NC Odyssey Project: Alamance County

Since I'm off work today, I joined George for lunch at his work today. He works at a company called Kidde, which is part of United Technologies, and his office is in Mebane, so I decided to kill two birds with one stone and visit another county in my North Carolina Odyssey Project.

Mebane is in Alamance County, North Carolina, and is just west of the center of the state, between Durham and Greensboro. Burlington is the largest city in Alamance County, but Graham is the county seat.

Alamance County is the home of Elon University, a regional school that was called Elon College when I moved to the area. I'd intended to take a few shots of Elon to include here, but I got sidetracked! I took the exit before Elon to stroll down Memory Lane at on outlet mall I used to go to called BMOC (Burlington Manufacturers Outlet Center). Apparently, it's changed hands, though, and is now called Burlington Outlet Village. I was a little disappointed by the selection of stores--it made me wonder if I missed some of them! I certainly remembered being impressed by the area some years ago. I did stop in a FinishLine outlet store, but a customer who came in after me let me know one of the tires on the passenger side of my car was looking low. Yikes! I may have stayed longer and gotten into the shopping groove, but I decided to search out a place to get my tire looked at, since I was 30-40 minutes from home.

I found myself at Burlington Honda, and they said it would be about an hour before they could look at my tire. *sigh* I was glad to have made it there safely, though! One of the men there pointed out that my inspection was going to run out at the end of this month, so I decided to go ahead and have it taken care of there. They couldn't find a leak in my tire, so I'll just have to keep an eye on it. At least I got the inspection done, and they were friendly. I did pick up a pamphlet about the 2008 Honda Accords, as one of my 2008 New Year Resolutions is to start saving for a new car.

I decided to head toward home at the point, but I really wanted to do something touristy. I'd seen signs for the Alamance Battleground on my way down the interstate, so I decided to follow the signs and check it out. I enjoyed driving through rural Alamance County south of Burlington (about 6 miles out), but when I got there, it was closed! Rats! I did get to drive through the rural town of Alamance, though, and it was kinda neat.

Before I left the county, I stopped at a Sheetz station for some really cheap gas!!

One of the things I'd like to do when I return to Alamance County is visit some of the wineries on the Haw River Wine Trail. Having gas prices like this ($2.79 9/10) might help. ;-)

Merry Christmas 2007!

This has been a different Christmas, but a relaxing one, for sure. I stayed in town to stay on the Rice Diet Program, and since George had the day off too, we've been able to spend some time together! I worked out at the gym this morning (ran 3.61 miles in 40 minutes), was the only one there. Then George and I went to the Rice House for Christmas lunch. I opened some nice presents from my family in between! (A couple of favorites are a Garmin Forerunner 205 and a picture of Duke Gardens!) It was great to talk to them by phone this afternoon. (Mom and Dad are visiting my sister and her family in California.)

This evening George and I had dinner with his brother, parents, and grandparents, in Cary, and that was a treat. Eventhough they don't celebrate Christmas (they're Jewish), it was great to be with my surrogate family for the evening.

I didn't get a Christmas tree up this year, and I wish I had! I think I've missed having Christmas traditions this year. I have a year to think about what I'd like to do about that. Since George and I share an apartment now, I'll have to consult him before layering the apartment in red and green, but I'm sure I can come up with something!

10 New Years Resolutions for 2008

Every so often I look for a meme to inspire me. A cute one I just came across is called "10 on Tuesday." Although it's not Tuesday, I decided that 10 on Thursday works too. So here's a list of 10 resolutions I'll work on in 2008:

1) Get to goal weight
2) Run a half marathon
3) Organize my cubicle at work
4) Take more pictures
5) Make progress on personal project of visiting all 100 NC counties
6) Read more
7) Spend more time with friends and family
8) Hang up pictures in the apartment
9) Organize my home office
10)Start saving for a new car

Running

This morning I ran 4.54 miles on the treadmill, the longest I've run in 20+ years! I'm excited about my progress....and feeling a little sore and tired right now. It's a "good" sore and tired, though. I've signed up for a 4-mile race here in Durham in February. While I'd like to sign up for more races soon, I'm a wuss when it comes to cold weather! Still, I'm interested in seeing my progress on the road, since I normally run indoors on the treadmill (when not racing).

I'm on the verge of signing up for a fall half marathon, as a big goal for 2008. It's exciting to think about, but it gives me butterflies too. Can I be ready?

Tracing My Roots

I've enjoyed getting back into my genealogy work this weekend. I'm on my second genealogy software program since getting a new computer back in August. The first, The Master Genealogist, is supposed to be for serious genealogists. I found it to be a bit tedious, to be honest. Granted, I had a busy semester with school in addition to work, exercise, the Rice Diet, Junior League, church, etc, so I didn't have the time I'd hoped to spend learning the program.

I finally bit the bullet and purchased a second genealogy program, RootsMagic, the succcessor to Family Origins, which I used to use. (It was discontinued and support ceased.) It was such a relief to install and pull it up on my computer! It was as if I'd come home! It reminds me a lot of the Family Origins software, but I can tell it's been updated. Needless to say, it's been much easier for me to use.

I've spent some of my free time this weekend entering data on my McLamb line, and it's been a treat. One of my projects for 2008 is to put out a McLamb family newsletter. It's nice returning to work on my family tree!

In My Car...

I'm listening to books on CD in my car again. I just finished listening to Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods, a book about his hiking journey on the Appalachian Trail. I'd read this book a few years back, because at the time I was fascinated by the thought of hiking the "AT." I enjoyed listening to the book this time. One of the things that bugged me, though, was that I thought the narrator on the CD was pronouncing "Appalachian" wrong, with a long A sound in the third syllable, rather than the short A sound that I use. I just learned, though, that the long A pronunciation is used in the northern part of the Appalachian mountain range that the Appalachian Trail is named for, while the short A pronunciation is used in the southern part of the range. It turns out that Bill Bryson is from New Hamsphire, and I'm in North Carolina, of course, hence the difference in pronunciation.

Now I'm listening to Two for the Dough, by Janet Evanovich. George's Aunt Gail recommended this mystery series to me, so I'm going through them while in the car, since I have a longer commute now. I've already listened to One for the Money.

Time

Since I finished my online class (Intro to Computers) at Wake Tech Sunday night, and it's been so nice having more free time the past couple of nights. Of course, most of my after-work time so far has been spent running errands and doing things I've been putting off while I studied for the class. There are still so many things I need to do, and look forward to doing, in the weeks ahead. I feel like this extra time is a gift, and I want to make good use of it!

One of the things I'm looking forward to doing soon is Christmas cards!

Toy Car Spotting

Okay, so it's not a real toy car, but a real car with toys glued ON it, and it offically falls under the category of an art car! It's a blue Mazda 626 with all sorts of things attached to it, in an "underwater mah jongg" theme! I've seen the car several times in the past year and a half, mostly in western Durham. Check out a picture of the car and its owner here.

A New Year

I turned another year older a couple of days ago. It was a nice day, all in all! I worked, of course, and met George's family that night at Stonewood Grill in Cary for the beginning of Hanukkah. George kept it a surprise for me that he was also coordinating a little birthday party for me in conjuction with the family get-together. It was all very nice! George even got a muffin recipe from the Rice Diet and had his mom make a mini-birthday cake for me! The server at the restaurant brought it out with a single candle. :D

It's put me in a pensive mood this week. What do I want to accomplish this coming year?

Freedom of Speech

Tonight I went to hear Karl Rove speak in Page Auditorium at Duke. Tickets were free, but they did end up "selling out." Now, my political views are a little more liberal than Karl Rove's, but still, it was fascinating to hear him talk and be in the audience, where there was clapping on both sides of the political fence, and even some demonstrators. Rove is a very intelligent man, but also gave me the impression of a spin doctor. (He knew a lot of facts and figures, which was impressive, but also...) I do think he answered many of the questions thoroughly, and handled the indoor protestors and hecklers very well, too.

The talk was moderated by Duke political science professor Peter Feaver, and he did a good job of moving things along, I thought. George's father joined me for the talk, and that was nice. I wish I'd had time to stay for more of the Q&A, but I had to rush off to a meeting in Durham. I did hear one person ask when his trial for treason would start, a reference to the Valerie Plame affair. Rove answered that if he were in the wrong, he wouldn't be sitting there on the stage.

All the way around, it was a very interesting evening, and I'm glad I went!

Jingle Bell Run 5K Race Report

I had a great time running the Jingle Bell Run in Raleigh yesterday! I knocked about two minutes off of my last 5K race time with the help of an unexpected running buddy! My race report, on my other blog, is here.

NC Odyssey Project: Wake County

Where: Wake County, NC

When: December 1, 2007

Yesterday, December 1, I ran in the Jingle Bell 5K Run in Raleigh, NC, (see race report here), which happens to be in Wake County. Here's to the second county in my North Carolina Odyssey Project!

Raleigh is the capital of North Carolina, and it happens to be where I went to high school. It's home to a number of academic institutions, include NC State, Shaw, Meredith, Peace, and Wake Technical Community College. Culturally, there are many things to do in the area. There are some wonderful museums, including the North Carolina Museum of Art, the North Carolina Museum of History, and the North Carolina Museum of Natural History. There are also music opportunities, including the NC Symphony Orchestra. Raleigh is also home to the Carolina Hurricanes, the 2006 Stanley Cup Champions.

Raleigh is considered part of the Triangle, along with Durham and Chapel Hill (and surrounding areas). I believe part of the Research Triangle Park is in Wake County as well.

Pictures above are 1) Smedes Hall, one of the main buildings on the campus of St. Mary's School, where the Jingle Bell Run started and finished, 2) The Bishop's House, also on the SMS campus, the SMS Chapel, 3) the St. Mary's Chapel, 4) a painted wolf in front of the Kenan Library on the St. Mary's campus, made as part of the Raleigh Red Wolf Project, and 5) and picture of Wade Avenue in Raleigh, taken from my car early yesterday morning (yay for light traffic!).

I enjoyed running in the Jingle Bell Run in Raleigh, partly because I got to see some of the sights there along Hillsborough Street, including part of the Capitol complex, NC State and the Bell Tower, and St. Mary's, of course.

NC Odyssey Project: Durham County

Where: Durham County, NC

When: November 30, 2007

Taking pictures of the Duke University campus is always a treat, but especially on Friday, the start of my new pet, the North Carolina Odyssey Project. Duke is Durham County's largest employer, with over 27,000 employees (larger than the town where I grew up!). Durham is Durham County's largest city, and is home to North Carolina Central University and Durham Technical Community College, as well as Duke. It's nickname is the City of Medicine, due to the top notch medical facilities in the area. You'll also find cultural things to do here, including the Durham Bulls (of the movie "Bull Durham" fame) and the American Dance Festival, as well as many activities associated with the universities.

The picture above is of Duke Chapel on West Campus at Duke.

Here are a couple of pictures of West Campus.

Durham County is also home to the Research Triangle Park, known as RTP around here. According to the website, it's the largest research park in the nation, and is home to companies and agencies such as IBM, GlaxoSmithKline, Nortel, and the EPA.

Gospel singer Shirley Caesar and author Clyde Edgerton were born in Durham.

North Carolina Odyssey Project

I've decided to give myself the challenge of visiting all 100 counties in North Carolina! Although I've traveled across North Carolina since I was a child, I decided not to count anything I've done before. I want to make it fresh for me, to include friends and family when possible, and record my findings, hopefully with pictures as well as writing. I started it officially this past Friday, November 30, with the county where I live and work. Simple enough, but it counts! If you have any suggestions of places I should visit in NC, let me know! I know many of the obvious spots, but would love to hear about neat places that might be under the radar.

In My Dreams....

I had a dream early this morning that I was running in a 5K race and nearing a PR (personal record) when I came across a building along the course with a restroom in it, so I popped in. While I was in there, someone pointed out where the race expo was, but I didn't stay and look because I wanted to get back out and finish the race. When I got back outside I didn't see any runners, so I ran ahead and discovered I'd taken a wrong turn! I followed the other runners down the right trail, worried that I'd really fallen behind! My alarm went off before I finished the dream, so I don't know how the race turned out.

I listened to a running podcast yesterday that talked about weather. In one instance, it started snowing before a winter-time race, but after they'd marked directional arrows on the road. The first-place runner took a wrong turn, but corrected himself in time to win the race anyway! That wasn't happening to me in this particular race. :)

In My Purse....

Okay, this is the mobile version of "By My Bed....," as I've found I like to have a book in my purse. It's handy for reading over lunch at work (after I've finished reading "The Chronicle"), or when I have a long wait somewhere. Anyway, the paperback currently in my purse is Dan Brown's Angels and Demons. I've read The DaVinci Code and enjoyed it. So far, Angels and Demons is off to a good start!

Some Days Are Like This....

I wonder if today will be one of those days! I felt a little out of sorts when I woke up this morning, and I haven't sorted back out yet.

In My Dreams....

When the alarm clock went off this morning, I instantly remembered I'd been dreaming. I dreamed that George and I were participating in a version of the TV show "The Amazing Race," held mostly in the North Carolina mountains, but at one point I had to check in on the Duke campus for some clues to continue. I knew George was part of this grand scavenger hunt, but we weren't working together in my dream, so I asked a person or two if they'd seen him and knew of his progress. I was both curious and a little competitive! ;-) I don't remember if we were on the same team but in a "divide and conquer" mode, or if we were competing against each other.

I've enjoyed watching "The Amazing Race" in seasons past, but haven't watched it at all this fall. Time in front of the television has been limited the past few months. I think this is a great trend, overall!

New Size!

This afternoon I met Mom for some shopping at Talbot's at the mall. It was fun to try on clothes and discover that I'm down to a size 14 on the women's (plus) side of the store! This gives me hope that I'll be on the regular side of the store in the months ahead! One of the things I've missed is shopping in "normal" clothing stores.

Snuggle Socks

Last night I made my way to a couple of stores, Dick's Sporting Goods and Barnes and Noble. At Dick's I was looking for some leggings for cold weather running, and a long sleeve t-shirt or two. I was reminded that they're a little on the expensive side, so I stuck with the leggings, which, at $50 (wow!), and a pair of snuggle socks! I found the snuggle socks in the Life is Good section, where I drooled over the long and short sleeve t-shirts. I was delighted to find that the XL fit me with room to spare, then I remembered that Mom told me they run a little big. Now I wish I'd tried on the short sleeve Life is Good tee that had "Gotta Run" and a pair of worn sneakers on the front, plus the Life is Good Face on the back. The Life is Good t-shirts are all $25 a piece there.

I wore the snuggle socks last night, and they kept my feet very warm, so life is good, indeed.

By My Bed....

Right now I'm reading the book The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals, by Michael Pollan. I'm only about 100 pages into it, but I'm fascinated so far by the economics of corn and agribusiness. (Strange but true!) So far, I'd recommend it. I have to finish it soon, as someone has a hold on it after me, so my lending period is only two weeks!

Inspiration

George and I joined his family for Thanksgiving dinner at the Washington Duke Inn last evening, and it was wonderful! I was able to eat well without overdoing it, between the salad bar (including yummy salads and fresh fruit), some green beans and mahi mahi, and some more fruit for dessert. The layout of the dining room was well thought out, with salad bars on each side, and the hot food bar down the middle of the room, with the carving area (turkey, roast beef, etc.) in the back of the room (or the front of the room, depending on your perspective, I guess!). The desserts were in a totally different area, which, personally, I REALLY appreciated! :)

Best of all, though, I enjoyed the company last evening. It was so nice to catch up with George's family last night. Icing on the cake: I sat next to a family friend, Mrs. W., who's actually a retired pediatrician, in her 90s. She is still so incredibly sharp, and I love, love, love talking with her! We talked politics, the environment, family, my diet, all kinds of things. She's such an inspiration to me, and I'm always glad to see her at family affairs!

Beautiful Libraries

A co-worker sent us this link to pictures of beautiful libraries, and it's definitely worth a look-see! What a feast for the eyes! Check it out:

http://curiousexpeditions.org/2007/09/a_librophiliacs_love_letter_1.html

Thanksgiving 2007

Again, this will be a slightly different Thanksgiving for me. I'll be having lunch at the Rice House, staying on the Rice Diet. For dinner, George and I are joining his family at a local hotel restaurant, which is very nice. The plan is to eat my Rice Diet supper ahead of time, and once at the hotel, look for what I may be able to eat, like salad, fresh vegetables, or raw or steamed veggies.

Apex Turkey Trot Race Report

I ran another 5K this morning, the Apex Turkey Trot, and set a new PR! Click here to check out my race report.

Duke Football

I know, I know, the words Duke and football have a much different meaning to most folks than, say, Duke and basketball. Still, I enjoy rooting for the football team as well. I've been a lifelong Duke football fan, in fact. Even before I became a Duke basketball fan, I was pulling for the football team. What's even more surprising is that I grew up in Alabama--SEC Country, close to both Auburn and the University of Alabama! The reason for this craziness is that my dad played football for Duke, so I grew up hearing football stories, and even going to some games, as my sister came to Duke, and I followed a few years later. I continue to follow the team, and usually attend at least one game a year. Part of it is that I love fall weather and an excuse to be outside, doing something social. I'm also an eternal optimist--yes, my glass is usually half full! I keep hoping things will turn around for the Duke football team, which has just one win (out of 10 games) so far this year.

Well, I was just checking this week's football rankings. Duke is #86, and this week's worthy opponent, Notre Dame (also 1-9 for the season), happens to be ranked #88! On paper, it should be a close game! Wish the game were going to be in Durham, but it'll be in South Bend. I'll be crossing my fingers!

Extreme Makeover-Cubicle Edition

I've decided to start working on my cubicle space at work, to make it more organized and pleasant! Of course, my department is moving to a new building next summer. On one hand, why get all gussied up if I'm moving? Well, that's actually a good reason! A big part of what I need to do is DEAL with all the books and things that have landed on my desk and shelves. Some of the things are gathering dust, I noticed on Friday. Ick! The less I have to move into the new space, the better.

I also want to have a space that's pleasant to work in on a daily basis, and where others feel "relaxed" when they stop by. When people stop or walk by now, what do they think? She has lots to do? She's unorganized? Whatever the thoughts, I'd like to clear the clutter, spruce up the plants, and make it a more pleasing work environment. Now that I've blogged about it, I've got to do it, right?!

I took a couple of pictures of my work area on my camera phone last Thursday, which I've added above. I didn't notice until just now that I pretty much missed my desk area! Ooops! I need to work on it as well, though I made some good headway on Friday afternoon. Meanwhile, if you have any suggestions, please let me know!

Lost & Found

Yesterday morning I realized that I was missing my gold chain necklace, which I wear nearly every day. I couldn't imagine it falling off, and I couldn't imagine WHERE I'd left it. When I got home last night, I started retracing my steps, even clearing away some clutter (yay!), but to no avail. This morning I kept my eyes peeled as I went through my morning routine, looking in odd as well as obvious places. I shouted out in delight when I finally found it--in my UNDERWEAR drawer, of all places! I have no clue how it got THERE! But I'm happy I found it. :-)

Where's the strangest place you've found a missing item?

Latest Progress Pictures from the Rice Diet

Back in September, they took another "progress picture" of me at the Rice Diet Program. It's encouraging to see the progress, really, as I don't really see it in the mirror on a daily basis.

August 2006

February 2007

September 2007

Free to Breathe 5K Completed!

I ran in the Free to Breathe 5K in Raleigh this morning, and ran a personal best! My race report is on one of my other blogs. Read about it here!

Happy Halloween (a day late)!

Even with work and a busy evening, I had a nice Halloween! This is my second Halloween on the Rice Diet, so sweets are off limits, of course. I decided to pass on yesterday's annual library-wide Halloween lunch, which included pizza and homemade desserts this year. It sounded wonderful, but I decided to forego the temptations! Last night, though, I went to the library on East Campus to hear Reynolds Price tell his Halloween tales, and it was charming, as always! He has such a wonderful, melodious voice, and a good sense of humor, to boot.

Afterward, I stopped by to see one of my nieces, LLJ, who's a freshman at Duke, and lives near library I visited last night. We had a good visit before her night out on the town in Chapel Hill, which has a big bash on Franklin St. every Halloween. She shared a cute story from earlier yesterday! She and a friend decided to dress up as ghosts for their big Econ. lecture yesterday. They went to class early and put their bookbags in seats in the middle of the lecture hall, then slipped out to don their sheets, which they cut holes in for their eyes and mouth. Only catch was, they accidentally bought bottom sheets, so the bottoms of their sheets were curling under and poofy! They glided back into the lecture hall just as the class was about to start, now with a full room of people! Now, with their sheets on, no one knew who they were, but with the sheet bottoms acting as they do sometimes, elastic and all, they kept getting hung up on chairs and knees and stuff as they made their way to their seats. Afterward, LLJ says, other friends from the class were saying, "Who were those two people dressed up as ghosts?" LLJ and her friend shrugged their shoulders, "I don't know!" Cute!

I didn't get home until after 8:00, and we didn't have any trick-or-treaters, but I didn't expect any, really. I didn't even buy any candy.

How did YOU celebrate Halloween?!

Signed Up for Another 5K!

I just decided to sign up for a 5K road race THIS WEEKEND! It's the Free to Breathe 5K in Raleigh, with proceeds going to fight lung cancer. I feel like I need something to shake things up workout-wise, even before the Apex Turkey Trot on the 17th with Laura.

My main goal will be to improve my last 5K time of 42 minutes. I would love, love, love to break the 40 minute mark. Will it happen this weekend? Not sure, but I'm going to try!

Busy Day

Today, I'll split my time between the Rice Diet Program, where they're having a reunion weekend, and ERUUF, which is having a fund-raising auction tonight. I'm excited about being asked to be on a panel this afternoon at the RD reunion. I'm going to take long the pair of jeans I was wearing my first day at the Rice Diet. I'm not sure I'll show them, don't want to come across as showing off, but I think it's pretty cool. The pants just drop to the floor now.

Meanwhile, my heart's still heavy from hearing the news yesterday about B.M.'s husband passing away Thursday night. So sad.

Life Down the Road

I just finished reading the book The Number: What Do You Need for the Rest of Your Life and What Will It Cost? , by Lee Eisenberg. It was a pretty good read, with no new information really, but it was well written, and got me thinking more about retirement. Just yesterday, I had an appointment with a TIAA-CREF rep over in Duke South about my 403b. I took my various retirement investments in, he crunched some numbers, and recommended that I diversify my allocations to be in the "very aggressive" category. According to the number crunching stuff, I was already "aggressive" about my retirement money, a good thing at my age, but I decided to take the advice to step it up a notch. The projection was that at my current contributions and allocations, I'd probably be okay as long as Social Security is still around, but if it isn't, well, I wouldn't be in very good shape. Eeeek!

Body Image

I've had a couple of conversations recently about body image and my weight loss, which is all pretty obvious by the clothes I wear these days. My older clothes are pretty baggy (at least, the ones that aren't too big for me to wear now), but the newer clothes are more form fitting, and I always get more compliments on my weight loss when I wear the new clothes. It's hard for me to give up the baggy clothes in a way, and equally difficult for me to buy more form-fitting things. I'm still "seeing" my old body.

Another 5K on the way

I've signed up for another 5K, the Apex Turkey Trot on November 17th! As I'd hoped, it has helped rev up my workouts and get me recharged. Of course, I overdid it at the gym this morning, and am feeling a bit tired. I hope to do some running on the treadmill tomorrow morning.

North Carolina State Fair

George and I made it to the North Carolina State Fair last night and had a fun time. We almost didn't go, then the lines for tickets were so long, we almost turned back around. We found a shorter line to get in, and we were glad we did. It was a beautiful night to be out and about! It was really crowded inside, though--big surprise, with it being the last Saturday night of the fair. We enjoyed the crafts, bunnies, and various exhibits. Of course, we had some roasted corn (sans butter, of course), which was yummy. Later, George stopped for ice cream, and I was able to find a place nearby that served a decent garden salad for $5. (The rest of the fair food was tempting at times! George's ice cream looked really good, of course! And I must admit, I was both intrigued and repulsed by all the deep fried delicacies offered at the fair: cheesecake, candy bars, even deep fried peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and Coca-Cola (how does THAT work??)!) At the end, we went to the Village of Yesteryear area and poked around while waiting for the fireworks to start. (The tobacco barn display was warm inside, which felt good at that point of the night!) The fireworks were surprisingly impressive, bright and loud, but parts were quite pretty!

I'm always impressed by the crafts with ribbons hanging from them, and wonder how people get to that level. Is it through a county fair? How does one enter? Of course, I'd love to get good enough at something to have the confidence to enter! ;-) I guess a big part of it is how I choose to spend my time!

We plan to go back next year, but plan a little better for the things we'd like to see and do.

Well-Rounded Week

This has been a busy week, and it's only Thursday! I've had two meetings-both ERUUF-related but different. I had a paper due for my computer class at Wake Tech, which had me awake past midnigt the past two nights, but it's DONE! On Tuesday, I got to visit with LH, a former co-worker from my Wake Forest days. Her husband was having surgery at Duke Hospital, so I was able to walk over and visit with her while she waited. It was really good to visit with her!

Today I had lunch with JC, an former intern in our department last spring and summer. She's in library science school, and is interning in the Reference Dept. at Duke now, in addition to continuing her degree at UNC. It was fun talking with her about a variety of things, including school, the GRE, and apartment living.

This afternoon I made an appointment to talk with a TIAA-CREF rep next week about my retirement fund allocations. Since most of my retirement funds are with TIAA-CREF now, I need some advice, perhaps some reassurance, about how things are set up right now. My retirement has really been on my mind lately, so I was glad to see the opportunity to talk with someone, even if the rep is going to be a little biased toward his company!

I must admit, I'm feeling pretty wiped out. My exercise sessions have gotten shorter as I've gotten more tired. I feel low on energy, but am fighting the urge to succomb to caffeine. Tonight, I'll go to bed early.

End of Vacation

Tomorrow I'm returning to work after a week off! I've enjoyed the time off, by and large. It's been nice having a week off that's outside the realm of Christmas break. There are plenty of things I wish I'd done that I've run out of time for, but I did accomplish quite a few things.

I am looking forward to going back to work; I feel rejuvenated for the change of scenery. Of course, I need to get to bed soon to keep that feeling going! I have two ERUUF-related meetings this week, one tomorrow night and one on Wednesday. I have a big paper due for CIS110 on Wednesday, as well.

George and I have started talking about our finances as a couple, and we're discovering that we have different thoughts and financial personalities, as it were. We'll have more discussions, I'm sure, as we make our way through this new territory. Part of it is surely the fact that I'm ten years older and have thought more about retirement. In the mean time, this discussion has motivation me to order a book from Amazon called Financial Bliss: A Couples Guide to Merging Money Styles and Building a Rich Life Together. I figure it can't hurt to read it and start getting some ideas.

Pictures from the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia

More Pictures from Endless Caverns in Virginia

Pictures from Endless Caverns in New Market, Virginia

Vacation in Virginia

George and I had an interesting time in Virginia for our vacation. As it turned out, we learned at least as much about each other and our traveling selves as we did about the area. We realized we didn't plan enough for this trip, for starters. Our "trip luck" works best when we do plan. We did plan well with our hotel, trying out the Country Inns and Suites for the first time. We enjoyed this Roanoke hotel, which was clean, convenient, and had nice amenities, including an indoor pool and hot tub. It also had a lending library of classics with fresh covers, which I thought was quaint! I would've taken advantage of a couple of books, but I was already looking forward to finishing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and The Kite Runner, which I'd brought with me.

Even without our usual planning, we had a good time, including visits to Endless Caverns and Grand Caverns in Virginia, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and a great stop in Floyd, VA, which turned out to be a charming little town, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway. We had a healthy lunch and decaf coffee at a quaint little place called Cafe del Sol, and stopped by the Floyd Country Store as well.

We're already looking forward to our next vacation together, and of course we've already started planning! :)

What a Weekend!

Yesterday I did something really different for me! I was the Worship Associate at ERUUF! It was a great experience, helping with both worship services (at 9:15 and 11:15). My reflection about worship appeared to go over pretty well--my biggest regret is not having it better memorized. Don tied my thoughts into his sermon impressively, and Mary was in the audience smiling and nodding at encouraging times. Before and after each service, I helped Don meet and greet everyone who stopped by, and that was fun too.I must admit, though, I was tired when I got home. I took a long nap, and didn't talk much for the rest of the day. Even today, I'm not in a talkative mood, though I've pushed to be my normal self at work. Tonight I have Covenant Group, and it feels a bit challenging to know I'll need to be engaged in the discussion tonight as well. I need a little longer to coccoon!On Saturday, I went shopping to look for a new outfit to wear on Sunday. I didn't want to look like I was from the 'hood in front of all of ERUUF. :) It was a great shopping experience! I found three pairs of pants and two tops, all of which I could wear at work or to church. The pants were all size 16s, and the tops were (shock!) size 14/16! The two tops are the same style, just different colors. I wore one yesterday, and another today. (So much for saving them for special occasions, huh?!) I've gotten some nice compliments, and it's been so encouraging.After shopping for clothes for Saturday, I went to a nail place at the mall, and got a manicure at Avalon. I used to enjoy their services, but I didn't enjoy it as much on Saturday. The gal who worked with me kept trying to sell me on other services (French nails, waxing), but didn't chat with me about anything else. I brushed it all off, but will keep looking for anoher nail salon.I got my hair cut on Thursday in preparation for yesterday's deal, and went to a new place, Bella Trio Day Spa. I thoroughly enjoyed that experience! I arrived early, and was scouting out the different stylists to see who I'd pick to do my hair if I'd known ahead of time who to ask for. Well, the lady I'd "picked" was the one who I had the appointment with! I was watching her finish up on one lady, who's hair looked great! She seemed to be interacting in an engaged way, knowledgeable, friendly, and upbeat. Well, she ended up being a delight to talk to, and did a great job on my hair, with good styling advice to boot! Her name is Debbie, and I plan to return to her. :-) (They do nails, by the way, but I usually get my nails done on a whim, when I happen to have the time and cash. I love being able to decided on it and walk in to a place!)Saturday afternoon, after shopping and nails, I went to a party over at Steph's house. It was great to see her and several others from Covenant Group, ERUUF, and even Toastmasters! A fun time!

Could It Get Any Busier?

I'm in the middle of a very busy stretch, with meetings all around, homework for my computer class, and being the Worship Associate for tomorrow's services. Part of me feels very alive and on the ball. Part of me would love to coccoon, and curl up on the couch with the final Harry Potter book, which I've been reading for over a month! I've got about 100 or so pages so go, and I'm lucky to read 3-4 pages a day right now. Even though I'm enjoying work and the activities I'm involved in, I'm sooo hoping to have more down time soon!

Good doctor's visit

I had a follow-up appointment with my doctor this morning, and it went well! She was pleased that I'd lost over 50 lbs since my last visit with her. :-)

Church Involvement

Next Sunday will be my first time as a Worship Associate at Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. While I'm a little nervous, I'm mostly excited! The service will be ABOUT worship. Funny, I've been thinking I want to find time to get my hair cut as well as a manicure and pedicure, maybe even a new outfit. Of course, doing this is not about how I look, but I want to look my best, even if it is church. Having the extra "polish" will probably help with the nervousness.

Reality TV

I used to be pretty hooked on reality TV! Favorite shows in this genre included "Survivor,""Amazing Race," and "The Biggest Loser." I'm discovering that the latest installments haven't sucked me in like they have in previous seasons. I think my perspective has changed, especially with "The Biggest Loser." (Maybe a little bit of it is that I'm jealous that I can't take several weeks off to just concentrate on my weight loss efforts!) Of course, a big part of it is that I just don't have the luxury of watching while television shows anymore! Free time is too valuable and scarse, and these days I'd rather be spending time with George or other friends and family, reading, or catching a good movie than watching TV.

The Week That Was

It's not even the end of the week on the calendar, but this past week has been a busy, busy one!

Much of my free time has been taken up by an online class, Introduction to Computers, that I'm taking through Wake Technical Community College, called Wake Tech for short. I thought this would be a pretty easy class, a good way to get my feet wet, to ease my transition back into juggling work and school. (I've been thinking about going for a Masters in Library Science for several years.) The class has turned out to be more challenging and time consuming than I expected! Of course, part of it is that I'm "just a little" competitive about grades and want to do well. Part of it is that I don't know as much about computers as I thought! Last weekend I had two online tests and a lab to do by Sunday night at midnight, and I had another deadline last night, the outline for my class project. I decided to do it on online career tests and how accurate (or not) they are. I had to choose three online career assessments out of the oodles of choices, take them, and find other sources as well, for the outline. I submitted it with about 30 minutes to spare last night. *sigh* This one class is wearing me out! :-P

George and I had our covenant group meeting Monday night in Chapel Hill. It goes from 7:15-9:15, so I go straight there from supper at the Rice House, and George goes straight from work. With chatting and stuff afterward, it's usually 10:00 before we get home, wind down and go to bed. It's more challenging now that I have this class going on. Studying is pretty much out those two nights of the month. It's a great group of people, though.

Meanwhile, I have a long to do list for the rest of the week, including some things for ERUUF, school, and home. And of course, continuing the Rice Diet is time consuming, but so worth it!

Catching Up with Friends

I had a good time catching up with a couple of old friends over the weekend! One was an old high school classmate, Kathryn, and the other an old buddy from my summer at Yellowstone National Park. It was fun catching up with the both of them by phone. I missed a phone call from a Rice Diet friend, Kim. We're hoping to touch base next weekend. It's really nice to touch base with my personal history.

Junior League Meeting

I went to the first Junior League meeting of the year last night. It was good to be into it. I didn't enjoy last year's placement like I thought (and hoped) I would. This year I've been put on League Lines, the newsletter, which is new for me. I used to do the Triangle Activities newsletter, but this will be different. I talked to this year's editor, and got a copy of Adobe PageMaker to install on my computer. I don't know PageMaker, so I'm going over to the editor's house on Saturday to get a lesson. I'm looking forward to learning a new software for me.

The main speaker last night was Molly Barker, the founder of Girls On The Run. I really enjoyed hearing her story--very inspiring!

A couple of acquaintances at the meeting said something about my weight loss, which was encouraging. :)