Work - It's Not So Bad

So I was the teensiest bit stressed all weekend. The reason is that I have an assignment due July 2nd that I was feeling a little guilty for not having started work on before we left for the beach and which I felt I didn't have time to fool with upon our return, given the computer meltdown and another big assignment that was due a week earlier.

I told myself I'd start first thing Monday and then did every task in the world to avoid working on it. Part of the problem was that I wasn't real clear on what I was supposed to be writing about, exactly, and instead of figuring that out, I decided to avoid it.

Yesterday morning I MADE myself sit down to work on it. In fact, I cleared my week to do nothing but work on this one assignment.

Which, as it turns out, is completely unnecessary. I knocked out about 3/4 of it yesterday in under 5 hours. Turns out my dread and fear of what the work would involve was actually much worse than the work itself. Which is so often the case. And which you would think, after 20 years of knocking up against this "fear it/avoid it" trait, I would have mastered by now. Picturing what might happen is almost always 10x worse than the reality of any situation.

So I'll finish my project today, ship it off, and have the rest of the week to start fretting over next month's projects.

I am nothing if not consistent. =)

That Funny Hubby of Mine

I've been having nightmares lately. The little kid kind, where I'm being chased by monsters through a dark house. I had a rather involved one last night, and woke up in the early morning hours on the verge of a scream. I lay in bed, getting my breathing and heart rate back under control and--as a means of comforting myself--reached out to my beloved, lying peacefully beside me. After all, what better comfort after a nightmare than the solid, reassuring presence of another human being?

That is, until said human being swipes your hand away in his sleep and then scratches the spot on his arm where you dared touch him. "Cooties," Blair said this morning, nodding solemnly, when I told him what he'd done.

He also checked out the reading material on my night stand. "Well no wonder you're having bad dreams," he exclaimed. "Vegetarian Times magazine? It's like you're trying to scare yourself."

He does amuse me...

20th High School Reunion

Guess what came in the mail last week? An announcement that my 20th (Dear God) High School Reunion will take place August 2nd in dear old Vandalia (claim to fame: 1st crossroads in America), Ohio.

Do I go? Not go? I haven't a clue. Upon receiving the invitation, I raced to my computer to e-mail the 3 people from HS I actually keep in touch with, only to find 3 messages waiting for me reading, "R U going???"

In times of stress, I fall back on list-making. So allow me a moment to clear my head.

Reasons to Attend:

* There are 3-4 people I wouldn't mind catching up with.

• I'm thinner and in better shape right now then I ever have been. (Probably the BEST reason to attend. Work it.)

• High school still seems just like yesterday to me. It might be fun to visit that world and see what has changed.

Reasons Not to Attend:

• What if nothing has changed?

• Not sure I'm up for the self-inflicted frenzy of perfect hair/dress/nails/perfume/life chaos that will ensue.

• Time and money. It's an 8 hour drive, $50 for a bad chicken dinner I can't even eat, and Blair will probably be bored out of his mind.

The due date to RSVP is July 15th. I suspect I'll be up late the night of the 14th, debating yes/no. Any thoughts on this? I remember being young and my mom talking about attending her 20th reunion and how old I thought she must be, to be out of high school twenty years.

That karma will come back to bite you. =)

Go Gu Dog, Go!

I met up this morning with people from my running group and we started our run about the same time as an elite group of runners beside us. One guy in the elite group runs with a Jack Russell Terrier and I found out today that dog is capable of running 20 miles at a stretch, and takes GU (energy paste) just like humans. It's in amazing shape. The owner hooks a retractable leash to the waist of his pants and the dog runs out ahead of him.

Even more amazing is a woman I barely passed who was hauling ass uphill while pushing a monstrous baby carriage, loaded down with diaper bag, toys, and baby. She must have been pushing 50 pounds. Someone told me there are some races that have special awards for runners who push strollers. I remember at the first 5k I ever ran, there was a dad beside me pushing one-year old twins in a stroller. The start gun went off and I never saw him again. He took off. Those stroller runners are FAST.

I'm excited to start training, although the gas money to get me to and from GSO 4 days a week might kill me. I've got several goals in mind which I'll share once training starts. For now, I think my goal should be twofold:

1. Try to keep up with the dog.

1. Don't get passed by the lady pushing the stroller.