Some motivation for you on this GLORIOUS SUNDAY morning!

Today I was supposed to run the Charlie Horse Half Marathon with my brother. Unfortunately, due to circumstances I can't talk about right now, he is unable to run it with me. The whole point of running the race was so spend time with my bro, so I am not running it on my own. Maybe if my glute/hip was 100% I would, but it doesn't make sense to go run 13.1 miles if I know it is going to make my hip sore for days! If my bro was able to run it with me, I would suck it up and do it. But there's really no point in running it on my own. I'm really sad. I was looking forward to the race and running with my brother. Hopefully we can run something together soon.

Needless to say... I need some HAPPINESS today! These images make me happy. I hope they make you happy too!

Weekly Workout Recap!

Still taking baby steps in the running department!

5/16-  A great 6 mile walk/run that you can read about here!

5/17- I had a very random workout that including walking, lifting, and monkey bars! You can read more about it here!

5/18- A morning walk/run. It broke down like this: 1/2 mile walk, 1.5 mile run, 1/4 mile walk, 1.75 mile run, 1/4 mile walk. Then I did 5 sets of 1 minute planks while I watched The Today Show. Matt Lauer makes planking a whole lot better!

5/19- 5 total miles of walking spread out throughout the day.

5/20- Chest at home. Then I mowed the lawn after work. That counts, right?

5/21- Back at home and a 2 mile walk.

5/22- Walk/run before work. Then when I got home from work we walked to the bank- 2 miles round trip!

And of course all week, I did a lot of this...

And this....

And this...

And THIS!

Do you count any household chores as a workout?

"No thank you!"

"No, thank you!" is one of my favorite things to say.

Cashier at craft store: Phone number, please?
Me: No, thank you.

Person from car dealership who calls and tries to get me to trade in my Chevy Cobalt: Ms. Michael, I am calling from Sutliff-
Me: No, thank you. (Hangs up.)

Volunteer outside my polling place: Are you here to vote?
Me: Yes.
Volunteer outside my polling place: Can I have a minute of your time?
Me: No, thank you.

People from (fill in the blank church) who knock on my door: Hi, we are from (fill in the blank church)- 
Me: No, thank you.

Second grader who brought me a birthday cupcake: It's my birthday! Do you want a cupcake?
Me: No, but thank you for thinking of me!
(You see, I am nice to second graders.)

I feel like I say "No, thank you!" every damn day. But I don't like my time being monopolized. And I don't like giving out private information (like my phone number) to businesses and things like that. Just because a stranger asks for something, calls me, or knocks on my door, doesn't mean I have to engage. Of course it doesn't mean I have to be rude, either. But seriously. Don't call me and don't knock on my door UNLESS YOU KNOW ME. Or if my house is on fire. Yes, then knock on my door and let me know!

Why does the craft store need my phone number?

Do you like to take control and say "No, thank you!"

Throwback Thursday! - (MUSICALS!)

During the summer before 4th grade, I went to see a community theater production of Annie. Ever since then, I knew that I wanted to perform! Luckily, there was a local community theater about ten minutes from my house that did shows every summer. And luckily, my parents let me participate every year! 

If it wasn't for doing community theater, I wouldn't have met some of my best friends. I have CRAZY memories from all the rehearsals and shows we did together... not to mention the parties and beach trips! My life would not have been as fun and exciting if I had never gotten involved in theater.

As an adult with several "real" jobs, I don't make the time to do shows anymore. It is extremely time consuming and exhausting. The last show I did was about three or four years ago. Every time I see a show, I miss performing and want to get involved again.

In honor of Throwback Thursday, here are some pictures from musicals I was in. I am certainly not including pictures of every musical I was in, but here are some I could easily find pictures from!

My family and I after a performance of The Will Rogers Follies in 1995. I was a Zigfield Girl (the youngest!) and my older brother played the drums in the pit. I actually originally didn't get cast because they thought I was too young (13), but when one of the girls dropped out, they called me and offered me a spot! I WAS SO HAPPY!

Here is me as Liza in Peter Pan from 1996. A couple of my high school friends were Indians. We actually used the same flying special effects that they used on Broadway. I was originally told that I was going to get to fly, but then I didn't. I was bummed! My younger brother played the part of a Lost Boy and my older brother played drums in the pit.

When I was a sophomore in high school, a youth theater group a little bit of a distance from where I lived was doing a show I was OBSESSED with...

I got to perform in the chorus and had so much fun!

This is me and my dance partner during the prom scene. I had such a crush on him! He was cute, smelled really good, and was really nice. Unfortunately he was gay so he had no interest in me!

Dancing in Brigadoon during the summer of '97.

I had to include this picture of me and my grandparents after a performance of Brigadoon. My grandpa passed away in 2001. (I can't believe it was that long ago, no wonder I miss him so much!) This is a great picture of him because it's exactly how I remember him.

During the summer before I left for college (2000), I was in a hilarious show called A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. This is me and one of my best friends, Ashley. We played courtesans. We didn't have big parts but we had big costumes!

Me and my friend Jared during The Music Man (2002). I played Zaneeta and was the choreographer. This show marked the first of many shows I performed and choreographed.

Tap dancing in the Emerald City in the show Wizard of Oz (2003).

Dancing during the Havana scene in Guys and Dolls (2005).

I remember my dance partner memorized creepy things to say in Spanish to make me laugh while we were dancing. Fun times!

Another Guys and Dolls picture. That's my friend Maren as Adelaide and I was a Hot Box dancer. This was one of my favorite shows to choreograph!

My big hair was good for something! This is me as Wendy Jo in Footloose (2006)! This was the first time I choreographed Footloose- I ended choreographing it again several years later at the school district I work at. This was also the first show Paul ever saw me perform in!

In 2011, at the age of 29, I got to perform in one of my bucket list shows...

I was in the chorus, so I sang and danced in a lot of small parts. I was also Alexi Darling. "Mark Cohen, Alexi Darling, from Buzzzzzline!"

Even if you know theater, you will never, ever guess what show this is from... GODSPELL (2011)! Yeah, our director had a different vision and made our version set in an office. That's me and my friend Randy. I performed in countless shows with Randy, now he is a big time theater performer and improv-er in Harrisburg.

Did you ever perform in high school musicals or community theater?

Why I Would Suck At Survivor

As you may know, I am a HUGE fan of the TV show Survivor. It is one of my favorite shows to watch with Paul. Did you know Paul is hilarious? We just laugh and joke through every episode and find the same types of things funny.

Not only are we going through each old season one by one (there are 30 seasons total so it takes time), but we are also watching the current season: Survivor World's Apart.

Jeff Probst hyped this season up to be one of the best seasons of Survivor ever, but I am not seeing it. Sure, there are hilarious parts, but there are also a ton of unlikable people. (My personal least favorite picks: Jenn, Shirin, and Will... UGH!)

Of the older seasons, we tend to really like the ones that most people don't like. Some of our favorites include: Thailand, Fiji, Panama, and Vanuatu.

Well, in honor of tonight's Survivor Finale (GO Carolyn!), I thought I would give you the top reasons why I would suck at Survivor. Watching it so often makes me wonder what it would like to be in the show. Part of me thinks it would be a ton of fun, but the other part of me knows that I would maybe last 2 days at the most out there!

AKA: I hate people. I lived alone in college. I had a roommate for a couple months after college, but I hated it. I am just not a "live with someone else" type of person. Paul and I are pretty independent, so even though we are obviously married and live together, we have a lot of independence from each other as well. I couldn't imagine living with 7-10 other strangers on a beach and actually have to be social 24/7.

Want to know what I'm thinking? Just look at my face. I cannot hide my feelings and emotions! Paul and my mom can vouch for this one! (And probably my students!)

I am a straight up super bitch when I am hungry. And being that I am a pig athlete, I am used to packing A LOT of food in. It is not uncommon to go several days without food and water on Survivor (depending on when you get fire). I would either pass out from hunger or go bat shit crazy and get kicked off the show.

I get cold very easily and I just hate it so bad! Nights on Survivor are cold and wet. Whenever I listen to past Survivors talk about the show, they say the hardest thing is being cold and wet at night. It's the one thing that is so hard and just does not translate well onto the screen. It's sort of something you have to experience yourself to understand. NO THANK YOU!

I would definitely go down in history as the first Survivor contestant who quit the show because she missed her cats.

OH MY GOSH, I FORGOT MAYBE THE MOST IMPORTANT REASON I WOULD SUCK AT SURVIVOR....

Do you watch Survivor? Do you think you would be good at it?

What reality show would you go on if you could? Big Brother- as long as I could bring Christmas, Jelly, and Paul with me into the house!