Cornucopia of Randomness

Phase I:
Here's what you do:
- Go to google.ca (or the search engine of your choice)
- type in "yourname needs" (Example type in "Joe needs"... and you must use the parentheses)
- share the first 10 things you see in the results

My results:
Meg needs...
1) a drink and to go to the Bahamas and find a man ~yes, yes and check!
2) to work hard to maintain the loyalty of fans. ~I have fans?
3) a home ~yes! How did they know?
4) a new leg ~two legs are better than one
5) to be of the same type as the calling ~??
6) to comply with a certain purity level ~umm...right...
7) a champion ~doesn't everyone?
8) to be moved along ~by the great hand of fate..
9) some encouragement ~definitely!
10) to eat tons of meat to survive ~I think this is true, and it explains my steak addiction.

Phase II:
- Same as Phase I but with "yourname wants to"

My first 10 results:
Meg wants to:
1) meet 9 people
2) go to Africa and offer medical assistance to those in need
3) sort this out
4) commiserate over the lack of personalized items in our childhood or having to always say "M-E-A... A, not G, M-E-A-G- oh ~Ahahahah..so true!!
5) get a big hug from Daddy and sit on his lap. ~this sounds really perverted
6) thank all of her friends for their thoughts and prayers.
7) meet a seth ~??
8) play late R+B singer and actress AALIYAH in a movie about her rise to fame ~this could be a little...problematic..
9) be an RA! ~been there, done that.
10) get Fox's clothes off ~I hope Rob's not reading this post! :)

Phase III: Blogthings.
My Love Song?
(http://www.blogthings.com/whatlovesongareyouquiz/)
Your Love Song Is You and Me by Lifehouse: "Cause it's you and me and all of the people / with nothing to do Nothing to prove / And it's you and me and all of the people / And I don't know why, / I can't keep my eyes off of you"
-- For you, love is very intense and a little difficult to express.

You Are Bert

Extremely serious and a little eccentric, people find you loveable - even if you don't love them! You are usually feeling: Logical - you rarely let your emotions rule you You are famous for: Being smart, a total neat freak, and maybe just a little evil How you life your life: With passion, even if your odd passions (like bottle caps and pigeons) are baffling to others

The Sesame Street Personality Quiz

You Are a Pinky

You are fiercely independent, and possibly downright weird. A great communicator, you can get along with almost anyone. You are kind and sympathetic. You support all your friends - and love them for who they are. You get along well with: The Ring Finger Stay away from: The Thumb

What Finger Are You?

You Are Not Messy

You're so clean, people have accused you of being a clean freak! You like things tidy, organized, and smelling fresh. Messes drive you crazy, especially when you didn't make them. It's hard for you to live with a slob - or someone who leaves their dishes in the sink.

Are You Messy?

Phase IV:
My friend Shannon sent this to me. I almost fell out of my chair because I was laughing so hard. (Make sure your speakers are turned on)

http://youmakemetouchyourhandsforstupidreasons.ytmnd.com/

And one more random link: http://passiveaggressivenotes.wordpress.com/

Alright, I think that's enough randomness for the day.

Training Update: First race in T-minus 7 days.

Top Photo provided by http://www.secretweaponlabs.com

Calm water

There comes a time at the end of every school year when all of your imminent tasks are finished, and the completion of your other work is too far away to think about. I'm sitting smack dab in the middle of such a moment. It's kind of like standing at the edge of an empty pool before your first swim of the week. The water is calm, you are neither cold nor working hard, you're still on dry land, sitting in a sort of not-training-but-not-resting stasis. Your heart rate is elevated in anticipation of the workout, and, you just know that soon enough you'll be pushing yourself as hard as you can, feeling the searing pain in your lungs, embracing the burn of your muscles and the endorphins that soar through your blood.

I've given myself two weeks off of schoolwork to recuperate, sleep, eat, and train (ie. get prepped for race season). I'm standing at the edge of the empty pool, just waiting to jump back in. A week off, including a trip to a tropical paradise has given me a clearer post-comps perspective. Soon, I can begin my opening swim-kick-swim-pull set; soon, I will feel my mind start to open again, as I warmup slowly, and prepare for the next build phase (the dissertation).

Another week off and I know I'll be aching to get back to work. I'm not quite there yet. I'm still enjoying the fact that I have no pressing obligations, and that I can sleep-in (yeah right! says Rob...). I've also discovered Grey's Anatomy (I know, I'm a little late jumping on THAT wagon).

Most of all, that empty pool metaphor extends to the character of my mind. Yup, it's pretty empty up there right now. But soon the water will no longer be calm. Soon there will be a current of activity, a splash of inspiration, and waves of motivation.

Alright, we'll go on the red top...

Florida, in pictures

Florida Training

Yesterday I did my first open water swim of the season. There are so many variables to consider when swimming in open water: waves, current, fish, trying not to think too hard about sharks...

I was scheduled for an hour but only did about 45mins, partly because of time constraints and partly because swimming in the surf is so much harder! I got some good, hard efforts in though, and felt very happy with my workout. I think I swallowed about a gallon of seawater, but I suppose that's to be expected.

I followed the swim with an easy run. It's much hotter here than Halifax. The extra humidity and heat makes running a slightly more difficult endeavour, but I know that it is good for me. My dad and I went on an easy jaunt around the Lido Beach Park. We saw tonnes of wildlife, including a number of herons right up close. The trail was fairly sandy, with a nice, soft surface, which was perfect for running. A lot of the park trail wound itself around the ocean shore. Wow.

What a fun place to train! I've seen a bunch of cyclists out on the roads in the early mornings. It would be lovely to ride around here. There aren't any potholes in the roads. The only downside is that's it is extremely flat.

Today we're going to the Zoological gardens to check out the parrots. So far this has been a great trip and a much needed vacation.

Vacation!

It's been fifteen years since I was here. I think I remember the smell the the most: sunscreen, sweat, and sea. Driving down I-75 today -- mustang convertible -- top down -- smiling, and feeling the stress of my comprehensive exams melt away. Sarasota is a beautiful place.

It is an exquisite view from my hotel room (see picture above). We were treated to an uncommon thundershower this afternoon. With the humidity at bay, this place is paradise.

Ocean swims will be great open water training. So too will the running in the heat help prepare me for race season.

Not sure I ever want to leave...

ABD

I passed my comprehensive exams! That means no more classes, no more exams!

I'm officially ABD.

ABD:
1) All but dissertation
2) All but done
3) All but dead

Time for the next part of the journey...

Tomorrow

It all starts tomorrow. I feel as prepared as I'm going to be, whatever that means.