iTrip

I will compile a list of the suggested tunes (keep them coming!) when I get back from my girlie weekend but in the meantime I ended up spending my iTunes gift card on some car tunes.  Blame it on good advertising.

iTunes sent me an email of what’s new and I immediately gravetated to the new single by Mother Mother.  The Stand. 

Which led to the purchase of their previous album. O My Heart.

Which led me to purchase the Metric album I meant to purchase ages ago. Fantasies.

Which somehow led to a Katy Perry album. Teenage Dream.

And well, let’s just say I had to top my account with my MasterCard.

Merry Christmas 2009 to me.  Thanks Mom!

I have a project for you…

For Christmas LAST year…yes 2009…my Mom gifted me an iTunes gift card. 

For Christmas this year she gave me a snazzy new iPod Touch.

For some reason I registered the gift card but never used it.  I think I wanted to use it to download like 5 seasons of How I Met Your Mother but when I realized how stupid expensive it was I was put off and just never got back to it.

Anyway now that I have my glossy new Touch I feel like I need some glossy new music.  My second generation pink Nano still serves me well after years of smashing around in my gym bag and being stuffed in my sports bra…but maybe it’s time to class things up a little, no?  It’s been probably a year since I put any new music on the poor thing.

Sooooo…this is where you all come in!  My project for you is to suggest to me your “must have” songs.  I have $25 to spend so that’s around 20 songs.  Let’s see how many you all can come up with for me.

Any genre, but something with pep if you please.  These songs will generally be listened to while pumping along at the gym, cruising along in my car, or dancing around my living room in my underpants (don’t worry, my neighbours like it can’t see in).

To help you out here’s a random sampling of what you might currently find on my playlists…

• OK Go – Here it Goes Again
• Finger Eleven – Paralyzed
• Muse – Supermassive Black Hole
• Adam Lambert - Fever
• Fall Out Boy - This Ain’t a Scene
• B.E.P. – Imma Be
• The White Stripes – Conquest
• K$sha (she’s annoying as sh!t but fun to run to) – Blah Blah Blah
• um, and you may find Hoedown Throwdown by Miley Cyrus but I swear I don’t know how that got on there!

Outside the gym I mostly listen to Modern Rock, but in the gym Pop seems to reign supreme.

My plan is to just take your suggestions and download without listening, so do me proud!  I trust you!!

And….GO!

Family Christmas

Christmas Eve 2010

After cutting up four kinds of cheese, three kinds of salami, and fishing around in multiple pickle jars I had about ten minutes to do my hair. A hot curling iron and a small child’s Christmas bling headband worked some Christmas magic.

I’m the one with the camera so the obligatory bathroom mirror shot ensures I’m part of the photo memories!

Enough snacks for a small family army.

Santa Mommy…

Generally camera-shy cousin…

Cute grandpa and lady friend. Might be the cutest damn thing of the whole year.

Festive Aunt…

Franklyn enjoying the high of his Catmas present…

Lizzie discovering shrimp…

Santa Mommy and the family spoiled me this year.  I’m back in the land of Blu-Ray, finally have a brie baker in my possession, have a cool Etsy tote for James Dean, and my own copy of Eclipse for inappropriate Team Jacob moments.

The surprise of the year?  Another piece of technology to excite and befuddle me!

iPod Touch 4!  Maybe now I’ll actually use the iTunes card she bought me last year.   App suggestions for a newbie to the Apple world?

Many happinesses to you and yours.

Hello Seattle!

Every time I type that it reminds me of the Owl City song.  I love their quirky tunes. 

Before leaving Victoria I made a quick run to SB for a road latte.  Since they are offering BOGO on their seasonal drinks, I decided to take two drinks for myself!

Grande reduced fat egg nog lattes (not extra hot…this store is VERY vehement about this all of a sudden).  I ordered one in a vente cup and just dumped the other one in.  hehe.

That’s a boatload of caffeine for my boat ride.

My Victoria Clipper ride was smooth sailing (thank goodness!).  Too bad it was pitch freaking dark so I didn’t get to take any pictures…but I’ll be going back in the daylight so here’s hoping I get some shots then.

Upon arrival I got somewhat of a Birthday Party #5.  I know, I know…I’m so spoiled.  See the cupcake just for me?!  It came complete with a round of Happy Birthday (which I giggled the whole way through)…

And the stash of Coconut M&Ms John has been collecting for me at random convenience stores around Boston.  Also included in the loot from Boston was another SB mug, but I don’t seem to have a pic of that yet.

Aaaaand, the awesomest thing evah! iPig!  Remember when I saw these at the PNE this Summer and kicked myself for not buying one. 

It’s got great sound for a little thing!

I contributed to the shindig with a bottle of my favourite BC red wine.  See Ya Later PING.

John made a trip to Whole Paycheque and built us a fruit and cheeeeese plate to serve as dinner and go along with our wine.

Not a bad way to start a mini-vacay, eh?

Me + outdoor running = NOT BFFs

I finally updated and charged my iPod, the sun is shining, I was feeling more motivated, I had hydrated, I got up on time, and work wasn’t pummelling me with time sensitive projects…all things pointed to OUTDOOR RUN.

Except that I’m not experienced at outdoor running. AT ALL. 

Before I set out I had breakfast…

The Bee’s Knees and banana on toast.

Gasp!  Out of coffee this morning…oh no!  Rescued by Starbucks Via sample pack.  Phew.  Strong but tasty!

I updated my iPod.  It has literally been sitting here unused for about 6 months.  I finally wiped out my old music (bye bye songs I have had for 8 years!) and started from scratch.

And hooked up my new headphones.  My original iPod ones died last Winter, and the replacement pair I got wouldn’t stay in my ears.  These ones don’t seem to be much better…grrrr.

I was running a bit behind and breakfast had started to wear off so I munched on 1/2 a lemon Larabar on my way out the door.

The run = the sucks.

- Mistake #1:  putting my camera in my pocket.  it bounced around too much and distracted me.

- Mistake #2:  carried a water bottle.  again, distracting and I didn’t need it.

- Annoying thing #1:  new headphones didn’t stay in my ears.  so another thing distracting me.

- Annoying thing #2:  using iPod as timer.  I so need a digital watch (or a Polar!!).

- Rookie mistake el grande:  pacing!  I start out too fast.  I’m used to setting my pace on a treadmill and have no idea how to pace myself on my own.  I’m all over the place!

Needless to say it wasn’t the nice interval run I was hoping for.  More of just a mish-mosh of running when I could and a lot more walking than I should.  Any suggestions?  Obviously I need help! 

It was 3km in about 25 mins.  Lame.

Came home and went straight for lunch. 

The controversial “soup-snob” soup leftovers.  I hate waste so I just amped it up with some parmesan cheese and lots of fresh ground pepper.

Served up with a quick salad of spinach, grated zucchini, carrots and balsamic.

And hummus with FSTG chips.

Hit.the.spot.

As much as the run wasn’t what I thought it would be, I’m still glad I did it.  I kicked my own ass to get out there and do something, and now I know that I really need to focus to be ready for the Santa Shuffle 5km in just 5 weeks…eeeek.