Bliss

Here are some reasons why I am happy today:

1.  I had trouble sleeping last night, so somehow placing my head at the foot of the bed worked.  Apparently my kitties don't like pillows, because when I woke up they were both sleeping right next to my head.  It was so precious.

2.  The sun was shining in my window this morning.  I even got to go to class outside and get some color.  It is crazy that Seattle FINALLY decided to be sunny again.

3.  My boyfriend was kind enough to call Comcast on my behalf and reduce my bill by $40 a month!  I mean, Kyle is a boy's name right?  Thank you Vincent for doing the dirty work.

4.  Today was our hardest running workout thus far, which means I got to run for 15 minutes at my old workout pace before being injured.  With the intermittent sun and shade patches, greenery, and a trail full of runners and bikers, I honestly can't remember the last time I felt this happy.

5.  I got my car back.  There was a scare that I would have to get rid of it because I couldn't afford the fixes anymore.  My mechanic was amazing and gave me a deal (w/o me asking) so I was enjoying my car with the window down today.  If anyone is curious about a great Volvo repair mechanic go to Larson's Volvo Repair on 73rd and Roosevelt.  I will always go there until I move away from Seattle.

6.  Since I have my car back, I can still do Shari's days (Wednesday).  For those of you who don't know, Shari's is a 24 diner place that gives you a free slice of pie on Wednesday.  We have become regulars there, for better or for worse, and now we can continue our tradition :)

Anyway, hope everyone is well.

One of the coolest feelings...

I am a computer scientist and I do research in HCI, or Human Computer Interaction.  In a nutshell, it is researching how to make computers of all sorts (laptop, desktop, phones, etc.) more compatible with people.  Basically making people's lives easier and more enjoyable, and allowing people to get more out of technology.  This has been my interest for years since I really love working with technology, but at the same time interested in how people think.

CHI is the #1 conference for people who do research in HCI; it really is the place to be.  In the past, I was never able to as an undergraduate, because you can't really afford to.

But now, as a first year Ph.D... I am finally here!  I am in beautiful Vancouver, B.C. until this Thursday and I am loving it.  Yes it is insane with 3000 people and so many options of talks to attend, but it is the coolest experience ever.  I am so thankful that I can reunite with old friends, make new ones, learn about relevant information straight from the source, and on top of it all - it is completely free.

Graduate school is definitely a gift.

But really - here is more on HCI - check it out :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human%E2%80%93computer_interaction

Take good care of yourself: Part 2 "Knee rehab"

Well, after making a few small changes in my life, I'm happy to say that there is hope for me running again!  I thought I would talk to you about what I am doing, and perhaps make a couple of sales pitches in the process.

For starters, I do about 45 minutes of stretches and strength training a day just on my IT band.  It takes up a lot of time so I don't do them as much as I should.  I also get bored easily standing around doing stretches which are slightly painful, so I have started a habit of playing bejeweled since a phone is easy to carry around.

In addition, I found this amazing tape online called KT Tape (http://www.kttape.com/).  It is the greatest thing ever; you can use it for just about any injury, and their website actually has instructions for each type of injury.  They even have two sets of instructions for ITBS, one in general and one for runners.  After quickly browsing, I knew that this stuff was the real deal.  It also lasts 2-3 days and is really durable.  Forgive my appearance, but this is what my leg will be looking like for the next few months at least...

At least it can sometimes match my outfit ;)

How does the tape get there?  It is thanks to my awesome boyfriend Vincent because he is willing to take time out of his day to do it for me.  Putting it on myself would be really awkward due to the angle, if not impossible.

The last thing I'm doing?  Running of course!  But - way slower than I'm used to.  I am actually training for the Brew Ha-Ha 5K this September (http://www.fremontoktoberfest.com/brewhaha5k.html).  This way I can run a 5K and grab a beer afterwards!  I am actually training with Vincent, and it is his very first 5K.  It is a lot of fun working out with him and I think it is a good combination.  Since I'm training with someone else, it keeps me in check to not run too aggressively (like I did last June), and he is getting better at running every day.  But he has no problem keeping up with me at all - I just like to give him pointers so he enjoys it more.

I know this is working because I'm not experiencing any pain while running and maybe a little bit of pain afterwards and only on random days.  It is getting better and better and I'm super excited.  One more product  pitch -

Ever done pace training before and always looking at your watch?  That can be annoying, but thanks to my sister I can now have someone tell me through my headphones to speed up and slow down.  Adidas has this cool little device called a miCoach:

This comes with a foot sensor and a heart rate sensor.  On the back is a clip to hook to your clothes.

This device allows you to plug in your Mp3, so you can listen to music and it will automatically lower the volume to tell you commands.  The miCoach keeps track of your pace with the foot sensor and simply tells you to speed up and slow down.  It also keeps track of your calories, distance, heart rate, and whatever else you want.  They provide really comprehensive plans with legit workout schedules - all sorts of distances, paces, etc. with each week containing a long run, speed run, and tempo run.  I have been using it and it is extremely easy to work with.  Rave reviews from me anyway!

So in summary - some work involved but really happy!

Case of the Mondays

I definitely had a case of the Mondays when I first woke up today.  I had three alarms set on my cell phone for 7:05am, 7:10am, and 7:15am.  This way I would make sure to get ready for school and drop my car off at the shop along the way.  I had given myself plenty of time just in case of traffic, bus delays, getting breakfast, and maybe even getting some work done before school.  However, I got to sleep at 2am last night and my phone volume was really quiet and - naturally, I missed all three alarms.

It is now 9:05am.  I woke up and started freaking out and running around like a crazy person changing as fast as I could, thinking how my day is now ruined, and feeling terrible.  However, when I ran out the door, I was on a mission and my mind just kind of released for a second.  And things went surprisingly well.

I somehow avoided traffic completely which never happens.  Then the stress of finding a place to park on the street was mitigated because there was a huge gap which also never happens at this time of day.  I was able to drop the key off and instead of waiting for a half hour, caught the earlier bus, but only because it was running late.  I was able to get my morning work done on the bus and in my office, have plenty of time to get breakfast and get to class on time.

It is funny how these things work.  I was super lucky, and I don't think I have a case of the Mondays anymore.  The only thing I really missed out on was a shower (ewww).  In fact, in the grand scheme of things, this really wasn't that big of a deal at all.

I know I'm not alone in having these moments where we just flip out over the little things.  I keep trying to stop but it is hard because frankly, I have that kind of personality.  I have gotten better over the years though - I realize this and at least reflect later that I shouldn't have gotten out of sorts as I did.  But I always try to improve anyway, and maybe in the future I can stop myself in my tracks, because negative energy for something as little as sleeping through an alarm just isn't worth it.

This attitude shift can do everyone some good, because your "bad" day might just be a good day after all.  I hope everyone has a great Monday!

PS - Will write about my knee soon.  Good progress to follow!