On repeat...

Y is for... Yesterday

Yesterday. The day that I had waited for. The day the Bar results would be posted. 

Yesterday. The day that was the worst day of my life. 

Yesterday. The day that I found out I failed. AGAIN. 

Yesterday. The day that all of my friends who took the Bar for the second time with me passed. 

Yesterday. The day that I found out that I truly am alone. 

Yesterday. 

**This post is for the April A to Z Challenge!

X is for... Xylophobia

Xylophobia is 1) the fear of wooden objects 2) Forests [source]

Soooo do these things SCARE you?

**This post is for the April A to Z Challenge!

Just Closed... [Friends Like Us]

Friends Like Us by Lauren Fox
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was highly acclaimed by different magazines and websites. I thought I would like it better. While I did like it, I just didn't think it was as good as I was led to believe. It wasn't terrible, but still not so great. I don't really know what to say, but Willa the main character was kind of hard to empathize with. I found myself emphasizing with Jane more and I wish that Jane's story had been developed more.

View all my reviews

Half Marathon Training Run 3.30

Ok so I wasn't feeling so great today. Thought I could try to go out and run anyway, like a good training runner would... Well, needless to say I didn't get too far. Hoping that things go better this weekend on my long run. And I'm glad I was able to get in some miles, no matter how short.

Todays' stats = 1.15 miles in 13:11

W is for... Worry

I am a worry-wart. 

I worry all of the time about EVERYTHING. 

Joe hates it. 

I hate it too. 

However, I cannot stop myself. I think it's just a trait that is integral to me. I blame my mom. She is a major worrier and I think she instilled worry in me. 

I know that it is good that I care about things, but I guess sometimes I just care too much. 

In times of stress and worry I like to turn to some of my favorite Bible verses to remind me that even though things seem rough right now, things will work out, and I really don't need to worry.

"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?" - Matthew 6:25-27

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." - Matthew 6:34

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:6-7

There are so many more that I love and remind myself of frequently, but these are just a couple I wanted to share. 

**This post is for the April A to Z Challenge!

V is for... Variety

Today I was thinking about the letter "V" and what I could post on.

Immediately I thought about the well known and often used quote "variety is the spice of life."

I have used this quote very often and I like to think that I try to have a lot of variety in my life. 

However, the more I thought about it, I realized that I did not really know where the quote came from or what it really was intended to signify.

I decided to do a quick Google search and see what I could come up with.

According to Wiki and a couple other sites, the quote "variety is the spice of life" comes from British poet William Cowper from the 1700s (source).

 (source)

**This post is for the April A to Z Challenge!

Half Marathon Training Run 3.29

Ok, so I was doing AWESOME. Until a little after the 3 mile mark when I got a massive side ache and could not even extend my stomach out or even jog upright. I ended up walking the last portion because I really wanted to do at least 3 miles, a goal which I met, and I wanted to know the distance from my house, to the park, one loop around the park, and then back home. But here is what was awesome, my third mile I ran I did in 10:39! I haven't ran a mile that fast in a LONG time. My first mile was 11:54, my second was 12:30 (this mile had an icky hill in it, which I ran up all the way without walking), and then my third was 10:39. I was overjoyed when I saw that on my Garmin. What a great day to run and what a great run!

Todays' stats = 3.65 miles in 46:00
- Mile 1 = 11:54
- Mile 2 = 12:30
- Mile 3 = 10:39
- 0.65 =  10:57 (walked)

U is for... Ultras

You may be asking yourself, ultra what? 

What I am referring to, dear reader, is the ultra known as an ultramarathon!

Now you may be asking yourself what this is... 

Is it another name for a half marathon, which is 13.1 miles long... Or maybe another name for a marathon, which is 26.2 miles long. 

Or is it something all on its own? 

The answer my friends is the latter. 

An ultramarathon is longer and more intense than either type of marathon I have mentioned above.

You may be asking yourself, has The "Almost" Attorney ever raced in a ultra? 

The answer to that question is no. But I would like to at some point. 

Wikipedia provides good general information about ultramarathons. 

This site states "there are two types of ultramarathon events: those that cover a specified distance, and events that take place during specified time (with the winner covering the most distance in that time). The most common distances are 50 kilometres (31.069 mi), 100 kilometres (62.137 mi), 50 miles (80.467 km) and 100 miles (160.934 km), although many races have other distances... Other distances/times include double marathons, 24-hour races, and multiday races of 1000 miles or even longer... Timed events range from 6, 12, and 24 hours to 3 and 6 days and 10 days (known as multi-day events)." [Site credit]

As a runner (or as I mentioned previously, a "jogger") I do aspire to competing in a race of this nature, I just don't know if that will be something that I can do soon, or something that will have to wait. 

As you can assume, it would take a lot of training to be able to prepare for something like this and you have to be able to dedicate that kind of time, which I am not sure is something I can do at this point and time. 

 

**This post is for the April A to Z Challenge!

Half Marathon Training Run 3.28

Tried to pick up the pace a bit. Wanted to do this run faster than my desired half marathon pace, which is 12:35 per mile. Thinking if I can do my shorter runs at this pace, then my remaining two long runs at about a minute slower than my desired race pace, I should be good at keeping on track. Had to walk a little between 1.35 miles and 1.50 miles, so it may have been even faster if I hadn't done that.

Todays' stats = 2.00 miles in 23:00

T is for... Television

I know there are mixed opinions on television and amount of television watched.

I have always watched quite a bit of television, even from a young age.

I like to think that I am just fine. I am intelligent, active, and fun loving.

I do not believe that everyone who watches television is bad.

While I do agree that children should have active lifestyles and spend time outside playing, I do think that they should be able to watch television as well.

As with anything, there just needs to be a balance.

Ok, soapbox rant over.

Here are some shows that are currently on television that I am loving right now.

**This post is for the April A to Z Challenge!

Half Marathon #3 - Training Week #8

Week 8 (Monday April 16th - Sunday April 22nd)

Mon - Scheduled = 0 / Done = 2.50 miles in 30:00
Tues - Scheduled = 2 / Done = 2.10 miles in 25:00
Wed - Scheduled = 2 / Done = 2.00 miles in 24:00
Thurs - Scheduled = 2 / Done = 2.05 miles in 25:00
Fri - Scheduled = 0 / Done = 0
Sat - Scheduled = 10 / Done = 10.00 miles in 2:29:00
Sun - Scheduled = 2 / Done = 0

Weekly Total = 18.65 miles

Project Zero - 101 in 1001 (update end of month 3)

So, I figured I would start updating this list every month-ish so I can see my progress on things... Here is my updated list as of the end of Month 3 - again later than I wanted, but that's how it goes!

Bold = DONE
Italics = Began

Start Date = Monday January 9th, 2012
End Date =Monday October 6th, 2014



1. Pass the Oregon Bar Exam
2. Participate in NanoWrimo
3. Compete in and finish a marathon!
4. Open own solo law practice
5. Write a book (or short story) 




6. Find a church to attend in Salem - DONE 3_25_2012
7. Re-read the Bible in a year using a program like before
8. Join an online Bible study - DONE 1_15_2012
9. Spend a month actively praying for family and friends and keep a list of people and keep it in a visible place [0/31]
10. Organize my notes from when I read the Bible all the way through in 2011
11. Do at least 10 more devotionals of varying lengths from my Bible [5/10]
12. Plan a time with Aaron and my mom and sister in which to get my niece dedicated and baptized at our community church
13. Buy Selena her first Bible



14. Pay off my quad
15. Pay off both of my credit cards (Amazon and B of A)
16. Make my own coffee ONLY for 1 Month [0/31]
17. Start couponing for groceries
18. Establish an emergency fund of $5,000
19. Keep track of all spending for 1 month [0/31]
20. Donate to my undergrad
21. Buy a house
22. Buy a new car
23. Buy a new couch and recliner



24. Go on a hiking trip to Silver Falls with a friend or group of friends
25. Go camping with girlfriends (without our boys)
26. Go one week without caffeine [0/7]
27. Go one month without fast food [0/31]
28. Floss every night for one week [0/7]
29. Run 20 miles in one single run
30. Go skiing or snowboarding for the FIRST time
31. Give up soda for 1 month [0/31]
32. Give up sugar for 1 month [0/31]
33. Try all of the classes at the gym at least once
34. Grow a garden in the planter boxes
35. Go to bed by 9pm for 1 week [0/7]
36. Get up and out of bed by 6am for 2 weeks [0/14]



37. Use and improve my Spanish
38. Identify 100 things that make me happy [0/100] - started 1000 gifts 4_20_12
39. Learn 1 thing new every day for 1 month [31/31] - DONE 3_21_12
40. Try 50 new recipes [8/50]
41. Join Toastmasters
42. Learn how to play PS3 so I can play Call of Duty with Joe
43. Make a pizza from scratch 
44. Learn how to knit
45. Learn how to crochet



46. Clean and organize office/spare room
47. Organize pictures
48. Delete all duplicated songs off itunes and find names for all unnamed songs
49. Get all photos into albums
50. Get everything of mine from mom's house and organize it
51. Help mom get her house in order
52. Clean and organize garage



53. Attend a music festival
54. Try 10 new local restaurants with or without Joe [3/10] - Ventis, Orupa, Thai Beer
55. Replace movies we only have on VHS with movies on DVD or Bluray
56. Go to the ballet
57. Go to the opera
58. Go to a comedy club
59. Join a couples' pool playing league with Joe
60. Buy a companion African Grey parrot for Harrison

 

61. Befriend someone new
62. Visit with a friend in person at least once a month [3/33]
63. Meet a blog friend
64. Attend MY 10 year high school reunion
65. Attend Joe's 10 year high school reunion with him
66. Host a games night
67. Host a dinner party
68. Have a mother/daughter day
69. Have a niece/auntie day



70. Read 100 NEW TO ME books [13/100]
71. Read a book of poems
72. Finish reading the entire Harry Potter series [3/7]




73. See all of AFI's top 100 movies [19/100]
74. Discover 10 (new to me) musicians [1/10] Fun
75. Learn to drive a stick shift
76. Learn to drive in Joe's BIG truck comfortably
78. Buy someone a gift off Etsy - DONE 1_18_2012




79. Find places looking for volunteers and volunteer somewhere once a month [0/33] - missed first 2 months
80. Send a family member a care package
81. Send a friend a care package
82. Give a gift "just because"
83. Choose 3 organizations/causes to contribute to financially [2/3]



84. Watch the sunrise 10 times [0/10]
85. Take walks with Joe after he gets off work every evening for a week
86. Meditate for 30 minutes every morning for 1 month [0/31]
87. Write a letter to a future me :)
88. Spend a whole day painting
89. Spend a whole day drawing



90. Visit Joe's aunt and uncle in St. Croix
91. Go to NY - a BIG dream of mine
92. Go out of the country (never been)
93. Take a road trip with some girlfriends
94. Plan a trip to see a family member I have never met before (or cannot remember ever meeting)
95. Visit 3 NEW TO ME national parks [0/3]
96. Visit Mount Rushmore
97. Visit Central Park
98. Go to Times Square
99. Shop in downtown NYC
100. Run a race somewhere out of state
101. Visit with Katie in Las Vegas

Half Marathons past

I have done 2 half marathons. I have done the Run Like Hell half marathon in Portland, Oregon and the Eugene Half Marathon in Eugene, Oregon.

I did the RLH in October of 2010.

I did the EHM in May of 2011.

As I get closer to my next half marathon, the Rock n' Roll Portland Half Marathon, I have been thinking about paces and PRs.

As much as I would LOVE to PR in this upcoming half, I don't know if I will be able to from the pacing that I have been doing while training this time around.

Here are my stats from the past halfs.

Run Like Hell Half Marathon
- I finished in 2:51:51 which means I had an average pace of 13:07/mile

Eugene Half Marathon
- I finished in 3:20:04 which means I had an average pace of 15:17/mile

I trained adequately for the RLH, while I barely trained for EHM.

I have been training hard for this upcoming half, but my pace has been hovering around 12:30/mile on short runs and my long run yesterday was an average of 14:51/mile.

As much as I would LOVE to PR, I think my main goal for this half is to be under 3:00:00. Man I feel slow!