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By kilax, March 17, 2016 11:02 am

• Do you have a content proof reader for your blog posts? Mine lately is my snister. I just send her the post in an email with the subject line “too whiny?” She always says no, but sometimes I never publish the post. It feels good to write it and get it out. But it doesn’t need to be shared (here).
• After a few nights of bad sleep because we were constantly getting up to push the sump pump float down, we finally slept well last night – because we had the sump pumps fixed. Yay! Steven bought new equipment Tuesday and we were going to put it in ourselves, but there happened to be a plumber at the house yesterday working on something else – so why not have him do it? I am very happy Steven made the executive decision to pay him for the install! The plumber had all the tools and materials there and I am sure it saved us a lot of time (and maybe some frustration, ha).
• Guess what Steven found in the sump pump yesterday? Ha. He said this guy tried to jump out!

• The other day a friend asked me if stretching and foam rolling is how I stay injury free, with the amount of miles I run (she felt like she had an injury coming on and wanted to know what I do). The truth is, I don’t stretch or foam roll, like I should. But I do strength train three times a week and am diligent about cross training and rest days (and active recovery). AND (and I forgot to share this with her) – changing my shoes out when my legs start to feel wonky.
• And… it’s actually time for a shoe refresh. I am currently rotating between six pairs (plus speed and trail shoes), and I think three need to go. I have four pairs on standby, and for whatever reason, Zappos sent me a $25 credit, so I just got these (below) to add to my collection. This is probably the first time in a long time I’ve had the more updated version of my shoes – I am usually in the old model for a loooong time (because it’s cheaper and I go through shoes so fast). Squeee! Exciting!

• I have drooled over Moxie Cycling gear for a long time, but have never purchased anything. I was dreaming again, and looking at their sizing chart, and I have to say, I LOVE how they have different body shapes for their models! Awesome!
• I am itching to hang some artwork/my jewelry holders in the house! But it’s not a priority at this time. Maybe when my snister visits? For now, having some stuff propped up on shelves will have to do!

Ha ha, you can’t tell cause I cropped it, but Data is pretty high up. Brat!!!

Link to Random Thoughts Thursday 90

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By kilax, January 14, 2016 6:23 am

• Last night was our first time playing Powerball! We didn’t win. Ha ha. But it was fun to get a ticket and watch the numbers (which I struggled to stay awake for).
• I’ve been posting much more frequently. Why? It gives me something to look forward to first thing in the morning (hitting publish!) and throughout the day (receiving comments and responding). Writing makes me happy. I hope I can keep it up.
• I get to see my newest nephew this weekend! The last time I saw him was November 1!

My hair only looks nice because Christina did it for the family photo

• I’m redeeming a Groupon for a no-chip manicure tonight! It’s my first time getting one. I hope it actually does NOT chip. I am constantly repainting my nails because they get so chipped doing strength training (and other things). On Sunday, the side of one of my thumbnails started to break. I’ve been trying to keep it from breaking more and I hope the no-chip helps it stay together.
• When I switch up my diet (to eat healthier) it can mess with my sleep. So a few times in the past couple of weeks I’ve been awake for an hour or two in the middle of the night. Blah – makes for some tired afternoons! But it will all even out soon (it has before).
• Ha. So, it turns out “Netflix and chill” doesn’t mean what I thought it did… good thing I looked it up on urban dictionary.
• We’ve been forwarding mail from our old townhome to our rental address. Since we’re only at the rental for a short period of time, we decided we didn’t want to change anything officially to that address – we want to wait until we’re at the final address. But many places have figured out the rental address and changed our information to it. It kind of creeps me out when I log in to things and see the rental address show up. Anyway… now we’ll have to forward mail from two addresses when we move, I suppose.
• We don’t have a garage at our rental house. No biggie D, but I have to remember to leave time to clean off the car and warm it up before going places… which I’ve obviously forgotten to do, several times. Ha.

Link to Random Thoughts Thursday 81

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By kilax, December 31, 2015 6:27 am

• We had a nice Christmas with Steven’s dad and brother. I am grateful that they enjoy traveling out here for the holiday, and especially that they were up for it this year, with us living in a small rental house (with no cable!!!!!! <— insert cat making home alone face emoji).

Me and my boys! Even Data cooperates for the family photo!

• Ugh, but this Christmas, the amount I hate to cook was intensified by the kitchen in the rental house. GRRRRRR. Sigh. I am grateful to have a home at all. And to be renting a home that could host guests, yes. But GAWD, it would be nice to have hot water at the kitchen sink, a dishwasher that is attached to the counter top, some counter space, and cupboard space. Wah wah wah. Whatever, the food turned out good. And you guys know that Steven does 95% of the cooking, anyway (so then it must have been really bad for me to complain, muah ha ha!).

From L to R: breakfast, dinner, X-wing and Death Star ice cubes (!!!) and chocolate pudding pie. Ha ha ha, that pie. I decided to make the crust with the Aldi-brand oreo peppermint cookies (SO GOOD)… 28 of them. So we’re eating the pie and Steven’s like, “how many oreos are in this?” “28!” “No… how many are in ONE slice?” “UM… DON’T WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT! It’s Christmas!” Yeah… the leftovers for that went in the trash on Monday.

• When I was doing my long runs during marathon training, I’d just listen to my entire music collection on shuffle, instead of making a playlist. Toward the end of some long runs, as I got low on energy, I’d skip songs a lot more, feeling annoyed with what I was listening to, looking for something more upbeat. Skipping songs was obviously a sign that I needed something to pump me back up. So I put together an upbeat playlist with all my favorite songs on it for the marathon, and it worked! I don’t recall skipping any songs, and this song (below) made me feel so good, I played it once more on repeat after it came on!

I keep expecting Mad Max to show up in the video, ha.

• Each year, in the end of December, WordPress sends me an email “Your [insert year here] year in blogging” with some stats they’ve pulled about most popular posts, the longest posting streak (in days), posts with most comments, etc. It’s interesting to me that the posts on my site that get the most hits are ones I wrote 5-7 years ago. Ha! And especially interesting to me that all my top commenters (most comments left) last year were people I know in real life. This year, they are all people I’ve never met. I understand these stats mean my blog is not growing in popularity (fine by me) and that people I know in real life comment less, and may read less (also, fine by me). I write this blog for me, and appreciate any comments, ever (thank you!)! It’s not too surprising that the top commenters are new people. Blogs seems to be cyclical, and I am sure there are only so many times you can comment on the shiz I write without feeling like you’ve read it, and written that comment, before, and feel like moving on. Ha!
• I am surprised how many people seemed astonished when I told them (after they inquired) how much time I got off for the holidays at my federal job. Guys. I work for the federal government. We get federal holidays off – that’s it. I thought it was cool that Obama signed an executive order so we could have a half day on December 24! Don’t worry about me… I am very satisfied with the perks at my job.
• Noooooo, Running Times is no longer going to be published! It was my favorite magazine! I’m very sad that the issue I got this week is apparently the last (and that it oddly doesn’t mention it anywhere, that I’ve seen, in the issue, update: after I wrote this, I got a mailer telling me about it, and that my Runner’s World subscription will be extended). I had even saved a subscription card out of the issue to gift it to someone. Bummer. I guess it was a huge sign last year when they reduced the amount of issues from 10 to 6. Sigh. I don’t want to read that content online. I loved getting the magazine in the mail. Bummer, bummer, bummer.

Link to Random Thoughts Thursday 79

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By kilax, September 28, 2015 6:23 am

When Gina and I were in the city on Thursday, we stopped by my office* and my boss was in, so I introduced Gina to her. I really like my new (since February/March) boss, and wanted her to meet my best friend, and get to know some of the people in my life.

City view from our run on Thursday!

Which is kind of the opposite of how I’ve felt about mixing personal life with work life, until now, save for ONE coworker I talk to about personal stuff on a regular basis. I mostly keep it light. I’ve had the rudest reactions saying the most basic things about my life, and that’s taught me to keep my mouth shut and say as little as possible.**

And actually, it’s gotten better, but I still feel like I have my guard up, most of the time. So I was surprised when I found myself hoping my boss would be at her desk so Gina and I could say hi.

Then later in the day, I was thinking about it, and realized how lucky I was my boss didn’t ask how Gina and I met, because I don’t tell anyone at work about my blog (except that one coworker, and yes, because I don’t want to share personal information). Oops! What would I have said, if she asked?! I need a cover story. Or an altered version of the truth, heh. “We were both bloggers and we met online” would be mostly true. It would just imply I no longer blog. “We met through a mutual friend” would be true, because another blogger told me about Gina’s blog!

Or, maybe I could just tell the truth, and see how she reacts.

Nah. I still like keeping this little space for myself.

*I worked a few hours in the afternoon while Gina window shopped the Mag Mile
**This is actually a topic I’d love to devote an entire post to – feeling uncomfortable sharing information about yourself with people because of how they react. But… I just shouldn’t go there, because it’s not only at work.

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By kilax, July 21, 2015 5:55 am

Hey! My blog has made it to 10 years! Woot woot!

Last night I said to Steven, “Guess what tomorrow is?!”

His answers: “The 21st?” “Tuesday”? “10 days from your birthday?!” <— very good answer, Steven, ha.

“No! It’s my ten-year blogiversary?! Should I retire?!”

Then he asked me what kind of pension plan I have, and what I have to show for 10 years of blogging.

I don’t think he was expecting a serious answer, but, I actually have A LOT to show for those 10 years. Many of my closest relationships are with people I met through blogging. There was a time when my ONLY friends were bloggers! So, beyond my blog giving me a place to speak without interruption, and document parts of my life, it’s connected me with so many amazing people. Thank you for reading!

I was hoping to have something cool (I don’t know quite what…) planned to celebrate, but my mind has been all over the place getting ready for RAGBRAI (my first day is tomorrow!) and planning a party with my snister*!

So… maybe next year? Ha.

*She is doing 99% of the work

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By kilax, September 10, 2014 6:58 am

Lately I have noticed that the posts I write off-the-cuff get more comments than the posts I have prepared in advance.

This actually makes total sense to me – the off-the-cuff posts are more passionate, more rushed, more “I am thinking about this now and I have to get it out there!” Maybe they’re more vibrant.

The planned posts are usually (but not always) documenting my life. And yeah, yawn. Ha ha!

Do you notice any sort of commenting trends on your blog? Do you prepare your posts in advance?

Back in the day, I would have posts prepared a few days in advance. For whatever reason, now I am less patient. It’s hard for me to keep a thought to myself if I want to talk about it! MUST POST RIGHT NOW!

This photo is NOT related to this post, but I ordered some low-drop, light running shoes to try! Exciting! Let’s ignore that they are Asics and I am wearing a Brooks shirt!

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By kilax, July 21, 2014 6:35 am

Craziness – today marks 9 years that I’ve been writing at ilaxSTUDIO.com!

I’ve said it many times before, but I never expected my blog to become what it has for me. I started it in 2005 to get used to writing (and hand coding) before I moved to Rome in January 2006 – my main intent was to use the blog to share stories while I lived overseas. But right away, it became a platform for connecting with other people and reading their stories. And it still amazes me that many of the people I love and consider to be family, are people I’ve met through blogging. 

Awww.

I am really happy with what my blog is – my stories/experiences/highlight reel, my training and a discussion board. And I am pleased with the reception and readership too. Like I said above, its main purpose started as documentation, so any connection beyond that is always exciting. I am honored that you stop by to read/participate!

I do sometimes wonder if blogging will die out, or if I will get sick of it… but I really don’t see that happening. It’s just such a useful tool for me – I use it to document my life, store photos, connect with people, keep myself entertained (and sometimes procrastinate), and to feel creative and engaged. Onward we go, in to year 10!

Which blog(s) have you been reading the longest? What makes you “stick” with reading a certain blog?

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By kilax, June 4, 2014 11:56 am

Have you ever revisited old blog posts to edit or delete things out of them? Or make them private?

People have told me they’ve done this before. Either for privacy reasons or embarrassment reasons or whatever. It’s never crossed my mind to do it. In the USA the Internet doesn’t forget! Hee hee. 

All joking aside though, I was looking through my Rome archives for a photo for a post idea* and thought… these posts don’t represent who I am now. At all. They represent who I was, then. A 21 year-old, finding her way in Rome. On her own.

Some things I read were downright cringe-worthy/awkward (special points to anyone who met me through the blog and has been my friend since then!!!).

But I keep the posts. For diary/sentimental purposes, and to remind me how much I’ve grown. What’s my blog if not a documentation of my life and (hopefully) progress toward becoming a less annoying person? Ha ha.

But every time I look through those archives, I wish I could go back in time and re-do Rome with who I am now. Not that anything held me back from travel, or that I wasn’t street smart or independent. I’m just a bit less of a loner now. And I know more. But! I wouldn’t have gotten here without that experience. So. Yeah. It just makes me excited for when Steven and I have the resources to travel all over the world together!

You know, just visiting places featured in Star Wars films by myself (here’s another, in Spain). Ha ha. If ANYONE can name the location of this and the film it’s from, you get a Star Wars related prize. 

And I’ll never regret tossing my high school journals. That timeframe does NOT need to be remembered! So thankful I didn’t blog then. Or have Facebook. I think keeping kids offline until college is a goooood idea (<— somewhat sarcastic here… but only somewhat).

*Which was cold medicine induced, so it may never see the light of day. Or the light of a computer screen. 

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By kilax, March 26, 2014 3:56 pm

Wow. I was reminiscing about the day I got in to the New York City Marathon lottery in 2011. Tangent – in 2011, the lottery drawing was in April. This year, it’s in March. It’s today! I am anxiously awaiting to see if my bestie got in. 

Anyway, the “wow” is because I was reading the comments on that post, and geesh, I think I am not in touch with at least half of those people anymore! I don’t read their blogs, or their blog doesn’t exist or whatever the case is. Some of them I barely remember, and some I remember very well. 

Do you ever look back at old blog post comments and take note of who you are still in touch with, now?

Hee hee. I was reading the names and thinking, man, if only it was that easy, in real life, for relationships to come and go. You know? It’s natural, for you to read blogs and make connections when they work for both parties at that time in their lives. Sometimes it’s a connection for life, sometimes it’s not. Both are okay. You know, the whole “people come and go like seasons” saying. Or whatever the saying is.

But there’s just something about feeling that way, about someone in real life, that feels icky. Probably because it’s so much easier in social media land – just step back with your interaction and fade out.  It feels like real life deserves more than that. But how often does it get more than that? Hmm. Such “deep” thoughts over nothing. Ha ha. 

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By kilax, February 28, 2014 12:00 pm

The conversation Emily and I had in the comments of her “What I look for in a blog” post got me going again about something I wanted to post about earlier this week, but decided not to – when you continually look at things online, even though they make you nuts (or as I like to say, “stabby”).

I thought about it when responding to her comment because she had a list of blog styles that she does not like (as I am sure we all have a list of in our heads). I mentioned that I get annoyed with people fishing for compliments (and, being braggy), and she said she does too, and mentioned a fashion blogger who is always posting bikini pics.

But… how do we know these bloggers are always posting these pics for us to be annoyed about? Because we keep looking at it.

WHY DO WE KEEP LOOKING?

Ha ha.

But really, are we that bored that we look at things, on purpose, that bug us, in hopes for entertainment? Is it curiosity? Do we read it to judge them? Or is it that only some of it bugs us, and some of it is good? Or, is it someone we know and we feel like we should be “nice” and read and comment… even though they sometimes annoy us?

And isn’t everyone annoying to someone? Isn’t everyone’s blog annoying, to someone? I have no disillusions that there are not people out there who think this blog is crap. And maybe that I am crap. You can’t please everyone, so you should just please yourself, with what you do, on your blog, right?

Which is why it’s fun to read posts like Emily’s and find out what people prefer and don’t prefer about blogging styles. Because we all want something a bit different.

And we just have to remember that we don’t HAVE to read anything (not just on blogs, but on Facebook or whatever)… that is, if we can pull ourselves away.

Funny thing, I consider what I am talking about above to be a different category than a “hate read.” I don’t think hate reading makes you as stabby/irritated

Also, isn’t this such a funny thing to care about?! I wouldn’t be writing this years ago, when social media wasn’t so popular!