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November 16, 2004

Crowded Gym, Make-Up and You Know What

So I have decided to make an effort to work out 6 days this week - even if it is just for 20 minutes :) My day has been crazy busy because I am in the midst of preparing for a presentation that I have to give - kicking and screaming - this thursday. Eeeeeekkkkkks! I am presenting on Faulkner and Harper Lee - how elite and popular fiction function in the consciousness of the reader, and how the climate of reception changes from one era to another. Fun stuff, but I am scared to death. If you have read either To Kill A Mockingbird or anything by Faulkner, please feel free to share your insights!!

Anyway, I decided to take an hour to workout. I drove to the gym, but I got there a little late - around 4:15 PM. The rush hour crowd was about to come crashing in! I hate feeling claustrophobic on the bike, but having a sea of people to look at makes the workout more exciting. I was shocked at how many people flooded in (I usually work out before the world wakes up or after it goes to sleep). I took advantage of this rare occasion: I kept my eyes open for botox and boob jobs! B. got me a membership to really nice gym in Chicago - but I will never feel like I belong to the "social club." Chicago's elite work out there - and I am often entertained by it all. Maybe I am sick in the head, but it really made the time FLY!

I biked for 45 minutes - it's not a lot, but it was enough to salvage whatever shread of sanity I have left. By the way, everyone is so wonderful; I hate venting on this forum, but I feel like I am at least venting to people who "get it." Alison - I liked your advice about just taking it easy - that is what I am going to do. I have a cycle where I get injured and then come back and set a PR within a few months of the injury. Maybe I will be lucky again this time :)

I will continue to report on my gym adventures and exploits - hopefully I will escape the wrath of machine equipment before people start making New Year's Resolutions!!! I will have to take up sledding if I am still injured in January - anything to avoid the "shrinkersize me" crowd (I just saw Supersize Me).

Posted by bridget at 06:58 PM | Comments (0)

November 14, 2004

Finally - An Update

I have been keeping up with everybody's blog but my own. To be honest, I am starting to feel incredibly guilty for even having a journal on this fabulous site - I am not running, I have no immediate goals, and I am sickly out of shape. I am growing increasingly suspicious that I will be out for a few more weeks - this injury is going to take longer to heal than I originally envisioned. I don't think my feet will grace the road again until 2005.

I was supposed to see the doctor last week, but I had to tutor a student -it was an emergency and there was no one to cover. I should put the word "emergency" in quotes since every students thinks his/her 5 page essay is a life or death situation; of course, I can totally sympathize with him/her! So I called and cancelled and I have to wait another 6 weeks to see the doctor. I requested a referral from the doc. to get an MRI (I have an HMO so this is the only way it will work) and he said no. He still thinks my foot is fine, but that I should not run on it. About 5 weeks ago, he wrapped his hand around my foot and said, "hmmm. It's not hot so you don't have a stress fracture anymore." Are you kidding me? At this point, I just want to know what the heck is going on and why I cannot run! I am asking for too much, though - I will just have to wait it out.

I am really sad. I remained upbeat and positive for about 10 weeks, but the last 2 weeks have been disasterous. My running fitness is gone and I am having a hard time keeping myself motivated to bike. I am lucky if I bike 3 days/week. My body is sadly becoming more "americanized" everyday. Somebody shoot me now.

Enough complaining. I miss all of you!!!

Posted by bridget at 12:03 PM | Comments (0)

November 03, 2004

Sad and Disillusioned

I want to move to Canada.

Posted by bridget at 11:19 AM | Comments (0)

November 02, 2004

Rock the Vote!

I just got back from the polls - and I waited in line for one hour to cast my vote for Kerry/Edwards. Like Alison, I live in a heavily populated democratic area - Chicago. It was awesome to see the lines forming and the people beaming. There were even a few voters wearing "Stop Bush" t-shirts. Regardless of your political persuasion, I hope you get out there and vote. Millions of people have risen up against their governments demanding this right - and many of those uprisings have ended in bloodshed. Please take this right seriously and vote. And if you dislike both candidates, keep in mind that you have the RIGHT to write in a candidate of your choice!

That said, I think it is a travesty that many cities across the United States are suppressing the "minority vote." This horrifies me; it is beyond sad to think that this country still harbors some of the most racist and prejudicial views of any country I have traveled to. Many Americans are just more subtle about their close-mindedness. Most states do not require a photo ID - just a signature. If people turn others away due to lack of identification, I hope they challenge it.

I am preaching - I do not mean to. Just please get out there and vote!

Posted by bridget at 08:57 AM | Comments (0)