There’s really no other way to explain it.  On Thursday at 3:45, I had a job.  A well paying career.  Ten minutes later, I became unemployed.

A week later, I am still in shock.  I didn’t realize how much of an identity I placed in my work.  There are tons of emotions that I won’t go into, but unemployment is something I never thought I would experience… until I was 70 or so and retiring on the beach watching Days of Our Lives, ya know?

Thankfully, I have been busy.  I was out of town for a few days right after getting the news, which was perfect timing.  Time with family, friends with atypical work schedules, and volunteering at my church has given me the structure I crave.

Life is a bit scary right now.  The “unknown” usually is, I guess.  But maybe this is, somehow, possibly, in a weird way, for the best.  Maybe I can focus on my writing for a bit, and also find a job more suitable to my interests and personality.

Maybe…. maybe…

So here’s to more blog posts, more miles on the treadmill, and new possibilities.  Cheers (!) (?)

Top Tune Tuesday is a weekly feature, showcasing a new song to add to your workout mix. 

I wasn’t feeling too well last week and in the midst of caffeine withdrawl (blurg), so I took most days off from running.  Yesterday I was back to normal (or, normal for me. heh.) so it was nice to get some fresh air, and good looks at the wannabe golfers at the local courses with a run around Newport Beach.  Bams and I should show them golfers who the pros are next time she visits.  I’m the bomb.com at putting and… that’s all.

I was getting a little disgruntled while on my run last night.  I love all the music on my iPod shuffle (I do, of course, have amazingsauce taste in music), but none of the songs were doing anything for me.  They didn’t make me want to continue on my run, and that’s just no bueno.

I’m definitely going to be mixing it up on the playlist soon, but I will be keeping at least one song.

Enter little known British band the Wombats and their song, “Let’s Dance To Joy Division.”  It’s a poppy, somewhat punky ode to screwed up lives.  Doesn’t that sound upbeat and happy and shiny and full of unicorns and puppy dogs?  Well, the Wombats make it that way with lines like “…let’s celebrate the irony: everything is going wrong, but we’re so happy.”

That could be true for running as well.  Everything could be a disaster: the weather, my mood, a new injury found halfway through… but it’s still miles logged and a good learning experience.

But let’s forget the introspective stuff.  Whether you’re having a good day or bad, let everything go for a moment, buy the song, and rest assured you’ll have at least 3 minutes and 11 seconds of good music for your workout.

Now I’m on to find some new tunes for my shuffle.  Any suggestions?

Download: “Let’s Dance To Joy Division” by The Wombats

When I was a kid, I played sports.  I played a lot of sports.  Soccer, T-ball, track, soccer, karate, basketball, swim lessons, more soccer… you get the idea.  I played as much as possible.

But I wasn’t necessarily great at anything.

I could hold my own, and was probably in the upper-half of ability for most activities, but I never got picked for all-stars or club or anything.

As I got older, I became more anxiety-ridden and, well, angry that I wasn’t the best.  I got my aggression out on the soccer field, in the form of tackling other girls and laughing that, as goalie, I didn’t get a red card.  (I sound like a lovely person, huh?)

In college, I distinctly remember running an easy two miles with a friend around the track, and just to prove I was “better” than her, made her wait while I did an extra mile.  I was constantly trying to one-up people and prove that I was good, better, best.

Well, I’m not.

My time in the mile is what a lot of my friends run as their marathon pace.  I probably look like I’m walking when I run outside, and if there’s a hill it’s because I am.  I lack a lot of coordination, and can’t walk in a straight line.

But damn, I work out hard.

I feel like that shirt above.  I’ll never be the strongest (especially in my upper body.)  I’ve learned I’ll never be anywhere near the fastest.  And that’s okay.  I will work at achieving my personal best, for my own personal satisfaction.

And I hope you do too.

Read my review of Katie’s show last Friday at the Bootleg, and part 1 of my interview.

Since this is primarily a fitness and exercise blog, I thought I’d veer away from the typical music-related questions for a bit, and ask Katie about her workout routine.

As is to be expected for anyone who works from the road more often than not, Herzig has found it a little difficult to have a formal regimen while out touring.  “I’ve gotten more into yoga over the past few years… yeah, hiking and yoga.  But it’s something you have to be pretty intentional about, making that time.  On tour, your first priority is sleep, you know?… But there have definitely been times that the band and I are doing sun salutations in a parking lot.”

Now that, I’d like to see.

Katie and I are clearly soul sisters, as she and I are both fans of fish tacos.  “I’m a big fan of that sort of thing.”  While on the road, she’ll try to ask locals for good healthy foods, and taco locations, but “we also try to stock up at Whole Foods along the way.”  When she’s back home in Nashville, she tries to cook as much as possible.

Now on to the music stuff.  Herzig admits that The Waking Sleep “is the boldest I’ve done” in terms of sampling and beats.  It’s a fun album to play on repeat (not that I’m listening to her right now, or anything), and apparently it’s just as fun to play live.

“I think I’m finding to really like “The Closest I Get” from the new record, but I’m still at the point where every new song is fun to play.”

Bams made it clear that I must ask Katie about good places for music in Nashville.  And I know better than to get on her bad side.  So here it is, Nashville residents: Katie loves to play at The Basement, which is a small, intimate bar.

But while on tour, the left coast is where it’s at.  “We love playing the west… Seattle, Portland, LA… we always look forward to those.”

Well of course you do, Katie.  Because that’s where I live, and we’re supposed to be best friends.  Forever.

Unfortunately, Katie’s mom passed away a few weeks ago to cancer.  I can’t even begin to imagine going through something like that, much less getting back to work the next week.    But Katie summed up continuing on with her tour pretty beautifully.

“You know, it’s kinda a combination of different but not different, coming back on tour.  When I played the first show, I was really nervous.  But it was harder and easier than I thought.  It’s something she loved watching me do, and she would absolutely want me to keep doing.  I felt like taking the first week off… was much, much needed.  I’m definintely still navigating everything.  Um yeah, I would say that some of the songs are good to sing, but harder to sing… day by day, there are ups and downs.”

I probably should have ended on a happier note, like “What’s your favorite puppy dog” but, well, I didn’t.

As much as I liked re-capping my interview with Katie, I’m about to fall asleep now, due to my third day of mandatory caffeine withdrawl. Goodnight (even though it’s 9:45AM.  And I’m at work.  Oops.)

Buy Katie Herzig’s latest album, The Waking Sleep, on Amazon

(Sorry boys, this may be TMI).

The summer after my freshman year of college, I started getting the worst period and cramps.  It was awful.  I have a high pain tolerance, but this pain made me miss work, summer school, you name it.  It didn’t help that my period was disgustingly heavy.

It turns out it was hormone related and I got everything sorted out, but a lot of girls all around the world don’t have the luxury of multiple doctor appointments, pain medication, or even sanitary supplies.  This causes them to miss up to a week of school every month.  Just imagine if you didn’t have pads or tampons at your disposal… or even clean underwear?  How would you react?

O.B. (ya know, the no-applicator tampon company) created a campaign called Share It Forward.  It’s an incredibly simple, straightforward Facebook campaign which benefits Huru International and gives girls reusable sanitary supplies, clean underwear, and more.

The good news?  You can help, with a second of your time.  And it’s free:

• “Like” the o.b. Share It Forward campaign on Facebook
• Share the page with your Facebook friends by clicking the pink “Click To Share” button
• o.b. will donate $1 (and up to $25,000) to Huru International for every person that likes the Share It Forward page.

This $25,000 will produce 1,000 “Huru Kits” which consists of:

• Eight pads which are reusable (you may think that’s gross, but there are a lot of reusable options that are being marketed and used by people of our economic status already)
• Three pairs of new underwear
• Detergent to wash the pads
• A resealable, waterproof bag to store the pads
• Information on both how to use the pads, and important HIV/AIDS awareness

It’s pretty amazing what we take for granted, like pads and tampons.  I’d be pretty disgusted, ashamed, and frustrated if I didn’t have access to sanitary supplies, and I’m sure these girls do on a monthly basis.  But with one click, you can help fulfill a basic need.

Go for it.

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of o.b. and a received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Top Tune Tuesday is a weekly feature, showcasing a new song to add to your workout mix. 

On the way to the Katie Herzig show on Friday, Becca was telling me about this new song by Flo Rida.  Now, all I know about Flo Rida is that he sings about apple bottom jeans and boots wit da furrrr and that pretty much was the theme song for my friendship with my pal Samantha.  At her wedding last weekend, she yelled at me in front of the whole crowd to come out and dance.

I don’t like to dance.  Pout.

But it was her wedding, so I got down with my bad self.  Oh, I hope there are no pictures documenting this.

Anyway, on the way back from Katie Herzig, Becca and I proceeded to have a dance party in the car.  This is highly recommended.  Just watch out for the po-po’s. The new Flo Rida song she was talking about, “Good Feeling“, proceeded to play on the radio.

Dear lordy, this is a fun song.  This song has everything: soulful singing, rap, and fun beats.  And the song is fast enough for a good interval workout or future Body Pump mix.

And who doesn’t need a good feeling every now and again?

Download “Good Feeling” by Flo Rida here

Don’t tell my boyfriend, but I have a crush.

I have a crush on a girl.

Actually, there are multiple.  Tina Fey, Hope Solo, and  Meiko are just a few of them.

And then there is Katie Herzig.

The Colorado-born Nashville resident has it all in singer-songwriterdom: sultry voice, profound lyrics, and musical talent that will keep you humming the beat of each song.

I am a bit of a Katie stalker.  I saw her on tour last summer, and at a free outdoor show a few months ago.  Bams saw her a few weeks ago during a Ten out of Tenn stop, and she thinks she can share a crush on her (she can’t.  I’m a selfish only child.)  I also have an interesting story of how I first heard about her.

Becca and I drove out to the Bootleg in LA for a fun night of female singer-songwriters.

Traffic was a biznitch and a half, so we missed the first singer’s appearance.  We were pleasantly surprised by the Bootleg.  It’s easy to miss from the outside, but inside is a small, intimate room with a large stage. There are tons of wines and craft beer to choose from, which made this alcohol snob happy.

This is the first time I saw Katie (who I pretend I’m on a first-name basis with) with a full band.  It made sense, since her newest album, The Waking Sleep has a more electronic, full, professional feel.

Katie opened with “Shovel” and “Lost and Found”, but the fun began during “Wasting Time” where there was a slight mishap with timing.  Instead of letting it get to them, they ended up having a jam party during the song.  I love it when performers just roll with the punches.

During “Make a Noise,” she played keyboards.  Becca explained to me that Nashville artists just know how to get it done and play anything and everything.  That was sure the case for Katie’s bandmate Jordan, who hooked it up with the accordian, guitar, reed instruments, and more.  Holy crap.

I’ve liked Katie for a few years now, and it’s really exciting to see how mature she has become as a musician.  she seems more confident as well, yet still engaging and down to earth.  In an interview with her, she explained that her musical influences have evolved over time, and The Waking Sleep was made during a time she was listening to bands “that combined a lot of samples” like Vampire Weekend and Phoenix.  Other influences include singer-songwriters like Laura Veirs and James Blake.

When she played “Free My Mind” off her new album, I couldn’t help but wonder why it doesn’t get airplay from the major radio stations.  I don’t get it, America: you play Nickleback and James Blunt, but not Katie Herzig?

Okay, I’m off my soapbox.  Katie played “The Best Day of Your life” which features lyrics such as “I’m gonna race you to the fence, to the fence.  I’m gonna race you to the fence.  I’m gonna chase you round the block…” and has a childlike quality to it.  Turns out there was a reason for that.  Herzig explains, “I wrote that song because i was writing some music for Ramona and Beezus, you know, the movie from a few years ago.  It was for a scene where they were jumping around… A lot of times when I make those types of songs, I’m writing for different things, movies.”

A few songs before closing her set, Herzig played what is becoming one of my favorite songs, “Daisies And Pews.”  I found a lot of spiritual symbolism in it, with lines like “my faith lies somewhere between daisies and pews, making sense of all the good news.”  Herzig later told me that she has “a Christian background, but I feel like.. the whole Christian music stuff never really was where I wanted to be because my music doesn’t have that label…. I feel like wherever I’ve been at spiritually has come out in my songs.  [Daisies and Pews] probably references it a bit more.”

Herzig sent us off with “Wish You Well” and Becca and I found my car (in one piece.  Thanks, LA… you never know) and went home to the Orange Curtain.

This show was definitely a highlight of my week, probably month.  Check out Katie Herzig’s latest album, and come back on Thursday for more on my interview with Katie.

This week went by pretty quickly, thankyoubabyJesus.  Since soccer was cancelled, I spent a lot of time at home, relaxing and studying.  I needed that kind of week.

I’ve been doing a lot of online shopping, recently, buying clothes and home stuff and whatnot.  Every day seemed to feature a new product for me.  Oh, darn.

On Tuesday, these beauties came in the mail from The Clymb.  The Clymb is my favorite invite-only online store that features outdoors and fitness brands at up to 70% off every day.  I’ve bought Reef Sandals, outerwear, and other fun finds from them.

This is why I'm hot.

These GIRO goggles were only $20-something bucks!  I love The CLYMB and think you should too.  (And if you join and buy something, I get $10 in credit.  Woot).  I know it’s only October, and the sun is shining and the heat is rising… but I told my boyfriend that I am now fully prepared for snowboarding season, so he better take me to the mountains.  Not that I’m a demanding girlfriend or anything.

Yesterday, two poster frames came in the mail.  One was shattered.  Sad day.

What were those frames for?  To fit posters in, silly.

I told my roommates this should be the motto of our apartment

This poster came to me on Wednesday, and I mounted it just minutes after I received the frame.  The other pictures are parts of collages I had made last summer.  I’ll show you the other poster when it’s properly framed.

After I had my poster party, I went on a fun run.  I’m finally feeling like a “runner” again, and not getting exhausted after a couple miles.  This was a short run, but the weather was great (we’ve had a bit of a heat wave during the day) and people were out and about.  Tonight is going to be busy with a doctor’s appointment (I’m not dying, yet) and a concert in LA (which I’ll post about on Monday), so I’m not sure if I’ll have time to fit a run in.

If I actually got to work on time, I’d be able to fit in at least a mile.  But, well, like, um… that didn’t happen today.  Or Tuesday.  Or… nevermind.

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Like it.  Because I said so.

I added a music section to this blog.  As my music blog goes by the way-side and merges with RWR, you will find more show reviews, artist profiles, and songs to work out to.

A new addition to RWR starting next week?  Top Tune Tuesday will feature a new mp3 that you should add to your workout mix.  Because I said so.

In other news…

Check out this status update I put on Facebook:

It gave me a laugh, for sure.

I am planning more runs into my schedule this week, trying to get into a good routine that is achievable, a little challenging, and fun.

That is, if God so chooses to bless me and all.

Have you ever had interesting interactions with strangers?