Day 239 = Running + Halloween

This morning started out with a 13.5-mile run. I thought I only had to run 11 next week, but some runners in my group reminded me that no, next week is 15 miles. I decided to let that sink in later and just enjoy my breakfast taco.

Carisa came over today and we watched the Texas game while I got her opinion on where to glue the birds on my Ross suit. I made a judgement call to just glue on the jacket because I might actually wear the skirt again. As you can see in the photo, they're pretty much fake attacking me.

We went to a pre-party party then the B party and had a great time. Then decided to meet some friends at the Horseshoe (dive bar) for some drinks since we thought we were getting an extra hour of bar time tonight due to Daylight Savings Time going away and falling back. Well, the Horseshoe wasn't having any of it and closed at the first 2 am, so we went to G&S and closed that bar down. Then a run through Taco Cabana, then 4 am rolled around and it was night-night time. Happy Halloween!

Day 238 = Resistance Bands + My Halloween Costume

After much debate and an exhausting and fruitless shopping spree earlier this week for a store-bought outfit, I decided to go as Tippi Hedren from The Birds. It's a Hitchcock movie, and I figure that will satisfy the "B" requirement of one of the parties that I plan to attend tomorrow night.

I have to run tomorrow and since I figured I had a lot to work on tonight, I was just going to rest my legs and workout at home with my resistance bands. Best investment ever from the Target dollar aisle!

Here's how the costume started. I bought a pink suit for $10 at Goodwill and some green dye at Hobby Lobby for $5. I went home tonight and tried to dye the suit, but the dye did not take to the fabric of the suit. Well, shit. So I got dressed again and went out to Ross. God, I love that store. I bought several suits, but I decided on one when I got home. It's not green, like the one Tippi wears in the movie (which I streamed on Netflix tonight to catch up on details), but no one is going to care because I'm going to rock it out with black birds glued to it. I bought several white feathery birds and some black spray paint and a glue gun, so I'm good to go.

Day 237 = Resistance Bands + Train Wrecks

I got lots of sleep last night. Which is a good thing because I needed it.

So let me give you an update on cougar cub lover (or CCL). So CCL had broken up with his girlfriend when we met and hooked up. I normally don't do this kind of thing; it was a game time decision when it happened. And my sex life has been non-existent for oh, say, about a year. So yeah, I'm 35 and can buy my own bottle service, so if I want to play cougar for a while, then so be it.

This morning I had to fast and give blood for a cholesterol test, so I decided I'd pig out on an egg white omelet when I got to work. I was in the work cafeteria, minding my own business and watching Belinda make my omelet when I get this text. See, I'd invited CCL to a Halloween party two days ago, and he's JUST NOW RESPONDING. Also let me say that I thought kids were all over their phones texting and whatnot these days, but I guess CCL enjoys the art of playing it cool.

If you're familiar with how Burger broke up with Carrie in Episode 81 of "Sex and the City," then you remember what the post-it note said: "I'm sorry. I can't. Don't hate me." Well, his wasn't exactly like that, but he did say the first two sentences. Then followed that with how his ex-girlfriend found out about us and was really hurt and they got back together. And how he's in a rough spot right now. OH, I BET HE IS! I had told him she can NEVER find out about this because it would break her and something about loose lips sink ships. Well, she found out, and I feel really bad for her. More for her than for him. He made this mess. They're both in their early 20s. I give it a month, maybe two. But if we see each other around, we'll be cool. And that's cool. I was getting bored with this situation anyway. And I took a moment to thank God this wasn't me and my drama.

Despite the train wreck, which wasn't mine, today was a good day. Riiiight up until I got home and sat on the couch. That couch magnet gets me sometimes. Just sucks me right into its force field. My ass was about five minutes into the couch's magnetic clench when I thought, "yeah, tonight's going to be a workout with the resistance bands." And it was.

Day 236 = Gym + Halloween Costumes

I can't believe how perplexed I've been about this year's costume. I've had some respectable ideas in the past:

2004 = Dorothy (with Theresa in Denver)
2005 = Skipped it for Dan's birthday
2006 = Gangsta Bitch Barbie and Catholic School Girl (2 different parties)
2007 = Tickled Pink
2008 = Skipped it with Paul in Ft. Lauderdale

Regan and I have been discussing my costume during my gym workouts ever since I found out my friends Kristina and Michael are throwing a Halloween party brought to you by the letter B. For you slow ones out there, that means my costume idea has to start with a B.

At first, I was going to go as Beyonce like in the "Single Ladies" video (song = annoying; video = mesmerizing). I even considered getting some backup dancers like the sketch from SNL.

Then I thought of Baby Fish Mouth. I love that movie, When Harry Met Sally, and everyone I'd mention this to would get it. But then I just wasn't sold on it myself and how I was going to pull it off.

Next - and this has been the winner for like the past 4 weeks - I decided to be Baby Got Back. I was going to put an LA Lakers logo on my cheek and get some pants and write OAKLAND on the ass and stuff my butt. Get it? "LA face with an Oakland booty."

And just this week I'd decided I'd go as Burnet Road and wear a shirt that looks like a road and glue pictures of the funky signs on the shirt to appear like you are driving down the road. I even printed out all the photos. But as the day draws closer, I am still undecided. I make decisions all day, so why is picking a freakin' costume so baffling?

I searched a Halloween store after work tonight for a Bad Cop costume. That seems to be what all the guys on Facebook are rooting for. But costumes out of a bag are cheap and they suck.

Tonight as I'd just crawled into bed, I started getting text messages from my cousin about Halloween costumes. Barbarella. Love it. OK. But we are 3 days from the party, and I just don't see that one coming together. But I was motivated enough to comb through the B section of the dictionary to find something. Here are some ideas:

• bookworm
• bag lady (just cover yourself with grocery bags)
• box of wine (rigged with the bladder of wine from a real box! you'll always have a drink with you)
• binary code - a shirt and maybe pants that is covered in 0s and 1s
• bar graph - make a sheet like a spreadsheet and put a bar graph on it that measures something funny
• butter
• bearded lady - dress really hot but wear a beard
• bedazzled - get a bedazzler and bedazzle an outfit
• behalf - put the letter B all down one half my body
• besides - get a shirt and put Bs all down the sides
• bubbly - put bubble like material on my clothes and bring bubbles to blow
• bubble wrap
• beige - wear all beige
• brownie - like from girl scouts
• bipolar - put a north pole sign on a hat on my head and south pole sign somewhere south
• bad breakup - not sure how to pull this off
• blonde bombshell
• bejesus - get a jesus outfit and put a big B on the front; maybe wear a belt with a bible on it (get it, bible belt?)
• Botticelli - like from Primavera
• belly laugh - get a shirt and write laugh all over the belly part
• black eyed pea - dress like a pea and do a fake black eye with makeup
• big dipper - get a black long sleeve shirt and glue on rhinestones to create the big dipper
• billboard - can say a clever slogan but would be hard to move around in all night
• braille - put a bunch of bumps on my shirt
• Brie
• blue ribbon
• blue blood - instead of covering myself in gory red blood, make up some blue colored blood
• box office - would have to make something using a cardboard box or something
• bridezilla
• butterfly

I think I have my idea. But it's not mentioned here... it will be a surprise for you all!

Day 235 = Running + Facebook UGH

Some people do not need to divulge so much on Facebook. I just made my page as private as possible, and even if you are a friend, I'm not on there telling you all my real business. I have a blog for that.

Tonight after my 4.5 mile run, I was reading some of the comments that people were leaving on my brother's status and one girl said something that was just weird. So I clicked on her name, and BINGO! Her page is open to the public. In her "About Me" section, she uses the generous white space that Facebook provides for writers/poets/songwriters like this woman claims to be to voluntarily divulge how she is borderline bi-polar and has cystic ovaries and cannot have children. There was more, but I tried to not let it rape my eyes anymore than it already had. Seriously. Do some people just not have boundaries? Like, I wasn't prepared to get that download from a Facebook page. Bless her heart and all, but I do not feel like I need that much information about a stranger. And why is my brother her "friend?"

My about me is something like this: "I don't have cable. I love LOST." That's really all you need to know about me. Yes, like everyone else, I like music, but I don't feel like I need to list every single band. No one cares, and I have plenty of other ways to waste my time on on Facebook than to fill in all these blanks.

In July, my ex-husband sent me a Friend Request out of nowhere. It was completely random, since I hadn't emailed him in over a year and a half and hadn't talked to him on the phone in about 4 years, and he doesn't even have my phone number. I confirmed his request because I felt like he can have a free pass to see how fabulous I am 8 years later (this is my current profile pic as seen here). So my mom and I were drinking on Saturday night and saw his status update, so I wrote something on there (yes, it was harmless drunk Facebooking). Then HIS WIFE commented. Um, awkward. She's so insecure (that is my ex-husband's opinion of her last I heard, by the way). Now she's all over his page. I wanted to follow up her comment with a simple, "Homewrecker," but then that would just not be taking the high road. Honestly, I'm not bitter, but it's fun to be a catty bitch sometimes, am I right?!

And another thing...what the hell is the big deal about Mafia Wars or Vampire Wars or Yoville or Farmtown, which my brother talked me into joining, but it turns out I have no desire to cultivate virtual patches of farmland. Shocker.

Day 234 = Gym + Windows 7

The manager at the 24 Hour Fitness where I work out called me today and wants me to come in and give a motivational testimonial speech of some sort to his staff during a meeting. I was flattered, although I don't feel like my results are where they need to be. I want to lose another 10 pounds, if not 20, which I remember weighing in 10th grade and thinking I was SO FAT. Kids just have no idea. NO IDEA.

Tonight, I wanted to be a team player and get a free copy of Windows 7 for my home laptop, so I held a Windows 7 launch party. At work, all I do is manage a Dell/Microsoft lead-generation program, so I am inundated with Microsoft messaging all day long. I am a PC. I'm not ashamed. However, I switched over to enterprise programs (that's servers for you non-tech people) while my colleague is handling client, also known as PCs. If Windows 7 was vomit (which it's not), then she'd be throwing up a little bit of it in her mouth everyday. I used to be in that role and pushed Windows Vista. I actually sat in a meeting with Microsoft execs who looked me in the eye and said, "Heather, you've done more for Windows Vista than Microsoft has." And I was like, "Uh, thanks?"

I invited some friends and decided to just make it a mini Monday night social gathering with beans and cornbread and key lime pie, which I made last night while cougar cub lover checked up on his fantasy football team or whatever.

Speaking of last night, I'm soooo tired. I can't do these Sunday night all night workouts. I'm not saying I'm no spring chicken. I'm just saying that I have a real job where I have to be in meetings and make decisions all day rather than live with two roommates and wait tables and not own a car, like cougar cub. He has no idea, but he's understanding. That's cute.

Fast forward to after the party --> Tonight I had a dream about a little black girl - she was about 10 or 12 and small for her age and she was pregnant, and I was telling her that she had options. We were at the house I grew up in on Bunker Hill. Then a few days ago, I dreamt there was this black guy who looked like the bailiff on "Night Court" but talked like a hillbilly, and he kept asking me out on a date (he was sitting in a truck at one point with his hand on the wheel) and I was like, no, I'm just not feeling it with you. His teeth were horrible, and I have a thing about teeth. If your teeth are bad then you probably weren't loved enough as a kid, and that's baggage I don't want to deal with. Hey, don't judge. I will now let it slide if you order spaghetti on a first date (idiot), but teeth I just don't want to get near bad, nasty, snaggly teeth. I dated a guy for 8 months with a dead tooth who was a sweetheart but I never had feelings for him. Guess what? His parents didn't care about him. See - my theory is solid.

Anyway, are my dreams racist?

Day 233 = Running + Mighty Fine Burgers

Mom and I had a WONDERFUL visit. I mean it. I'm glad she came. She's reading this, and Christmas is around the corner, but she really is just a joy to have around. For a weekend.

So this morning, we were going to go for a walk, but both of us were seriously hungover. Mom's 61 years old and she can still hold her own at a bar. And if there are a few things I've learned from mom, it's how to handle a hangover, or stop the room from moving when you get in bed (in which case, put one foot on the floor; she taught me that when I came home drunk one night when I was 16). This morning, I introduced her to Mighty Fine Burgers and fries (no shakes; the first two have enough calories). Who needs a shake when you have the freshly ground salty beef patty (I splurged for a 1/2-pounder with cheese) with juices dripping and hot crinkle-cut fries? I say you can keep those shakes.

We said our goodbyes at the airport and she said, "Good luck tonight." I said do you mean with comedy or the boy? And she said, "Both." Because she knows I've taken a young cougar cub lover recently. Yeah, we probably share way too much and cross the boundaries of mother/daughter relationship.

I ran an easy run around Town Lake after I dropped her at the airport. It was a slow, hungover 3 miles. But better 3 miles than nothing at all.

Tonight, I signed up for open mic and my set was OK. My cougar cub was there and gave me some pointers. I tell you, I do not know how long this will last and honestly, I don't need to know. It doesn't matter. It's not serious. It's just physical stress relief that duals as a calorie burner. How great is that!?