"Hit Me With Your Best Shot" - Pat Benatar

Slight rant.

you've been warned.

I received an email from my mom [from Tel-Aviv] Saturday.

    "What's going on in AZ.  Just saw the news."

I had no idea what she was talking about.  I was inside Scottsdale Gun Club with the Pita.  No joke. Looking at a pre-owned HK P2000. 

I immediately went to my AP mobile app to see what was going on.

t u c s o n .

We were in that exact Safeway three times in the last 5 days. 

c r a z y.

who does something like that?  seriously.

Now over the last three days, this story has been everywhere. [rightfully so].  It's disturbing on so many levels.  I can't even begin to understand the pain and the loss these family/friends are experiencing.

What upsets me is the need to blame this tragedy on someone/something. 

The guy is a freak.  a nut job. a mental case.

But it seems so many are ready to blame this tragedy on Arizona's gun laws.

I
disagree
completely.

Before I get into why I feel this way . . . . .

what is your take on this?

"ABC" - Jackson 5

One day [soon?!] I'll catch up on all the posts I've missed.

a n d

I'll finally write a "proper" post.

u n t i l  then . . . .

Here's the ABC's of the last 24 hours.

Yep.  we. took the visiting family to Cabela's.

Ahhhhh.  America. Cabela's.

Home of the pickled eggs [?]

a n d

nice.

which lead to . . . .

I know.  I know.

You might be a redneck if . . . .

[spare me].

;)

"Pure Energy" - Information Society [& Tagged, I'm it]

1/2 full?
1/2 empty?

Well, let's just say "training" has gone better than expected.  SO when my runs had been getting speedier . . . rather than celebrating . . . I called to have my dear sweet "Ed" serviced, as I swore it was giving me false positive results.

What?  I'm totally a glass is half full kind of girl.  ;)

Good great news.  Ed, is accurate.  YAY!  yay!  y a y !

SO I got this out of the way this morning at 5am [ugg].

So now to the fun stuff.

Allison at "Just Tri And Finish" tagged me for a Versatile blogger award.
YAY ME!

I like this twist though . . . Favorite Movies with 7 Random things about me related to the films.  Truth be told I have about 14 favorites but . . . here we go:

1.  Clueless. Always wanted that dang white Jeep Wrangler she drove.

Best quotes: 

"Helllooo that was a stop sign!"
"What?....I totally paused."
"And can I Remind you it does not say RSVP on the statue of liberty."

My personal fav:  "She's a full on Monet. Like the painting. From far away it's ok but up close it's a big ole mess."

2.  Can't Buy Me Love.  Awesome.

Patty: "Didn't you like, used to mow our lawn?"
Ronald Miller: "Yes, and you have the nicest pair of rhododendrons in town!"

Patty: "Rhodo-who's?"

The football big-guy:  "Quin-ton is in, let the fun begin!"

 RM little bro: "Cards with the tards. Who could beat a night of cards, chips, dips and dorks?!!"

3. Sliding Doors.  Love this one.
I posted about it [here] - a looooooooooooooong time ago.  It's one of my [personal favorite] posts.

4.  Jerry Maguire.  Before TC went all wack job.

GREAT quotes in this one:

"You had me at hello"
"Show me the money"
"D’you know that the human head weighs 8 pounds?"
"You complete me."

Dicky Fox may have said it best – “Hey, I don’t have all the answers. In life, to be honest, I failed as much as I have succeeded. But I love my wife. I love my life. And I wish you my kind of success.”


5.  Farris Bueller.  love this.  Pretty sure there are only about 3 lines I can't quote.

"He'll keep calling me, he'll keep calling me until I come over. He'll make me feel guilty. This is uh... This is ridiculous, ok I'll go, I'll go, I'll go, I'll go, I'll go. What - I'LL GO."

"Ferris Bueller, you're my hero."
"The key to faking out the parents is the clammy hands. It's a good non-specific symptom; I'm a big believer in it. A lot of people will tell you that a good phony fever is a dead lock, but, uh... you get a nervous mother, you could wind up in a doctor's office. That's worse than school. You fake a stomach cramp, and when you're bent over, moaning and wailing, you lick your palms. It's a little childish and stupid, but then, so is high school."

6.  Love Happens.
The only thing better than receiving flowers . . . .the card attached to the flowers.

"Poppysmic" - sound produced with smacking of lips - the best ever.

7.  Goonies.  childhood classic.

I'd trade him for his abs any day.

TAG:

Jannifer @ The Running Artist
Jill @ Run with Jill
The Turtle @ The Turtle's Pace

HAPPY FRIDAY!!

Random Wednesday [every day]

* For Molly here's the info on the "Howie Burger".  I'd seriously, stop everything you are doing, fly out here and get one.  You Rock N' Roll AZ People - you must, must, must visit Chelsea's Kitchen.

*Here's the Peanut's "returning home" photo.  No worries, the armband is in her HUGE backpack.

Oh man, it was  H O T  & she was HOT & SMELLY.  Her first words, "really Mom? really a coming home photo too?"  Ahhhh, if she only knew.
* Guess who's an absolute idiot and signed up for this.   Rebecca, if you are out there . . . . . . . . . . H E L P !

* This is the closest thing you'll see of my running man . . . . until Boston, anyway.
Love the aerial view  . . . Thanks Tobey, for that.

* Saw this while getting my hair done.  Horrible and hilarious all into one.

*Loved this fortune cookie from last nights take-a-way.

I think I'm carrying around a lot of "roots".

*[FOR BBD &Jon] - No need to be "a fly on a wall" when I'm at the keyboard . . .you get all of it.  Ok, 99% ;)  ---- What Peanut said when she read the blog from yesterday:  "Mom, weren't you supposed to be running?  You followed me instead? [she didn't pause long enough for me to answer]  Well, I guess that was nice of you but you are not following me tomorrow.  I am looking over my shoulder every 5 seconds."

*Loved this project Peanut just completed last night.

Asked her about the loving "kittens" part?! [news to me]  "Well, I don't like cats but I like the way I draw cats" was her reply.

*After yesterday's post - I realized I need to enjoy my view MORE!  So I took this photo last night.

*Only to turn and see this in the other direction.  awesome.

*BUT did I mention what happened to me at 8:34 this morning when Peanut went to leave on her bike?

No joke.  "Mom, I don't trust you."

Ya, I love you too kid.  It was awesome to see you walk your bike across the street to the bike racks.

Effer - what?

So I've been told, asked, instructed, ordered [nicely] to clean out all "my crap" in the garage.  In the "old days" [meaning pre-eBay, pre-money making days].  I was a crafty girl.  I loved making pointless [to me] crap.  Pretending I knew how to sew.  Making dinner by 11am.  Scrap booking.  Photo organizing. basket weaving. jk yadda, yadda, yadda.

Me. today. = photos stuck on memory card unless blogged about, dinner at 6/7, run, chat with Peanut, work, delete photos, work, buy clothes, work, chat with UPS lady, work.

Soooooooooo, when three boxes full of photos were placed on my office floor . . . . I about cried.  Instead I said, "seriously, just put them in a new [more hidden] place.  You and I both know I'll go through them and not throw out anything."

Door shuts.  Yep, he got it.  I'm in the clear.  Yay me.

uhhhh not so fast.  Pita walks in with three [clear] plastic not so little numbers [meaning storage boxes] from Costco.  Drops them on floor.  "Em, there you go.  Move them all in here according to age."  -------[thinking you freaking move them where the sun doesn't  . . . . . .] fine.  whatever.  they are "mine".

What happened for the next 4 hours was . . . . awesome.  Childhood.  A 98.44% fabulous childhood - revisited.  Peanut sat by me for 1/2 the time.  It was a blast.  I love the random things my Mom kept.

Oddly?!  My favorite was a huge green construction paper heart. 

Written on it was the word:  effervescent

Ohhhhh, the tears flowed.  I remember this day like it was 5 seconds ago.  I was 12.  At church.  Walked into our class to see about 30 moms sitting in the room.  I was like, "awwww crap, I'm in trouble".  Guilty conscience?  Never.

Then one by one the mom would go up and get the heart off the wall that was for their daughter.  Words like: honest, beautiful, smart, helpful, kind, athletic, etc.  I sat there wondering which one was mine.  Heck, maybe I could even have two?! ;)  [ha!]

About 12 remained.  My Mom walked up and goes to reach, "thebestover-alldaughterever" [whoa, wait, what?] . . ."effervescent".

effervescent?
effervescent?
effervescent?

What the crap does that even mean?  I honestly remember thinking, "really mom, really that's all you could think to say about me?!"
Then, for some reason my hampster wheel brain immediately went to a denture cleaner or maybe it was a "gas" commercial.  "Pop. pop. fizz. fizz. ohhhh what a relief it is." ---- later on in the commercial it would say, "the effervescent power of Alka Seltzer"

I sat there with tears running down my face.  Peanut was looking at me like, "Mom, it's just a heart.  Heart means love."

ef·fer·ves·cent/ˌefərˈvesənt/

Adjective1. (of a liquid) Giving off bubbles; fizzy.


2. (of a person or their behavior) Vivacious and enthusiastic
 
Finally, after 20 years . . . . . I get it Mom!
 
Just wanted to let you know.
 
Thanks Pita for being a Pita.  This was an effervescent/happy/grateful/ahhh-haaa moment.

labels

I've always been a labels girl.  Remember Esprit,  Guess? [sweet inverted triangle label], U-knits?  I'm sorry to say, I have always cared about that stupid little label .  Not really sure why.  Here's some proof.  He's me on Christmas day. 

Prior to this photo, I had run in circles around my home yelling, "I got them, I got them!" ..... "Them" being "Guess" shorts.  Seriously, that WAS my Christmas.  One item & it was pure bliss.

I since have figured, I still crave labels. 

But not designer ones.  More like "me" ones.

Let me explain.

From 7-10, I was "Gymnastics Emily".  But then something happened.  I grew.  And long legs don't "flip" as well as cute little legs.  I am sparing you some sweet photos of this one.

Year 10-10.76, my Mom tried [must give her credit] to help me be, "musical Emily".  I mean anything.  Tried Piano. . .  Bad doesn't even begin to cover it.  Saxaphone . . .somehow, even uglier.  And if you've ever heard me sing in the shower, sing at church sing in my car - - - okay, you get it......no bueno.

So from 11-16, I was "Volleyball Emily".  I thought this was going to be "THE EMILY" at least until after my full ride scholarship.  Torn ligaments my Junior year "sidelined" me for months.  Add to that one of the worst experiences/trials in my life [to date] and I decided I was done.  Done with Volleyball.  What?  I felt the ground shake below me.  Or maybe that was my Dad's wallet/401K crying out, "take the full ride - you want the full ride".  ;) No Volleyball?  what will you do?  Who will you BE without Volleyball?

So, from 17-19, I decided "Skinny Emily" would be next.  Worst years to date.  What I can remember of them anyway.

Then from there, 19-21, I gained 35-40 pounds and happily became "workout Emily".  My thoughts . . . [I can only workout at 4am.....no problem.  I need to workout 3 times per day . . . perfect].  Done.  This is when "running Emily" was born.

Other brief stints included:
"Vegetarian Emily"
"work 3 jobs Emily"
"no fat eating Emily"
"I'm never wrong Emily"
"8 minute Abs Emily"
"Cooking Emily"
"rice & teriyaki sauce diet Emily"
"coupon Emily"
"frugal cheap a*s Emily"


At 21 and 10 months ;), I married the Pita.  At which time I thought I should be, "[Perfect]Wife Emily". Get up at 5:30-6am to make breakfast. check.  Do laundry.  Check.  Do ironing.  check.  Be the only one who [literally] can make money.  check. [he didn't have his green card].  Then when he could..... I'd pack lunch for him.  check.  Make cakes and deliver them to work because he forgot his assistants birthday was today.  check.  Did I/do I enjoy this?  99.7% of the time.  check.

Then at the ripe old age of 23, I added, "Mom Emily".  Most rewarding label by far.  I always wanted to have more little Peanuts.  She makes my world happy, happy, happy.

At 25, I found eBay.  Well, it found me and I became, "eBay Emily".  This label pays well [in dollars, anyway].  I love it. 

Lately, some of these labels have been [attempting] to change on me.  And it makes my heart hurt.  It's not that I'm opposed to change.  It's mostly, that I can't do things 1/2 way.  Mostly, that's a good thing.  But, not always.

The last 8 months have been a "challenge" in my life, to say the least.  This is when the sleeping marathoner in me was re-born.  "Marathon runner Emily" has arrived.  So, to celebrate the little [insignificant in comparison to REAL life] things . . . . to date, I have taken  56 minutes off my first marathon time.  Yay!

So, here's my  "thing".  I am running.  But I'm pretty sure I'm running so much because it literally is "cheaper than therapy".  I have pain.  I have sadness.  But please know, there is no pity party here.  I have life.  I have family.  I have a plan.  And, did I mention, I have my 3:20. 

I said that 3:20 was all I ever wanted right?  I lied.  I was told by someone way, way too close to me that, "a 3:20 wasn't worth getting on a shirt but maybe if I could run a 2:59, NOW THAT, THAT would be worthy."  That hurt.  However, I'd like to enjoy life too.  Maybe with a few less labels. 
Hey, what a concept.

So, here comes, wait for it - wait for it - [just] "Emily".  Raw & uncut.  I hope you'll stay [follow] and enjoy the ride as much as I intend to.