The highest form of flattery

I'm always working on the lifelong journey of not being validated by the world...suffice to say, it's difficult.

but surely admission to being positively validated externally is healthier than denying it?? At least for now, when I'm not Eat-Pray-Love-amped-on-nirvana-24/7 yet? (Oh, shoot, now I'm self-comparing...)

Eek, I hope.

Remember when I was featured by Siovhan? Read this to discover one of my funny quirks...

It's kind of nice to know people think you're alright, even when you're leaning over the kitchen sink performing a saline sinus cleanout on yourself...

(I will spare you further details.)

Like a reptile...

...burned for the very first time!

(PS: along the lines of the title, I discovered this yesterday and totally agree with the Madonna entry)...

GOOD NEWS:
I'm finally peeling!

Finally, a whole week after my first burn of the summer season.

A whole week since I was far too excited about the sun and neglected the SPF.

A whole week since Rindz and I proceeded to hang out at the pool with other friends and the entire pre-National championship BYU Rugby team, who were 'team bonding' before their big win last Saturday vs. Berkeley.

I'm chuckling to report that the team bonding also involved earnestly thumbing through our girlie fashion magazines with us...
(I really should have brought a camera)

i.e.
"Hey, pass me the Beyonce Vogue"
"This dress is interesting"
"Dude, come here, look at this picture"
"Ooh, I like this perfume sample" ....etc....

Boys will be boys, I guess! Who knew?!

Photo: BYU Rugby blog

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an exoskeleton to shed...

Attack of the landlocked sushi

Never again will I eat sushi in a state or country that does not border water.

(With exception of maybe Las Vegas)

Photo: Serious Eats

My friend Mike invites me to sushi at his favorite place in Salt Lake, but I just cannot muster it. He has tapered off with the invites, with knowledge of my 'landlocked sushi' fear...

To elaborate:

A) Happy Sumo.
Only been twice, because on the last time I got food poisoning...from the looks of it (I know...TMI), it was the seaweed salad. Or the San Francisco Roll?

B) Costco 2-day old assorted California rolls (yes, I know its not 'real' sushi).
Ate the remains of what I bought on Saturday for lunch yesterday...then I went on a run later with Rindz...had to stop at a gas station because my stomach hurt so much...it was not pleasant.
Then, upon my return home, the minor chills that ensued and stomach ache that persisted prompted a Google search of "swine flu symptoms"...

(BIG HINT: Read THIS and you won't be scared of it anymore!)

Nevertheless... sorry Utah, but I've decided from here on out that when I'm in landlocked places (including you), I'm sticking to above-land animals.
Comprende?

Oooh, hoy es Cinco de Mayo!
Vamos a celebrar.... the knowledge (from that above link) that you are now empowered to take on the Swine Flu, should it waft your way...

Ojala que tengas un buen dia!

Summer re-shaping

Remember this post?

Yeah, well...DC is a no-go this summer. In a nutshell:

The recession is so real, it even refuses my slave labor.

Yes, even though the BYU internship program I was working with assured me I would not have to submit more than 12 applications, I slyly applied for another 10 behind their backs. And good thing, because I only received one offer (from MY OWN said sly shenanigans, mind you).

But that offer fell through.

But you can bet all the ice cream I ate today that it's really OK. It wouldn't have bolstered any graduate school application, nor given me any portfolio-building material.

Who said beggars can't be choosers!

July and August will still find me whisked off to the East Coast, just in time to see the 4th of July parade down Main Street in the darling lake town where my fam vacations.

Americana at it's Yankee-est.
Also, you may find me on the couch of my Park Slope cousins getting some NYC fix. Mmm.

So yeah, me, instead of gunning it like I usually do with any freelance/internship work I can scrounge up, I'm going to be taking 8 credits of school and kicking it at King Henry during May and June, spending hours at Seven Peaks in their aptly named lazy river.

The only thing that changes about the original summer post is the 1/2 marathon with my cousin, who, as an environment and public policy major at her university, will not be at the massive fam reunion because she'll be doing research in Honolulu.

I know, "research"...yeah ;)

That, and The Lion King.

But never fear, cherry blossoms and the Beltway are still in my near future...just all in due time.

I figure I better enjoy this time in my life before I surrender the meaning of carefree for good.

Maybe I'll actually get tan this summer. Stay tuned, and in the meantime, see you at the pool!

Training Update Pt. II

About 3 weeks until R-Day.

After a brief (1.5 week) running hiatus...due to sidelining blisters, lower back rehab-ing, etc...

I'm back on my feet.

Ran 9 miles on Monday. Didn't know I had it in me. Seriously.


Even though sometimes after long runs I feel nauseous, salty and dehydrated (and I drink the most water of anyone I know)....

...plus pavement pounding hasn't been the smartest thing to do for my neck, lower back, or knees....

running around this May 9 won't be so bad.

I don't see running becoming a hobby after this. But it's been a good goal. A good boredom buster in this Utah Valley monotony.

I can't wait to get back to the days of solely yoga (Bikram in SLC this fall which I am so so excited about), pilates and walking. It suits me better.