Author: cheriarmour

Weekend updates!

| cheriarmour

I hope your weekend was really good.  I’m surprised I’m still standing upright, because I got a toooon of stuff done.

BeagleSo for starters – if you’ve come to our house in the last year or so, I’ve sworn up and down that we were not getting any more pets.  We have two cats, and a poodle that I love dearly, but of course, I could not keep my word.  We inherited a sweet beagle named April, and we’re fostering her until we can find her a nice, sweet home to stay at.  Prilla is a typical beagle, and unlike the poodle, who’s often off the leash, sniffing around the backyard, when you open the door, Prilla jets off.  But we’re enjoying having her!

I got notice that my replacement Fitbit has shipped!  If you’ll remember, I am a complete idiot, and mere weeks after getting my Fitbit, I was dancing, and looked down a few minutes later to discover that my new fun toy was missing.  I spent the week on the phone with the company, who very graciously decided to send me another, since I’d already replaced it.  All this, just in time for my next new toy…

fitbit.0The Fitbit Surge, the answer to the problem that EVERY single runner that owns a Fitbit has – how dumb do I look wearing my Garmin and my fitness tracker at the same time….

Now to convince my husband that I need another gadget (I don’t)….

CardSpeaking of that sweet man that I love, I was at the paper store to pick up some cards, and found this!  How cute, right?  It’s by a company called Emily McDowell, and the creativity that just oozes off her work is simply inspiring.

Which brings me to this!

My letterpress machine showed up!  After deciding just after our wedding that I was obsessed with all things paper, I called around to some folks, one in particular in Asheville, who have antique letterpress businesses.  One girl in particular, the very sweet Nicole, from Mink Letterpress, actually called me back and walked me through getting started with pressing beautiful paper.  She told me about the Evolution Letterpress, and about a few local paper specialty shops that have workshops, so those are things that I’m really looking forward to in addition to the stationary conference in New York next Spring (if I can afford it 🙂 ).

And finally…

IMG_1454The weather here is gorgeous, and I finally, finally feel like I can run without getting nauseous.  Which comes just in TIME for my Ragnar in Vegas next month.  In two weeks, I’m running 35 miles over the course of a weekend, along with 5 other girls.  Eep!

How was your weekend? 

 

Headphones

| cheriarmour

So, first things first. I have a dirty horrible confession to make.

I’m a little obsessed with “Ew!” Jimmy Fallon and will.i.am’s single that they put out a few weeks ago.  I don’t know what it is about the single, but I really die for a star’s alter ego, so that’s probably it.  Nicki Minaj had Roman, the little British boy.  Katy Perry had Kathy Beth Terry who made her appearance in the T.G.I.F video.  Taylor Swift just looked like a dork in the “You Belong With Me” video.  And now, there’s mir.i.am and Sarah.

So judge me. A ton. I enjoyed it.

Moving right along…

So, I’ve had a terrible run with sports headphones since my second year in grad school, when someone broke into my Taurus, touched my dirty gym clothes, and stole my favorite Nike headphones which were subsequently discontinued.  Blarghhh.  From then, I lost literally like 3 pairs of earbuds, the old ones, and one of the new ones during a big race.

At that point, I started using Yurbuds, and one after another pair either went missing, or I let folks borrow them, only to never see them again.

So today, I broke my usual Fleet Feet regimen since I was near the REI, and headed in to grab a pair of headphones for a few really long training runs over the next few weeks in prep for Ragnar.

#1, the people are REI were really nice, and 2, on our little frequent REI account we had a $17 thing, so I only paid like 6 bucks for the headphones.  Holla!

What’s really cool about this particular pair of Yurbuds is that they’re gender-specific, which can be pretty stupid, like when it comes to the Bic For Her line, but this one is good because it’s a little tinier and shorter, perfect for my ears which are absolutely teeny.  So here’s to being able to hang onto this pair for longer than a day or two, hm?

Yurbuds

Favorite headphones? 

Engagement anxiety.

| cheriarmour

Being married is my favorite thing ever.  Everyone keeps asking me what I think about being married, and honestly, it has been beyond amazing.  I felt, a few days ago, for one of the first times, that we’re settling into marriage, which is a beautiful thing.  It was nice to look out of the window a few days ago, see the shed that my husband painted, and kind of smile and think, “we’re building something together!”  And I know, marriage isn’t all la la la kittens and baby turtles, but in the time that it is, I’m relishing the time and drinking it all in.

Exit

We got married at a pretty standard age I think, in fact, I’m a little older than some of my friends were getting married.  But, I think I’m starting to get into the season of my life where I’m seeing a ton of weddings and a ton of engagements, and I’m so happy for folks.  I am so pumped.  But I wonder if any of these brides have experienced any of the engagement anxiety that comes with being engaged.

The reason this came up?  A few days ago, I ran into a friend who was brand, brand, newly engaged.  I spotted her hand sparkling and asked her about it.  She raised her arm, almost zombie-like, and showed me.

“Oh my gosh,” I said!  “When did you guys get engaged???!”

“Last night,” she quietly drawled.

She didn’t seem sad.  But she didn’t seem happy.  If anything, she seemed a little…stunned?

And I think that’s perfectly normal.  You’ve just made the pre-commitment to commit to someone for the rest of your life.  That said, it’s normal to feel:

  • Stupid happy.
  • Like a grown-up.  You might not feel like a grown up, because grown ups, in your mind, are old and go to bed early.  And they never drink too much.  And all of a sudden, you’ve done something that really old grown people do.  And you might start to feel old.
  • A little stunned.
  • Tired.  You’re showing off your hand, you’ve recounted your proposal story about 400 times, and people keep asking when the date is, when you’ve only been engaged for like a week.  It’s a lot of attention.  I thought I liked attention before we got married.  Woof, that was a lot.

I can’t speak for the men, but I’m fairly certain they too go through the “oh, shit” phase before it passes and you’re married to your best bud.  So remember, my engaged friends, it’s okay to have some or all of the above feelings for a few weeks after engagement.

What was one big life change that had you stunned for a day or two?  

Proactiv Perjury

| cheriarmour

So, I think I’ve mentioned this before, but I struggled with some acne in high school.

Currently, at the ripe old age of 26. I still struggle with hormonal acne, and at certain times of the month, my forehead will erupt into angry acne.  Eventually, it goes away, but it leaves behind some hyperpigmentation that seems to take forever to get gone.  Since I had some success with Proactiv in undergrad, I went ahead and ordered Proactiv again.  And this time, the formula is even better, and more moisturizing than it has in the past.

I noticed that I was getting low, and checked my account – my package was supposed to have shipped on October 3rd, but somewhere between the old house and the new house, my package didn’t get to me.  And if I go a few days without using it, my skin is really unhappy, so I called, and tried to track down my package.

Here’s where things got a little weird.

The folks at Proactiv, who are generally pretty nice, told me that in order to send me out a new package (and I’ve been autoshipped up to this point), that I would have to SIGN AN AFFIDAVIT stating that I had not received the shipment under threat of perjury. Threat of perjury.  Woo!  They are not messing around up there.

I mean, I get it!  Evidently, there are some clowns running around claiming they never received product and ruining things for the rest of us who just want clear skin.  Additionally, they offered, once they receive my statement, to refund the two months I’ve been paying with no product.

I’m certainly not here to bash Proactiv, but I’m more asking for all of us to look at our behaviors as they affect others.  Working in running retail, we ran into this issue a lot.  Folks returning shoes they’d been wearing for over a year.  Folks returning socks so old, that the artwork on the packaging had changed.  Folks returning used clothing items that had clearly been worn to work out in.  And finally, clearly, folks returning empty bottles of an expensive skin-care product.

So next time you’re like “why the heck are running shoes so expensive,” or “why does this company make me jump through hoops to get a replacement [blank],” remember, one, you could be made to sign an affidavit swearing that you did not receive said product, and two, it’s these jerks running these streets that are ruining it for all of us.

Phew.

What’s your best/worst experience with customer service? 

A Ludacris weekend.

| cheriarmour

So, over the weekend, I celebrated Elon University’s homecoming.

First and foremost, if any of my readers have kids that are thinking about schools right now, Elon is fantastic if you’re looking for a small liberal arts school where you’ll form amazing relationships with your professors?  Elon is the spot.  I went to a big state for graduate school, and the experiences were night and day for a student like I am.

Anyhoo, so the time has flown, and I’m celebrating 5 years since I graduated from Elon University.  And each year, homecoming has blossomed – from an intimate celebration in the parking lot on the north side of campus to a full-blown tailgating experience where all of the student organizations are represented.

So on Friday, I arrived on campus juuuust in time to pick up my packet and tickets for the events I was registered for.  I had a little time to burn, so I explored a little bit, and found some food.  Side note: there is a Biscuitville on Elon’s campus, and I thank the good Lord above that that wasn’t a thing when I went to school there, because there is a distinct possibility that I would have gained like 60 pounds when I was in school there.  Woof.

I went to the step show, which is really more about seeing who is at homecoming, and socialized a little bit before hitting a bar that allowed smoking at one point when we were in school.  Things have changed – thank you North Carolina!

Saturday, we hit the tailgate, and enjoyed some insane food at the Elon Black Alumi Network (EBAN) tailgate, before making our way over to the Twisted Measure tent where my barefoot singing buds were chilling so hard, that we realized 30 minutes after the game started that we hadn’t made the game.

And Saturday night, we hit the Ludacris concert which actually was the literal bomb.  He was SO good, and I was ridiculously impressed with his intelligence, and his performance.  I was totally hoping to meet him, so my heart was just a teensy bit broken when I saw his Escalade pull off.  Maybe next time, Chris Bridges?

Wanna see a few grainy pics I was able to take before the mosh pit swallowed me up?

IMG_1436IMG_1437 IMG_1434

A few quick facts about Elon Homecoming 2014?

  • I lost my Fitbit on Friday night!  I was dancing at the step show, and it slipped off my wrist.  I’m pretty sure someone picked it up and just saw a silicone bracelet and they were like “Omg ew TRASH!” and threw it away.  I’m obsessed with it, so I ran out to Target when it opened the next morning, and replaced it.  I’m in the process of contacting their customer service department now to see if I can get a small rebate or something – I get that it’s not 100% their fault, but evidently this sort of thing happens with this product – there are a few desperate forum posts to support that.
  • Luda is awesome.  The concert was so so good.  Minus the fact that I had to get a little buck on this chick that was shoving in the front.
  • I got to hear our wedding song performed again by Twisted Measure.  They killed it. I cried a little.
  • I ate Cookout. Delightful.  I will also be running like a million miles a week to work this off.  Woof.

How was your weekend?  

Paper Buzz

| cheriarmour

Over the course of getting married, I became absolutely enthralled with paper.

I started frequenting a place in Raleigh called “If it’s Paper,” and I became absolutely enchanted with all of the products they had on the shelves.

They had beautiful cards, beautiful envelopes, pads of paper for lists, blank card stock for you to print on, recycled envelopes…you get it.  My desk at work is full of Le Pens (the felt-tipped pens that don’t smear) and cute pads.  The thought of being the envy of folks while I’m at a meeting makes me cackle.

So when I was at my parents’ in Charlotte, I dragged my mom to the paper store, Paper Source to pick up some pens for a guest book that we needed them for later that day.  If If it’s Paper was special, this place was even more so, in the way that featured workshops – and I found a papercrafters holy grail – an L-Press Letterpress machine.

My mom indulged me because she’s into things equally as corny as I am – she is an avid knitter, and has gotten so skilled, that she hooks it up with not only with the hats and gloves, she’s made clothing, blankets, and toys for kids in need.

On the way to my parents’ we hit the Wells Fargo towers, and scooped up my dad for lunch.

“We went to the paper store!”

Papa Cheri sort of laughed, realized I was serious about my excitement, and then goes,

“What is this obsession with paper?!”

He’s right, I’m a little obsessed, but really pumped to learn more about it, acquire a little letterpress for me to start pressing some projects, and to eventually open a little Etsy store.

But now the question is, now that I’m starting to legitimately get into weird-type hobbies, how the heck am I going to find time to do everything?  Because as of right now I’m obsessed with:

  • Reading my Kindle.
  • Running/Working out
  • Blogging
  • Paper
  • Making our new house presentable for my parents when they come for Thanksgiving

I really need to come up with a plan so that I can thoroughly enjoy these hobbies without  losing lots and lots of sleep.

What are your hobbies?  How do you manage your time? 

Rock ‘n’ Roll Raleigh

| cheriarmour

So I ran Raleigh’s Rock ‘n’ Roll race last year, the half.

The race was amazing, extremely hilly, but an awesome representation of our city.  I tried to capture it all when I actually ran it last spring, but when I run now through downtown, I remember little things.  Like when I started tearing up at the mile at Dorthea Dix’s Campus when there were pictures and American flags with our fallen soldiers on it.  Or when the priest near the start was blessing us.

So anyhoo, I registered again.  For the full.

God help.

If you’ll remember, during my last full marathon, I woke up with a stomachache, ran anyway, and proceeded to vomit from mile 18 on.

Come to find out later, I’d developed a gnarly case of gastritis after my grandmother passed…

HospitalAnd I sort of didn’t run anything intense after that, save for a few half marathons last spring, for fear that I would be vomiting on someone’s front lawn once again.

But I’ve braved the registration, and I did it.

And now I suppose I’ve got to train.  Humph.

Also, sorta thinking about an ulta. A 50k!  Eep!

Have you signed up for any races this spring ??

45

| cheriarmour

Before we get all silly –

I alluded to this last week, but unfortunately, at the close of this week, I will have attended two funeral services.  Cancer absolutely sucks, and prayers for folks that I consider family would be greatly greatly appreciated.  And forgive me if I’m extremely weepy this week.

********

So, the other day, I posted a photo from Buzzfeed’s timeline of Jennifer Lopez.

I’m gonna let you feast your eyes for a second.

Jennifer Lopez 45If you’re not aware, this is Jennifer Lopez, of “In Living Color” fame.  She also was partner to Sean “P-Diddy” Combs, had an excellent MTV diary, married Marc Anthony, and starred in Selena, Enough, and The Wedding Planner.  I still have questions about the vocals from time to time, however, J.Lolas doesn’t have student loans so I’m just being a hater.

One thing I’m not hating on?  Her body!  At the age of 45, she looks better than I do having had 0 children.  To review, Juannifer has a set of twins.  That grew inside of that stomach.

But, upon checking out some of the Facebook comments on the picture, one of my biggest pet peeves started to rear its ugly ugly head.

Catherine Claridge REMINDER: Jennifer Lopez is a celebrity with a team of nutritionists and personal trainers on her payroll. Fuck off BuzzFeed.

Okay.  A few questions for this charming commentator.

  1. Does Jennifer’s team of nutritionists force her to eat the right things?
  2. Do Jennifer’s personal trainers run on the treadmill for her?
  3. How about her lifting?  Does someone else do her lifting?
  4. And under this assumption, this would mean that all famous folks with teams of personal trainers and nutritionist have similar bodies and never struggle with food.  Stars that have had very public battles with food, our Carnie Wilsons, our Janet Jacksons, our Oprahs, are just not a thing?

Laura Miller It’s also her only job too.

  1. Jennifer Lopez has no other job than to work out and look amazing?
  2. Isn’t she a mom?
  3. Isn’t she an actress?
  4. Isn’t she a singer?
  5. Isn’t she a judge on American Idol?

The point of this is all to say: working out and staying healthy is hard, AND we should give credit where credit is due.  Mama looks good, and we should celebrate that.

Do you look up to any celebs for their exercise and healthy eating habits? 

Weekend updates.

| cheriarmour

While you’re reading this, I’m actually sleeping in my little brother’s room at my parent’s party pad in downtown Charlotte.  I’m in town here only for a day or so, but that’s totally cool, because it gives me a new terrain to run on, and keeps things interesting.

So a few interesting points about this weekend.

  1. My Fitbit is turning me into a lunatic. I don’t think people really believe me when I tell them that my competitive nature has taken me to really really ugly places.  But to put things into perspective, my first summer working at Camp Pocono Trails, I was playing Gaga with the kids, and they would make fun of me for how into the game I would get.  At the top of my lungs, I’d scream that I would be the “LAST. WOMAN. STANDING,” as I picked kids off with the dodgeball, one by one.  They thought it was a game.  I knew better.  Well now that I can see how many steps I’ve taken, a friend of mine and three of her coworkers challenged me to a “Daily Showdown,” so I proceeded to walk to the bar, walk home from the bar, and continue walking well past 11pm.  I came in second, and I can’t really talk about my defeat, that’s how painful it was. Fitbit Competition
  2. We had a shed put in the backyard on Saturday.  So I wake up on Saturday to check out the shed, and it actually was pretty cute!  Then I look over at one of the guys installing it, and he’s wearing swim trunks and no shirt.  No judgement here, I’m just truly curious about his choice in attire.  Shed Install
  3. And finally?  I’m feeling really ready to sign up for something serious.  I got over my running hump, and running is starting to feel like a natural state of being for me again.  I’m playing with a few options – I ran Shamrock a few years ago for my first full, and I’d be interested to try it again to see if I’ve made any improvements.  I also have an entry for Rock ‘n’ Roll Raleigh set up, but since they haven’t released the full course, I’m not sure if I’m ready to commit without knowing the course.  Raleigh is terribly hilly, and that race can either be really really awesome, or kinda miserable.  I also am playing with the idea of like a 50k or so, to delve into the world of Ultra Marathons, but don’t tell my husband.  We watched a documentary about Dean Karnazes, and for some reason, I still have the itch to see what I can do.  I have zero interest in being a regular 90+ mile a week girl, especially with all of the teaching I do, but once or twice?  I think it would be worth it!

What did you do this weekend?