Dawg Dash

On Sunday I'm running the Dawg Dash. Three years ago I did the 5K, and two years ago I did the 10K. Last year I slept. This year I decided to stick with the shorter distance since I haven't properly trained to do the 10K, though that's not to say that a longer race isn't in the works for the near future. I've always wanted to do the 12K's of Christmas (mainly because I love the name of the race and think it's really cute and clever). But even as I'm typing this right now, I'm beginning to realize that if I actually want to do the 12K's of Christmas, which is a mere two months away, I will have to start training immediately. I like racing more obscure distances because then it forces me to be less competitive with myself, and because I'm always guaranteed a PR. Anyway, my goal for Sunday is to beat my 5K time from three years ago. The main problem is that the Dawg Dash course is pretty challenging-- it's really hilly and there will be a ton of people running it. My other goal is to beat all of my friends. I think there are eight of us running it, and I'm pretty sure I can beat everyone, boys included. The only other obstacle is that there's a good chance it will be pouring down rain during the race-- but hey, it's Seattle, right? And nothing can be as horrible (or as utterly unpredictable) as running in the snow in the St. Patrick's Day Dash.

If I see one more...

...Proactiv commercial with a girl that has three pimples and complains about her face "breaking out everywhere," I'm going to scream.

Oh, Comcast

What a love-hate relationship I have with Comcast. I called last month intending to discontinue my cable service because it was so expensive, and I ended up getting $30 knocked off my bill and a cable upgrade. So I gotta give them credit for their customer service. As a result of all these changes, however, there was a mistake on my bill this month. Naturally I was irritated that I had to call them again. But I guess it was worth it: now I have free DVR service for one year! If they weren't so ridiculously incompetent, they wouldn't have to keep rectifying their mistakes by giving me more deals, but I guess, ultimately, it's worth it, because I end up getting what I want (which is lots of TV and a way to record my shows).

Toddlers & Tiaras

I am completely appalled by this show, yet unable to change the channel. How in the world can parents actually think that it's OK to dress their daughters up like creepy little dolls and then watch them get awarded titles like "Most Beautiful Face" and "Prettiest Eyes"? It's so disturbing.

True Blood season finale

This Sunday...I have to find a way to watch it that doesn't involve inadvertently downloading viruses...

Computer virus

So unfortunately my laptop contracted a horribly malicious computer virus. I think it actually came from a torrent file link that told me I needed some weird program to download in order to watch an episode of True Blood. All last Sunday was spent backing up all of my files, and I was lucky enough that the virus didn't attach itself to them. So now my computer has been shipped off to Tejas to have its hard drive wiped, and I am using a loaner iMac from N. Prior to this virus, I hadn't been running any anti-virus software on my computer, so let this be yet another lesson learned the hard way.

Ikea

I think it's safe to say that most people have a love-hate relationship with Ikea: we love the incredible selection of everything ranging from furniture to plastic bag dispensers, the ridiculously low prices, and the unintentionally absurd Swedish product names (Fartyg, anyone?); at the same time, we hate the sheer size of the store, which renders a quick trip virtually impossible, and the awkwardly-sized giant yellow shopping bags made of tarp material. But most of all we hate the fact that everything is sold in pieces, with instructions (if we're lucky) that consist of obscure schematic drawings that look like the blueprint for a Rube Goldberg invention.

Unforuntately, the product that I purchased yesterday, a four-pack of 99-cent picture frames entitled "Clips," has no directions. You'd think assembling a picture frame wouldn't be that complicated, but I have absolutely no idea how to attach the metal "clips" to the picture frame. This is a project that could potentially consume the better half of my Sunday afternoon-- and most likely will, since the majority of the fun/frustration derived from a successful Ikea shopping trip occurs in the aftermath, when you find yourself at home, sitting cross-legged on your floor, surrounded by a stack of glass frames, cardboard backing, and a pile of metal clips with no instructions, pictorial or otherwise.

Sweatyville

Remember that Smallville episode where there's a massive heat wave and everyone is all sweaty and sexy? Well, it's kind of like that in Seattle right now, minus the sexy part.

It's gonna be a hot 'n' sweaty weekend!

Events I'd normally be looking forward to this weekend:

Saturday: Running the Torchlight 8K

Sunday: Softball Play-offs

Events I'm not looking forward to this weekend because it's supposed to be in the nineties:

Saturday: Running the Torchlight 8K

Sunday: Softball Play-offs

Why does this have to be the weekend where I have multiple sporting events planned? Over-ambitious Marisa had to register for the 5-mile race instead of the 3-mile race. Our (surprisingly) not-so-bad softball team had to make the play-offs. Of course I'm jokingly being sarcastic about these things, but still...how the heck am I supposed to run around when it's in the nineties? I'm going to be very sweaty and sunburned by Sunday night, but if I'm lucky, I'll also have another race under my belt and a softball championship title.

I heart Harry Potter 6!

I saw HP 6 last night...well, technically this morning, since it was at midnight. I loved it! The sixth book is my favorite Harry Potter book, and I thought the movie did an excellent job of capturing the tone of the book. And it was surprisingly hilarious at times. Every HP film has a few moments where I chuckle, but this one definitely had the most. And I think that can be attributed to J.K.'s brilliant ability to capture the simultaneous awkwardness/sweetness of being a teenager, which was perfectly translated in film.

HP 6 also broke the box office record for a midnight showing, bumping Dark Knight off its high horse.

HP 6 in T minus 26!

I've been dying to see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. This movie is l-o-n-g overdue (I'm still bitter over its delayed release, but I'm sure all bitterness will dissolve once I am at the theater tomorrow night at midnight!).

16 and Pregnant

What is it with me and pregnancy shows? This MTV show is a good one, though. Every episode features a different teen and follows her in the months leading up to the birth of the baby and then for a little while after the baby's birth. So far, most of the girls on the show have decided to keep their babies.

Fashion Faux Pas

I went to Target today right after work. About thirty minutes into my shopping trip, when I was trying on a bathing suit in the dressing room, I suddenly realized that I was wearing the Target uniform: I had on khaki capris and a red T-shirt. I felt so self-conscious after that I could barely focus on my shopping. The worst part is, I know I've laughed at people (in my head) several times before when I've noticed unsuspecting Target customers dressed in red and khaki. I guess it was karma today.

For all you cat lovers out there...

Here's an interesting article from Scientific American.

"Whereas other once wild animals were domesticated for their milk, meat, wool or servile labor, cats contribute virtually nothing in the way of sustenance or work to human endeavor. How, then, did they become commonplace fixtures in our homes?"

I ask Hector the same question every day...

Car repair$

Dropped off my car today to get some repairs done...it's going to cost $635. Let's keep our fingers crossed that they don't find anything else wrong with it!

Run with the Cops

On Saturday I am doing a 5K called "Run with the Cops...Not from them!" Cute, isn't it? I'm looking forward to this race because it should be a pretty flat, fast course (well, the jury's still out on the "fast" part, but I think we're OK on the "flat"). This will be my third race this year, and I'm registered for another one at the end of July-- an 8K (about 5 miles). I had a burst of over-ambition the day I signed up for it, so we'll see how that one goes when the time comes...

Gotta go-- Hector is curled up against me making my body temperature about ten degrees warmer than is comfortable. That boy is too darn furry! (And yes, I am aware that this whole thing would sound really creepy if you weren't aware that Hector is a cat...)

Harper's Island

If you are not watching this show, you should be. Not because it's exceptionally brilliant or anything, but because it's a veritable board game come alive: think Clue and those How to Host a Murder Mystery boxed games. The winning combination of chintzy murder mystery motifs and archetypal suspects plays out on a TV screen like a well-paced novel of the same genre-- and that is enough to keep me addicted to this semi-low-budget-yet-all-too-intriguing production of murder, betrayal, and basic cable-oriented sex.

Plus, it's set on a fictitious island located off the coast of Seattle, where it mysteriously never seems to rain...that might be the real mystery behind the goings-on of Harper's Island.

Eeeeep! (That's me squealing with excitement)

Heat Wave!

85 degrees today! Yikes! Seattleites have come out of hiding and are swarming Green Lake. Hector is doing his best to stay cool despite his (adorably) ridiculous fluffiness. And I'm fighting this unprecedented heat wave by eating ice cream sandwiches and popsicles-- and loving every minute of it.

Sunburned

My shoulders are sunburned and it hurts to play my violin and wear my purse on my shoulder. :(