And I Ran, I Ran So Far Away

Running is something I have turned to off and on for the last 14 or so years of my life.  I spent my senior year in high school getting in really good shape.  I still look back at the pictures of myself when I moved into the dorm freshman year and am in awe of that body.  I spent the 5 years of college pretty much ignoring all forms of working out except for the occasional trip to the gym or run around campus.  Dancing on Thursday night and Saturday night kept my metabolism up and my waistline down.  Then I graduated and took a desk job.  Running was pretty much non-existant for a couple of years.  Then I decided I could run a half marathon; I trained; I did it.  Then I did another one.  Then my running partner moved to Florida.  I would run off and on, but nothing serious.

So, here I am now.  30.  Chubby.  Living in a flat city.  Seriously, I lived on top a hill my entire life.  Do you know what that means?  That means that every. single. run. I went on ended with an uphill climb.  Not cool.  But I did it.  So now I have the ability to run without the incline.  So I have started running again.  And I forgot how much I enjoy it, most of the time.  I love that I am free of computers and cell phones and stupid questions inquisitive people.  I do not run with an iPod.  I do not carry my cell phone.  It's just me and nature, as God intended.  I love to listen to the sounds around me and for the only voices to be those in my head.  I love that I can either listen to the sounds of the praise music in my head or I can talk to God or I can listen to Him talk to me.  

And you want to know the irony of it all?  I run on the Ravenel Bridge once a week and I run better there than I do on the flat lands.  Go figure. 

Hello? Hello? Anyone There?

I would take roll at this point but my 4 readers have probably left me for the greener pastures of those people who actually post to their blogs on a regular basis.  If you're bored enough that you decided to stick around today is the day that I finally figured out how to get my blog to access from my gmail account so now I don't have to logout of my email and into my blog.  (Yes, my name should be Random(Lazy)Carrie but that is just ridiculous.)

"Hi, my name is RandomCarrie.  I have a degree in information systems and it took me over a year to figure out how to do this."  

I'm pretty sure there is no 12-step (or 1 step program) for people like me who just don't have a clue how technology works yet get paid to work in it daily.  Thankfully God has blessed me with the brain power to do what I do.  I think it's because no one else wants to do it and I just got sucked in at the right time/wrong time/economic downtime.  Go figure.

So, in the essence of what truly makes me random here are some things I should have blogged about but didn't and may eventually have full posts about.

-- I hung curtains in my house.  This is a huge deal because I actually tried to post a blog entry about this but my stupid local company internet connection would not allow the photos to load and seriously what's a whole blog post about curtains without pictures?  Maybe later this week.

-- My niece asked me this weekend how I got so skinny.  Oh, to be able to see myself through a  6 year olds eyes.  I hope when she is 30 (she thinks I'm 20!) she has the self esteem to see herself for the inside and not the outside.

-- This bridge.  Yeah, I ran about 3/4 of it last week.  Go me.  Next April I want to do the whole run.

-- I am getting veggies from a local CSA.  You'll be hearing more about this as I love vegetables!  Nothing beats a supper of fresh veggies.

Ok.  That should be enough to get you all through the drought that has been my blog.  

P.S. Tony, if you're still reading GET WELL SOON!  

Sidewalks

I have found a new love. Sidewalks. The areas around my house are all mapped out with sidwalks. Beginning a few weeks ago I decided that Murphy (the dog) and I should start taking longer walks. So we began circling the subdivision at least 2-3 times a week. Then last weekend I decided that we should begin taking longer walks. And we ventured out into the big world outside what we consider our own. My subdivision is a new development in the middle of older homes. It has been such a treat to set out each time we have the opportunity to stroll through the neighborhoods near here. To see the houses and people working the yards gives me a sense of community. I do not know the people but they always wave and say "hello." And today we came upon the cutest little old couple holding hands and walking down the sidewalk ahead of us. We quickly caught up with them, and as we passed they spoke. And it felt right. If I ever marry, I hope my husband will walk with me in our old age. And that as the younger folks pass, I hope we'll speak and they too will feel a sense of community.

*** Above image is from my subdivision.