guess what???

I PASSED!

Got the call at 9:30 this morning, but I've been up since 3 am grading, doing homework, and the like. That means I'll be spending another year--and months 4-11 of my marriage--600 miles away from my family, most of my friends, and my fiance/husband. I think I'm less excited than I would have been disappointed (I am not used to failing at anything), but that's okay. This PhD thing is quickly becoming a real possibility.

Okay, since I've been up for almost 21 hours straight, I think it's about time for me to fall asleep to season five of Buffy. This weekend, as a "congratulations" to myself, I'll be buying season three of Angel, which aired the same year. (Costco--$17.99, but a 45-minute drive out here in the boondocks. Hey, that was a good movie--Boondock Saints. Violent, but good. Just ask the Wisconsin Earls.)

By the way, R&R--the Quinn thing on MySpace is pretty spooky...:)

bad times and good

This past weekend has been a struggle, at best. I was extremely depressed Friday and Saturday--depressed to the point of being mean and petty to Al, which is something I tend to do sometimes and hate about myself. I was depressed because I was lonely, and when lonliness hits and lasts for a few (or several) hours, I find I cannot be around people. It's a bit paradoxical, actually. By the time Dana and Stephanie called on Friday night to ask if I wanted to go to Dublin Bay for a drink and some food, I was too far gone. I had spent over an hour crying on the phone to my mother, several hours in bed watching dvds, and overeaten by quite a bit. It was eerily like my old depression days when I lived alone.

I'm missing Al (he's been gone a week now) and my family. I'm getting hurt by stupid little things that prove I'm not the center of (or perhaps, even extremely important to) other people's universes. Of course, there's not a reason to think that I should be. But my brother called my dad and had my dad call me when he realized that Al's phone (landline) had been disconnected (why couldn't he call me himself?) and my sister hasn't called me back, although I've been trying to reach her since I found out that we're going to be aunts. Saturday it was the fact that Al was skipping out on my dad's birthday dinner, although he had a perfectly good reason not to go--someone at work had a family member die and Al was filling in for him. All I could think was, Al would get out of work early if it were one of his family members. But that was stupid, too, because those dinners are always planned way in advance, and usually on a day that Al doesn't work (or if he does, it's overtime and he's justified in leaving early). I was also upset that I couldn't attend that family dinner myself. And I'm getting more and more nervous about getting the results of that stupid portfolio exam, which I should get this week. Like I said. Stupid little things that should not bother me in the least. But they do, and this weekend I really let them.

I did manage to drag myself out of the house to use the elliptical machine with Dana yesterday morning, and went to a movie with Stephanie last night (The Last Mimzy, which has its extremely corny moments but is good overall). I managed to have a good time with Steph, but I was still in a foul mood when I got home. Ugh. Today has been better, though. Bright, sunny, 70-some degrees (compare that to the blizzard we had at the beginning of the month), grass already plenty green. And I've managed to do some grading, too, so I'm actually getting something accomplished instead of wasting all my time. And I'm able to spend the rest of this post waxing nostalgic, because a year ago yesterday is when Al finally proposed to me.

It was in Chicago at the bean. Actually, it's not a bean, it's a reflective sculpture called Cloud Gate or something like that. Unfortunately, the bean was under construction (again), so we didn't get a great pic of it happening--although Al did manage to snap a pic while he was on one knee. It wasn't really a surprise, but that's because of my incessant worrying and complaining that, although neither one of my younger brothers had actually known their girlfriends (now wives) as long as we had been dating, both of them were engaged and had wedding dates set already. I know I'm difficult, but come on! Plus, I had known that he had purchased my engagement ring more than two years prior to proposing to me (he left a slip out on the kitchen counter) and was afraid he had changed his mind and returned it. But I said yes, told strangers on the street (since he had managed to propose in the middle of downtown Chicago without a soul witnessing the event), and we went to celebrate--first at an Irish pub and then at a bowling alley lounge. My friends from school (they were all in town for a conference, which is what I was there for, too) came to celebrate with us--Masha, Pete, and Tosh--and the bartender gave Al and I his special recipe shots free of charge. I asked what the shots were called and he said "Trust Me."

That's Al's proposal to me in a nutshell, and due to the events of that day, I'll be a Mrs. in seventy-something days. Ah, coupledom. It has its good points. :)

happy birthday, dad

Today is my dad's birthday. (Okay, yesterday was, but I'm backdating this blog entry, so the date here will be correct.) So I'm writing this blog to say happy birthday, since I am unable to attend the family dinner in his honor. Al says happy birthday, too.

One of my favorite memories--growing up, anyway--is when you used to let me dance (or walk) on your feet. I think that's something special that little girls do with their dads, and I'm glad you let me do it with you. Although I must have been quite old (and heavy) the last time you let me do it, because I remember being outside of the old gym at Calvary Baptist Church. We were on the sidewalk walking up to the doors. I would have been at least thirteen, since that's when we switched churches. No wonder you grumbled a little!

I also loved it that you took each one of us out to eat alone with you. That seemed so special (especially since we rarely went out to eat as a family). Hmm. I don't remember any of the places I picked to eat at, though. I was (am) such a picky eater. Do you remember? Was it pizza every time? Or Mexican? I bet it was Mexican.

I know this isn't exactly waxing poetic, but the point is that I love you and hope you had a happy birthday. You're the bestest dad in the whole wide world.

it'll be a long day, but...

April 20th will. That's the day I'm headed home next, and I just (this afternoon) managed to set a bottling date for our wedding wine that evening. We bottle at 5:00 pm, which means that I should leave here by 6:00 am (just to be on the safe side). I lose an hour on the way back, and should have two hours' leeway Rhonda-drive time, one Al-drive time (I tend to, in good traffic and non-construction days, make it in nine hours, but it takes Al about ten hours). Hopefully, I'll have company on that ride home in the form of Dana and Steph and won't have to rely on audio books like I usually do. That should make the drive seem faster, even if it isn't.

Wine bottling is always fun, but it saddens me that Julie (one of my bestest friends in the whole wide world :)) won't be able to be there. This will be the first time I've bottled wine without her and I didn't realize, when I set the time and date, that she has to work at the ballet school that night. I'll take this opportunity to make a plug for her pilates school and say that you should go to her and bring friends so that she won't have to work insane hours at three different jobs any more. That way it would free up her time for me (when I'm home), Missy Beth (not my sister), and her boyfriend Ben, who would love to dominate her time with other things :). (EDIT, ten minutes after original posting: I really didn't mean that like it sounded. I didn't mean that just Ben would like to dominate her time, and I wasn't thinking anything close to what it sounds like...just meant that the three of us would be happy for her--and us--if she had some more free time on her hands to spend with us.) Of course, she has other friends and family, too. But I think we probably can claim priority. (Wow, I'm being really facetious right now and I hope people get that. I just love my Julie time!)

Anyway, back to winemaking, err, bottling. I'm disappointed that Julie's not going to be there, but I can't really see a way to change the date. Saturday's packed (at least, I hope it will be once I make a few phone calls) with wedding-dress first fitting and maybe cake decorating decisions (mom and sisters, wanna/can you come?), not to mention Danny's debut concert that evening. I thought about trying to fit the wine thing in before that, but I'm afraid we'll run short on time. And on Sunday (Al's only day off that weekend) Al and I have to register for gifts, something that I have a feeling will take forever because he doesn't really want to register for anything (and thus will be indecisive or non-inputty, meaning he won't give me input on much of anything). And then we're off early in the morning on Monday (the winery's closed on Monday anyway) so Dana can get back to work on Monday evening (assuming she comes with me). The next time I'll be home will be May, and that's cutting it very close--not to mention taking up room on Mark and Sherrie's shelves for almost five months fermenting. :(

I am happy that my friends Ruthie and Nikki can come with me, though. They've never been to the winery and I know they'll enjoy it. I don't get to spend enough time with them, so I'm glad I'll get to see them that weekend. And what'll you know? That'll be--what, three times we've gotten together within one year's span? It's a record! That never happens anymore since we don't go to church together anymore. I'm hoping that'll change, but things get understandably hard between school, families, work, and everything else going on in our lives.

I think that's it for tonight. My day was uneventful since I just read a book for class, observed a guy while he worked as a part of a research project, and went to class and talked about postmodernism, neo-Marxism, and feminism for three hours. Talk about taxing your brain. I'm going to watch some mindless television (or a movie, just something) and thus make my brain stop thinking in order to enable me to sleep. Oh, and in case Dana needs a study break during the night and happens to open my blog, hope your creative component is going well (and get back to work! :) just kidding).

81 days and counting

I can't believe the wedding's coming up so fast. I only have five weeks of school left (six including finals week) and then I'll be home and the wedding will be on us before we know it. Eek! I'm getting excited, especially since Al and I managed to get some stuff done last week. Not much, but enough.

The patterns here are a clue--they'll be used in the wedding (somehow, but I'm not saying how) along with several other patterns. (Mom, I'll tell you if you want to know.) I'm going for a very loose garden theme (I guess) and, since I'm hoping to carry some sort of blue flowers, a blue/green theme. Blue is my favorite color, and it's Al's, too, so it only makes sense. Besides, I think blue flowers will look very pretty with my dress (which I have to call on, by the way--I ordered it in November and haven't heard a thing since).

So what did we get done? We found something to put the cards in (very unusual, but something we'll be able to use in the house later), a "guest book" of sorts, and placecards--at least, my version of them. We wanted to finish designing the invites, but my lovely, oh-so-unselfish friend Dana was sick so we didn't get to do that. Dana did help me last night (although she is still sick and has her own big, final project before graduation to do) and we've almost got the invites finalized. She's just got to do a few finishing tweaks and they'll be perfect. I owe her a lot, especially since I probably won't be in town for her birthday/graduation party. (I'll be here for your birthday, though! And I'll treat you and Steph to a real treat to make up for missing.) I need to be home for the summer on May 5th, because my dear sisters-in-law and sister are planning my (our, I guess, although Al won't want to come) shower. A no-games-allowed shower since I hate wedding showers (because of the games) and would rather just hang out with my family. (And anyone else we may invite, which I have to figure out fast, because I don't know. Al's family? Gotta ask him--again. Any friends? Do I want to put them through that torture? If any of you want to weigh in, let me know quick.)

I write long, run-on-y paragraphs, and I apologize for that, especially tonight. I am tired after working (including a work-out) for 17 hours straight today. All grading. Ugh. That's what I get for putting it off.

Oh yeah. One more thing. I did a trial run with some new makeup yesterday and hated it. Anyone have good suggestions for makeup that will stay on for hours? Even on combination skin such as mine? I'm planning on doing it myself and cajoling someone (my sister? someone else who thinks they're really, really good at it and wants me to send them a picture?) into doing my hair for me at home that day at home. Don't want to go anywhere since I'm hoping to have a morning brunch for some very close, special friends and my family. Anyway, that's all for tonight.

Coming soon (by Friday, I promise): hiking gear. And two choices for hiking dates. Gotta crash. Brain is fried. Love all around.

my last week (+ 1/2)

The past week and a half has been wonderful and I'm dreading going back to school tomorrow. I spent my days lazily, making it through two full seasons of Buffy (or was it three)? and, when Al was here, several movies--Wild Hogs (now at the theater), Scoop, Little Miss Sunshine, Rabbit-Proof Fence, and Idiocracy. Oh, and we watched a few season two Alias episodes as well. Yes, we are an exciting couple. We actually did make it out of the apartment to eat out a few times--Mexican on Tuesday, Perkin's breakfast on Thursday, and Old Chicago (they do pizza and pasta, and we had neither--Al had a calzone and I had a sandwich) on Friday. We also ordered pizza in one night. And went out for $1 pints at a bar downtown on Wednesday (after which we stopped by the gyro and hot dog stands to say hi to--and buy a late dinner from--one of my students) and green beer at an Irish pub on Saturday. Needless to say, I didn't count calories when Al was here. He left at 7:11 yesterday morning and I can't shake this sadness that's come over me. I really, really hate living so far away from him, my family, and most of my friends. And for what? So I can eventually qualify for a job that I don't even know if I want anymore.

Oh, we did my taxes too. I'm getting over $1,000 back (since I'm so poor, even the government feels like it's robbing me to take my money), which is a good thing since after five sales and $87.40 profit the sales seem to have stopped on Amazon. That'll help with the wedding stuff and with rent that we have to pay while I'm not even here during the summer. Oh, yeah--my apartments agreed to give me until April 1 to tell them if I'm going to renew my lease or not. Should be just in time for me to find out if I failed that exam or not. Let's hope they don't keep me waiting long after they meet (on March 28).

Part of my sadness, I think, is coming from nostalgia as well as from Al leaving town. I decided last week when I couldn't sleep (at 5:30 am, go figure) that I would like to start archiving all of my pictures that I've ever taken--scanning them in and putting them on cd (eventually). So I started scanning, and I decided that--at the moment--I'm going to categorize them by people. I decided to start with myself, naturally, and I am naming them by year if I know it, by number if I don't. I've gotten so much fatter and uglier over the years that it's amazing. I'm a little sad that, even though (with the exception of last week) I've been working hard at getting into shape and losing weight, I will still be fairly overweight at my own wedding. I just want to look good. I want to look good in the pictures and look good for Al. And I'm a bit discouraged that it's not going to happen--I'm not going to look as good as I used to, even when he met me. Because I'm about 50 pounds heavier than when he met me, and now there are only two and a half months til my wedding. Not losing that much weight in that little of time, I know that. But the pics are also making me miss my friends and family, and making me feel a bit hurt and upset again about some friends that aren't really around anymore. But enough of that.

I'm hoping--since it's Monday, and we usually get together--that I can get together and finalize my wedding invite design with Dana and Steph tonight. Dana's been nice enough to make it for me, and if we can finish it up, the same place that printed our save-the-dates is having a sale on printing invites. However, this morning I didn't work out (had a really bad migraine all night, that was bothering me even when I was lying still and made it hard to sleep--very unusual for me) and I think I'm cancelling my observation session today (I'm following a guy around while he works, taking it notes, and calling it research--the stuff I have to do for school is crazy sometimes), all because of my headache and my sadness. I am keeping my hair appointment, though. She's going to do a sample make-up session on me, and I may buy the make-up if it seems to work well (wedding stuff again). So that was my week and is my day. No great stories, no exciting drama, but a little bit of sadness. Until next time.

hodge-podge

Been driving Detroit leaning
No reason just seems so pleasing...

A little portion of "Brass in Pocket" by The Pretenders (the song most people think of as "I'm Special") and yes, that is me. I've been noticing my Detroit leaning today. According to the lead singer of the band, the Detroit lean is the way we tend to drive around with one hand on top of the steering wheel and then lean to one side--I happened to lean to my right and rest my arm on my console in my car. For some reason, that thought popped into my head as I drove around running errands during lunch. And then I started watching the other drivers, and lo and behold, the Detroit lean may actually be a cultural thing. Very few other drivers were doing it. Hmm.

Anyway, spring break life in this college town has been nice and quiet. I'm already afraid that it's going too fast, but I'm wanting it to go a little faster and then slow down for five days. Al's coming to see me tomorrow and he won't be leaving until Sunday. Wish we could have stretched that out a bit! I'm already realizing that it is going to be very hard to stick to a diet with him around. It's already hard enough on my own. And he'll (we'll) be wanting to go out to eat and socialize...I think this week, it's safe to say I won't make my goal of eating an average of 1,438 calories a day. I'll be way, way over that. But I'll still try to reign it in to still-not-gaining-just-maintaining calorie eating.

What else have I been up to? Buffy marathons (I own them, so I just keep watching them) and resorting to selling books on Amazon to make money. Al says not to worry about money, but I keep watching that student loan money dwindle, knowing how much he'll have to help me out this spring and summer, and wanting to do something about it. I won't even be able to work this summer, because who's going to hire someone for the month that I'll be home? Yes, I'll be home in May, but I'll be preparing for the wedding and doing landscaping and painting around the house, and then June's gone with the wedding and honeymoon (oh, yeah, I got my passport and I look like a double-chinned, 300-pound ugly she-ape). I've got some brand new textbooks sent to me courtesy of booksellers that I didn't ask for (they were trying to get me to use the books in classes that I don't actually teach, and never said I did), so I'm trying to sell them online, among other things. (Now that I've posted this, I'll probably be taken off their lists, but oh well. It could be worth the money to be black-listed for a while, and my name's changing soon anyway.) So far I've sold three books and made a profit of about $12. That number could go up quickly, though, because I've got enough shipping supplies for about fifteen more books and should make between $5 and $75 on each, depending on the book. Let's go, big money!

Now I've got to try to clean out my office while it's daylight so Al won't reconsider marrying me when he sees what a state it's in. I haven't used it all year (since August) because it's such a mess and I can't go in there at night without a flashlight since the lightbulb's burned out and I can't reach my ten-foot-high ceilings to change it. I tried standing on my tallest chair and I'm too cheap to buy a step ladder just to change a lightbulb. That goes on Al's honey-do list when he gets here (really, his list is very short, and mostly just wedding stuff). If he remembers to bring the step ladder, that is.

Okay, so enough of this miscellaneous ramble. Hope you have a wonderful day! I am--I'm enjoying a 60-degree weather day with my balcony door open. The ice that was on my balcony is almost gone!

baby on board

No, not me. It would be a little too early for that. But I am going to be an aunt by the end of the year! My baby brother and his wife are going to have a baby!

Congratulations again, Ryan and Rachel. I can't wait for my little niece or nephew to be born, and I know you'll make amazing parents. I'll even babysit when I move home if you want--and that's saying a lot, since I would only regularly babysit for two kids when I was younger (Natalie and Amanda). If the kid starts holding his/her breath and having temper tantrums, though, I might have to reconsider :).

I just realized that I'm going to be the oldest aunt. I hope that doesn't mean I won't still be a cool one!

super speed woman

Super Speed Woman made an appearance today. And she reminded me that it's about time I introduced her to you.

Super Speed Woman is an alter-ego of mine, one I've never told anyone about--ever. She would fall within the minor super hero category since her powers are only minor super powers. But they are very handy to have in a time of crisis.

For me, crises can arise out of a variety of situations. When Super Speed Woman appears, however, it's always a time crisis. I'm a huge procrastinator, and that's usually what brings her out. Today, though, it wasn't procrastination that called her. It was the fact that I exercised for ten minutes longer than I should have and then sat in the McDonald's drive-thru when I should have driven straight home. I ended up having only twenty minutes to shower, dress, put on my make-up and do my hair, so it was Super Speed Woman to the rescue!

"You're not really telling them about me," she's whispering in my ear right now. As she jabs me in the side. "They need to know who I am, where I came from--you know, that sort of thing!" Okay, okay, SSW. Today is your day.

All of my life, I have been prone to being late. I run late for school, for church, for going out with friends--you name it, I've probably been late to it. Sometimes, this bothers me. I realize that I'm going to be late and I haven't showered or anything, so I try to hurry. And since about junior high or high school--I really can't remember when it started--I have tried to speed myself up by calling on this imagined alter ego, Super Speed Woman.

SSW always appears when I am about to take a shower. She rips off her clothes with maddening speed, whips on the water, and jumps in as fast as she can. She starts shampooing, urges me that today is not a good day to shave, and tries to get me in and out of the shower in five minutes flat. As I said, though, SSW's powers are only minor super powers. As such, she usually gives in to her kryptonite and lets me take over again. I rarely make it out of the shower in less than fifteen or twenty minutes, but when I do, it's thanks to SSW. Her powers never last long enough for me to get through my hair, make-up, and getting dressed. By the time that half-hour or more has passed, she's long gone.

SSW is so power-less because her kryptonite is distraction. There are all types of things that can distract her, especially in the shower: the warm water that feels so good, the scent of my body wash (currently gingerbread spice) that she wants to inhale, the longing for smooth skin on my legs (she hates that stubbly feeling). She gets easily distracted by these things and forgets that she's supposed to be working--and then she lets me take over. Bad idea, Super Speed Woman. Rhonda is not a speedy girl, and Rhonda always runs late. Bad Super Speed Woman, bad! You really need to work out those minor super powers more.

SSW doesn't like being reprimanded publicly and wants me to tell you a little more about her, though, so here goes. Her favorite song is "Going the Distance" by Cake, and she alters the words to fit her personae:

She's going the distance
She's going for speed
She's all alone, all alone in her time of need

I don't think she knows the song is about a race car driver and his forsaken (lost?) girlfriend. Um, what else? Oh, she doesn't have a super-hero suit because, well, she's always appearing in the shower. Guess you could say it's her birthday suit. (She's telling me to shut up right now. I'm embarrassing her.) She likes to sing, but that is a distraction for her, too, since she always tries to sing as well as she can in case the people in the hallway or the next apartment overhear her. Oh, and she wishes I would let her out when I'm trying to jog, but I keep telling her that my body isn't ready for that yet. Maybe in time.

I'm sure you're all thinking I'm crazy right now. That's alright, as long as you were amused. Because this is the inner world of Rhonda. And my theme song, at least on some days, fits right in with this post. It's by 3 Doors Down and is called "Kryptonite."

I took a walk around the world to ease my troubled mind
I left my body laying somewhere in the sands of time
I watched the world float to the dark side of the moon
I feel there is nothing I can do, yeah

I watched the world float to the dark side of the moon
After all I knew it had to be something to do with you
I really don't mind what happens now and then
As long as you'll be my friend at the end

If I go crazy then will you still call me Superman
If I'm alive and well, will you be there holding my hand
I'll keep you by my side with ny superhuman might
Kryptonite

You called me strong, you called me weak but your secrets I will keep
You took for granted all the times I never let you down
You stumbled in and bumped your head, if not for me then you would be dead
I picked you up and put you back on solid ground

If I go crazy then will you still call me Superman
If I'm alive and well will you be there holding my hand
I'll keep you by my side with my Superhuman might
Kryptonite

good morning, starshine

The earth says hello!

Yes, I'm quoting Johnny Depp's character in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Or the musical Hair, take your pick (although I've never seen Hair). The point is, the sun is out and shining brightly this morning. The Weather Channel has given me good news, too: 41 degrees today, 48 degrees by Saturday, 53 degrees by Monday and 60 degrees by Tuesday. Please, don't change my forecast! Give me the warmth I need. And the sunshine.

Despite the bright, sunny day, I've got a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach and back of my mind that I'm trying to ignore and will away. I won't get results on my portfolio exam until after March 28, and I thought I'd be finding out the results this week. I have to let my apartments know before then whether or not I'll be signing my lease again this year, and I can't help but think, "What if?" This state doesn't allow you to break leases early and just pay a penalty like you can do at home. You're stuck in the lease, and even if you can find a subleaser, you still have to pay $200-$300 a month and they pay a reduced fee. Besides that, I just don't like the thought or possibility of failing out. I'm not used to failing at things. But I don't like the thought of staying here for another year, either. It's a catch 22.

Like I said, though, I'm trying to rid myself of that sinking feeling. And the thought that, in seven hours from now, I will officially be on spring break does help--somewhat. I've got cleaning to do grading to do and reading to do and writing to do and researching to do, all of which I hope to be done with by the time Al gets here Tuesday night. Yes--Al is coming to see me! He'll be here through Sunday the 18th. It's been almost a month and a half since I've seen him, so I'm excited.

My goal today? To get busy (I've got class in 44 minutes), to get things done (grading! class planning!), and to start singing a new tune. Lately, Sarah McLachlan's "Full of Grace" has been running through my head:

The winter here’s cold, and bitter
It’s chilled us to the bone
We haven’t seen the sun for weeks
Too long too far from home
I feel just like I’m sinking
And I claw for solid ground
I’m pulled down by the undertow
I never thought I could feel so low
Oh darkness I feel like letting go

But I'd much rather be singing "Sunshine Day" by the Brady Bunch:

I think I'll go for a walk outside now
the summer sun's callin my name
(I hear ya now)
I just can't stay inside all day
I gotta get out get me some of those rays
everybody's smilin'
sunshine day
everybody's laughin'
sunshine day
everybody seems so happy today
it's a sunshine day

Okay, it's not summer yet, but the sun's out--that should count for something, right? Hmm. Maybe I should have considered going somewhere warm for spring break. Too late now.

Happy day.

random picture of the day

home-coming

No, I'm not in high school anymore. And I don't even know when homecoming for my alma mater is--or my current school, for that matter. This is a different kind of home-coming, a weekend trip when I'm actually coming home (hence the hyphen). I've decided that, no matter what, I am coming home April 20-23. One of my best friends, Danny, started a dance company and their debut concert is that weekend. I will be there!

This blog is an invite to anyone who may want to see me that weekend to come to Natural Locz Dance Company's debut concert on Saturday, April 21, at 7:00 pm. The dance will be held at Wayne State University, which I say is a good reason to have dinner at Union Street. I'll be trying to cajole my friends Dana and Stephanie into coming home with me that weekend, too. But if you want to come, I'd like to know by March 31st so I can get a block of tickets together (tickets are $10 each). If you don't come, you may not get to see me that weekend since it will be pretty full of wedding stuff. So come, come, come! Support Danny, Marlon, and the rest of the dance company!


What wedding stuff? Well, I hope to set up a time to bottle my wine, I hope to try on my dress (it better be in by then!), and I hope to register. We'll also have to send the invites out no later than that week. I can't believe the wedding's coming up so soon--only a little over three months! :)

new me part ii/iii

This is my monthly weight-loss/get in shape blog. As such, it's actually the third in a series: the first one, new year, new me? was a blog with a few resolution-like goals, and the second one, i'm melting! was my first report on what I've been doing in an effort to lose weight and get in shape. Welcome to Part III.

In order to lessen the boredom my three-four regular readers will face, I'm offering a condensed version of what I've been doing the past four weeks in order to reach my goals. In general, my efforts involved exercising five times a week and trying to eat 1,458 calories or less per day--the number necessary for a person my weight (195 pounds as of the February 5) living a sedentary lifetsyle to lose one to two pounds per week. In order for a person my weight to maintain her weight, she shouldn't eat more than 2,200 calories a day. I did keep track of everything I ate, although the tracking got harder when I was finishing my portfolio and when I went out to eat a few times. When I report calories burned, it is only known calories burned--those on the machines (hiking, walking, jogging on a treadmill or using the elliptical machine). None of the other exercises have been included in this number.

Once again, I'll use the suspense to build up to the utlimate moment, the amount of weight I've lost over the past four weeks. I'm going the slow, safe route, so I only weigh myself on Mondays after four weeks have passed--I don't want to discourage myself by seeing very little progress from week to week. Anyway, here goes with the detailed accounting:

Week 1
Calories eaten: 12,696.16 - average 1,816 calories per day
Calories burned: 1,124
Days exercised: 6
Exercises done: Weights (2x), Walking on track (3x), Walking, jogging, or hiking on treadmill (3x), Elliptical (1x)
Miles travelled on foot: 8.37

Week 2
Calories eaten: 11,135.36 - average 1,591 calories per day
Calories burned: 989
Days exercised: 5
Exercises done: Weights (2x), Walking on track (3x), Walking, jogging, or hiking on treadmill (2x), Elliptical (1x)
Miles travelled on foot: 6.75

Week 3
Calories eaten: 12,480.5 - average 1783 calories per day
Calories burned: 912
Days exercised: 5
Exercises done: Weights (2x), Walking on track (2x), Walking and jogging on treadmill (3x), Elliptical (2x)
Miles travelled on foot: 8.17

Week 4
Calories eaten: 16,950.8 - average 2,422 calories per day (ouch)
Calories burned: 889
Days exercised: 4
Exercises done: Weights (1x), Walking on track (2x), Walking and jogging on treadmill (2x), Elliptical (1x), Downhill skiing (3 hours)
Miles travelled on foot: 9.31

My hard work this month resulted in a (drumroll)... 4 pound weight loss. A little disappointing, but understandable based on the way I've been eating the last week and a half. Some of my shirts are starting to fit better on the arms, and one pair of pants is a little less snug. Other than that, though, I'm not noticing any difference in the way my clothes fit. But I would like to. With that in mind and with the upcoming hiking trip this summer, I have a few new goals for the following month:

1. Keep my caloric intake to an average of 1,434 calories per day, which is the amount of calories a person with a sedentary lifestyle weighing 191 pounds should eat in order to lose one to two pounds a week.
2. Fit into an old pair of pants (this would mean a loss of inches in my butt and thighs).
3. Travel 20 miles on foot in one week (on foot = treadmill, track, elliptical, and--if the weather is good--outdoor walking, jogging, and hiking).

I'm going to be looking up (and posting) fitness plans for newbie hikers such as myself and modifying the plans to fit into my lifestyle. Stay tuned for new weight-loss results in four weeks!

pictured rocks option

Well, kids, I'm afraid I don't have much detailed info for the Pictured Rocks hiking option. If we choose this, we'll have to trust the expertise of Bruce to guide us through the wilderness. He didn't send me any guidebooks containing info on this, but I was able to find some scant internet info that you can check out. Maybe someone else will have better luck.

Looks like if we choose the Pictured Rocks option, we will be visiting Pictured Rocks National Park. The main trail through the park is a portion of the North Country Trail, which is a trail that stretches from New York to the Dakotas. The map here is of the area, but it isn't very detailed and I haven't been able to find maps with more details or smaller trails marked. The most detailed descriptions that I could find of the trail, moving from west to east, are here. The author warns, though, that there may be errors in his information. (I know that up to six people can fit on individual camping sites (two tents per site) and groups of seven or more need to split up or reserve group sites; that is one thing that is different from his info.) And the park information on backcountry camping is here, but not very detailed. There is a potential to sight bears, though!

An update from Bruce is that it is likely we will be tenting it no matter where we go. It's a little too late in the year to reserve the shelters. We may want to plan ahead a year if we want to go to Isle Royale someday! In coming posts: hygiene, equipment, training programs, etc. Hope to hear from you on your preferences soon!

i said no beef

There's something about living in the middle of corn country that makes people gloss over, block out, or otherwise ignore the words "No beef" when they're taking your food order. The concept is fairly simple. I want the food without the beef in it. But perhaps when you're in the middle of farmland where cows are slaughtered on a daily basis, the concept of food without the beef is a hard one to grasp. Or maybe it's just me.


I have to pick on our local Taco Bell here, the only one that I know of for miles and miles and miles. Back home they're a dime a dozen, and I had my favorites--the one along the route to X (wherever I was going), the one with the fastest drive-thru, the one that's ten cents cheaper than all of the others, the one that can't mix their pop (soda) right, the one with the best food. Out here, having no choice in my Taco Bells, I go about once or twice a month to the one that, probably eight times out of ten, has given me beef on my nacho supreme when I say, "No beef." Sometimes they come without the beans, sometimes they come with everything, but when I pull away from that window forgetting to check my order, odds are there is beef on the nachos.

I try to give taco-bellians the benefit of the doubt by reasoning that it must be hard to hear the difference between beef and beans over a speaker. So I have resorted to different things in the past. Once, after trying to spell the word and realizing (when she still couldn't get it right) that b-e-e-f and b-e-a-n-s may still sound similar over a loudspeaker, I said not to give me any cow. That apparently offended the person taking my order since she repeated, in a very snotty tone of voice, "Okay, that's a nacho supreme minus the cow." Lately I've resorted to saying, "No ground beef," and that seems to work well. Unless they don't hear you at all and gloss over those words entirely, giving you (me) a nacho supreme with everything.

What's my problem with beef? Nothing. I eat it regularly. But I was a vegetarian for seven years, and I just got used to some foods--particularly Mexican--without beef. I enjoy it more that way. But authentic Mexican restaurants out here seem to have the same problem as Taco Bell.

Last night, after an afternoon of skiing what Scott calls the Bump (aka a hill similar to Pine Knob's "ski slopes"), I was craving Mexican. The orders went in, starting with me: "No beef." "No sour cream." "No guacamole." The orders came back. No guacamole. No sour cream. Beef chunks.

The person who delivered our food was not our waiter, but he must have told the waiter there was a problem with our order. I explained to him that I had ordered the plate without any beef. He looked mystified, and I'm sure he would have sworn that I didn't specify that when I ordered (although the rest of my table heard it, and since he was standing next to me, he shouldn't have had any problem hearing it). He took my plate, smiling, and a minue later brought back another plate. The quesadilla had ground beef instead of beef chunks in it. He looked at me quizzically when I almost started laughing. "No?" he asked.

"I don't want any beef at all," I said. "None?" he asked. "None," I said. He took my plate again.

This time when he returned my plate he practically threw it at me, didn't smile, and didn't say anything. He didn't wait to make sure it was correct. But it wasn't my fault! He just had some type of "no beef" block--the rest of my table understood perfectly fine what I wanted. Ugh. It almost makes a person want to eat beef on her Mexican again. Almost.

The pic here is of a cow standing in the road that's in front of my land in New Mexico, outside of Albuquerque. In the horizon are mountains, not stormy sky.

the porcupine mountains option

Hello, hello, potential future hikers! I am just getting to look through the stuff that Uncle Bruce sent me, so this will be the first installment of info on hiking options. He suggested either the Porcupine Mountains or...um, don't remember, but those will be next. Here are some options for the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park hikes. Let me know what (if anything) sounds interesting! Some of it may be mixed up some, since I'm not quite sure how to read some of the maps/books, but I'm sure Uncle Bruce can fill us in and correct anything I may have wrong.

Three Day Hikes

South Mirror Lake Trailhead (17 miles)

• Day 1: South Mirror Lake Trail to Mirror Lake (2.5 miles) - Trail climbs 200 feet (elevation 1,760 feet) before gently descending, first as a forest road and then as a foot path. After crossing a small stream, the trail climbs to 1,640 feet, crosses a ridge, then descends to the Little Carp River. The backcountry campsites are nearby, as is Mirror Lake. Mirror Lake is "surrounded by rugged bluffs and ridges, many of which can be climbed for views of the area, while towering pines dominate much of the shoreline" (DuFresne).
• Day 2: North Mirror Lake Trail to Big Carp River shelter (9.0 miles) - Trail starts with a four-mile trek that usually takes hikers three hours to walk and is often muddy from heavy use. After four miles, the trail begins a gentle ascent. After passing some ridges, a gentle descent begins but soon becomes "one of the steepest climbs in the park. In 0.75 mile, you descend from 1,640 feet to 1,160 through a gorge-like area" (DuFresne). After bottoming out, the trail continues three and a half more miles to the west end of the lake. It continues, skirting the lake, and there is a half-mile, steep uphill climb. We will turn southwest to the Big Carp River Trail, which is "truly one of the most incredible hikes in the Porkies" because of its variety of scenery (DuFresne). The trail heads into the woods and then begins a steady ascent of 100 feet. The trail follows a bluff for a mile and a half and then descends into a valley. The trail then leads hikers through a cool, dry forest and then over the bridge for the Big Carp River.
• Day 3: Correction Line Trail to Summit Peak Road Trailhead (5.5 miles) - The first part of this trail is through a low-lying forest that is often muddy, even in good weather. After crossing two creeks, the trail begins a steep climb and levels out in a hollow with "impressive rock bluffs. The only thing more impressive is the mud. It gets deeper still" (DuFresne). Next is a half-mile climb and then rapid descent to Mirror Lake's north shoreline. Next comes a steady climb to some viewing platforms with benches and, eventually, the third highest point in Michigan. When we at last descend, it will be "a straight drop off the peak, with some sections being extremely steep" (DuFresne).

Government Peak Trailhead on M-107 (16 miles)

• Day 1: Government Peak Trail to Trap Falls Area (2 miles) - The first half of this trail is very scenic. It begins with a steep climb, levels out, and then descends within the first mile. It continues through a low-lying, muddy, forest. It eventually reaches a scenic gorge-like area on the Upper Carp River, where it climbs along the river and several scenic pools, including Trap Falls. Trap Falls is less than a quarter mile from that night's camping site.
• Day 2: Government Peak Trail to Mirror Lake (6 miles) - This trail climbs for the first mile and then levels out and breaks out into an open marsh that is known as a good spot to see wildlife. The trail then climbs another half mile, steep at times, before descending to a level woods walk.
• Day 3: North Mirror Lake Trail to M-107 Trailhead (8 miles) - Same as above, but we don't continue on the Big Carp River Trail; we end instead.

Lake Superior Trailhead on M-107 (19 miles)

• Day 1: Lake Superior Trail to Buckshot Landing (2.5 miles) - The trail runs through a pine forest, gradually ascending and offering glimpses of Lake Superior. It begins a descent, gentle and then "knee-bending," finally bottoming out in a stand of hardwoods not far from the lake.
• Day 2: Lake Superior Trail to Shining Falls area (8 miles) - The first 6.5 miles is the most level of the trails in the park and is the easiest stretch of the shoreline route. It runs through the forest offering occasional glimpses of the lake. The last couple of miles offer a continual view of the lake and does not involve any climbing. We continue to the next trail, which ascends to a bluff. It hugs the bluff for half a mile then makes a steep descent to "Bathtub Falls," a series of one-foot drops and pools. After climbing into a gorge that is full of cascades, we will reach a backcountry campsite close to Shining Falls, "a pair of cascades that make a 30- to 35-foot drop and are enclosed on one side by stone walls.
• Day 3: Big Carp River Trail to Lake of the Clouds Overlook (8.5 miles) - This trail begins with a level stroll through a gorge. After two miles, we will walk through a forest before making a steep descent. We will cross the river and then continue along the bluffs until we cross a wet area into low-lying ground. Then we will continue the Big Carp River Trail route described under the first hike (day 2), only backwards.

Two Day Hikes

South Mirror Lake Trailhead (9 miles)

• Day 1: South Mirror Lake Trail to Mirror Lake (2.5 miles) - See above.
• Day 2: Little Carp River Trail to Trailhead via Lily Pond (6.5 miles) - The trail skirts the Little Carp River and is very scenic. After going through a stand of white pine, the trail begins a gentle climb, with only one steep, stint. The trail then begins a steady half-mile descent before it makes a gentler, mile-long descent.

Government Peak Trailhead on M-107 (6.5 miles)

• Day 1: Government Peak Trail to Trap Falls Area (2 miles) - See above.
• Day 2: Backtrack via Overlook Trail to M-107 Trailhead (4.5 miles) - This trail loops from the Government Peak Trail and back to it about a half-mile or mile south of it. It is "a challenging trek with long steep climbs and poor footings in many places" (DuFresne). It does, however, have two viewing areas into the heart of the Porkies. We would head back via the Government Peak Trail.

Well, those are our Porcupine Mountain choices. Let me know if any of them sound do-able, and I'll work on putting together more info. The sleeping arrangements are usually 4-6 bunk cabins (with wooden bunks, no mattresses), which we'd have to reserve ahead of time, or backcountry camping areas (I'm assuming sleeping out in the open) for others. I don't think the cabins are always completely walled in--three wall cabins were mentioned in one area of the book. That's it for now!

The information in this blog comes from Jim DuFresne's Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park: A Backcountry Guide for Hikers, Backpackers, Campers and Winter Visitors, 2nd Edition. Holt, MI: Thunder Bay Press, 1999.

blizzard

There's supposed to be a blizzard here today. Yep. Apparently, the eight-ish inches of snow we got last weekend wasn't enough. Right now it's only raining, but its supposed to be snowing and the wind is supposed to be blowing fiercely (which is what I guess makes it a blizzard) within the next couple of hours, and we're supposed to get four to six more inches of snow. Then another one to two tonight, then another one to two tomorrow, then another one to two on Saturday. Fun, fun, fun! They even cancelled school today, so guess what? Extra day off for me. But I'll be grading all day, as long as I have power.

I did go buy a flashlight in case my power goes out. Last time it took about nine hours for my power to come back on, which wasn't too bad. But just in case, I've also hiked up my heat so my apartment will stay warm in case there isn't any heat pumping through it soon. And the most important preparation--I'm charging up my portable dvd player for a few hours' worth of entertainment. If my power does go out, I'm stuck here, because I won't be able to get my car out of my garage. There's not a handle on the outside, so I can't manually override the garage door opener in case of an emergency. And even if I could, the gates might be stuck shut.

I have plenty of reading material to keep me busy this weekend if need be--the hiking stuff! I'll be looking it over and, if I have power and the internet, I'll post some ideas/details here. If not, you won't be hearing from me for a while. Have a happy Thursday!