Here's to you...

This one's for you, Daniel, so you had better read this...

So I am still getting used to this no-Facebook thing, but thus far, I am truly liking it.  Already a few times a day, I have thought to myself, "Oh maybe I should make ___ my Facebook status!"  Then I remember I no longer have a Facebook to update my status on, so therefore I must share my thoughts with real people in the real world.  It has been very enlightening so far and has actually shown me a bit of my own character...

In other news, I am currently stretching after the run that begins my 9 months of training for my marathon.  It just happens to be a simply beautiful day here in Germany and has warmed up a bit so I was able to shed some of the layers I have been forced to run with for the last few weeks.  The sunshine was a huge bonus because after a very short night (especially for a sleep-lover like myself), I was feeling slightly worn out after work.  But still I laced up my trusty Nike running shoes and hit the streets.  Fortunately, it was not very long before I was feeling fantastic and enjoying the view (after a tough uphill run) of the sun-drenched  Bodensee and the Alps beyond.  Now I am enjoying the wonderful feeling of stretching out my tired limbs and am actually looking forward to my day of cross-training tomorrow!

One other semi-major change in my life will happen in 2 short days, on February 22nd.  As many of you know, that is the first day of Lent, the 40 days leading up to Easter Sunday.  Many people give up something, such as sweets, bread, music, etc. as a sacrifice to remember Jesus' ultimate sacrifice of death for us all (meaning EVERYONE, no just Christians, Jews, etc.).  I have never given anything up for Lent before, but when one of my friends told me what they were doing, I considered it.  They told me about an organization called Blood: Water Mission.  This organization is helping to provide clean water to people in Africa.  So their idea is to give up all drinks except water and save all the money you would have spent on coffee, wine, tea, beer, and any other drinks besides water, for forty days.  Then at the end of the forty days, you donate all the money you saved to Africa for clean water, and you also get to enjoy a hot cup of Joe (or hot drink of your choice) on Easter morning.  I think it is pretty brilliant because it is a good sacrifice for me and gives to a very good cause.  I'd love it you would think about it, and if you want more info, go to www.bloodwatermission.com/40days.

The last thing that I must share for the benefit of a friend of mine named Daniel Paul.  This 26 year old man is from Manitoba, Canada, and insisted that I inform you all of a new nickname of mine: Robin's Egg Blue.  Embarrassing as it is to admit, I actually responded to it the other day... Depressing.

Well I have a lovely little bowl of raspberries with milk awaiting me, so I will sign off...  Adieu.

A New Day is Here.

It has been a disappointing amount of time since I last posted, but I hope that I am now turning a new leaf today.  After reading many articles, I have decided to deactivate my Facebook account.  I read one article in particular in the International Herald Tribune (which is the international version of the New York Times), about a group formed in Ireland called Europe Versus Facebook.  It was formed by a young Irish man who asked Facebook to send him a hard copy of all of the personal information they had stored about him.  He received a package containing about 1500 pages.  In addition to this rather creepy information storing, I have also realized that while I sit on Facebook and scroll mindlessly through my news feed which consists of an overwhelming combination of annoying gossip, unnecessary complaining, and self-centered gloating, I am missing out on the real world and my life is passing me by.  We will never get this time back again, so why do we waste it by living in a virtual world?

Since I have given up my virtual world, I have decided to jump back into the real world with both feet by signing up for the Amica Seattle Marathon, which will take place November 25, 2012.  At the moment, with 9 months until race day, just thinking about running for roughly 5 hours and covering 26.2 miles, makes me start to break out into a cold sweat and my stomach suddenly turns over and fills with butterflies.  That's why, I am trying to take the training process one day at a time.  My training will officially start on Monday with the first day of an 8 week half marathon training plan from Shape magazine.  I used this same plan a year and a half ago when I ran my first half marathon.  I will start with this plan, run a half marathon in April, here in Germany, and then begin with my official training for the full marathon.  

Before I start my training, I decided to brush up on my history of the first marathon, which, according to legend, took place in 490 BC.   Pheidippides, an ancient Greek soldier ran the 42.195 kilometers from the Battle of Marathon to Athens to carry the good news that they had won the battle against the Persians.  Upon arriving, he shouted "Νενικήκαμεν" (Nenikékamen, 'We have won.'), collapsed, and died.   I truly hope that this will not be my fate, but it is good to know the race's history.

Other than the excitements mentioned above, my life has been going on in a rather 'normal' way.  Cooking, baking, working, running, sleeping, eating, etc. I have been trying many new granola bar recipes lately, hoping to stumble upon some fabulous, extremely healthy, flavor explosion in the shape of a granola bar or breakfast muffin that I can eat along side my morning coffee... One of my friends and coworkers also has a passion for making healthy, low-fat granola, muffins, breakfast bars, and other such foods, so we often share ideas and recipes back and forth.  She recently sent me the link for truly wonderful, no-bake, all-natural energy balls.  They are really easy to whip up in a hurry, and simply delish!  I reduced the honey a bit and also tried them once with a bit of baking cocoa for when I was craving some chocolate.  Both ways were hits, in my humble opinion!  Here's the link:  http://www.recipeforcrazy.com/2011/11/natural-snack.html

Well, now I am semi-caught up on my much belated blogging, so enjoy!  Adieu!