Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Lemons but No Lemonade

I am bluesy.

I am just sick of everything and everyone right now.

I am sick of politics mostly- of people being asses to each other, of the state of this country, of the media, or the hypocrisy.

I am sick of reading how people that I once respected personally attack others while blatenly ignoring the full truth of things.

I am sick of politician's half-truths, and of a populace that collectively and consciously ignores the truth that is actually in front of them.

I am sick of worrying about what all this means for my future - maybe everything, maybe nothing.

I am sick of worrying about the potential of living in a country in which I can't build a private practice (as a SECOND job, nonetheless) because working THAT hard might mean I would owe the government almost HALF my money. Where's the motivation to improve my lot in life? To benefit frmo the degree I busted my ass to get?

I have been coming home from work, keeping the tv off, turning the computer off, and just reading - anything to shut it all out.

And it's not just the actual election- rather (and I said this before), it's what it has all come to reveal about our world, about us as Americans.

All a bunch of finger-pointers, blame-passers, hate-breeders, liars.

And how can we expect politicans to behave any differently if we ourselves encourage this environment?

Ironic, but they really do end up being our "representitives."

Being "passionate" about this election has turned into an excuse for people to be nasty, ugly, and hypocritical. I get that people are really dedicated to their "side," but at what cost to your integrity? How does one pride oneself on being "well informed" when the only information they seek out and promote is one-sided?

I am starting to remember why I just stayed out of all this to begin with.

What else?

My job is extremely stressful right now - I seem to have found myself supervising people who have no desire to improve themselves as clinicians, but instead are satisfied with being told what to do, what to write, how to think.

And when they are not trying to claim disability for made-up injuries, they are ditching work and lying about it.

And I miss my BF.

I really, really miss him.

And there are times when he hurts and I can't help.

This is the stuff that eat at me, that keeps me up at night.

That is why I am blusey.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

All in My Head

So after a long week of being sick, capped with an AWESOME day of private practice (that left my still-recovering ass crawling into bed at 730pm last night - I even missed Girls Night for fear that my sleepy crabass might bring down the overall festive mood of the other ladies), I was awoken by yet another dying battery in the second fire alarm, chriping itself to my attenion at 430am.

Fingers crossed I don't mistakenly leave the coffee pot on, or this apartment is going DOWN.

Anyway.

I figured - hey, as long as I was up, I made myself some coffee, laid back in bed for while, and then decided - maybe I should go for a run.

Once I got out there, under the overcast skies, I thought, "Hey this doesn't feel as bad as Friday." So I kept going...

Right past the six mile turn around, then the seven, then the eight - and finally, at the ten mile turnaround (meaning, I ran ten miles, now had to make it ten back - yikes) I figured I'd bring it in and head home.

Good choice, 'cause shit started to hurt around 14, and by 18, I was just in that head-down-get-me-the-hell-to-the-car mode.

All told, I did 20 in 3:26. And while I was pretty stiff after, it was nothing that a good tube roll and some ice couldn't cure.

So this brings me to the crossroads I was at last week - Chicago or Indy marathon.

And my decision is....neither.

I am not running Chicago because, well, I am not. It wasn't my race to run this year.

And I am not running Indy because I will be laying on a beach in the Florida Keys that weekend.

I also considered the ultra for the first weekend of November, but the thought of doing anoth ten-mile loop today was - ugh.

So I am going to do the first annual Megan's Made-Up Marathon. It will likely take place the weekend following Florida, and will occur along the lakefront. My sister Devin is going to be the spectator, and I am going to try to rope my mom and Ellen into maybe bring the Mayor down to watch (I may even push him in his runing stollar for part of it!)

The details are sketchy right now, but I should have them worked out by the end of the week.

If you live in or around Chicago and want to do it with me, or run at least part of it - PLEASE DO!!!! I probably won't have any cool bling to give out afterwards and the aid stations will shame even the '07 Chicago marathon,, but you just may finally get that age-group win you've been looking for! There's no stupid high entry fee (okay, there's no fee at all), and I won't even disqualify you if you wear your iPod, like some other races!

WEEEEEEE!!!!!!

Man, I would sooo treat myself to some fatty ice cream now from the ice cream shop now.

But...sigh.

I would have to put pants on.

Update:
The National Pie Championship is on tv right now.
Fierce.
But delightfully delicious.
BEST.SUNDAY.EVA.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Back to the Norm

Ah, no frustrated political post today.

I made a pledge to myself that I would not indulge in any news today for the sake of my sanity.

And though I came nowhere near upholding this pledge, I am going to exhibit some self restraint today.

'Cause I got a bigger problem.

Ladybugs.

Yup.

I got 'em.

And not the pretty friendly red ones.

Those yucky yellow ones that like to hide in the lamp shade.

And my second least favorite?

Spiders.

ALL THE FUCK OVER.

I wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat convinced that the spiders and ladybugs are crawling all over me, burrowing in my ears and eating my brains.

So yeah.

Bugs.

And the fact that I have eaten my body weight in Jolly Ranchers and fudgicles.

And the trumpet man is still playing.

Still.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Because It's His JOB

"Arguably the worst financial crisis in the history of America," says Cafferty (and hundreds of others), of CNN news.

So given the state of affairs:

Why are people questioning McCain’s intentions to STOP CAMPAIGNING (read: putting aside his presidential ambition), and not the fact that Obama’s avoiding actually going to Washington AND DOING THE JOB WE PAY HIM FOR?????

‘Cause God forbid he actually show up and vote on something.

Why is arguing the foreign policy more important then trying to pass or block legislation to help address the “worst financial crisis?”

My personal favorite statement of the day? Obama’s claim that it was his idea to issue a joint statement – and that this statement was adequate, as it was important to “keep communicating with the American people.”

And call me Master of the Obvious, but it seems like the last thing we need right is more talk, more statements, more rhetoric, and less problems solving.

In fact, when asked about sidelining his campaign to address this head-on in Washington, his response was, (exact quote), “I feel it’s most important to let everyone know that this is a sufficient problem…and we need to deal with this problem.” He added, “This is why it is most important at this time that we present ourselves and describe where we want to take this country and this economy.”

Uh, Barak?

I don’t think anyone is arguing this.

And, uh, I don’t think we need you or McCain standing up there, telling us who’s to blame, and that it needs to be fixed, and where YOU want to take this country.

We've already heard it.

How about stepping up and actually taking that first step in that direction?

How about leading, instead of just talking about leading?

Why don’t you balls up and actually put a plan on the table? Make a decision? Have an opinion? Pass some actual legislation?

Let me remind Obama of something that McCain (though old as dirt) hasn't forgotten: Before you are a Presidential candidate, you are a Senator. My Senator. A Senator elected by the people to fight for the people, to give them a voice, and now being given an opportunity to actually make a statement through your actions. Not a man elected/paid to campaign for President.

How have people forgotten this?

The fact that Obama “talks to Paulson nearly every day and twice this afternoon” soothes me none.

And John McCain?

“I don’t feel the plan on the table is adequate, and needs action.” And then he steps up and does just that.

The guy shows up.

And before you say that he's avoiding a debate, it should be pointed out that he's also suspending all campaign appearences and fundraising (holy shit - a politician rejecting money? What would Tony Rezko say? Here's a quarter - get his number from Obama and call him in prison to find out).

And why is it that this crisis is make-or-break for McCain (and ultimately no-win, because even if the plan is needed, no one really wants to say it or own it because the backlash will be incredible, yet if McCain knocks it down, and shit storm intensifies, well then, its all McCain’s fault), but Obama doesn’t seem to have that same pressure? No one is pinning him to the wall, saying that he needs to make a decision, take a vote, pass some legislation.

And despite the risk to his campaign, either way, McCain is still stepping up, doing something, speaking his mind - he is going beyond "strategy," in a way that says, "Hey, this might lose the election for me, but for the worst financial crisis in American history, I am chosing to do something."

I find it interesting that, for someone who has structured his campaign around rhetoric akin to buying every 5-year-old in the world a pony for their birthdays (sounds all warm and fuzzy but the reality is ridiculous and impossible), his whole “financial plan” that he soooo loves to talk about can’t seem to light his way out this mile-deep shit hole the nation is in.

In fact, his whole financial plan and tax policies are already be challenged in the face of this.

Promises are one thing, practicality and action is another.

The first real test – the first crisis, and even before they are in office – and this is how these two candidates respond.

Now is a GREAT time to put all your campaign promises into actions.

It's a sad fucking day when people call it a "gimmick" when a Senator actually wants to do his job.

Well, if nothing else, this is giving a nice, clear window into what the next four years are going to look like.

Vote accordingly.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Loser

1. Still sick.

Wiping nose on shirt 'cause too achy to get toilet paper from the bathroom.

Moving on.

2. While watching the Biggest Loser and being auditorily assaulted by the nonstop trumpet playing from the apartment across the courtyard (of course, not to be mistaken for the alarm clock that suddenly went off at 10PM the other night and wasn’t slapped off until after midnight – yeah, that was an AWESOME night), I had this thought:

Why do these contestants yell at Jillian and Bob?

I mean, really.

You are in the midst of a once-in-a-lifetime experience to erase years of bad habits, laziness, and inactivity.

You are being given full time access to personal trainers, fitness programs, gyms, chefs, cooking training, eating training – I mean, the list goes on.

So when Jillian tells you to squat your ass until it touches the ground, you best squat your ass until your quads snap right off your body.

How much of a spoiled brat are you that you yell at the people that are trying to improve, if not save in some cases, your life?

I wanted to choke a bitch with a sweat rag.

And the quote of the night goes to LT, who had a less-then-favorable weigh in, and was ultimately eliminated:

“I came to a fat loss show and I gained three pounds! Yeah I’m mad! Wouldn’t you be mad if you went to a make over show and you got uglier?”

Well, LT, when you put it that way….yes, yes I would.

3. If this were the Rebublicans, this shit would headline CNN. At the end of the day, it's probably not a huge story (meaning - it has nothing to do with how this person will fix this nation, just like the whole "how many cars does McCain have" issue but for some reason this is the shit that gets reported - whatever). But if the McCain-Palin ticket was having this problem, you can bet this would broadcasted from the top of the Empire State building.

I mean fuck - Palin farts against the wind and it make headlines. Biden doesn't know basic history, has strep throat from having his foot down there for the last month, and no one says "boo."

Fucking Whoopi Goldberg ask McCain if he is going to turn her into a slave again, and no one says shit.

Not even a blip.

I know I have been beating this bias-media thing like a dead horse, but come on - CNN doesn't even try to hide it at this point. My own local news station doesn't even hide it (of course, Illinois is Obama country, so what a surprise). While reading a recent pro-Obama article (from an actual news source) that a fellow blogger posted, I happened to skim most of the comments (there were like 150, and I finally had to stop after 75). That comment section sounded just like the recess playground in elementary school - it was nothing but horrible name-calling (name-calling! by adults!) and personal insults and attacks against Palin (and McCain, who is obviously associated).

Now, before you jump down my throat, I will also point out that I also read a shit load of conservative articles/blogs. But to be honest, I don't see these types of comments against the Obama camp. Questions/concerns/factual finger pointing? Yes, yes, and yes.

But name calling?

Like children?

Uneducated children?

And I mean that serisouly - like, there were no actual counterpoints, or actual feedback - it was like, "Palin's a bitch." Literally.

And yes, there are certainly exceptions to this rule - there are Democrats who do not do this and there are Rebublicans that do - I am not saying this is exclusive, or that one side is innocent in this.

But why is it that, if you are not voting for Obama or (gasp!) considered conservative, you are the definition of "evil?"

Or, even worse (as I heard today) a racist?

A fucking racist.

I wasn't voting for Hillary either, so does that make me a lady-hater?

Why can't it just be as simple as, "I don't agree with his politics?"

And if it were McCain spouting Obama's politics, I wouldn't vote for his ass either.

Why can't it just be as simple as a disagreement of politics? Why can't we agree to disagree, instead of Democrats launching insults of being "Bush" lovers (p.s. I am not - I never voted for the guy)? Why does it have to get ugly to point of insulting?

I used to say that I can't wait for this election to be over, but the truth is that, even after the votes are cast, this election has revealed far uglier and deeper problems with us as a people and nation. Politics aside - it literally brings me to tears when I think about the direction the US is headed - the economy, the media, the anger, the divide - just how people treat each other, how intolerate people are showing themselves to be.

I am just so horribly sick of it all.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Short and Sweet

Too hard to type and wipe the snot from my nose at the same time.

Makes for a sticky keyboard.

It's 430.

PM.

Im going to bed.

Praying to wake up healthy.

Later bitches.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Running in Circles

Well, my eating habits haven’t exactly rectified themselves (see Sunday dinner: canned tuna + black beans+ bbq sauce= 5 minutes of choking down something that smells like it was left in the toilet by Cheese the last time he was here two weeks ago). Last night it was Lime Tostidos and some canned soup.

Mmmmm, Lime Tostidos…..

But at least today I have an excuse – I believe myself to be getting the flu.

I woke up this morning with another migraine (this time not Turkey Jerky induced), and what felt like a midget in Lucite platforms standing on my chest (this not be confused with the morning I work up with an ACTUAL midget on my chest, but that’s another post entirely). My red scratchy throat was a throwback to college keg-and-pack-a-night hangover.

And of course, I thought it IMPERATIVE to get a run in.

Now, to my credit, it was supposed to be 20 miler. What it ended up being was 12, and I was damn happy with that.

Of course, I have a little room to be playing with my mileage, what with all the “what marathon will I actually be doing?” hubbub going on.

Readers Digest version: I was supposed to do Indy on the 18th, (I didn’t sign up for Chicago this year because Cheese was going to be doing it for the first time, and I was leading Curb Crew) but then Cheese got a vacation to Florida the weekend of Indy, so I canceled Indy, but then Hurricane Ike took that vacation away and it was back to Indy for me – but THEN Cheese ended up not being able to run Chicago on the 12th, and I was going to take his bib (because I LOVE running Chicago and if he was going to try it again next year, that would be two years in a row I couldn’t do it), but then that idea got sidelined as well because his family is still coming to town that weekend.

Phew!

Follow?

Guess that wasn’t so abbreviated.

Bottom line - it was either going to be Chicago on the 12th or Indy on the 18th. Now I am not sure. But it looks like Indy again.

Maybe.

But I do HEART Chicago.

I figured as long as I can run a 20-miler at some point in the next week, I should be good-to-go for either of them.

I feel like I have a lot more randomness in me - like the fact that I re-discovered the Bravo network and am now embarressingly addicted to the "Rachel Zoe Project" - but I am going to finish writing my dumb report, making fun of the Emmy’s and go to bed hopefully early.

And speaking of Emmy’s - were you one of the three people that watched it?

A) Compeltely ridiculous and time-waster, but more importantly-

B) When the ladies of Desperate Housewives presented? Holy Botox Batman! Talk about frozen in time – Marcia Cross’s lips barely moved, and Terri Hatcher could have been dead by the looks of her face, but she managed to walk out on stage by herself, so you figure it out.

C) Is Josh Groben's career going that badly that he subjected himself to the showtunes performance? That was one of those moments where you actually squirm in the Lazy Boy and eventually hit the mute button because you feel soooo uncomfortable for him.

D) And lastly, but most repulsively -why did Tom Hanks wear that wig? Gosh. I know there is a joke somewhere there, but right now fever just burned it out of my head.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Migraine

On the Menu
Last night, I ate a Powerbar, chocolate fudge brownie ice cream, and some spinach for dinner.

Tonight, I had a package of Turkey Jerky, a diet Sunkist orange soda, and some grapes in the car on the way home from work at 9pm.

Is it any wonder the resulting migraine was so debilitating it took me three tries to parallel park my Hyundai in a spot the size of a school bus?

Diet's not goin' so well.....

Sick
And on a seperate and sort of related note, my new Troy video came freakishly close to kicking the turkey sandwich out of my belly during today's workout.

I suppose that constitutes a good workout, yes?

Family Love
Congrats to my sister and her family on the move into the "new" home, a big hug to my other sister who has to make some tough calls recently, lots of love to my man who is swimming through the Houston muck with a smile on his face, and a big "Hi" to my mom who has been working really hard to help Ellie with her move. Like, she be scrubbing floors and stuff. And she be old!

And though I haven't talk to him this week yet, I am sure my little brother is still kicking ass out there in Tennessee, watching the Real World, and livin' the high life.

Have a good weekend.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Clear as Mud

This whole financial crisis stuff had my head spinning yesterday - I was trying to figure it all out - how it started, what it means, etc. And I first came across these Democratic soundbites:

“The turmoil on Wall Street is further evidence that Republican economic policies have failed. During eight years of control in Washington, Republicans put in to practice their belief that markets should be allowed unfettered freedom and drastically weakened oversight,” House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said in a statement.

“In the midst of a dire economic situation, President Bush this morning characterized recent market developments as an ‘adjustment’ that can be painful for investors and employees of the firms, while Senator McCain said the ‘fundamentals of our economy are strong,’” Pelosi said.

“President Bush, Senator McCain, and their Republican Party are out of touch and apparently ill-equipped to get our economy back on track.”

“I certainly don’t fault Senator McCain for these problems, but I do fault the economic philosophy he subscribes to,” Obama said, adding, “It’s a philosophy we’ve had for the last eight years - one that says we should give more and more to those with the most and hope that prosperity trickles down to everyone else.”

But then I saw this, as stated by the NY Times in September 2003:

The Bush administration today recommended the most significant regulatory overhaul in the housing finance industry since the savings and loan crisis a decade ago.

Under the plan, disclosed at a Congressional hearing today, a new agency would be created within the Treasury Department to assume supervision of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-sponsored companies that are the two largest players in the mortgage lending industry.

The new agency would have the authority, which now rests with Congress, to set one of the two capital-reserve requirements for the companies. It would exercise authority over any new lines of business. And it would determine whether the two are adequately managing the risks of their ballooning portfolios.

The plan is an acknowledgment by the administration that oversight of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — which together have issued more than $1.5 trillion in outstanding debt — is broken. A report by outside investigators in July concluded that Freddie Mac manipulated its accounting to mislead investors, and critics have said Fannie Mae does not adequately hedge against rising interest rates.

Wait. So it there was a proposal for tighter regulations, what happened?

Among the groups denouncing the proposal were the National Association of Home Builders and Congressional Democrats who fear that tighter regulation of the companies could sharply reduce their commitment to financing low-income and affordable housing.

”These two entities — Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — are not facing any kind of financial crisis,” said Representative Barney Frank of Massachusetts, the ranking Democrat on the Financial Services Committee. ”The more people exaggerate these problems, the more pressure there is on these companies, the less we will see in terms of affordable housing.”

Representative Melvin L. Watt, Democrat of North Carolina, agreed.
”I don’t see much other than a shell game going on here, moving something from one agency to another and in the process weakening the bargaining power of poorer families and their ability to get affordable housing,” Mr. Watt said.

Well, now, I haven't heard this part of it on CNN....

The fraudulent accounting that allowed Enron executives to enrich themselves and led the company to bankruptcy and the loss of $68 billion in employee and investor assets is dwarfed by that at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac whose loses to investors will top $103 billion. Fannie Mae’s accounting fraud was $11 billion, 19 times larger than Enron’s $567 million accounting restatement.

Both Franklin Raines and James Johnson, CEO’s of Fannie Mae, who played key roles in previous Democrat administrations were fired, but later went to work for the Obama campaign. Clinton Deputy Attorney General Jamie Gorelick also was a highly paid executive at Fannie Mae but left to join the 9/11 Commission (she was chiefly responsible for the wall that prevented law enforcement and intelligence agencies from sharing information). Gorelick is considered as a possible Attorney General in an Obama Administration.

News organizations which ran daily stories linking the Bush Administration to Enron executives have been nearly silent on the direct, long term political connections between the Fannie Mae disaster and Democrats.

Both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac used $174 million, to pay for lobbyists to insulate them from the tightened regulation and oversight that might have avoided this crisis. And it won’t surprise many readers to learn that Obama received over $126,000 in campaign contributions since first running for the Senate in 2004. Obama ranked #2 on the list which includes mostly Democrats. By comparison, McCain received $21,550. Other top Democrats on Fannie Mae’s money list include Senator Chris Dodd, who received a favroable loan from a related mortgage company, John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi.

Now, I'm no financial analyst, and I am just starting to weed my way through all of this. But this information makes me wonder why, if the largest financial crisis in the United States was triggered by the Democrats and actually rooted in the Clinton administration (though good intentioned to help low income families obtain housing, but poorly executed), why do they keep pointing the finger at Bush and the Republicans? Moreover, how come no one is really talking about this part of it?

Wouldn't Obama, then, be "more of the same?"

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Strip Clubs

Yes, that is what this post is about.

Here’s the thing – I just don’t get them.

Now, I am not the type girlfriend that would tell my BF not to go. Yes, we’ve had the conversation, what with the Vegas bachelor parties looming in the near future. And yes, I would rather eat a poop-and-mayo sandwich then think about some naked lady rubbing her ta-tas in my BFs face. But hey – he’s not getting a handy from them under the cocktail table, so what can I say?

All I am saying is that I simply don’t understand the point of them.

See, with porn, we all know there is a purpose and end goal there. Naked ladies + sex = well, you know.

But with strip clubs, you see the naked ladies, but there is no sex, and certainly no “pay off,” so to speak.

I mean, you can’t even touch them.

And according to Cheese, seeing the naked ladies is not even arousing or erotic. They are simply, well, naked ladies. Some giving you drinks, some giving you lap dances.

So what’s the point?

I am honest-to-god asking this question.

No judgment, just trying to understand. Like I said, I am not giving my BF limits on going or not going – I just want to know the allure of it.

Moreover, whenever I see depictions of strip clubs on the tv (as I have never actually been to one), all I see is the adult version of little girls who have been sexually abused at some point in their life. And holy crap is that sad enough to make me cry in my Raisen Bran.

How do guys not see that?

So guys – help me out. Comment anonymously if you need to. And ladies – any of you been to one? Why? What was that like?


Blast the Fat
On a completely unrelated note, The Biggest Loser is on tonight!!

And to celebrate, I let Troy kick my ass on the bike again today. Sure, it was a little better than yesterday’s beating, but my gosh. I was one ladder set away from shoving his little stopwatch up his screaming pie hole.

I think to change it up, I am going to do this DVD (“No Slackers Allowed,” for Anonymous who asked) twice a week, and then on Friday I will treat myself to the other one, “Suffer-rama”.

Uh yeah – I just re-read the sentence and realized I was considering a 45-minute workout called Suffer-rama a “treat.”

I also have a three-hour number, “Tough Love,” but I can’t imagine I’ll be doing that one anytime soon.

Who thinks of these names, for gosh sake?

Frankly, I am a little scared of Tough Love - I never tried it before, and if Troy can mutilate me in 45 minutes, I can't imagine what disaster three hours at his mercy would bring.

Now, Anonymous suggested “Mental Toughness,” which made me wonder what other people are using. Does anyone else do Spinnervals? There’s like 100 of them, and I want to know which ones are good.

And with that, folks, I am off to babysit for the Mayor. YAY!!!!

Monday, September 15, 2008

I Need To Stop Working From Home

Things that Are Good About Being Home Alone
1.Eating popcorn in bed
2.Sleeping diagonal
3.Riding my trainer whenever I feel like it
4.Drinking as much coffee as I want without anyone making a comment about it
5.Going to bed without the glare of the TV in my face
6.Not having to share the quilt
7.Eating yogurt and ice cream for dinner.
8.Sitting in my favorite recliner for hours on end

Things Not Good About Being Home Alone
1.Being home alone without him.


Blech
So as I mentioned the other day, I haven’t really been on the ball about working out lately. And low and behold, it has actually resulted in some poundage. In a recent post, I estimated six pounds. Turns out – it exactly ten, since IM (damn scale).

Now, before I get any sassy comment about being “fucked in the head” or having a bad body image, let me say this: this is not about how I look, necessarily. I think we all know what it feels like to carry an extra ten pounds – we all know how uncomfortable it can be, and how discouraging it is when you have to rely soley on the black elastic yoga pants for weeks on end because nothing else fits. It sucks.

And I feel like shit about it. I feel heavy and soft. While I not necessarily trying to be skinnier, I just want to be in better shape.

So to that end, I have started back on the training program. Three days in, and feeling good. In fact, to mix it up a bit today, I put on one of the Spinnerval DVDs I had from last training season.

Holy Ass Kicking, Troy!

I actually had to stop pedaling halfway through to catch my breath because I was lightheaded and about to pedal myself right out the front window. By the end, I vowed to keep doing the DVD every week until it becomes easy. And then once that happens, I will start the other DVD, and work it until THAT one becomes easy.

Well, at least that’s the plan. I’m comin’ to get ya, skinny jeans!


Yikes! Ike!
Good gosh. Have you seen the footage from Ike? Oh my. Talk about devastation. My least favorite network in the world, CNN, was showing aerial views of different cities, like Bolivar, with literally nothing left of these places but sticks coming out of the ground (houses used to be on the sticks). When they said “certain death,” they meant it. It honestly looks like when that tsunami hit a couple years ago.

Cheese is in the heart of it all. I worry about him – about him being safe, about his stress level, about the chaos he is standing in, about the total devestation he has to make sense of. It sounds like, from the view of the company, this might be their biggest storm ever, bypassing Katrina in terms of widespread destruction.

Hang in there, baby. You're doing good out there.


And Why, You Ask?
I have decided that, for as much as people want to bitch about how biased Fox is, CNN (the Clinton News Network) is officially above and beyond the most biased network I have ever watched.

For example, twice in the last few days, people have stated that both McCain and Obama are guilty of things, but oddly, CNN only posts the sound bites about McCain. Rove made statements about both candidates fighting unfair (I know – pot and the kettle, right?) but the only part of his interview that gets broadcasted or written about is the part where he says McCain has crossed the line.

Similarly, Greenspan made statements about both candidates proposed tax policies, but you have to dig all the way to the bottom of the article to find out that, yes, in fact, he was talking about both, not just McCain. In fact, the title of the article was something to the effect of “Greenspan says McCain tax policies miss the mark.” Four paragraphs later…..”Oh yeah, and by the way, he said Obama’s aren’t great either….”

And don’t EVEN get me started on the eye-bleaching trash known as The View. While Elizabeth Hassl-whateverhernameis is by no means an appropriate political commentator, those bitches make it seem like every conservative is the reincarnation of Evil. They will spend 60 minutes kissing the asses clean of certain politicians and their wives, but can’t even put aside their own biases for 15 minutes to conduct a “fair” interview. Give me a fucking break, Whoopi and Joy.

And before you all jump down my throat, I am simply making a comment on the bias of reporting. If it was skewed in McCain’s favor, I’d call bullshit on that too. But at this point, I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a news report skewed in McCain’s favor.

Seriously – why is it so fucking hard for people/politicians/analysts/commentators to simply stick to the issues? Just list the facts – and have faith that the American people will choose what is best for them. Why are we constantly being fed commentary on what the networks WANT us to believe?

I’d like to believe that most people, by this point, know how they are going to vote. If you don’t, what the heck are you waiting for? The information is out there – the truth (not the CNN version) is a click away, you just need to read it.

Both politicians are simply repeating themselves at this point. I think both parties need to close up shop, go on vacation, and see where the chips fall in November.

Enough already.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Deep in the Heart of Stupidty

My man is in Texas for the big clean-up, while I am here in Chicago, trying to swim through the flooded streets and make sure his golf clubs stay dry in our storage space. And because I am a sucker for a natural disaster, I have been working in the television and Internet glow of the news network reports of this hurricane business.

And low and behold, I came upon this nugget of news:

GALVESTON, Texas (CNN) -- Paul and Kathi Norton overslept as Hurricane Ike closed in on their coastal Texas home, so they decided to tough it out because their evacuation route was already flooded. "My husband made me wear a life jacket inside our house," Kathi Norton said. "Thank God for that, or I couldn't be here." Early Saturday, about two hours before Ike officially made landfall, high winds and rising flood waters began battering their home. The house began collapsing, and "if the flagpole wouldn't have stopped the house, the house would've crushed us," Kathi Norton said. "It took the floor up, buckled down and took it right off the piling. And we dove out the door and grabbed the staircase, and we floated off," Kathi Norton told KHOU on Sunday after the couple was delivered in a National Guard helicopter to an evacuation point in Texas City."

Um....

Correct me if I am wrong (I know you will), but this Ike hurricane has been the one news story that has actually bumped all other election stuff. The entire nation has been focused on this storm, and evacuations have been going on for over a week.

And these two OVERSLEPT?

When exactly did they go to bed?

I am sorry, but I can’t feel bad for shit like this. Call me insensitive, but if you are told to evacuate “or face certain death,” and you decide instead that your safety plan is to slap on a life vest, cross your fingers, and hope for the best, well then…good luck with that.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Ramblings of a Tired Mind

How is Paris Hilton still relevant? And for a grown ass woman, why does she still talk like a baby?

I don’t know one single person outside of my brother Nolan who watches “The Real World.” So why’s it still on?

My skin has been revolting against me.

Celebrities need to shut the fuck up when it comes to politics. This goes for both Dem and Republican supporters. And yeah, I’m talking to you - Madonna, Matt Damon, Daddy Yankee, and Chuck Norris. Are they entitled to their own opinions? Sure, we all are. But still – they need to shut the fuck up. And especially that Russell Brand douche – he doesn’t even live in this country, yet MTV allows him to get his ass on stage and vomit verbal diarrhea all over the Music Awards. Apparently having a side part in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” gives him the commentary rights of a CNN broadcaster. Well, at least he biased like one.

I have run exactly three times in three weeks. Should come as no surprise that I have gained more than six pounds over that same time frame. Needless to say, I am not feeling so hot about myself. In fact, I feel much like a stuffed sausage most of the time.

On that note, I have somehow started drinking soda and eating cheese. I NEVER drank soda before. But some reason, I find myself drinking it with almost every meal. It really doesn’t make it any better that it is diet soda. And the cheese? Yeah, no idea what that’s about.

I have eaten more burritos in the last seven days then I have in the last seven years. Hmm.

My street is lined with maple trees or some type of tree that covers my car with this sappy syrup sticky stuff every morning. It’s like driving a Hyundai pancake, but without the pancake.

I now have the apartment to myself for the next three weeks….what should I do first?

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Madison Pics

I have very few action photos of anybody, mostly because I was either too busy jumping up and down and screaming, or just forgot that my camera was in Cheese's pocket. But here's what I managed to gather from the weekend.


What better way to kick it off than with a blogger dinner?!?! We had dinner with Erin (Long and Winding Road) and CoS, Team Brazo, Melissa, and Erin (WiPaddler). xt4 and his beautiful wife and daughter were also there, but they had to high tail it home 'cause baby-sleepy-time crept up quick. Honestly, it was really nice just sitting back, relaxing and shooting the crap with these people. I love walking away from a dinner with a face that hurts from laughing. And the brownie custard sundae I had afterwards was nice too!

Mr. Team Brazo looked AMAZING after completing IM Louisville just one week ago - seriously - read his race report - THAT'S what IM is about. Rumor has it he and xt4 found themselves in the IM Madison sign up line Monday morning.....
IM morning with my pal Mark, along the bike route. He and his brother and friend headed up to cheer on friends, and then Mark (a 2x Madison finisher himself) turned around and signed himself up from some Louisville torture.
We actually spent the earlier part of the morning watching the swim start from Erin's work balcony, and then grabbing some breakfast with her and the BFs. Then it was off to the bike course.

After a long day of spectating and voluntering, we had the pleasure of screaming ourselves silly as Clyde crossed that line. And then he graced us with one of his first post-race pictures!!!
As he went off to change and eat, Cheese and I wathced more finishers in the rain, and took a brief break (which is when I think Jen came in, so we missed her!!!) Here's an Epic over-the-shoulder for Cheese and Clyde. Hey, it really does make you look thinner!

Rain stopped, and we watched the final finishers with Clyde and his lovely wife. Dang, I am starting to look tired in this picture! As it neared midnight, things got really exciting!

Clyde, soaking up his new life as Iron.
The official street cred hat. Often imitated, never duplicated. You see a lot of hats/visors with the M-Dot symbol, but its the "finisher" stitch that count.

The city in the light of midnight.
From this view, you can hardly see the blood, sweat and tears on the streets below the Capital building.
What a day.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Wow

What a weekend.

Now that I am officially back online thanks to Comcast and Cheese (of the boyfriend variety, not Swiss), I can actually put up a decent post.

I had the honor of watching and voluntering IM Madison this weekend. Among the thrills? Screaming my little lungs off for my guy IronClyde and my girl Jen from MadisonDuo. I am pretty sure I freaked both of them out with the sounds that came from my throat, but who cares?!?!

They did the effing Ironman!!!!!

And speaking of people doing their THANG out there - while I was volunterring at the State Street aid station, an athlete stopped me mid-scream, asked if I was Megan, and then told me he reads my blog - but then he bounced off before I could get his name or give him one of my Super Screams.

To this guy - who were you?

I would like to know so that I can give you the proper shout-out, 'cause you deserve it!!!!

And I apologize if I looked startled - I was so wrapped up in my water distribution (it was a pretty important job, ya know) that I was so suprised!

P.S. If you ever get the chance to volunteer at IM, DO IT. Wow, does it offer it's whole other perspective of this race.

I will post pictures in the next few hours, once I organize. I figured I would at least get this one up and running.

Friday, September 5, 2008

Listen...

A while back I stated that I would not put up my political views on this blog, despite the fact that this blog is about me, my life and, well, my thoughts.

I knew that, given the political scope of things right now, it's a volitle subject.

But slowly, I started getting more and more frustrated with the things that I was hearing. Six months ago I was voting one way, then moved more towards the Undecided, and have now slowly moved towards the other direction. I felt that, in order to make the best decision for myself, I needed to know more, and the more I learned, the more my decision began to form.

I never assumed that anyone would actually hold the same beliefs as me. In fact, based on the profiles I view on Facebook, I pretty much assumed that my views were very much not the same.

There is something about this election that gets people really riled up, as Momo noted. And by the looks of some comments, people are pretty riled up.

But it's not my job to convince you who is better for YOU, who is better for YOUR future, and who is better for the future stability of this country. Like my own decision, this is a choice that is individual.

And I don't think that I was trying to do that - trying to change your minds. I honestly believe that by this point, your minds are pretty much made up, anyways.

So no more politics from this point on.

But I will say this - in this whole election stuff, I have never said that McCain was a better candidate that Obama. Nor did I say that Obama was better - like I said above, I started one way, then slowly moved to the other.

My point in all this was to vent my frustration that I was surrounded by people who simply listened to soundbites, didn't ask questions, accepted what their friends and CNN and Oprah were telling them, pointing hypocritical fingers, and spending so much time looking at bullshit issues instead of what the candidates policies might actually mean for you.

I am not insinuating that my readers do this - I was more just venting about things I hear on a daily basis.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

IM Madison - Bring it On!

Holy crap - IM Madison is here!

Many, many good thoughts and wishes going out to those of you conquering the distance this weekend, including Clyde and MadisonDuo. Please check out their blogs and give them HUGE HUGE props as they hit the streets this weekend. I get goosebumps sitting here thinking about seeing these guys out there, especially after watching them train these last several months.

In addition to screaming my ass off for these triathletes, I get to hang with some crazy-great bloggers, including Erin, xt4, Mommymeepa, and Wipaddler to name a few (perhaps Mark if he's out there somewhere Sunday?) So excited for this weekend I just might pee myself.

Okay, with that I am off. To make up for the sorry lack of posting this week, I will return Monday with a ton of IM pics to make up for it.

GO IM TRIATHLETES!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

A Lot of Mess for One Post

The Big Move is now over.

In summary - I packed and moved out BY MYSELF for most of Saturday and early Sunday. My brother-in-law and sister came by Sunday morning to help with the mattress, desk and tv. By 10AM Sunday, my entire life was sitting in my sister’s garage.

Then, a pleasant surprise – my new (crazy) landlord was able to check in on Sunday, so I immediately began moving myself out of the garage, and into the new place.

I broke at 5pm to head downtown to run the Nike Human Race 10k (did anyone else do this race?) Despite the incredible muscles fatigue and 300-calorie day, I made it through almost 56:00 minutes, a few minutes off what I had hoped, but given the circumstance, I was cool with it.

Monday morning rolled around, and Cheese pulled into town.

And I SHIT YOU NOT – the man had AT LEAST 3x the stuff I did. As he rolled open the UHaul trailer, I almost choked him out after seeing the contents inside.

But alas, in the 92 degree weather, we got him moved in as well.

Tuesday I woke up, battered, terribly bruised and exhausted beyond anything I can remember (the only thing close was the day after Ironman). I took the day off to get stuff done, including a joint bank account (!) and unpacking.

So here we are.

Right now, things have been pretty much moving forward, getting used to the whole “there’s someone home when I get back at the end of the day.”

But the MAJOR thing that happened?

Part of being “all grows up” is having that discussion about “how not to waste money.” And after a long few days of, uh, ahem, “discussion,” it was decided that Ironman Madison ’09 would not be happening for me.

Cue the violins.

Apparently, there are BIG things planned for the ’09 year, and Ironman doesn’t quite fit into the plans. And as you can imagine, I pouted like a 5-year-old, cried, yelled, and threatened to break up if I didn’t get my way. At the end of the day, it was resolved, if not to my best liking, but I can accept it.

As for the rest of life – If you live in Illinois, then you have undoubtedly heard that the state’s child welfare department (AKA my job) just laid off 325 people (over 50% of my building alone). Not to mention the fact that they eliminate all funding of substance abuse programs (‘cause apparently these parents are going to get themselves clean – yeah right) - the fine governor is out to make a statement, and doing it at the expense of our children and their future.

And don’t even get my ass started on the ridiculous of this school boycott – honest to God it is just plain stupid. While you would be hard-pressed to find anyone who disagrees with equal education, some aldermen think that if you just throw more (of your tax) money at a problem (low graduation rate and high drop out rate), then we should have equal education. More money = problem solved, right? ‘Cause I mean, parental involvement, community poverty, and environmental stress of gangs and drugs surely had nothing to do with it.

But fuck personal responsibility - let’s just keep throwing money at an overly bureaucratic public school system so it can continue to be mismanaged, instead of addressing the wasteful spending, and putting the money towards more useful things, like CHILD WELFARE to help build and support communities and families – the same families that produce children that WANT to go to school and graduate.

I mean hell – who DOESN’T love to work more hours, just to have more of their money taken away and spent on programs that don’t work by individuals who are corrupt/dysfunctional/clueless/greedy?

Not you?

Huh.

(insert pause from me holding my tongue about November elections)

And a brief word before I head off to watch the RNC (and yes, I did watch the DNC too):

If your one of those people that are all, “Oh my god, Palin’s daughter is pregnant! How can she subject her daughter to the media? How can she ‘have it all’ by trying to be a mother and VP?”

Yo, seriously - Let it go.

First off, the girl’s pregnant. She had sex – oh holy shit. I mean, who out there wasn’t having sex as a teenager? Sure, she got herself knocked up, but is YOUR family perfect? Do you hold her mother responsible for the fact that her daughter has sex? Do you hold YOUR parents responsible for the fact that you had sex as a teen? Does it say anything about the character of YOUR own parents if you were having sex? Would you blame YOUR parents if you got pregnant? Probably not, I suspect.

Secondly, as for the “exposing” her daughter to the media – Obama brought his family to People magazine and ACCESS HOLLYWOOD.

Lemme say that again – ACCESS HOLLYWOOD.

Is nobody crying about Obama “exposing” his young young girls the flare of the media? He talks all, “Families are off limits,” but then splashes his family’s mugs all over tabloid media.

And finally – Can Palin do it all? Well, gee, I don’t know – can Obama? I mean, he has two young, young children as well – can he, as the potentially future leader of this country, be both a parent and leader?

Or any of the past Presidents, for that matter? Or was this question never raised because they were all men?

Isn’t that sort of a double standard?

Or do we still live in a world where a woman is the expected partner to stay at home and care for the family?

Well, that’s not really a progressive, liberal way of thinking, is it?

Just wondering.