Patti tagged me today. This meme, unlike all of the others (which I have willingly participated in) is all about running. Very FUN and Exciting! Right?

Here are the rules, followed by my reply.

If YOU have been tagged, you will find your name at the end of this post. You should then, copy the rules (or your version of them), and the set of questions onto your blog post, provide your own answers, and then tag 5 new people.

In this case, all 5 questions are all about RUNNING. How easy is that?

Just to be sure that everyone tagged knows they have been invited to play, go to their blogs and leave them a special comment letting them know, and refer them to your blog for details.

One more thing, once they've answered the questions on their own blog, they should come back to yours to tell you.

Got that?

Here goes...

Continue reading "Tagged again" »

Posted by Juls at 4:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

I don't think that I was any different from the majority of the population in thinking that Tom and I would grow old together.  The only reason that crossed my mind, for why we might not, was if we split up.  I often wondered if, after the kids were grown, we had enough in common to want to play out the rest of our lives together.  We really were very different.  But we did love each other.

Of course I never dreamed that he would die so young.  I found myself carrying out a promise to take care of him, thinking that we were supposed to be old and gray by the time I had to take on that role.  It isn't always how you plan it. 

Tom often would complain that his life had no meaning.  He never felt that his existence had a purpose.  Simply bringing in three wonderful sons, and raising them up with values and happiness was not enough for him.  I now realize that his happiness was held hostage by a grief that I could never fathom.  I do believe that he came to terms with this before he died.  Still, we are very different individuals, he and I. 

Ever since Tom's death, the prospect of dying before I am old and gray has threatened.  Even with the breast cancer scare, I promised the kids that I would fight to the end.  Thankfully, it didn't go that route.  I didn't then, and won't ever, make promises to my children that I will be around forever (or any other measure of time). 

Knowing that I won't be around for eternity, there are a few things that I want to see/accomplish before I do die.  I think that my list is simple.  Unlike Tom's initial thoughts on the meaning of life, I believe that if I can make a difference in my children's lives, then mine will have been worth my existence.  I need nothing more than that.

Continue reading "If I should die before I wake..." »

Posted by Juls at 10:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (12)

January 112.64
February 109.76
March 53.32
April 108.35
May 103.16
June 113.98
July 30.60
August 152.65
September 153.52
October 116.70
November 105.87
December 56.64
-----------------------------
Total Miles: 1317.19

Posted by Juls at 12:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The year certainly left plenty of room for improvement. From the very beginning, to the end, the year kept me in constant effort to maintain the will to go on. There were a lot of hurdles, as you will see, but mixed in was a few special moments were our family came together to recover from a year of loss. It's still very rocky, but we haven't given up. We go onward, and look to 2008 for better times.

Continue reading "A Year in Review (2007)" »

Posted by Juls at 11:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

I've been Tagged again. This time, Jen has included me in on a Holiday Meme which is very similar to the one I did last year.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bag? Paper please.

2. Real tree or artificial? Real, but I am thinking that a fake one would have stood up straighter.

3. When do you put up your tree? I the past many years, we haven’t gotten the tree until about a week before Christmas. This year, we had our tree up and decorated five days after Thanksgiving.

4. When do you take down your tree? The year that I took the tree down the day after Christmas Tom had a fit. I miss took his depression, and thought taking the tree down would somehow help (he suffered a great loss many Christmases ago.) One of the reasons that I put the tree up early this year is so that nobody will complain when I take it down the following day. I’m being selfish, but I like the idea of having my Birthday be separate from Christmas (even though it is two days later).

5. Do you like eggnog? Yes! I love Silk Nog

6. Favorite gift received as a child? It would still have to be my stuffed Snoopy since my overalls were actually a Birthday gift (even I mix my Birthday and Christmas up).

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, although it is still in the box.

8. Hardest person to buy for? DD. He has everything that he wants.

9. Easiest person to buy for? YaYa. He loves everything that he is given.

10. Worst Christmas gift you've ever received? This is a tough one. I must have blocked out the not-so-perfect gifts because I don’t have anything for this one.

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? They’re in the mail (at least some of them).

12. Favorite Christmas movie? Charlie Brown Christmas

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I begin my shopping when ever I can get the time. Generally, this is well after Thanksgiving.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I am not against the idea (as the giver or the receiver) if the re-gifting is genuine.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? It depends on my mood and on who is cooking. I have so many favorites.

16. White or colored lights? I like white lights on the tree and colored lights on the house.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Oh Holy Night and Silent Night

18. Traveling for Christmas or stay home? We will be home with everyone else coming our way this year.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Probably not. Let's see. Dancer, Prancer, Donner, Blitzen, Comet, Cupid, Rudoph, and...Vixen. No? Wait, I got it. Chet. I think that was the name of that new one who was leading Santa's sleigh all crazy at the end of the movie The Santa Clause 2.

20. Angel or Star on top of tree? Star

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Parking

23. What I love most about Christmas? I love driving around at night and looking at the lights on everyone’s homes.

Continue reading "Holiday Tag" »

Posted by Juls at 12:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Here are the Rules:
• Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.
• Share 5 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
• Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
• Let them know they are TAGGED by leaving a comment on their blog.

Here is my tagger:
Mia Goddess - It's all her fault so, if you find yourself tagged (at the end of this post), direct your dirty comments to her.

Here are five random facts about me:
1. I wanted to be a cheerleader but decided not to tryout when I discovered that I wouldn’t be able to cheer and participate on the Track and Cross-country Teams.

2. I’m a Capricorn. My birthday is 2 days after Christmas. I was on track for a holiday-related name [ie. Christina, Holly, or Noel] until my Mom saw the Sound of Music. Thank you Julie Andrews for portraying an angelic character thus influencing my parent’s naming choices. Incidentally, I wasn’t exactly an angel growing up.

3. I started taking dance classes (including modern, ballet, and jazz) as an adult. Ballet was my favorite. I got obsessed, taking a couple classes a day at the community college. Since I was working the night shift at the time, I’d sleep in my car between classes. I quit in the first trimester of my pregnancy with BoBo as the bathroom was too far away from the dance studio. I was always throwing up.

4. I am a Type-A (obsessive) tracker where running is involved. I track my miles on my running shoes diligently. I will keep running past a destination to get a round number to track (ie. 5.95 miles would not be good enough if 6 miles was on the schedule for the day.)

5. I love dark chocolate, black jelly beans, and red wine. I hate apple and grape flavored candies and gums – even the smell nauseates me.

AND...

Continue reading "The game of "TAG"" »

Posted by Juls at 12:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Technically, it is fall, but if feels more like a winter without rain. Here, in California, it isn’t all the same (as my husband would have had you believe). There are subtle differences in the seasons and, unless you love the snow, it is great.

Although I love seeing the leaves turn to the varying colors; I much prefer spring and summer. One of the biggest reasons for disliking the fall season is that I dislike waking up in darkness. I also dislike the feeling of running out of time that comes with the early darkness at the end of the day. My mood changes to hope as the days begin getting longer. I know that spring will come soon and I even take joy in running in the rain (occasionally).

Spring is probably my favorite of the four seasons. Summer is next in line. This is because I like to be warm, and I like to wake up to the sun coming through the window. I like to sit outside and listen to the birds singing.

Spring has always meant new life - when the spring flowers are blooming and the young animals are coming to life. Since Tom’s death occurred on the first day of spring, “new life” now has a different meaning. Still, I think that I will like the coming of spring. It will be a point to appreciate my life and the new growth that has occurred in the year left behind.

Posted by Juls at 12:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

It's that time again. It's National Blog Posting Month again! That means that I'll be joining many of you in the fun of posting something on my blog everyday for the month of November.

For those of you who are wondering how on earth you come up with a new post everyday, look what I found. Click on "journals" for a list of interesting topics to write about.

Here's one example:
Look in the mirror, and write down what you think. Are you being too hard on yourself?

Continue reading "nablopomo" »

Posted by Juls at 9:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Marathon Maritza tagged me for the Rockin' Girl Blogger meme that has been circulating. Although I have already had the joy of participating in this meme, I felt like I could not just ignore the tag.

So, if YOU have not yet encountered this meme on a more personal level, I urge you to click on the log in my right sidebar. Go ahead...Rock On Girl!

Posted by Juls at 10:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I've been tagged for another meme and I have to admit, I don't actually get what I need to do. Regardless, I was one of Runner Susan's select few. My participation in the "Rockin' Girl Blogger" meme will be creative - NOT. If I tag you, it will be up to you to figure out what you want to do. I think it has something to do with the logo.

And the nominees are: Brit, Decaf Momma, Cindy, Dori and Ali

Continue reading "Rockin'" »

Posted by Juls at 6:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

21st Century Mom's post today continued the meme that is circulating throughout the blogs of the Running Blog Family. I just happened to be sitting on the floor, by my bookcase, when I came upon her post. After days of avoiding being tagged, I decided to voluntarily play along.

The nearest book, Daniel’s Running Formula: Proven programs 800m to marathon (2nd edition), is not necessarily a book that I have read cover to cover. In fact, I have to admit that I haven't read very much of this book at all. Like Lore of Running, the book sitting beside it on the bookshelf, I have the book on hand for a reference should the need arise. I have a several of these type books on hand, in case I don't like what I read on a topic and am in need of a 2nd, or 3rd opinion.

From Daniel’s Running Formula, (pages 123, sentances 6, 7, 8) reads:
"Although the duration of workbouts is important, when it comes to interval training, intensity (training pace) is even more important. This is because you can attain the difference V02 max only when running at a particular intensity. You need to understand the difference between intensity and speed of running – intensity is the key word when stressing any physiological system...Under adverse conditions, intensity is clearly the better way to identify what pace elicits V02 max – be sure to consider this when doing your interval training.”

Simply put, it isn't the pace that you run, the effort that you are exerting is more important. If you are running up a steep hill, or against a strong headwind, you will not need to run at hyperspeed before you hit your limit. The conditions of the hill or wind provide the natural increase in intensity.

Continue reading "I have a dream" »

Posted by Juls at 10:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

The memes are going around again. This time it is the A-B-C meme where there is a required response for each letter of the alphabet. I have just been tagged by a. maria and have taken on this new challenge of awakening my brain on a Monday morning. Pay special attention to the letter "T". If your name is listed there, you have now been offically taged by me. Enjoy.

Continue reading "A-B-C meme" »

Posted by Juls at 9:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Kim asks the question:
What does your YOUR work space (at home or work) say about you?

I don't know what it says about me, except that I don't work well with clutter, and I that I am proud of my family. Beyond that, YOU be the judge.

On my desk sits my computer monitor & printer, my phone, a 3-tiered set of flat baskets for the papers that I need immediately. I have a red glass heart-shaped paperweight (sitting on the papers that are in the top basket), a cup filled with pens, pencils, and highlighters, with a Cat-in-the-Hat finger puppet over the top of the yellow highlighter. In the center of the desk is a small framed picture of the family.

On the wall above my desk is a large framed poster from the 1990 release of The Jungle Book Movie.
I reminds me to enjoy the simple life - just the "Bare Necessities."

In the corner of my office sits a round table which has a medium-sized vase filled with bamboo stalks on top. There is also several pictures that include my Mom in her wedding day with her parents, a picture of my sister "Linda", my brother "Bobby", and me (as a toddler) reaching for our Christmas stockings, and a picture of my best friend from high school "Rosie" and me at our 20 year high school reunion. There is a little miniature container full of tiny clay pot, woven basket, wool scarf, and other mini items. DD gave it to me and the items are supposed to be lucky charms.

Continue reading "What Does YOUR Work Space Say?" »

Posted by Juls at 6:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Anne posted her Christmas questionaire. She urged us fellow bloggers to play along, so here goes. Click to read my contribution to the "Christmas Meme" thing.

Continue reading "Christmas Meme" »

Posted by Juls at 10:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

A little bit more
ABOUT ME:

I am a woman, a runner, a mother of three boys, a wife (now widowed – but I still consider myself “married”), a blogger, and a friend. I am many things; these are just a few that come to mind.

I enjoy challenges, but I would never have chosen my greatest challenge so far – that being surviving my husband with two young boys at home. In spite of my loss I feel lucky that, had one of us had to go, that I got to be the one stay and experience more of the journey that life is. I am privileged that God let me see my boys go through life, and choose the destinations for their journey.

Yes, I feel that life is a journey. For me, running is a huge part of it. It’s my “me time.” It’s how I cope. Just like a great run, the journey has parts that are easy and others that are more difficult. There are parts of the journey that are beautiful others that are darn right ugly.

I have taken up writing this blog to document my journey. It also helps me to deal with my ever-changing feelings. Some day, hopefully a long time from now, my journey will end. I hope to reach the finish feeling good about what I have accomplished along the way. I hope that this blog will act as a long trail of bread crumbs to show, those that wish to know, where I have been. Perhaps, I will learn some valuable lessons along the way. Perhaps others will too. Regardless, I hope that you will enjoy.
I am a woman, a runner, a mother of three boys, a wife (now widowed – but I still consider myself “married”), a blogger, and a friend. I am many things; these are just a few that come to mind.

I enjoy challenges, but I would never have chosen my greatest challenge so far – that being surviving my husband with two young boys at home. In spite of my loss I feel lucky that, had one of us had to go, that I got to be the one stay and experience more of the journey that life is. I am privileged that God let me see my boys go through life, and choose the destinations for their journey.

Yes, I feel that life is a journey. For me, running is a huge part of it. It’s my “me time.” It’s how I cope. Just like a great run, the journey has parts that are easy and others that are more difficult. There are parts of the journey that are beautiful others that are darn right ugly.

I have taken up writing this blog to document my journey. It also helps me to deal with my ever-changing feelings. Some day, hopefully a long time from now, my journey will end. I hope to reach the finish feeling good about what I have accomplished along the way. I hope that this blog will act as a long trail of bread crumbs to show, those that wish to know, where I have been. Perhaps, I will learn some valuable lessons along the way. Perhaps others will too. Regardless, I hope that you will enjoy.

Posted by Juls at 11:57 AM | Permalink