A-, Next A+

I made an A- on my statistics test. Yeah! I am headed up, so next one will for sure be A+.

My new favorite sandwich (stolen from Little Deli vegetarian):
Whole wheat roll
a little bit of cheddar, a little bit of mozzarella
red bell pepper
portabello mushrooms (marinated in balsalmic vinegar)
artichoke hearts
spinach
warm up the bread and cheese for 30 seconds in microwave
= awesome

Swam slowly today. Steve took pity on me. I did do an awesome main set at the TLC on Friday:
400 IM
4x100 IM
2x200 IM
4x100 IM
all on :15R!

Had a great TG. My family on both sides is cool. I am lucky.

Ban divorce

I read a really funny editorial about amendment 2 to the TX constitution. If the "religious" right really wanted to protect the sanctity of marriage, they would campaign to ban divorce. I totally agree. 50% of hetero marriages end in divorce. Surely the gays can better our statistics.
Speaking of statistics, I took my 3rd test today. It wasn't very fun. I think I did OK, but I am never good at guessing that.
The plumber was supposed to come yesterday to fix the leaky tub and didn't show. Boo.
Headed to big D on Thursday. Can't wait to eat the multitude of dishes.
Coach Steve says we're doing another 400 IM tomorrow. Maybe 2. Eek.

Barton Springs and new GRE pool = 68˙

The new Gregory pool opened Friday. The water is 68˙. As you know, this is the temperature of Barton Springs. Brr. Granted I swam at Barton on Saturday, but I was wearing a wetsuit, as usual. They are not planning on getting a cover for the pool. What the who? This seems a little cuckoo to me. Supposedly the J pool was 84 this morning. I have never been in when it was that warm. I think if Keith Bell had his way that water would be 68, also. I don't know why he doesn't coach people out there. Or at Deep Eddy. Actually, I think he does coach at Deep Eddy.
I am waiting on the plumber to come over and fix the leaky bathtub faucet. I actually took a bath last night, but it was still kind of yucky in there.
Now Brad wants us to move over by Deep Eddy, speaking of Deep Eddy. I guess we need to build the garage apt first, then rent out this house and the garage apt and then we can move over there. It still kind of freaks me out when he talks about us moving. Moving to me is such a HUGE deal. Any disruption in my routine is a HUGE deal. And believe it or not, I have made progress in that area. I know it's his way of fantasizing for fun and escape, but to me thinking about moving is not a pleasant fantasy. I guess I do fantasize about change sometimes, but it's little bitty changes like refinishing the bathtub and getting to take baths all the time. What a great fantasy. Brad obviously isn't interested in baths.
Have test #3 tomorrow. I feel pretty prepared, but I am studying this afternoon!!!!!

bathtub abort

Well, we were going to get our bathtub resurfaced today, but the faucet leaks, so we can't do it, yet. Also, I didn't know Rockit can't be in the house while he's doing it. After I had chased Rockit into the bedroom, I had a hell of a time getting him out to put him in the carrier to take him outside. Meanwhile, the guy tells me about the leak. We will hopefully be able to get the leak fixed and get it done later. However, it might require something big in which case, we are not going to get it fixed until we do this "bathroom remodel" I have been hearing about. The guy did get the tub unbelievably clean. I scrub and scrub and it looks dirty, but he used some seriously caustic stuff and some 50 grit sandpaper, and it looks pretty clean. I REALLY hope we can get the leak fixed because I would REALLLLLLLY like to be able to take baths in my own house. Maybe it will work out.
I guess things like this make you grateful for modern conveniences like toilets, sinks, and showers. Many people in the world do not have these luxuries. We are really blessed. And I would be super duper blessed if I had a bath tub to take baths in.

Studying this weekend. Going to Lesley's wedding. Clients and classes in the morning on Sunday. Might go to a JV TG celebration Sunday afternoon.

Had a great swim workout this morning. 4100 m
This was the main set
1 x 100 on 1:45
2 x 100 on 1:50
3 x 100 on 1:55
4 x 100 on 2:00
1 x 100 on 3:00
repeat.
The only hard part was the first 3 100's. I made all the intervals, though, and was pretty happy.
Maybe someday I will get my 100m free time down under 1:30. My fastest 100 yd time is 1:17. I have no idea how I did that. Justin paced me, and I haven't been able to do it since.
Steve says we are doing a 400 IM on Wednesday. I am going to tell him about shaving off another minute this next 3 months.

Heat

I just turned the heat up in my office to 80. Awesome.
This morning I was FREEZING after my run. I put the serious down comforter on the bed after Brad got out of it. I can't WAIT to go to sleep tonight.
I am subbing a step class later. I hope I am not too rusty.
OK, studying for my test. Right - this - second....

where did the year go?

I can't believe it's Nov 17. We only have 3 weeks of school left! I have a test Tuesday, then we only have 3 classes, and we have our last test.
Ran fast this morning. Then I had rebound hypothermia when I stopped.
Have a long day today.
Tomorrow we are getting our bathtub reglazed. I am SO excited. I have not been able to take baths in our bathtub since we moved in - it's old and despite lots of scrubbing never gets clean. The bad news is we can't use the bathtub for 48 hours after they do the coat, so that means showering at the J this weekend. That is ok with me, but Brad is not very happy. He also doesn't want us to do it because we are going to redo our bathroom sometime. We've lived here 3 years!
I get to play at a Starbucks Xmas party in a couple of weeks. I'll let you know if it's open to the public...

the good and bad

Well, it looks like Travis county was somewhat sane, but the rest of Texas is apparently 75% full of bigoted, ignorant people. My first thought was to move, but I guess the best way to change something is from the inside out, so I am going to stay and perform as many gay marriages as I possibly can.
At least 2 states (one of which voted for Bush) elected democrats as governors.
The civil rights movement in this country did not happen overnight, so this civil rights movement will take time, I suppose.

Something that makes me happy, my swim workout was good this morning.
WU. 2x (100 FR, 100 BR)
4 x50 BR

I. 20x25 Fly with fins :10R

II. 6x50 fly kick on back with fins on interval (1:05)
6x50 fly kick on side "
6x50 fly kick on front "
2x50 fly kick on front fast "

III. 10x100 free on moderate interval with paddles. I held 1:45's and did them on 2:00. I was pleased with that.

CD. 3x(50 BK, 20 FR, 20 BR)
200 pull

I told coach Steve about my 400 IM success, and he said now, I need to do it in a meet. If it's a meet with people who can't swim very well, I am totally in! Or a meet in which everyone starts in the water. Yes, I am there! Or maybe the special olympics. I could definitely take some of those kids. He was happy for me. I didn't tell him my plan to take off a minute every 3 months. I am sure he will go for that.

Have my eye on 2 dogs at TLAS. One is a jack russell mix boy 2 years, the other is a rat terrier mix girl 5 years. Both are strays. I am first on the list. Brad still hasn't said we can get a dog. I wonder if we can have a trial-run....

oh yeah

The other good news is I made a B+ on my multivariate exam. Even better, 5 people did worse than I did. Isn't that awesome?

http://wholeathlete.com/athletes/meredith.htm
the freaky thing is we kind of even look alike!

defeat/success at komen

Brad got second overall at race for the cure. I, however, had a side stitch. Boo. I got it around the first mile, so I never could get rid of it. I am sad. This 20 minute thing is very elusive. I ran about 2 minutes faster last year. I can't figure out what my deal is. I tried to get Brad to agree that once I break 20 minutes, we can get a dog. He didn't say no. But he has said we cannot get a dog. I REALLY want a dog. I think I REALLY just want something to take care of. Rockit doesn't need me to take care of him, although I appreciate how dog-like he has been since he became an only child. Brad didn't think he ran as well as he might have because he spent all day yesteraday using the jackhammer on the foundation of the garage. He said it was exhausting. He did eat a whole box of dots last night, which, for him, is an ergogenic aid.

7:58

I broke 8 minutes on the 400 IM.
I am very excited.

KKK "rally" was 12 guys with bandanas on their faces. Way to go. And I want use Bush's quote you're either for us or against us. If you are for the gay marriage ban, you are with the KKK. Way to go.

Lana is here, and we are having fun.

My attention span is <> that long. Apparently, this is normal because everyone I have polled has been complaining of the same problem. Polled? poll. I think that's right, but I am also lazy and don't want to look it up.
Big test today. I need some serious luck because the last one I knew what I was doing going in and got a B-. This one is shakier.
Ran slowly this morning. 4x400's. These were slower than my 12x400's a couple of weeks ago.
Some guy thought Brad was a student at McCallum HS. That is awesome!!!