Amuck Amuck Amuck

Private joke via Hocus Pocus, 1993. One of the best terrible movies from my childhood ever.

Original Mud Run DFW

So, the pictures are already up and have circulated around work, it has already been posted by others that participated on Blogger/Facebook/wherever, and I am behind the times for it, but Saturday, a group of us from work ran a mud run. It was, by far, one of the most fun events I have ever done. We signed up for the 5k, but due to untrained volunteers, an unmarked course, and our desire to not turn around, we ran the 10k instead, which turned out to be a fantastic thing. All of the best obstacles were in the second half, and I think we really would have missed out having only done the shorter race. Sure, half the group was too sore to move the next day, but that's an acceptable price.

I bought a waterproof camera to use between the group, which turned out to be a fantastic idea. Somehow, we all completely managed to bypass the sign in booth, so we didn't get our bibs (which really should have been in packet pick up but weren't), but since those were really only for photo ops, none of us cared to try to go back and get them.

The good of the race: People really help each other out, whether they know them or not. Everyone is in it together, so there really is a feeling of support. On the floating bridge, there was a girl who was having a really hard time getting across; balance was off, and because she fell once, she lost her momentum and the cycle continued. Rather than laugh or be awkwardly silent watching, everyone in line for that obstacle cheered and clapped encouragement. I know she was terribly embarrassed after, but several people congratulated her sincerely on the other side. The obstacles (mostly) allowed multiple levels of fitness to compete, although short people like myself definitely have a disadvantage. And it really, really was a hell of a lot of fun.

The bad of the race: The loudly, blatant obvious: a man died while swimming the river one the first crossing. Cause of death hasn't been released, but that crossing was incredibly frightening. We've had rains before the race, the guide ropes were so loose and bogged down by people on them that they were almost useless, and there were way too many people in the water. During our crossing, there was one lifeguard platform in the middle of a too-wide river, people ahead of us were standing on the rope, which made it about 3 feet underwater for anyone behind them. I'm not a strong swimmer, but I've never had a problem staying afloat before, but I needed help, which my guys were wonderful with. Our race was hours before the incident, and it seems like lifeguard attendance dissipated after 10am.

The race really was not well set up. Half of our waves 5k runners were told to keep going and ran the 10k, there were 10 year old Young Marines manning a lot of the stations, and absolutely no one at others. Some of the more potentially dangerous obstacles were miles from any sort of help, without anyone manning them at all. I see the company running the race getting sued pretty much any day.

We all managed to get through the race with very little injury; I have some bruised elbows and knees.

And this post has gone on way too long. Photos on Flickr stream to the left if anyone is interested, I supposed the rest was all just babble and ranting.

One Is the Quirkiest Number

True, the benefits of living alone are many: freedom to come and go as you please; the space and solitude to recharge in a plugged-in world; kingly or queenly domain over the bed.

Still, as TV has taught us, the single-occupant home can be a breeding ground for eccentricities...In a sense, living alone represents the self let loose. In the absence of what Mr. Klinenberg calls “surveilling eyes,” the solo dweller is free to indulge his or her odder habits — what is sometimes referred to as Secret Single Behavior. Feel like standing naked in your kitchen at 2 a.m., eating peanut butter from the jar? Who’s to know?

For people who are comfortable and even good at living alone, there is often another concern: a fear that the concrete has set, so to speak, on their domestic habits and that it will be difficult to go back to living with someone else.

Take out the personal references, and this entire article has become my life. I used to always be jealous of people who lived alone, as I had gone from parents, to dorm, to parents, to relationship. Living alone for the last 2 and a half years has been an absolutely amazing experience in figuring myself out. And I have completely become one of these people, although not yet quite to level described. Here's hoping I can learn to reintegrate if the situation occurs.

Semantics

Semantics (from Greek sēmantiká, neuter plural of sēmantikós) is the study of meaning. It focuses on the relation between signifiers, such as words, phrases, signs and symbols, and what they stand for, their denotata.

Linguistic semantics is the study of meaning that is used by humans to express themselves through language. Other forms of semantics include the semantics of programming languages, formal logics, and semiotics.

The word "semantics" itself denotes a range of ideas, from the popular to the highly technical. It is often used in ordinary language to denote a problem of understanding that comes down to word selection or connotation. This problem of understanding has been the subject of many formal inquiries, over a long period of time, most notably in the field of formal semantics. In linguistics, it is the study of interpretation of signs or symbols as used by agents or communities within particular circumstances and contexts. Within this view, sounds, facial expressions, body language, and proxemics have semantic (meaningful) content, and each has several branches of study. In written language, such things as paragraph structure and punctuation have semantic content; in other forms of language, there is other semantic content.

I love words. I love that they have defined meanings, that they can be used in both a literal or figurative manner. I love that they are malleable, and can change over time to incorporate different ideas and meanings. Constantly in my life I am making up new bastardizations of words, or new meanings based on inside jokes; names, verbs, nouns, everything. I hold words very closely to me, as words are mostly thrown around without thought to effect or interpretation. It has been a day of words, a week of trying to standardize the way in which multiple people use and are affected by specific words and their meanings.

I've sat before in a large group and argued my point in what words mean many a time over a large span of years. Which ones are completely useless except to incite, which ones have more meaning for what they mean, and which are ignorant for the sake of the person using them. I have a hard time understanding when people misuse words, seeing the way the can easily control an emotion. Language is already an impossibly difficult thing to master in connotation and emphasis, and it is always going to fail to overcome a preset notion when a specific word is misused.

Every audience requires a different set of words. There are always going to be difficulties in trying to match up the user to the receptive listener, which in some ways, makes it a wonderfully fun challenge. Other times you want to run screaming from a room just to escape the emotion a word can create.

Today was a day of words, as was the week. A horribly difficult week of scraping up an impassible mountain full of words and ideas without a summit. May tomorrow be better.

Timing is Everything

Boop

Today I turned 30. This completely sums it up. :)

Breathe, Relax, Repeat

So perhaps it is the combination of the annoying debacle of the dress from China for the wedding, the desire to feel physically different from the draining two weeks I spent holed up in my apartment writing reviews every evening without change, or the freedom that was involved in the daily required walking in Seattle, but I have had constant cravings to exercise in the last few weeks back in Dallas. I have been running consistently for a year, but the last few weeks have made me desire to hit the trails or the gym every day, and feel frustration when I have not been able.

Not to say that the time I have spent in other activities has not been enjoyable. The friends I have seen, the simple act of cooking, sleeping in, etc. have been remarkable. But I hate the feeling when my body requires me to give up. When the muscles ache at night, when I cannot run another step without my lungs exploding or do one more repetition without shaking arms that drop the weight.

I sit here tonight, exhausted, addicted, wanting to do more, prove myself to me, and really, hating the healing time of the body most. Setting goals and seeing results is a driving force, but mostly, I need reminders that not everything can be done at once, that everything takes time.

Seattle

So I have been in Seattle for a few weeks for my oldest sister's wedding (see final picture for newlyweds). It was a wonderful escape from Dallas, wonderful weather (mostly, except for Suit day), and I am terribly sad to be back home in so many ways. The friends I have made and the people I met are irreplaceable, and for all of the stress and the annoyance that happens from helping to create a wedding, this was a much needed break and I am very glad for it.

And today was a fantastic end to a vacation. Laziness and a comfy nap and a sunset run over back trails. Back to reality tomorrow.

I Like Eating

This mandarin took me over 45 minutes to eat. After meticulously plucking off all strings from the peel side, I then am compelled to break each slice open, peel the skin off and eat each individual cell.

This is why I can't have nice things.

Hence, the above picture. This is why I hate frozen vegetables. I bought these brussel sprouts less than a month ago and they have a buy-date for sometime in May, yet upon opening, they were yellow, mushy and rotting. During the ice storm I lost power, but never for long enough to turn one bag of vegetables bad and leave everything else in my freezer edible. This picture is from right before they faced a short death in the disposal.

This is the downfall of healthy eating. The options out there are Twinkies, which despite the lack of nutrition and full of some really nasty stuff, will last for a disturbingly long time; or you spend way too long eating a simple fruit or face disgusting farm habits when trying to eat worthwhile foods.

VIA Institute on Character: Take Two

Character Strength #1: Perspective [wisdom] (+10)
Character Strength #2: Bravery [valor] (+15)
Character Strength #3: Integrity [authenticity, honesty] (+4)
Character Strength #4: Self-regulation [self-control] (+17)
Character Strength #5: Social Intelligence [emotional intelligence, personal intelligence] (+3)
Character Strength #6: Appreciation of beauty and excellence [awe, wonder, elevation] (-4)
Character Strength #7: Creativity [originality, ingenuity] (+9)
Character Strength #8: Judgment, critical thinking, and open-mindedness
Character Strength #9: Love of Learning (-4)
Character Strength #10: Capacity to love and be loved (+2)
Character Strength #11: Curiosity and interest in the world (-8)
Character Strength #12: Hope, optimism, and future-mindedness (+10)
Character Strength #13: Fairness, equity, and justice (-4)
Character Strength #14: Leadership (-13)
Character Strength #15: Industry, diligence, and perseverance (-9)
Character Strength #16: Caution, prudence, and discretion (+4)
Character Strength #17: Forgiveness and mercy (+6)
Character Strength #18: Zest, enthusiasm, and energy (0)
Character Strength #19: Gratitude (-9)
Character Strength #20: Humor and playfulness (-5)
Character Strength #21: Citizenship, teamwork, and loyalty (-8)
Character Strength #22: Modesty and humility (-8)
Character Strength #23: Kindness and generosity (-4)
Character Strength #24: Spirituality [religiousness, faith, purpose] (0)

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So back in 2009 I took this assessment, and was curious the difference how much almost 2 years can make in a personality. From my results, I have gained a new insight into how the world works and have become more adept to dealing with situations. Perhaps that is due to living on my own and being forced to deal. I am much more in control of myself, creativity has increased, but seemingly at the cost of a love of learning. Leadership has decreased to a dismal amount, as evidenced by anyone who has seen me at work since being thrown into Oracle implementation. Gratitude, loyalty, modesty and kindness have all taken a downward turn, indicating, that in the last 2 years I have become mean, more egocentric and proud of that. Hmm.

Interestingly, my vitality and spirituality have stayed exactly the same.

Upcycling!

So, I drink espresso. A lot of espresso. Yes, if I were smart or followed all of my own ideals on recycling, then I would be using a reusable cup instead of the throw away ones. However, that's besides the point.

The point is that I felt it was a waste to leave all of the cups. So instead, I decided to do something completely unnecessary, and created a Christmas tree. This really is better than some of my past Christmas trees, which were really just other fake trees that had nothing to do with evergreens either. Instead, this year, I totally can say that I wasted an afternoon poking holes and super-gluing 45 cups together. Personally, I like it.

..Thanks for the inspiration.

Never Turn Right

Right is evil. Left is the correct direction.

There is a limit

Ok, so, I get it, you are a Christian. You became born-again, you now believe. It is incredibly important to you in every single way.

Do you really need to make every single Facebook post about how God or the Word makes you stronger and how everyone else has problems because they just don't believe enough or say God Bless every time they post?

I get having things you believe in. I'm the poster child for a lot of stuff, and I thrust my beliefs upon people I know rather than letting them choose. It is a concession for living in any manner not as a hermit. Perhaps it is my own fault, for not being religious. Perhaps I need to expand my own perspective out to also include things I find either tacky or distasteful. But in any case, it is wearing, and another reason I rarely log onto places like Facebook.

(And on a side note, the recycling bin is 20 feet away. Consider it free exercise, rather than making me bust you for paper and water bottles.)

Drum Light

Sound activated drum light. For use when there isn't another type of drum you can use. Personally, I miss those days, over half of my life ago, long before my shoulder was jacked and the only option became a fake drum light or Wii bowling versus the real thing.

Ewwwww

$15.00 for one pound of fake fat. Seriously the most awesome thing I possibly saw in all of the places I went that day. And I saw a lot of awesome.

Not alot; but a lot. Nuances.

Sad = ...

Try and try again.

Sometimes there are just bad days.

Colorado Bend

0.9 miles from vehicle to campsite. 1.5 miles Lively Loop. 2.24 miles Lemon Ridge Pass. ~4-4.5 miles back down the road to vehicle. 6 times total between campsite to vehicle. 2 times carrying between 30-40 pounds each. Estimated 2000 calories spent just hiking in around a 4 hour span. Gave up after the original plan of 10+ miles hike after about 5.75 miles, then the trip back. 1.8 miles back and forth to the car after leaving cellphone behind and having to make sure it is answered due to being on call. Sore, tired, sunburnt, 1 fire ant bite on stomach, 1 mosquito bite on foot, another on back of left thigh. 2 fireflys, 2 shooting stars, 3 satellites.

I was asked why I like camping/hiking, at a point in time in which I felt like dying. I still think some of the answers were valid, such as seeing/doing something else than spending money I don't have at stores where I don't need things, being out in the world somewhere I haven't been, etc. The answer brought forth from Matt was that he liked that it was hard. When said, I realized I didn't know how to express it before really. I like the challenge, that I am always inadequate and I need to be stronger and harder in these types of things.

That said, we're totally going to do a wimpy camping trip next time, early registered, close to water, no further than 100 yards from a car to tent. Can drink, play guitar, be merry, not want to die.

By the way, a chiropractor appointment after a sunburn hurts really, really badly.

On my way home from work

So evidently the Tea Party protesters have been set up all day at Preston and Park in Plano. These people frighten me. Until the private sector will step up and provide the same services at a reasonable rate (reasonable, not free) that the government currently provides, reducing or eliminating taxation makes no sense. Unless of course, you'd prefer a country without roads, defense, education, etc. Great way to think it through, especially here in Plano, when most likely these people have driven to the protest in their Lexus's and BMW's and always grown up in a situation where they benefited from the government resources. Yes, we are lucky to not have a caste system and the ability of changing from a level of poverty to privilege, it doesn't mean that is possible for everyone. Don't whine about having to spend money on taxes instead of going on vacation when there are still areas of the country without clean drinking water.

Um...Yeah

So I just gave an encouraging talk to my contact lens, telling it that it should hold on and I wanted it to live.

I think I have problems......

Pretty Accurate.....

So this was me all day today, except with red hair. And except by today I mean all weekend. And by all weekend, I mean I am salaried. :(

New week today, today being with only 4.5 hours of work to possibly show for 10.5 hours of doing something. I subtracted the WTF, Means Nothing, and Not my Dept. Did not subtract the GRRRRAJDJSDFJSDJj from multiple Monday meeting schedule that allows neither a bathroom break nor lunch.

And tomorrow is only Monday.