Comments (24)

By kilax, July 7, 2012 10:38 am

My leg tan line is getting so crazy ridiculous. I love it. I can’t wait to see it at the end of the summer. 

I’m curious if any of you are sporting super crazy tan lines? I cannot be the only one…

To bribe you to show me your crazy tan lines, I am going to have a little contest (with a giveaway, of course!).

All you have to do is send me a picture of your crazy tan line(s) via email (kilax@ilaxstudio.com) or by posting it on my Facebook page (and let me know in the comments that you did).  I will post all of the crazy photos for everyone to see, and use random.org to draw a name for the winner. 

The winner gets their choice of ONE of the following:

1. Nathan Quickdraw Plus Handheld 22-oz Water Bottle OR
2. A $25 Road ID Gift Card OR
3. A GU 24 pack, any flavor OR
4. A one-year subscription to Runner’s World 

Crazy Tan Lines Contest/Giveaway Rules

1. One reader will receive ONE of the items of their choice above – Nathan Handheld, Road ID Gift Card, Gu 24-Pack or Runner’s World subscription. 
2. Required to enter the giveaway: email me a photo of your crazy tan lines (kilax@ilaxstudio.com) or post it on my Facebook page. Leave a comment letting me know you did this. 
3. For a bonus extra entry: repost this contest on Facebook (leave a comment letting  me know if you do).
4. This giveaway is open until 5:00 PM CST on Friday July 13.  I will announce the winner on Saturday July 14. 
5. This giveaway is open to US Readers.  

Comments (21)

By kilax, July 6, 2012 6:56 am

Do you enjoy seeing fireworks? Why or why not?

*

I actually tend not to be a huge fan of fireworks! The anxiety over the potential loud noises, and not knowing when they are going to go off, kind of ruins it for me**. So I hadn’t gone to see fireworks for awhile. 

But Steven suggested going this Wednesday and I had a good time! The show was only thirty minutes long, there were no delays during the show, and there were not a lot of scary “booms.” Also, I did not get bitten up by mosquitoes in the dark. That is always a bonus!

*I use the PicFrame app on my phone to make grid photos like this. I just realized they do not have to be square (overall dimensions) on Wednesday. Then yesterday I realized there are even more options for the frame sizes and locations. Kim iPhone fail, for realizing this so late! Derp.
**Good thing I was not in San Diego this Wednesday.

Comments (35)

By kilax, July 5, 2012 6:20 am

Sometimes it seems that the more mobile we become with our smartphones and tablets, the more socially rude we (can?) become as well. I just read an interesting article from the Wall Street Journal – “When Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Crash the Party.” The article was basically anecdotal stories of people’s smartphone usage in social settings:

• To force themselves to pay attention to one another during dinner, a group of six friends stack their phones in the center of the table. The first person to grab their phone has to pick up the tab (they found it very hard not to grab it when they wanted to look up some information).
• A woman hosts a dinner party for 40 and has no where to put dishes because everyone has their phones out on the table.
• At a slumber party for 11-year olds the girls spend the night texting each other and texting the girls who were not invited.

Also, I have to mention these interesting tidbits, because I have thought about them before, especially the last one:

• “Phones now routinely sit on tables in plain sight throughout a meal, used as mobile encyclopedias to feed conversation.” How true is that? I use my phone to fact check things all the time! And to look at my newsfeed for things to talk about.
• “Those not invited learn they have been left out via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Foursquare, creating a new strain of social anxiety for anyone who wishes that private parties might remain so.” I have not run in to this, but we all know about FOMO!
• “Smartphones have become social escorts, Ms. Smith says. ‘When people walk into a room where they don’t know anyone or feel insecure, they reach into their bags and start staring at the screen,’  says Ms. Smith, who is an active after-the-party tweeter.” Do you do this or know anyone who does?

• “For their upcoming wedding this October in Sydney, Australia, Jacqui Stewart, 28, and Andrew Turner, 27, who both work in the technology industry, are banning the use of smartphones. ‘Be Nice, Turn Off that Device … We want you to be able to really enjoy our wedding day, feeling truly present and in the moment with us,’ their wedding website says.” I recently saw a bride’s photos all over Facebook before she posted any of her own, and I really wondered if she was okay with that.

So, what does the title have to do with this? Well, Steven had a real* smartphone well before I did (he got an iPhone in 2009) and he would use it when we were sitting on the couch watching movies. So I started saying “family time!” so he would put his phone away and just chill with me and Data (it sounds bitchy but it’s kind of a joke). Of course, since I got my iPhone this February, I use it all the time! I am bored watching movies, so I play on my phone (at home, not at the theater). That seems to be when I pull it out the most – when I am bored.  And of course, just having a smartphone, you feel like you need to check in on things, since you can.

This article mentions how we instantly publish things to social media sites, now that we have that capability. One story in the article was about a party with George Clooney and how guests were taking their picture with him and posting them to Facebook/etc. before the party was even over. I have to say… I would probably be doing the same thing!

However, I do try to put my phone away at the dinner table, and when spending time with friends (not so much with family, it seems).

What are your smartphone usage rules?

*My Blackberry didn’t really count.

Comments (24)

By kilax, July 4, 2012 2:07 pm

How old is too old to be putting your accomplishments up on your refrigerator door (or kitchen door, if you’re like me)?

Yeah. Twenty-seven is probably too old. But someone from my running club (also named Kim!) told me last week that our names were in the local paper as being the fastest Round Lake runners in the Chicago 13.1 Marathon. Even though it was not a PR for me, it was still a good race, and it’s fun to have your name in the paper! Another running club friend sent me the article. And up it went.

Anyone else still shamelessly pinning up their accomplishments?!

Happy Fourth of July everyone! I tried to sleep in this morning (Data made it hard) then went out for a late morning trail run, wearing my new Mizunos. It was so hot out during my run, I had to take my tank off and wear it as a cape.

Unfortunately, this did not make me run faster, but it felt so good not to have a shirt on! I think I am going to spend the rest of the day with my shirt off. Okay, maybe not, but I will be wearing as little clothes as possible. And drinking lots of cold drinks.

You guys didn’t think I meant alcoholic drinks, did you?!?!?!

Let me know what you’re doing for the fourth, or if you read this tomorrow, what you did for the fourth!

Comments (10)

By kilax, July 3, 2012 6:03 am

That seems to be my M.O. for the past few months, and it’s funny, because I used to be someone who never wanted to do anything after work except eat dinner and go to sleep. But once I started running more, I had to fit my runs in after work. Then I figured out I could fit in going to strength class once a week. Then once I started working from home more, weeknights became even more fun, because we had more time to do whatever – concerts, movies, cruises, picnics… add those full weeknights to packed weekends and we’ve been super busy lately. I’ve noticed that by Sunday I am getting pretty worn out. Sometimes I take a nap, then feel awful on Monday. Yuck! This weekend I skipped the nap and had Monday off. I am hoping I don’t get my normal “beginning of the week headache” today. And let’s just say I am really looking forward to having tomorrow off… and starting the cycle up all over again.

Are you stuck in a work hard, play hard, crash hard cycle too?

 A few photos from playing this weekend:

Thank you to everyone who entered the Chicago Half Marathon Giveaway! I wish I had entries for you all! The winner is #2, Carrie. Carrie, I will forward you the entry code as soon as I get it!

Comments (19)

By kilax, July 2, 2012 8:48 am

A few weeks ago I barely managed to ride six roller coasters at Six Flags with Gina (before feeling like I was going to throw up).

This weekend, I only went on the rope swing at the beach three times. And each time my heart rate rose, and I got all shaky. And I never even tried jumping from the very top step. 

Gosh, I think Steven may have even gone on it more times than me!

It’s official. I’m an old, boring geezer. At the age of 27. Don’t bother to invite me anywhere, folks. I am going to sit inside my house. Knitting a sweater. For my cat. A sweater for a cat with cats knitted on it. First, I just need to learn how to knit. 

Wait! Maybe I am just maturing? Wanting to take care of myself? Yeah! YEAH! That’s it. 

Okay, not really. Because the last time I went off this rope swing I kind of messed up and landed too shallow and hurt my legs a bit. We’ll see how that all ends up. I may ignore it because I am determined to end the Fourth of July Curse this year (I realize riding this rope swing and encouraging family to do so does not help end the curse). 

On a side note, the things people come up with to do on these beaches on the Mississippi River blows my mind. In 2009, there was a man-made water slide at another beach. Many of you have probably not been following my blog long enough to know that that last time I went on this slide, I injured myself when landing (there was a ramp at the end, of course). I pulled a bunch of ligaments or something in my right wrist and that arm was not very functional for several weeks. Ha ha. 

So maybe I just need to work on my landing!

I should do that today!

Comments (11)

By kilax, July 1, 2012 10:31 am

Highlight of the Week: Running with my dad accompanying me on his bike (twice!)! The miles flew by since we (okay, mostly me) were talking. It’s rare I get my dad all to myself so I enjoy our run/rides!

Monday | June 25,  2012: 6 m run
Loc: Millennium Trail, Temp: 72°/70°, Time: 1:02:47, Pace: 10:28 avg, Difficulty: hard 
Tuesday | June 26, 2012: rest
Wednesday | June 27, 2012: strength
Strength: Kettlebell and Step Circuit, Difficulty: medium
Thursday | June 28, 2012: 8 m run (4-7.5 with GRCers) + 4 m bike (w/Steven)
Loc: Rollins Savanna, Temp: 75°/80°, Time: 1:20:32, Pace: 10:04 avg, Difficulty: easy
Loc: Millennium Trail, Temp: 94°/91°, Time: 27:52, Pace: 8.6 mph avg, Difficulty: easy
Friday | June 29, 2012: strength + 5 m run
Strength: Medicine balls, Difficulty: medium/hard
Loc: Neighborhood, Temp: 85°/79°, Time: 52:15, Pace: 10:27, Difficulty: medium
Saturday | June 30, 2012: 14 m run (1-11 w/Dad on his bike)
Loc: Guttenberg, IA, Temp: 67°/77°, Time: 2:36:25, Pace: 11:10 avg, Difficulty: easy
Sunday | July 1, 2012: 8 m run (w/Dad on his bike)
Loc: Guttenberg, IA, Temp: 70°/81°, Time: 1:26:36, Pace: 10:49 avg, Difficulty: easy

Lessons learned:

• Just because it’s cooler, it doesn’t mean you will run faster… if you haven’t run in three days (re: Monday). 
• Eat enough before the run. Steven and I are trying to eat less, but I did not eat enough Friday morning to have a successful lunchtime run.
• Putting the alarm clock in an adjacent room helped me get out of bed for my Saturday am run (on only five+ hours of sleep).
• Use lots and lots and lots of Vaseline for humid runs. Ouch. I chafed so bad on Saturday (despite wearing Vaseline and Body Glide) that applying spray-on sunscreen later in the day made me feel like I was burning.

Links:

Check out the Run Chicago South blog for another change to get a free entry to the Chicago Half Marathon on September 9th!