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In one week, I will be completely done with my summer courses, ready to take on a month and a half of minimal responsibilities. As of now, that includes working (very) part time and learning how to sew. I'm REALLY excited about the latter, as it ties in very nicely with the Brigman goal of becoming as self sufficient as possible. Because we are not in a position to have a massive garden, chickens, and a dairy cow, I can use this time to focus on other skills, such as baking from scratch (we've been making our own bread for a few weeks now), and now sewing. We want to do the cloth diaper thing, and they're really expensive upfront (but actually are a lot cheaper than disposable diapers in the long run), so I want to get started now on making some. Not that that's an announcement or anything, so don't panic/get excited.

Having more time means I'll be able to train more for triathlons and the like. The triathlon last Saturday went splendidly. The weather was ideal (cloud coverage, little humidity), so it didn't feel miserable simply existing outside. My goal was to get the tri done in an hour, and I ended up getting 1:04:32, which qualified me as fourth in my age group. Not terrible since I was bed ridden two days prior with an illness, but it does motivate me to work a lot harder for the next one. I also discovered that having a panic attack in the open swim really takes a toll on your time. Apparently I do not do well with swimming in a large group of people. Synchronized swimming is not for me. I was fine as soon as there was a gap between the group of people in front of me and the group of people behind me, but at the start and then when I caught up with the front group, my breathing became very erratic and I was convinced I was going to drown. Not really conducive to obtaining a competitive time. The bike and run were fun though.

Speaking of running, we had two additional people at running group this morning. I cannot tell you how excited that made me! Typically, it's the Buhlers and the Brigmans (or "Brigmen" as I think we should refer to ourselves in the plural as), and if we're lucky, the Trunnells are there (they actually are there more often than not). How exciting it was to have two more today (Virginia and Lee). I just feel so much better about life when I'm exercising consistently, and there is an immense feeling of accomplishment when, at the end of the day, your body is just so pleasantly tired. You just know you've done something good for yourself, and it's exhilarating. Others have expressed interest in the nutrition class who have been unable to come due to scheduling conflicts, which is great! I'm glad we're able to send out the powerpoints to everyone so they can get some of the benefits of the class (Bobby does such a great job elaborating on them, though, that going to the class is really the ideal situation for learning the most).

A dear friend from Utah called yesterday, and I got to talk to him for a bit. It made me miss Utah a ton. It was really hard adjusting spiritually, but every other component was fantastic. It was a dream to have the mountains in our backyard (almost literally), and the weather was amazing. I really took for granted that I did not get a single mosquito bite while we lived in Utah (I've had dozens already since being back in Kansas). We also made some really great friends, and it was really nice for Bobby to have people he could talk about cycling with all the time. We've been really fortunate to have such great friends in Kansas already, and our ward is amazing. Those factors almost make up for the humidity. Almost. I look forward to the fall when I can run outside consistently again.

In other news, I'm currently reading It's Not About the Bike by Lance Armstrong (with Sally Jenkins... which I didn't realize until a couple chapters in, and said to Bobby, "Wow, Lance is a pretty good writer" and the "With Sally Jenkins" in the smaller font), and I'm now a little in love with Lance Armstrong. I didn't really care for him, just with the impressions I've gotten with the media (because I'm a sucker for the tabloids), but he's very human. And I'm pretty sure the next time anyone asks me who I would meet if I could meet anyone in the world, my answer will be his mom. Well, there might be a few people ahead of her on that list, but she's definitely on the list. What a fantastic woman. And what a fantastic son for recognizing the magnitude of her influence in his life. I hope to be like her with my kids.

And... super awesome video!

Procrastination at its finest.

I'm in the process of writing my final paper for one of my summer classes (it's almost done, I swear!) when I got a handy little email in my inbox. It's a daily email I get regarding some pretty sweet deals online, and this one in particular tickled my fancy. Head on over to this sweet website to get 70% off New Balance stuff. That's shoes and apparel, people. So if your excuse to not come to running group has been that you just don't have the gear for it, order away! The deal is good all weekend.

Seriously. Having the right gear makes a difference.

On a quasi related note, my body developed ebola (which is my generic term for all illnesses I acquire) yesterday, and while I feel like I'm over the hump, my nasal cavity is secreting more mucous than I thought humanly possible. Seriously, I feel like I've filled my TP (if you get the soft kind, you don't need to buy tissues!) with at least ten pounds of snot. Ugh. Let's hope I can get enough out of my system to rock the triathlon tomorrow!

Slimey vegan balogna

If birthdays are indicative of how the year to come will be, 23 is going to be a fantastic age.

Yesterday started with a fabulous run with my new Garmin Forerunner 305. How I love this little contraption! After having it for a few days, I've learned so much about where I stand as a runner. It's great because it pushes me to go faster because I'm accountable when we pull up the data from the run.

Bobby was dying of some disease, but he still managed to pull it together to take me to Deanna Rose Farmstead. For you Lawrencians who have not experienced Deanna Rose, it's a fantastic date place! It's in Overland Park, it's free admission, and for just a few dollars, you can feed ducks, goats, horses, and -- the best part of all-- bottle feed baby goats! Bobby made fun of me because it's technically "Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead" but it's one of my favorite places on Earth. Sad? Maybe. Or maybe I just take pleasure in the adorable.

We went to the bike shop from there so Bobby could get something for the triathlon this weekend, and it was lovely. I'm a little sad there isn't a Scott dealer around, but the bikes they did have are beautiful. Cervelo and Orbea make some good looking frames.

Then Plato's Closet. Plato's is one of those stores that is really hit or miss, and I thought being in Utah would provide me some advantage in finding some good stuff. Everyone there (for the most part) wears modest clothing, so finding something for me should be easy. Wrong. However, at the Plato's in Overland Park, I was able to find THE most adorable dress (which just so happens to look fabulous on me), and it was brand new! Not that I'm anti previously worn clothing (I actually prefer it), but it was just such a find.

Have I ever mentioned how fantastic my family is? We went to Bobby's mom's, and Bobby immediately went to take a nap (his disease was winning), and Bobby's mom and I just talked for a while. It's nice having someone to do that with. She made me a cake and put it on a green cutting board (!) that was part of my present. It was delightful.

And to end a wonderful day, we had some rockin friends over who gave me the best card ever (it's definitely fridge worthy), and concluded the night with some pineapple and good conversation.

Twas a good day.

23 is going to be a good year.

Iceburg Lettuce and Sia

Today has been one of those fabulously productive days that make me really proud of myself, and the day isn't anywhere close to being over. So while my curry cooks, I'll blog my happiness for my digital posterity.

I woke this morning shocked to see how lit our apartment was. My alarm was set for 5:45, and it's never that light out. Of course, it wasn't 5:45... it was 7:13. See, I've been trying to get Garmin on a potty schedule to deter accidents, so I've been setting my alarm for every 2 hours during the day to make sure to take him out. Well, my last potty alarm was set for just after 10 p.m., so when I went to set my alarm to wake up, I forgot to change the PM to AM, and missed running group. I was devastated! I felt like I let everyone down-- until I found out after a couple phone calls that they went running anyway. How awesome is that? I'm quite excited for my little running group.

Well, having missed the opportunity to do the interval training, I decided to just run a 5k and see how quickly I could do it. I've been holding a steady 25 minutes, and wanted to see how much I could cut off that. I wasn't hoping for much, because I haven't been training hard this week, so I was extremely pleased when I clocked in at 24:32. Not a huge chunk off, but not bad for being as lazy as I've been this week.

Yesterday I got on my bike for the first time in a long time. I'd forgotten how nice it is to be on the bike! It's not so hot in the busier parts of town (downtown, Iowa, 6th) but back into neighborhoods and such, it was so nice. I'm definitely going to have to incorporate some cross training in so I don't get burned out. Which is why, after I ran and got ready for the day, I decided to ride my bike to campus instead of drive. I'm out of gas, and I HATE getting gas, so it seemed like an excellent alternative to me. While on campus, I got a ton of work done for my boss, and got a bunch of paperwork turned in to get my loan taken care of and get my paycheck (always a good thing).

And that brings me to now. Written down, it doesn't seem like much, but I feel really great right now. Maybe it's the endorphin high from the exercise I did today. Either way, I'll keep it.

Rainy days are my favorite.

As a lover of the outdoors, I have found that rainy days in Kansas are the best. When it's getting this humid/hot out, it's really hard to enjoy being outside (unless it's 6:30 in the morning), and I've seriously contemplated becoming nocturnal simply so I could enjoy the outdoors again. However, recalling everything I learned at the DV shelter (also home to the Rape Crisis Center) deterred me, so instead, I'll just be grateful for rainy days.

On this rainy day, however, I spent much of it inside, squeezing out a literature review for my boss. It's interesting how much easier it is to write when you're just shooting the breeze on your blog than when you're writing for someone else, and the pressure of maintaining their reputation is breathing down your neck. Three cheers for experience!

Yesterday was Day 1 of the Jogging/Walking Group for the Lawrence University Ward, and I think it was pretty successful. I'm really glad people are excited about it, and given that I really have no experience leading such a group, enthusiasm from everyone else is pretty essential. I'm so excited to help people reach their goal of running a 5k by the end of the summer (well, running in a 5k race, because the training will require we run several 5k's). It's such a great feeling to accomplish something physically when at any point in your life you never thought you could. What a high. It's addictive.

Yesterday, I went to Valeo in Topeka to interview for my internship position. Other than the commute, I'm not sure I could ask for a better internship. It's not paid, but I'll take working on my own dime over having to deal with office politics. The environment there is extremely supportive, and my supervisor told me point blank that she isn't there to make me a great social worker, but she will make me a great psychotherapist, if I'm willing to do the work. I am, I am! They had a few gals who had done their internship there and are now employees, and they said it's by far the best internship KU has a relationship with. They even compared it to the agency I was hoping to work with, and said the other agency just doesn't offer the range of experience this one does. I'm really excited to start.

Last Sunday, we spent the day at the Trunnells' while they were at a wedding. Babysitting their dog was really easy, because she slept most of the time, so I was able to finally sit down and make up goals for myself. Ashley's been a really good influence on me in that sense. It feels good to have direction. Part of my stress is feeling like I don't have a plan for what's to come. It also calms my nerves whenever we're gone with the dogs for a long time, and we come home to find Chuck depressed-- I just remind myself that in three years, he'll have a feline companion (because yes, that's included in my goals-- as if that's a surprise to anyone that knows me).

We made bread today! And I'll only say two things: 1)Never forget to include the salt in the recipe and 2)Good grief, I'm excited to have the KitchenAid (I say that like I did the mixing, when really I sat there and watched Bobby mix everything by hand). How many days until Christmas?