What are the Odds?

This year has flown by...yeah, that makes me feel old to say that. The thing is, this is the first year I've really, truly noticed just how quickly it truly has gone by. May has always crept up and then flown by, then the creep continues until fall and Thanksgiving and Christmas, which are over honestly before you know it sometime. I'm not exactly geriatric yet, but getting older has produced some marked differences in me. I'm still exactly the same--I laugh at crappy jokes, talk too loud, ask too many questions, have random spurts of energy that have people doubting my sanity--but I know that I have really matured in this past year. For one thing, I have tried to become more responsible with my money, which of course is trying at times considering I don't make all that much. I'm definitely doing okay, but I have to spend a little time each week checking my budget to make sure that I have enough in my account to pay for things like gas and coffee. I know, I know...coffee?? I work a lot and I need caffeine people! At work, I of course always get a good deal because of my discount, and I try to space out drinking each cup over several hours along with water. Dehydration is my new worst enemy, but I'm glad there is always water close by. When I want something just a little bit different--and seasonal appropriate!--I go to the BP and get their pumpkin spice cappucino...so ridiculously good! A few weeks go I bought one of their travel mugs, which means I get 99 cent refills indefinitely... on anything. It's the small things really. It's also helped that I have cut down on my snack consumption, which seems petty but a dollar here and 3 there adds up fast. I'm still a sodium junkie and I love my chips, but now I'll get one bag and munch on it for a long time instead of devouring 4 within an hour. It's a perk that it just happens to be healthier too. I started back with light running and crunches a couple of months ago and then it got--in typical Chattanooga fashion--stupidly cold outside. The only time it's warm? When I'm at work of course.

Now I know that I trained for my half marathon through the winter but a few things have changed: I'm not coming straight out of cross country season so the cold is intense--plus, I got a wicked respiratory infection freshman year at Ole Miss, and of course I avoided medical help for almost too long (where it would have become meningitis) and ever since then I typically get a pretty bad, but relatively short, similar infection. They aren't typically as bad at that original one, but they can put me down for the count for a little while. My body simply can't tolerate the cold like it used to, which I conveniently always forget when I'm sweating in my car with broken air conditioning during the summer and begging for cold weather. Luckily, the heat in my car is awesome, and they have started keeping it up freezer temperature at work. In their defense, the weather changes so rapidly that I can't say they are hesitant to change up the weather in the store...in case we have a 30 degree night which morphs into a 75 degree afternoon. Problem is, the vents aren't all that great up front and I'm right by the doors. Needless to say, I make a big effort to remember a coat. Part of me is ready to just have whatever respiratory thing I'm going to get hit already, but then again everybody else at work is sick and I hate leaving them stranded. It's rare that I call out, but during the worst day of the infection I typically have to since most people don't like trying to decipher what I'm saying between a hoarse voice and coughing...and dodging whatever comes out of my mouth when the cough comes out of nowhere. Another reason running is different now is because I was hit by a car about 3 years ago (while helping a pregnant woman not get hit instead thank you!) and it hit at my kneed from the side. They thought I tore my MCL, and I very will may have, but while it may have healed wonky...I didn't have to deal with doctors anymore. Going to the ER has started to feel more like going to get a tune-up on your car--they keep telling you things that are imperative get done. Yes, IMPERATIVE. Or, you know, we could just finish up what I came in for and I'll be on my way. Okay, I know its stupid and childish, but whatever. Honestly, with my shit issues anyway, it was only a matter of time before I needed to get the straps that fit under your kneecaps and support it and tendons...on both legs. I just love that the stupid mistakes I made almost 10 years ago are still affecting me to this degree. Without them, my knees throb at the end of each run because the support is faulty. Both of these problems could be solved by going to an outdoor gym and doing a lot of elliptical machine work--but alas, work. With the holidays coming up (seriously, WHAT?) its a crazy time to try to start a routine. I'm going to keep running stuff in my car just in case I ge a chance to actually go...and I'll set up a brand new routine around the beginning of the year. It makes it difficult also that I never say no if they ask me to stay later or pick up a shift unless I truly can't go (like being out of town) ...because they know I need the money and I'm not proud. So yes, routines are tough for me, especially with it being cold. Having to plan ahead to go the the gym is one thing; feeling like you're going to freeze to death before the you can start to run s is quite another. Oh, and I'm still not in that great of shape. Blah. And by the way, it might not seem like it, but 24 is so much older than 17 in terms of what stresses the body... for me at least. Sometimes, I feel 84 instead. I'm hoping I can still make it into the gym at least a couple of days a week, and my Mom was talking about checking out some kickboxing classes (which I used to be OBSESSED with and totally miss), so here's hoping! It would be nice to have one of my off days coincide with one of those warm afternoons before winter hits, but we'll see. I do love to be outside, but I also really do NOT like being cold. Oh, conundrum...

Moving on...For anybody who has ever mocked me endlessly with my obsession with checking to make sure I turned off my lights....shove it. I managed the doozy of that situation. For whatever reason I had my lights on during the day, and since that's, you know, weird, I didn't even check and went up to my apartment and did some laundry and cleaned out the litter box and showered for work. Since it was Brian's (the old cafe manager) last day, I wanted to go in a couple of hours early to get to work with him for a bit before he was over and out. Plus, you know me and that money. Side note: it was so swamped from the moment I got there on that I probably managed to chat with him for a total of 15 minutes of that hour and a half. Fail. Anyway, I go down to my car and nooooope...not going to start. I knew immediately, though it made no sense that my lights were on. Panic mode lasted 5 minutes while I ran around seeing if anybody could jump me off...then I gave up and called my friend. Everybody at work was expecting me, and when it's my idea to be early....it kind of looks bad when I'm not. I hate feeling like I let people down--hell, if somebody comes in early for me (haha like twice but still), I already have plans made. Brandi took me to work (still eternally grateful!) and I was only a few minutes later than I said I would be...and work went well. I played a few rounds of pool with some work buddies and then got a ride home. Crisis averted, right?

So, what are the odds that the only time I park in one of the two parking spots set off to the side, the person beside me doesn't seem to feel the need to leave...for 3 days. Nor do they answer when I knock to see if they can jump me off...though I saw them on the porch. Eh, three straight days of drinking could do that...so I've heard. Honestly, I was only able to do that once during the only Spring Break trip I went on in college; typically, I would never have 3 days off of both class and work to actually do that. At this point in my life, it really doesn't sound appealing either. See? Growing up. Side note: I really have lost that desire to drink often. It kind of went away my super senior year of college and the first year back home, and then the roommate turned 21 and I had a mini reunion of my drinking ways. In all honesty though, I'm just not feeling it most of the time. It's expensive, I now get terrible hangovers, and even the cutest person at the bar looks a little rough after 5 hours dancing and 6 whiskey shots. Of course, that's when everybody wants to take pictures because we all must still look ADORABLE. Every once in a while I'll want a good liquor drink or two, and I'll indulge if it's feasible, but typically a night out is one where a bunch of us from work go shoot pool and drink maybe a couple of beers apiece. Don't get me wrong--I can still party like a rockstar, but I found I enjoy it more when it's a few times a year and a treat with good friends and not the weekend norm. So anyway, my car is still stuck at my apartment, dead. Luckily, my friends are great and have been shuttling me around for the best few days. I love them, but I feel awful about it. I have to fix the car thing today though, because DWTS is on tonight and I work tomorrow morning. Anyway, speaking of being shuttled around, I gotta catch a ride to get back to the car situation. Catch you up on the rest later.