lets just say it kicked me in the butt. I just couldn't run, I forgot my watch, forgot my music, and just overall was off. I think it was from exhaustion. I had been working very hard on the dock, processing boxes and boxes of materials coming into the store. My dad and I did my pace of 4 minutes walking 1 minutes running, which equal about a 15 minute mile. I am not fast, but I have long stamina than runners (or that is at least what I say to myself).
Here are some before and after shots: My dad and I waiting in the car, we got there early.
About to head out the the starting line, we left like this than got there. I said I was cold and walked back to get a jacket and gloves for my hands.
After the race, I like this shot because you kind of see our numbers, but our faces (mostly mine) are in shadows.
Final picture at the end, ready to go home and take a shower and relax.
Thank gosh I don't have work tomorrow, but I do have a weigh-in and then lunch with a High School teacher at freebirds. So either I will be celebrating or eating my feelings. Which ever way I am sure I will be fine. I have to push on threw.
This morning I did my suppose-ed 5 mile, but I just mapped it and it came out to be 5.45 miles. On Thursday I did a 5 miler in 1 hour 16 minutes and today I did it in 1 hour and 19 minutes. So I did pretty good. I am working on running longer, but because it was cold I started with 4:1 (walking : jogging), but on the way back I did 4:1.30, which wasn't bad. I didn't feel like I worked hard the only tight spots I get are my shoulders sometimes and the top part of my thigh where the pelvis and leg meet on the front. Other than that most thing are fine.
Still on my path to completing this course. I think when the weeks get to 10 to 12 miles I hope I can get pass them with better ease than these smaller mileage. I am going back and forth on doing a half or full marathon. I know, I know I am crazy and the weird part is that around where I live I choose to do hills, I like the feel of my muscles getting tired and the soreness as I run up the hill. I also can run on the pavement and not have to worry about light poles and lots of people. All I do have to worry about it the traffic when I am running on the streets either on the side or in the bike lane. When I am downtown it gets frustrating to stop for the traffic lights and then you have to avoid any people and overall seems more difficult to finish the amount of walking/jogging I have to do. But I do it anyways because it gets me out of the house. I have a busy week this week with Macy work so working out is going to be a 'first thing I do when I get home' kind of thing.
I arrived in two days ago and yesterday I had my interview. It went okay, do I think I will get a call back, no. It was also not the right decision to flight in at 10PM and didn't go to bed until 1AM, then have an interview at 9AM. It is over now, on to the next thing. Here are the photos that I didn't post with the blogs. I will start with the beginning.
The first video is a combination of smaller video of the surprise. The last two videos are of Kim zipling and me taping it and then me actually zipling myself.
My grandmother and I
My grandmother and Kim
All of our feet in the fall leaves
These next four shots are from Kim and I's photo shoot-we took 500 pictures, this is only a taste. This one we blew up balloons and let them go. It was a lucky shot to have them go to the camera and for the photographer get them in the shot.
Kim and I sitting laughing about something. My shoes were flip-flops, hers were hard so they didn't bend.
Kim and I going around in a circle holding hands. Now a normal person would be nice, but I was like this is a dorky shot and decided to jump around.
We also took individual shots, so here is one of me.
This shot was taken at the look out over Lancaster.
There might be more pictures to come, but first I have to get them from Kim. If you haven't caught up with my blog recently, the explanation of these videos and photos are in the older blog posts.
Monday was relaxing, doing some errands around lancaster, and going to the movie 'Fame.' It was an alright movie, nothing I would promote to anyone. It was just choppy and you never got into the character relationships. We then ate some burgers and drank some wine. Lets just say we slept in a little later than usual.
When we finally got up and going for the day we headed out to Athens for my finally day. Luckily we headed out in enough time to eat out at my favorite place in Athens, Bagel Street Deli. Lets just say it was soooooooo good. I am going to miss it. Kim and I headed off to check out some stores and david headed out to do his own errands. Kim and I finally bought one alumni shirt. I got two OU hats which I will wear a ton when I am exercising and maybe some outside activity. I then headed out to talk to the alumni association and the education abroad office. I am interested in trips abroad by myself or with a friend. I needed information and figured the best time to get it was when I was in town. After that Kim and I headed out to Brenen's to get the best strawberry banana chiller (smoothie). We sat there chatting for a bit. I realized that it was getting to around 4pm and I thought that my grandmother and aunt betsey would be in town. I called them to see where they were, they were about 45 minutes away. We waited to visit them for a short while. It was nice to see my grandmother again and see my aunt. I also visit my grandmother's friend dru. Finally Kim and I were finally tired and ready to head home. We meet David at the car and headed home. Now we are watching movies and relaxing.
I feel like my trip took such a long time to come, that it went way too fast. Tomorrow I am leaving to go home. I am not so thrilled about it, not because I have to go back to the real world and my job, but I have a job interview the day after I arrive. I am nervous, anxious, and overall not thrilled about it. My fear is that I won't be able to sleep. I am also sad to leave because I will be leaving behind my friend. I wish that we could live closer and have the ability to see each other more often.
Tuesday and Wednesday were spent relaxing at home. We did venture to the mall one day and also went to go see a movie. At the mall I was looking for better pants. My size 12 were falling off my bum within an hour of putting them on. After having this happen for several months I finally got sick of having to do it. I went to old navy (where my other pants are from) I grabbed a size 10. It felt comfortable, but something was saying these feel like my 12s and they are going to be loose within a short time. I ventured out to grab a size 8. Now in my mind I am going 'ha, wouldn't it be funny if I fit into a 8 because recently I haven't fitted into a 10.' As I slide up the jeans and zip them up, the 8 fits. Holy C***! Now I did notice a difference with the labels that are on the pants. Some have a white label and some had a green label. I asked what that meant to one of the sale associates. She said that the green label are an updated design and the white one are a older design. So I don't know if the new design is bigger than the last one or whatever they changed in the design.
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday Kim and I went to my grandmother's and aunt's place. It was nice to see them. I realized that the last time I saw them was not a long time ago, but it wasn't like I had tons of time to talk. It was at my brother's wedding. I was a bridesmaid and was busy doing other things before the ceremony that kept me away from enjoying the family (on the other hand I did enjoy being a bridesmaid). I guess it is a catch 22. My grandmother was in good spirits and a joy to talk to and be around. It was also nice seeing my aunt, uncle, cousin, and aunt's in-laws. It was a short trip, but it is still hard saying good-bye. I told my grandmother not to wave when she see us leaving the parking lot. As we turned around in the parking lot still walking to the car there she was at her window waving good-bye. Kim and I waved back, I blew some kisses and received kisses in return. Why is it so hard to leave someone behind? I wish I could pack her up and take her with me where ever I go.
Sunday, this day was cloudy and drizzly in the morning, but the afternoon it was big puffy clouds and blue sky with the sun shining down. Kim had meet a girl through facebook that took pictures. When I arrived Kim was like 'ohhhh, we could totally do a photo shoot of us being us.' So on Sunday was our day to be ourselves. This girl was very nice and we felt comfortable around her. She took shots of us being us in an alley way, by ourselves, in a reflection window, at brenan's(food place), underneath the art building, against a colorful wall, radar hill(behind the ridges). Overall it was a good time. I thought it would be awful, but in the end it was me hanging out with me friend and having a moment in time captured. We did get to see some photos on facebook. Kim and I love them. Hopefully I will be able to post them as soon as I get back and rested. We took many shots, so who knows maybe my family will get something in the mail. Anyways, I think that is all that happened in the last couple of days.
Today might be a relaxing day, we might take a walk up to the overlook in Lancaster or going to a movie 'Fame,' or we might run errands, or stay at home enjoying the beautiful weather (blue skies, wind blowing threw the trees, and enjoying the fall weather). Ohh and I have a weight watchers weigh-in today, not soo thrilled about that, but will do it to keep regulating my weight loss or gain. Hopefully it won't be too bad.
Will update when I get a chance, on what truly happened.
Athens was fun to visit, I guess you do grow out of the college life. I felt like I fit in to the demographic, but I didn't fit in sociably. Kim and I walked around and visited some stores looking for an improvement to my ratty sweatshirt that has holes, tears, and paint on it. I did find one, but it doesn't have a hood, I might have to buy another one that has a hood, who knows if I will. Other than that I filled up on my favorite food, Bagel Street Deli. Ohh how I missed that toasted bagel with turkey, light mayo, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and cucumbers. Ahhhh, mouth is watering. I don't know why I couldn't make it at home, but it just is so delicious and juicy. Other than that I only noticed small changes in athens. I am happy I came back to visit because I realized a few things. One that I don't feel the need to come back to my university for more schooling. Second I don't have the need to relive the glory days (not that I did have glory days). Also I like the atmosphere, I think in Austin I have to drive to all places I want to go, I'm just another person that no one notices, and overall the lifestyle feels more impersonal. Here in Athens, I can walk everywhere to get anything, I feel that the community is small that you could be noticed more, and overall I don't feel like I would get lost in the crowd. I still have more food places to visit in Athens, hopefully we can fit them in.
Zipling
Okay so my new motto I am trying to try new things. Now people may not know, but I am selectively scared of heights. Why selectively? Well, it isn't like I am scared everytime that I am in a place that is high. I don't know why that is, it is just is. Certain places I have had anxiety about heights are in planes sometimes as they are going up or down, in texas there are high overpasses that are 4 or 5 high, and anything that is shaky or not look secure.
So today, Kim and I decided to Zipline. It is when you are harnessed to a wire and travel from one tree to the next. Overall it was fun and pictures will be coming, when I get home from my trip. The only part I was nervous on was a place when we had to walk over 2 shaky bridges. I made it over, but I was shaky and holding on the the tree for some feel of support. The other time was when you are clipped to the wire and you sit back into your harness over the edge of the platform that is surrounding the tree. It was hard to trust it even though they stated that the harness holds 4500lbs.
Overall the motto is working just fine. I joined a running course to help me start exercising and propel me to the another goal I have, but won't share, I have continued on weight watchers, and now I can add zipling to the list. I think that for me to stretch myself to do something is good because then I learn not everything is as bad as I think it may be. I also think that it gives me experience that I could never lose from my knowledgeable skills.
Kim had experienced that zipline about a month ago and still found it fun and fascinating. We had fun taking pictures and video. The only bad part about the day was the on and off of the rain, but luckily we were under the trees so it wasn't that bad.
Weight Watchers Update
The weight watchers meeting today was not so good I gain 2.6 pounds. I am hoping I can maintain it this week instead of gaining. I am trying. All I need to do is take it easy and not over do it. I feel like stuffing my face which in turn just was proven on the scale that is doesn't work. Tomorrow is another day and all I can do is my best.
Okay probably for two and half months now I have been keeping a secret. I am going to surprise my friend in Ohio by visiting her. No it isn't her birthday, no there is no reason except to visit her and then swing over to my grandmother's and visit her. I am bursting with smiles and giggles when I think about it. She has absolutely no idea except that she has to keep that time open and that people know about it. Her boyfriend, David, is in on the surprise visit.
So the plan is that I am going to fly up there on Sept. 19th and arrive at lunch time. David is going to take Kim to lunch at Johnny Rockets near the airport, but not near enough to signal something is up. I am going to get a taxi over, luckily Johnny Rockets is a building near the mall so I can wait in the mall and not be seen. Upon arriving David is going to excuse himself from the table to go use the "restroom," but instead is going to call me and tell me where they are sitting. Now my fear is that I am going to giggle and be all excited to see her I won't be able to slide right in next to her and be like "So, what are you having today?" Now I am writing this about a month before hand...so updates on how it really went down will be posted. *crossing my fingers to kept the secret and be cool when I arrive at the restaurant.
OK just passed the 13 days mark...I am kind of afraid that I blew the secret. I hoping kim didn't hear and I am just imagining things. What happened was that I was on a skype date with kim and had to called my boss because the days I was scheduled were going to interfere with my running course, I said something along the lines of "I don't want to miss the running course on Saturday because I am off next two weekends (or weeks I am not sure what I said)." I muted my volume, but I didn't unplug my microphone. She may or may not have heard, I just don't know. She didn't say anything, but I am most likely sure she heard. I am still not going to spill just in case I am freaking myself out and she didn't hear anything.
I am going to call her on the 11th a week before I leave and complain about my job. I am going to tell her my "fake/true" schedule about me working, I don't get the schedules until a week before hand. So on the 11th I will get the next week's schedule, I might or might not be working the 18th, but she doesn't know. Also I won't be working the 20th because I will be up there, but she won't know that either. So my plan is the tell her that my job sucks and that I am going to have to work the 18th and 20th. In addition, I am going to say that "I was told that the support team will be working the 21st, 22nd, 23rd, and 24th because we are behind on markdowns big time...yeah for standing all day...sigh" (that is false because I will be up there visiting her). I am trying to come up with plausible lies that will be like maybe she miss heard. If she asks if I am taking the next two weekends or weeks off I am going to say "No not weeks I was trying to get a couple of free weekends in before the craziness of Christmas season. This schedule is conflicting with my plans there is a Triathlon that is only women in Spicewood, TX about an hour away that I wanted to go see, if it was different with the one that I saw in Austin, but now I can't do that. Errrr this job is sucking the life out of me." Hopefully, I won't have to go that far in the lies.
Then my next plan is to be like. Enjoy your surprise hopefully sometime you could call me and tell me what it is. I probably won't talk to you much the next week (11th-18th) mostly I will talk to you after the 24th because of my crazy schedule, but I will try when I can. Then I am going to talk to her the smallest amount of time, but I have to sound exhausted or I will just text her and be like I am sorry I am totally in a funk and need a day by myself. Or I will say something that will come to mind. Gosh so many lies I am going to have to come clean too. I hope I fake her out with these lies.
Okay so this is what truly transpired the last couple of days. I did have to work a crazy schedule leading up to my trip. I worked sunday 5-10, tuesday 5-2, wednesday, 5-2 thursday 5-2, and friday was supposely 5-2, but luckly hours got cut so it was 5-10. Then I was busy until 2 o'clock hanging out with my other friend Kendra and her daughter before they move out a week after I come back from my trip. I then went home and started printing off plane information, making sure how much money I had in my bank account, and making sure what I needed to pack. In the end the exhaustion one took over and I took a nap on my floor for about 30 minutes to an hour. It helped me last a little longer that night.
Finally I packed it all and was ready to go on my trip. The night before I left I wrote kim an e-mail about how I am doing a running class in the morning and that I was going to go home after it to go to sleep and that I was going to turn off my phone so I could no one could bother me. I also wrote that I hope her surprise is good and that I would call her in the evening about it and see how it went. It was a normal e-mail I would send to her and trying to be like giving excuses why I wouldn't be picking up the phone.
As I woke up early in the morning, I was in this calm state. I think for so long I have come up with ideas about how it would be like and doing the countdown of days that it was like okay no going back now. As I was sitting on my first flight I meet a very nice lady who was going to Haiti for six months and I told her about surprising my friend. She was very exciting about it for me. When I boarded my flight to Columbus I was finally hitting my wall of exhaustion so I started to nod off. Luckily no one was sitting next to me and I had three seats to myself. I didn't sleep very much, but I did okay for the beginning of the flight. At the end, I had a rush of energy and was excited to finally get there.
When the plane touched down I texted David that we touched down and that I will texted him when I leave the airport. I took a taxi all by myself all the way to easton town center, which is a big mall area. He said there wasn't a johnny rockets there anymore and he keep giving me other places to go. Finally he decided that there is a water feature in one part that kids can play in and that they would be there. I knew where and said okay. I texted him to say where I was and then proceeded to walk towards where they were. I was taping myself as I was looking for them and finally spotted them sitting with there backs to me. I put down my bags and started to video taping as I approached. I came around the corner and said "how do you like your surprise!?!" she was like "what!!! are you kidding me!!!! I can't believe your here!!!" We then proceed to hug and go grab my bags I had just put down. Then david and I told her how long we had been planning this and all the lies. She didn't know, not one bit.
As the shock settle in. We planned to go eat and drop off my bags at the car. The rest of the day we chatted and hung out. Later that night we went to a robbery train ride. Overall it was fun and somewhat amusing with it all. There are some good shots that we have, but will have to be posted later because I am having difficulties with this computer.
