under the covers

Ever have one of those days you just want to give up and hide beneath the covers? That's where my head is at right now. I'm still croaky, sick, and defeated. The problem with being a freelancer is that it's kinda hard to call in sick to 10 different client/bosses. So I'm coughing and typing away right now, with little nap and kitty-cuddling breaks. Thankful to have a squishy animal to love on.

don't speak

Crooaaaaaaak. Yup. That's what I sound like right now. After my spiel about listening to my body, I still managed not to tune in. I laid low on Friday and Saturday, only venturing out to see my childhood buddy Mehdy. (Pic above. Isn't he so handsome? I knew him when he was chubby and had floppy hair! Now he's trim and the host of an amazing travel show.) I was feeling a tad better on Sunday, so decided to hit the waves -- mistake. Now my voice won't go above a whisper, which is interesting since I have a bunch of interviews to conduct. Blargh! I did sleep away most of Sunday, so I'm hoping for a speedy recovery. Poor Erik is shadowing me with a can of vanilla-scented Lysol. I was wondering why everything had a cloyingly sweet scent; I was about to comment about his weird new choice in cologne. Ha.

Edited to add: One downside of freelancing: It's so hard to take sick days! I would like nothing more to lay in bed and watch crappy television, but my computer is calling. Boo.

forced rest

Of course when my weekend schedule includes an art show, long run, surf day, deadline, and two birthday parties, I start feeling sick. Boo! I feel crummy, but not wretched, so I'm tempted to soldier through my plans. By now, though, I know it's smarter to listen to my body, so I've quarantined myself to bed. I've also been pumping myself with my go-away-sickness regimen of Emergen-C, astragulus pills, green smoothies, and lots of water. Hoping to get out for a short run later today and make it to a childhood pal's party tonight!

marathon training, post three

Okay, you guys, I'm starting to get nervous! Eeeeee! Work and travel meant fewer runs these past few weeks, as you can see by my mileage. Also, I realized that I should have entered in a faster time in my entry; now I'm stuck in one of the last start waves. Dagnabit. On the flip side, I did manage to meet a crap-ton of deadlines, do my long runs, and squeeze in some surfing...and I only cried once! (Side note: I just love a good cathartic cry, don't you?) Anyway, I've been reminding myself that, sometimes, my good enough is just perfect.

weekend pics

This weekend was all about burning and consuming calories. (My two favorite activities!) After a hellish week, Erik and I actually had a bit of a reprieve. Saturday I went surfing with the ladies; it felt great to get back in the ocean after two weeks away. Then Erik and I spent the rest of the day biking through Dumbo and Red Hook; we refueled with chocolate-covered key lime pie (YES!) and delicious corn from the ball field vendors. We made our way down to Amanda and Anthony's for an impeccable barbecue. (Between Amanda's decorating and Anthony's cooking, they should seriously start a B&B.) Sunday I retraced that bike ride on foot; Aphrodite and I covered 15.5 miles for our long run. Today I'm covered in weird tan lines, bug bites, and scratches—all signs of a fun weekend. :)

hanging in!

Heyyo! Just a quick little check-in over here. After coming home from Raleigh, I immediately dove head-first into no less than eight deadlines. Plus 30 miles of marathon training, a mom issue (UGH, our healthcare system sucks), three in-office days, and a sick little cat. I had to call on the lessons learned from my swimming days and just put my head down to finish. Isn't it amazing what one can accomplish out of sheer willpower? Of course, after turning in the last story yesterday, the wheels came off and I sat inside like troll and watched Bravo shows on the most gorgeous autumn day. Oh, man, am I ever thankful that I turned down those tempting projects; I would have surely had a full-on meltdown.

Pic: Stolen from Jim. We took a break to check out his art show on Saturday. People with talent blow my mind!

mom and me

...after I forced her to go on a two-mile walk. I was like her personal Jillian Michaels this weekend!

Raleigh visit

When life gets hectic, I complain about making trips down to North Carolina: I have so many deadlines; I'd much rather be spending my free time having fun with Erik and friends; Raleigh is the most boring place on earth. UGH. But as soon as I step out of the airport terminal and see my little mom's excited face at the end, those feelings instantly melt away. Because for every "aw, man" as I'm waiting in my mom's doctor's office (for FOUR HOURS) and scrolling through my friends' beachy Labor Day pics, there's a "so glad you home" that just makes my heart swell a zillion sizes. Love.

My weekend in pics: 1. Mom's welcome home dinner 2. A 16-mile run in NC humidity
3. Mom swimming at Optimist Park (her first time in three decades!) in Erik's old swim trunks.