Hey! It's May!

And that means that I completed my first month of obsessive compulsive running! In other words, I had challenged myself at the end of March to run at least three miles 5-6 times a week throughout the month of April. And I did it! So yay me. I even upped my mileage to four miles a run. (In actuality I run 2.5 miles, walk for .5 and then run another 1.0 for the grand total, but still... )

So now what? Well, for starters I'm loosening up and only going to the gym four times a week this month but still hopefully logging four miles visit. If I may channel the great Ms. Britney Spears for a minute, "Gettin' in shape is HARD y'all!" But seriously, it really is. I'm finally starting to see some results at least so that is giving me a boost. I'm still wearing the same size jeans but I've built up a ton of muscle and I just feel and look more toned (dare I say buff?) over all. I am also aware of how much more muscle weighs than fat so I have banished the scale from my bathroom. And I haven't changed how i eat at all really because, frankly, running makes me HUNGRY. Ravenous may be more like it. Hopefully all this muscle I've built is burning more calories during the day because I'll be damned if a Chipotle Burrito Bol isn't one of the best things you could ever eat in the history of the world. So. Good.

So anyway, I'd probably be further along in this body transformation thing if I could stop eating so much, but news flash- I kind of love to eat. The few times I've dieted in my live I've been successful but that's because I ate next to nothing at all during those times and I have no desire to do that right now seeing that running requires FUEL. And Culver's. Speaking of which, is on it's way to my house right now courtesy of my wonderful husband who probably likes to eat even more than I do. In fact, I'm sure of that.

And on that note I will now prepare to eat cheese fries and watch America's Next Top Model. I think Tyra Banks would approve.

This Is What It Has Come To

This morning before I went to the gym, I downloaded tracks by Prodigy and Nine Inch Nails.

Oh dear. It seems I am turning into a techno-goth girl circa 1997. Either that or a mopey eighth grader from 1992. (Hmmm. That second one sounds familiar...) Despite the fact that listening to these songs outside of the gym experience would make me want to poke out my eardrums, they were surprisingly awesome for running on the treadmill. I've upped my routine to just over four miles now (though to be fair i walk for 5 to 6 minutes at the 2.5 mile mark before resuming running again) High speed angsty rock is helping me accomplish this. So back off!

I Did Like the Edamame...

First of all, let me just say that all you sushi eating people are nothing short of crazy. CRAZY, I tell you. (And I can say that with authority now because I've actually tasted it instead of just eating veggie tempura in soy sauce.) I didn't even have anything too outlandish either-just a couple of rolls with scallops and salmon. BLARGH! (I do enjoy all the non-fish rolls with just avocado and cucumbers but that doesn't really count.) I absolutely love scallops. But cooked scallops. In a nice cream sauce. (Cold and slimy? Not so much.)

BUT, it was my good friend Russ' birthday and I DO need to try new things so I'm glad i did it. I'm also glad that we went out for ice cream drinks afterwards at At Random, one of the most awesome places in Bay View. And now I can eat all the tempura I want every time we go out for Japanese and Jason can't give me any guff.

Here we are at Izumi's (thanks to Russ for the pictures)



Enjoying a Tokyo Rose and some witty barb from Jason.



You may notice here in the top left I have a full plate of sushi that I am mysteriously not touching. The same cannot be said for Jason.

Ick

Jason is making me try sushi tonight. Wish me luck.

Selfish Much?

So.... over the past few months my goal to make 2007 the Year of Organization kind of morphed into the Year of Attempting to Completely Change My Body Before My Twenties Are Over. Add to the mix the 365 Day Self-Portrait Challenge I've been working on (and enjoying, I have to say) it seems like it's becoming the Year of Me Me Me.

Is is bad of me to say that I kind of like it?

Of course, I need to start doing a little bit of steering back towards my other goals but good lord, it feels good to set aside time for myself for once and do things that make ME happy on a regular basis. And the thing is, I still probably spend 90% of my day doing things for and thinking about the needs of other people. I don't know why it's taken me so long to figure this out. Maybe it's the lack of Oprah in my life.

Mother Nature Can BITE ME Today

We are having a snowstorm right now. IN THE MIDDLE OF APRIL.

(The Midwest is awesome, isn't it?)

Since You're All Dying to Know

Just what kind of music does Tracey run to during all those miles on the treadmill? Well, I'm willing to share (even the embarrassing tracks) because it's late and I'm bored and thinking about what I might listen to tomorrow morning. So here's a little taste (in no particular order):

1. "Soul Meets Body" Death Cab for Cutie
2. "Since You've Been Gone" Kelly Clarkson (Laugh all you want- it's darn catchy.)
3. "Army of Me" and "Big Time Sensuality" Bjork (Most Bjork songs are good for running if you ask me.)
4."Dress", "Long Snake Moan" or "50 Foot Queenie" PJ Harvey
5. "Sweet Dreams" or "Missionary Man" The Eurythmics (ok, just anything by the Eurythmics)
6. "Candyman" Christina Aguilera (I know, I know...)
7."Welcome to the Jungle" Guns N Roses (Some things never change.)
8. "16 Military Wives" The Decemberists
9. "Intervention" The Arcade Fire (Maybe not the best running song but I love this band right now.)
10. "Send Me an Angel" Real Life (I don't even remember how I ended up with this song in my iTunes library?)
11. "She-Bop", "I Drove All Night" or "The Goonies Theme" Cyndi Lauper (I will love Cyndi Lauper forever and you can't stop me.)
12. "The Laws Have Changed" The New Pornographers
13. Most songs off of the Pixies "Doolittle" album

There also may be some Chris Daughtry (from American Idol) on my iPod. The fifteen-year-old me totally hates me now and thinks I'm fantastically lame. (Of course I think the fifteen-year-old me is pretty lame too so there.)

I'd like to find some more rock music to run to but I'm an indie rock girl and most of that is terribly unsuited for running. I also think I need more old school Madonna in my life. Thoughts? Suggestions?

EDITED TO ADD: I was just thinking, why am I not running to some upbeat Tori Amos already? Sometimes I make no sense.