tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88822147552956772022024-03-14T07:54:25.362-07:00Transplanted TexanShanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00785723107264367258noreply@blogger.comBlogger94125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8882214755295677202.post-63835897069451177632010-06-09T13:57:00.000-07:002010-06-09T14:18:43.463-07:00The Outer Banks - 2010 edition<div style="text-align: left;">This spring has been a wonderful but busy time. Work is going wonderfully, Scott is amazing, my dieting/training is right on track, and my brother moved in with me!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Yep, after not living with Reid since freshman year of college, (specifically, ahem, summer 2001) he decided to spend the summer with me working in Virginia and preparing to enter the military in the fall. It was great having family to come home to. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 181px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ZXu6KvdPypRPSYuzoa4XNOtyI7dF589OoTfibQBvyrendfm6823c4FeaUShTpPaegPumMcJvw_mz9D9pliD6QFflNzVOvk1J0y_hb3ITkXSPoH5g95muun-zI1nBpXIx4AEENbeIul4/s320/OBX+underwater+.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480884559980279538" /></div><div><br /></div><div>Needless to say, keeping up with everything was a full time job, and on top of my full time job, I was in need of a little time away doing ... nothing!</div><div><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZSJUzZmtadV7z0AIjmEyXdu3nOaBtKFZ9PXduue4yQX-YxX06KQyw873RQRbGkKf1RbT1d9Rqe1kAKX32tsQ5ia1E7p5KuQT1YlElGSeJLw7CwpCOij70dTPs-T3cduI3M9cPvrLO4lU/s320/OBX+Scott+Shani+Dream+2010.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480884546675113634" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Enter the outer banks of NC. I was introduced to this little piece of heaven last year right after Scott and I started dating. It is a wonderful place to relax, and thanks to some planning, I got to spend five days there last week with forty of my closest friends for relatively little cost.</div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ4szjLfmxK3OG0X-IHUEzK8uRsEr723VIvra1cKxz4WXfVu7xYkVjOLevENxuvl5vjIUsfjUUxZgP9MF6bnUyhfPFQyr4DjMAkl9QdCJFnME7R8ebD9oWt9QMdxWABDYOOiTKgyc0GKg/s320/OBX+2010+girls+on+the+beach.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480884536057707346" /></div><div>Enjoy the pictures from the trip. There are a whole lot more you can check out on Facebook.</div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cT9Ro9uXXI5rglYTl5CdslU1ktupTi2l2KlaVebsbLvG3XHlFfInV8MgtDDWJLTyCqxz1cSdJZc6r1gJrYHiPtRsVnMMzmIRy7tvupXzOACw4G3YxvbPAdxU7nVkriQZA3E9E-siPTI/s320/OBX+2010+beach.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480884534582801538" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Wouldn't this be a great spot for a wedding?! ;-)</div>Shanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00785723107264367258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8882214755295677202.post-47579519324804417522010-04-26T17:02:00.000-07:002010-04-26T17:30:30.739-07:00Reflections on 29<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIDFzj_yoaKtFbceBNb04vObjD8829Xco_dgHSVEmriKcgVUBhExjtRIrxbbz1q2Hejc9PEPjta6MQ2V-X4WC6FQWQrsHxZdTrxusl2FOaqWiLJqMSq53cy7DmFMw_ML2HzfNYIUhp0GU/s320/DSC01855.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464605469992082594" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">April 12th I turned twenty-nine years old. When you think about your life as a child (which I classify as any time before 19) you picture where you'll be in 5, 10, 20 years, etc. I have to say that I pictured a very different life for me when I was a kid. I thought that I'd be living in Texas, like all my relatives. And married with a family, again, like all my relatives who are in their late twenties.</div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZs08XxZqq6G9ez8Yo9qlIn_fP0lO9fWhcA91yykvfDb1UzVt126yhkJojUOw2iJR5bfIFAX18His6DDPJ5A53xkPfV8YLieJDmJoNOZwYIztGNaZSpdVv5ef4wQyodF3yzKUQQpH_o0/s320/DSC01847.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464605444930112546" /><div><br /></div><div>With all the expectations one has for their life, it's a very transcendent place to be when one is peaceful at every point along the path. Which is a verbose way of saying that man, I never thought I'd be here but I'm so glad I am. Who would have ever thought this Texan would end up in northern Virginia selling pacemakers and dating an artist at 29?! I am so blessed to have my employment, my health, my friends, my family, my boyfriend, and most of all, my relationship with God. It is the only thing that makes me special and has gotten me through the darkest times on my journey. Thank you so much, readers of this blog, for supporting me along the way, it means the world to me!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWBNRbUyiWWEp_Bf3WzRmFh6xLwRwBRBOweoUiaOcxC1nJKrlzk7j14ENpbFG-inqkdHLG-ydEJO3QRwJr8Uos7oChycXap9GMKFAmH3fgeBqOPTiOggabyn4mcBgqjY43HMfRiwIG58E/s320/DSC01840.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464605440010177890" /><div style="text-align: left;">These are a few pictures from my party, where the theme was ... TEXAS!!</div></div></div>Shanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00785723107264367258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8882214755295677202.post-14985028093539109382010-04-22T14:29:00.000-07:002010-04-22T14:40:18.255-07:00Update 3Hello folks! I'm happy to report that training is going well! I ran in the Cherry Blossom 10 miler about two weeks ago and I'm running in the GW 10 miler this Sunday. The last race went ok. I didn't do it for time - which was good, since I ended up stopping with a friend to use the restroom. I'm hoping to do the race this weekend in 100 minutes or less. I've come to enjoy running more as my weight has gone down. Not only are my runs easier, but I actually feel good at then end of the run and some days even look forward to my runs (some days). <br /><br />My diet has been going well using WeightWatchers. I'm trying to convince one of my girlfriends to do it with me , which will make it easier to stick to. My weight right after the last race was 133.2, today it is ... 134.4 lbs. I've gone up a bit, which is normal considering my training schedule. I have to be honest, it's a bit dissapointing. I try to focus more on my overall weight gain/loss since I started and I'm still consistantly losing. My body fat percentage has gone down 2.5%!<br /><br />More to come.Shanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00785723107264367258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8882214755295677202.post-30765014480298889162010-04-07T06:21:00.000-07:002010-04-07T06:38:08.371-07:00Update 2The Cherry Blossom 10 miler is this Sunday! Pray that I run a good race and that my knees and hips have minimal pain. My training runs have been really great, no doubt due to the awesome weather we've been having here lately. Today's high is in the 90's and I love it! Bring it on spring allergies, I'll take you over blizzards any day.<br /><br />The diet has been going really well. I feel like I've finally hit my groove with my eating habits. My 10 year high school reunion is this July, followed a week late by my dear friend Noelle's wedding (where I will be a bride's maid) so I've got sufficient motivation to be in good shape this summer. Not to mention pool and beach time ... bikinis, ugh!<br /><br />So my current weight is ... 132.8 lbs! This is the lowest I've been since before Scott and I started dating. Ironically, I think he's gained about 15 lbs so I guess there is something to that physics law "matter is neither created nor destroyed, just transferred from one form to another". Ok, I feel like a nerd now. My goal weight is still a good 15 lbs away, so continued prayer for my motivation hit plateaus.<br /><br />When all this is over I'll put up some before and after photos, that's where I can really see a difference.Shanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00785723107264367258noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8882214755295677202.post-56836885078882905482010-04-05T06:53:00.000-07:002010-04-05T07:14:46.973-07:00Regan's 30th on the RiverMy dear friend Regan turned 30 this past week. He's one of my aggie friends that I've kept in touch with up here in DC. In addition to turning 30, he also is leaving the marines to start grad school at ... Harvard! I'm so proud of Regan although I will miss him dearly when he leaves this summer. I told him I'd visit him in Boston, but only when there isn't any snow on the ground. Here are a couple of pictures from the boat. <div><div> </div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456656283875405826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW_inM4_mnubnydjLPsbquHq7gcJ0iHLCPCX2wjoUpanRKRmfQ4W7KI8kdP7VZwWnX6sIbpj0Q7P2C5CdxRQsX9lTy3CxEIWRrv6PU3I7SZYd4wNBCLpsr-158tbW3LaoAKqR9_-dBSHc/s320/Scott+and+Shani+Apr+3.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456655710223646178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOZy0_RfrDLc2ZwYVlD1xkT9bQl57blv_0Gws3IDQGKpSK9JmfeKeJ5jdP-mgstXExDCWIHd5hUKGFvJxnJBrAuVDeYNPmFtlfoLr__ADgZ3_ANavcaVULubhPqwedExIkIpKHV-P0Xjw/s320/Shani+and+Regan+Apr+3.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div> </div></div></div>Shanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00785723107264367258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8882214755295677202.post-25804969272797478152010-03-22T09:18:00.000-07:002010-03-22T09:35:30.529-07:00UpdateI'm happy to report things are going well on the dieting/training front! My current weight is 134.8 lbs. Of course we would all like to lose 2+ lbs a week, but since I'm in training, that really is unlikely, as I'm pretty sure I'm retaining water from muscle recovery. Anyway, the diet is going well. It certainly helps that Weight Watchers is online and so easy to use. I also have a ton of support from Scott, who always supports me and tells me I look great no matter what (isn't it awesome to have a guy like that?!). <br /><br />My training schedule was awesome this week. I ran 15 miles total, with all of my running outside since the weather has been so great. My IT band isn't giving me too much trouble, which was a welcome change from training last fall. I hope to incorporate more weight training as my schedule allows.<br /><br />What worked this week:<br />- Fruit! having fresh foods around totally helped satisfy cravings, especially mid-morning and late-afternoon<br />- Water, I drink at least 64 ounces a day and more on my running days. Did you know that drinking cold water speeds up your metabolism by as much as 30% even after you're done drinking? Water is essential to weight loss and long term weight maintenance<br />- Sticking to my training schedule, even if I didn't go as far as I planned, just getting out there got the endorphins going and helped me make better diet decisions<br /><br />What didn't work:<br />- keeping candy around! Having snack food in big bags made it that much easier to grab something when I got hungry, especially when I was out of my fresh foods and didn't have time to prepare something<br />- Grazing, one of my biggest challenges to weight loss. I don't really eat when I'm stressed, I eat when I'm sitting around the house and I'm bored. A few M&M's here and there add up to a lot over an entire day<br />- Sadly, eating with Scott. We're getting better about this since he wants to drop a few pounds too, but I definitely find it harder to stick to my diet when he wants to indulge. Since he can naturally eat more than me, he doesn't always understand that I really can't share a decadent dessert with him every time we eat together. I hope this gets easier as I adapt to new eating habits.<br /><br />Please feel free to share your weight loss trials and triumphs.Shanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00785723107264367258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8882214755295677202.post-80620827613173229902010-03-11T10:22:00.000-08:002010-03-11T10:49:36.752-08:00A Little Rant and New GoalsIt's been a couple of months since my last post. I made it through the winter blues and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Snowmageddon</span> 2010 relatively unscathed and I'm looking forward to a sunny spring. (You're listening, Mother Nature, right?!)<br /><br />One of my goals of 2009 was to run a marathon. I accomplished this goal, however, my performance was definitely lacking. Part of this was due to the diagnosis of IT Band syndrome. Basically, this syndrome is diagnosed when a piece of tissue that runs along the outside of your leg becomes stressed and causes knee pain. According to my orthopedist, I have knees that are prone to this because of the angle my knee caps are in relation to my hips. IT Band can be exacerbated by weight gain. For every pound of weight one gains, FOUR pounds of extra pressure are put on the knees. WOW. I had no idea! <br /><br />That brings us to my little rant. I think I'm the only person who GAINED weight training for a marathon. And I'm not talking a little - I gained 15 pounds between Jan-Oct 2009! With my training schedule, I felt hungry ALL the time. And I didn't reach for carrots and fruit, I enjoyed peanut butter and cookies and whatever else was in the pantry. It was very depressing. My friends tried to tell me, "Oh, it's probably just muscle", but I knew better and got irritated that I couldn't seem to get it under control.<br /><br />I'm happy to report that I've lost several pounds since the marathon in October. I feel pretty good about it, especially since I enjoyed myself a lot when I was home for the holidays in December. But I definitely wish I could get back down to my ideal weight. Let me be clear, however, I don't view myself as fat or unhealthy (my physical was actually really good this year) but I do feel better and my clothes fit better when my weight is lower. Blogging about this familiar journey would help keep me accountable and hopefully encourage me when I want to reach for those Girl Scout cookies or <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Cadbury</span> Mini Eggs (my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">kryptonite</span>).<br /><br />I've already started training for my next two races - the Cherry Blossom 10 mile on April 11<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">th</span> and the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">GW</span> Parkway Classic 10 mile on April 25<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">th</span>. I've been successful doing <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">WeightWatchers</span> before so I've started tracking my points again. Along with my running schedule, I'm hoping to be down to my ideal weight range by the time I head to the Outer Banks at the end of May. <br /><br />So here it goes: As of this week I weigh ... 136.0 lbs. My goal weight ranged is between 116-120 lbs (which I haven't weighed since high school!). At 5 feet 4, this is a healthy range and I've already discussed my goals with my internal medicine doctor. I would also love to get my body fat percentage down to 20-22%.<br /><br />Please keep me in your prayers that I stick to my training and diet plan. A few words of encouragement would be great too! I'll try to update weekly on how things are going along with tricks that have helped me get through the tough times. More to come soon ...Shanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00785723107264367258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8882214755295677202.post-53521020189918959282010-01-03T16:20:00.000-08:002010-01-03T16:46:07.481-08:00Christmas in Texas<div>This year I went home for the holidays. I wasn't able to go home last year because of work obligations so I was really excited to be in Houston this year. Not only was Scott coming with me, but my step-brother and step-sister had flown in for Christmas so it was extra-special to have almost all my family around to celebrate together. </div><div><br /><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP8kR6MM-f_RZ_ZOUhTypfxYfSGDwh8M_IYO3ncITEJAJ3NuAyNvn21IdhO8KMaXm4jlCXjp-ZsD7eYTsB9d4237hkACCWlfXS6dDwYdtkKVykDYElFLZWKIeKEGwOpBFaHhkHJyQ9x6o/s320/DSC01625.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422678495718813266" /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_QiwD3Hlh6x9gh1tnirBZqG4lOH66GZaqTVo1X_b5vnm9RlK8urrZMxPN2YVK36jlEJ_pBEkPnCCM9TiNUJKz5VP79uAlL5s7gDbWXo7V0kcZ96n7pIV5YyrslbHb82ltGXnfERdhcUc/s1600-h/DSC01624.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_QiwD3Hlh6x9gh1tnirBZqG4lOH66GZaqTVo1X_b5vnm9RlK8urrZMxPN2YVK36jlEJ_pBEkPnCCM9TiNUJKz5VP79uAlL5s7gDbWXo7V0kcZ96n7pIV5YyrslbHb82ltGXnfERdhcUc/s320/DSC01624.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422678487032830210" /></a><div>We flew down a few days before Christmas and were there for almost a week! After going through the blizzard before we left, it was so nice to have weather in the 60's, although Scott said it didn't really feel like Christmas. </div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg57UfpE1a8ICDaNEXdvyv9J7zgeDaRjpqlyAVk6svJqSMaXLrB5hYSZ6FFmbAa6d-FuaThg_WCu1Vm0WnfvQsd3V2nYOLwZ9Jn4PeK5LRMBZGg48m7T0SR3IUUYVMLlxtqV_23oa0a5Uw/s1600-h/DSC01623.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg57UfpE1a8ICDaNEXdvyv9J7zgeDaRjpqlyAVk6svJqSMaXLrB5hYSZ6FFmbAa6d-FuaThg_WCu1Vm0WnfvQsd3V2nYOLwZ9Jn4PeK5LRMBZGg48m7T0SR3IUUYVMLlxtqV_23oa0a5Uw/s320/DSC01623.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422678483634455010" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs24J9s64Ldhgb-a7Ml9RL3CJyuOz_Eree11WikO523oBjIe12yRinybxuykk08fh-i-o2B9Mj6oKdFhblYA2gklc2CzogK7YTYZIg-i5u6cMhU57Cqoebfg1E9b_Uambnyu5GoD1F3qk/s1600-h/DSC01641.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs24J9s64Ldhgb-a7Ml9RL3CJyuOz_Eree11WikO523oBjIe12yRinybxuykk08fh-i-o2B9Mj6oKdFhblYA2gklc2CzogK7YTYZIg-i5u6cMhU57Cqoebfg1E9b_Uambnyu5GoD1F3qk/s320/DSC01641.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422678101278327170" /></a><div><div>Scott got to meet a lot of my family while he was in town and he fit right in! We played lots of poker (and lots a few bucks in the process) and enjoyed my family's Christmas traditions. </div><div><br /></div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnr6lI7Nd1cMqau3W8j_cVSljKJlj51BvNEzar6yAuGSi0nTGRwrXU80BYBhi9-JUWFp9jEiOQRN1pOgN-5fOwt3g0cd6e0rXoBSlRea5a72f9d6O0isNTN_5haL5MK8oaZJ7_l-DfGQ/s1600-h/DSC01629.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnr6lI7Nd1cMqau3W8j_cVSljKJlj51BvNEzar6yAuGSi0nTGRwrXU80BYBhi9-JUWFp9jEiOQRN1pOgN-5fOwt3g0cd6e0rXoBSlRea5a72f9d6O0isNTN_5haL5MK8oaZJ7_l-DfGQ/s320/DSC01629.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422678090561124690" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikphDZKhTMwsfUF-_1a4ps53FiTsylD7Uz2Wasddrzs8bUC4RQCyZbTzLfe_2T3gqZxK5RaPWbTGvc1MOLGJ_aiL67HY4IaXTSy8E-9LYNbgWr9QbLLZZ5P2VdeATWNQCoSLC3Ql73Pfc/s1600-h/DSC01631.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikphDZKhTMwsfUF-_1a4ps53FiTsylD7Uz2Wasddrzs8bUC4RQCyZbTzLfe_2T3gqZxK5RaPWbTGvc1MOLGJ_aiL67HY4IaXTSy8E-9LYNbgWr9QbLLZZ5P2VdeATWNQCoSLC3Ql73Pfc/s320/DSC01631.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422678082649118914" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgThoxg7HJTFLlhe93DcA0vUGd_2JhaEJTWjS-6KscShl7QY7sIZaMyqX27QtM37Tp3FdrP-LQrtn-6CJ1pcG0rBDB3QXob9lL3Qy44eWLFvXwYbUzRai3I8I8acc7yhP97Jm-JwtTuryU/s1600-h/DSC01613.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgThoxg7HJTFLlhe93DcA0vUGd_2JhaEJTWjS-6KscShl7QY7sIZaMyqX27QtM37Tp3FdrP-LQrtn-6CJ1pcG0rBDB3QXob9lL3Qy44eWLFvXwYbUzRai3I8I8acc7yhP97Jm-JwtTuryU/s320/DSC01613.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422678080091766610" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbfCMT841f5EWaaw2Vb_54rIar3GrErYuyZJxvbbVnN3H31RdR-zEMju4oL2-B2-RohkTsq7BPgJW_ZpwlKS2MBTgKczwTutpUXhPzUi2Y5RAnHNz8yNWfpkUIQoHB-Nmz13VrFq3AQvs/s1600-h/DSC01636.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbfCMT841f5EWaaw2Vb_54rIar3GrErYuyZJxvbbVnN3H31RdR-zEMju4oL2-B2-RohkTsq7BPgJW_ZpwlKS2MBTgKczwTutpUXhPzUi2Y5RAnHNz8yNWfpkUIQoHB-Nmz13VrFq3AQvs/s320/DSC01636.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422678069685960034" /></a><br /><div>I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday and wish y'all blessings in the new year.</div><div><div><br /></div></div></div></div>Shanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00785723107264367258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8882214755295677202.post-3037100421405218912010-01-03T16:03:00.000-08:002010-01-03T16:20:02.360-08:00Let It SNOW!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKYnw05inHihyoT5Nha_2v4TwAOZeZess-oF0yAcS-PPkwpqsNKnNY6QfptzGVikLrTwiNx4VCeMtMhdU8719RilSoy21_FlC5Xzb0NZnOAhwWzhypKRFJzoerhR2e-iMty5xJZa0NYBs/s1600-h/DSC01604.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKYnw05inHihyoT5Nha_2v4TwAOZeZess-oF0yAcS-PPkwpqsNKnNY6QfptzGVikLrTwiNx4VCeMtMhdU8719RilSoy21_FlC5Xzb0NZnOAhwWzhypKRFJzoerhR2e-iMty5xJZa0NYBs/s320/DSC01604.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422672105123869346" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>A few weeks ago we had a mammoth snow storm. They were predicting record snow fall and for once the weathermen were right - when the weekend was done we had a total of 24 inches on the ground and snow drifts as high as three feet in some places.<div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL676Qe20Fk0ggVmq_pG0ZfK9XAfSJY_mZuL4rFLfVqxRISbGrmprB95x0_blU2AS9gv6KwpN7JVwvgbH2xpZCw5fZb0WM7rEzbX3h2yysMtDTI1B24ER474kpag0o7DZpjWvap_J25W4/s320/DSC01593.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422672094628628658" /></div></div><div><br /></div><div>For those of you in colder climates, this might seem like no big deal. But in DC, and specifically for me, this was huge! Scott is more accustomed to snow than I am so he graciously stayed with me to weather the blizzard. He even dug my car out three times so that he could go help people whose cars were stranded in the snow. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjpMDCUgifhxWRBw8NLTDIae3rY9PGcrPiLSxHMSs0Swfi3x2g_H2w7eEBoybsi2WQyYT9M3tQ1QGQPIiRO0Vi3I00YlSmygASY6AnZlxbX1rjGg7wEQ9PTXO_IOCGNy72AAM75vulOoU/s320/DSC01600.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422672089365543442" /></div><div><br /></div><div>My friend Jenn was one of those unfortunate people who got caught and ended up staying with me Saturday night until the roads were cleared by the snow plows. We went out after the snow had stopped falling to take pictures, enjoy!</div><div><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG9__QcMEyeUyOq0-l_-zoSiNejTBs4HMGdeKhyphenhyphenThezL0AvutlvzomEnBIKyFmAKGeDGRAdTc00gE9HG81D2je66hvZWSub8hxYCW15Xtly1_P53gIDkMJAlSzgc3rUIqP7eyPnjyqtSg/s320/DSC01585.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422672083442557378" /></div>Shanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00785723107264367258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8882214755295677202.post-13927355574859919622009-11-20T14:05:00.000-08:002009-11-20T14:21:44.719-08:00Movin' Out, Movin UpThere comes a time in a woman's life ...<br /><br />Some times it's clear that things need to change ...<br /><br />When one realizes that roads are diverging ...<br /><br />Oh, what the heck, I moved out! The reasons are fairly simple - basically it was just time for me to have my own space. I lived with my former roommate for over two years, which is the longest I lived any where in ten years. I was getting restless and realized that it was negatively affecting my relationship with my landlord/roommate. I found a great place closer to my work with an awesome <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">floorplan</span> and decided to make the big move.<br /><br />The new place is a 4<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">th</span> floor walk-up loft with a fireplace and balcony. I can have my dog, Diego, there, and it's gated with awesome amenities. <br /><br />My only fear was getting all my furniture up to my new apartment and all those stairs! Enter Scott - my wonderful boyfriend (who has great guy friends!). We packed the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">UHaul</span> last Friday night in four hours ... it's very odd seeing all your <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">possessions</span> fit in a box, by the way. And then Scott and his parents coordinated the big move the next day. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">UHaul</span> was unloaded in just under an hour! Thanks to Scott's friends and my friends for making it possible!<br /><br />I can't wait to have everyone over once my place is set up. <br /><br />Pictures to come once I find my camera :-)Shanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00785723107264367258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8882214755295677202.post-37313257768266528982009-11-02T11:54:00.000-08:002009-11-02T12:11:43.342-08:00I love Johnny Depp!!<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz7Ih-zCMVvwW8nViBUMqk6QH3Gr7VbZaQHEGu3Jt5oOShy0ElLkT3ZHgNe0dU8uK6OKBB-VHXFXTgVViMvBFqX7VcOSip3mxS9rwV85bw4JGPAJFGE25bYEGrGHI8uh3AcpkqIJgAfeQ/s320/DSC01466.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399599331531994162" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">"I mean... Edward Scissorhands ... I love Edward Scissorhands." This is what I kept on saying Saturday night, when Scott and I went out in Georgetown for Halloween. Coincidentally, he was dressed as the sharp-handed one himself. It was an amazing costume; he made it himself. He even won a prize - third place! (I still say he was robbed by the 1st place winner - Lady Gaga and a guy dressed as the MTV moonman).</div><div><br /> <div style="text-align: center;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhucWzZz3o5jhzKlPps7ShsWugQ5Yyh9HGHLPCSCXm9x9UI2_7ZoEa8-uGsL1UpTZZgNAPT7shrjsbEg6EaNn-8iRt2hno0WsYDErH-SrqCCDzhvrbuh7mjsr_pMbbjTiQTX_dpYbdR6_8/s320/DSC01507.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399599326998057138" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>We could not walk down the street without someone asking to take a picture with Scott. I felt like the girlfriend of a celebrity, it was pretty surreal. I was so proud of him though, he really did a great job!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDa0vycYNtxB94kTucOL2Pd14DG1yEu54js89ThS6UQJfQU2QnELylw9PhRFv4PMh0uzYERAhObqWxvFrY1k7vjY5Izj7wxSPP6iifZpe1YE4k59rqTSDE4ggeFWMRcd9v0dhTg2rV4v0/s320/DSC01462.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399599311798596546" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Scott's Friday night costume - 1920's gangster, to my flapper</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuV4-y8dmlhgOuxAHFR7Pd-Nu-jPGb1nQMjmdcwVTtwLSKm88Zjx2FYpq9WO2YxDVPSZju-J3yEWvBclO4Ig_wcvN9T9jY0nLQpYpfqUKjVs1ut9aT6jrLAVneMyPiOm2FZgVU8QsnbRA/s1600-h/DSC01477.JPG" style="text-decoration: none; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuV4-y8dmlhgOuxAHFR7Pd-Nu-jPGb1nQMjmdcwVTtwLSKm88Zjx2FYpq9WO2YxDVPSZju-J3yEWvBclO4Ig_wcvN9T9jY0nLQpYpfqUKjVs1ut9aT6jrLAVneMyPiOm2FZgVU8QsnbRA/s320/DSC01477.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399600607954647874" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><div><div>And for the record, I heart Scott more than Johnny. ;-)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div>Shanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00785723107264367258noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8882214755295677202.post-11430267038434045852009-10-26T06:35:00.000-07:002009-10-26T07:31:20.224-07:00The Marathons Of Life<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396910490142648098" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTm1aEkFFvHbYo40LJ6cM8GGcF-LYPydKeHYdrNPeZu4WEaUypjeq7DZJ3uMsWfchEPaLE1kgO91UX9n-M2lgUDg2yZm6XRFd9Iq565dPZIemJmXlLtp_wan6iH5PRkfBrU2O7GqlkZX8/s320/DSC01449.JPG" /> <p align="center">My medal - finisher!<br /></p><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="left">About ten months ago I was blogging about my resolutions for 2009 and decided that one of them should be to run that infamous 26.2 miles known as a marathon. I don't know what possessed me make that a goal, except that I'd run in several 10 mile races and figured that 26.2 wouldn't be unachievable if I trained for it. </div><div align="left"><br /> </div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396910466458015474" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMAdRgllXV7v_WixPog40VHPsyiT6I0DvVrSlTUnTjakMxfYdtr8dacWOPWPHaigC1QJpmuUmjKKuIQRpWPXRDVwb7nbFEWwQYbDkxSlVdWRMnKHocrIgeNinAc8ngfhoWE-XaMDI5S6A/s320/DSC01429.JPG" /> <div align="center">The Last Well group from church who handed out water - Scott is far left</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Yesterday was the day of the race - the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, DC. There were close to 30,000 runners, so I wasn't alone in my madness. My sweet boyfriend, Scott, came to hand out water and run with me at the end. I started out the race thinking, OK, this isn't so bad, as long as I run slow enough, I should be able to make it!<br /><br />WRONG... At mile 2, my right knee started hurting. And I don't mean, 'Oh, this is uncomfortable' kind of pain, I mean, 'Why are there knives stabbing the back of my knee cap?!' kind of pain. Thankfully, Scott was at mile 4 handing out water and I had thought ahead to give him a bag of Advil so I stopped and took four of those. That helped for about a mile and then the pain came back. </div><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396912324979944834" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNDC9C9vvRRN3Hv7edTWjWnXuM4f6olAJ3Db508pVvW8rTuQP8V6ol5GMUjgxQNX3PilwIDArSBobqHbp-leC8BhzpGZ_Fc_35wyeDx0odvuKO8L2czm76H0Bk8-yyYVNGLSm9lK88kfI/s320/DSC01434.JPG" /> <div align="center">So tired and sore - mile 25</div><br />As if that wasn't enough, at mile 8 both of my hips started hurting. Again, this was legit, OMG pain that would normally stop me in my tracks. I really thought I could pull through it so I kept on going. At mile 14 the pain of all my joints overtook me and I stopped and told a marine that I needed the medics to look at me. As I was jogging to the medical tent, I was thinking about how long I've trained for this race and that I never want to run it again and if I had to crawl across the finish line, I wanted too just so I could have it in the rear view mirror of life. So I kept jogging past the medical tent and thinking that I just needed to make it to mile 20, where Scott would be waiting to cross the bridge with me to the finish line.<br /><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396910480960723666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0LHEZ7VQCF_ryIMjg4eOFTUJncX3QR8mNdpNRtxhknM1Z8Vw7agO0p1pZc_3tmq9dfkhAx6lL2ze6sPTY4R7ZtDmg3K4az6l93Wq6hUjuaLYNS6M9ox6s3z9_T1fvzT17PBud3vV9CI/s320/DSC01436.JPG" /><br /><div align="center">I loved my shirt! Finish line under the arch</div><br />Scott was there and ran with me to mile 22, where the pain was overwhelming to the point where I had to walk. Walking itself was so painful, but I wanted to at least jog across the finish line at the end so Scott took my hand and walked with me the rest of the way. He had my camera and was able to get a few shots at the end. I completed the race in about 5 hours and 30 minutes. I wanted to do it in under five hours but with all the walking I had to do because of my joints, I'm pretty satisfied with my time.<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396910473682698098" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg876mCqtk0IUIOcvRBQ7v9xQM-cv9IA9hP8LOH9vs3blOoZpZyuRvFnLUqNTEbsmh3SO9teEYgwlz5Syjba2K1Z45FQoRQogkHM8MzhznOTAYoQ_jiT0P0zlIMs7AqeCKya19AYVP1AVE/s320/DSC01435.JPG" /> <p align="center">Scott and me at mile 23<br /><br /></p>I came home and took some prescription pain killers, which took the edge off the pain of my aching joints. My victory meal? A tavern in Seven Corners called Dogfish Head. I had amazing buffalo chicken dip and macaroni and cheese.<br /><br />I slept like the dead last night, I don't think I've ever been so tired. If any of you out there are thinking about running a marathon, DON'T. Well, I guess it's a worthy goal, and I think I'll be more happy about doing it when I'm healed. If you want to run a marathon, make sure you train outside, stick to your training schedule, and listen to your body. Most people aren't designed to run that far. If I had been more diligent about training my joints for hours and hours of running, I probably could have performed a lot better yesterday.<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 241px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 321px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396912330504260466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm5KLjlewuNc12PrFBdy0H0qFj4jwotQ4-6RVqyLXq7-jEfGACV7wwZ4h7dOvhSL9oM5KbJrlaLVamVChIEefqTyYOGwZKOSArmUVngE3hLDdWYnpN8bggewQ-SYZjog4QXUN8923LtT0/s320/DSC01443.JPG" /> <p align="center">Collapsing after the race</p>Cheers to another resolution completed and to never running that far ever ever again!Shanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00785723107264367258noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8882214755295677202.post-45096746368595237192009-10-19T07:25:00.000-07:002009-10-19T07:49:57.468-07:00Um.. I'm still a blogger, I promise!It's been a long time. This is why I've been MIA:<br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394322245229317026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7oyjWPYCSldTJd3GJGD5Iq6qg-5laJN8U3bR6Jon8Fs7OCLOtypO81LtELgFHipURJlWo1Go6oEgetjIQvPU4FWUFMPcjAhIr7VEP25b4XNqnkBdD59_kQkN2uhbdxeGhq_ia-JGkO7Q/s320/DSC01390.JPG" /></p><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394322514219940242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZYLtvE9ZdskFLXICRxu6RS2rB8-5lV3P6egOTG3NUXh6zrad-dhN2DclIi3UCLyJJijKjSmnyrLGLY62rJW-3FavKITMXnT3LPuxfs3FHqwI9xNAoB_FkoZc4rVt-uyKFcvN46K2s1IU/s320/DSC01392.JPG" /><br />His name is Scott and he is amazing. More to come :-)</p>Shanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00785723107264367258noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8882214755295677202.post-17733045848874819322009-08-26T08:34:00.001-07:002009-08-26T08:52:28.103-07:00TwitterI realize I might offend some people with the content of this post but hear me out.<br /><br />I don't get Twitter.<br /><br />Oh, I know some people say it's just like updating your <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Facebook</span> status but I beg to differ. I mean, I don't have a problem with the occasional tweet or the play-by-play during a life-changing event such as a birth, but to have entire conversations through a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">microblog</span> ... I mean, seriously? Who has time for this?? Does every tweeter have a very forgiving boss???<br /><br />What I want to know is when <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">texting</span> went out of style. And what about that very archaic practice of actually CALLING someone and TALKING with them on the phone... so last year, right? And frankly, I don't really care if Kim <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Kardashian</span> just got a latte at Starbucks or Ryan <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Seacrest</span> has deep thoughts about a sandwich. The worst is when a person doesn't have the guts to tell someone what they're actually feeling and so instead tweets it so everyone can know their business. Um, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">soo</span> 7<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> grade.<br /><br />To me all of this passive-aggressive communication is a sign that even as we as a society find new and different ways to connect through technology, we become more inept at face to face conversation and thereby less socially adjusted. Misunderstandings and unintentional offenses abound when one's sole communication is a few sentences into the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Internet</span> abyss. <br /><br />So give your <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">texting</span> thumbs a rest and call someone. Instead of tweeting all night, go out and spend some quality time in deep conversation with someone you care about. Try not tweeting about your bad experience at Subway and ask the person behind the counter how their day is going. <br /><br />You just might make a new friend and learn something about yourself.Shanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00785723107264367258noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8882214755295677202.post-48512189877608124102009-08-17T11:13:00.000-07:002009-08-17T13:31:54.276-07:00Upstate NYAs most of my friends (and most of the northern VA area) know, I am from Texas. Born and raised in Houston, and my parents, and their parents, and their parents, are from Texas. I'm proud of my heritage, and would have it no other way. What few people know, is that I have a few clusters of relatives who live elsewhere. My step-mom's parents and sister live in Kentucky, and my step-dad's kids live in Glens Falls, NY. Their house is in the Adirondack mountains a short drive from Saratoga, where the horse races take place. I've been several times to visit them, the most recent being this past weekend when my step-dad, mom, and step-brother were up there as well. <div><br /></div><div>The drive is long from Great Falls - it took me about eight hours total. Diego made the journey with me and he was an excellent passenger. With him and my iPod, the eight hours went by pretty fast and before I knew it, the New Jersey turnpike turned into 87 to Albany and the Adirondacks were rising out of the horizon in the distance.</div><div><br /></div><div>While I was there this weekend, we played poker, shopped a bit in Saratoga, and Ralph (my step-sister Susan's husband) and I serenaded everyone on our guitars (or tried to!). My visits with this side of the family aren't frequent enough and are always too short. But, we always make the most of our time together, and this past weekend was no exception.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here is a video of all the animals we had with us this weekend, sans Susan's African Gray parrot named Ivan (he's not into having his picture taken).</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzye6wo2mgxLqBoF-JkzrmC_zbtwCnYJUKAedlQ49WEyNaXpVssa6MpcTcP25U29owaSVkzL9L5qhjNED1DPg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Shanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00785723107264367258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8882214755295677202.post-31018651799011235882009-08-11T18:53:00.000-07:002009-08-11T19:18:13.555-07:00Legwarmers!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJiSjJZcrwt_9f8V2pPKuXTGzxe0sdpfmKjzhR5Xdu9hcowh5Og6k2VbHOZTjfv-b_aOKavvYUsA65NjCBNRDeQ_ATavWO63HVIszzLrsmbTy4_bCkbty9_6BSPUY0TOlmzkad2hrdjB0/s1600-h/DSC01208.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJiSjJZcrwt_9f8V2pPKuXTGzxe0sdpfmKjzhR5Xdu9hcowh5Og6k2VbHOZTjfv-b_aOKavvYUsA65NjCBNRDeQ_ATavWO63HVIszzLrsmbTy4_bCkbty9_6BSPUY0TOlmzkad2hrdjB0/s320/DSC01208.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368895727757771618" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-y6Zwfw15sbgbeltpsQbyRLN1dvQIK9hNzyTm9Jy1A1rLHkhOoQaMY6cpw8U8IAcJ6rK9h2dX-i5Be4mKrzT0PfjpqcSyu5SnfSGRnOtJno7He651YRhkAWcxcH_2lzTfxk0ZR1neeU0/s1600-h/DSC01202.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-y6Zwfw15sbgbeltpsQbyRLN1dvQIK9hNzyTm9Jy1A1rLHkhOoQaMY6cpw8U8IAcJ6rK9h2dX-i5Be4mKrzT0PfjpqcSyu5SnfSGRnOtJno7He651YRhkAWcxcH_2lzTfxk0ZR1neeU0/s320/DSC01202.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368893630811879970" /></a><div style="text-align: left;">There is this great 80's cover band in northern Virginia called the Legwarmers. I first heard about them five years ago when I was interning on the Hill, and I've wanted to check out a show ever since. What's so fun about going to see the Legwarmers is that everyone dresses up, and there are some pretty incredible costumes, for sure. <br /></div><div><br /><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuRCO9sfQCWWPKXNOXt9aSAmT10mlK3JGx_-igYQxJxcnEF12MTyTb3ehj79yaew8kmYsoLSQUQf1NEYOXPipaYf_6lF_sNlCIr0IoBZ2Tsn37NwLzf_WzZostlQpSX1C6bIpTX88BJm0/s320/DSC01211.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368893613971697650" /></div><div>This past weekend, several of my girlfriends and I went to see the Legwarmers at the State Theatre in Falls Church. It was so awesome! I saw Madonnas, the Brat Pack, and even Dee Snider! Not to mention the music - all the hits from the 80's that we know and love: Journey, the Go Go's, Michael Jackson ... It was awesome!</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu7pYN-qvk-A26XNifrT7syu4zrZFrpF-nbJbGmkLH-V1SKlUxiX4WGsNBFq537KgIy6-Mo_qEuTS3Qg4lFTdxuiInXYB5A7ecI36etHztfm41QUobgZMmDlDNuxxRUTDKW4ia9im_Cms/s1600-h/DSC01226.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu7pYN-qvk-A26XNifrT7syu4zrZFrpF-nbJbGmkLH-V1SKlUxiX4WGsNBFq537KgIy6-Mo_qEuTS3Qg4lFTdxuiInXYB5A7ecI36etHztfm41QUobgZMmDlDNuxxRUTDKW4ia9im_Cms/s320/DSC01226.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368893615064613058" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><div>Again, I tried to capture our attempt at 80's garb; I'll let you judge for yourself!<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4J-VGw7VFVqRoCyM8XNrsw3B_rXaq8JFNSNH1A0lan_U3Qcm7C_F0M7tMOs60H7j2cnEnqIlzXECL5c-Fe7HMVg4AkIlWlCJ7UG8_-ikO_fqWAwvEdcd62INKbxfFRMzr1icFwdB5u6A/s1600-h/DSC01220.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4J-VGw7VFVqRoCyM8XNrsw3B_rXaq8JFNSNH1A0lan_U3Qcm7C_F0M7tMOs60H7j2cnEnqIlzXECL5c-Fe7HMVg4AkIlWlCJ7UG8_-ikO_fqWAwvEdcd62INKbxfFRMzr1icFwdB5u6A/s320/DSC01220.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368893647008499250" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCsce9h6kMqlGYTCx1iHkGcfdBdWmbjpRJP5OsQn1Zl4qODBaD2qXVOdCXpsPMhozNFtKXFlnPphHXVdBPPicZbnHeCW_uc7Mh1CeUpCQggx4YO4YqX6hBhzmoLfei1-wXdL6IHRUPeiY/s1600-h/DSC01232.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCsce9h6kMqlGYTCx1iHkGcfdBdWmbjpRJP5OsQn1Zl4qODBaD2qXVOdCXpsPMhozNFtKXFlnPphHXVdBPPicZbnHeCW_uc7Mh1CeUpCQggx4YO4YqX6hBhzmoLfei1-wXdL6IHRUPeiY/s320/DSC01232.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368893641615282994" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div></div>Shanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00785723107264367258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8882214755295677202.post-29673367107067092492009-08-11T18:42:00.000-07:002009-08-11T18:53:35.773-07:00Southern PrepI have this great group of friend who love to throw theme parties. A few weeks ago, in celebration of one of our friends who is moving south for grad school, we had a Southern Prep theme party. Really, having a theme party is an excuse to show off how well you can dress the part. I took some pictures of everyone who was there, and I hope we represented the south well. See for yourself ...<div><br /><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1L-c0A6hNsAmPzqgCK0ReJbRaYl7Yssj6L7_XTSPYVXos5LrxkPvo-rCZoMiJfJ-igh-rIVOICTXhIm-JTpQOkS4DsB-8zGOD1iG5b_bkNQJajnqgPNoI5WvjcF5FZTKc8Y8hlFvR0VA/s320/DSC01200.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368889094802988514" /></div><div><br /><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-yoUXFZbZpAOHYRgbEym3EDzef587BwBJ2eALbky-oUBHm0unyl3_8EUR9xknBGhyphenhyphenI5JX-qv5Cpw9MYQ5A5tTqrRCdzaDfNd5mcZrZeaUOdWCEQPEp1IUJtUoOU4FPaZODa-SU66R2xs/s320/DSC01196.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368889089083471666" /></div><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Yuc_z08oa6fUWUsLFcKS0tz1Asgp8kCAZu33_fVbggEwo6XXEVbaWbIuspsr1vVpI8b1PBn0DvkjAv2cIHTnjFdlpZYxW8bHAuNdyBLC4nISIum81uOWeTq1qDYTNEDJZA2pM8Hlt3k/s320/DSC01195.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368889081702350706" /><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_V34PpNAP83igmrPC5VrpAJQ_XFsvHqrHz27zARWZG9PHBTn1fRCtxT6mcNCzOGJEoLFY2amVjsmbiL5w6AA1IlvfscyDn8FpFLB1MZLp1cvOZjq_nUGdhoaVNK-Cpo43HCl6-TvQk_4/s320/DSC01199.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368889072070224210" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div>Shanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00785723107264367258noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8882214755295677202.post-51696217707684130482009-07-25T14:12:00.000-07:002009-07-25T14:30:32.063-07:00Amanda's Birthday<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnAXH1favixU3KfvBwNJ_4HuYYPoIaRP512b3A6L-24SMDG8XNbwSCXJDa8E_yyyvy5A5hki_4sLaG37VipjLGRRpx2-IV0iL5xAY2CQep3mX3n-NKkYoRuHu6IgUxXbmypr0ChTZTasc/s1600-h/DSC01162.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnAXH1favixU3KfvBwNJ_4HuYYPoIaRP512b3A6L-24SMDG8XNbwSCXJDa8E_yyyvy5A5hki_4sLaG37VipjLGRRpx2-IV0iL5xAY2CQep3mX3n-NKkYoRuHu6IgUxXbmypr0ChTZTasc/s320/DSC01162.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362513072050643426" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicvQvVwMFHs3QKFNifgBhyphenhyphenuOUniUGfLrYUGPN1ICSZjva20bV1a1XR3Dajc7g7cOP6ealuVeI_v6izNooMFXKzUqkpShmSNqvP_ceEQsLymUO89rB2nL-gRaG0H01Xv4TNWBvDRGz9xgE/s1600-h/DSC01160.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicvQvVwMFHs3QKFNifgBhyphenhyphenuOUniUGfLrYUGPN1ICSZjva20bV1a1XR3Dajc7g7cOP6ealuVeI_v6izNooMFXKzUqkpShmSNqvP_ceEQsLymUO89rB2nL-gRaG0H01Xv4TNWBvDRGz9xgE/s320/DSC01160.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362513064705870050" /></a><div style="text-align: left;">This is a shameless post to highlight a cake that I made for my friend Amanda's birthday. I made it from a tweaked strawberry box cake. The frosting was homemade, as were the chocolate covered strawberries and decorations. It wasn't perfect, but it tasted great and everybody loved it!<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_G13nOoRlY9Ui__RsarPMipmgZzos1gdFz4GE_TdzFiVgEIpV15teq1FC54HxIdzMXCi0Aq39oVRqKzRKDBhrOHVh2R2jp-3FrAsbCtEu7SQDLFpLvgVLnqJOYtmUhIUyF0lnUcINjM/s320/DSC01166.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362510899731187730" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTzXV3j10KSJm_uEMIpMz_rWkzymyfWsTXINFQIZcYblM6qaQ9uA1WBouzJTuQaybTK1kN3K3Ev97Xrvqi6EIfmlBa0zPv1hQk6QwuzewrfkMlGjUjXv5rrHFbb_ScamtZMntdJtJp8wc/s320/DSC01178.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362510885094735266" /></div><div>After we had dinner and recovered from our sugar comas we went out dancing. It was a great time.</div>Shanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00785723107264367258noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8882214755295677202.post-25407088338974904552009-07-09T17:42:00.000-07:002009-07-09T18:09:07.935-07:00Dad's 4th of July Visit<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5hgZUBqAyK_c3AAqoNuWepjuemcUYB4gE5cGmcxBreSXTzBwXZSccWe47fkpieP3ELDcXNFVCqW0uOa5-6zAX0bhtHsqd2b0ore93QGNjUtWLXmyopwRl9YLtxQPE5UoG8kTtIX6FFl0/s1600-h/DSC01155.JPG"></a>Last weekend Dad came in town for the holiday. I'm so proud of myself because we did so much while he was here. We saw two movies, went to a Nationals game, and toured historic landmarks. <div><br /><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihOozKFt4Y9cvmsVGvDKsFM2vokUxOhWGYhEEMv5XearkpRjf-k7qhzqgxchBbsnFj6T9yUoIMz3zeZhvknlrPdpZEXbkTRR4bUMJzE8JyjMgMhTv8T0RJYfs93XQn7IOBbBdiYMjtYDI/s320/DSC01152.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356630605576243490" /></div><div>The highlight for me by far was visiting Mt. Vernon on Saturday. We toured Washington's home then visited the Grist Mill (a legit, working mill from back in the day), which was such a treat. <div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5hgZUBqAyK_c3AAqoNuWepjuemcUYB4gE5cGmcxBreSXTzBwXZSccWe47fkpieP3ELDcXNFVCqW0uOa5-6zAX0bhtHsqd2b0ore93QGNjUtWLXmyopwRl9YLtxQPE5UoG8kTtIX6FFl0/s320/DSC01155.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356632080553618114" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><br /></span></div><div>Dad would probably say his highlight was watching NASCAR on Saturday night in lieu of fireworks. The Coke Zero 400 at Daytona was an awesome race, definitely a photo finish. Jeff Gordon, my favorite, leads NASCAR drivers with most wins in restrictor plate races, but he didn't do too well that night (28th place in that race, though 2nd overall in points for the year). At least he didn't DNF. Tony Stewart won the race when Kyle Busch lost control in literally the last few seconds before they passed the checkers. It was a race marked by several intense crashes and lots of jockeying by the drivers. I really wished I had DVR that night.</div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh95sAReWP3Zhljoifzs-5pgQhpZuhWfHINfTEL1sB941BzF_kPqTrqcGU1-bR-Maexmlm6uFaF3Zo6Fokh7uBO6yGyAaxvoR4m_zWlIDpEwLYnrMG2I0CC82IYxO5JRihYF1V06Za7BLY/s320/DSC01158.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356630613310077314" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><br /></span></div><div>It was awesome having Dad here and I missed him the instant I dropped him off at the airport. I can't wait to see my family again at Thanksgiving!</div></div></div>Shanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00785723107264367258noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8882214755295677202.post-5963348653830254342009-07-03T06:35:00.000-07:002009-07-03T07:01:24.170-07:00Half Way ThereSix months have gone by in 2009. It's hard to believe it's already July. My Dad is here visiting for the holiday and while I have a few moments here before we get started on our DC adventures I thought I'd do a little update on how my new year's resolutions are going.<div><br /></div><div>Here they are:</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 68); font-family: tahoma; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">1. Learn conversational Spanish:</span> Does anyone have Rosetta Stone Spanish?? I'm looking for this on Craig's List or Ebay but I haven't gotten it yet because it's so expensive.<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">2. Take </span><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">belly dancing</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"> lessons:</span> I started taking classes a month ago and I LOVE it! I'll probably take another class after this one ends.<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">3. See a volcano when I'm in Hawaii in February:</span> Well, I drove by one but I didn't go to the rim.<br />4<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">. Run the Cherry Blossom 10 mile in 90 minutes:</span> I ran it in 96 minutes - 2 minutes better than last year. I'm going to try to run the Army ten mile in 90 minutes.<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">5. Train for the marine corps marathon and try to run it in October (or at least the half): </span>The training is so hard. I ran 13.1 miles a few weeks ago but I'm not sure if I'll make it to the race. I've also gained 10 lbs since I started training - which I tell myself is muscle but I know I've been indulging my increased appetite a bit too much. Stay tuned ...<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">6. Visit another country:</span> Not yet<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">7. Continue my guitar lessons and learn a new song on the piano:</span> I've come a long way on guitar; still working on piano<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">8. Visit Annalise in the summer so she can show me Moab:</span> I didn't get to go because I had a family reunion in Texas the weekend that I scheduled my trip to Utah. I'm hoping to make it out there this fall.<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">9. Keep following where the Lord leads me spiritually, emotionally, relationally, geographically </span>... Always</span><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 68); font-family: tahoma; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 68); font-family: tahoma; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">That's the six month update. Hopefully I can get good enough at belly dancing to record a little video and put it up here. Don't look for that any time soon, though, my movements still resemble the Elaine dance too much to justify an audience.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 68); font-family: tahoma; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Look for a blog about Dad's visit to DC some time next week.</span></div>Shanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00785723107264367258noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8882214755295677202.post-47877647534970741732009-06-29T07:48:00.000-07:002009-06-29T17:44:42.290-07:00A Comedy of ErrorsI have this new friend, I'll call him RS. RS and I met at church and then he found me on facebook (thank you to my weird name). Last week RS emailed me and (assuming that I like country because of my Texan roots) invited me to the Rascal Flatts concert on Saturday night. I was going to politely decline, as I really only like old school country, but I figured what the heck? I need to broaden my horizons a bit and check out a new country band. Plus, I thought I had heard a couple of their songs on the radio and they were pretty good. A bonus, too, was that Darius Rucker was their opening act - AKA Hootie and the Blowfish lead singer. I mean, who doesn't love "I Only Wanna Be With You"?!<br /><br />So RS picks me up Saturday (of course he had to wait on me because of course I wasn't ready) and we head off to the concert. They were playing at Nissan Pavilion which is a bit of a hike from where I live and the traffic gets pretty bad when there is a concert. It took us quite some time to get there and by the time we did, the concert had already started.<br /><br />RS was hungry and wanted to grab some concessions before we sat down so we headed to the stand to see what goodies we could find. RS gave his order to the clerk, and honestly, I wasn't really paying attention to what he said, and then asked me what I wanted. I muttered something like, "I'm not really sure what I want" as I was looking for something appetizing on the menu.<br /><br />I ordered a miller lite and then changed it to a water when I noticed the cashier plunk down two hot dogs. I thought to myself, hmm, that's odd. Why would he order for me? We don't really know each other that well. But I chalked it up to him taking the lead and being chivalrous enough to get something for me just in case I was hungry. Then he took both hot dogs and walked away. Again, I though, that's weird, he didn't ask what I wanted on my dog. Again, I didn't think too much of it when we sat down and started eating. We finished, he grabbed some other goodies and then we walked into the concert.<br /><br />The concert was good - and it would have been better if I didn't have Miss Drunky McDrunkerson next to me dancing with a man half her age in a space that could only fit two people, and definitely was not made for spin your partner and do-si-do. I really liked the music and Darius Rucker was awesome! He's got a great voice and I loved that he played all the old Hootie hits with Rascal Flatts. I thought that RS was quiet during the show - but it's a concert and loud so you can't exactly carry on a conversation.<br /><br />The show ended around 11 PM and RS and I headed out. We were chatting on the way home - just getting to know each other better. He's from Oklahoma, so it's nice to hang out with people who understand where you grew up and all the little idiosyncrasies that come with that.<br /><br />I realized about halfway home that I had taken off my flip flops and had my feet up on the dash of his jeep so I quickly apologized for making myself at home and put my feet down.<br /><br />He kindly said, "That's OK, no prob. Actually, you know what else you did?"<br /><br />I replied, "No?"<br /><br />He said, "You ate my hot dog."<br /><br />I thought back... OH CRAP.<br /><br />"I did, you're right!! Now that makes so much more sense!", I exclaimed.<br /><br />He said, "Well, you said you didn't want anything so I just ordered my food and fixed them and when we sat down you grabbed one. I thought about saying something but I didn't want to make you feel weird."<br /><br />I told him, "OMG, it would have been fine and I would have laughed (I was laughing then anyway) and I would have gotten you some more food. Now I feel like a total jerk for eating half your dinner! But I did think it was pretty crazy that you ate your hot dog in two bites, I remember thinking to myself, man, he's hungry!"<br /><br />I felt like such an idiot but RS was pretty gracious about it. He said he wasn't sure if he should say anything and of course I said I was glad he did. Strangely, that seemed to ease things up a bit in the conversation; I guess there had been a hot dog shaped elephant in the room.<br /><br />Folks, it's not my policy to eat other people's food, so don't be afraid to bring your dinner around me. Next time I'll pay more attention to who orders what and make sure to ask whether or not I'm eating someone's meal!Shanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00785723107264367258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8882214755295677202.post-49169847270047950122009-06-28T09:45:00.001-07:002009-06-28T20:29:57.126-07:00Jazz in the Gardens<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO5RSvXMoHM1Nbqft65nvtqjKNw9E_S0bkQjEirmASp2d_4_NibsgQYA4W3BPJ_0xfMy_wtW-zUjs6Z7KqCkG-7VpoCPOhyphenhyphenSDoD-dZ0vd6Qji-NAFH8AWUzalgprX-POB8Jj0pmjKjqiY/s1600-h/Thadd+Tom+Shani.jpg"></a>There are tons of free concerts in DC - especially in the summer. Always on the lookout for new experiences, I decided to join my buddies at the sculpture garden this past Friday night for a free jazz concert. The sculpture garden is near the National Mall in the heart of DC at the National Art Museum. It's a lovely place - trees every where and beautiful sculptures all surrounding a large fountain.<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The weather forecast for Friday night called for a slight chance of showers. As I was headed into the city, the weatherman said most of the storms were outside DC proper, so I kept on my merry way under blue skies.</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcVEWjzpmbnegSY6yD2No-_GCoV4RqX1hgYSINrsSEgm6sTS8xQUztCucbWobd9o0xG_gUn1CfB1O-EKQmJfIowFNV9xbtv61xVGYkzvIMPfV9Bc95NWzfwcs_Fv2Jxh-4-2TPwbjkSXM/s320/Fountain.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352425975387964242" /></div><div>I arrived at the concert, where my friend Tom had already staked out a great spot underneath some large oak trees right next to the speakers, so we had great sound coming in as we poured the wine and broke into the cheese and crackers. Some other friends joined in and I noticed that a few (myself included) decided to bring umbrellas - just in case. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-tJo92DzvMxgXQdwKCJ7_XGaMn0g9KliCsoN87FBn7pvMPEcmKpny96kG_4S8ksArAwVFpoqO1Un7PWXiS2IGjdRVyDVX84hpO9g-fDoco607pXj77GiAjoBH-gHNx00xeMZvXTOgY6E/s320/Thadd+Tom.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352425982805682578" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div>I was just pouring my second glass of wine when the band came over the speakers to say that they were taking a little break because, in their words, it was going to "spritz" on us a little, but not to worry, they'd be back. So we all grabbed our little umbrellas, protected our blackberries and iPhones like they were children, and hunkered down to wait for the "little" storm to pass.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO5RSvXMoHM1Nbqft65nvtqjKNw9E_S0bkQjEirmASp2d_4_NibsgQYA4W3BPJ_0xfMy_wtW-zUjs6Z7KqCkG-7VpoCPOhyphenhyphenSDoD-dZ0vd6Qji-NAFH8AWUzalgprX-POB8Jj0pmjKjqiY/s320/Thadd+Tom+Shani.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352425986042889042" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div>So it began to rain. A little at first, then harder. Then pea-size hail started coming down. Then the rain turned into torrential downpour and the only thing that wasn't wet was the top of our heads, which were all still protected by our tiny umbrellas. Then marble-size hail started falling and there was no way anything was going to be left dry. So I turned to my friends and said, "It sounds like there are people in the fountain having a great time - let's just ditch the umbrellas and go be kids again!". We turned around (our backs had been to the fountain up to this point) and sure enough, there were at least 100 adults playing in the fountain during the storm like it was 110 degrees outside and it was the only respite from the heat. I threw my umbrella down, rolled my jeans up, and jumped in!</div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ST4q6n6E5wIYpquGnVnyRL-9yvmLWoXMzGNSy3skGuCyUl29s3R_oIbHg1u6JjQcw6GUf7aUElhuG5Z46hWmpS2SsYLetc28L119uCUuqjS0UeIJHYx535WNYfgQ9OCHmYU5vOZ5T4U/s320/Guys+in+Fountain.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352425974994085826" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></div><div>It was great! The water was warm because that day had been a hot one, and it felt nice after having the hailstorm soak our clothes. We only had a few minutes in the fountain when the rain stopped and the Mall cops told everyone to get out. We were able to snap a couple of pictures before the threat of being arrested was really upon us. </div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzeYKX7-j2uqB5EXybx0VgbNBNkPVdEjyNoZ9moJF87kErzxAHH6WUobn19VG7u1CwGhnP2MflSBaFezwGTygbHOQcxOhzm59bhbAZWyq6WORT6KY_kS9726ThvjXnfY17zFn3nzSg0Wg/s320/Shani+in+Fountain.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352425978598922578" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></div><div>It was a grand time. Some times it's nice to tap into your inner child and forget about things like hair, makeup, and oh crap how dirty is this water?! Enjoy the pictures - I'm not sure how I'll ever get the smell out of my jeans. </div>Shanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00785723107264367258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8882214755295677202.post-90627948091710440702009-06-18T12:10:00.000-07:002009-06-20T08:21:15.342-07:00Rachel<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeqV3Oxzt841D21_XGgQffE2TUbZIDiEg9-h55Zzw3fE3BlDSgEfcPQG9VnIQzofvwKiDU6sE3ROYZ_iokH1wMVCJP74kZiTeD1sB4bQDgZs08Q3NJwtnU0JFFWcqeji6Zck8V0zHD8ww/s1600-h/Shani+Rachel+NYE.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeqV3Oxzt841D21_XGgQffE2TUbZIDiEg9-h55Zzw3fE3BlDSgEfcPQG9VnIQzofvwKiDU6sE3ROYZ_iokH1wMVCJP74kZiTeD1sB4bQDgZs08Q3NJwtnU0JFFWcqeji6Zck8V0zHD8ww/s320/Shani+Rachel+NYE.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348753288459136034" /></a><br />Today I am blogging from Atlanta airport - otherwise known as the armpit of the US air travel industry. Well, maybe that's a big harsh. But it does seem that no matter where you're headed, you have to fly through Atlanta, and it's invariably delayed in getting flights in and out. However, I'm in luck today because so far my flight is on time. <div><br /></div><div>But I digress. The real purpose of my blog today is to dedicate a few paragraphs to my dear friend Rachel. She's appeared in my blog numerous times and even has one herself - you can find it to the right by clicking on Reading Is Sexy.</div><div><br /></div><div>Rachel and I met in the fall of 2007 when I joined a small group through McLean Bible Church. She was leading the small group at the time and has since passed the torch on to me. When I joined back in 07, I didn't get to know a lot of the girls very well, but over time I got closer to Rachel and she has proved to be a very dear and loyal friend to me.</div><div><br /></div><div>When I went through a break up last year, Rachel came to my house and sat on my couch with me and just let me cry. We've spent quiet moments in prayer and we've been on crazy adventures with the Aggies. She is always up for exploring DC or whatever local band might be playing at Jammin Java and she has a healthy obsession with Coldplay (which I share). Rachel introduced me to the world of Edward and Bella, for which I'll always be greatful. While we are different in many ways, we both love the Lord and I have learned so much about myself by being friends with her.</div><div><br /></div><div>Why all the accolades for this lovely lady? Well, she has answered the call to become a missionary and is leaving today for England. While I will miss Rachel while she's across the pond for the next couple of years, I know that she's doing God's work and I applaud her courage to answer the call to ministry. I look forward to visiting her some time next year.</div>Shanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00785723107264367258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8882214755295677202.post-65817036777092447152009-06-10T18:56:00.000-07:002009-06-10T19:33:00.688-07:00CrackBerrySo I have a problem. My name is Shani, and I'm addicted to my BlackBerry. <div><br /></div><div>A couple of weeks ago my fourth Pearl bit the dust (my 4th PDA in less than two years, might I add) so I hopped into Verizon to replace it. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Immediately</span>.</div><div><br /></div><div>With all the buzz about the iPhone, I decided that it was high time for me to jump on the touch-screen bandwagon and invest in RIM's offering: the BlackBerry Storm. Those cool commercials where one jumps seamlessly from application to email to browser to camera to phone ... I was hooked.</div><div><br /></div><div>After the inevitable haggling about whether or not I got the discounted two-year price, (perspective - two years is longer than any relationship I've ever had) I joyfully clutched my new cool phone in hand and explored all it had to offer. I even downloaded Facebook on the way home and updated my status on how stoked I was to have a new toy.</div><div><br /></div><div>Two weeks later ...</div><div><br /></div><div>I stumble into Verizon, barely able to see straight through the frown lines that are now permanently etched into my forehead ... </div><div><br /></div><div>"Give me a new phone NOW! This Storm is a piece of ****!" I breathlessly exclaim to the cool Verizon sales guy, who casually looks me over and says, "Well, there is a new version of software available if you'd like to test it out---" .. "NO.", I cut him off. "Well, perhaps you need a few minutes with our technical supp--" ... "NO!" I say, exasperated. "Look, dude, I've been using BlackBerries longer than you've been out of school so trust me when I say I know my way around technology. I sell pacemakers for a living! So just give me my refund and a Curve and I'll stop making a scene and telling everyone how crappy this phone is."</div><div><br /></div><div>Realizing that I'm the definition of 'not going to be swayed', he points me in the direction of the cashier/refund/constantly look annoyed/Verizon person where I wait for what seems like the duration of Gone With The Wind for my transaction to be processed. </div><div><br /></div><div>The saddest part of this whole story is that for the past two weeks I've been annoyed. Uncharacteristically snappy and irritable. And the culprit? That stupid waste of plastic and metal that was constantly glued to my hand and the recipient of copious profanities. I realized this discouraging little fact on my way home, when for the first time in two weeks, I could type a text message without hitting 27 keys when trying to say "btw - be there n 5." That was the fatal flaw in the Storm - touch screens will never be a superior substitute to the keyboard. But how sad is it that something so stupid could have such a profound effect on my mood?!</div><div><br /></div><div>Regardless, I will sleep well tonight. And knowing, that at any point, should I wake up and find the need to do so, I could send an email, or text message or even post a comment on someones Facebook page that will be spelled correctly with proper punctuation, absolutely warms my heart.</div><div><br /></div><div>My name is Shani, and I'm addicted to my BlackBerry.</div>Shanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00785723107264367258noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8882214755295677202.post-17948118044478331932009-06-01T06:50:00.000-07:002009-06-01T07:14:23.928-07:00BaptismBaptism is a familiar concept in Christianity. I was baptized when I was 10 years old and many of my friends were baptized as infants. Every denomination has a different opinion on baptism and when it should take place but almost all agree it is an important threshold to cross on your spiritual journey. It is the public display of an internal heart change. <div><br /></div><div>Even Jesus was baptized: <div>At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice cam from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love, with you I am well pleased". Mark 1:9-11. (NIV)</div><div><br /></div><div>Last night we had baptisms at our church. Twelve people were baptized and among them was my friend Tom. I could summarize his journey and what led him to his decision, but I won't do it justice, so the video below says in his own words why he chose to get baptized last night.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyFmFN75B8jidBOqlZ1OiMpUYa5oHewdN2hZVVe-KzRe8cteSwbiXCmOH7YO45o88o56bjVUiM7fEmPo5Rihw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><div><br /></div>Shanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00785723107264367258noreply@blogger.com2