Could you spare some change?

Change. Lots of people do not like to change and find themselves set in their ways. Perhaps they are scared of what can potentially happen. My view is that there is no harm in change. It brings about new opportunities and new perspectives. What is so scary about that? Clearly I am an advocate of change but just because I moved across the country doesn't mean that everyone has to pack their bags and fly to a new state. (But if you are feeling awfully audacious, you'd just love it here) No no, change can start anywhere. That may have been what was going through my lack-of-technology-loving mother when she decided to finally join the realm of the jubilant Internet fanatics that are taking over the world. All of us fanatics already know how helpful, fast, and easy it is to "shoot someone an email" or "Wikipedia" something or go to weather.com for the 10-day forecast. The answers are flooding the Internet. What are the lyrics to that song? Oh I'll look them up on lyrics.com. What movies has that supporting actor been in? I know I've seen him but I can't figure it out! Imdb.com, please. Where are the old babysitters living now because we haven't heard from them in ages? Whitepages.com is the ticket! You catch my drift by now. Those are only a few examples to the wildly popular World Wide Web. Before my mom joined everyone on the dark side, her reasons for steering clear were quite valid. Yes, sitting in front of the computer can hurt your head and eyes after awhile. There are other things that we should do than sit in front of the computer or television. Why not call a person and actually have a conversation with them? Send a card or letter in the mail because those will mean more. While all of those are authentic ways to keep in touch or keep our minds fresh, something must have happened to cause my mom to create an email address. Something did happen. March Madness. Since I have been blessed with a family that likes to have a good time and joke around with eachother, why not have a friendly pool for the March Madness Tournament? In order for my mom to participate, she needed an email address to join the family pool and fill out her picks in the bracket. It's nearly September and that happened in March. (I won't spend a lot of time describing the details but since you were curious, I won the family pool. Thanks for asking!) My mom forgot she was given an email address until very recently so that is when she knew she could take the plunge. Seeing an email in my inbox from her was a fantastic feeling. Not only was the email witty, it informed everyone that the email would not take over her appreciation for the phone or mail. I was ultimately pleased with her Outlook (no she uses Gmail). While I will still talk to my mom several times each day, I now have the option to "shoot her an email". I am convinced she has changed a certain part of her life for the better. I said change is good right? Right. Never fear, she will be the bigger person and will not let the Internet take over. "Better late than never" can be applied to the situation because as much as we have discussed, teased, or encouraged her about the Internet, it was her choice to make the change whenever that may have been or if it may have occured at all. We're overjoyed at your new exploration and relieved that you can stay in touch with friends and family faster than priority mail but only if you want. After all, I am a greeting card aficionado because of you and we need to continue such a comforting tradition! As John Legend sings, "we don't have to wait for destiny, we should be the change that we want to see".....if you are inquiring abuot the rest of the song, lyrics.com can give you the answer...

Best,

Anne

It's almost here.

It's in the air folks. That rubbery scent mixed with different chemicals and that fuzzy outer layer that makes a tennis ball's smell so distinct. The U.S. Open is inches away and I am excited and intrigued. So much has happened this year, and it all started with "Nocturnal Week" in Australia, as my brother John likes to describe it. The most intense match I have seen happened between Federer and Nadal. I know it might not have been quite as exceptional as last year's Wimbledon, but I did not witness that match in it's entirety. As I said, this was the most intense match I have seen. There is nothing more satisfying than watching a five setter between two greats at two in the morning. In addition to a fierce match, one of my favorites, Nadal, was the grand champion. Starting off well. Moving on to Roland Garros and the infamous clay courts. Nadal's specialty right? Not this year, Rafa. The King of the Clay courts was ousted by Robin Soderling who continued on to the finals to play Roger Federer. There was endless chatter about this match because if Federer won, this would make him one of six to ever win all four Grand Slams and tie the King of Swings, Peter Sampras with 14 slams. An immaculate honor, I must admit. With ease, Federer pulled it off. Who doubted it, though? I certainly wouldn't place my money on 23rd-ranked Soderling. Okay Roger, you are incredible...we understand. Luckily tennis fans near and far do not have stay on hold for long because Wimbledon is practically a day after the French Open. Alright, not quite but it surfaces in no time. Speaking of surfaces, it's time for the spongey texture of the grass beneath their feet. Strawberries and Cream? Don't mind if I do! Here's a fun fact that might make your taste buds crave a fresh, juicy strawberry. 27,000 kilos and 7,000 litres of strawberries and cream respectively are eaten at the Championship. Do not worry about the kilos and litres, those Brits know what they're doing. Now, Wimbledon was one of the more fun tournaments this year. Nadal was unable to compete do to knee problems. I'm sure it was devestating for him, but did he ever consider my feelings? It is refreshing for an "underdog" to do well. Andy Roddick is an respectable player but has been out of the picture for awhile. Losing fifteen pounds was the ticket! His quick moves and audacity showed he could give Mr. Federer a run for his money and a run for breaking yet another record and winning the most Grand Slams ever. If I could describe the match in one word, it would be: Epic. Over four hours and a 30 game final set, Federer broke Andy Roddick for the first time all match. Unfortunately that was enough to reign Champion and setting the record for being the most unbelievable player to ever grace God's green earth, or maybe just setting the record for most victorious Grand Slams. Well done. July 23rd was a doubly-special day for Roger and his wife Mirka. Mirka gave birth to the next doubles team and most likely, record setting girls. Even though they aren't holding rackets yet, they will undoubtedly shine with the tennis genes they were given. Does Federer need to stumble upon a winning lottery ticket to be the cherry on top of the sundae? This man has everything and more. With the U.S. Open in our midst, I'm sure most tennis fans are expecting Roger. Understandable. Just don't rule out those that also work hard and are overshadowed by such a brilliant and talented man. I'm rooting for Andy Roddick. He'll give it his all and I hope to see him succeed. Not only are all the talented players itching to play, the promise of night matches under the lights are going to bring out the best in each man. Cannot wait. Oh, I almost forgot to mention that I am not as impacted by the women who play tennis so that could be the reason I waited until the last minute to mention them. Good luck to them too, I suppose.

Best,

Anne

Here's a Shoe-per story

I was perusing the Bellingham Herald online today and one story caught my eye above the others. A shoe store downtown was having some problems with money and the owner spent every bit of her money just for the inventory this fall. She received a phone call that she'd be receiving "five thousand dollars, no strings attached". (More like, no shoe-strings attached!) Upon hearing this, she hung up thinking it was a prank call. Well, who would believe that? Even though I took a quiz last night on how well I know Ellen DeGeneres, scored perfectly, and "won" a free laptop, I would probably still hang up on someone who told me they were generously and anonymously handing over five thousand smackeroos. The non-profit organization is called Giving Anonymously and apparently it's not the first time they were rejected on the phone. Fortunately, the person who called the owner of the shoe store continued to call and verified he was a real organization with real money and real intentions of helping her out! Wow. I mean, it's not everyday you hear about such humble actions to remedy a situation dealing with this unfavorable recession. Bravo, bravo! The couple that came up with the organization mentioned the satisfaction they feel when seeing the grateful people they have assisted. Who can blame them? It must be magical. I bet the owner of the shoe store kicked off her heels and danced---after all, she has quite the shoe inventory now! The organizers also mentioned that the recipients reaction is always memorable "since they don't know where the donation came from, many times they are nice to everybody." Donation or not, that attitude will get a person far in life! After all the depressing and consistent news about the recession, it's refreshing to hear about someone who has benefitted through anonymously admirable people. The owner didn't even have to turn in a clunker to receive that cash!

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/255/story/1041015.html

Best,

Anne

Food for thought

Yes, those buggers have been around forever. Those things we like to call germs. The truth of the matter is whenever someone or something makes us think about the germs around us, it is hard to think about anything else. But that only lasts for a brief time period before we go back to forgetting about germs and how they are EVERYWHERE. The reason germs are on my mind is because I had to go to the Whatcom County Health Department this morning. I recently acquired a job working on campus at a cafe or market or somewhere (*NOT A DINING HALL*) They are waiting a little while to tell me where exactly I will be working. Please, the anticipation is simply killing me. After three months of luckless job offers and over twenty applications, I figure I'll take this job while I can. Let me clear this up though, I'm not thrilled. So back to the bottom line of this Health Department trip. I needed a Food Handler's Permit and in order to capture such a prized possession I was required to watch a 22 minute video,take a test, and give them ten dollars for all of the trouble I was causing. Easy enough right? Right. Except, I had studied about Foodborne Illness, Danger Zones regarding heating and cooling, proper cleaning and sanitizing rules and so many other useful and somewhat disturbing bits of information and then I was surprised by what I heard when I walked through that Health Department's doorway. "The computer's are over there. Just put on the headphones and watch the video, take the 32 question test and that's it!" That's it? All I could think of was the prior information I had soaked up about germs and now I had to put these discolored, greyish-tannish headphones on my head and over my ears? These were the headphones that did not allow any ear breathing. They surrounded the entire ear from the top cartilage to the the very bottom of the ear lobe. As I said before, once you start thinking about germs, it's hard to stop until something else snags your focus. The entire, and I mean ENTIRE time I was watching that video about germs, food, and adamant directions to stay home if you are feeling ill, I thought about how I needed to get home and shower and wash my hair and my ears immediately! Disgusting. In case you were worried, I passed the test with flying colors and got that permit valid for two whole years! If you are ever concerned about where you should put the meat in your refrigerator or the proper temperature to rehead vegetables, I'm your go-to gal! No one likes germs. Who would? I certainly am not a big fan and I wash those fruits and veggies vigorously or else I'll be completely concious of the fact that I didn't. Do you ever notice the people that have their own shows on the Food Network almost always say they have to wash their hands after they touch raw meat, fish or poultry? I wonder if they have to incorporate that so they can't be held accountable for someone giving someone salmonella or E.Coli through a chicken a l'orange dish or perhaps an ultimate omelette. Either way, they are doing it right! Food borne illnesses can put such a damper on a day...and although this wasn't the most appetizing or enjoyable post, I bet you are just about ready to go wash those hands!

Happy Monday!

Best,

Anne

The Dogs are Barking

3 hours, 19 miles, and a shower later, I'm done. The conditions started out with a steady, misty rain. I did not mind the rain because I ceaselessly checked the hour by hour weather forecast last night and again this morning and knew it was supposed to stop. Sure enough, it slowed down just as I was startled by three deer about four feet from the sidewalk I had been stomping on. I always see deer and have been getting used to it but this time was nerve-racking and probably comical to the garbage truck that passed me, but the antlered friends weren't the only ones with the deer in headlights look. My run-in (get it?) with the deer happened within the first two miles of my journey. I knew it was going to be just that kind of morning so I continued on and the rain stopped and picked up again in full force. I think it's a nice change of pace (get it?) when it starts to rain. The intensity builds up and the cool, freshness of the rain is positively exhilarating. Those final miles were quite tough, which is to be expected but as I was nearing my last five minutes, I ran by a college student's garage sale. There were three girls that were sitting with a tired look on their faces as if they had never seen what nine a.m. looked like and one of the girls said to me "You can do it, keep on truckin". Well I did just that! A few words of encouragement helped my aching body make it that last bit. Now I must mention that I am supremely jealous of people whose second toe is shorter than their big toe. I like to call them, "Normal People". I, however, have been...blessed...with a longer toe neighboring my big toe which hurts more than anything after these long runs. My feet are pummelling on the pavement and heading downhill is certainly not as easy on the body as you may think. Topping off my battered and blistered toes, I was ready to shower and stubbed my unfortunately long second toe on the step in my bathroom. Yes, I do have a step in my bathroom. So that was a fantastic way to cap off my morning. As for the rest of the weekend? Free for relaxation and I cannot wait! Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!

Best,

Anne

Bloody Brilliant!

The British population has and still is overflowing with bloody brilliant talent! William Shakespeare, Sir Paul McCartney, Julie Andrews (or is it Dame Julie Andrews...either way, she brought us a spoonful of sugar), J.K. Rowling (Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint need a shout out as well), and the list goes on and on. Yesterday I found out about another Brit, worth mentioning for setting goals and not stopping until they are completed. This blog entry should probably be dedicated to my Mom, (Hi!) because she has been sharing her life with a not-so-friendly disease: My dad. Just kidding, Dad...but she has been battling the ups and downs of Parkinson's Disease and I wanted to share this journey of James Bowthorpe with her and the rest of my avid readers:)

James (I hope it's okay we are on a first name basis) has an incredibly interesting website that is worth a look http://www.globecycle.org/. Basically, James is raising money to research Parkinson's Disease. Sure, that's a great idea but the way he is attempting to raise 1.8 million pounds (1 British pound = 1.6554 U.S. Dollars) is admirable. He is doing the unthinkable. James is riding his bicycle around the world 120-150 miles a day for 150 days to reach 18,000 miles, and ultimately breaks the record for longest distance biked. This will beat the record by nearly 4 weeks! You can track him online http://whereintheworldisjames.com/ and see that he is currently in the U.S. I know there are millions of people raising millions of dollars for all sorts of organizations that fight diseases, cancer, equality, and so many more but I am so happy to hear about more raising money to research Parkinson's disease. I could write pages on how well my mom does at being stronger than the disease itself. I wouldn't be surprised if she got on her bike and met James for his ride up to New York. So there it is. Another Brit that shows his talent in a different category with his perseverance and drive. Now I think I can manage running 19 miles. Thank you James. Love you Mom!

Best,

Anne

Have you seen them?

I have searched high and low. I opened the cabinets and checked the drawers. The freezer and the refrigerator were of no help. I had no luck under the bed or in the closest. I checked outside and I checked inside. I looked at websites and I read the articles. I ran and I walked in hopes of finding them. I listened to many tunes and I closed my eyes for moments of pure silence. I talked to friends and I conversed with family. They are still nowhere to be found. I wonder, have you seen them? Have you seen the creative juices I am rummaging for?

I was unable to think of something to write about today and I am going to blame the fact that I have lost my creative energy (temporarily, I assure you!) Believe it or not, the return of Brett Favre did not stir any emotion over here because I simply could care less. I'm actually ashamed I even mentioned him in this post seeing as his name has probably been tossed around (no pun intended) an infinite amount today. Enough about that. I will dish out (pun intended) another name that is on my mind right now. Tyler Florence. Of all the men that have their own shows on the Food Network, his is truly the best. His calm, soothing voice makes it impossible not to be completely hooked during each show. I don't even care if he is making something I wouldn't eat (okay, that might happen a lot. Sorry...but he loves cooking meat!) because his entire presentation stands out. He doesn't have to yell "BAM" (Emeril) or say "That's MONEY" (Guy) but if he does say something is "phenomenal", I believe it. You know, I think if I wasn't so squirmish around raw meat or fish, I'd become a chef in an instant! I'd also cook with creative juices...if I ever find them...

Best,

Anne

Lingering thoughts

Missoula, Montana:
This weekend I made a surprise visit to the beautiful town of Missoula, Montana. One of the beautiful things about living alone without anything holding you back is the fact that executive decisions are made on a daily basis and they are quickly planned out. Should I wash the dishes tonight or tomorrow? (You won't want to in the morning...just get it over with.) Do I need to run in the morning or the afternoon? (How 'bout I run tomorrow and change my whole schedule because I don't feel like it today!) Should I sit home or go see two movies in a row at the movie theater? (Julie and Julia followed by 500 Days of Summer is truly the best recipe.) Should I drive nine hours to Montana to surprise my friend Teresa on her birthday? (You bet!)

Needless to say, executive decisions get the job done and eliminate procrastination (unless I make executive decisions to procrastinate which is completely valid). I know I am not the manager or head of a company and have the last say in something more important than waiting a day or not to wash the dishes, but the decision is necessary no matter what the case entails. On that note, I think the executive decision regarding the annihilation of Saturday mail should be against it. http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/08/16/greene.saturday.mail/index.html Although the days I get mail are few and far between, I am saddened on Sunday afternoon when there is no need to check the mail box. If Saturday brought about the same sadness as Sunday with the lack of mail, I wouldn't know what to do. Sending something on Thursday that would most likely get to someone on Monday is simply disheartening. I'm still coping with not receiving mail on holidays. We'll have to wait and see...but until then, we have six days of mail on the way.

Best,

Anne

Mid August? Already?

I have a lot of time to talk to myself as I complete my runs for training program. I automatically allow myself to think positively and negatively about each run. For example: Three weeks ago I ran seventeen miles. During that run I thought, hey, what's one more mile tacked on for next week? As I ran my eighteen miles I found it to be a brutal extra mile that was added on. Thanks Hal Higdon for that one. (http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/Mar00novice.htm) Anyway, today I ran a "short" thirteen miler. Throughout my run I grew angry with myself for the fact that I now consider thirteen miles to be "short" and that next week's nineteen miles looms in the distance. As happy as I was to finish my run today, the negative attitude went off in my head. The run itself was fine, but I have to double that run at some point? Brutally brutal.

Thinking of making this recipe some day soon. Sounds right up my antioxidant alley. http://www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/black-bean-salad

Best,

Anne

Hello!

Today starts the beginning of my blogging journey. A little background may be what you are itching for so here it is: I recently moved to Bellingham, WA from Crystal Lake, IL. I am going to school out here but besides that, I needed a change in my life. Don't get me wrong, the midwest provides plenty of opportunity but not the opportunity I seek. I am not going to graduate and move to Chicago like half of the midwestern population. Truly happy for those who do, but you will not see me following them. I do not know where my life will take me but I am already eager to find this out. Bellingham is flooded with sincere and let's just say it, eclectic people. Watching people ride their mountain bikes up and down the hills with such ease still amazes me. I highly doubt they are in their lowest gear. That is admirable. Vegetarian and Vegan foods are extremely prevalent and make it that more appealing to make the switcheroo to vegetarian. I am almost to the peak but the occasional piece of chicken or turkey is weighing me down. Besides the people and the food, I will never get over the views. The Bellingham Bay glistens as I round the corner each time I walk toward my apartment. As I train for my first marathon, I discover new trails, parks, lakes and houses during my runs. I find it fascinating how much there is to see in this town but also how much there is still unknown to me. I plan to enlighten you on my findings.

Best,

Anne