Life

Ann Coulter

| cheriarmour

Right turn from all the marriage talk and all this talk of texts gone wrong….

So, I can’t really even dignify this by linking to her article – if you’d like to read it, Google it, but Ann Coulter made some pretty heinous remarks about the World Cup as it relates to our country.  I get it, it’s Ann Coulter’s job to say horrifying things and get paid for it, but why do people feel the need to just be so damned mean?  And I’m not gonna sit up here and call her awful names or attack the way she looks, cause to me, that’s stooping to her level.  But it almost makes my throat hurt to know that she spews venom and gets paid for it.  Like, it’s completely beyond me.

img via AP/Peter Kramer
image via AP/Peter Kramer

Which brings me to this.  Once again, feel free to Google this, and luckily I’m not in a place where I’m yet lambasted on the internet, but there is a site, called Get off my Internets, or GOMI, which is entirely dedicated to (mostly) bashing bloggers.  I poked around on the site yesterday and I was astonished by what I was seeing.  Like, talking about a blogger’s weight, talking freely about a blogger’s relationship, or referring to someone as a “skank” for posting pictures of themselves in a bikini?  Just awful just awful.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a good laugh, but I feel like if I felt like something like that was going on with a blogger, I’d just STOP READING THEM.  It’s really quite simple.

Why do you think that people feel the need to be so hateful behind their computer screens?

Happy Monday! My sister is a wife!

| cheriarmour

I am celebrated this weekend by going down to Charlotte to witness my little sister getting married. She called me up two weeks ago and told me she was going to get married, so Godspeed dear little sis, as folks are reading this, you have said your “I dos” and you are a married woman!  BAHHH! Make sure you help me to congratulate Deb, but not too much, cause she’s super private and might kill me when she discovered that the paparazzi shots I took are all over my world-famous blog.  Pardon the photo-dump, but you didn’t think i was going to watch my little sister get married without taking any photo evidence, right? PS you HAVE to tell me if anything about this post is weird – WordPress was crashing on me left and write as I was writing it, so let me know 🙂

DSC_0731DSC_0732DSC_0733DSC_0742It was really cool to see, and it literally took two seconds.  We enjoyed some dinner later on that evening, and I had a good time exploring my parent’s new building in downtown Charlotte – since they’re almost empty nesters (they will be as of August), and they moved to a party pad downtown, so I read by the pool, lifted at their gym, and explored for a little while.  I really didn’t want to leave when it was all said and done, but I’m down to my last few days at the old job, and I have to work hard to end on a good note.

How was your weekend? 

Full Circle.

| cheriarmour

A little over two years ago, I was desperately job searching.

I was not yet full time at Fleet Feet, and I had this complex where I felt like the loser in mine and Austin’s relationship.  I know that is imaginary, but once you’re told “no” so many times, your brain starts to play bizarre tricks on you.  You trick yourself into thinking that there’s something seriously the matter with you and your resume, and that the work that you are doing is unimportant.  That l-word starts creeping into your mind too, especially when you see how well friends seem to be doing through the lens of social media.  [Pro tip: No one ever puts the fact that they’re 3 months behind in their house payment on social media, so don’t sweat how amazing people’s lives may seem.]

So 2, nearly three years ago, I interviewed for a position at at my new job, that I felt like would be perfect for me.  So perfect.  I had one interview, then two interviews, and was in the process of setting up my third interview when they broke it off with me and told me that the job would not be mine.

I was heartbroken.  The news came through in an email, and as I received it, I began to dissolve into tears that didn’t stop for two days.  Poor Austin bought me smoothies, and did his best to calm the sobbing, which came in spurts.  I think he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for that.

So about a month or so ago, I interviewed, a very low-key interview for that same job, which had opened up.

One interview turned into two.

The second turned into a third.  And finally, I was offered the job.

I’m in shock.  It’s surreal.  I’m happy.  I’m visualizing all of the incredible things I want to do on the job.  And finally, I am grateful grateful that everything comes full circle, and will happen when it is supposed to.

photo (10)Grateful grateful grateful grateful.

What are you grateful for? 

 

 

Currently…

| cheriarmour

I stole this from Rhapsody and Chaos, and I liked it so well that I am gonna use it!

Reading: Orange is the New Black.  I have been trying to get this book finished forever, but with wedding planning, it’s been challenging to find time.  But I’ve tried to  make some relax time, and made some time at the pool last week, and am making some time for the pool on Friday.

OITNB

Writing: This post – I’ve also played with the idea of writing a book on black women and working out, but that’s not even a thing until we get me married 🙂

Listening: To Dr. Phil.  Amber from Teen Mom is on there.

Watching: I guess Dr. Phil?

Thinking: About taking the day off on Friday so I can get some work done that I’m behind on at the house.

Smelling: The sunblock I use daily.  Sunblock has such a distinct smell.  It reminds me of summer.

Eating: I just finished a breakfast smoothie.  Berries, some Greek yogurt, and a little bit of orange juice.  Very yummy, but it’s very apparent I need a Vitamix.  I ate all the crunchy stuff in the beginning.

Wishing: My house was clean.  But I think the wish won’t work, I think I might actually have to clean it.

Hoping: That I get to straighten up the home tonight!

Wearing: A sports bra under a pretty work dress.  I couldn’t find a real bra this morning.  I really need to shop for a few real bras.

Craving: A cold glass of seltzer water.

Loving: Austin. My friends.  My pets.  Especially my Coco.  I talked to her this morning before work, and she just looked at me like “you’re really gonna leave me when we could be napping all day?”

Wanting: More hours in the day to run.  More hours in the day to clean.  And more hours in the day to craft.

Needing: All of the above.

Feeling: Happy.  Content.

Clicking: Myself on Women’s Running’s website.  You too can vote here!

What are you currently doing?

Don’t get pets.

| cheriarmour

So today, it was a little cooler in North Carolina so I met up with some friends to go running on the trails in Umstead.

I like trail running because it’s a lot cooler, and that’s really important.  I spent enough time on the treadmill all over this past heinous winter, so I have yet to torture myself in that manner.  Plus no good shows are really on telly right now so I have no interest in staring at the creepy trainer in the gym who wears a sport coat over his windbreaker pants.  (Not kidding).

photo (8)Even though I’m getting really close to the wedding (2 months exactly as I write this), I’m really starting to get the itch to race again, and I’m really really dead set on making sure I don’t lose any fitness even though it’s gonna be hot as hell this summer if last week is any indication.  I feel like the little incident with the Greensboro Marathon could have been avoided had I done better with training in the heat of the summer.  As of right now, all I have planned is Ragnar in Vegas with the Bondi Band girls, and I’m starting to really warm to the idea of a trail race or to an ultra either in the late fall, or in the spring.  I’ve sort of had my eye on this Badwater Race in Cape Fear in March.  I think I want to do something like this because when I prove to myself that I can do crazy physical things, I can do amazing things mentally and in my work life.  Maybe I’m just crazy.

Don’t get pets.

So, as of this marriage, I am a stepmother to a large cat named Chester, and mom to Martin, the orange cat, and Coco, the grey poodle.  I love my pets so much, they make my life happy.  But my honest advice to you is if you like your house clean, do not get pets.

I am constantly vacuuming, cleaning up someone’s barf, or worse, steaming the carpet of Coco’s pee (the worst ever).  So I’d steamed just the other day, and I look over tonight and Martin, the orange cat, is literally sloshing like 89 gallons of water onto the carpet that I’ve just cleaned.

I can’t even dignify this orange cat’s actions with anything, so I will advise you.

Unless you want to clean all day and night.

Don’t get pets.

Any pets?

Have you ever done an Ultra?  Thought about it?

Have you voted yet? Please???!

The house of horrors.

| cheriarmour

I told you a few weeks back, that me and Austin have been looking for a house here in Raleigh.

We had a sort-of house that fell through after the price seemed liked it was climbing beyond what we could comfortably do.  Since then, we’ve been trolling real estate here, with some success, and some weird stuff.  But on Sunday, we saw a literal house of horrors.

[As a side note, I’m currently a social worker in Raleigh.  This is important to the story.]

rocky-horror-6I’d show you pictures of the house, but I don’t want to embarrass anyone.

So anyhoo, I already was suspicious of the area – the are that the home is in is really important to me so I can access greenway and a safe place to run, something that I’ve had a little bit of trouble with here at this apartment.  But Austin assured me that he loved the house and that I would love it to.  So off we went.

Me, Austin, and the buyer’s agent headed down to the home, and it already wasn’t looking good.  As we started driving through town, the residents started looking more and more sad, and the homes started looking a little more run-down.

And then I started to recognize the area, an area where a lot of my clients lived. Not inherently a bad thing mind you, but I was really hoping that where we were wasn’t anywhere close to where a client might live.

So imagine my surprise when we pulled up to the house, a very nice house home, and it was right next door to a group home where three of my clients live.  The thought of one of my clients seeing me in a pair of boxers was enough to sour my mouth, and I couldn’t look at the house the same any longer.

So here’s hoping that we find something good, and not next door to all of my clients.

Weekend Update

| cheriarmour

I hope you guys had a good weekend.

I’m officially swimming through all of my workouts.  The heat and humidity in North Carolina is absolutely unbearable – both classes I taught last week were nuts, and then on my run on Sunday evening, sweat was literally dripping down my nose,and into my eyes.  I’m desperately continuing to run, and hoping that my heat training will turn into something good by the end of the summer.

So on Sunday morning, I woke up early, and we had some friends over for brunch.

I got the idea a couple of months back in DC.  In DC, a lot of my friends, both married and single, live in these group house type situations, and last time I was there, I went to a brunch at one of the group houses.  It was cool, it was kinda like being at Bob Evans, without having to go to Bob Evans.  Plus here in the Bible Belt, they can’t serve alcohol out until 12pm, so if you try and go to brunch much earlier you’re all…

FridayRookie mistake. 😦 😦

Then you have to drag out brunch for a very long time while people glare at you for not giving up your table.

So we decided to do brunch at our place.  Wanna see why the South has such a problem with weight?

DSC_0728That would be a biscuit, eggs, some really really good hash brown casserole, some fruit for good measure, scones, and some mimosa.  All of which I ate.  I ran after cause I felt really bad!

Your favorite breakfast food??

How was your weekend?

2 issues.

| cheriarmour

^^Anyone who knew who this group was before I shared their colorful video with you, please stop by, cause you got 10 points for Gryffindor.

Anyhoo, Happy Sunday.  As you read this, I’m enjoying brunch and a heavy does of day-drinking with some friends in honor of Austin’s 28th, plus we are sending some friends off.  They’re moving to South Carolina 😦

I will take loads of pictures of the brunch, which will include some Southern things so those of you reading from like, Canada will understand why the South has a serious problem with our weight.  Yeesh.

I have 2 issues I want to bring up.  And I’m not trying to be a complainy-no-friends, but both of these things are really needling me, and I need like, someone to rub my back over it.

1.  I am seriously looking for a summer bikini, and I’m overwhelmed.  I tried to go to the mall today, to Victoria’s Secret since my soon-to-be stepmother-in-law got me a giant gift certificate to VS.  It took me approximately 15 seconds to start to feel really overwhelmed with how overly perfume stinky the store was, and then I just turned around and got a diet lemonade and left.  But if anyone has any really good suggesions for a bikini, please send them my way, because I need one as it’s been 90 degrees at least every day here for the last week and a half.

2.  Secondly, I am sick and tired to DEATH of the coffee shops here in Raleigh.  Last week I was blogging from this hispter coffee shop in Raleigh from the outside, and was totally grossed out by how much cigarette smoke was out there.  Honestly it made me feel cranky and sick, and I totally hated it.  Today, I went back there, asked for two Splenda in my coffee, to which the barista pointed at a pile of Splenda across the way, but refused to put it in my cup before she brewed the espresso in it.

I’m sick of paying four bucks for a coffee to vicariously smoke a cigarette that makes me feel nauseated and have people be really mean to me.  I want to open a coffee shop one day I think.  Now that day won’t be fore 10 billion years, but I’d kinda like for it to happen and I will actually me nice to my customers and ask that smokers smoke not on the patio so that people can like, chill.

What are you up to on this balmy Sunday?

Oh, and please don’t forget to vote for me to be your cover chick!

White Ford Bronco – Where were you?

| cheriarmour

So on Wednesday, Austin turned the big 2-8, so in celebration, I took Austin on date to the first place we ever went, which was the Rockford downtown.

The Rockford is really cool spot, and was an excellent choice for Austin to take me to because the food is good, fresh, and it has a little bit of a vegetarian lean – I could easily find something on the menu without having to do too much wiggling to figure out something to eat.

So I took him there, and we had the best time.  He brought me flowers.  I hope we never stop “dating.”

Date NightThis poorly lit, sorta blurry photo is the only documentation I have of the night cause we asked this guy at the bar for a photo, and he snapped a terrible one, and I was too embarrassed by his terrible photography skills to ask him to do another one.  Oh well!

Okay, so let’s make a right turn.

Bronco Chase 6-17-94The other night, Austin and I watched this ESPN documentary that documented June 17th, 1994.  Which was 20 years ago, by the way, if you’re looking to feel super old.

I’m not really interested on anyone’s opinion on OJ’s guilt, however, what I am interested in is finding out what you were doing when this chase was going down.

For me, I was with my family (there were only 5 of us at this point), at Smuggler’s Notch in Vermont.  I remember it being one of the most amazing vacations in the entire world – I also remember coming back to the condo from a swim or something, and my parents being transfixed by this chase that was happening in real time.

The Knicks were also losing a game, if I’m not mistaken.

Where were you during this chase?