In a week's time I've gone from hum drum to completely nostalgic for my place of employment.
Tomorrow will be the last day for 30-something colleagues who are choosing to accept a buyout offer. One has been working there for 42 years. 42 YEARS!
I've been there exactly a year and a half. It doesn't seem that long and yet it feels like ages. In recent weeks I feel I've grown even closer to my colleagues. This nostalgia as a chunk of us prepares to leave has made me fall in love all over again with my job, my desk, my coworkers and my industry. The romance is rekindled!
I've been wondering what it must be like for someone who has been there 4, 5, 17, 25 or 42 whopping years to come to their last day of this ingrained routine and to say goodbye to this family of sorts.
It's virtually unfathomable for me at this point, to imagine how that must feel. I'm totally nostalgic for them. And nostalgic for myself that I won't get to spend the next however-many years working with them.
Tomorrow will be one tick in the timeline of "the way things were."
I've entered this business at a strange time. I work with people who have been here since the days of typewriters, since the golden days of newspapers, since the days of a 90% smoked up newsroom, since the days when my job didn't exist. They reminisce about those days, and I suppose in time I will reminisce about the days before our paper shrunk (for the second time since I've been here), for the days before the buyout (the third one since I've been here) and who knows what else.
I can't kick the feeling that we're on the brink of a big turning point. A turning point in a good way. This huge decrease in our numbers will be a sad and difficult hit, but I think those of us who are left (assuming I am even left) will be invigorated with a new fervor to be efficient, beat our competition and pave the way for the future of top-notch journalism.
I have hope that this is the kick we need to get ourselves back up. Our product has never been a problem. It's just our revenue stream. But our product has to change to make way for a new revenue stream.
I need to stay focused. I do not work a 9 to 5 desk job and I can't let myself fall into that slump. If I want to stay here and I want my industry to survive, I have to be highly efficient, highly innovative and highly enterprising. That will be my new mantra.
I am so blessed to have my job. I am not yet sure how it fits into God's plan for my life, but I know it somehow must. The timing of everything, from my serendipitous finding of the job posting, to the fact that my editor replied to my e-mail query, to my ability to graduate early, to the timing of the economic recession and essential hiring freeze. I don't know if the fact that I'm in the city I am or the fact that I work at a newspaper are the key parts of this blessing, but either way I feel compelled to embrace every aspect of it and give it my all.
So tomorrow I will breathe it in and commit it all to memory. I will refocus and begin the next chapter.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Back on the boat
I got back on the running boat this week - yahoo!
Stats:
Tues: Super hot out, ran/walked approx 5 miles, didn't time (hour maybe?) and did strength.
Wed: Garmin died. Ran circa 4 miles in 40 minutes.
Thurs: Ran 3 miles in 28:35, plus strength.
Sat (today): Ran 10 MILES!! 1:39:14. Avg pace 9:54
Totals: ~3:47:49. ~22 miles.
Today was the first time I have run ten miles in over a year. I waited until the evening so the heat and sun would subside, and left at 5:45. Headed up Sunnyslope and then hit the New Berlin Trail. I felt great for most of it. My pace was decent, mainly in the mid 9s.
I did a few new things on this run. First, and this is kind of TMI, I decided to go commando with my built-in-underwear running shorts. I've never done that before, and I guess I didn't really feel any difference.
Moving on... I brought a water bottle. So glad I did. I also brought and consumed a Hammer gel around mile 6. It actually didn't taste that bad (strawberry cheesecake flavor), but I'm not entirely sure if it boosted my energy all that much. I did finish strong though, with my last mile averaging an 8-minute pace (which seems kind of fishy to me, Garmin).
Lastly, I put some Vasoline on my inner thighs to prevent chafing. It didn't really work, because by the time the chafing started (around mile 8) the Vasoline had already worn off. I will have to work on finding a solution for this problem, because it's pretty painful!
I took walking breaks to consume water every mile and a half or so. I think that was a smart move, and it didn't destroy my overall pace either.
All in all, today was a great run, I am motivated to kick my training up another notch and I have exactly two weeks until I run the Full Moon Half Marathon (eek!). After today's run I am feeling more confident.
Stats:
Tues: Super hot out, ran/walked approx 5 miles, didn't time (hour maybe?) and did strength.
Wed: Garmin died. Ran circa 4 miles in 40 minutes.
Thurs: Ran 3 miles in 28:35, plus strength.
Sat (today): Ran 10 MILES!! 1:39:14. Avg pace 9:54
Totals: ~3:47:49. ~22 miles.
Today was the first time I have run ten miles in over a year. I waited until the evening so the heat and sun would subside, and left at 5:45. Headed up Sunnyslope and then hit the New Berlin Trail. I felt great for most of it. My pace was decent, mainly in the mid 9s.
I did a few new things on this run. First, and this is kind of TMI, I decided to go commando with my built-in-underwear running shorts. I've never done that before, and I guess I didn't really feel any difference.
Moving on... I brought a water bottle. So glad I did. I also brought and consumed a Hammer gel around mile 6. It actually didn't taste that bad (strawberry cheesecake flavor), but I'm not entirely sure if it boosted my energy all that much. I did finish strong though, with my last mile averaging an 8-minute pace (which seems kind of fishy to me, Garmin).
Lastly, I put some Vasoline on my inner thighs to prevent chafing. It didn't really work, because by the time the chafing started (around mile 8) the Vasoline had already worn off. I will have to work on finding a solution for this problem, because it's pretty painful!
I took walking breaks to consume water every mile and a half or so. I think that was a smart move, and it didn't destroy my overall pace either.
All in all, today was a great run, I am motivated to kick my training up another notch and I have exactly two weeks until I run the Full Moon Half Marathon (eek!). After today's run I am feeling more confident.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
I am a total bum
This has been a bad week for running.
I skidded through my 8 miles last Saturday, ran 30 minutes Monday, and haven't hit the road since. I was planning on running 10 miles with the Striders tomorrow morning, but since it's 12:30 a.m. already, I think I blew it again.
BUM.
Unrelatedly, I was just looking at a few pics on Facebook, one being of the Zeta house. Man oh man, where did college go? I thought it would last forever. I can't believe it ended and I can't believe how much I miss it. Truly, the best years of my life.
I skidded through my 8 miles last Saturday, ran 30 minutes Monday, and haven't hit the road since. I was planning on running 10 miles with the Striders tomorrow morning, but since it's 12:30 a.m. already, I think I blew it again.
BUM.
Unrelatedly, I was just looking at a few pics on Facebook, one being of the Zeta house. Man oh man, where did college go? I thought it would last forever. I can't believe it ended and I can't believe how much I miss it. Truly, the best years of my life.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Day off
Today, being Wednesday, I decided to rest. I've got a big run on Saturday and a 5K tomorrow, so I don't want to wear myself out. I figure I'll gain more by resting today than by doing 20 minutes of cross training.
Instead I planned on focusing on fundraising. That, well, sort of happened. I wrote an e-mail letter to family and friends. And I created a facebook event. But I just can't bring myself to send them yet. I'm not sure who it's appropriate to send these requests to. Honestly, I've never gotten a request for donations from any of my friends or family members before, so I feel weird doing it.
What makes me feel weirder is that I already hit up all my relatives and family friends for money for Dance Marathon in fall of 2007. This is for a similar cause, and I just feel like a total leech.
I could use some real input on the Facebook thing though. Do I send it to everyone I know, assuming most will ignore it, but also assuming a few unexpected people will donate a little? I sort of feel that Facebook is informal enough that it's okay to just send it to a bunch of randoms I never talk to anymore. But I'll have to think a little more before I decide who to send the invite to. We shall see.
Instead I planned on focusing on fundraising. That, well, sort of happened. I wrote an e-mail letter to family and friends. And I created a facebook event. But I just can't bring myself to send them yet. I'm not sure who it's appropriate to send these requests to. Honestly, I've never gotten a request for donations from any of my friends or family members before, so I feel weird doing it.
What makes me feel weirder is that I already hit up all my relatives and family friends for money for Dance Marathon in fall of 2007. This is for a similar cause, and I just feel like a total leech.
I could use some real input on the Facebook thing though. Do I send it to everyone I know, assuming most will ignore it, but also assuming a few unexpected people will donate a little? I sort of feel that Facebook is informal enough that it's okay to just send it to a bunch of randoms I never talk to anymore. But I'll have to think a little more before I decide who to send the invite to. We shall see.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Books
I haven't written about books lately, so here's my updated list of books I've read in the semi-recent past. I joined a book club so a few of these reads are thanks to my lovely clubbies. This list is in reverse chronological order
-A Thousand Splendid Suns
-Water For Elephants
-Bel Canto
-The Time Traveler's Wife
-Little Altars Everywhere
-The Post-Birthday World (blogged about it previously)
-The Buenos Aires Broken Hearts Club
-Love the One You're With (blogged about it previously)
I feel like that list is missing something but I can't remember what.
I'm supposed to start and finish reading The Bird Cage Chronicles (I think that's the title) by Monday (eep). Need, need, need to get cracking on that. I haven't read anything in a month!
Now the question is, what do I choose for my book club month? I was thinking either Water For Elephants or A Thousand Splendid Suns (not coincidentally, the last two non-club books I've read). I loved both books, and I especially think ATSS is appropriate for an all-female group, but they aren't exactly fluffy summer reading. I guess WFE is a fairly quick read. I dunno. I'll have to ponder summore.
-A Thousand Splendid Suns
-Water For Elephants
-Bel Canto
-The Time Traveler's Wife
-Little Altars Everywhere
-The Post-Birthday World (blogged about it previously)
-The Buenos Aires Broken Hearts Club
-Love the One You're With (blogged about it previously)
I feel like that list is missing something but I can't remember what.
I'm supposed to start and finish reading The Bird Cage Chronicles (I think that's the title) by Monday (eep). Need, need, need to get cracking on that. I haven't read anything in a month!
Now the question is, what do I choose for my book club month? I was thinking either Water For Elephants or A Thousand Splendid Suns (not coincidentally, the last two non-club books I've read). I loved both books, and I especially think ATSS is appropriate for an all-female group, but they aren't exactly fluffy summer reading. I guess WFE is a fairly quick read. I dunno. I'll have to ponder summore.
Runner's high
Icing my shins right now after an excellent 6 mile run!
Last night I ended up just biking 8 miles instead of running. It took me 37 minutes I think. Felt good.
Tonight I almost gave up and didn't run, because once again I ate too much right when I got home from work (I was hangry!). But despite my two Mississippi Mud Bars (thank goodness there is only one left now) I dragged my butt off the couch and hit the road just in time to get back before dark.
Took me ~57:30, at an average 9:34 pace. The route was lovely, and I did no double looping - just ran out three miles and back. I actually took splits this time, every 2 miles. Interestingly, the last third of my run was much faster than the rest. I think my splits were 19:16, 19:25 and 18:40 or something along those lines.
This is flat out disgusting, so don't read this paragraph if you're weak, but right at the beginning of my run I had a coughing fit and (ewwwwwww) threw up a little in my mouth. That first half-mile tasted disgusting, and I never thought I'd feel strong. Thankfully, I recovered and took my mind off it after a few minutes.
All in all, I had a really positive outlook all throughout the run. The weather was absolutely perfect, and I am so thankful to have fine gravel in the shoulder of the roads in my neighborhood. It makes my stomping grounds the best place to run around here, since all the wooded running/biking trails are paved with no good shoulder. I also feel safe in the neighborhood, with people out mowing and doing yardwork and walking their dogs.
This Saturday I'm taking a plunge and running 8 miles with the Badgerland Striders. Today's run gives me confidence that I'll be able to handle that distance, and get back on track with marathon training.
This week is, however, a big bump in mileage from previous weeks. I know that's bad for my shins, but I need to get up to the distances on my training schedule that I've been ignoring up to this point.
Last night I ended up just biking 8 miles instead of running. It took me 37 minutes I think. Felt good.
Tonight I almost gave up and didn't run, because once again I ate too much right when I got home from work (I was hangry!). But despite my two Mississippi Mud Bars (thank goodness there is only one left now) I dragged my butt off the couch and hit the road just in time to get back before dark.
Took me ~57:30, at an average 9:34 pace. The route was lovely, and I did no double looping - just ran out three miles and back. I actually took splits this time, every 2 miles. Interestingly, the last third of my run was much faster than the rest. I think my splits were 19:16, 19:25 and 18:40 or something along those lines.
This is flat out disgusting, so don't read this paragraph if you're weak, but right at the beginning of my run I had a coughing fit and (ewwwwwww) threw up a little in my mouth. That first half-mile tasted disgusting, and I never thought I'd feel strong. Thankfully, I recovered and took my mind off it after a few minutes.
All in all, I had a really positive outlook all throughout the run. The weather was absolutely perfect, and I am so thankful to have fine gravel in the shoulder of the roads in my neighborhood. It makes my stomping grounds the best place to run around here, since all the wooded running/biking trails are paved with no good shoulder. I also feel safe in the neighborhood, with people out mowing and doing yardwork and walking their dogs.
This Saturday I'm taking a plunge and running 8 miles with the Badgerland Striders. Today's run gives me confidence that I'll be able to handle that distance, and get back on track with marathon training.
This week is, however, a big bump in mileage from previous weeks. I know that's bad for my shins, but I need to get up to the distances on my training schedule that I've been ignoring up to this point.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Long run day
Picked a bad day weather-wise for my long run this week (the first long run in a while... eep). It could be worse, but it is in the 80s and sunny and I'm planning on heading out soon. I'll wait till 7 or so before I go so it cools off a little.
Got home from work and fueled up on some strawberries, almond butter, oh and... uh... Twizzlers and Mississippi Mud Bars. Whoops ;)
Planning on going 1:15. My mind is trying to convince me to do my long run tomorrow when it will be in the 60s, but I'd hate to put it off another day. We'll see.
Exciting news - ran the National Dash 5K on the Fourth of July and finished respectably, IMHO. 26:17 according to my Garmin (26:29 according to the race results, but those are never right anyway). It's roughly an 8:30 pace. I felt strong and it encouraged me that I can run if I put my mind to it. I just need to stay focused and dedicated to my goal.
Speaking of goal, my fundraising goal sits untouched. I really need to get cracking on that.
Additionally, as you (if there is a nebulous "you" reader out there) may have noticed, this blog is becoming my marathon training blog. I thought long and hard about changing the name to reflect this, but then decided one name change is enough for a blog. Also, I couldn't think of anything catchy that had to do with running. So Post-College Alison now has a training and fundraising goal that will be discussed as often as I deem worthy of posting.
Got home from work and fueled up on some strawberries, almond butter, oh and... uh... Twizzlers and Mississippi Mud Bars. Whoops ;)
Planning on going 1:15. My mind is trying to convince me to do my long run tomorrow when it will be in the 60s, but I'd hate to put it off another day. We'll see.
Exciting news - ran the National Dash 5K on the Fourth of July and finished respectably, IMHO. 26:17 according to my Garmin (26:29 according to the race results, but those are never right anyway). It's roughly an 8:30 pace. I felt strong and it encouraged me that I can run if I put my mind to it. I just need to stay focused and dedicated to my goal.
Speaking of goal, my fundraising goal sits untouched. I really need to get cracking on that.
Additionally, as you (if there is a nebulous "you" reader out there) may have noticed, this blog is becoming my marathon training blog. I thought long and hard about changing the name to reflect this, but then decided one name change is enough for a blog. Also, I couldn't think of anything catchy that had to do with running. So Post-College Alison now has a training and fundraising goal that will be discussed as often as I deem worthy of posting.
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