Here it be...

Signed my life away on my first home today, a twinhome. Kind of like a townhouse.

Got my keys, did some minor cleaning, now it's time to get down to business... before moving all my stuff in next week.

The first thing on the list? ... getting rid of this color...

Closing Time...

.... in T-minus ....




Today's Song: Green Day - Closing Time

Today's Workout:
Run - 3.12 miles
Bike - 10.15 miles, 30:00, 20.3 mph

It's chaotic... and I am trying to enjoy it

September is almost over, and I know that October is going to come and go just as fast, if not faster... and with a bit more chaos.

Why you ask? Because it's already chaotic.

I like to be organized and usually my apartment is quite clean, with everything in it's place. Right now, not so much. One of the first signs that things are crazy busy is a messy apartment (as much as it drives me crazy I can't seem to get on top of keeping it clean), and then I start to lose things. Or I think I lose things, and then they show up later. Sometimes weeks later.

What did I lose recently? My little accessory bag that I usually have in my gym bag. It carries extra ponytails, headbands, bobby pins, chap stick, and then usually the jewelry I was wearing that day or plan to wear that day, depending on the time of day I worked out. I remember the last time I used it and just couldn't figure out where I left it. That was Monday. I found it today... on top of my dryer and under a sports bra. grr. I must have set it there when throwing dirtly clothes in the basket.

Less than 3 weeks until I close on my house! Less than 4 weeks and I will be moving everything in! I spent a good couple hours last night cleaning and packing. 2 cupboards and one drawer empty, as well as a small bookshelf. 10 boxes packed up.

With all those canvas', I am thinking I should really get back into painting. I have been itching, but in this little apartment, there really isn't much room to set anything up and work on something. Hopefully once I am in my place I can get back into that hobby.

This place is still a mess and I feel sorry for any potential renters that have been walking through my apartment. At least it doesn't smell.

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Today's Run: 3.63 miles, 42:00, 11:34/mile

lifted legs/core, worked on abs

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Today's Song: Puddle of Mudd - Blurry

Saturday "Speedy" Swim and Such

In the pool: I am a numbers freak and keep track of everything workout related; time, distance, etc. In the pool, my time is based on how long I was in the pool, including the time I was swimming and the breaks. Thus, my time per 100M is usually around 2:30 average. However, today I was feeling pretty good. I got in, looked at the clock, and swam 800M, and checked the clock. I took a minute break and then did it again. I know the time is still a rough estimate, but I feel my time today is more accurate than it usually is. I was quite pleased with my second 800M. I wanted to go for another round but didn't have time before lap swim was over. (I need to get my heart rate monitor watch battery replaced and then my time will be even more accurate.)

OSN: 1600M, 32:00, 2:00/100M average
800M - 17:00, 2:07/100M
800M - 15:00, 1:52/100M (getting better!!!)

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On the Move: I hope to get some packing done this weekend. I have empty boxes all over my apartment and it only makes sense to start filling them, little by little with things I won't need for the next few weeks. I figure if I do a little here and there, it won't be so overwhelming.

I ran some errands this morning looking for ideas for my master bathroom/bedroom. I am struggling with colors for the walls in both. I would like to kind of tie the two together, but I don't want it to be too matchy matchy. I don't want to have to get new bedding just so it matches my room, so I am trying to make this choice based on the color of my comforter. Right now I have black accents on my bed and in my room, but I am thinking about the paint colors of brown hues or even grey in my bedroom and then what in the bathroom? Thoughts?

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Twins Territory: Last night wasn't too pretty and I am glad I was out and about and not able to watch it. Thankfully Cleveland beat the Sox and the Twins are still up half a game. I'll be watching this afternoon and hoping for them to beat the Royals.

Today's Song: Kate Perry - Hot n' Cold

A little of this... a little of that...

Feeling Better
Looking back on my post yesterday, I realized how stressed and tired I was. Talk about a crabby patty. Geeez! When I finally pulled myself off the couch to get ready for bed shortly after 8pm, my whole body was just sore. I knew I was going to sleep like a baby. And I did. It's amazing what sleep can do for me.... especially 9 hours. Supposedly I had a bit more color in my face today...

On the House Front
I was finally able to get a copy of my 2005 taxes and W-2's. I seriously don't know where mine went (I am afriad they got tossed in the move a year ago). With that note, I have everything checked off the list of things I need to get to my mortgage councelor prior to closing, except for another pay stub. That will have to wait until next friday.

Work-related
I have to clarify... my comment about a student of mine biting. He didn't bite me, it was another student. He has never bit a student before. This happened at recess for god-knows-what-reason. I am hoping it was just a fluke and it will never happen again.

Weather
I am glad to hear I am not the only one missing summer already.... mostly the warmer temps for me. The temps have not only been cool the past couple of weeks, but gloomy as well. It rained today and we are in a flood advisory, again. I am afraid that ND is going to get screwed and miss out on fall... winter will be here before we know it. Hopefully the snow can wait until after my move.

Afternoon workout
I was reminded today why I absolutely despise working-out between the hours of 4 and 6. PM, that is. So freakin' busy that I wasn't able to get a treadmill for more than 30 minutes. That totally killed my idea of doing a longer run. However, I improvised. I lifted first, focusing on the lower body, doing an extra rep on all machines. Feel the burn. THen, I got on the treadmill, for my allotted 30 stinkin' minutes. I wanted to work on some speed, so I had an idea. First 10 minutes, run atleast 5.5 miles/hour; second 10 minutes a little faster, and then the third 10 minutes, slower again. Here's what it looked like when you break it down.
10:00 - .86 miles
10:00 - .97 miles (kept going until I reached 1 mile = 10:11)
10:00 - .92 miles
TOTAL = 2.78 miles
I had fun with this run. Next time I try this, I think I will try to push myself a little harder during that second 10 minute session. I was so freakin' hot and sweatin' like crazy afterwards.

Today's Song: Nelly - Hot in Here

UPDATE: When I woke this morning (Thursday) at 4:45, my throat was swolen. Yep. I think I am sick. I couldn't pull myself out of bed to head to the pool. Just the thought of trying to swim with such head congestion was enough to keep me in bed.

*** And the new header... is a picture of the UND Campus, from the UND Homecoming Race I did last September. Unfortunately I won't be able to do it this year as I will be moving into my house that weekend!***

Taking the next step...

Friday night's concert was fun. Not as fun as it was the past couple times and I don't know if it was because they changed their playlist a bit, or I was exhausted from the busy week, or I was sober. Maybe it was all of the above. It took everything in me to stay out until the band was done...1am.

Change of topics...

I know I have made comments this summer about looking for a house. Two weeks ago I had looked a handful of properties with my realtor and really liked a couple of them. One was a 1920's home with a lot of character and some very nice updates; the other being a twinhome with a nice large deck and large yard. This Tuesday my parents came up and we looked at both properties together. Wednesday I met with my mortgage councilor to discuss some numbers. Thursday I looked over some of the sellers' disclosures and talked a bit about it with the 'rents. Friday, I scheduled to meet up with my realtor after work and ended up making an offer. A few hours later, after a counter offer, I was notified that the twinhome was mine! I move in the middle of October!

So, with that note, I presume that a lot of posts from here on out may revolve around this change in my life, so bare with me. I hope that once I get my computer situtation taken care of, I will be able to post pictures as I move in and do some much needed painting to a few rooms.

Today's Song: Rascal Flatts - Life is a Highway
(in sidebar)

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Friday: REST

Saturday: Swim 1600M, 38:00, 2:22/100M

Sunday: Lift lower body
Run 3.27 miles, 37:20, 11:25/mile

Property Virgin

Like I stated in my post yesterday, I am in the process of trying to find a home of my own. This is a lot of work and I knew that going into it. I am still learning the ropes and all the technical jargon involved and trying to take my time. I know what I want and I most definitely know what I don't want! I have been addicted to HGTV in the past few weeks. One of my favorite shows is Property Virgin, where first time home-buyers are helped with the adventures of finding their first home.

Buying a home on your own, for the first time can be quite overwhelmed, and that is probably the understatement of the year. I definitely felt the side-effects of that yesterday. Let's just say my frustrations got the best of me and I ended up forwarding an email from my realtor on to my parents and sister, adding my own comments and questions, possibly looking for any advice they had. I couldn't have a better support group! Haha! Dad shot back a quit email calming me down, Sistah sent me an excel spreadsheet of my budget that I can play around with (yes, she is an accountant), and Mom called me later that night asking if I was okay. Love it!

This is just the beginning! Hopefully it won't be as bad as some of the horror stories I have heard!