Ready, Set, GO!

So it is official, I have eleven weeks until the day that is threatening to kill me. It is the day when I see what preparation can really do for you. It is the day I conquer a half marathon. Now, for all those who don't know, I have never been much of a runner. I don't mind a little jog here and there but to run a little more than 13 miles has never sounded enjoyable to me, much less be something I would pay money to do. But I am doing it and I wonder if I have lost my mind.

The training for the half marathon, which takes place in April, starts tomorrow. I started a week ago and followed my training schedule, just to make sure it didn't kill me. It didn't, but I think by the end of the eleven weeks it just might. My training schedule is neat because I do not run each day based on miles and I am not required to run 5 days a week. I have two days off a week for my body to relax, I have two days of 30-45 minutes of cardio exercise. These days I will do my spinning classes or work with my personal trainer. Two days are spent running but you run for a certain amount of time, not miles. So this week I had to run anywhere from 15-30 minutes a day. I would run between 25-30 because that is what I am use to. However, on Saturday, you do run based on distance. This past Saturday was 3 miles, which wasn't bad but at the pace I was going, it completely kicked my butt.

As I was running, I kept thinking to myself, "Why in the heck have I volunteered to do this?" And I kept coming back to the same answer, because I want to prove to myself that I can do it. I wan to say that I ran a half marathon. I want to be in good shape and I want the satisfaction of completing something that requires so much preparation. This is going to be something I will remember the rest of my life. I want to be in the best shape possible for this event. I want to prove to myself and others that I can do this. And who knows, maybe if I enjoy this race, I'll do the Ragnar from Logan to Park City ... but as for now, I am taking it one race at a time.

A Thing Called Laziness

There is a state of being I didn't know existed. It is a feeling that is new to me and that I have come to fully appreciate. This is the state of laziness. All throughout high school and particularly college I would kill myself running this way and that. I would overload my work schedule, study for hours, participate in a plethora of extra-curricular activities and then throw a little sleep and a few meals in here and there when possible.

Now all that has changed. I don't have homework to do anymore. I can clean and not feel like I am in a huge rush. I can make cookies. I can even sit and watch an episode of "The Office" or "Modern Family" (sometimes even two) and not feel guilty. Somedays I stay in my favorite pair of sweat pants all day without batting an eye. This is my laziness finally catching up with me. Currently my workload only consists of a full time job, my calling as a young women leader and a member of my ward Sockhop committee. I have never had so much time to myself before and I am loving it.

For the past year, my Saturday's were usually consumed by Newscast. I would wake up early (early for a college student who had just gone to be at 3) and capture video, write a story and edit a package. I would be done early afternoon, spend a few hours doing homework, clean my bedroom that I had neglected all week and socialize. Sundays were extremely busy as I would have church, usually finish the rest of my homework and then head to work. Bam, my weekend would then be over. I hated it. I hated not ever having any time to myself. I never read a book for enjoyment for four years. I would feel guilty if I did. My only playtime was with my friends at night. I lived by my dayplanner. I scheduled minute by minute in that book and now, it contains just a few entries and a few phone numbers.

I have missed being so busy at times because I haven't known what to do with my time. I have watched all the episodes of "Modern Family" on Hulu and I read "Wicked." I read two newspapers everyday, well days when Dillon brings them home, and I have time to go to the gym.

Being lazy is a wonderful feeling. I love having things to do, especially having a full time job, but I particularly love the feeling that I can do what I want without worrying that there is something more important. Laziness is a wonderful blessing right now, along with my sweat pants.

I'm back, after quite a break.

A crazy semester filled with Newscast, TopTenREVIEWS and the Statesman. A wedding, Honeymoon, graduation, new job, new town, new ward, Christmas, New Years and the list goes on and on. This has been my last little while and hence, why I have not blogged in such a long time. No, I have no reason for this long delay, and it is ridiculous. I want to be a serious blogger, I mean come on, I writeup to 5,000 words somedays at work. I just haven't had the time. School took it out of me throughout the fall and well, a wedding was a pretty top priority forme but now I am getting back into the groove.

Here is a pick of me and my newscast class.

We spent A LOT of time together.

So here is the update of my life these past few months ...

1. I married a fabulous man - Dillon Erickson - who keeps me laughing. He has the crazy passion with reading and currently has five books next to him on our bed. He is reading all of them at once. He makes me laugh when he reads a chapter from one, puts it back, picks up another, reads a chapter from it, and starts the cycle all over again. What a goober.

2. I am now working full time at TopTenREVIEWS in American Fork. I love my job and I love the people I work with. I am a consumer electronics reviewer and my main focus is maintenance for electronics. Great job. I am blessed.

3. Dillon and I are living in Orem and Dillon is attending UVU studying political science. I know

he misses USU, which I do too, but I think it is growing on him.

4. I am a college graduate, which

makes me smart. Just kidding. But on a serious note, I did graduate with my broadcast journalism degree and a minor in political science. All my hard work finally paid off and I am working hard. Life is great.

5. Dillon and I went to Disneyland for our honeymoon. I know I was there just a few months ago, but that shows my true love for the park. I love the rides, I love the atmosphere, I love the fireworks and the funnel cakes. Dillon and I had an absolute blast there and I think it really is the greatest place to spend your honeymoon.

So as you can see from my BRIEF synopsis, life is good. There has been a lot that has taken place these past few months, too much actually to catch up on, but from now on, I'll do better. It's my goal and since I don't have schoolwork to do, I think it is something I certainly can accomplish.