I can't believe it finally happened...

I got my macbook!!

I am in shock. It feels good to be back in the mac world, after almost 20 years away. (OK, I can't believe that I'm old enough to have something in my life gone for 20 years...) Anyway, after being one of the first owners of the Apple IIe, using my Macintosh Plus in college, and starting my career at 3M lugging my "portable" MacPlus... I'm finally back with a sleek new 13" macbook. I chose the smaller version for weight and portability options - the 15" would have been nice, but I never would have taken it as many places.

Adding to the general computer euphoria around here - We purchased a new cable modem and router. Went for the big guns - Docsis 3 modem... on initial setup the Comcast speed test clocked it at 60 Mbps on a wired connection pinging a server here in the twin cities. Actual use on wireless connection is more like 20 Mbps, not bad considering we pay for the 16 Mbps service! The Comcast rep promised me that they wouldn't throttle me down, but that I might not always get that level of performance. I'll enjoy it while it lasts. Went for the N gigabit router with usb port, so we're good to go. I plan on connecting either an external HD or a printer, but that's a project for AFTER I get all my stuff transferred to my mac.

Oh, and that crushing depression that I mentioned in an earlier post? Gone. :)

July

It's July, and I am suffering from crushing depression. It happens
every year, and I am at a loss to explain it. Most people get January
or February blues, a post holiday letdown or fatigue from winter, but
not me. There must have been some dramatic event that occurred in
July that I'm repressing... why else would my world seem darkest in
the middle of the sunny summer when everyone else is busy living life?
Just one more thing that makes me a few bubbles off center. :)

Summer!

I am still alive.

Really.

I have just sworn off the computer for all but essential stuff, and have actually been *gasp* outside.

Can't wait to leave for Utah, where I'll still have just as much stuff to manage, but more people to help. ;-)

(lack of) speed

I just sat down at my computer to "shop" for some new shoes while I ate my lunch. I finished my lunch before the computer was even ready for me to type in a web address. I need a new computer.

OK, I know that what I need to do is go in and optimize things, but really - wouldn't a new computer be easier? And prettier? And faster? Oh yeah - it would require money. There goes that idea.

The trip that might be the end of me...

...or the start of something great!

At the end of last month, I signed up for a "all fitness levels welcome" women-only pedal/paddle excursion through the local parks & rec department. The trip's start point is north of Duluth, so I'm counting on fabulous scenery. The timing isn't great, but what can you do? It's the last 2 days of school, and I'm choosing to look at it as my last hurrah before the "buckle down and work" that is summer around here. (Side note: seriously, I don't understand these moms who "can't wait!" for summer - summer is ten times the work of any other season, and the hardest 3 months of my year. Basically, I'm working 18 hour days, and it's hot. ugh.)

Anyway, I figured that, even though I'm still 20+ pounds overweight, I should be able to handle a "all fitness levels" activity... until I spoke with the outfitter.

Here's the schedule of events:

Thursday - arrive at campsite by 6 for happy hour, dinner, socializing.

Friday - breakfast, kayak training, then 7 (!!) hours on the river. Some Class I rapids, that we can portage if desired. (Side note: I was freaked by this until Google revealed that Class I is just a notch above still water. Class IV is the biggie. whew.) Happy hour (naptime for me?), followed by dinner & social time.

Saturday - a choice of 40 or 75 mile bike ride to new campsite. More happy hour, dinner, and socializing.

Apparently, the happy hour thing is a big draw...? Anyway, I'm counting on the alcohol consumption of others to lower the overall performance bar. Am I so out of shape I can't keep up with a bunch of hung-over women? (hmmm)

Now, spending a few nights in a sleeping bag (even with an air mattress) is not going to make my back very happy, but I'm hoping that fistfuls of Advil will overcome that hurdle. What will be harder is (1) kayaking for that long, and (2) biking 40 miles with a body that just endured all that kayaking... and then slept on the ground all night!

So, you will notice the addition of RunKeeper data to my workout page as I begin conditioning myself for the bike portion of this adventure. The kayak training is going to be harder, but it looks like ab/core workouts will help. I've been watching kayak videos on the internet, and, although helpful, are not the same as doing.

So when my kids come downstairs to find me sitting on an exercise ball, practicing my stroke using a closet rod, they're going to think Mom has lost it. And maybe I have, but it's a ride that's exhilaratingly scary.

Whoo hoo! Here we go!

Face Time

Tonight, as I was applying the fifth product in my nightly face routine, it really struck me how much time, money, and effort I've been putting in lately to try and hold back time. I never used to care much what I looked like. Seems like the mid 40's have changed my outlook, but when I took an honest look in the mirror, I realized that I really wasn't having that much success, anyway.

That got me thinking about returns on investment, and how I really should be focusing on increasing my INNER beauty.

Life's a Journey

I haven't blogged much, and I've felt guilty about it. I read this the other day, and it made me feel better:

How many times have you heard someone who is in a challenging situation say, "I am going through a rough patch" or something similar? The key is in the phrase "I am going through."

If you are in a similar situation, my advice is to keep going through whatever you are dealing with. A friend, J.T. O'Hara, had a unique way of saying the same thing: "When you are going through hell, don't stop to take pictures." That's where the problem lies. In today's world of high tech, we have so many ways to "take pictures" and constantly share them with everyone we meet. We love to wallow in our troubles by sharing with others just how bad our life really is. I guess misery really does love company.

Just how bad is your life, really?

-Wally Amos, "Going Through", The Costco Connection, May 2010, pg 11.

Things are difficult now; the last thing I need to do is take pictures... unless they're cute ones of my kids. :-) Hopefully I can post some of those soon.