I've very purposely kept my opinions about the verdict off of Facebook. Awhile back I made a deliberate decision to make my facebook mostly apolitical, as a personal preference, I just didn't want to engage in controversial debates there anymore, I don't have the interest in it like I used to.
This week may have been an exception, but I've had such a hard time figuring out what I think and how I feel, that I knew it wasn't ready for facebook consumption. But today I've read two things that really touched me, that really articulated what I think:
One is from a United Methodist Blog: http://umcconnections.org/2013/07/19/white-privilege-and-the-trayvon-martin-case/?utm_content=buffer07005&utm_source=buffer&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Buffer
The other was from President Obama. I disagree with him more these days than before, but I could tell he had this case on his mind and in his heart all week and finally figured out what he wanted to say, and I wholeheartedly agreed with it. Here is a link to the transcript:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/president-obamas-remarks-on-trayvon-martin-full-transcript/2013/07/19/5e33ebea-f09a-11e2-a1f9-ea873b7e0424_print.html
The truth is, the experience as a black person is different. The experience for a black man is even more different, and difficult. And agree or disagree with the verdict, Trayvon Martin was a victim of that. These laws that justify deadly force in these situations are applied unequally to the detriment of African Americans. And what makes is so sad, is that meaningful change on these issues moves so slowly, too slowly for many.
So many of my black peers have stories of being profiled, from Stanford students, to law professors, even I have my own story and experience with police officers. What's sad about Trayvon Martin's death is that it's just another example of that, with a horrible consequence.
And while I understand the verdict, I can't help but feel sad that a life was taken at the hands of another, without any meaningful consequence (yet) for the man who, admittedly made the choice to engage him with a gun, when he should have just stayed in his car.
I could go into more issues related to the case but I'd like to leave it at that.
Oh, and on a related issue, read this:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/questions-haunt-family-of-man-with-down-syndrome-who-died-in-police-custody/2013/07/18/693d4c2a-eef6-11e2-bed3-b9b6fe264871_story.html
I can't even begin to articulate how angry and upset this continues to make me - I really have no words.
Friday, July 19, 2013
Sunday, June 30, 2013
My souvenir from Hamburg
I'll give a recap of our Hamburg trip soon (probably on the family blog), but I wanted to do a separate, quick post about my big purchase from there.
I ventured out on a subway adventure to another part of town I had seen on the taxi ride to the hotel, and it turned out it had some great boutiques and home goods stores. After buying a couple of mugs at one place, I walked into a store called House of Fitz, took one look at these beautiful jewelry boxes in various colors along the wall, and knew I had to have one.
I've had the need for a jewelry box for a long time, this is my old one, which I think I got sometime in the mid-90's:
But it's one of those things that no one ever sees to judge, is expensive to replace (if you're going to bother going nice) and tricky to choose. So I had put it at the back of my mind for the last few years, until I walked into that boutique. I knew I wanted to buy something nice and something useful to remember the trip, so I was so happy to find these boxes, it's the perfect souvenir.
After a tough deliberation, I picked the middle size in Tiffany Blue, and its lovely.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
I ventured out on a subway adventure to another part of town I had seen on the taxi ride to the hotel, and it turned out it had some great boutiques and home goods stores. After buying a couple of mugs at one place, I walked into a store called House of Fitz, took one look at these beautiful jewelry boxes in various colors along the wall, and knew I had to have one.
I've had the need for a jewelry box for a long time, this is my old one, which I think I got sometime in the mid-90's:
But it's one of those things that no one ever sees to judge, is expensive to replace (if you're going to bother going nice) and tricky to choose. So I had put it at the back of my mind for the last few years, until I walked into that boutique. I knew I wanted to buy something nice and something useful to remember the trip, so I was so happy to find these boxes, it's the perfect souvenir.
After a tough deliberation, I picked the middle size in Tiffany Blue, and its lovely.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Thursday, June 6, 2013
My Toms Addiction
After receiving pair #8 and ordering myself #9, I finally accepted that I had a problem ...
When it comes to shoes, I'm totally into comfort, but I need the height for life, since I'm too short to get away with flats most of the time. I am a huge fan of the classics for comfort and casual events, but the wedges have changed my life.
Let me introduce you to my first 7:
Top Left: my first pair, #1 the navy basics, purchased Aug. 2011 and well-loved. The deterioration of these and the next pair gave me the justification I needed to buy #9.
Top Center: My red "Stanford" #2 Toms, as in, the pair that I used to wear to games. Purchased Fall 2011. As with #1, they are getting pretty ratty and are now good for walking the dog and other causal outings.
Top Right: #3 My work flats; purchased spring 2012, super comfortable and relatively stylish basic flats. They're in pretty good shape because I really don't wear them much.
[Note: I think they changed the textile for these flats, but they look the same]
Middle Left: #4, my first pair of wedges. These changed my life, but they haven't held up well. Grey turned out to be a color that I wore a lot. I should really stop wearing them to work, but I probably won't.
Middle Reds: I think these are actually #6, I purchased the brown sparkly before the red. These were purchased specifically for the Stanford Rose Bowl Game in Nov/Dec 2012 but have come in handy since.
Middle Brown: Aww yes, #5, these are the ones that I constantly get compliments for. I think I bought these in the fall of 2012. They were great for the holiday season.
Middle Right: #7, my formerly newest pair, purchased March 2013. I needed a basic sandal, and these work. These are a less comfortable style than the other wedge, but I'm getting better at walking in them.
Now, for my two newest:
 |
| My precious |
 |
| Curtis thinks these are "hipster." This makes me sad. |
Finally, #9, my first pair of the classic version with a print. I really wanted a cute pair that I could wear that don't look like they're falling apart. What's great about these is the fact that they conceivably match everything.
I have a lunch outing with the female lawyers tomorrow in Fairhope and choosing between #8 & #9 is going to be agony.
UPDATE: Since we're in for some rain today I went with the #7s and brought my Rainbows to change into if necessary.
UPDATE: Since we're in for some rain today I went with the #7s and brought my Rainbows to change into if necessary.
And here's what I want next! (because it doesn't end here of course)
A few purchasing notes:
Since my first pair, I've purchased all of my Toms online. They are NEVER on sale. Nordstrom and Toms generally have the same prices, and you should be able to get shipping free. Don't be surprised if you see a pair that you like and they're sold out a week later.
Pay attention to reviews regarding fit, comfort, etc., they will not lead you astray.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Final Four Trip + Auburn
You might have heard, Syracuse Men's Basketball was in the Final Four and I went with my parents to it in Atlanta. They were in Mobile anyway, so we took the 5-hour drive to the ATL.
We got there, dropped off our stuff, and caught the closest subway into Downtown, where we attended a Syracuse pre-game party.
Band, Cheer and, of course, Otto, were there.
The cheerleaders thought my mom's 80's cheer jacket was pretty awesome.
I insisted on taking a picture in front of the "C" in "NCAA," a monument to the biggest Sham/Scam in US popular culture.
I couldn't help but take a picture of those ridiculous Louisville Cardinals Pants.
Our seats were not cheap, but they were pretty good for the price. The guy behind me threatened to call security when I stood up at the beginning of the game (an SU tradition) ... that was nice.
We lost, but it was worth the trip, it's a great event if you ever have the opportunity to go.
On our way back from Atlanta we stopped at Auburn University. You may have heard of Toomer's Corner and Toomer's Oaks, they're the trees that are covered in toilet paper after major athletic wins and other events (they rolled the corner on election night last year). Anyway, because a crazy Alabama fan poisoned the trees a few years ago, they were finally taken down about a week ago. We were able to go see them just before that, and I got a picture with what was left of them after being ravaged by poison the last few years:
The campus itself is beautiful, and our weather was pretty awesome for the visit.
Jordan-Hare Stadium
The Cam Newton Statute
We also made a stop in Montgomery to see the Martin Luther King Church and Alabama State University. One nice thing about this trip was the opportunity for my parents to see more of what the state looks like, how rural it really is once you get outside of the cities. It was a quick trip, but very fun.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Monday, March 25, 2013
5K Training Update
I'm one workout away from being halfway through this 5K training program The big run is on April 20th. And since it's a color run, I don't see "speed" as much of a goal since it's more about looking colorful and messy at the end.
Having said that, although I was already exercising, I decided to do a legit training program for two important reasons:
1. I wanted to be able to breathe and walk after 3.1 miles; and
2. Given what my body and mind has gone through the last couple of months, I needed some structure to my workouts, which compliment my weight loss program.
This last workout this week (which will probably take place on Wednesday), is a doozy:
Walk 1.5 miles. Run 10 minutes, walk 5 minutes, run 5 minutes, walk 5 minutes, run 10 minutes, walk 5-10 minutes.
I'm not used to running for long time periods. (and by "running" I mean what you probably consider "jogging" - 5.0 mph; but don't judge, remember that I'm only 5'2.5")
So on Friday when I had to do: Walk 1.5 miles. Run 10 minutes, walk 5-7 minutes, run 10 minutes, walk 5-7 minutes.
I was quite scared. But I made it through, slowing down to 4.8 mph for the last 5 minutes of the second 10-min run. I was happy that my legs felt good and had finally caught up to my heart and lungs, but now it seems the tables have turned and it's not my cardio endurance that needs to reach the next level. I'll do some cross-training tonight, take tomorrow off, and then see how Wednesday goes.
I'm glad I've done a training program because I'm a lot further along than I would have been on my own for 3 weeks. I'm also glad because it exposed me to the fact that I was wayyy undertraining. I was not prepared for this level of mileage per week, and would have never done this much mileage on my own. I'm obligated to 4 days of exercise a week, but those days are LONG; most if not all workouts have clocked in at over an hour. My legs did not have that kind of strength, so I've seen drastic improvement. I get so easily bored by the long walk workouts, but am doing them because they are part of the program, and have seen really good results in my pain level and in my leg strength. I think I'll definitely incorporate long walks as part of a long-term routine.
I'm starting to toy with the idea of a 10K race in August in California, and/or a half marathon in the fall in the Philadelphia area, but I think I'll wait until after the April race to make any decisions.
On a related note - I've officially lost the weight I gained in February, plus a bit; in fact I'm just under the weight I was at before the holidays, which is a nice accomplishment. I have some short and long term goals associated with that and I'm currently on track. I've clearly lost inches - I was able to fit into my "next size down" pants this morning, and although they aren't quite ready to wear yet the fact that I could button them was exciting!
Having said that, although I was already exercising, I decided to do a legit training program for two important reasons:
1. I wanted to be able to breathe and walk after 3.1 miles; and
2. Given what my body and mind has gone through the last couple of months, I needed some structure to my workouts, which compliment my weight loss program.
This last workout this week (which will probably take place on Wednesday), is a doozy:
Walk 1.5 miles. Run 10 minutes, walk 5 minutes, run 5 minutes, walk 5 minutes, run 10 minutes, walk 5-10 minutes.
I'm not used to running for long time periods. (and by "running" I mean what you probably consider "jogging" - 5.0 mph; but don't judge, remember that I'm only 5'2.5")
So on Friday when I had to do: Walk 1.5 miles. Run 10 minutes, walk 5-7 minutes, run 10 minutes, walk 5-7 minutes.
I was quite scared. But I made it through, slowing down to 4.8 mph for the last 5 minutes of the second 10-min run. I was happy that my legs felt good and had finally caught up to my heart and lungs, but now it seems the tables have turned and it's not my cardio endurance that needs to reach the next level. I'll do some cross-training tonight, take tomorrow off, and then see how Wednesday goes.
I'm glad I've done a training program because I'm a lot further along than I would have been on my own for 3 weeks. I'm also glad because it exposed me to the fact that I was wayyy undertraining. I was not prepared for this level of mileage per week, and would have never done this much mileage on my own. I'm obligated to 4 days of exercise a week, but those days are LONG; most if not all workouts have clocked in at over an hour. My legs did not have that kind of strength, so I've seen drastic improvement. I get so easily bored by the long walk workouts, but am doing them because they are part of the program, and have seen really good results in my pain level and in my leg strength. I think I'll definitely incorporate long walks as part of a long-term routine.
I'm starting to toy with the idea of a 10K race in August in California, and/or a half marathon in the fall in the Philadelphia area, but I think I'll wait until after the April race to make any decisions.
On a related note - I've officially lost the weight I gained in February, plus a bit; in fact I'm just under the weight I was at before the holidays, which is a nice accomplishment. I have some short and long term goals associated with that and I'm currently on track. I've clearly lost inches - I was able to fit into my "next size down" pants this morning, and although they aren't quite ready to wear yet the fact that I could button them was exciting!
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
St Patrick's Day
I wanted to dye him green but that would have ended my marriage:
We hung out at McSharry's in Fairhope, drank green beverages and listened to Irish music :-). Kenny was pretty well-behaved!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
We hung out at McSharry's in Fairhope, drank green beverages and listened to Irish music :-). Kenny was pretty well-behaved!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
What a difference a few weeks make
We finally weighed in on Saturday - it turns out what I suspected was true - I had gained at least 5 pounds in about a month. For months the weight had been slowly creeping up but that was quite drastic - no wonder I was feeling horrible.
I weigh in again on Saturday and expect to have already lost at least a few of those pounds. Those of us with some experience know that if you gain weight fast you can lose it fast, and vice versa.
The timing has worked out because we also signed up for a 5K color run on April 20th and so I immediately started on a 6 week 5K training program. I'm glad I did because after completing the first week of training yesterday (it's a 4 day/week program), I realized that as much as speed and cardio endurance is important since I was out of shape, the bigger issue was that I hadn't done that kind of mileage in years, so my legs needed to be stronger. (Since college I had transitioned from a 3 mile walk/runner to a 2 mile walk/runner, in part to save time - now that I'm older that 3rd mile is a challenge!) This training is VERY WALK INTENSIVE. In fact, it's really testing my patience because I don't like to just walk on a treadmill (which for me, I have to do most of the time to ward off allergies), it bores the heck out of me.
For example, last night my training was: Walk 3-5 miles, including 10 run/walk intervals (run 30 seconds, walk 1 minutes) in the last mile.
I did a 1/2 mile with Curtis and Kenny outside, then went in the gym, did 1.5 miles walking and the last mile as instructed, with intervals. I just don't have the patience for any more walking with that. So I'm going to use my 5th day of training this week to add a few miles on to my week total and enjoy some freedom from the training program (meaning more running less walking for a shorter distance). Thursday will probably be an off day or elliptical, and week 2 starts Friday.
I can safely say I already feel better than a did just a few weeks ago - I'm eating really well and my clothes already fit properly again. This week I opted to not count activity points in an effort to drop the weight a little faster, so I'm excited to weigh-in on Saturday and looking forward to continuing this 5K program.
I weigh in again on Saturday and expect to have already lost at least a few of those pounds. Those of us with some experience know that if you gain weight fast you can lose it fast, and vice versa.
The timing has worked out because we also signed up for a 5K color run on April 20th and so I immediately started on a 6 week 5K training program. I'm glad I did because after completing the first week of training yesterday (it's a 4 day/week program), I realized that as much as speed and cardio endurance is important since I was out of shape, the bigger issue was that I hadn't done that kind of mileage in years, so my legs needed to be stronger. (Since college I had transitioned from a 3 mile walk/runner to a 2 mile walk/runner, in part to save time - now that I'm older that 3rd mile is a challenge!) This training is VERY WALK INTENSIVE. In fact, it's really testing my patience because I don't like to just walk on a treadmill (which for me, I have to do most of the time to ward off allergies), it bores the heck out of me.
For example, last night my training was: Walk 3-5 miles, including 10 run/walk intervals (run 30 seconds, walk 1 minutes) in the last mile.
I did a 1/2 mile with Curtis and Kenny outside, then went in the gym, did 1.5 miles walking and the last mile as instructed, with intervals. I just don't have the patience for any more walking with that. So I'm going to use my 5th day of training this week to add a few miles on to my week total and enjoy some freedom from the training program (meaning more running less walking for a shorter distance). Thursday will probably be an off day or elliptical, and week 2 starts Friday.
I can safely say I already feel better than a did just a few weeks ago - I'm eating really well and my clothes already fit properly again. This week I opted to not count activity points in an effort to drop the weight a little faster, so I'm excited to weigh-in on Saturday and looking forward to continuing this 5K program.
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