Ten Things Tuesday

I’ve seen this done on a number of blogs under several different names: Thirteen Things Thursday (I like the consistency in the naming of that – great alliteration), Fifteen Things Friday, Ten Things Tuesday…  I like the idea, and I think it will broaden my writing horizons a little bit.  I normally shy away from structure, which makes it precisely what I need to do – much like that training plan that I need to craft and follow.  Please note, that my goal is to eventually plan far enough ahead that I can have photos with the ten things, but for now I think you get one photo.  One measly photo.  If it makes you feel better, though, it goes along with the one thing that made me decide to do a Ten Things list.
     I have been pretty diligent in getting my workouts in, except I slacked a little on my daily circuits.  I know I need to do them to shape and tone, so I’m inserting that as my numero uno, the job that I must get done every day.  My other workouts have been really dismal, and I’ve damaged my average pace on my Nike+ a bit, but I am too afraid to push myself with this heat wave.  There have been 13 deaths from the heat, and I don’t really care to add myself to that list – I’m having a hard enough time deciding what to wear to a wedding - I can’t imagine what I’d pick out for my funeral!  Either way, my average pace has always included my warm-up and cool-downs, so it was never that great to begin with.

Now Presenting:

Ashley’s first…

TEN THINGS TUESDAY

(Listed in no particular order, just the order they popped in my head.)

1.  Fruit Fly Traps – My boyfriend is quite possibly the most talented fruit fly trap maker in the world.  I love it; it’s like his purpose when it comes to the fruit bowl.  I may stock the fruit bowl, but he keeps the fruit flies out of it. (Where do they come from, anyway? If you know the answer to that, please fill me in, because I feel like they are pretty sneaky, like little annoying fairies.)  Anyway, at the first sign of a fruit fly, Mike springs into action taping together a cut-apart water bottle and throwing chunks of fruit in the bottom.  He demands a part of whatever you’re eating just so he can make a marvelous fruit salad in the bottom of this contraption, of which he is thoroughly convinced the fruit flies cannot escape.  See this example, right in the center of the photo (in the middle of the peaches):

Note: I might love the traps because I love how the fruit bowl looks when it’s full – such a symbol of abundance.

Other Note: My friend’s dad summed it up well when he said, “I didn’t think those really worked for keeping the flies at bay. I guess I always thought of them more as fruit fly breeding grounds rather than cemeteries.”

2.  Snow – Did you see this photo that I posted on my Twitter feed?

Too hot, way too hot.  That’s 9:45 in the morning, and tomorrow’s supposed to be even hotter!  In Minnesota, we can handle extreme cold.  You might even see runners out when its 40 below zero, but this business?!  We can’t handle it.  The only thing that keeps me getting out there is the fact that eventually I’ll have to put the YakTrax on my shoes and wear layers to go for a run.  I guess the complaining, and the right to that complaining, is what’s fueling my runs right now.  Kind of like in Monsters, Inc., but with complaints, right?!
3. Doctors – I spent all of today in the hospital as my mom had her back surgery.  I really hope that this surgery alleviated some of her pain, because it’s really hard to see your parents in so much pain and know that there’s nothing you can do about it.  My parents are at the age now where I think I worry about them more than they worry about me, if that’s possible.  I am so glad to know that we have a country with competitive doctors working to find the least invasive ways to assist patients on their paths to wellness.  On that note, Mom has been sending me some funny text messages from her hospital room tonight, and that makes me feel good ecstatic, because she has her sense of humor back!  She’s come a long way from 6:00 this evening when I was feeding her applesauce and macaroni and cheese and Jell-O!
4.  Naps – This summer may go down in history as my summer as a professional napper.  In Florida, and the cabin, and now at home, I have been getting in my daily zzzz's (along with about 8 hours or so each night).  Perfect.  I will miss this come September.
5. Paint Swatches – As we look to the future and consider Mike’s home a more permanent place for us both to live in the future, we need to take an active stance in getting it finished.  It’s not fun to entertain and explain that the walls are not painted and no artwork has been purchased because you just haven’t been able to make decisions.  SO we went to Lowe’s last night and picked up paint swatches.  I love looking at the colors.  So many options!  So many cute names!  Then we picked colors for every room in the house.  Now all we need to do is buy buckets and paint! (And put in laminate floors, and get engaged, and get a puppy, etc., etc., etc.)  Anyway, those swatches were the topic of heated debates as we tried to decide what colors the walls should be and what colors the accents should be and how will we divide up rooms, etc., etc., etc.  Who has been in this boat before?
6.  Spin Class – Spin class is definitely my favorite group fitness class.  I love that I can use it as the strongest workout in my week, or I can take it a little easier and use it more as a recovery.  I love that each instructor really does it differently and that you can get great ideas for music and intervals for running and cycling.  The best thing about it, for this week at least, is that it is in an air conditioned room with giant fans.  I still get hot and sweaty, but it’s nothing compared to wading through the Amazonian conditions lurking outside our doors. Next best thing about spin class: once you get comfortable getting it all set up, there are very few ways to look stupid doing it "wrong."
7.  iPod – My iPod touch has been one of the best gifts that I have ever received.  I use it all the time, for apps like Nike+, MyFitnessPal, Facebook, and now Twitter.  I love how handy it is for taking down quick notes or checking a website.  I just discovered a love of Podcasts, especially the News from Lake Wobegon, which has had me laughing up a storm because it so aptly describes life in smaller town Minnesota.  This gift alone has helped me lose fifteen pounds, follow a gluten-free/modified Paleo diet, and stay on top of my game for four months.  No complaints.
8.  Flip Flops – Isn’t there something perfect about a day when you know that the only shoe you’ll need to wear is a pair of flip flops?  Ahh, summer… (See, I don’t just complain about the heat!  Sometimes I kind of embrace it!)  And this summer I discovered Olukai and Havaianas – I might just flip flop around all winter, too!
9.  Work – Tomorrow I have to start back to work a bit.  I get to start my next round of ACT tutoring, after a little over a month of not working at all.  I’m excited about it, my summertime students always perform well because they don’t have the other demands of the school year.  I love my job because I love helping kids unlock their potentials.  I am so grateful to have a job and to have the additional blessing of having jobs where I am happy and doing what I love.
10.  Tail Wagging – We stopped by to visit our friends yesterday who live right by Lowe’s – a drop-in surprise kind of thing (5 minute warning call to make sure it was okay).  Their dog, Marley, is an absolute sweetheart, and we haven’t seen her in a month and a half.  That’s a long time for us to go with no Marley in our lives, and it was so good to see her tail wagging and to receive a few Marley kisses and snuggles (despite the fact that I was covered in her hair when I left).

Thanks for stopping by!  Can’t wait to see some of your thoughts on the important things in your lives!  Enjoy the rest of the week, whatever your weather may be.

Questions: Do you start your Nike+/Garmin/RunKeeper before or after your warm-up?  What is something that your significant other does that you laugh at but secretly really, really love?