Day 116 = Hiking + Yoga + The Crossings

Today was the first day of vacation, and I chose to spend it at The Crossings spa in Austin, so this blog entry is really just a glowing review of this oasis that is a mere 20 minutes away from my house. During weekdays, The Crossings offers a mini-spa package for $35, which includes lunch and full access to any spa activity (not services, like massages and facials, although they have a full range of offerings), the infinity pool, hot tub, sauna and 2.5 miles of hiking trails. A bargain - and I got to sneak in for breakfast, too. That said, this is how the day went.

I arrived at the spa at about 8:30 am and checked in. I stopped off at the dining room for a quick breakfast of coffee, scrambled eggs, blueberry muffin and bacon - all organic. Then I stored my stuff in their tiny lockers (note: their lockers are very tiny so don't bring a lot) and attended the 9 am yoga class. Following yoga, it looked like it might rain, but I didn't expect anything heavy, so I set out on my 2.5-mile hike along the trails in The Crossings. About 15 minutes along the trail, I felt a few sprinkles and spotted the sanctuary in the clearing. As I got to the door - and was delighted to find it open - the rain started to pour. Inside was a true sanctuary. Not like a church at all, and I've seen some beautiful churches and cathedrals. I was all alone and it was quiet and the rain outside was beautiful. I found a blanket and lay on the floor to take a nap. It could not have been a more lovely detour.

After my nap, I waited out the rain and set on my way again. The trail was curvy and slippery. Lots to see. I crossed a trail path and looked down the way and saw a deer also crossing. I looked for animals in the forest but didn't see any others. Where do they all live? I guess I scared them away. Following my trail run, I had lunch then took a shower in the locker room (taking advantage of the complementary toiletries) and put on my swimsuit. The infinity pool is gorgeous, but Lake Travis, which is typically the view, was a dust bowl. On my first visit to The Crossings (with Amy S. in April 2008 for trapeze lessons) we could see the same view as seen in the photo here. The pool area wasn't too crowded, and I was reminded at the end of the day that yes, you can get quite a bit of sun when the sky is overcast. I stayed until about 6 pm before I reluctantly headed home.

I'd like to revisit this place with a nice male companion....

Day 115 = Resistance Bands + Burger Club (5 Guys)

Tonight was another Burger Club, and we met up at 5 Guys. It's the same place where Obama buys his burgers in DC for his staff, you know, when he's trying to act like he's a regular guy who doesn't require security detail for every step he takes and just goes out and buys lunch for his office? I'll have to look it up when I'm in DC this weekend.

I like burgers, but I don't know how qualified I am to judge them. I mean, I'm either WOW'd by a burger or think "oh, just another burger." And on rare occasions, there's the nasty burger, but that is rare. If I had a club, it would be more about sampling queso and judging the variations of chicken fried steak (I still claim to make the best, though).

Seeing as how the burger filled me up and I needed to get some packing done before my trip to DC, I worked out with resistance bands tonight.

Day 114 = Running + Deep Eddy

I really, really, really do not need to go into details about last night. I'm sure you'd like to know. Instead I will talk about Deep Eddy. I was a Deep Eddy virgin until today. The reason for this special visit, you ask? I am the social director of my marathon running group and today was our summer picnic, which I'd scheduled at Deep Eddy.

It was more like a brunch, and I brought breakfast tacos, which were popular among the running crowd. I hung out in the pool and desperately tried to feign a "why no, I'm not completely hungover" look. I stayed until the end, since I was the planner, and then I got the hell out of there as soon as I could. I genuinely enjoy these people and their company, but my cousin is still visiting and I left her home sleeping in. I had to get home to take her to the airport.

I did actually get in a run today, so suckit, hangover!

Day 113 = Running + Texas Heat

I think I'm really becoming a dedicated runner. This time last year I gave up on training for the San Antonio Rock n Roll Marathon (November 2008) because of the heat. Kind of like the same excuse I used to give for skipping class in college (or too cold, too rainy, nothing to wear, no breakfast, etc.).

But now, it's not really such a big deal. Sure, it was 91 degrees before noon today and even hotter this afternoon, but I have continued to run. And have continued to make up new cuss words for the heat and running in the heat.

But I needed to get my workout out of the way (as well as expel any remaining toxins from last night) so Kristin and I could go meet some friends for brunch.

Day 112 = Resistance Bands + Cousin

Yay! Kristin's here! Kristin's here! In Austin. Finally. So glad my cousin came to visit. After I picked her up at the airport, we went to Home Slice on South Congress to meet up with my friends Katherine, Amy and Debbie. Following a yummy pizza dinner, we had sangria at Hotel San Jose across the street.

Later that night, we went to one of my favorite Austin bars, Molotov, and met up with Kristina and Michael. When they left, we took a pedi-cab (Kristin's first) to Antone's and met up with Anne, Kevin and Jeff. After the show, we walked down the street to Lucky Lounge.

Sometime during the night when we got home, I did actually do some exercises with the resistance bands. It's really all I could do at that point before crashing in my comfy bed. It was a good night.

Day 111 = Running + Michael Jackson

I was in a meeting this afternoon with my boss to discuss our patent and the news came through: Michael Jackson had a cardiac arrest. Later this evening, I went to a work happy hour and it was all over the news that Jacko was forever on his backo! He was dead. So sad. This picture is how I'll always remember him.

Farrah Fawcett also lost her fight with cancer today. Anal cancer. "Charlie's Angels" was a bad-ass series. While Farrah's character, Jill, was smart and hot, I kind of liked Kelly because she did a lot of recon and shot a gun. Well, I guess all the angels did, but that show was so awesome!

I ran tonight after I got home. It was really to kill two birds with one stone. And by that I mean that I ran up the street to get a light bulb to put in my kitchen recessed lighting. It was 100 degrees tonight at 9:30 when I went for my run. I get it, Texas. You're hot.

I topped off the night with more house cleaning because my cousin Kristin is coming to visit for the weekend tomorrow.

Day 110 = Gym + Contentment

I went to the gym today. I'm very content with life.

Day 109 = Running + WTF Is with Bonnie Tyler?

I went out for a run tonight and it probably wasn't the safest thing to do. It was about 9:30 when I started out. And dark. But it feels so good to run. And sometimes it's just nice to hear my breath.

I had my iPod with me and the song "Holdin' Out for a Hero" came on. I realized that Bonnie Tyler's hit songs that I know are all about her issues with men. Her Wikipedia entry doesn't say anything about relationships and being scorned. When I got divorced, somehow the song "Total Eclipse of the Heart" ended up on my MP3 player (which at the time was a DVD player). The picture here is of me fake singing the song into a hair brush on a night train to Prague in 2002. I could finally relate to this song. Every word of it. At 28 years old. It was on this trip (post-divorce) that I realized we were living in a powder keg and givin' off sparks in my marriage. I did, however, learn that Ms. Tyler is from Wales. You're welcome for the useless factoid.

Anyway, I was thinking about another song, "It's a Heartache." Well, yeah it is if you're so co-dependent on him, girlfriend! People are gonna let you down and that's OK. People are human.

So back to "Holdin' Out for a Hero." Again with the big dreams. I'm just holdin' out for a guy who can fix the cord on my ceiling fan. The song does have a good beat. I'll give her that.

Day 108 = Gym + Homelessness

I'm still thinking about homelessness. I went to the gym tonight and while sitting in my air conditioned car at the stoplight before I got there, listening to ELO's "Sweet Talkin Woman" on the radio, I saw the Austin police apprehending a homeless man. They were checking his pockets and searching his belongings. Maybe he was the bad kind of homeless, but how do people get this way? OK, I know there are a million answers to that question. It's so complex; it's hard to comprehend myself.

After the gym, I went home and talked to Jonathan about the homeless problem. He's a chef, so I asked him if my 7-day old pork loin that's been in an airtight container in the fridge would be good to make into sandwiches and hand out to homeless people. He said he wouldn't serve it to guests but for homeless, that's OK. REALLY!!???!? I decided to chunk the pork loin in the trash because the last thing I need is to see a news story that says something to the effect of "homeless found dead after eating food reportedly distributed from a silver SUV...."

The statistics about the homeless in America are pretty staggering. I wondered recently how much should I budget per month for groceries and food. My mom and I pondered this, and she suggested $300 a month. I said I don't think I eat that much per month. That's $10/day. So I researched online to see how much people get in food stamps and then was going to base my budget on that. If there are people who live day after day like this, then why can't I? Well, it turns out there are many ways to become a food stamp recipient in Texas. But in order to get the max amount per month - only $176 - you have to be pretty bad off. That's about $6 a day. Can you live on $6 a day? If you are single, have a modest apartment, no car and make minimum wage (which I had to look up), then you are eligible for $14 a month in food stamps.

Day 107 = Running + Father's Day

This morning, I woke up early, or as early as I could on a Sunday so I could run at Town Lake (now known as Ladybird Lake). I wanted to try out my new toe! And by new toe, I mean I had a cortisone shot in my left foot on Wednesday when I went in for a checkup with my sports medicine physician (who is totally cute, by the way). I ran 5 miles, and the toe still hurt. I'm going to have to make another appointment to see the cute doctor to get another shot, and I hate needles. Oh, the things we runners must endure (hot doctors).

Today is Father's Day, and I knew I would inevitably have to call my stepfather and wish him a happy day. I'd like to say for the record that my stepfather Richard is pretty awesome. In some ways, he's been more of a dad to me than my real father was. I still feel like a girl when he lets me lean up against his shoulder on the couch and watch a movie. He's been part of my life for most of my life, and my family could not have been more lucky or blessed to have him. But he's not my real dad. My Daddy passed away 17 years ago when I was 18. So I would be lying if I said I did not feel any resentment in wishing Richard a Happy Father's Day. It's not his fault, but it's just awkward after all these years still. I was going to rattle off some of the popular sayings my Daddy would walk around saying, but I can't track them down at the moment. He actually had a list of quotes he kept in his wallet and he'd pull out that list at parties and say those things in his charismatic way and people would eat it up. I guess you had to be there. He was pretty remarkable. Just as remarkable as my mom, of course!

I spent the late afternoon feeding the homeless. Not just passing out cans of soup from my car this time. I actually made sandwiches and drove around in a truck (Mobile Fishes and Loaves) and passed out sandwiches, chips, cookies, fruit and socks. I am fascinated with the homeless. I don't mean for that to sound belittling. It's just that I wonder how a person gets in this situation. It is said that 50% of the homeless are mentally disabled. But what about the other 50%? What about the kids?

We fed a lot of kids today. They came running up to the truck like it was the ice cream man. At one point, I was so slammed with requests for items, that I had to shimmy my way out of the crowd, walk around it and go to the other side of the truck so I could start filling another bag of rations to pass out. In the summer when the kids aren't in school, this might be one of the main ways these kids get fed all week.

We gave one guy a bag with two sandwiches, chips, two packs of cookies, a juice, an orange, some candy and a pair of socks. He said, "God bless you," and someone told him, "God bless YOU." He said, "He already did. You showed up."

I came home to my clean house with A/C and a full fridge and pantry. I am so thankful. If you are interested in donating items to Mobile Fishes and Loaves, please go to their site and find out how to donate and volunteer.

Day 106 = Walking + Meatless Crumbles

I love meat. This gal is not much of a vegetarian. But I can officially say that I am just about addicted to Morningstar Farms meatless crumbles (aka meal starters). I made tacos last week, and today I made chili. I heart you little crumbles of not meat.

I burned a shit-load of calories today according to the BodyBugg. Cleaning. Walking. Grocery shopping. Chili cooking. I was a busy girl. Then tonight, I relaxed and watched Revolutionary Road. This is a movie that actually needed to be made. If you've never been married, this movie is about what nobody tells you about marriage. And it's all true. And you can really only understand it if you are or have been married. My advice to anyone getting married or considering marriage is this: know yourself 100%. You need to be honest about that and know where you stand on things, what your dealbreakers and expectations are and how to stand alone. Or you will lose yourself and your mind. It is a partnership and you do give up a lot of that independence you may have grown used to as a singleton, which can be rewarding. But be careful about giving up too much of yourself to the point you don't even know who you're looking at in the mirror.

I am in no way against marriage, love or commitment, but you should be aware that a legal document (marriage license) only confirms that you are sharing property and does not ensure that you will be in a loving commitment for the rest of your life.

Day 105 = Resistance Bands + Being Blonde

Do you want to hear a funny blonde moment? OK, you might think it's funny, but it's probably more embarrassing than anything (for me, at least).

A few weeks ago, I bought a scratch-off lottery ticket called "The Weekly Grand." The object is to scratch off 3 GRAND symbols and you win $1,000 a week for 20 years. My ticket revealed 3 $4 symbols and the back of the ticket indicates that $4 is a prize to win a week for 20 years, which comes out to be $4160 or some variation of a smaller annuity as a lump sum. So I called the lottery office this afternoon and explained my ticket. I said, "Can I just get that in one lump sum instead of spreading it out over 20 years?" The guy said, "No. You just won $4 and you can take that back to the place where you bought the ticket and can just cash it in there."

Yeah. I'm a natural blonde. Never colored my hair, at least not on purpose. It turned green after swimming in a pool when I was 10 and my mom tried to highlight it to get the green out. I have an IQ of 155 and used to work for NASA. I am telling you: the back of that lottery ticket is ambiguous!! Of course none of that matters because as I'm telling this story, you're thinking of how blonde I am. Well, you're right.

The night started off normal enough with a happy hour birthday celebration for my friend, Anne, and some friends. This is the girls' pic. The guys were too busy playing washers. It was also my brother's birthday, so I filled up on Crown and diet Cokes for the first of the night. Sometime later after a few beers, some midnight pizza, a game of "I Never" among other responsible professionals, a game of flip cup that never got off the ground, a dance party in a living room and a safe drive home, I hit the resistance bands at around 3:30 am.

Day 104 = Gym + Results

This morning, I dragged my tired butt to the gym. It was measurement day. First, I was weighed and had gained .6 pounds since I started with my trainer. I blame it on the residual bloat from the weekend, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't completely bummed. It took all I had not to break down and cry in front of my trainer. However, I had lost 3 inches overall as well as an additional 1.3% body fat. I now weigh about 111 pounds of lean body mass (+ the fat, which is not being pointed out in this blog in pounds).

While it didn't serve much purpose toward any weight loss goals, I did open a bottle of wine tonight. You can blame that on the raging PMS I have right now.

Day 103 = Iron Yoga + Stand-up Comedy

I. AM. IRON WOMAN. [insert music here]

My legs are sooooo sore. So sore that I finally tried the $2.99 DVD I bought at Marshall's called "Iron Yoga." It was an hour-long workout, and my muscles needed it. I suck at balancing, by the way. To add to the whole yoga mindset I was trying to achieve tonight, I made tacos with some of those Morning Star meatless crumbles. They are actually good.

Normally, I do a search on Google Images to find a photo that is fitting for my blog entries. Tonight, just out of curiosity, I Googled my name, and I was the third image on page 1 of the search results! And I was also on pages 3, 4 and 5.

The photo is from the 2008 Funniest Person in Austin contest. Here is the link to my routine if you'd like to see me, a "standup comedienne in Austin, TX."

Coincidentally, I was asked today at work about my fledgling comedy dreams. Haven't done much lately, but I have been writing a lot. I just need to suck it up and get back on stage.

Day 102 = Running + Interviews

It's a jungle out there. So many people are unemployed. I feel very fortunate to have my job, and I feel fortunate to be in a position to hire someone. So this week is all about interviews. And deadlines. And budgets. And ROI. You know, same ol' stuff.

Interviewing people makes me super compassionate for them. It is draining to go on interviews day after day and have to bring your A game. I remember looking for a job 3 years ago. It's tough. And it's sad to have to let people down. My position now is not something I take for granted. Ever.

Tonight I ran for about 40 minutes. Still catching up from the weekend. And I chose yellow roses for the pic; it's Anne's birthday today. Happy birthday!

Day 101 = Gym + Walking + Non-island Time

Me no likey coming back from island time. Me want to be back on island time. Me missed island time a lot when I woke up at 5:30 this morning and went to the gym to meet my trainer.

The more I'm part of grown-up reality, the more I dream of having a little sandwich stand on the beach. Or if not a beach, then a lake. Or if not a lake, then being a ski bum. I'd have a lot of sandwiches on my menu. And beer. And bottled water and sunscreen. Some people prefer that over beer, you know.

Tonight I came home from work and went straight to sleep in my comfy bed. For an hour. I was still groggy when I woke up around 7:30. But I was compelled to at least take a walk, which I did for about 50 minutes. And by compelled, I mean that I felt like it was a step toward getting back on schedule. Getting back to reality.

Day 100 = Resistance Bands + Naps

Drove 4 hours. Got home. Slept for 5-ish hours. Woke up and brought myself to workout with the resistance bands. I'm still being true to this workout regime even though I have surpassed the 90-day mark by 10 more days now. But I really hit those bands hard tonight, so I think overall, I took it pretty seriously.

I thought the puppy looks cuter than I did napping today. Not my puppy though.

Day 99 = Dancing + Coast Trip (Part II)

OK, OK. Don't even say it. Dancing does count because I did so much of it tonight! I two-stepped. I rocked out. I watched my friend play air guitar. On the floor. Twice. I sweated out whatever I consumed in the pool all day. We were the "party table" at Alice Faye's until a pack of bikers came in. And then we merged party tables. I did pack my resistance bands (as if I was really going to stop having a good time to use them), but when ???am rolled around, the resistance bands were far from my mind.

Tonight left me with some questions. What is Lady Gaga really singing in that Pokerface song? Who paid for my dinner last night? Can "Don't Stop Believin" ever get old? Am I a cougar if I kiss a 21-year-old college guy?

Day 98 = Running + Coast Trip (Part I)

This morning, I forced myself to run about 4 miles. I just had to get them in because I had no idea what this weekend was going to bring. I'd been invited for at least 4 years to go on this famous "Coast Trip." Remember how I blogged about my Austin friends? Well my group really has something special. They've been taking this coast trip for almost 20 years now. First when they were in high school, then college, then their 20s, now our 30s. Over the years, the coast trip has grown. This trip involved 16 people - 8 men and 8 women. Booya.

I drove myself and two friends, Kerri and Rebecca. We took a few long turns, and I got pulled over for a warning by a one Cpt. Moreno down in some random south Texas county. My friends think it was the revealing sundress I had on that got me out of a ticket.

The coast trip takes place in Rockport, TX, which is kind of more known for being a fishing area more than a beach. That said, we parked all 16 of our butts in the pool and drank for two days. The first night, we went to some bar and then back to our cottages on the bay. Good stuff.

Day 97 = Resistance Bands + Tornado

Seriously? I thought I got away from tornadoes when I left Arkansas. I know tornadoes can be a threat anywhere, including Texas, but I don't like it when I'm in the path of one.

Ah, the tornado. We go way back, you and me. My grandparents had a storm shelter, which was basically a 10x10 foot steel cube that was buried in their backyard. The mound it was buried under was between the carport-o-junk and the half-acre garden. I remember being shuttled into that twister pit many times while staying with my grandparents. When I was about 10, I hauled my suitcase down there with me and spilled all my Bible flash cards into the pit. I don't even want to think what made its home at the bottom of the pit.

When I lived in downtown Little Rock on the top floor of a high-rise condo building, I saw a couple tear through the city. One tore up the Waffle House next door, and they never re-built. It was this same one that forced me to walk 13 floors down to the bottom and take shelter in the stairwell. When we got back upstairs, I saw a truck on I-30 covered by the green overpass sign. Thankfully, that man lived. The next day at work (I worked at a hotel), we brought box lunches to recovery workers in an area that had been hit hardest by the tornado. I saw a white house on the road (in one piece) that had evidently been built and situated two blocks down for the last 50 years. Amazing.

That said, I couldn't possibly get in a run tonight. So after making some goodies to take on my coast trip this weekend, I worked out with my resistance bands. And I dodged the tornado, thankfully.

Day 96 = Gym + Blogging

This morning was Session #4 with my personal trainer, Regan. I told her I was feeling discouraged. Even though I did eat that cheesesteak yesterday, I still ran about 5 miles last night, so why do I still feel so full this morning? Funny how the stomach operates. Well, not funny. I guess it's more of a mystery to me since I'm not a doctor. But I felt so full this morning and forced a multi-grain English muffin with 1.5 TBS of peanut butter down into my gut. And then I didn't feel so full. WTF is with that?

Anyway, I had a good workout. Quite fulfilling. Just want to see more results, so Regan gave me a new diet. I say diet, but really it's more like instructions for me. I function on instructions sometimes. They get me through the day. I am busy enough that it's nice to not have to stop and think about what I'm going to have for lunch.

I'd like to encourage anyone reading this blog to please comment. Let me know what you think. I'd love to hear from readers. While most are in the USA, I've had visitors from Canada, Australia and Switzerland.

Day 95 = Running + Cheesesteak

I don't have a glamorous job with lots of perks. Well, not a lot of perks. OK, some people would debate these so-called perks, but I've definitely had other jobs with more perks. So when my boss told me and my co-worker about free Texadelphia sandwiches just sitting in the lobby, I knew...I had...to have one.

I'd made this lovely chicken/walnut/rosemary salad sandwich for lunch. But he said Texadelphia and I was all, "homina, homina, homina." Yes, please. Since it was "moving day" (we moved to the next floor), I knew I'd be getting in extra steps and running later tonight, so my co-worker and I made our way to the lobby, did not attend the training (which is what the sandwiches were for), and collected our cheesesteak boxes.

It was later today that I really appreciated what I've been eating for the last 4 weeks. Stuff that's not bad for you. By the afternoon, this cheese steak was talkin to a sista! My stomach was in knots. I was having "healthy food" withdrawals! Now I will know better.

Day 94 = Gym + Austin Friends

I just have to give props to all my friends. I am so fortunate to have them. I was thinking today that I didn't know anyone who was actually from Austin until I moved here. It's because PEOPLE DON'T LEAVE AUSTIN. There is a reason for this. Austin is fabulous. It rocks. It's weird. And when I think of leaving, it's like, why?

When I moved here a little over 4 years ago, I knew one couple who were transplants to Austin themselves. But they knew a bunch of native Austinites. Let me tell you - it was kind of hard to break into that pack. These are people who've known each other for 20 or even 30 years or longer. But I broke in, and now I feel like a native. So I have my pack of Austinite friends.

Then I have work friends. From every place I've worked here in Austin. From Dell. From AMD. And from a start-up company that is now defunct and not really worth mentioning, but I did come away knowing two wonderful friends from that place.

Then I've gone out and made friends on my own. At wine tastings. At lectures. At parties. My friends have thrown parties for me and surprise parties with scavenger hunts. And surprise karaoke dinners (Sake Bomb!). And they've thrown parties with me - parties with pinatas and fancy shoe contests and door prizes. And dress up/Halloween parties. And they've drank wine and beer and margaritas with me. And listened to me. And laughed with me. And laughed at me. And oh, the girls' trips we've taken. Snow skiing in Lake Tahoe, Vail and Steamboat Springs. Float trips. Boat trips. Trips to some random place just to get away for the weekend. I have two girls' trips planned this year, not counting the "co-ed" coast trip coming up soon, where some of these girls will also be found.

We email, call, text and IM. We talk about all kinds of things. We send each other funny links about videos, photos and stories. Don't even get me started on all the inside jokes and catch-phrases we've accumulated through these last four years. We support each other. Some are single. Some are moms. Some are married. They're all great women. In fact as I'm writing this, a friend just called me to help her answer some questions.

I used to be the social director of my group of friends in Houston, and for a while here I'd rally the troops. But I am so rich in friends, I let my fortunes work for me now. Thank you and God bless my girlfriends. Not a weekend goes by that I don't have something planned with friends, and usually I just have to be patient because eventually a happy hour text or email will come through or an impromptu night of bowling or a movie or pool time or a concert or a comedy show or an invite to hang out on the lake or a request to enter a film-making frenzy contest....

I could gush and go on and on about my friends; it was hard to pick even these handful of photos for this blog entry because Lord knows between us all we have thousands.

By the way, I went to the gym this morning, and it was a good workout.

Day 93 = Running + Slumdog Millionaire

"Who wants to be a millon-airrrr??!?"

Finally watched this movie tonight. Not really seeing the award-winning aspect of it, but I never claimed to be a movie snob. It wasn't bad. It was graphic and eye-opening. And the littlest kid who played Jamal was the cutest little boy ever. He really wanted that autograph, didn't he.

After a four-hour, post-breakfast-at-Kerbey Lane nap to hopefully sleep off the last of booze from last night, I went for a 30-minute run and felt very free. I like this feeling. I'm not talking about "patriotic living in a free country" free. I'm talking about free from emotional bonds free. It's a good place. I love this place.

Day 92 = Running + Marilyn Monroe

I love movies set in New York City pre 1990. Movies like Working Girl, Annie Hall, Midnight Cowboy and How to Marry a Millionaire.

This Marilyn Monroe 1953 classic has got it all: fashion, snow skiing, cute boys, parties, romance, and of course, New York City. It was filmed in the "miracle medium" of Cinemascope. Can we make a period piece with this old technology so that it looks more of the period? I own the DVD and the special features shows Bogart and Bacall at the premiere. I love the little phrase the girls keep saying in the movie: "Is it on the level?"

This movie makes me think of "Mad Men" and my friend's grandmother who lived in Manhattan and worked on Wall Street back in the 1940s and spent something like 10 cents a day at the automat. And the automat is like an old-fashioned vending machine, or like FEBO if you're in Amsterdam.

So this morning before I set off on my 6-mile run (the first 4 were running, the last 2 were more of a run/walk because what was I thinking setting out so late in this heat?), I put in the DVD and had some breakfast and watched a little MM. In the end, all the girls find true love. It's sweet.

Day 91 = Walking + LMFAO

It's Day 91. I'm going to take this as far as I can go. I went walking after work tonight before meeting up with some friends to watch UP in 3-D. Yes, we're grown ups. What about it?

I thought tonight about how I love to laugh. I've even done some stand-up comedy in my time. Everyday there's something new to laugh about. Even iTunes got in on it today and suggested I download a song by LMFAO. That's the band name. I guess there is something to the iTunes genius because "I'm in Miami, Bitch" is my new favorite workout song.

Something else that made me laugh today was this explicit video of Miss Piggy. I love my friend for introducing this to my eyes. Miss Piggy is an icon.

One more thing that's been keeping me laughing: the 3-wolves-1-moon t-shirt. Just read the comments and you'll understand why I love this shirt.

Day 90 = Running + GOAL!

Did. Done. Complete. Today was the 90th day of my 90 consecutive days of workouts. I left the house on my run tonight listening to "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey (only the most unifying bar song ever) and walked up to my porch with so much pride after a 45-minute run and "Lebanese Blonde" by Thievery Corporation was on my iPod. I gave the gold frog on my porch the thumbs up.

So now what?

Well, I plan to keep on going as long as I can. See how long I can take this. Ninety days is just the beginning. But first thing's first: pop the champagne. I wish someone could have filmed me opening this bottle because you'd think I was playing Russian Roulette. With every twist of the cork, my anxiety grew because was that the twist that would lead to the cork popping off into the up and beyond? I swear it took me five minutes. I finally opened it and turned around and saw my neighbors across the street watching me. Who knows what it looked like from behind. I waved and poured a glass and went inside. I wanted to drink in peace.

I actually wondered if I'd make it to this day. Not that I thought I'd give up, but God forbid, what if I'd fallen down my stairs this morning or twisted my ankle or had a car wreck or passed out or was kidnapped. I found it interesting that for the last 89 days, it has been nothing to rally my motivation to work out, but on the 90th day, I felt so much pressure to perform. I even procrastinated! It is evidence that if I want to do something, I'll make it happen. Otherwise, you need to dangle money in my face. Preferably 10s and 20s.

A couple of days ago, I began to think of how I would commemorate this achievement. Should I ask someone to join me on my run? Should I plan a dinner after my run with friends? Then I thought, why should I? I did this on my own. I found my own motivation. It was my idea. It's a personal accomplishment that only I can really truly appreciate. My friends and family have been uber supportive, especially when they realized how far along I was getting. I thank you all for that. Thank you for your well wishes, Twitter and Facebook comments and emails. I thank you all for understanding when I couldn't come out for a happy hour or when I had to get in my workout before meeting up for dinner or a movie. And I thank all who worked out with me! I'm so glad I didn't give up.

In the past, there have been a lot of times when I've wanted to give up on something, and I have. This time, it was different because I wanted this, and I grew to need it. As I was running tonight, I went back to a memory I have of a poignant moment that often reminds me of what it means to keep trying. In 2005, I was volunteering for the ice skating competition for the Special Olympics in Houston. During the technical program, one 40-something woman was working diligently on her figure 8s. The point is to complete a figure 8 without getting out of the lines carved into the ice. I stood at the wall watching her skate a little along the line, stop, rest, then start again to complete another small section of the figure 8. It took her probably 20 minutes, and this is something that takes an 8-year old novice skater less than a minute to achieve.

After the competition, she came to the lunch room where my job was to pass out hamburgers and fries to the athletes. She saw me and said excitedly, "Did you see me? Did you see me? I didn't give up!" I said, "You didn't. You looked great!" She was so happy. Nothing could have brought her down. That 20-minute long figure 8 was probably one of the highlights in her life. And here I am 35 years old and completely capable of at minimum getting out and going for a walk every day. If she didn't give up, then what right do I have to give up?

So keep reading. More blogs and workouts to come (including retro-blogs from March and April). I'm still going.

Day 89 = Gym + Meetings

Could I be in more meetings today? This is typical, actually. Meetings. Working sessions. Phone calls. Budget meetings. Planning meetings. Meetings to get on the same page with one group of people before taking another meeting with another group of people. Weekly vendor status meetings with at least 5 vendors plus partner and internal "core team" and staff meetings. Then I have to block time out just to do my busy work so no one will schedule anything over my so-called free time. Then there are those days when I spend the better part of a day just trying to schedule a meeting with people in three different time zones. I try to remember, "Did I stop to pee today?"

Even though I had a personal training session this morning, which counts as my 89th workout, I can't help but yearn for getting out and taking a walk to decompress. I was also invited to check out some live music and drink beer with friends tonight. But I'd rather go for a walk than drink empty calories. Who have I become!? (not so fast; this wine drinker is still here...) While I am not on a fast track to try to fit into my little size 4 prom dress again (unless I want to go as a zebra for Halloween this year), drinking beer isn't going to get me any closer to it.

I had a paradoxical epiphany the other day: I'm at my best when I have things planned out, when I have a goal in sight and feel like I'm accomplishing it, yet I'm at my worst when I can't be flexible. I don't like to be pressured; I get plenty of that at work, which I thrive on. So how can I love planning but also want to spit venom on it, too? I have to learn what I can and cannot control with planning and let go of what I can't. Now, who has those instructions? Maybe I should ask the Memphis Waffle Guy what his take is on that....

That said, while I appreciate my friend's invite (thank you, Amy!), every minute of my day has been scheduled since 5:30 this morning, and I kind of need a break from that. After all, I have a big day tomorrow. It's Day 90.

Day 88 = Running + Running

I am proof that you do not have to look like a runner to be one. In 2001, I lived about 8 miles from a beach, and I remember the first time I took a run there. I could barely get through one minute without stopping. But over time, I started identifying landmarks to run to that were farther away from the last one, and I increased my endurance. I started to enter 5k fun runs and began my collection of t-shirts. In 2006, I trained myself in 3 months to run my first half marathon (13.1 miles). The following year, I ran two half marathons (with better times) and my first marathon. I've had setbacks along the way (injury, demotivation, lack of focus), but I always come back to running. I've run to de-stress, and I've run for beer.

And the thing is, I’m not built like a runner. I’m not a fast runner. I’m not even really a disciplined runner. But somehow, I’m addicted. I like how it makes me feel after a race or a run. I like how it’s up to me to improve and that I’m in control of it. I like that it’s accessible and that I can really see the results and effects of running. I like the solitude and being with my thoughts when I run. I like being able to understand and listen to my body. I like that I am part of a really exclusive group of people in the world who have run a marathon distance, let alone have an inkling of motivation to do it.

Tonight I ran on Day 88. Now I can run miles without even realizing how long I've been out. I know my limits. I know the first 3 miles are the toughest and the next 15 are easy. I know my left toes start hurting after about 4 miles and I silently remind myself to get a cortisone shot from my podiatrist, who I have on speed dial. I know when my shoes need to be replaced. I know what kind of socks to not wear. I know that 1,871 songs is not enough to get through a marathon.

I just wanted to write a little tribute to running and what it means to me. It has saved me. I can't remember what it feels like to not be happy because running is the best therapy ever. The photos are of me and Danny, my college roommate's (Lisa) husband who ran me in the last 6 miles of the Dallas Marathon in 2007. He ran the same marathon last December. God bless him!

Day 87 = Gym + Jogging + Inspiration

This morning was session 1 with my new trainer, Regan. She's a volleyball coach, too. And she challenged me. And she reads this blog. (Hello, Regan!) I don't mind waking up and going to the gym before work if I have a purpose. And by purspose, I mean that I'm paying someone to meet me there. But also, I realized yesterday that I really want this. That is the primary reason. Secondary for the first time ever are the reasons of looking good and being healthy. I really just want it. There is no other reason that I really need.

I've read "The Secret." I've also watched the DVD multiple times. Yes, I'm one of those people. In January, I wrote down (to the Universe, as The Secret dictates) that I want to want to lose weight. You can say you want anything, but you have to actually WANT it. There's a difference. Once you put it out to the Universe, then you just have to have faith that it will happen and not think about the how. Just know it will manifest. Well, a couple of months later, I started this experiment in March. As time went by, I realized that working out each day was something I looked forward to. Something I got excited about. Something I couldn't imagine going a day without. It lifts my spirits. Clears my mind. Helps me focus. Increases my endorphines. And now, my desire has manifested. It just takes patience and faith.

This morning, I received a touching message from a former high school classmate. Robert wrote that he was so inspired by my blog that it motivated him to start his own 90-day plan, including a blog. I was honored that I had inspired someone! I felt like Oprah. I felt cool. Not just cool. I felt four popped-collars cool!

Tonight, even though I'd completed my workout this morning, I couldn't wait to get out and take a jog around the neighborhood. (Yes, a two-a-day!) It helps that I gave up cable and shows are in summer re-run phase. I don't miss cable at all.