Driven to Distraction

17:54 Edit - forgot to let you guys know that I went through the price list on the items left on the for sale page, and reduced most items by 50%. :)

18:46 Edit - *sigh* See what stress does to your brain children? I apparently have lost my ability to count. There are TEN days 'til vet notifications, NOT 20, as originally posted. Off to fix my glaring error....

I seem to be incapable of composing posts at the moment. Why you ask? Here’s an excerpt from a recent attempt.

I’ve been thinking recently of popular blogs that fall into the narrative category (as opposed to the “how to” or “reviews” etc.) and VET SCHOOL!whether there is some sort of self-limiting cycle VET SCHOOL! that these types of blogs fall into. I consider my blog a “narrative blog” even, if is contains some tricks-of-the-trade, because the majority VET SCHOOL!of the blog chronicles my journey VET SCHOOL!through a specific part of my life. Most books that are character VET SCHOOL!driven are only interesting VET SCHOOL!because the character evolves VET SCHOOL! throughout the book. When the character stops evolving, so does the VET SCHOOL!book. VET SCHOOL! So perhaps, VET SCHOOL!the trick of a narrative, VET SCHOOL! character driven blog that remains interesting to a VET SCHOOL! wide audience is a blog that chronicles such a character change. Character change is often painful and honesty is perhaps easier in VET SCHOOL!hindsight than when going through it. VET SCHOOL!Thus, maintaining a narrative blog in VET SCHOOL!the present is difficult. (yet rewarding). Not to mention significant change in VET SCHOOL! character adults is not easy VET SCHOOL!and takes a LOT of self awareness and constant work – VET SCHOOL! thus the argument could be that no significant character change of adults VET SCHOOL!commonly happens – hence the VET SCHOOL!propensity of most VET SCHOOL! common narrative blogs to be VET SCHOOL!rather….dull…unless there’s some other common VET SCHOOL! interest binding blogger and reader together. VET SCHOOL! After contemplating this, natural questions arise – what is the life span of THIS blog? VET SCHOOL! I’ve blogged about my first 1000 VET SCHOOL! miles. VET SCHOOL!Should a new VET SCHOOL! blog start for the new phase (vet school)? Can I VET SCHOOL!continue to make this blog interesting, readable, and continue to demonstrate learning and character change as the years pass by? It’s a lot of work to be self-contemplative all the time! VET SCHOOL! Will the blog eventually evolve into anecdotes that are entertaining and enduring, moving away from the current model of being VET SCHOOL!character driven? Where do I WANT this blog to go? VET SCHOOL!

Yeah…you could see how that could become difficult….

Farley has done her best to distract me (silly lame animal), but alas – our icing, wrapping, medicating bonding time will be coming to an end and although I enjoy *long walks at sunset and cuddling (ie grooming) that will not be nearly enough to keep me satisfied.
*doesn’t this sound like a dating ad?

Remember the last time I had a horse in rehab? That’s right – I ended up adding household member “maniac cat” and had a plan to start running ultramarathons, which was finally ditched on the advice of getting another horse (hello Farley!) instead.

I only point this out as to disclose that I DO see the pattern….I swear.

Shall we discuss upcoming events?

A half marathon. Why yes! Running! My much-beloved hobby that seems to fall by the wayside once I get a horse really up and going. I used to think I had to have an excuse for my running – such as fitness. Since I’ve recently come to the conclusion that running does squat for my overall physical health, I can proudly say that I run because I want to and it makes me feel good and not try to justify it any other way. The half marathon is at the end of April. And the last time I regularly ran was….well…..I’d prefer not to discuss the details…..However, you would be proud to know that I HAVE learned my lesson overtraining. I’ve started very very very slow (a concept quite foreign to me until ~a year ago) and supporting it with functional strength training. My ramp up will be more than recommended; however I’ll be monitoring it closely and backing off if needed. I think formally fit people (I ran marathons not THAT long ago) that are still active, can return to fitness fairly quickly – kind of like endurance horses who haven’t been to a ride in a couple of years, but can get back into shape for a slow LD or endurance ride quicker than someone starting from scratch. So we’ll see how it goes. My biggest goal is not to get injured this early in game – I’m trying to formulate a regular fitness habit that will serve me well once I’m in school. I very much feel like a horse that had some substantial time off for some nagging injuries and has to be monitored closely as they are put back to work. :)

More backpacking trips scheduled for the next 4 months that my total experience to date! So excited. I enjoy backpacking more than I enjoy running and *almost* as much as I enjoy endurance. It’s by far my favorite kind of fitness activity – moving slowly most of the day up hills carrying a heavy pack – and motivates me to get out the door for my every day fitness activities (I love running but not so much the other strength activities….)

I’m adding a member to the household! I don’t want to spoil the surprise yet, but suffice to say that Aarene especially will be thrilled, as well as a number of other readers here! :)

And just think – this only brings us up to my quit date at work (still a secret – sorry) and doesn’t even touch my summer plans! Altogether, these various events, as well as looking towards my summer plans, have provided me ample distraction from the grueling 10 days left until I hear about school (and that’s the EARLIEST – it could be as long as TWENTY days). So humor my *squirrel tendencies and we shall see the other side of this 20-30 days with sanity intact!

*Squirrel – what Matt uses to describe my behavior in retail stores and life in general, as I dart towards anything bright and shiny and wander away. Near the end of shopping excursions he’s been known to take my hand – and trust me – it’s not in the “public display of affection between loving couples” type hand holding. It’s a vise grip that says “if you dart away and make me find you one more time…..”