On The Benefits of Jogging

I did it. I said at the end of August that I would jog 25 miles in September. Here it is, September 28th, and I just filled in the last two spaces on my jogging log. It is a wonderful feeling. And I think I'm going to do it again in October.

Why? I used to have the idea i my head that maybe I should jog because it would make me skinnier and more attractive to the opposite sex. That never ended being enough incentive, because I don't care a whole lot about what guys think of me. Well, I do, but I'm not willing to drastically change to fit what they think I should look like.

My main reason for beginning a routine was simply because I felt I should be able to. Eric can do 50, so why can't I do 25? and I did, and I've discovered countless benefits.

• I feel better. Improved mood, fewer headaches, fewer of the regular aches.
• I'm eating better. Most junk food kind of grosses me out these days, and I simply find myself eating less in general.
• I'm sleeping better. I don't usually need quite as much sleep as I used to, I'm waking up better, and sleeping more soundly.
  
• I feel good about myself. Forget what other people think of me, I like how I look. Pants are a little looser, the little black dresses look good, and my calves are tighter than they've ever been.
  
• I'm less stressed. During what could have been a very stressful and emotional time, I found better things to do. Jogging has been a great release, and has helped me to see life in a more calm, rational, pragmatic way.
  
• I'm proud of me. I set a goal, and I accomplished it. No wussing out, no giving up. I did it. I'm using the body that God gave me, and not letting it sit and rot. I'm so blessed to be able to do the things I can, and it seems now like such a waste not to be active.

Drawbacks?

• Jogging does take about an hour, from initial changing of clothes to jogging to cool down to shower to getting presentable again. But what would I be doing in that time otherwise? Napping? Sitting on the couch?
• I've been hitting the Advil a little harder than usual, trying to ease some of the charly horses, shin splints, and muscle cramps that have hit my legs.
  

Really, I feel like a person who's just quit smoking and who wants to tell the whole world why they too should quit smoking. It's wonderful.

Blogger Help?

How do I change my links on the side that show my previous posts? I only want 5 "What you've missed" links, but I can't figure out how that particular html works.

The Best Feeling Ever

There's nothing better than going into the kitchen, wondering what in the world you're going to eat for dinner because you're too lazy to make anything real, and all the convenience food is gone from your fridge, then realizing that the last time you went to the grocery store, you bought a CASE OF RAMEN! Oh, this Saturday night alone couldn't get any better. Except maybe if my roomie was home. I miss her. I even cleaned the whole house for lack of anything else to do.

How are you enjoying YOUR Saturday night?

I have 2 canker sores

Wikipedia has this to say about canker sores. I've tried many of their treatments, and no matter what, they hurt. One on each side, so there's nowhere to chew La Perla's chips and salsa without severe burning. On the plus side, margaritas help to numb the pain.

Guess Where I'm Writing This From!

Yeah, that's right; I'm laying in my bed typing away on my brand spankin new Compaq Presario v5210 notebook computer! I decided to go with compUSArather than the website for a couple of reasons, and I'm glad I did. I stood up to both salesmen who tried to sell me TAP, and do you want to know what else? I opened up the box, and USED the computer right away! Oh, it was a happy night.

In Which Jessie Does A Little Dance

Happy Birthday, Jenny Diehl! Happy New Job Heather! And Happy New Job Jessie! Yes, you heard right. I start Wednesday as a full time ELIP aide in Wauwatosa. This means that I work with the first grade teachers and the reading teachers to substitute for teachers that are involved in a tutoring program. I also get to provide classroom support, reading groups and the like. It doesn't sound altogether glamorous, but I'm excited. It means that I have full time work, benefits, and an important connection to the school district, good for getting a teaching job next year, hopefully. Most importantly, I can tell my parents and all of those people who insist on ALWAYS asking me if I've found a job yet that YES! I do have a job!

Josh Gets Beat Up By A Girl...

...and other stories.

Pete Yorn rocked. A little more rocking than I really like, though. We were standing so close to him, and it would have been great if he had sung some nice slow soft songs like Just Another or A Girl Like You, or even Lose You. Alas, he played none of the above. But he did play The Man, and Bandstand in the Sky, which were on my list of songs I really wanted to hear. Crowd sing-alongs sounded good in the space, and Martyr's was quite nice, with lots of standing room and good beer. I look forward to hearing the recording of the show when it becomes available.

Spending an evening with Josh and Eric was also really rewarding. Cracker Barrel, nice car, Pete Yorn, and a Big Bowl of Corn. What more could a person ask for?

Back to the Blog?

Well, I started this blog many moons ago, and did absolutely nothing with it after the first five posts, which were pretty boring to the outside observer. And there it sat.

I have recently found and toyed with some other options:

• I started a xanga blog some time ago mostly so I could comment on other people's stuff, then enjoyed writing it. But it irritated me that non-xanga friends couldn't post comments. So I had no real way of tracking who was reading my stuff, unless they were the 5 xanga friends that I had.

• Myspace has a blog feature that's pretty popular, but I didn't want to get more sucked in by myspace than I already was with adding friends and whatnot.

There were some other factors that made me want to move away from xanga and myspace as a means of telling the world about my life. Which brings me back here to blogger. I figured, "Heck, if Kevin and Eric and Josh can do it, why can't I?"

This is going to require just a bit of work before I get it up and running and looking cool, though. Please bear with me. And enjoy!