Square One? Check.

Between injuries, pregnancy and the 60 pounds I gained while pregnant, there has been little time or energy for me to run. 

But I'm back... and am working on week one of the Couch to 5K program. Yup. I am back where I began. No real goals in sight other than to be able to run a solid 5 miles without stopping. So.... here we go!

Can I be the butt of your joke?

Maybe some of you work in big companies just like me. If you do, I am sure from time to time, you find yourself in a situation in which you're in a big meeting, with a lot of the heavy hitters in your organization.

Many times, these heavy hitters (or, people that pay my salary, thankyouverymuch) will get a laugh out of the crowd at someone else's (most likely, a colleague) expense.

Let me explain.

They are often "inside jokes" that no one outside of the organization would ever understand. A scenerio might be something like this:

Bob: And so, today I'll present this quarter's numbers, and hopefully, they'll be clear enough for everyone - even Jim - to understand!

The crowd roars with laughter... Jim might stand up, take a bow, and then sit back down.

Usually this type of interaction between, say, a superior and someone with less power might indicate said superior likes the other. In other words, if you are the butt of a joke, you are well-loved.

It's never anything malicious; it is mostly in good fun... but, well, you get it.

Here is where the disturbing part comes in.

I was at a meeting this morning and a similar joke/jab was taken.

I laughed. Out loud. Like, a real laugh. And, I think it might have happened twice.

Usually, I will roll my eyes, turn to a co-worker next to me and exchange some sort of look that says "Get a load of that guy!" or something fun... but this time. I laughed.

I mean, the joke was funny. The timing was perfect and everyone could relate. Not laughing might have downgraded company morale. I was just doing my part.

Still, the fact that I missed an eye-rolling opportunity is a real red flag for me.

Am I losing my sarcasm and sinister wit? Will I be able to see through it all? Did someone slip me a guest pass to a country club??

Someone, please, tell me it's not all lost!

Exile on South Street

I was introduced to Exile in Guyville by a guy I was dating. Kind of ironic when you think about it... or was it a foreshadowing note in our relationship? (we broke up shortly after)

But I remember hearing it for the first time knowing I had never heard anything like it before... and knowing I wanted to listen to it over and over again.

Liz Phair has said that Exile in Guyville is a song-by-song answer to the Rolling Stones' album Exile on Main Street. Not being a big Stones fan, this is slightly lost on me, but what isn't lost is the timeless lyrics and melodies from Phair's debut effort.

I never saw Phair perform to support her first album- not many of us did as her stage fright kept her from performing live. But last night, Jason and I were treated to "An Evening with Liz Phair" to celebrate the re-release and remastering of Exile.

It was at the TLA on South Street, an intimate choice, and the evening promised a live performance of the entire Exile album from start to finish. After seeing her perform in recent years to support not-so-awesome albums, I took the promise with a grain of salt. Would this evening showcase the Liz Phair so many of us fell in love with back in 1993?

After all, I'd heard her song overhead in Ann Taylor Loft once. Liz Phair? The same woman who declared "I'll suck you til your dick is blue" was singing in Ann Taylor loft?? huh??

But last night, she did not disappoint.

We were standing so close to stage, it was difficult not to make eye contact with her as she performed.

Editor's note: It was actually kind of odd when I felt like I did make eye contact... seeing as how I was probably mouthing the words to her songs as she sang them. And the creepy old guy who was waaaay into her was just... creepy...

Still, she was impressive - even if she isn't 6 foot 1, but 5 foot 2. She sounded awesome and stayed true to her word. Every song ( in order! ) was played off of Exile. It was awesome. It was the show we'd been waiting 15 years to see.

Her voice sounded awesome, and with every guitar change and tuning, I was taken back to my college dormroom where I was inevitably trying to convince someone to listen ling and hard to Liz Phair. At one point she even said it was fun to rehash old memories she had of writing the album.

She even busted out a new song off her new record she is finishing. I am staying optimistic about this one, and am confident that after "Why Can't I?" she got the pop "thing" out of her system. I'm hoping for more edgy, raw, cynical and sadness to come through... we've got enough pop-crap on the radio.

Rejection, Smejection!

When one door closes, so opens another...

I'm writing for SJ Magazine! It's my first paying writing gig! Yahoo! I should celebrate with... something.

I have my first assignment for the October issue... keep your eyes open.

And, my piece for South Jersey MOM should appear in the October or November issue.

Hurray for me!

In other, exciting e-news...
My love's new, closer-to-home job starts soon and I cannot wait to have him home more, and commuting less.

I am still wogging along. Though the heart rate is just out of this world. I'm up to 9 minutes of running, 2 minutes of walking, but man... this is tougher than I thought it would me. It is so hard to believe just a few months ago, I was running 13miles.

I would like to do the Philly 1/2 marathon in November, so hopefully, I will begin to progress faster as the cooler weather sets in...

And, since I haven't posted any cool photos lately, I thought I would entertain you all with this:

The wogging continues...

Yeah, I'm wogging along.

My heart rate is just not what it used to be... and I have no idea why. I am cycling the same amount - even more intense. That usually trains my heart really well... I'm just tired. Maybe my new-found caffiene-free detox is taking its toll.

Speaking of cycling... As you may or may not know, I am a certified Spinning instructor. And, I just picked up another class! So now. I'll be teaching 6 classes a month... not four.

Ca-ching!

Okay, not really. Seriously, if someone finds a way to make a living teaching random aerobics classes, let me know...

My first rejection letter!

In all this craziness of bouncing back from my knee thingy, I forgot to showcase my first, real rejection letter. This one comes from Running Times. I sent them a query about an feature I would like to write for them:


Hi Erica:

It sounds well thought- out, but doesn’t fit in RT, which is more for the competitive runner.

Jonathan

Okay, fine... I need to research the audience a bit better ( I actually thought I did it just fine - alas, I was wrong), but he says my idea sounds well thought out!!

I mean, sure, it is a rejection, but he actually responded to me and was nice about it.

In the same week I got a rejection letter, I got my first writing assignment for South Jersey MOM.

One rejection, one acceptance. Just call me butter 'cuz I am on a roll!

I forgot how dark it is at 5 am

This morning, I went out for a pre-dawn run - the first in a very long time, since before my injury/resting period anyway.

I forgot how dark it is at 5 am! I was actually kind of creeped out! I mean, I carry my runner's pepper spray, but still!

So I am up to 7-9 minute intervals of running, peppered with 3 minute brisk walk breaks. I'm getting back to my old self again.

It was good to get it done and over with. I've been too tired after work to do anything productive other than fix some dinner.