Mostly a Runner’s post….

So today’s post is mostly a runner’s post. I have been working hard to make sure that I am active 4-5 days a week. I am looking to increase this to 5-6 days a week but I still need to get a couple of things to achieve this. BUT! before we dive into the runner/exercise part of all this, a couple of notes and an explanation for this post, because as you know… I do not normally dedicate my posts to one thing — don’t like the restrictions. Today is special though. Today marks the first time in a decade where my three best friends from high school and I will all be back within a 20 mile radius of each other! We split after high school (them a year before me… yes all three of them), Rach to UVA, Sheena to Tehc, Michelle to NYU and me to Purdue. We went about our business for four years. After college, Rachel moved back to the area as did I, but Sheena stayed at Tech and went on to grad school and a PhD (my friends are kinda smart) and Michelle stayed in NYC — Wouldn’t you?

So here we were going about our business…. I moved away again, then  back and we all started to separate for a while (life events and whatnot), Rachel went back to UVA for grad school. Then something magical happened. Rachel up and got married and we all reconvened at the wedding for the first time since I managed to pull my head out of my ass. A reconnection happened and while it wasn’t nurtured or extremely maintained, that rebirth ensured contact would continue and friendships would be reborn and rekindled. Since Rachel’s wedding, Sheena and Rachel have both completed their respective furthering degrees and I have moved back to the DC area. Michelle remained in NYC. She did quite well for herself — MBA, Project managing and whatnot…. but then this past June, something magical happened. I was gchatting with Michelle and she said she would be in NoVA for one day and one day only. When I asked what for… she said she was interviewing for a job. We had planned to meet up, which was foiled by my idiocy, but I did speak with her on the phone. We spoke again when she told me she accepted the position and would be moving home. I could hardly contain my excitement. annnnnnnd this brings us to TODAY.

TODAY culminates a ten year journey that has brought us full circle. All four of us in the same general vicinity.

The reason today is mostly for runner’s is because Michelle is prepping for the NYC marathon in November. Running is something that the two of us share and occasionally discuss. With Michelle staying with me for the first couple of weeks she is in town, I get to show her my morning river run route, among many other things.

This pic of the Potomac, takin with my iPizzle….

Anywho, so to go along with this pic, I post for you some highlights off my current running playlist.

J-Kwon – Tipsy — the beat is sick. the lyrics…. ehhhh

Michael Jackson – Thriller — Oldie but a goodie, you can never go wrong with a little MJ

Florence and the Machine – Dog Days are Over — Super encouraging. Def enjoy when the shuffle surprises me with this song at the end of my run (going up my final hill)

LMFAO – Sexy and I Know it — Cause I-uh-I, I work out.

Martin Solveig & Dragonette – Hello  — This is the song I like to start with because it’s perfect when the sun is just starting to come up.

Flux Pavilion – Cracks — another great morning song for when the sun is coming up and you wanna get your ass in gear.

Flux Pavilion – Gold Dust (remix) — This song has a sick beat, dub step style, and gets me dancing and running at the same time… which basically looks spastic but makes the song AWESOME.

Rage Against the Machine – Renegades of Funk — Because no matter how hard you try, you can’t stop us now. Between the guitar riffs and the rock-rapping, this song gets your ass goin.

Big Pun – Still Not a Playa — sick lyrics, fast, good beat.

Nicki Minaj – I’m the Best — supplies me with illusions of grandeur when I need em most.

Skrillex – My Cinema — one of many skrillex songs (Kyoto, Bangarang, etc) on my playlist, My Cinema reminds me of my husby and a reason that I run.

 

Hope y’all enjoy! Happy running, happy soccer-ing and happy yoga-ing!

My husby and I plan on doing a dry run for my bike ride to work over the weekend. I am hoping to get the garmin 110 this weekend also and we may look for some couples yoga or somethin. who know what we will find. all I know is that I am looking forward to seeing my buddy tonight!!!!

 

I was called a magical unicorn today

I was called a magical unicorn today and I cannot lie, it kinda made may already awesome Friday a little better!  I have also decided that I want to be addressed as such from now on. Hence forth, I will only respond to “the Magical Unicorn”…………………………………………………..or Becca……. BAH!  This came about because I was able to get information out of my brother that I guess no one else could? OR! he knows I would continue to ask him and bother him until he told me. POINT LITTLE SISTER!!! BOOM!

I have a couple of things to address, so I am going to try and do it quickly….

I want to preface this first thing by saying that this is a broad statement and this rant has been brewing for approx three months. It is directed at no one in particular (SERIOUSLY, if it was, i would call them out in person to their FACE, cause that is the humane thing to do)…

If you know how to slap up a cms (like wordpress, joomla, drupal, etc) and you can install a premade theme on to the cms, YOU ARE NOT A WEB DESIGNER. YOU ARE NOT A WEB DEVELOPER! You are discounting my entire profession and the time I have worked to build up my shit.

• Do I use wordpress? um DUH! Because it is easy and convenient.
• Could I code you a website in PHP/CSS/HTML/Java/JQuery, yes.
• Could I create a homegrown CMS in PHP that was user friendly with a decent GUI and have it be exactly what is wanted? yes. I have started creating my own CMS actually. Just for the HELL OF IT! THAT IS HOW AWESOME I AM!
• Now, do I mean this part of the post to call out anyone in particular, no. No, I do not.

Actually, some people I work with in my spare time who want websites built, know how to use wordpress, just not how to design, customize and develop the sites. These people are AWESOME because they openly admit to these facts and actually want to LEARN more about how to design and create the sites. One has even asked to learn more about it, and that is part of the website creation deal we made. It was factored in because I ENCOURAGE IT.

This rant does NOT by any means apply to or discount the people that can code in HTML and use CSS to their advantage and so on….

Now with all of this being said, my final statement… I have seen and heard many a person advertise themselves as developers and designers because they can throw up a premade system and a premade design… it is insulting. STOP.

OK! WHEW! I have been holding that in for about 3 months. Anywho, onto the more fun parts of this post.

We are at FRIDAY, what are you all doing this weekend? Here is a list from scoutmob of stuff to do: http://scoutmob.com/washington-dc/scoutfinds/4118 — their eat-local-street-bar things looks good! I will be headed into clarendon tonight to watch my soccer team get wild and crazy on a pub crawl of sorts (SOBER WALKER RIGHT HERE!). Then tomorrow night, I will be headed further into old town to try out a new sushi joint and celebrate my brother’s 30th birthday. While we are celebrating slightly late, he is slightly old. SO no worries there. He is awesome though! And he is SO awesome that I overnighted part of his gift just so I could make sure it was perfect and I may or may not procrastinate… worst thing ever, his gf (she’s AWESOME) reminded me like two or three weeks ago. hahaha I suck.

This next bit may or may not interest you…. but I am in love with Pot Belly’s Mediterranean Sandwich. It is good with and without chicken. You can preorder and it has the right amount of salt, spice, and flavor that you really dont need to add anything extra.

Now with that being said, I am starving. I will leave you with a couple of final things.

1) I am going to five guys for lunch, why? because i ran 3 miles this morning at 5:15am.

2) Here is your friday funny (mute if you dont wanna hear the awful freakin song):

3) Here are your friday grooves:

90s throwback 1: Sublime, What I got (reminding you to always be thankful)

90s throwback 2: Toadies, Possum Kingdom

To Prep you for the Weekend: LMFAO, Shots.

GET FIRED UP! IT’S THE FREAKIN WEEKEND! Happy Friday y’all!

Lost on the Brain

soooooooooooooooooooooo it’s Thursday but feels like it should be Monday with all the crap that has rained down on me in my little universe between yesterday and today. I am really trying to give it all a positive spin, but unfortunately I am struggling more than usual today…. maybe by the end of today I will have it sorted.

What sucks is there is a lot I want to say, but know I should now on a public forum. I am upset and offended in a couple of area of my life. Guess its up to me to sort it out somehow or just let it go.

But alas, let us move forward. What have I done recently? I have started an intense 6 week course. 150-200 pages of reading a week, 3 hours of class divided into two nights, quiz every week and a group project every other week. SLAMMED. The class prevents me from playing softball until august 11 and it isn’t that I am a huge fan of softball, but I am a fan of our team.

I had a July 4th bbq. It was awesome! We had SOOOOO much food and it seemed like everyone (and their dogs) had a great time!  We even set off fireworks!

We are getting our performance reviews in the next week or so… I may be one of the first as mine is today. I am hoping it goes well.

My brother turned 30 and my parents have achieved 40 years of marriage.

My a/c crapped out, came back and then crapped out again.

I don’t have much else to report today… hope your Thursday goes well.

 

Thanks for stopping by.