Settle Down?

While this journey across the US has been wonderful in many ways simply because I have been places I never intended to go, and many places I never intend to go back to, there's some definite fun in picking the places that I would go back to. Here's a list of places I deem worthy of a second glance, or a long hard look:

• Boston, MA. I could see myself living here or going to school here for a few years. It's definitely joined San Fran on the list of cities I would live if I had to live somewhere other than Seattle.
• Portland, OR. Seattle-light is definitely a place I could spend some real time. With all the hipsters, bikers, coffee maniacs, greenpeacers and liberals, it's definitely a city where I could lose myself in becoming eco-friendly and bike every which where. It's flatter than Seattle too, as long as you stay in the river valley, and closer to both the coast and the mountains.
• Washington DC. I can almost see myself living here if it wasn't for the constant 60-hour work weeks and subsequent frat-party binging that I witnessed in the short time I was there. It was pretty fun, incredibly beautiful, and really friendly to an active lifestyle... Which I'd need to hold back the liquid calories.
• NYC... Oh but to live there for two years: one to get your footing, and the second to actually enjoy it. Only it would cost me more than I would make in 10 years to manage it. At least I can go back to visit.
  
• Portland, ME. I'd love to live here for a year. I know the winters are brutal, but in a way I'd just want to know what it's like to hunker down in one of those adorable little clapboard houses and eat seafood every day down at the local bar with all the crusty folks laughing and carrying on. And I'm dying to go to Maine in the summer.
• Phoenix, AZ. Just for the winter is the eternal clause on this one... and NOT in Scottsdale. While I'd live in ME for a winter, I don't think I could handle a Phoenix summer. Maybe I could make it here a year if I just did camping trips all summer up near Sedona and Flagstaff, or really anywhere in the southwest.
• Burlington, VT. Hippies, yoga, Whole Foods, Ben & Jerry's, a big beautiful lake, maple syrup, and colleges everywhere... I could definitely spend more time here... Maybe even go to school here.
  
• Charlottesville, VA. I'd LOVE to go to school at UVA, at least for a little while. This is just an adorable town with a nice vibe. Plus, TJ designed it.
• Charleston, SC. I could vacation here for a while... the slow, southern pace just makes it really peaceful. And I feel like there was so much more outside of the actual city that one could see. Savannah, GA is pretty much the same... but I liked Charleston more.
• Salt Lake City, UT. I want to go snowboarding out of here so badly it hurts.
• Rapid City, SD. Driving through the Badlands and surrounding areas rather than flying over them would be spectacular.
• Miami, FL. This city is just a riot of color, "culture," and craziness. I'd love to spend a longer weekend on South Beach, when it's not thunderstorming.

And probably many many more... Does anyone else have a fave I've left off this list? This isn't completely comprehensive--it's just the places I've visited for my job and on stayovers (keep in mind I haven't been to California yet. Nor have I been to Arkansas or Oklahoma...). What have I forgotten?

Southern Living

Savannah, GA has been on my short list of places to go for a while now. Last year, I spent a weekend in it’s sister city, Charleston, SC and had a fabulous time. This year, I found myself ending a week in Columbia, SC and I sent out a missive seeing if anyone else could make it. When all was said and done, Heather was the only other PM able to come, but we made the most of it.
I drove in from Columbia and had the chance to cruise around checking out Savannah before Heather landed. Just in case you were wondering, driving around the most haunted city in America on a night with not only a full moon, but the largest, brightest full moon of the year is not the best idea to get yourself ready to go out alone. I ended up spooked by the Spanish moss hanging from the trees, terrified by the creepy statues, and shaken by the crumbling architecture. I ate some groceries in my room and drank some wine with my chocolate to wind down from freaking myself out. (Evidently I scare easily). Heather arrived and we shared some bubbly at her suggestion and gabbed about BER and life in general. Soon enough, we crashed into our beds (one of the best beds I’ve slept on in ages… it was one of those bowling-ball mattresses!) and were up in time for the Krispy Kreme and coffee breakfast.
We picked up a rental car since the weather was not cooperating and then headed off to the downtown area. Paula Dean’s was our first stop. Lady and Sons has a southern buffet lunch, and DAMN. I ate so much, and drank so much sweet tea I really did think I was going to explode. I don’t want to think about how many calories I consumed (weekend stayovers don’t count anyways!).

We tried to walk it off, and ended up going into some fun shops and found ourselves at the Juliet Gordon Lowe house. We both felt a little nostalgic for our girl scout days since JGL was the founder of the girl scouts and the house was overrun with little brownies and juniors in their uniforms. I was tempted to buy the pin you can wear on your vest, but decided I’ve passed that stage of my life. We drove around some more to see the cool old architecture (the drizzle and cold simply prevented us from actually enjoying walking). We walked around the cemetery in the daylight (I was definitely not that interested in a ghost tour at this point, especially with how cold it was!), and did try to hit up a brewery for dinner, even if we could barely manage to finish half of the nachos we ordered to share. We got up to leave, gave up our prime location, and in walk the first cute guys we’d seen the whole time in the bar. Shrugging, we gave up and went back for more wine, trashy TV, and oh-so-comfy beds.
Sunday morning we went for a frigidly cold run in Forsyth Park, where my minimalist shoes and running style seemed to hold up remarkably well, even if our fingers never actually warmed up. Then we were off to the airport and I was off to Phoenix. I could wish that the weather had been better, or that more people had been able to come so that going out would have been more fun, but really, all in all it was a great time in a great city.

Report Carding for Groundhog's Day

So I tend to forget about new years resolutions just as fast as the next person. So I'm going to give y'all an accountibility/update post on this so that I keep going. So how am I doing?

• Floss Daily: C+
• Take Vitamins Daily: A-
• Drink Less Soda: B
  

Notes: Flossing is still eluding me... I started off strong and now it's right back to twice a week. Maybe I'll try aiming for the AM rather than the PM. Daily means counting Saturdays too, which is proving tricky for my vitamin intake. Lastly, I'm trying to allow myself only one Diet Coke a week, but I'm cheating by drinking ginger ale on planes which probably counts as soda...

I'm also really excited by my running, and am planning to focus on that as part of the new month. I went for a run in Savannah this weekend with Heather, and found that running outside (even in really cold weather) is not so bad in my "minimalist" shoes. I'm definitely capable of 2 miles straight in the shoes, and want to try eeking it up to three soon (anyone know of/want to do a valentine's/president's day 5K?). The big goal of running a 5m/8K race in under 45" still lingers... maybe by May's Beat the Bridge. If only my schedule will allow this year...

Before the Boarding Door Closes

Ahhh... On board a plane headed to Portland. I am ecstatic to be heading to the northwest and even more excited to be healthy this time. No more passing up the beer and wine on my horizon flights due to being knocked out on Nyquill like last year! No more being reduced to heinously brewed starbucks coffee at my hotel! Hipsters and hippies everywhere! Time to visit Powells books and get stumptown!

It's the little things that make me happy.

Barefoot Running

With my quest to become a perfect packer athletic shoes became one of the first big questions. How does one escape the confines of bulky running shoes without going out and buying something brand new? Over the last few months I’ve been finding myself reading a lot of articles about running barefoot, and while in Austin, I found myself running behind a girl wearing crazy-looking minimalist shoes at the2.5 mile fun run Kirsten and I were doing. I had to find out more…

The basic premise of barefoot running is that the over-cushioning effect of specially designed running shoes actually promotes injury because the muscles of the legs and feet no longer have to work to stabilize a runner’s body. I am particularly drawn to the idea due to my biology background. Think about it, humans have been running and walking for millennia without Nikes, and it has really only been in the last 30 years that the athletic shoe has really come into popular usage. Any industry is created out of a perceived “lack,” and the athletic shoe industry filled the niche created by the idea that more cushioning and specific support features (like an anti-pronation, rigid part of the sole) would reduce injury and realign the body of a runner. However, recent studies and a not-so underground movement have come out suggesting that running shoes might produce the exact opposite results.

Vibram Five Fingers Classic minamalist shoes

Running barefoot, without any kind of protection between my feet and concrete (or the nasty hotel treadmills), doesn’t really appeal to me, but that is why the market has created things like callous shoes. Basically these odd-looking rubber gloves for your allow your feet and leg muscles to stabilize and engage fully as if you were running barefoot, while providing a barrier between your delicate 21st century soles and the surface you’re running on. Give the market any kind of lack, and it will produce a $75+ product for your consumption.

Not being interested in throwing down serious cash on a whim, I pulled out my own version to assist in my packing lighter endeavors and to give this a shot. These little Nike mary-jane sneakers have been in my closet for ages. The soles are thin and unsupportive, and I’d added some superfeet insoles to provide a little more of a transitional cushioning and support. I would not really be running barefoot, and if the running proved to be uncomfortable, using an elliptical machine or stationary bike should still be comfortable with the support of the insoles. I chickened out and used the elliptical for most of the first week on the road, and then on Friday I tried out a treadmill.

my version of minimalism

Immediately I could feel the difference. I quickly switched from the usual heel-toe foot pattern of jogging to landing with the ball of my foot and then my heel. I also felt like running faster than I had with my Asics (although generally I am a much slower treadmill runner than road runner in general, I was up 0.5mph on my average speed by the end of the half hour workout, and this speed increase has been consistent over additional workouts).

Most interestingly, I could feel my body in a way I never had running previously. Side-to-side movement has always made treadmill running tricky for me, but as I felt my body more acutely, I was able to run straighter. I felt a distinct misalignment in my hips, as if one leg were longer than the other. I got of the treadmill and stretched my hips until the alignment felt right, and I could clearly feel when it was right. It was almost a yogic experience, because my muscles were so awakened by the new technique and my mind was so focused on noticing the differences. Post-workout, I was intensely sore in a way running never makes me sore. I had run 2.5 miles, adding in a little slight incline at times, but it was nothing more strenuous than what I had done in both Austin and in Seattle over break. The Asics have not made it back into my suitcase since then.

Now for the disclaimers: I only run on average 1-2 miles when I get on a treadmill so I can imagine that running or training for longer distances would be a completely different can of worms. There still needs to be more long-term studies on this technique, especially considering the long-term high-impact effect on joints. But for me, this is amazing. I love the meditative quality of feeling my body react, and since I’m running on a relatively low-impact surface for short distances for only a few more months, I don’t suspect I’ll have any dire long-term complications.

Has anyone else heard of this new running theory? Anyone else trying it with success? Should I stop this little experiment and either stick to the elliptical or throw the real running shoes back in my suitcase? Or have the shoe companies just found another way to potentially sell you a new product?

It's a Love/---- Relationship

I've been too down on my job lately. Part of it is the ever-changing state of the economy and how that has impacted life working for BER. The thing is, this job is only horrible if you can't find the shining moments you get every day.I am out on the road with a presenter who most PM's are not fond of, yet by sheer force of will I had a great time with last year. She's a ton of fun, but since she's a little more high strung and from Jersey, she can come off abrupt and rude. Plus, she's on the more high-maintenance side of the presenter spectrum, so you have to learn to expect the little requests without feeling miffed. Luckily this week I have a lot more energy than last week, and we're in great places. Last night we were in Charlottesville, one of my FAVE small towns I've been to, and after the seminar we dashed up for the last tour of Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's house. EEEE! I was so happy to get to see it since I've been forced to drive past the signs about 4 times last year. Then, as it was about 5pm, we went back to main street in Charlottesville for dinner at a tasty french bistro. This was after supping at Hamilton's the night before, the restaurant we had found last year on our trip to Charlottesville together. Two dinners in my favorite town?! YES please!!These are times when I love my job.

My Two Cents

Turns out, I not only do a better job, but I like my job a lot more when I have over thrity participants now. Either I need the slight challange to get in the groove, or waking up at 6am for 10 people is just depresing.

Charlottesville, VA is a small town I could spend some time in. Good food, good shops, good history. What more does a place need?

Beignets in NOLA

A weekend in the French Quarter… C’est ci bon!
We dined on beignets and fried foods every day, putting our digestive needs on hold for a long weekend, reveling in the excesses of a city of excess—po’boys, oysters, gumbo, red beans and rice, fried everything, and a couple of hurricanes and bottles of champagne. I pulled out my feathered headband for our night on Burbon Street, and enjoyed the crazy as much as I could, although one night was more than enough for me. We had our eyes on some guys, but they turned out to be trapped playing a gig for a private frat party that we were less than interested in attempting to crash. Krista, Kirsten, and I stayed in a fairly lux room at the Westin (thank you hotwire!), reveling in our plush bathrobes and swapping out who got to sleep alone for each of the three nights. We slept long hours in the daylight, wandered miles throughout the Quarter and Garden districts, and ogled the amazing architecture surrounding us. The weather was decent, giving way to a lovely afternoon on Monday when I went to just sit by the river watching people walk by and boats float up and down the Mississippi.But best of all, I got to leave my tech case at my hotel in Northern Virginia, as I ended there Friday and started my next week in the same location. It was nice to travel like a normal human being, although I had one southern guy comment on my carry-on sized suitcase, “I don’t know how you can fit everything for 3-4 whole days in something that small.” To which I replied, “3-4 days? This is two weeks’ worth.”

Master packer status: Achieved.

Circadian Rhythms

Life moves in cycles. A high energy week gives birth to lots of blog posts, creating new hobbies like "perfectionist packing," and coming up with exciting activities along the road. Those weeks usually give way to great weekends, then onwards to horrifically exhausted weeks. This is one of those weeks.

NOLA was a blast (and maybe I'll manage some real content on it in a day or so), but this week I'm crashing at 9:30pm and crawling out of bed at 6:45am. We have two crappy hotels this week too, which makes life just all the more depressing after the FABULOUS Westin in NOLA (yay hotwire!). My presenter has made it known that she likes finding fun things along the way, but there's just no way I want to "find" anything for her. Two reasons: 1. Pure exhaustion on my part and 2. She's about as interesting as a doorknob and has made some vaguely racist/classist comments. Basically, coming off of last week were I had a real connection with my presenter and had an amazing time, I'm just not interested in putting in any more time and effort with this lady than I have to. So it's time to get dinner alone, curl up with a good book, and recoup some of my introvert energies.

P.S. Yay for Tom Robbins and the ubiquity of book stores on the road. I'm only 10 pages into "Jitterbug Perfume" and I'm already amused.

Connections

Natural disasters happen every year, and while some are larger than others, they all impact people's lives. The 7.0 earthquake that happened yesterday in Haiti hit a bit close to home for me... One of my friends was in Haiti on a humanitarian vacation, working with children of the impoverished country. She was on the top floor of her building when the earthquake hit, and was luckily pulled out of the rubble after the building collapsed, suffering only broken bones and bruises (thank god for Facebook that I can know all of this only a day later!). Yet, there are thousands more that need rescuing and emergency health care, thousands more who have died or are dying, and once the immediate triage has been completed, there is still the matter of rebuilding a desperately poor country.

This tragedy has hit me as something that I both can and must help with. I encourage anyone who can to donate to the American Red Cross or any other organization to help with the cause(here is a list of 7 reputable charities), because, as another friend has pointed out, prayers do not set up relief centers, provide drinking water, or rebuild homes and hospitals.