miles of serendipity.

159)

2012-02-14T14:32:00.001-06:00

i finished the first week of couch-to-5k and have moved on to week two!
week one consisted of 60 seconds of running followed by 90 seconds of walking for twenty minutes. all things considered, i think it went pretty well! here's the recap of my first week, straight from the pages of my paper journal to here.

day one:
okay, so i decided to just go for it! i stretched inside, then decided to take advantage of the mild (by february in chicago standards) afternoon and go for a wander around the neighborhood. i found a free iPod app that tracks your progress and runs over the music... it fades in to give you a direction, then fades back out and returns you to your current track. pretty sweet! at the end of the workout, it saves your progress and moves you to the next day. i think it will be very helpful for me.

as far as the actual workout itself, i didn't feel as out of shape as i thought i was, and really didn't feel like i needed to stop at any time. the one thing that kind of surprised me was that my knee bothered me a bit, starting about halfway through... it feels totally fine now, but i will say i was surprised; i thought my ankle would have caused more pain, considering it's the more recent injury.

anyway, i loved it--frankly, it was relatively easy for me. i'm feeling pretty great! it will be interesting to see how i'm feeling tomorrow, that's for sure. here's to day two... i might just become a runner after all!

day two:
got off work at 11 and headed over to the gym. today's workout? too easy, haha. almost effortless, and i couldn't believe it was over when it ended! this time my ankle was sore (but not my knee, hooray!), but no more sore than it usually is after eight hours of work, really. i wore the ankle brace and that really seemed to help a lot! afterwards, i did an additional 20 minutes on the treadmill before heading home.

day three:
ouch. today kind of kicked my ass... which is good, of course, but ow. i walked for a little while longer before starting the workout. after i completed day 3, i did another 15-20 minutes of walking, but was definitely feeling it. i think an eight hour saturday shift is the culprit for today, but regardless, i am undeterred! if i'm sore, it means i'm working hard and getting in better shape. so, bring it on, week 2! this is going to get interesting, i think!

158)

2012-02-06T00:19:00.001-06:00

have you ever heard of couch-to-5k?
basically, it's a running program that aims to ease non-runners or beginner runners into a routine that, over the course of two months, will have them running five kilometers on a regular basis. it's all about easing into it gradually and being comfortable with what you can do.

all that said... i've made the decision. i'm jumping into couch-to-5k!

the idea and motivation for doing couch-to-5k comes from a few different places. first of all, it'll help me get healthier and into better shape. my job is pretty physically demanding, and after being there for over a year, i'm much stronger than i used to be. i know i could be challenging myself more, and i'm ready for it. i've never really been a runner, but it seems like something i could be okay at... a way to relieve stress and anxiety... a path to more adventures and goodness like hiking excursions and biking expeditions.

in addition, i just think it would be really goddamn awesome to accomplish something like this, to make it happen all on my own from start to finish. five kilometers is approximately 3.106 miles, which really isn't all that long but to a non-runner, it's practically a marathon. (and who knows, maybe i'll run one of those someday!) the sky is the limit, and i am so excited!

so... day one. monday, my day off. it involves alternating running and jogging for 20 minutes, something i believe i can totally do. i will eat a good breakfast and get in a good stretching session and hit the road. and when all is said and done, i'll share my experience here. can't wait to see where this leads me.

off we go!

157)

2012-02-04T12:24:00.000-06:00

for as long as i can
remember, it has felt
like home--field trips
to the art institute, the
museum of science
and industry,

adventures to wrigley
field on hot summer days
to cheer on the boys in
blue, the home team,

and later, exploring the
city late at night with
the one who turned out
to be my other half.

just a month shy of
twenty four, i am overcome
with contentment, with
gratitude, for the windy
city and for the magic
found within.

156)

2012-02-02T23:46:00.001-06:00

i.
i found myself transported
to another place in time,
a new year's eve journey
eastward. there we were:

an afternoon to ourselves.
among other things, we
enjoyed a few drinks at
the bar and went for a dip
in the swimming pool. so
relaxing, so enticing--

exactly what we needed,
even we didn't entirely
know it, then.

ii.
(when you kiss me
like that, i swear
the universe blooms
and unfolds within
my very being;

it lingers for hours.)

155)

2012-01-09T15:16:00.004-06:00

it is the ninth day
of the new year
and unseasonably warm
for january.

...comparatively, though,
it's not that much cooler
than the climate we just
visited--a little over a week
ago, we found ourselves
there on the edge of the sea,

exploring in the warmth and
sunlight. now, up here
on the shores of lake
michigan (a different kind
of coast), we bask in the

strangeness of spring-like
temperatures and wait
for winter, knowing it
will arrive one way or

another, whether we're
ready or not.

154)

2012-01-06T23:48:00.001-06:00

standing there beneath
the camellia blooms and
willow trees, i wasn't
sure that i had not
dreamed it all up, created
this world and stepped

inside (though, anything is
possible.) i took a deep
breath and took it all in,
imprinting the bend of
the river beyond in my

memory, in my very
existence.

153)

2012-01-05T21:52:00.003-06:00

(the first day; sunset.)

at cruising altitude, it is hard to tell where the ground starts and the sky ends. the only indications are the glitter of towns below, yellow and white lights blinking in formation like the nighttime constellations above.

it is moments like this one, sailing in solitude through the air, that fear--fear of heights of falling, of sudden inexplicable death--dissipates and gives way to a quiet calm. down below, orion, the big dipper, and the very galaxy itself appears along interstates, suburbs, and riverbanks.

just like everything else, it seems, our flight back home was almost perfect. even though it was delayed by almost two hours, traveling west and taking in the sights of the city on the lake, passing by amidst clear, cool skies.

we spent new year's eve celebrating, living it up, and new year's day heading back to familiar territory, to the future and whatever 2012 might bring. (a vacation to remember, indeed.)

152)

2012-01-02T11:36:00.002-06:00

after dinner and drinks, all dressed up for the holiday, we counted down the last remaining seconds of 2011 on the balcony of our hotel room in charleston, south carolina. we cheered with the revelers on the sidewalk, welcoming 2012 with glasses of champagne and excitement for the new year. then we stepped inside our transitory home and danced, swaying back and forth there to the tunes of frank sinatra. our first new year's eve as a married couple, and it was the only place on earth that i could imagine being. it's a series of moments i will remember even twenty years from now, perfect in a way that i never could have anticipated.

151)

2012-01-02T01:20:00.001-06:00

happy new year!

an actual update is on the way soon.
for now, though, i present

the complete 2011 reading list!

the time machine; h.g. wells

cold mountain; charles frazier

vision in white; nora roberts

tender is the night; f. scott fitzgerald

installations; joe bonomo

new and selected poems, volume one; mary oliver

two kisses for maddy: a memoir of loss & love; matthew logelin

everything is illuminated; jonathan safran foer

true grit; charles portis

the lover's dictionary: a novel; david levithan

love is a mix tape: life and loss, one song at a time; rob sheffield

the paris wife: a novel; paula mclain

bossypants; tina fey

what dreams may come; richard matheson

bed of roses; nora roberts

savor the moment; nora roberts

happy ever after; nora roberts

the adults; alison espach

harry potter and the sorcerer's stone; j.k. rowling

one day; david nicholls

she walks in beauty: a woman's journey through poems; caroline kennedy

sonnets from the portuguese; elizabeth barrett browning

the love of the last tycoon; f. scott fitzgerald

the beautiful and the damned; f. scott fitzgerald

the help; kathryn stockett

150)

2011-12-12T12:14:00.000-06:00

somehow, it's december. and the middle of december, at that. we are moving ever closer to the end of this year and the beginning of a new one and, as usual, i can hardly believe it. when i was younger, time felt infinite and everlasting. now, more than ever, it is flying by and i am doing everything i can to hold on to it. because as much as it flies by quickly, it can also end just like that and anyway, this is the only life i'm going to have, so i might as well make the most of it.

december means winter and holiday celebrations and while we really haven't had any serious snow yet, it sure is cold outside. i am enjoying the hustle and bustle that this time of the year brings at work and making plans with family for festive celebrations.

december also means that the mister and i have been married for half a year. six months. how is that possible?! it feels like we just said our vows and celebrated with our dearest friends and family. it hasn't always been easy, but i think every day about how lucky i am to be his wife. it has been the best six months of my life.

it'll be interesting to see what the next six months will bring. new jobs, new responsibilities, perhaps a change of address (wishful thinking, but we're working towards it)... the possibilities are endless. we already have some travel plans, which i'm so very excited for--charleston, south carolina at the end of this month and costa rica in march--and i'm sure there will be a host of impromptu adventures in our life, as usual. 2011 was great, but 2012 promises to be even better.

on the writing front, the first draft of the novel is done! it came in at almost 54,000 words. i have plans for editing before moving forward with it, but it feels good to have it finished. i'm also going to finish the NaNoWriMo 2009 novel, as i am getting very close to the end of that story as well. i have plans in the works to put together another poetry ebook (you can check out my first venture here); hopefully i can get that underway and published within the next few months. and then, there's the memoir... i know i'm only almost 24, but i think i've had a pretty interesting life so far, and what better way to remember it than to write it all down?

i'm feeling inspired, excited, ready. and lucky.
i have a pretty sweet life.

149)

2011-12-02T00:08:00.001-06:00

that's right... NaNoWriMo 2011 has come to an end, and i won! (50,655 words and counting; the novel is almost finished.)
more on this, and everything else, very soon.

it's december and life is keeping us busy, as usual. (december, already!)

148)

2011-10-26T13:43:00.003-05:00

it's getting colder, getting darker earlier. i can't believe it's almost november! 2011 is marching on, steady and sure. the mister and i have been keeping very busy lately and i have to say, it's wonderful. trips into the city, visits with family and friends, staying up late and taking it all in (as usual.)

the end of october means it's almost time for NaNoWriMo! i talked about this a little last time, but my brainstorming is underway and i am excited for the start of it. i updated my author profile & novel info... you can check both of those out here. 50,000 words? bring it on!

more to come soon, i promise. this is just to say hello, to put myself out into the world.

147)

2011-10-12T00:43:00.002-05:00

i.
...truth be told, i've been busy--everything is good, though. in the last week or two i've seen some of my favorite people and gone to some of my favorite places... and the weather has been absolutely stunning for mid october. i'm still on a constant quest to take it all in, to live my life to it's absolute fullest potential. i realized i'm the happiest i've ever been and i want to hold onto this feeling for as long as i can.

ii.
the mister started his new job today... and so far, he loves it. i'm so proud of him, and lucky to be his wife. this is a wonderful change and i am excited to see what lies ahead for him, and for the two of us, on the horizon. in the meantime, we look forward to more adventures and plan eagerly for the future together.

iii.
this year, i will be participating in nanowrimo, national novel writing month! i participated and won in november 09--that novel is close to being finished, far exceeding the 50,000 word count it had when i finished those 30 days, and will then enter the editing process. after last year's hiatus, i eagerly await november and the challenge to write and create. and if you're participating, good luck!

iv.
we've been married for four months. (time flies when you're having fun and falling deeper in love. oh, october.)

146)

2011-09-22T21:41:00.003-05:00

as it turns out, september is flying by, too. the husband and i are keeping busy, as usual... there've been excursions west of here to visit family, outdoor adventures here and there, lots of time spent together and lots of work (for me, especially--i'll have overtime pay on my next two checks, if i did the math correctly). in our downtime, we've been playing mario kart wii and watching breaking bad--holy cow, how has it taken us this long to start watching?--and taking walks around the neighborhood.

i'm trying to savor all of these little bits and pieces of the season because i know it will turn to winter way too quickly and i don't want to miss anything. already the leaves are changing and i can't help but smile every time i go outside, knowing the full metamorphosis that will take place, the brilliant reds and oranges and golden yellows. this is a good place to live in the fall, with streets lined with tall, tall trees that have been there forever. we're hoping to take a trip up to devil's lake sometime, to catch the autumn colors. (i really can't get enough of it all!)

this is just a quick note to say that we are well, well and happy. life has been very good to us lately and i'm hoping it'll continue to play in our favor. i guess we'll see, we'll just have to see.

145)

2011-09-15T15:13:00.000-05:00

i.
well, it's official! in march, the husband and i are traveling to costa rica! to be honest, i'm still kind of in shock but so, so cannot wait! we'll be heading down for seven days in the middle of the month. we have flights (there are four of them, two down and two back) and a room at a hostel near the ocean and a car and our passport applications are ready to go. it's all happening! we're so excited to explore a place we've never been to AND visit old friends of ours all at the same time--we miss them and are especially looking forward to seeing them!

costa rica will be what that gets us through the winter. (six months will fly by, too, i know it!)

ii.
today, we went out for lunch. all of the sudden it feels like fall and i LOVE it. without a doubt, my favorite time of the year. here's to hoping we can go on some sweet adventures to devil's lake and elsewhere to see the changing leaves (and get in some serious hiking before it snows, of course!)

hey, september... keep it up!

144)

2011-09-08T21:09:00.002-05:00

i've had the last few days off of work--my weekend, essentially--so i've been trying to make the most of it. they've both been quite lovely, really. i caught up on sleep, did some writing, started a new book, vacuumed downstairs, wrote an article over here (this weekend, you can go for a canoe ride on the des plaines river or do some stargazing!), paid a few bills and, finally, made some prints of our wedding photos.

the mister and i have also gone on a few walks and the weather has absolutely been perfect for it. how is it possible that it's already september, and that we've been married for almost three months? i guess time flies when you're having fun, and i'm the happiest i've ever been.

143)

2011-08-31T22:49:00.006-05:00

(lake michigan and navy pier, from the 22nd floor of the w hotel.)

almost september, already?
i suppose summer can't
stay forever, but you
always seem to sneak
up too quickly. already,

the air is slightly crisp,
the sun is setting sooner.

already, i find myself
waiting for brisk breezes

and falling leaves.

142)

2011-08-29T20:57:00.005-05:00

1.)
an old man and an
old lady, sitting by the
window, at a table;

a small, clean cut
party... history majors

2.)
instead of accounting--
a more relaxed crowd;

average early 30's
man in a buttoned up
trusty plaid shirt

3.)
and his love, perhaps?
wearing scrubs, just
home from work. a

calming blue glow

4.)
and the outline
of living rooms,
bedrooms:

chicago on a
late summer night.

141)

2011-08-27T21:52:00.005-05:00

at the beginning of the summer i made a list of goals--things i'd like to do/see/accomplish before it started getting colder and darker earlier. well, it's been a pretty amazing couple of months, and i just added one more thing to the list... that's right, i published an ebook of poetry on the amazon kindle store!

you can find the centennial state series: a collection of words from the rocky mountains HERE.

tell your friends :)
& thanks so much in advance! happy reading.

140)

2011-08-24T23:09:00.003-05:00

i.
august 22, 2011
five years ago, he was visiting me at college. i’d arrived early for marching band camp and was the only one, besides the community advisor, who had moved onto the floor. he picked up some booze (with his totally legal id, obviously) and we ate sandwiches at my desk in that tiny, half-furnished dorm room in grant towers. later, when the clock struck midnight, i kissed him hard and wished him a happy birthday. he left with a smile, a letter, and a mix cd. i think i knew then that it would be the first of many birthdays we’d spend together.

this year we celebrated with a trip to devil's lake and a wisconsin adventure. SUCH a nice day. we followed it with dinner at perkins and birthday ice cream. the mr. had a great birthday and i'm so happy i got to spend it with him.

ii.
today was a nice day off. i got up early, did some writing, took a shower, and drove into the city to hang out with the lovely j. we spent some time at her apartment, then we headed over to get some thai for lunch. it was a perfect chicago afternoon, even if it was a little hot, and i wouldn't have wanted to spend it any other way.

the evening has consisted of relaxing with the husband and procrastinating on going to bed--i work the 5am to 1pm shift tomorrow. i've got caffeine and the alarm set, and i don't think i'll have any problems falling asleep.

and then... a whole afternoon to do whatever i want! so lovely--the possibilities are endless.

139)

2011-07-23T03:18:00.003-05:00

i've been a little quiet around these parts lately. it's not for lack of things to write about... quite the opposite. i've been BUSY. busy working, busy planning for our future, busy writing some side projects and busy living. it's been a great summer--ranks up there with the summer of 06, if i do say so myself--and i can't believe it's already august.

chicago certainly packs a lot of punch in these few months of summer... before an autumn that is always WAY too short and the famous chicago winter (though i'm sure you've heard there are really only two seasons in chicago... winter and construction season. ba-dum-ching). it's good, this life... better than i thought possible.

because i have a job i adore, a husband i fall more in love with every second of every day, and a family that has grown over the summer and strengthened, too. i know i probably say this all the time but i just feel really lucky. i must have done something spectacular in a past life to have ended up with such a wonderful existence.

i can't wait to see what the next few months will bring.

138)

2011-07-21T15:41:00.002-05:00

it's a hot one out there today, chicagoland.
actually, it feels like it's been unbearably, insufferably hot for days... the humidity has been INSANE and every time you step outside, you may as well have jumped into a swimming pool! i just keep remind myself that days like today are what i was thinking of back in february, during the blizzard when it took me an hour and fifteen minutes to get home from work (almost an hour longer than usual) and people stranded their vehicles on lake shore drive.

...alright, really i was dreaming of 70 degree sunshine and slight breezes. i'm grateful for protection from this heat, don't get me wrong, but what about a little trip to the middle ground? i guess they don't call these the "dog days of summer" for nothing!

ii.
so early last week, the husband and i found ourselves with the same two days off of work, completely by chance. sometimes we're lucky to get at least one, but the very same two days? we decided to take advantage of it and booked a room at the days in dubuque, iowa, simply because we could.

it was an awesome little mini-vacation. we stayed in dubuque for the night, then the next day, we drove around southwestern wisconsin, getting lost on long country roads. it was exactly what we needed and we definitely found a few places to explore further in the future.

137)

2011-07-17T23:33:00.004-05:00

we got our wedding photos back and they're INCREDIBLE. oh man, so so much love.
check out our lovely photographer's blog here.

last week the husband and i went on a midweek adventure to eastern iowa and southwestern wisconsin.
it was fantastic, and absolutely what we needed.

now we're back, and we're halfway through july. already. where is time going?
(i'm loving every single second.)

136)

2011-07-01T11:52:00.001-05:00

it's july 1st!

…already. slow down, summer!

lots of fun things on the horizon:

tonight: SUMMERFEST! with j. and v. going to see girl talk. AHH. also get a drink with my parents, who are going to be up there as well but for a different show;
an entire 4th of july to do whatever i so choose;
the annual jimmy buffett party/mom’s birthday bash at my parents’ house next weekend;
more trips to state parks and forest preserves;
a going away party, which is not really all that fun, but fun because i love my friends and haven’t seen them since the wedding.

among other things. and of course, those plans we haven’t even come up with! so far, it’s been absolutely amazing. i’d say it almost rivals the summer of 2006 which was, if i do say so myself, really rather epic.

i’ve also been reading a lot, and writing even more. i’ve got ideas regarding that, too, but am keeping them under wraps at the moment. just know that lately i’ve been feeling incredibly inspired, and i’m taking advantage of it.

in short, i couldn’t be happier.

135)

2011-06-28T00:28:00.004-05:00

we were wed,
and then we spent a whole week in the desert.

oh, it was bliss. honestly. so relaxing, so entertaining, so fun!

we fell into a routine of staying up late and sleeping til 8 or 9 (thank you, central daylight time). we visited the buffet at treasure island more than once for breakfast and made sure to take advantage of the unlimited champagne brunch. we spent afternoons lounging in the pool, the jacuzzi, evenings in the suite, listening to music and enjoying the ability to unwind, to fully relax. we spent one day driving all around the valley in a white ford focus, finding all sorts of adventures. also, blue man group! and the best thai food i've ever had with my older brother. it was everything i'd hoped it would be, and more.

it was a blur: a happy, contented blur. we lost ourselves in it together.

...then, we found ourselves boarding a plane and heading back to chicagoland.
back to reality. we've got the photos, though, and the memories.

best vacation ever, hands down.

speaking of which...

(life is good.)