tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54176935555907361162024-03-26T15:29:36.157-07:00Hit the Ground RunningEvery Step Moves You Forward
Ali K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15736472530374069410noreply@blogger.comBlogger921125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417693555590736116.post-11000277523881076972024-03-18T00:00:00.000-07:002024-03-18T00:00:00.128-07:00We're running a half!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiAx7Wa1H_-3lVNrLr9uHIKXXdJUMUDEGT5WGIt1ctYKjTUDvVqSYO04kf88KeW-2av6Ct3JSmHP-PTXR56E7N2BGBRHdu29-VMHIjhuGq4jul3qZxZ8Y7EYPBjumOBHyvHmJGSaG399XkGqoyxSr2S0zz1CLnnS9YGZ2Yd6oCAO3aE5XjO0OL3ga41wDe/s1153/running%20update.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="1153" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiAx7Wa1H_-3lVNrLr9uHIKXXdJUMUDEGT5WGIt1ctYKjTUDvVqSYO04kf88KeW-2av6Ct3JSmHP-PTXR56E7N2BGBRHdu29-VMHIjhuGq4jul3qZxZ8Y7EYPBjumOBHyvHmJGSaG399XkGqoyxSr2S0zz1CLnnS9YGZ2Yd6oCAO3aE5XjO0OL3ga41wDe/w640-h226/running%20update.png" width="640" /></a></div>I'm not using the royal "we". For the first time in my running journey, Matt is going to join me for a half marathon! We won't run it <i>together</i> since he's much faster than I am, but that's beside the point, which is that Matt's seen me run over a dozen half marathons and wasn't interested in trying himself until a firefighter buddy of his ran one in Seattle. Suddenly, his interest was piqued.<p></p><span><a name='more'></a></span><div>So basically, Matt <i>finally </i>showed interest in running a half, but only after his buddy had done it. Spectating for me didn't inspire interest, I guess. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm giving Matt a hard time about it, but only a little, because I'm really super excited for him to finally join me for a half! The farthest Matt has run was a <a href="https://www.seattleali.com/2019/11/cleveland-clinic-fl-131-fort-lauderdale.html" target="_blank">half marathon relay</a> we tag-teamed in 2019. We had a blast; I don't think he even trained for it and he managed an 8:00 pace!</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYed8iurkM_ECH0GWjzWwlWBFOblE7E8MiOM2oRkdVeE4uThNygL3pdetwgzGRjixf6rXg7pKPrWcOE_OVvDvRAwthkTECIvPJ505QwVeGivNiSFDtouofT3iYJnQ1CwMXnEuuR6spAXTU8vO70Z6YpzzijRpiwj2ZKmEyVaSHcaZuC6rba2TP9rcKoadF/s3008/PMSSXW4BEPPIJLPIZURP-ORIG.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYed8iurkM_ECH0GWjzWwlWBFOblE7E8MiOM2oRkdVeE4uThNygL3pdetwgzGRjixf6rXg7pKPrWcOE_OVvDvRAwthkTECIvPJ505QwVeGivNiSFDtouofT3iYJnQ1CwMXnEuuR6spAXTU8vO70Z6YpzzijRpiwj2ZKmEyVaSHcaZuC6rba2TP9rcKoadF/w640-h426/PMSSXW4BEPPIJLPIZURP-ORIG.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still one of my favorite race memories!</td></tr></tbody></table><div>Matt's friend was planning to run this one, which is why we picked it, but then backed out because of his own firefighting schedule. By then, we'd already signed up, so we're in. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm not sure what Matt's training plan is for this race. So far he's come out for one run with me, and that was only a 5k. But of course, despite not running recently, he kept an 8:30ish pace with no trouble. He's hoping to finish sub-2:00, and I'm sure he'll accomplish that goal if he actually puts some more miles in.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicXVleVoz75xLyOYsBYwDxZOqxuWNLEhH9a51QllODEMcGxlz7N4XbrYtGkEy5Hg8CG2COG_-teO-rPBDDGZDVCnbFab59OYBC_ZoYxK0ty-c3KeMqZnfTFordYQOeWdpiBVVnfDl7R76g8nBJm_KZj_eXiUbH0x2u8DB782UWhpg3C5sdc7sHgmS0yGDP/s980/logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="245" data-original-width="980" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicXVleVoz75xLyOYsBYwDxZOqxuWNLEhH9a51QllODEMcGxlz7N4XbrYtGkEy5Hg8CG2COG_-teO-rPBDDGZDVCnbFab59OYBC_ZoYxK0ty-c3KeMqZnfTFordYQOeWdpiBVVnfDl7R76g8nBJm_KZj_eXiUbH0x2u8DB782UWhpg3C5sdc7sHgmS0yGDP/w640-h160/logo.png" width="640" /></a></div><div>The race in question is the BMO Vancouver Half. Planning an international race is logistically tricky, even if Vancouver is only three hours from us. On the home front, we had to set up pet-sitting for Zoe because Scott and Robby will be out of town the weekend in question. (Done. Zoe is going to enjoy a weekend with her favorite park buddy, Marlowe!) Matt's new shift falls on that weekend, so he has to do some overtime to merit off the days. (In progress.) </div><div><br /></div><div>Beyond that, we had to find a place to stay, and this marathon is apparently a huge freaking deal so hotels are booked up already and super expensive. Luckily, we found a great Vrbo walking distance from the Canada Line, so we're planning to take the train to the starting line in the morning. I'm anxious about the logistics but I figure it will be good practice for if I decide to run Loch Ness this year.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1nfRJB0njH9W3glAlx_0tppMCfzUB-FQkxXLRHQ7zXV8oveqyz7RqQM3tVfgj2P75B-V46jkU_GoEgQc7XcNIBMpBAIDcMjP8MdkRWyjD_1GhgMffNk0vB6CeBet-c86PCkrs2fkB2tKqXt9TTnVwtUn1An2KFXFU09POJvmHH7Cl32tj4TtCvn-xbOHV/s1027/Capture.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="1027" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1nfRJB0njH9W3glAlx_0tppMCfzUB-FQkxXLRHQ7zXV8oveqyz7RqQM3tVfgj2P75B-V46jkU_GoEgQc7XcNIBMpBAIDcMjP8MdkRWyjD_1GhgMffNk0vB6CeBet-c86PCkrs2fkB2tKqXt9TTnVwtUn1An2KFXFU09POJvmHH7Cl32tj4TtCvn-xbOHV/w640-h282/Capture.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div>I have a few virtual friends who live in the area and run this race, so I'm hopeful to meet some of them in person. </div><div><br /></div><div>As for the course and my training plan, the route starts with a nice downhill but then features rolling hills and a final uphill push in the last half mile. It goes through some really beautiful areas, including Stanley Park, and I'm looking forward to a well-supported, visually interesting race. Race day is May 5 – yes, Cinco de Mayo – so I only have about 7 weeks to train. For some reason I thought I'd have more time since the February half-that-wasn't, but I'm in a better place mentally with this timeline for some reason. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIMDDqjt7S-vUcX4boF4Zrr4FqOrj7c4R3gK54x1YNOBPTv14bVG6vYx3rmggP8wbq2KqatbvKejdeb7sHSrxuN7H5rDAkg9lpwL5D2tVf17sU3qmU-8c_uRRPaOdFI9ZOxsNBEP0DOAblaH1ccym6y8gwYpN-be4CiRKHMJMpWNPx4326efMlqO3UQo5k/s990/map.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="990" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIMDDqjt7S-vUcX4boF4Zrr4FqOrj7c4R3gK54x1YNOBPTv14bVG6vYx3rmggP8wbq2KqatbvKejdeb7sHSrxuN7H5rDAkg9lpwL5D2tVf17sU3qmU-8c_uRRPaOdFI9ZOxsNBEP0DOAblaH1ccym6y8gwYpN-be4CiRKHMJMpWNPx4326efMlqO3UQo5k/w640-h386/map.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div>I am running hillier routes at least once a week and I'm determined to get my long runs done. The weather is taking a nice turn, so I shouldn't be deterred by snow or ice. Maybe just heavy rain. If I can avoid getting sick and just sticking to my plan, I'll be ready for a pretty solid, enjoyable race in May.</div><div><br /></div><div>My biggest concern at the moment is my leg pain. I'm still having some shin and foot pain in the first mile or so of my runs, so I got a new pair of shoes and we'll see if they make a difference.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8M7eJafJoxXMhTyCu9UfxHngFv6-IjnxAoRVL8nhlzmyInn5E8nDFwYUNi94POLnVPYIAcIh4onRYmHPGWIraWPoUup8oR3uQLEZjl4ZdC_PvCyU4tLzzAJHhgNZuUxTQRlzaUpHz3X-IJeV_IA7iFfFdA0WhQGDwpJuJyoiMqKV4XRJ1uJc_zwdI0nhH/s4284/IMG_7603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4125" data-original-width="4284" height="616" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8M7eJafJoxXMhTyCu9UfxHngFv6-IjnxAoRVL8nhlzmyInn5E8nDFwYUNi94POLnVPYIAcIh4onRYmHPGWIraWPoUup8oR3uQLEZjl4ZdC_PvCyU4tLzzAJHhgNZuUxTQRlzaUpHz3X-IJeV_IA7iFfFdA0WhQGDwpJuJyoiMqKV4XRJ1uJc_zwdI0nhH/w640-h616/IMG_7603.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't love the blue but they're last year's model so I didn't have a lot of choices.</td></tr></tbody></table><div>I'm excited to have a race weekend away and to run this one with Matt. I'm glad he finally agreed to run a half with me, even in a sort of round-about way. I'm taking it as a win!</div><div><br /></div><div>Ali</div>Ali K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15736472530374069410noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417693555590736116.post-40080507472646113182024-03-04T00:00:00.000-08:002024-03-04T00:00:00.252-08:00Gear Review: Shokz OpenFit <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqHPIcV5Ujm-ZoQB0d7Lp09PlG6BMCUqMKVDpQO_iUPk1oEtNLuXX9W09LXXcK_sypnehM3nnV7PDz69yyy9wmU48_S2pdccBOOrI-PdFZAuUguYcLCk4l3In0espWniLeTSHJvDJSuAJDZHyn8ci7OOsp6a8dnwR_Im7cV5kNlPCep2xbmIlzTiAxWI5q/s1153/gear%20review.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="1153" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqHPIcV5Ujm-ZoQB0d7Lp09PlG6BMCUqMKVDpQO_iUPk1oEtNLuXX9W09LXXcK_sypnehM3nnV7PDz69yyy9wmU48_S2pdccBOOrI-PdFZAuUguYcLCk4l3In0espWniLeTSHJvDJSuAJDZHyn8ci7OOsp6a8dnwR_Im7cV5kNlPCep2xbmIlzTiAxWI5q/w640-h226/gear%20review.png" width="640" /></a></div>It's been awhile since I've written about running gadgets. In the past few years I've gotten new running watches and headphones and tested new shoes, but nothing really seems to merit a full blog post. However, when I was thinking about getting the new Shokz OpenFit headphones, I realized no one I knew had switched from the classic bone conducting Shokz headphones to these new true-wireless options. The responses I got were generally, "I love my Shokz, let me know what you think of the OpenFit if you get them!" So it seemed like a review was in order.<span><a name='more'></a></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg21OyR_A9t2hH1NTaDnsjOotyExsgfgJbNX7pXqanIdN7njqQScVbFOnKGVQP32A2YHotLajkwBHDtNahshqNkLpxBGM11_7yhV_hnjm2N6jfn2iUz0LHFpFG0FesyryuhNPdvZtu7wCmNGz5znA9Ga9yIjdgxeC6bWnhLIe8DvJjgM2r9X29vS9dp7Jsg/s1096/site.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="444" data-original-width="1096" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg21OyR_A9t2hH1NTaDnsjOotyExsgfgJbNX7pXqanIdN7njqQScVbFOnKGVQP32A2YHotLajkwBHDtNahshqNkLpxBGM11_7yhV_hnjm2N6jfn2iUz0LHFpFG0FesyryuhNPdvZtu7wCmNGz5znA9Ga9yIjdgxeC6bWnhLIe8DvJjgM2r9X29vS9dp7Jsg/w640-h260/site.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div>To back up some, the reason I treated myself to the OpenFit is almost silly. When the temperatures dip below 40 here in Seattle (which isn't that often, really), I like to trade my running cap for knitted headbands to keep my ears warm. (I love the ones from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/fromnicolescreations" target="_blank">Nicole's Creations</a> because they're warm but also breathable, so my ears never get too sweaty.) </div><div><br /></div><div>I can wear these headbands over my Shokz Aeropex (the newest version of which are called the OpenRun), but the wire around the back of my head is less than ideal. I can make a headband work – awkwardly – but I can't wear a beanie with the Aeropex. I also can't wear them on the couch without the wire hitting the cushion behind my head.</div><div><br /></div><div>In short, the wire is pretty annoying.</div><div><br /></div><div>When Shokz came out with their true wireless option, I really wanted to try them, but couldn't justify spending almost $200 when my Aeropex were in perfect working order. And I wanted to wait until they had been on the market awhile so I could read reviews. That's where I found myself in January 2024, debating splurging on a gently used pair just because I felt I'd waited long enough.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSWcCCsj0FDKIobhypFxArihQLLQHrvGNM6QlWrxTIzb6hZ_tgz13h-tzuBHshbgjVULXAmAdRPtIBj4pgbTpoM7Jkdox6WjbMe6DDqi3EwDDlKSO6ui1B8MEWDy2pW34Psw6HXIUESKUuBXOA7kr3Oi3E-NCrqplipwAe7nFSfuD0NxyXHT82DJakJccV/s5712/IMG_7125.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSWcCCsj0FDKIobhypFxArihQLLQHrvGNM6QlWrxTIzb6hZ_tgz13h-tzuBHshbgjVULXAmAdRPtIBj4pgbTpoM7Jkdox6WjbMe6DDqi3EwDDlKSO6ui1B8MEWDy2pW34Psw6HXIUESKUuBXOA7kr3Oi3E-NCrqplipwAe7nFSfuD0NxyXHT82DJakJccV/w480-h640/IMG_7125.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div>Then they went on sale on Amazon, and I couldn't resist. Two days later, I had my new headphones just in time for <a href="https://www.seattleali.com/2024/02/my-better-half-10k-2024.html" target="_blank">race day</a>. Thanks, Prime.</div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, on to the review.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCAgTZch7FS-ktd7khUkWLi0RhFS94Pf5zTC2sgX4db8by6Kp-2zfJDHxsoDANcIQibo3kjeOCI3_DcIJaNX-Y91Lm_0Oc5SgDMHNoRqBJIg0wIesKoyB7t8Y-0mZTWuZqtSz3NK1Wysalnf7bG5A0MCUY6_UKJ01tY1cBoTN4bss8ku53Ozph456TyQfd/s1300/openfit.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1300" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCAgTZch7FS-ktd7khUkWLi0RhFS94Pf5zTC2sgX4db8by6Kp-2zfJDHxsoDANcIQibo3kjeOCI3_DcIJaNX-Y91Lm_0Oc5SgDMHNoRqBJIg0wIesKoyB7t8Y-0mZTWuZqtSz3NK1Wysalnf7bG5A0MCUY6_UKJ01tY1cBoTN4bss8ku53Ozph456TyQfd/w640-h296/openfit.png" width="640" /></a></div></div><div>These true-wireless headphones don't use bone conduction the way the other Shokz products do. Instead, they are shaped so that the speakers hover over your ears, keeping your ear canal open to ambient noise while funneling sound directly into your head. The sound quality is much better than the Aeropex and I can actually hear my music in high-traffic areas.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCaxg552AwOg-KO0QE8dj-NEbIA-KQrerrhHqXxpwFpHImtQpZBjK8fJbFXKYvwyVgRD7HDCxpVodYXX296rK_W-iHKoMyOCSRw6JK0DxOpxU35uft7M3wvDYWnesjxsUMB7mP3GPw77b1azizq0hI9yY9i9MqKfGGgPM2QQyT5KYf2a-dH0PCpDlnH4kE/s3088/IMG_7132.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCaxg552AwOg-KO0QE8dj-NEbIA-KQrerrhHqXxpwFpHImtQpZBjK8fJbFXKYvwyVgRD7HDCxpVodYXX296rK_W-iHKoMyOCSRw6JK0DxOpxU35uft7M3wvDYWnesjxsUMB7mP3GPw77b1azizq0hI9yY9i9MqKfGGgPM2QQyT5KYf2a-dH0PCpDlnH4kE/w480-h640/IMG_7132.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It looks like the headphone goes into your ear canal, but it just tucks against the outer edge of your antihelix. (Yes I had to to look that up.)</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgE5ven8jYCQWkSoPYdsHiRg9S7uIX-tiLuPkMaCp8TkJ9F9kJVAORlKFkhPiV7JJplrTqoFe9_z_t_iaDK_ytBqNVVj9aAY1iCHXq_Vm5CEc0rgYCBFy4mLKCtCCJ88JvsBzRvl22ruHI7TTubO-DYQyP_bMCRANDNMTld4bfPZ_HDjNDiZZInM9wsnwg/s3088/IMG_7137.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgE5ven8jYCQWkSoPYdsHiRg9S7uIX-tiLuPkMaCp8TkJ9F9kJVAORlKFkhPiV7JJplrTqoFe9_z_t_iaDK_ytBqNVVj9aAY1iCHXq_Vm5CEc0rgYCBFy4mLKCtCCJ88JvsBzRvl22ruHI7TTubO-DYQyP_bMCRANDNMTld4bfPZ_HDjNDiZZInM9wsnwg/w480-h640/IMG_7137.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div>I downloaded the Shokz app for the first time ever, which allowed me to customize some of the tap settings. The app is easy to use, but remembering how I programmed each headphone is a challenge. Also, the tap settings don't change if you choose to only wear one headphone, so when wearing only one, you may find yourself unable to pause or lower volume depending on how you set things up.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpu1IHxSZlh590wdLEhtuWt4GTD9bewG_WzI4BpIl2oy56rGUyqmv2T6Nb0v6fsWlXsuOedhvvv-r6vrtj1ZJEAGXvDfNAjOs1CurwayYAuWxrneKPIO9KHaTeito9BF1rqHbr1neRT0y1jn6Q5lJOjuUDm76eW_y7OTbQcWS4ZYF7eqIs3cQS4aMr5Rg/s1732/app.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1732" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpu1IHxSZlh590wdLEhtuWt4GTD9bewG_WzI4BpIl2oy56rGUyqmv2T6Nb0v6fsWlXsuOedhvvv-r6vrtj1ZJEAGXvDfNAjOs1CurwayYAuWxrneKPIO9KHaTeito9BF1rqHbr1neRT0y1jn6Q5lJOjuUDm76eW_y7OTbQcWS4ZYF7eqIs3cQS4aMr5Rg/w592-h640/app.png" width="592" /></a></div></div><div>However, I do like the various customization options the app allows for.</div><div><br /></div><div>The headphones unbox in pairing mode and connected to my phone seamlessly. You can apparently connect them to multiple devices, but I haven't tested that yet. They took about two minutes of playing with to figure out. They are, like most tech these days, pretty intuitive to learn.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBlDt9nLqBEgP0FztIzHe3_OdPvVTg-jWwM5d1bz07ZE9dXzU3COlJ5kAqqHfws3OluscU8XDVP68Y4W_uife7iidPp_VWQgcnK_Z-WvvVumgEjfkWY2t8TKI9oJRTnarXl5Ks2Nds3rU9IdaC1j299A6Vf5pgKXLONIoxjF6O1iG_XDqEs7GSHOvwaHPt/s452/battery.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBlDt9nLqBEgP0FztIzHe3_OdPvVTg-jWwM5d1bz07ZE9dXzU3COlJ5kAqqHfws3OluscU8XDVP68Y4W_uife7iidPp_VWQgcnK_Z-WvvVumgEjfkWY2t8TKI9oJRTnarXl5Ks2Nds3rU9IdaC1j299A6Vf5pgKXLONIoxjF6O1iG_XDqEs7GSHOvwaHPt/s16000/battery.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Up to" does a lot of work here.</td></tr></tbody></table>For me, battery life is an important feature. As a slower runner, especially one thinking about running a full marathon this year, 6 hours is the minimum battery life I'm willing to risk in a wireless headphone. These claim up to 7 hours, but they turn on automatically when removed from the case, which means you're using battery the moment you put them on. For me, this is the biggest con.<div><br /></div><div>Con:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Default settings don't allow for volume adjustment (can be changed via the app)</li><li>Tap settings are a little hard to remember/use (this may be a user-error thing)</li><li>Auto turn-on when you remove them from the case</li></ul></div><div>Pros:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Lightweight and super comfortable</li><li>Better sound quality and volume than Aeropex</li><li>Can still hear my surrounding environment</li><li>Customizable controls and sound settings via the app</li><li>USB-C charger (universal)</li><li>Up to 7 hours of playtime</li></ul></div><div>I wore them for the first time at my birthday 10k and they performed perfectly. They were so comfortable and light, I kept reaching up to ensure both were still on!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32OrvXo46rc8M9UpjRyMwvkAbltmyfC7pR3FPBMZOkJBwdDCw5EOIiQGX7OVunYY0BMvZrBoo8EegAfIVlElTgLiDwrKEsqBfSCWZD_Xd6DEyNkkdyWnL4BtwpShVOHdXYyPwKpkJRvU6f1LIIeMkMffZYeQ7b066FPWrjb6cGiXEaE31mqnIx-odzjWI/s5712/IMG_7171.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32OrvXo46rc8M9UpjRyMwvkAbltmyfC7pR3FPBMZOkJBwdDCw5EOIiQGX7OVunYY0BMvZrBoo8EegAfIVlElTgLiDwrKEsqBfSCWZD_Xd6DEyNkkdyWnL4BtwpShVOHdXYyPwKpkJRvU6f1LIIeMkMffZYeQ7b066FPWrjb6cGiXEaE31mqnIx-odzjWI/w480-h640/IMG_7171.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div>To expand on a few of my bullet points, I was at first pretty annoyed that volume can't be adjusted on the headphones themselves; however, if you install the app, you can customize the tap and hold settings, which allows for volume control. Once I figured that out, I was perfectly happy.</div><div><br /></div><div>As mentioned earlier, the biggest con to these headphones is the auto turn-on feature. When you remove them from the case, they turn on and cannot be turned off or put on standby. So if you're in a corral and waiting for your race to begin, and you've left the bulky case in your car and have been wandering around the staging area for awhile, you're losing battery life. </div><div><br /></div><div>And when they're low battery, they die pretty damn fast. When my Aeropex are low battery, I get the warning chime and can usually finish another mile before they die. With the OpenFit, I heard the signal and they died two minutes later, mid-run. The Aeropex also tells you your battery level when you turn them on; the OpenFit don't give you any sort of reminder.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is enough of an issue for me that I'm considering not wearing them for my upcoming half marathon.</div><div><br /></div><div>I also miss the physical buttons of the Aeropex; a physical power button would solve the wasteful battery issue.</div><div><br /></div><div>Overall, I'm incredibly happy with these headphones. If they last as well as my Aeropex, they'll absolutely be worth what I paid ($150; they are usually priced at $179). That said, I won't be getting rid of my Aeropex. I think both sets of headphones have their time and place for use.</div><div><br /></div><div>Ali </div>Ali K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15736472530374069410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417693555590736116.post-4075128626665794982024-02-26T00:00:00.000-08:002024-02-26T00:00:00.131-08:00This is 38<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZlJqmVkNBHAFShu0kvioj8JL2hTHYBWIb86DGzgNruSxOy1Vz7sOZA1XDtYGKULHHyi2s_T4abn8Hv95xdyy8d6qGtIB4333sostQc-fmZeFJEYpQFzukpWmq6lkol6I6aap1d7KJ2k8CHCusqIFAKWy-pU8jIQW0lSXucplPlW8LoSx-zT78x3BDjMX0/s1153/life%20update.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="1153" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZlJqmVkNBHAFShu0kvioj8JL2hTHYBWIb86DGzgNruSxOy1Vz7sOZA1XDtYGKULHHyi2s_T4abn8Hv95xdyy8d6qGtIB4333sostQc-fmZeFJEYpQFzukpWmq6lkol6I6aap1d7KJ2k8CHCusqIFAKWy-pU8jIQW0lSXucplPlW8LoSx-zT78x3BDjMX0/w640-h226/life%20update.png" width="640" /></a></div>Last year, I had a pretty rough birthday. With Matt completely occupied by the early days of drill school, we didn't have the time or capacity to do anything beyond the usual dinner-and-cake after the big day had already passed.<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5dGCc7BNlrNM4y30ie7H6hAZiSCEbtyfmwBfSp7xvtnrJL6fMkbJ2UDK0j0WxuUkLhWakP0Poih7lG63nr4KHJj5xIR8kaFfT_jtUg0jxf2Ygm1Qd_nl_8X5imYTW2lOfjPebRlkGMCzkhRy-7Aq9a8y03gJRsrY9tuyTZePlHeYbKEN_Qujd3APwREyp/s4371/IMG_72692.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4371" data-original-width="4284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5dGCc7BNlrNM4y30ie7H6hAZiSCEbtyfmwBfSp7xvtnrJL6fMkbJ2UDK0j0WxuUkLhWakP0Poih7lG63nr4KHJj5xIR8kaFfT_jtUg0jxf2Ygm1Qd_nl_8X5imYTW2lOfjPebRlkGMCzkhRy-7Aq9a8y03gJRsrY9tuyTZePlHeYbKEN_Qujd3APwREyp/w628-h640/IMG_72692.jpg" width="628" /></a></div></div><div>This year, he more than made up for it. Of course we still had cake and dinner, but we also took a weekend trip to Victoria, BC, and he coordinated the whole thing.</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><div>My birthday was on a Thursday this year, and Matt was on shift. So the next day, we brought Zoe over for dinner and cake at Scott and Robby's, then left her there on our way home.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHvLDciD-MZHdcJeIIdFAck-wKoRhyuJmfzZj5fYzhr1hlKttnjUAyN6geiVWopLc1wIRf0ElAVlhVZUxcQBUWBr__fPPks4VUHq5x-XPOHCejMqSFc-CxF_5YqFEmmRfPjf_wDRXLJqKALuSJFu8PTE8tvbzZ-VPTdY_ZnAZHM1dtlifzGbIg9m_R7jX4/s4722/IMG_73312.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4722" data-original-width="3767" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHvLDciD-MZHdcJeIIdFAck-wKoRhyuJmfzZj5fYzhr1hlKttnjUAyN6geiVWopLc1wIRf0ElAVlhVZUxcQBUWBr__fPPks4VUHq5x-XPOHCejMqSFc-CxF_5YqFEmmRfPjf_wDRXLJqKALuSJFu8PTE8tvbzZ-VPTdY_ZnAZHM1dtlifzGbIg9m_R7jX4/w510-h640/IMG_73312.jpg" width="510" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chocolate pistachio cake from Nuflours this year.</td></tr></tbody></table><div>The next morning, we caught the Victoria Clipper at 8am. This little cruise takes you from Seattle to Victoria in three hours, with beautiful views of the Olympics and Cascades along the way.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7BO1wB0qKbLq__WTIGZE6fpG2lNR6s4Ixa7SmW4cRREbVTxVZrnoen6_bT140opYkyOl228P-Xj-k_NyU3YWouEg3WKsVmgCgOG8VyR9ciW94yVOAUkEW6y8tgqK_0NGBHGLRaV19qccW1T_YZ17OMxzop5O0n4vLU-NMp1N2vEewA5Rq5kFzwjCuxLpg/s3088/IMG_73342.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7BO1wB0qKbLq__WTIGZE6fpG2lNR6s4Ixa7SmW4cRREbVTxVZrnoen6_bT140opYkyOl228P-Xj-k_NyU3YWouEg3WKsVmgCgOG8VyR9ciW94yVOAUkEW6y8tgqK_0NGBHGLRaV19qccW1T_YZ17OMxzop5O0n4vLU-NMp1N2vEewA5Rq5kFzwjCuxLpg/w480-h640/IMG_73342.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div>We arrived in Victoria around 11am and walked to our hotel. Matt had booked us a pretty impressive two-bedroom suite walking distance from downtown Victoria. We expected not to be able to check-in so early, but wanted to leave our bags there so we could explore the city unencumbered. Luckily, our suite was ready for us! </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipj7d4OZ1PcTNVjkkfViSs24wvApb8CcUmWVUIJDq7Vu9pck7OWO6Pi9wkxbwcgb_mAtbFe2Id251QcucPAXt_crwITrHI6whq_gWs1POkXk40pjFC5IgjVHJ65Y7VBkC7xsARjPowtKK4IGc8gp8jE1ze6mhb4q26nvnaLTyyfgdOwAYv2Mv43Iip9wOt/s5712/IMG_7283.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipj7d4OZ1PcTNVjkkfViSs24wvApb8CcUmWVUIJDq7Vu9pck7OWO6Pi9wkxbwcgb_mAtbFe2Id251QcucPAXt_crwITrHI6whq_gWs1POkXk40pjFC5IgjVHJ65Y7VBkC7xsARjPowtKK4IGc8gp8jE1ze6mhb4q26nvnaLTyyfgdOwAYv2Mv43Iip9wOt/w640-h480/IMG_7283.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt splurged on nice seats so we had a beautiful view of the city as we arrived.</td></tr></tbody></table><div>After a quick freshening-up, we walked to lunch. Matt had heard the sushi in Victoria is outstanding, so he chose a little place about 15 minutes from us. Honestly, this may have been the best sushi I've had in the PNW. The rolls were unique, super fresh, and everything was labeled gluten free. They even had gluten free soy sauce ready to go. Their green tea was really good too, full-bodied and aromatic.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyQEgwvu-QeLFSnwfDOVHldaUP5WhxFXv5N4tUZPCz4inwUEco6kyAwTFZtj3tVqkH13Exq7jADXxFbo8mHCHtiyQQLslcL-TsKo6Xr4WX718zfNHrdk5DQfqPStRFgwD9E3kIECe1G1Doh7lSmR0OmQwmGMDv5kmhUPqa0DWVv0uNjz-HYwTj8JcJ1T4a/s5712/IMG_7285.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyQEgwvu-QeLFSnwfDOVHldaUP5WhxFXv5N4tUZPCz4inwUEco6kyAwTFZtj3tVqkH13Exq7jADXxFbo8mHCHtiyQQLslcL-TsKo6Xr4WX718zfNHrdk5DQfqPStRFgwD9E3kIECe1G1Doh7lSmR0OmQwmGMDv5kmhUPqa0DWVv0uNjz-HYwTj8JcJ1T4a/w480-h640/IMG_7285.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.gozenizakaya.com/" target="_blank">Gozen Izakaya</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div>After lunch, we walked to the Natural History Museum. Unfortunately, one of their galleries was closed as they prepared the next exhibit, but I really enjoyed the Old Town, New Approach exhibit that felt like walking through a portal into the year 1900.</div><div><br /></div><div>After the museum, we were both pretty tired. We grabbed a coffee, took a quick detour to the firefighter memorial, and then went back to the hotel to rest.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Qrf5bS59yTbNLVvvM5tjyLK6AlUkyoPnGNCDiYrs1ot-YbI6HvBUlhXiCsK8pXLFRZlpWv-y3CwcsCQiSO6ojXKM5_1JYkKu_OSVsCFc0NcGq7yjMCCvUnPRVhTYWf1FIg0oALmvDUonHVFtKTyUcdco4iWDqCWXt5Xg2Ra6cRe-kDJsP-ZSb1EVxKVv/s5712/IMG_7289.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Qrf5bS59yTbNLVvvM5tjyLK6AlUkyoPnGNCDiYrs1ot-YbI6HvBUlhXiCsK8pXLFRZlpWv-y3CwcsCQiSO6ojXKM5_1JYkKu_OSVsCFc0NcGq7yjMCCvUnPRVhTYWf1FIg0oALmvDUonHVFtKTyUcdco4iWDqCWXt5Xg2Ra6cRe-kDJsP-ZSb1EVxKVv/w480-h640/IMG_7289.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div></div><div>I decided I was craving a really good steak, so we made last-minute reservations for dinner at The Keg. Dinner wasn't 'til 8:45, so we had a drink and appetizer in the hotel before walking over. It was worth the late hour – my sirloin Oscar was incredible and they comped our crème brulée for my birthday. I appreciated how many gluten free options they had, all clearly labeled.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Clipper's return trip to Seattle boards at 4pm, so we had all day Sunday to explore Butchart Gardens. I scheduled high tea at the gardens because I'd heard the gluten free experience is amazing. We took the city bus (it took about an hour) and had about thirty minutes to explore before our tea time.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiREyLnnqSdjDkP-S_LwdCZGysDb3hq4K9t8VXlMl884cNnhLAnIDFDG9aYOc0kAqS8Ag4U_YchPEf9K9baNjm2x0LcJ3SxVKT1vQMyjDO7AwB-ZkYHUQQjOYLLtBj1Zp8KeH2YEXachs7Cm1T8RSiU4paptworSzQzBGYcbjFOcWMHx1MC6re9cZwtE_F/s4032/IMG_7350.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiREyLnnqSdjDkP-S_LwdCZGysDb3hq4K9t8VXlMl884cNnhLAnIDFDG9aYOc0kAqS8Ag4U_YchPEf9K9baNjm2x0LcJ3SxVKT1vQMyjDO7AwB-ZkYHUQQjOYLLtBj1Zp8KeH2YEXachs7Cm1T8RSiU4paptworSzQzBGYcbjFOcWMHx1MC6re9cZwtE_F/w640-h480/IMG_7350.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Overlooking the Sunken Garden.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz_FQYvuzs0k2XBPpn-Ii-kGnCblq9lkCJ2LO0krf4o5xwcVy5RI2JG6cPmtoBzl1eOm2cbs-kHlstp6Wzh5g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCgWCchmPCGUb421N2DMLB2XrBLPdcHcSoo8jsWNgH2i4ucn03YPGddXfBo4LzSxMPkvlEkZLXGfDGCkTJEFhxavHKxq-wWzh_e5FqHptBvSacI70bEEosXcYthohE1ouV7WMXWCYPOEJ7VEvTCHaobMaQASbVD2eqFxeExTiF3Hy03-qv7fJyi85AP_q3/s4032/IMG_7320.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCgWCchmPCGUb421N2DMLB2XrBLPdcHcSoo8jsWNgH2i4ucn03YPGddXfBo4LzSxMPkvlEkZLXGfDGCkTJEFhxavHKxq-wWzh_e5FqHptBvSacI70bEEosXcYthohE1ouV7WMXWCYPOEJ7VEvTCHaobMaQASbVD2eqFxeExTiF3Hy03-qv7fJyi85AP_q3/w640-h480/IMG_7320.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even though they weren't in bloom, the gardens were spectacular. I bet in summer they're breathtaking.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRqPZLFB_ZApzdXMMW0fuKeWJt5IgHtp2ERmFDf7ax0n4LH88OdIXChi10lYlmL-fmcdY264o0SyrgU08VWKSFKOUPUEDidj5ynHDJoPPsNetmjOQnkPVItKA7iNAQEppIhzALt_X2mJfZvJR86HlYVy1fC5IndQTfzK6GnNHGEAk_n1WSblcZj5qvsV4h/s5712/IMG_7300.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRqPZLFB_ZApzdXMMW0fuKeWJt5IgHtp2ERmFDf7ax0n4LH88OdIXChi10lYlmL-fmcdY264o0SyrgU08VWKSFKOUPUEDidj5ynHDJoPPsNetmjOQnkPVItKA7iNAQEppIhzALt_X2mJfZvJR86HlYVy1fC5IndQTfzK6GnNHGEAk_n1WSblcZj5qvsV4h/w480-h640/IMG_7300.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div>Tea was quite the experience. I chose a rose congou and Matt chose the Bachelor Button, which was a little like an Earl Grey. I had made our reservations with a note that one of us needed a gluten free menu. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBIj4JqJV2O_wNqAErPIcQWWJsmkx8lbtj90eYfYBSNXRO03S6T-ajmKomnC6OzEpYxVc5l56YoNVjydoDe0oDm_k6_dbrJJSdzhc4lNpXFnFyHHvI5k0pw06xhcVvlI4LdKO4k89BHZj1N-pimb4HWtS8tyh-BkjazlZ7eLZBguImsp8kD3F7Ivs1QFEM/s5712/IMG_7352.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBIj4JqJV2O_wNqAErPIcQWWJsmkx8lbtj90eYfYBSNXRO03S6T-ajmKomnC6OzEpYxVc5l56YoNVjydoDe0oDm_k6_dbrJJSdzhc4lNpXFnFyHHvI5k0pw06xhcVvlI4LdKO4k89BHZj1N-pimb4HWtS8tyh-BkjazlZ7eLZBguImsp8kD3F7Ivs1QFEM/w480-h640/IMG_7352.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisVjbTEZhxkNa70e1opg2EJ5QO6JQwclS23mStRqxjS4K20FJz-8UulBm4aWo_1FB51vkTO8ExzfKiWzUbxc4AxFXT9eE5E1JcrZQ7ZNdF2Fws7Gz1xyATU1nTKbv3-WBHAT7GBBmghRnJBob9XqDfTUaa2dC3SbR_DlWDfUO46ySWoCA5nZePVCVZYBoI/s5712/IMG_7313.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisVjbTEZhxkNa70e1opg2EJ5QO6JQwclS23mStRqxjS4K20FJz-8UulBm4aWo_1FB51vkTO8ExzfKiWzUbxc4AxFXT9eE5E1JcrZQ7ZNdF2Fws7Gz1xyATU1nTKbv3-WBHAT7GBBmghRnJBob9XqDfTUaa2dC3SbR_DlWDfUO46ySWoCA5nZePVCVZYBoI/w480-h640/IMG_7313.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div>Well, I had expected the usual: a smaller menu than the usual with store-bought gluten free cookies or whatever. Instead, I was surprised that my tiered tray had all the exact same foods as Matt's, plus a little chocolate card with Happy Birthday written on it.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiobqXo7-oQgnzzNDGWOEuzBmjSazIffuePAciljQiYmc_nrJ5i2JD35EeguIpkRIj4MAMazO3j0eXkcfk3UOL0iaZL2SswVEaieKsUw6cJPIjO6_km0AQrcrF_o8YPFwEd7Q6UvwiLTPpJiQxet3e1A6egignHRhYUGsfsRsKDNxafwcvTaqJUq8eKfg1z/s5712/IMG_7311.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiobqXo7-oQgnzzNDGWOEuzBmjSazIffuePAciljQiYmc_nrJ5i2JD35EeguIpkRIj4MAMazO3j0eXkcfk3UOL0iaZL2SswVEaieKsUw6cJPIjO6_km0AQrcrF_o8YPFwEd7Q6UvwiLTPpJiQxet3e1A6egignHRhYUGsfsRsKDNxafwcvTaqJUq8eKfg1z/w480-h640/IMG_7311.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even the starter trifle we were served was fully gluten free.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div>It was absolutely excellent. I couldn't finish everything and afterward I was so full! </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjympIikOVG5dVuYLmCJ323TEfT8jSsiC-ma-ZAAO8vlN7yEVIQv9v_TbhIzdyia7kwvd6UjfheSvZONr5AIaET250E94yNTrXyNuU19-yBXOE2M4W7meIeueQZaWPSKmjSpxDi5dRZBAiCu_S9y86U9m7TqAOrRXARDmFI4O3-cw66HsOUK_xzlgB28JgC/s5712/IMG_7354.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjympIikOVG5dVuYLmCJ323TEfT8jSsiC-ma-ZAAO8vlN7yEVIQv9v_TbhIzdyia7kwvd6UjfheSvZONr5AIaET250E94yNTrXyNuU19-yBXOE2M4W7meIeueQZaWPSKmjSpxDi5dRZBAiCu_S9y86U9m7TqAOrRXARDmFI4O3-cw66HsOUK_xzlgB28JgC/w480-h640/IMG_7354.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhisJQz79XiQIsDYArTemr9_6EgQk-6OL8HTL1LobTkdj37hVV_fcbfmuHw-gWtyujyO1LkNwQXMPsk52cWfHXgAOI48_a4DhNEvoYBl3dw1nPXhipDm0krHVLdr1xSpyiKh4C-JAwh2j5fCevrb0mRPBxat2Lx0DDjoNMpienmfy72IEkliy_52w8rhlNf/s5712/IMG_7301.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhisJQz79XiQIsDYArTemr9_6EgQk-6OL8HTL1LobTkdj37hVV_fcbfmuHw-gWtyujyO1LkNwQXMPsk52cWfHXgAOI48_a4DhNEvoYBl3dw1nPXhipDm0krHVLdr1xSpyiKh4C-JAwh2j5fCevrb0mRPBxat2Lx0DDjoNMpienmfy72IEkliy_52w8rhlNf/w480-h640/IMG_7301.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div>We finished our walk around the gardens, stopped by the gift shop so I could pick up the tea I'd had at lunch, then hopped on the bus for a ride down to the Butterfly Gardens. I don't care that they're more geared toward kids; seeing all the insects and butterflies and birds was so fun.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMEs7-GpG-6H4CvgF973_UDcRbIudIdIsOLF8BO_1a5itEkPjmNBP12ugGwsZgDhdZ1mgYLN4KRTIJ65xQMSipQsQjSSm6Z5RzrohjCGgaIixKqvSd46NbRIiUvcUu1JDnnWgIxdmBqRckQ2UtrKz2yOIwjj9wtR1i-BKSePkCOt9c6XuobqRJZ6CNGtV-/s5712/IMG_7330.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMEs7-GpG-6H4CvgF973_UDcRbIudIdIsOLF8BO_1a5itEkPjmNBP12ugGwsZgDhdZ1mgYLN4KRTIJ65xQMSipQsQjSSm6Z5RzrohjCGgaIixKqvSd46NbRIiUvcUu1JDnnWgIxdmBqRckQ2UtrKz2yOIwjj9wtR1i-BKSePkCOt9c6XuobqRJZ6CNGtV-/w480-h640/IMG_7330.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div>Then, we caught the bus back to Victoria, picked our bags up from the hotel, and got in line to board the Clipper. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU5aOY9ahIUzbB3HnS3KDB7L0D7soAzYX_FjGBQ9v-mIf_WR4OxqRt8TKgLX_5sytauNGDAOvTUH71MfiLcwTbWH0qyCumkfa1SWGYMUzA7zu71vp3Zic5OW5UsUywk41iqKi9oaMAaIhp_Y4cktMjYua7jRPaJln_lw43NUYzj9OEK9O0Kw2RArdzyVtQ/s5712/IMG_7332.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU5aOY9ahIUzbB3HnS3KDB7L0D7soAzYX_FjGBQ9v-mIf_WR4OxqRt8TKgLX_5sytauNGDAOvTUH71MfiLcwTbWH0qyCumkfa1SWGYMUzA7zu71vp3Zic5OW5UsUywk41iqKi9oaMAaIhp_Y4cktMjYua7jRPaJln_lw43NUYzj9OEK9O0Kw2RArdzyVtQ/w480-h640/IMG_7332.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div>We arrived back in Seattle around 8pm, picked up Zoe, and made our way home. It was the perfect little getaway and a wonderful way to kickoff 38 years.</div><div><br /></div><div>Ali</div>Ali K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15736472530374069410noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417693555590736116.post-20081048676219981522024-02-16T00:00:00.000-08:002024-02-16T00:00:00.182-08:00My Better Half 10k 2024<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgN3Fq_tnVFbGfLrvO9Z4CMybLcUSJVO9WEQDLMOp-METGKtBEIKEpINPqRvf5UWLEebfeZlwWZ4mTpa_0NdkGOG4JIJhmS59DWTcaBSrJ2d6CxpsJvivfF72v0mmx1fD3cYBfSljUOejBj4wp8cYAI4CBaWiyPnu3AlGBgG3Nn7UqCnYvRCQq5i3KL_3/s1153/race%20recap.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="1153" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgN3Fq_tnVFbGfLrvO9Z4CMybLcUSJVO9WEQDLMOp-METGKtBEIKEpINPqRvf5UWLEebfeZlwWZ4mTpa_0NdkGOG4JIJhmS59DWTcaBSrJ2d6CxpsJvivfF72v0mmx1fD3cYBfSljUOejBj4wp8cYAI4CBaWiyPnu3AlGBgG3Nn7UqCnYvRCQq5i3KL_3/w640-h226/race%20recap.png" width="640" /></a></div>Let me start by saying how absolutely relieved I am that I chose to run the 10k instead of the half this year. If had I any doubts that I was making the right decision, they fled the moment I checked the weather report for race day.<div><p></p><div>44°? No problem. Perfect, even. 90% chance of rain? No thanks.</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><div>I woke up with some stomach issues, which complicated things a little that morning. Instead of eating my overnight oats, my breakfast consisted of Immodium. Sarah picked me up at 7:15. I had been worried about leaving Zoe so early in the morning, but she went into her crate easily.</div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHLVxIIg1pVmBCDUTlzMFFhUW0bD9jfJx4Gt_rYW-3t23nJMRzIjGVjwgg1qaJoWwcUw8zW2ZoJ_sJJ2dql1i84-qTmCNh8l8Z-r7ihx_loq9ttpIAei2O4_FtAHB6zkIk34okXQCqxTXNjXBk68zvnoLzr0xWtaB5sZICa1amKIrVTXEwqtloopBkaSxy/s5712/IMG_7185.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHLVxIIg1pVmBCDUTlzMFFhUW0bD9jfJx4Gt_rYW-3t23nJMRzIjGVjwgg1qaJoWwcUw8zW2ZoJ_sJJ2dql1i84-qTmCNh8l8Z-r7ihx_loq9ttpIAei2O4_FtAHB6zkIk34okXQCqxTXNjXBk68zvnoLzr0xWtaB5sZICa1amKIrVTXEwqtloopBkaSxy/w480-h640/IMG_7185.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wore new tights on race day to fit the theme and they slipped a little, which was a bummer. Another reason running a 10k was better than a half this year!</td></tr></tbody></table><div>We arrived at Seward Park around 7:40 and found parking in the surrounding neighborhood. We jogged to the start. Everything is so much less stressful when you're "only" running 6 miles! I didn't even have to think about carrying water or food with me.</div><div><br /></div><div>We had time to use the bathroom, then get to the start. We started pretty far back because neither of us were feeling incredibly strong. In Sarah's case, she'd been getting over a month-long sinus infection that she only just started antibiotics for; and actually, we discovered on Friday she wasn't signed up for the race at all! She'd been wait-listed. So, the plan was for her to join me for the first lap and then see how she felt.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjslgmTWKTnI_B4vt-iwurnZNURPvz5sLEavL1SEqtAdMD9bR_HW5TBLxGrMFNgfE_fETBlsBKYkfCMxqo2DSG7zPkVpOiztsnintqj-1IR3WfDcF6bSKKCh_Hdb35Ag-U2TkqwuwU-4Hv7q_QnALbO1slqEQY-t0XaCzT5Q6IZcfJFpQtxVJNr2vhD3ck2/s5712/IMG_7169.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjslgmTWKTnI_B4vt-iwurnZNURPvz5sLEavL1SEqtAdMD9bR_HW5TBLxGrMFNgfE_fETBlsBKYkfCMxqo2DSG7zPkVpOiztsnintqj-1IR3WfDcF6bSKKCh_Hdb35Ag-U2TkqwuwU-4Hv7q_QnALbO1slqEQY-t0XaCzT5Q6IZcfJFpQtxVJNr2vhD3ck2/w640-h480/IMG_7169.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love this course.</td></tr></tbody></table><div>The first lap was fairly uneventful. The hill at mile .5 was tougher this year than last (another reminder that I really need to stop avoiding hills in training) and I forgot about the second, smaller hill that the 10k runners have to tackle shortly after the first. I totally gassed myself on those hills, but managed to avoid a walk break.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoO3hN-QwA1igKpe0u6JWQXE8A2NDnFyeQ_wCUzPHBRiLxLTffBmRrtxSbLtE77jyMZc6e6-BFo_bPfj2QSP5f6bnJ6nXbGmftzF5o-x_OEB11kZws1MxQLLn89GQIdcwl0sG5eHy547ACkHrT9LHPmInGbxcs7ULid9Wg4_8gujzcgyjMIe0WFSREoz_K/s6603/IMG_7248.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4402" data-original-width="6603" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoO3hN-QwA1igKpe0u6JWQXE8A2NDnFyeQ_wCUzPHBRiLxLTffBmRrtxSbLtE77jyMZc6e6-BFo_bPfj2QSP5f6bnJ6nXbGmftzF5o-x_OEB11kZws1MxQLLn89GQIdcwl0sG5eHy547ACkHrT9LHPmInGbxcs7ULid9Wg4_8gujzcgyjMIe0WFSREoz_K/w640-h426/IMG_7248.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I told myself, just get through the Tunnel of Love!...and then that tunnel was way farther away than I remembered it being!</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div>We actually finished the first 3.3 miles before we walked; for context, I've been walking after 1-2 miles on training runs, so this was impressive. It was also a good reminder that I can do much more than I think I can.</div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRSiv8Evg1GR4-m2nvSjZDvc9-39DWjMIbhGyLyuCcROmTXItQioLogTuYjrMuoyW9fLzMVtAmy4proMFO21ZDAbAubXkb_KnN0ZqAOgZJaYvYpI-xvn-PtwbEoX0sKwB1QhTN-spX0_aTJlbPsSaydr1vsAxRviSw-z73ZnucABuJScWXgNf9UTpZXNHO/s3823/IMG_7246%202.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3823" data-original-width="3190" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRSiv8Evg1GR4-m2nvSjZDvc9-39DWjMIbhGyLyuCcROmTXItQioLogTuYjrMuoyW9fLzMVtAmy4proMFO21ZDAbAubXkb_KnN0ZqAOgZJaYvYpI-xvn-PtwbEoX0sKwB1QhTN-spX0_aTJlbPsSaydr1vsAxRviSw-z73ZnucABuJScWXgNf9UTpZXNHO/w534-h640/IMG_7246%202.JPG" width="534" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I tested new headphones during this race. More on those in a later post!</td></tr></tbody></table>At the end of the first lap, Sarah decided to hang back and let me finish on my own. I let myself walk more than I should have (at miles 4, 4.6, 5.1, and 5.8) but while running I kept a pretty good pace. I was feeling a little down about my performance, but I was also completely avoiding looking at my watch for anything other than distance, so I didn't really know my pace/time until the end.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCWfaGESb7PmlnisTaWyv-cjteu3eFS-Ew2mU1Rwd0ijITQZv2fyfQCpL58d856QIZvork3XOBXwBPCZDn8LkI80NJoRbRDAZD-mI3Jk9cYZSw1RVQP55fGNJmsD07_iV2J5yqrJ1xp0we0y1lytI6dz1Yb7iUsEZm9jH_FmBTdUNeDkak1nLhxb6vPflQ/s411/laps.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="357" data-original-width="411" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCWfaGESb7PmlnisTaWyv-cjteu3eFS-Ew2mU1Rwd0ijITQZv2fyfQCpL58d856QIZvork3XOBXwBPCZDn8LkI80NJoRbRDAZD-mI3Jk9cYZSw1RVQP55fGNJmsD07_iV2J5yqrJ1xp0we0y1lytI6dz1Yb7iUsEZm9jH_FmBTdUNeDkak1nLhxb6vPflQ/s16000/laps.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mile 1 included both hills. Ouch. Still faster than my training runs have averaged!</td></tr></tbody></table>Around mile 5.5 it started to drizzle pretty steadily, and shortly after I crossed the finish line, it started to pour. I have never been so glad I only had a 10k to run! </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ45q_WuTx6mIJac1AJ05EjyN9_As_M3vePk9Om0N_kcdBNrJrRUVaF1mn-Pu5oiMUyleN3zq0b2O9C-UX8L9zEulG8wMEDobe4chRMmGjeKsnPZxG3PAcnmELyL4exGkRcc3Qco86qlNOMrM-xW4AmfD5dBb9CjE9YUF9BbxUvhhrqdhKMmOhmqGqbZR1/s1673/IMG_7202.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1673" data-original-width="1179" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ45q_WuTx6mIJac1AJ05EjyN9_As_M3vePk9Om0N_kcdBNrJrRUVaF1mn-Pu5oiMUyleN3zq0b2O9C-UX8L9zEulG8wMEDobe4chRMmGjeKsnPZxG3PAcnmELyL4exGkRcc3Qco86qlNOMrM-xW4AmfD5dBb9CjE9YUF9BbxUvhhrqdhKMmOhmqGqbZR1/w452-h640/IMG_7202.PNG" width="452" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not too shabby!</td></tr></tbody></table><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2RysFCHOdcymumqjsZmwrQxS8xX93n7CYBuHan-EP_JaqhP2HIzCeP5HxzC0oXB0TdZN5INBSn9yhGjaA0lUIHtZHkQm-xEfbKdw-O8UxqekTlCUMFhZdbHV4xkmjO3wQvpSn9FCl-Ddm6O9oS9wAHfpQ1cD8p2r2-r-0yTGyEgDzZ0KdwYNPKSWyjvMP/s1632/IMG_7250.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1632" data-original-width="1081" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2RysFCHOdcymumqjsZmwrQxS8xX93n7CYBuHan-EP_JaqhP2HIzCeP5HxzC0oXB0TdZN5INBSn9yhGjaA0lUIHtZHkQm-xEfbKdw-O8UxqekTlCUMFhZdbHV4xkmjO3wQvpSn9FCl-Ddm6O9oS9wAHfpQ1cD8p2r2-r-0yTGyEgDzZ0KdwYNPKSWyjvMP/w424-h640/IMG_7250.PNG" width="424" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My tights look polka-dotted, but those are raindrops.</td></tr></tbody></table>I was pleasantly surprised to find my time was fairly respectable! I had been expecting a 1:10 finish. We took some photos and then started the loooong, rainy walk back to the car. As my socks soaked through, I once again thanked my lucky stars I had had the foresight to switch to the 10k.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, how did it feel? Honestly, I don't think I was totally present during this race. I didn't have a race plan or a goal in mind. I never felt like I settled into that mental and physical space where your body just sort of glides through the miles. My memory of the race feels a little fuzzy. I'm happy with the outcome but wish I had put more effort into the mental side of things and taken the time to be in the moment.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMIitH-pfwfw03WQEw67n55EIGtEh_RK86lXy7vUGaNk54c9m-NReXeT__zPqTr_VmtDvINrgi1ShAJzJvINdNfSGQpZZfnJ1A9H5ubOrqVX-GsnN9gBAxcpVYIzG27L4F4iaHW9DfcKZEdMZ70eB85VtF-UyLPXT_2fZoSOAxWCKaEjGlwnnB6eQ7mG88/s5712/IMG_7171.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMIitH-pfwfw03WQEw67n55EIGtEh_RK86lXy7vUGaNk54c9m-NReXeT__zPqTr_VmtDvINrgi1ShAJzJvINdNfSGQpZZfnJ1A9H5ubOrqVX-GsnN9gBAxcpVYIzG27L4F4iaHW9DfcKZEdMZ70eB85VtF-UyLPXT_2fZoSOAxWCKaEjGlwnnB6eQ7mG88/w480-h640/IMG_7171.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div>Physically, it was a struggle, but I can tell I did actually put in more effort than I thought at the time – my quads and calves were killing me the next day! It must've been the hills. (But, on a positive note, I didn't have any shin splints during the race! I guess strength training really does make a difference.)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7xStLzVpF4pJ4CH3aePcBSwp03zO-CZpYoRWUhzxKRJevv2v93CWFQodtcxNg6EIXPnRav0QnPmsPixaiHG83-EBJYy0Ip5ivS0a6zt6pJrIk6yVGdSH527cPYiHVysQuJKO6P1xUlDMjurbWMLxn7jeSDcHCi33nMv-f6oMBZovCZofWuGvDwu86Kq2K/s5712/IMG_7201.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7xStLzVpF4pJ4CH3aePcBSwp03zO-CZpYoRWUhzxKRJevv2v93CWFQodtcxNg6EIXPnRav0QnPmsPixaiHG83-EBJYy0Ip5ivS0a6zt6pJrIk6yVGdSH527cPYiHVysQuJKO6P1xUlDMjurbWMLxn7jeSDcHCi33nMv-f6oMBZovCZofWuGvDwu86Kq2K/w480-h640/IMG_7201.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adorable.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div>Anyway, that makes another birthday race to check off the list! Elizabeth joined me virtually in her matching outfit, as usual, and I'm ready to close the chapter on another year. I know the next one has some great things in store.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaxM1v3ODaKj84tPGW7NRJ_kOE8RnlXVHN66HOt4qiC95Ev9g3avLZhmKi4mwsOokWL9o5t5degSQA4prs0joxvceZi6K7nnswP1EHEnt54zplBGNjX5e4wqsZDRVxPglcthaG90S5cxmssF5tiJeP7z-NMKamUUwKTbrC1LLStPAuNLyZAkD7ejy5yQKj/s5712/IMG_7206.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaxM1v3ODaKj84tPGW7NRJ_kOE8RnlXVHN66HOt4qiC95Ev9g3avLZhmKi4mwsOokWL9o5t5degSQA4prs0joxvceZi6K7nnswP1EHEnt54zplBGNjX5e4wqsZDRVxPglcthaG90S5cxmssF5tiJeP7z-NMKamUUwKTbrC1LLStPAuNLyZAkD7ejy5yQKj/w480-h640/IMG_7206.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div></div><div>Ali</div><br />Ali K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15736472530374069410noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417693555590736116.post-10421313562347376722024-02-02T09:12:00.000-08:002024-02-02T09:12:53.133-08:00Decision time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj85GH-0oUG8z10A1gtmPQ_xet4fB0j-aTUAvJxj011t2g7vEl7Vu5WhR5-ZBUfICtZQUWsSrj1DWmhAxHBWNEnhBUvAF-tnSDvyhpJUTcgeLGphlgO2RXVAPKvONqdos_OyO5R5-NtdotDO6WfVhhtLTEQyFGedB4PU2cnV22pKhIHiIsNM56nXcx8ELcj/s1153/training%20update%202.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="1153" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj85GH-0oUG8z10A1gtmPQ_xet4fB0j-aTUAvJxj011t2g7vEl7Vu5WhR5-ZBUfICtZQUWsSrj1DWmhAxHBWNEnhBUvAF-tnSDvyhpJUTcgeLGphlgO2RXVAPKvONqdos_OyO5R5-NtdotDO6WfVhhtLTEQyFGedB4PU2cnV22pKhIHiIsNM56nXcx8ELcj/w640-h226/training%20update%202.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Last time I posted a training update, I was feeling a little better about my upcoming half marathon. Since then, things have unraveled. I've made the hard decision to switch to the 10k.</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">January started on a high note. I met my goal of running 11 miles on my first long run of the month; it was slow and painful, but I got it done. I thought, you know, it wasn't great, but I have 5 weeks to keep building!</div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh_6eyanEq9hiSE_0H_7rlBqWuTLaYoN0xBXLxeZLvkFXkyTSnbgE5UblhsSNvp2RYi2roZNBJmE7PIa65zor0BZT08qrmjhLyOJ4_BOoYGE_JrFEJH3XxuGHG2ixnAvHjhtodgoP7jNw4mdsXL-2hXDcyfCTTMWwNgkDMP7x_rG6tg5sBbgl7Bah2UnT9/s3660/calendar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2870" data-original-width="3660" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh_6eyanEq9hiSE_0H_7rlBqWuTLaYoN0xBXLxeZLvkFXkyTSnbgE5UblhsSNvp2RYi2roZNBJmE7PIa65zor0BZT08qrmjhLyOJ4_BOoYGE_JrFEJH3XxuGHG2ixnAvHjhtodgoP7jNw4mdsXL-2hXDcyfCTTMWwNgkDMP7x_rG6tg5sBbgl7Bah2UnT9/w640-h502/calendar.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>My plan had been to take a cutback week, then do another 11. But we got hit by extremely cold temperatures and then I got sick, so I lost about a week of running, including two long runs. By this time my shin splints were finally starting to feel better (who knew incorporating strength actually makes a difference?) and I even had a fantastic four-miler after I got over whatever sinus junk I'd come down with.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">By this time, I knew if I couldn't manage a double-digit long run in the last week of January, I wouldn't feel ready for a half. I planned to run another 11 on the 28th, but with only two weeks until race day, I had to face a pretty hard truth when we had a sudden "heat wave" with high humidity. I tried, but my 11-miler became 6. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-1lPs2xsnRNgD-EscU1v42_NPR24cox7WHqlDPcLELG6REl8Drvi1KHkg2NZ4roq95KTspW4fIDK9TPdG85R7cZhO7azWg39s5SPk2V93CS8nQsaF97vMFdsJr_MEhFGkHtk-X_YFY5ZDAFJHGdgUcMVu_UN3AE_3T5Fm9UOVVHxTjGWLY53xFR6Bkdm/s4032/IMG_6961.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-1lPs2xsnRNgD-EscU1v42_NPR24cox7WHqlDPcLELG6REl8Drvi1KHkg2NZ4roq95KTspW4fIDK9TPdG85R7cZhO7azWg39s5SPk2V93CS8nQsaF97vMFdsJr_MEhFGkHtk-X_YFY5ZDAFJHGdgUcMVu_UN3AE_3T5Fm9UOVVHxTjGWLY53xFR6Bkdm/w480-h640/IMG_6961.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I draw the line at running when ice is forming inside the car.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I know temperatures in the 60s and 92% humidity were major factors, especially after that cold front and being sick, but more than that, I wasn't excited. I was dreading slogging through the run.</div><p>A training cycle full of shin splints would have been hard enough to overcome on its own, but I have to factor in my abysmal mileage total in 2023, too. I took four months off in the first half of the year. I barely ran five miles a week June-September. I gave up on strength entirely. </p><p>In the past, beginning training in October for a February race would have been fine, but I had essentially destroyed my foundation completely. I think I've been in denial, thinking I could speed-run this training cycle. The truth is, the entire thing has been a struggle.</p><p>I'm not making excuses. I'm just finally admitting to myself that a half isn't a good idea right now. My heart isn't in it.</p><p>Could I do the half on February 11? Sure. I think I wouldn't enjoy myself and I'd risk burnout, maybe even injury. Am I excited to do a 10k? Not really. It feels anti-climatic and I feel pretty defeated. But I think I'll come around.</p><p>I keeping thinking of the 9-miler I did in December. I ran it alone and I felt so good the entire time. It had me feeling confident I could run a half; if I had been able to keep that momentum through January, I'd be feeling completely different right now. But the fact that missing just two long runs was enough to derail my progress really proves to me that I am not in the form I'd like to be in for a half marathon.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOI54NER5BHSA9bJppO8s9J9YDwoa_03sLLf4gF_A94OykrRJd7c2z1KeL4xilcWzg7mf0tpIhEUYOoLNRFvNfZaQIY6kkxjh6gmDY__SC07zQEwjXVo3ZlXaPQnEd7Vq3eKSRY_iP187A7TvB27-HIbQS-BDw_TSrb6a3onFHg2bfSt9YxHCi47bhq8Pe/s4032/IMG_7028.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOI54NER5BHSA9bJppO8s9J9YDwoa_03sLLf4gF_A94OykrRJd7c2z1KeL4xilcWzg7mf0tpIhEUYOoLNRFvNfZaQIY6kkxjh6gmDY__SC07zQEwjXVo3ZlXaPQnEd7Vq3eKSRY_iP187A7TvB27-HIbQS-BDw_TSrb6a3onFHg2bfSt9YxHCi47bhq8Pe/w640-h480/IMG_7028.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><p>At the end of the day, though, I know I'm doing the right thing. I'm going to try to make the 10k everything it can be. I'll run a smart race and hopefully really enjoy it. And then I'll have time to dedicate myself to a real training plan for a spring half and maybe that full in the fall.</p><p>I'm disappointed, but I know I'm making the right choice.</p><p>Ali</p>Ali K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15736472530374069410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417693555590736116.post-37400466912864327112024-01-31T00:00:00.000-08:002024-01-31T00:00:00.268-08:00January reads<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjGSoRh7HTos_5V7nIxAeLuhXgFhjsvSD0gdqB7awkZyPrYMfdQnY83rdtYpAMn20dTK0G5Tvg8ekAIyeRh_jys6eDKL8YSJNM1iYLdSc9aG5sEcst7_BIy0BxvdXOlaywypUtqS_hb2Cw5hVOC3MpFGcqftfMpbuUvr_DiFhAk8E1TsfXzFok2sDMF1ZH/s1153/book%20banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="1153" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjGSoRh7HTos_5V7nIxAeLuhXgFhjsvSD0gdqB7awkZyPrYMfdQnY83rdtYpAMn20dTK0G5Tvg8ekAIyeRh_jys6eDKL8YSJNM1iYLdSc9aG5sEcst7_BIy0BxvdXOlaywypUtqS_hb2Cw5hVOC3MpFGcqftfMpbuUvr_DiFhAk8E1TsfXzFok2sDMF1ZH/w640-h226/book%20banner.png" width="640" /></a></div><p>Not knowing what to read next is always the biggest obstacle in my way when it comes to reading, and having easy access to a series solves that issue. </p><p>Around mid-January, I took stock and realized I had already finished 5 books! Part of me wanted to pause because I was worried about this blog post, but that seemed like a silly reason to stop reading so...it is what it is! By the end of the month, my grand total was 11, which is one more than my goal for the whole year of 2023.</p><p>The thing is, having a series to plow through or a newly discovered favorite author makes picking up the next book effortless; no wonder I was so good at reading as a kid! I had so many unread Stephen King books to discover!</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>To start the year with a beautiful, warm hug of a book, I read <b>The Matchmaker's Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman.</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZtSKGT_GxNKBNyE4b9gjBrQ7ENd9MWdSRx5pZCkE_Gy6qSMigGZ24qgF7RoIdCRvIHkYeV2fEPEUyFVGRVWHcgYXdhoSwSz3V3YteExqxdk_Hql7RJMZJQMxpdBBMiYpcQjdYkdxtMcg84BdtOxQXGbd8hmhsojrVyBpZueu3iPNtEcb6giHpHVt_vzJk/s1788/IMG_6893.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1788" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZtSKGT_GxNKBNyE4b9gjBrQ7ENd9MWdSRx5pZCkE_Gy6qSMigGZ24qgF7RoIdCRvIHkYeV2fEPEUyFVGRVWHcgYXdhoSwSz3V3YteExqxdk_Hql7RJMZJQMxpdBBMiYpcQjdYkdxtMcg84BdtOxQXGbd8hmhsojrVyBpZueu3iPNtEcb6giHpHVt_vzJk/w261-h400/IMG_6893.PNG" width="261" /></a></div>This was the perfect book to begin the year! It was so wholesome and warm, and just full of the familiarity and comfort of Jewish families. There were times I laughed out loud because a scene or phrase was just so...Jewish!<p></p><p>The book flashes back and forth between 1910 and 1994. The 1910 scenes follow Sara, a young Jewish girl whose family has just moved to New York from Russia. Sara realizes from a young age that she has a gift for matchmaking - there may be a little magic involved here, but it's never truly examined. The 1994 scenes follow Sara's granddaughter Abby as she reluctantly picks up her grandmother's mantel after her death.</p><p>I absolutely loved following both of them. Sara's chapters revealed the interesting (and sometimes infuriating) history of Jews new to America. Abby's chapters revealed the struggles of young working women and finding a balance between tradition and modernity. Both women's stories delve into themes of family, belief and self-confidence, embracing your strengths and values, courage in the face of adversity, and using your gifts for good.</p><p>Like <i>Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting</i>, this novel immediately set itself apart as one I'm not happy to have just borrowed on Kindle; the issue of borrowing through Libby is I sometimes forget I've read a book, because I hardly think of the title as I'm reading. I don't want to risk forgetting this one, so I'll be buying myself a copy...and I'm attending an Author Talk put on by JWI!</p><p>Next up was a whole slew of the Gaslight Mysteries series by Victoria Thompson. They were all readily available on Libby, so I binged them nonstop, reading one a day whenever I felt like downloading one. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZIraA17sjpjWyVs9yar55_4hn4-Jt0UcG9EVPjlcw_GL4PjsUZENtpepxbISriu6kYo2q66TGh1rmlWPzV2kzqPmKs2ejyfy6lg_b9KWv0hLwKV6gu7x2GRBMm-UMKXVyROpULwa9Sy2rbrrsC7Cw0Yb4BSpsflfOfnmwJecHYSJqgMyg_t40rj7f-pi/s1881/IMG_6952.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1881" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZIraA17sjpjWyVs9yar55_4hn4-Jt0UcG9EVPjlcw_GL4PjsUZENtpepxbISriu6kYo2q66TGh1rmlWPzV2kzqPmKs2ejyfy6lg_b9KWv0hLwKV6gu7x2GRBMm-UMKXVyROpULwa9Sy2rbrrsC7Cw0Yb4BSpsflfOfnmwJecHYSJqgMyg_t40rj7f-pi/w249-h400/IMG_6952.PNG" width="249" /></a></div>This month I read #9-17:<p></p><p></p><i style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Murder in Chinatown</i></div></i><i style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Murder on Bank Street</i></div></i><i style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Murder on Waverly Place</i></div></i><i style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Murder on Lexington Avenue</i></div></i><i style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Murder on Sisters' Row</i></div></i><i style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Murder on Fifth Avenue</i></div></i><i style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Murder in Chelsea</i></div></i><i style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Murder in Murray Hill</i></div></i><i style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Murder on Amsterdam Avenue</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div></i><div>The mystery of Sarah's husband's murder is finally solved in <i>Murder on Bank Street</i>. I found <i>Murder on<br /> Lexington Avenue</i> a little convoluted, but I really enjoyed Bank Street and Sisters' Row. <i>Chintatown </i>was a little clumsy; I understand the prejudices we see from the characters because the book takes place in 1897, but certain parts of the narration – especially with regard to depicting accents – was...not great.</div><div><br /></div><div>By mid-January I was more than halfway through the series and had just realized the latest was published in 2023. That means the series isn't concluded as I originally believed, and I'm glad it's ongoing because I love having a series to keep up with! It also means I should slow down so I don't reach the end of available titles too quickly.</div><div><br /></div><div>Somewhere between binging the mysteries, I decided to reread a romance I had on my Kindle. <b>The Overlord's Bridge by Margaret Moore </b>is one of those classic, cheesy romances you think of when you think of classic, cheesy romances. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQdRAfrarRcVFuuBjO7tO6FxoSxKEMWBx0wVbkJ84ENzp3EN9ZVmG4ufwtrMuXkyPeQZWWxj_IcHrDxTfk1bi_b_O8ihbGTXsGwzFbawcWQbYG03OgfqqM1xDcr6XNHeIQsdk4mTD5VkYYP6CgVKEq-EHiPddZehCmmq1keQbT1c6Gi_poH6vkkT7byQN-/s1815/IMG_6965.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1815" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQdRAfrarRcVFuuBjO7tO6FxoSxKEMWBx0wVbkJ84ENzp3EN9ZVmG4ufwtrMuXkyPeQZWWxj_IcHrDxTfk1bi_b_O8ihbGTXsGwzFbawcWQbYG03OgfqqM1xDcr6XNHeIQsdk4mTD5VkYYP6CgVKEq-EHiPddZehCmmq1keQbT1c6Gi_poH6vkkT7byQN-/w258-h400/IMG_6965.PNG" width="258" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Elizabeth is the niece of some influential courtier set to marry a grumpy widower named Raymond, the overlord of some estate under some earl. It's a political match, but soon Elizabeth's plucky attitude and sharp intelligence wins over her groom. Both Elizabeth and Raymond have been hurt/mistreated in the past, and there are some fun scenes where they both get to deliver karma upon their enemies, and of course there's a Happily Ever After ending.</div><div><br /></div><div>It makes me chuckle to include this book here because in the past, I would have been embarrassed. But reading is all about escapism and indulging fantasies, and I'm a romantic at heart. Isn't reading this kind of stuff what e-readers were made for?! Given that romances have kind of gone mainstream (at least fantasy-romances have), I'm just going to embrace it. Nothing like a fluffy, predictable romance to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.</div><div><br /></div><div>This was an incredibly ridiculous month for reading. I've basically read half of last year's total in a single month. I've missed reading like this. I will certainly be slowing down a bit as I branch out from the mysteries and start to read some heftier works, but wow...what a way to start the year!</div><div><br /></div><div>Ali</div><p></p>Ali K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15736472530374069410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417693555590736116.post-50879891657324769042024-01-13T11:48:00.000-08:002024-01-13T11:48:18.026-08:00MBHM training update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFCM6IF76QAC2_yOrUWG9rvmAdPwKrFewAIVRaQLkkxqgHrxONIuVCWsEpU7S990ntE9ooKl7mHxVZixLkCHy4nyecFTRMcndItsZBH7xQ92lwn7yKWe7f6Zgy1Qz4DlEj-02tb5nfER_jOG3HjaFz7tM5cdGvW2hqxzR19-gToKEgS66Z2LB06fjmJQHl/s1153/training%20update.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="1153" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFCM6IF76QAC2_yOrUWG9rvmAdPwKrFewAIVRaQLkkxqgHrxONIuVCWsEpU7S990ntE9ooKl7mHxVZixLkCHy4nyecFTRMcndItsZBH7xQ92lwn7yKWe7f6Zgy1Qz4DlEj-02tb5nfER_jOG3HjaFz7tM5cdGvW2hqxzR19-gToKEgS66Z2LB06fjmJQHl/w640-h226/training%20update.png" width="640" /></a></div><div>When I last posted about how training was going for the 2024 My Better Half Marathon, I was feeling pretty down. Still, I've been plugging away, so all things considered, I'm pretty happy with the progress I've made.</div><span></span><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><div>In December, I hit 50 miles for the first time in ages. I knew I hadn't run at all in early 2023 and struggled in the late summer, but seeing my mileage contrasted so sharply month-to-month highlighted for me why this training cycle has been so hard.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2tvrzCC3ssBHgmLLBRlRhAyOli8CWrzeaQDlUJt50gqpNuRtbCaWLgSsLoE7VMLilW5rWnB4FQwhyphenhyphenkD3KTgwU0aJ6Oaa74J-0wCouPceJJbznrI78T_xNlgL256RCyILxByKLzxajpkZu0ls3zbneJq9KGh727Xw_MEmbiPM74zjH9hhIoawLRB332N_-/s2000/2023%20mileage.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="727" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2tvrzCC3ssBHgmLLBRlRhAyOli8CWrzeaQDlUJt50gqpNuRtbCaWLgSsLoE7VMLilW5rWnB4FQwhyphenhyphenkD3KTgwU0aJ6Oaa74J-0wCouPceJJbznrI78T_xNlgL256RCyILxByKLzxajpkZu0ls3zbneJq9KGh727Xw_MEmbiPM74zjH9hhIoawLRB332N_-/w233-h640/2023%20mileage.png" width="233" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I haven't seen mileage this low since I first started running; even in the depths of CECS recovery, I think my mileage was higher!</td></tr></tbody></table><div>I'm still getting shin splints, which is so bizarre because in all my years of running and with all the injuries I've had, shin splints have never been an issue. I was flummoxed, but I finally remembered that Google exists. After some basic research, I've confirmed that ramping up my mileage while eschewing strength training has been my downfall.</div><div><br /></div><div>So in the last four weeks of training, I will be adding some basic strength back into my regimen – I don't want to go overboard, but I'm hoping I can at least make some strides so that by race day, my shins aren't bothersome. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIya0h-gbG47Vqi-yzsYaCuVDaqii2l2KnAPddCYNdsqOwDccYZEqqgY7LALIiceqwCRkL8A-j-9buES5XIgZ7iRLDWvMTdbreKl_30opklVD1CiojejOUi8azraxFqMvPkCtah8DFiVF48wOfn3wZUO_pxkoWqBhkVNAtiLsQfcpq3D0u232P17aoYMFF/s3088/IMG_6914.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIya0h-gbG47Vqi-yzsYaCuVDaqii2l2KnAPddCYNdsqOwDccYZEqqgY7LALIiceqwCRkL8A-j-9buES5XIgZ7iRLDWvMTdbreKl_30opklVD1CiojejOUi8azraxFqMvPkCtah8DFiVF48wOfn3wZUO_pxkoWqBhkVNAtiLsQfcpq3D0u232P17aoYMFF/w480-h640/IMG_6914.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's not a peace sign, it's two 1's for 11!</td></tr></tbody></table><div>Despite this setback, I still managed an 11-mile long run a week ago. I did the first five solo, then met up with Sarah for the last six. It hailed on us twice and rained pretty much the entire time it didn't hail. There was a lot of walking because I had chosen a route with lots of rolling hills. All told, it was rough, but I knew it would be.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigEYmZPzKOldsNB4BxifKaOUfnOZFZ43jbkid0yriNlmejLoCdMCXQOO0AG2NF9aHSJy0Wp9i2P9mjf_bK0p6UgXcYDqEC5FjFh5O-4ZLtQKs_BOqyGs8a5Q0uEupga4gegGHq3xd08rqBe3zhNr2YWWoC3_RDJQvn8GoO0tLoUNtTSL7bf8JCUrzG9Fjx/s4032/IMG_6890.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigEYmZPzKOldsNB4BxifKaOUfnOZFZ43jbkid0yriNlmejLoCdMCXQOO0AG2NF9aHSJy0Wp9i2P9mjf_bK0p6UgXcYDqEC5FjFh5O-4ZLtQKs_BOqyGs8a5Q0uEupga4gegGHq3xd08rqBe3zhNr2YWWoC3_RDJQvn8GoO0tLoUNtTSL7bf8JCUrzG9Fjx/w640-h480/IMG_6890.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I do so love running this time of year.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div>Sarah had decided to switch to the 10k from the half, so I am in this by myself for the last few weeks of training. We're in the middle of an extreme cold weather snap (17°F today), and I think I have to draw the line at running in below-freezing temps. Matt has also gifted me with a little cold, so while I intended to use this week as a cutdown, it's going to be a more extreme cutdown than originally planned.</div><div><br /></div><div>That's okay. I'll focus on strength, get some miles in when it warms up early next week, and do a second 11-miler before the end of the month. I've got time, and I've finally learned that my body thrives on rest during long distance training. A few extra rest days aren't going to make or break me here.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm still not feeling incredibly confident about how this half will go; a lot depends on how my shins feel. But I am at the point where I'm sure I'll be able to finish it in a respectable time, even if it's not close to a PR, and that's quite the improvement in mindset from this time last month!</div><div><br /></div><div>Ali</div>Ali K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15736472530374069410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417693555590736116.post-46845327990347677632024-01-02T00:00:00.000-08:002024-01-02T00:00:00.161-08:002023 in Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSlN6Dw7PFuPx0Dn9iEXGcWTGuS2eK0aJq5OkjRJDUbHsrY2MxQn-tJtt2MrRT4iYNNphJtA_5sdDXaC3CgyfShf9__ALNfHSoaAhkZrMf9sg7ZD2Fxqha8Mg_1z9h7hgA9gZjvEQbOJ4IOv0NEwgdzh6PQU8FO38MbYykJlvspj_q_CbMw4eqRZr7lXmD/s1153/2024.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="1153" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSlN6Dw7PFuPx0Dn9iEXGcWTGuS2eK0aJq5OkjRJDUbHsrY2MxQn-tJtt2MrRT4iYNNphJtA_5sdDXaC3CgyfShf9__ALNfHSoaAhkZrMf9sg7ZD2Fxqha8Mg_1z9h7hgA9gZjvEQbOJ4IOv0NEwgdzh6PQU8FO38MbYykJlvspj_q_CbMw4eqRZr7lXmD/w640-h226/2024.png" width="640" /></a></div>At the start of 2023, I wrote my usual "year in review" post for 2022 and ended it with this:<i> <span style="color: #351c75;">I don’t have resolutions for 2023, but I have a goal to finally put the effort and time into cultivating a friend group here in Seattle. I’ve been in therapy since June 2021 and if nothing else, I now feel completely capable of moving beyond my anxiety and fear to just do things. The more I do things the more they seem to pay off, and it’s liberating to get to finally see what’s on the other side of fear.<br /><br />My other goals for this year all revolve around the simple idea that I want to build my life into something that makes me feel whole and fulfilled. I want to feel I’m not wasting my days. So I will continue to run and lift weights. I will make friends. I will dive back into this blog and into my creative writing.</span></i><p>I can honestly say I didn't let myself down this year. 2023 was full of challenges unlike any I've faced before, but it was also so incredibly rewarding. Rather than go through monthly highlights, I'm going to reflect on the year's big events, because there were many.</p><span></span><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><b>Writing</b></p><p>This should come as no surprise to anyone who's been reading here or following me on Instagram, but I finally got back into writing this year. After years of starting-and-abandoning story ideas, I was in a rut. I wanted to love writing again; I missed who I was when I was writing all the time. It's how I've identified myself for so long, but in reality it was a hobby I'd let go. Every time I'd sit down to write, I'd get distracted and overwhelmed, annoyed that it wasn't coming easily to me anymore.</p><p>With a nudge from my therapist, I began dedicating time every week to my WIP. At first it was difficult to get back into the mindset, but soon I was enjoying creating again.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4OMTE-kqZcn30VXdKsRUSFH6VuwqTl-cDu7kql6P9IF3yFaKZQedOjdNsfERL2F8hBOoNXgkvNHHNmKGHP6i5vEDa4cfQWVR7gSCpUDmrXSHRH8hFW8IXvsYAy0bIt-TuXInTG32mn9Jlt10Rayc6TGb9ScJpPVMurpWpXiQv3ZWDiRx5H_SvnTOnggTn/s486/Image%2011-26-23%20at%206.23%20PM.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="486" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4OMTE-kqZcn30VXdKsRUSFH6VuwqTl-cDu7kql6P9IF3yFaKZQedOjdNsfERL2F8hBOoNXgkvNHHNmKGHP6i5vEDa4cfQWVR7gSCpUDmrXSHRH8hFW8IXvsYAy0bIt-TuXInTG32mn9Jlt10Rayc6TGb9ScJpPVMurpWpXiQv3ZWDiRx5H_SvnTOnggTn/w640-h442/Image%2011-26-23%20at%206.23%20PM.heic" width="640" /></a></div><p>In November, I buckled down and wrote about 40k words, finishing my first novel in ages. Since then, I've taken time off, but I am excited to dive into revisions and new writing projects in 2024.</p><p><b>Reading</b></p><p>Another hobby I'd abandoned over the years and desperately wanted to get back into was reading. I set a goal to read 10 books this year and planned to stick with easy, light reads. I didn't want to read anything too suspenseful or upsetting, so I started with low-stakes romances.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQINzm7E6iTlpZd4sU9AxGdKNG8y2l_lI56JfEkrY7mDcu92xw1MLqrZuXLdOr9DgRradZVub097IAzub-O68045zv3Pi7qopiVQ6UlMFLQ0kpaAETBV7ga3QN7G-MTzy10UPnbiaA0znuCDAPaOp_uXED54tqtQ5yStvUE-u7-Q8kfnIkvAE7QMxrfwM/s444/2023%20books%20-%20adobe.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="444" data-original-width="250" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQINzm7E6iTlpZd4sU9AxGdKNG8y2l_lI56JfEkrY7mDcu92xw1MLqrZuXLdOr9DgRradZVub097IAzub-O68045zv3Pi7qopiVQ6UlMFLQ0kpaAETBV7ga3QN7G-MTzy10UPnbiaA0znuCDAPaOp_uXED54tqtQ5yStvUE-u7-Q8kfnIkvAE7QMxrfwM/w360-h640/2023%20books%20-%20adobe.gif" width="360" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Like with writing, getting back into the habit wasn't super easy. It really does take practice to focus and enjoy a book! By the end of year, I'd read 23 books and I'm really glad I'm back in a place where I can call myself a reader and mean it.</div><p><b>Running</b></p><p>This year was a tough one for running. After a superb half marathon in February, I took some time off, then got covid, then just couldn't find the time or energy to get back into it. With the new puppy and Matt's drill school schedule, something had to give, and running was that something.</p><p>I struggled mentally with getting back into running when time eventually allowed, but with another half on the schedule, I buckled down in the fall and ramped up my mileage. I am finally beginning to feel confident and capable again, and I'm determined to stay consistent in 2024...especially if my bucket list race in Scotland becomes a reality.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2UzdCAaKX8Ydgh3d4N9H0ONHpTU00AgVl4fvVmyKT5Cspm2VJXXOEsEa2YiZzyeG8jXjUSqBsIa3khl4abx7Sf9bh4K0oRb2DbN3FyAKyvfP8Z_Q9m498QM-jlMq4isz9kuMJpw7MStILvW9TuebPcKLtU5LdMttg3gAUHSO5lH-0tvnvjPpgHZ_JBOaF/s2093/IMG_6845.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2093" data-original-width="1170" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2UzdCAaKX8Ydgh3d4N9H0ONHpTU00AgVl4fvVmyKT5Cspm2VJXXOEsEa2YiZzyeG8jXjUSqBsIa3khl4abx7Sf9bh4K0oRb2DbN3FyAKyvfP8Z_Q9m498QM-jlMq4isz9kuMJpw7MStILvW9TuebPcKLtU5LdMttg3gAUHSO5lH-0tvnvjPpgHZ_JBOaF/w358-h640/IMG_6845.PNG" width="358" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I had some months with very low mileage, but that just makes the comeback that much more impressive!</td></tr></tbody></table><b>Personal</b><p>Obviously this was a huge year on the personal front. The two most obvious, life-changing events were that we adopted Zoe (this was technically in very late 2022 but I'm counting our first year with Zoe as a 2023 event) and Matt went through drill school and the majority of his probationary period as a Seattle firefighter (he'll be off probation February 1). </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpPnbD-WeD7debgm0KnQbGY7Js7TmR-FaGNOH01fbLNbs_wctKiUsIVYV1oUwZLf_USudg6DF8fY314-vkuaEkAjdNAksBOWWxLMlRqSvRcW484mELq6iKeun9ATtsa_riaKPykUDRU4Pj2jJGUL_mJ8EkLw_wSuWpAYH8bfQ2FX8ihh4m-A94QpfDdv1s/s4032/IMG_4245.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpPnbD-WeD7debgm0KnQbGY7Js7TmR-FaGNOH01fbLNbs_wctKiUsIVYV1oUwZLf_USudg6DF8fY314-vkuaEkAjdNAksBOWWxLMlRqSvRcW484mELq6iKeun9ATtsa_riaKPykUDRU4Pj2jJGUL_mJ8EkLw_wSuWpAYH8bfQ2FX8ihh4m-A94QpfDdv1s/w480-h640/IMG_4245.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p>These two things alone made 2023 a huge year, but it didn't stop there. Other big events included: coming down with covid for the first time, mom coming to visit, and jumping out of my comfort zone and into BumbleBFF to expand my friend group.</p><p>Matt and I took a couple staycations and made time for hiking. It was nice to have the means and energy to actually spend some real quality time together doing something other than watching tv. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSCVmKLBgVcFwY7r0jh-wQhv2lev5cUgtjoZfdKLdIiPNkWimQQvWDNffAx5tNFVM2E7B8nZsWl1mfuMN2IwZmQ7KwG4ygCCWHLBik-IGJBKSEIkfhPItxVdEu_Hs__25V7TMkawZBmFyD4M4OV-U61BGkMCQtDUrFh0guHSihnUePtC4T-EtNRctfcXV8/s3088/IMG_4965.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSCVmKLBgVcFwY7r0jh-wQhv2lev5cUgtjoZfdKLdIiPNkWimQQvWDNffAx5tNFVM2E7B8nZsWl1mfuMN2IwZmQ7KwG4ygCCWHLBik-IGJBKSEIkfhPItxVdEu_Hs__25V7TMkawZBmFyD4M4OV-U61BGkMCQtDUrFh0guHSihnUePtC4T-EtNRctfcXV8/w480-h640/IMG_4965.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><p>That brings us to autumn. This isn't something I plan to go into in depth on the blog, but it needs to be mentioned at least in passing: the last three months of this year have been really hard. I do feel like a different person than I was before October 7; I feel disillusioned and less trustful, and in a way I feel like I was ripped out of a dreamworld where progressives really believe in antiracism and into reality, where I've been forced to reckon with the fact that<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jews_Don%27t_Count" target="_blank"> David Baddiel</a> has been spot on all along. The veil has been lifted.</p><p>I tend to keep this blog fairly current-events-free so I'm not diving into all that, but I'd be remiss to write a review of the year and not touch on the fact that the core of my being has been terribly shaken. I think I'll look back on 2023 as a year of major change with regard to who I am inside and how I see the world. It's worth noting.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqDmzg6QxHWFawhyJjn5_yT-rCQfXQPJVtcdZQ4q4Dj08LE11sSlAdnPVjNsK61gFxQwg97SgwJB1wWyRoq67QpxBqO5oDueiV9uJdqlkU6sdXzqCX1gQDZNiA4PMQO_m4vVqCIXWo3Shzr6QVyAoW0aYX41waU8aCgD61HfRwfLdONlh53z9wsNOadYkq/s2560/am%20yisrael%20chai.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1235" data-original-width="2560" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqDmzg6QxHWFawhyJjn5_yT-rCQfXQPJVtcdZQ4q4Dj08LE11sSlAdnPVjNsK61gFxQwg97SgwJB1wWyRoq67QpxBqO5oDueiV9uJdqlkU6sdXzqCX1gQDZNiA4PMQO_m4vVqCIXWo3Shzr6QVyAoW0aYX41waU8aCgD61HfRwfLdONlh53z9wsNOadYkq/w640-h308/am%20yisrael%20chai.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p>This was certainly a year of challenges. I can look back on the early months of 2023 with rose-colored glasses now that we're through it, but it was rough for a minute there. I've finally found some equilibrium, which makes it easy to gloss over the difficult parts of the year, but generally I think I'm proud of my 2023. I put some real work into bettering my situation, rediscovering myself, and getting back in touch with who I am and who I want to be. I let go of the cheeky nihilism of the internet and let myself enjoy things. Doing so helped me break free from the worst of my anxiety. I'm not sure if it's my age or what, but this year I just decided to be authentically myself, and so far that seems to be working.</p><p>This year, I told Matt that in a way, it felt like our lives hadn't really started until we moved to Seattle. Not to minimize the decade of marriage we shared before the move, but since moving, it just feels like things keep moving forward for us in new and positive ways. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjucI4ikAwzyezU57DrF1iXBm4GIRt2xSyBqMyTGvnwELp9jOjjYu9gKnX7NoEsEBfNRzoxQkBl4JOok45FxPW41gkZEscBvUwVp-i8FHU50wMw9PZtOp6V981PCViMbSSCOn52O_s3psobmookipQhgqqWJyM921LX9sj8raEs4uACHBcEq7ixtuzuVN9l/s1001/CE3CF13F-8EB3-42F0-981D-6BEB8874ADD0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="1001" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjucI4ikAwzyezU57DrF1iXBm4GIRt2xSyBqMyTGvnwELp9jOjjYu9gKnX7NoEsEBfNRzoxQkBl4JOok45FxPW41gkZEscBvUwVp-i8FHU50wMw9PZtOp6V981PCViMbSSCOn52O_s3psobmookipQhgqqWJyM921LX9sj8raEs4uACHBcEq7ixtuzuVN9l/w640-h640/CE3CF13F-8EB3-42F0-981D-6BEB8874ADD0.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>In 2024, I'm looking forward to more. More writing, more reading, more running, and more adventures. I can't wait to see what the year has in store.</p><p>Ali</p>Ali K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15736472530374069410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417693555590736116.post-53999149531312535992023-12-31T00:00:00.000-08:002023-12-31T00:00:00.133-08:00December reads<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqtS9_gG0WGewHC2klQ8JYBkhrFPs6vtOzy01iE7rXZ7a7u3-9uW58MGerTYN3BVq1UgizzfxkLLIPUsSUkxDlOumjr00F_uXHe1HgBhqEJvN8VJPJ0qkuwhHgtNFMqchzmOpXGigUOGmMEVaxGsFOUZNfh5CYtJO-dcdNfzPasINMEYwx17endRzBN_V6/s1153/book%20banner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="1153" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqtS9_gG0WGewHC2klQ8JYBkhrFPs6vtOzy01iE7rXZ7a7u3-9uW58MGerTYN3BVq1UgizzfxkLLIPUsSUkxDlOumjr00F_uXHe1HgBhqEJvN8VJPJ0qkuwhHgtNFMqchzmOpXGigUOGmMEVaxGsFOUZNfh5CYtJO-dcdNfzPasINMEYwx17endRzBN_V6/w640-h226/book%20banner.png" width="640" /></a></div><div>This month, I planned to read something light and gorgeous to end the year. Unfortunately, the book I was looking forward to ended up being quite the disappointment, but luckily I got my hands on three more of the Gaslight Mystery series and discovered a new favorite, so December wasn't a total loss.</div><div><br /></div><div>With five books read this month, that brings my total for the year to 23! Considering I planned to read 10, I'm pretty damn happy with that result.</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><div>After a month of no reading, I was so looking forward to picking the perfect book to end the year. I wanted something cozy and interesting and beautiful, something to ease back in after a month of being writing-focused. When <b>The Starless Sea </b>by Erin Morgenstern came available on Libby, I thought it was perfect timing. I'd heard such good things and I loved <i>The Night Circus </i>back when it first came out.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwJa8rha_NCGkxj_Inis31CA46VQIBGg_vFJaHSLBIc5k0TifahXB5Ya4EXuZqpVyYXME3rsYp1ItazZxtzoeod164DaPpGU4CsjM532GzcRV82OROyWeC80vA_aoDKC7ax0osx3oaNNJQAlSNNXzkDDkBB6VE6rUqGMkDClHQKJYT3XJhuJiUQf8RSxhi/s1799/IMG_6619.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1799" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwJa8rha_NCGkxj_Inis31CA46VQIBGg_vFJaHSLBIc5k0TifahXB5Ya4EXuZqpVyYXME3rsYp1ItazZxtzoeod164DaPpGU4CsjM532GzcRV82OROyWeC80vA_aoDKC7ax0osx3oaNNJQAlSNNXzkDDkBB6VE6rUqGMkDClHQKJYT3XJhuJiUQf8RSxhi/w260-h400/IMG_6619.jpg" width="260" /></a></div>It really sucks to be so let down by a book you've been looking forward to for weeks, but it sure gave me a lot to write about! To read my full review – because I just couldn't keep it brief and this post is about more than just this one book – <a href="https://www.seattleali.com/p/the-starless-sea-full-review.html" target="_blank">click here</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>The long and short of it is that I had really high hopes for this novel and it just didn't live up to the hype.<i> The Starless Sea </i>is about a grad student named Zachary who finds a book of short stories in which he is one of the characters. This discovery leads him down a rabbit-hole of secret societies, an underground library guarded by opposing factions, and a twisty tale of Fate and Time.</div><div><br /></div><div>I enjoyed the "story in a story" trope, beautiful descriptions and imagery, and the premise of the novel. The interludes between chapters were interesting and it was fun to decipher how the metaphors in the stories connected to the larger plot...at first. However, the novel dragged on. It's too long and too convoluted. Too many metaphors never pan out; too few characters are fully fleshed out, to the point that I didn't care about any of their arcs or journeys.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the end, this novel was the worst kind of disappointment: an intriguing, new, almost experimental work that doesn't quite deliver on its promises and is boring to boot.</div><div><br /></div><div>Next, I read three more of the Gaslight Mysteries by Victoria Thompson: <b>Murder on Marble Row, Murder on Lenox Hill</b>, and <b>Murder in Little Italy</b>.<b style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </b></div><div><br /></div><div>All three of these were quick, engaging reads. As usual, the mysteries are twisty with satisfying<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXLTivFsDf-RmcQ3VB33NM3tUzPzcsmUkY3VHunlpKTdJu3J-FpnhtSExSifEWZYlq6epgowF8pVCJ8th-1gaqbf6UTCH_6Q54FJLO2ghXuWEde7v0Mjcv3fkKTY7458r4PK0FR8bwx17nOBBcxUyB2ZeMwe9m638YTUt5RR_DKE6ZOpsVxL9DNxg55UW2/s1893/IMG_6682.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1893" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXLTivFsDf-RmcQ3VB33NM3tUzPzcsmUkY3VHunlpKTdJu3J-FpnhtSExSifEWZYlq6epgowF8pVCJ8th-1gaqbf6UTCH_6Q54FJLO2ghXuWEde7v0Mjcv3fkKTY7458r4PK0FR8bwx17nOBBcxUyB2ZeMwe9m638YTUt5RR_DKE6ZOpsVxL9DNxg55UW2/w248-h400/IMG_6682.PNG" width="248" /></a></div> resolutions. <b>Lenox Hill </b>broke the mold in that the murder doesn't happen until well into the book. Malloy has been aware of his own feelings for Sarah in the last few books, but we finally see Sarah admitting to herself that she's fond of him in a way that goes beyond friendship. Their dynamic and banter are definitely my favorite part of the series.</div><div><br />We also get to see these two more involved in each other's personal lives in a way that feels organic and just the slightest bit "slow burn". These three books show their friendship growing beyond the usual "we've been thrown together to solve a murder" plot device.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm still greatly enjoying this series and after the disappointment that was <i>The Starless Sea,</i> this binge was welcome.</div><div><br /></div><div>I meant to end the year there, but surprised myself by picking up one more novel. I can't remember who recommended <b>Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting </b>by Clare Pooley, but I distinctly remember it being described as wholesome and heartwarming. I read this over two days and never lost interest. Suffice to say, it did not disappoint.</div><div><br /></div><div>Truly, it was the perfect novel to end the year. The story follows a band of strangers who take the same train for their morning and afternoon commutes. When a near-death experience forces them to interact, a web of friendships grows between them.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZs8k_w05o5kAn3e7EH5H48b71bP4RdGx5SvyZaSpCPAPhAUBdDBVVM4Rahmx4FVIkK6e7_Rvo2Rn68RFeEqI95UKYCBNRghwHUXaWZ_Uw_wqDGBqLYMhVgHbQ5QQ-pAJ3eE3tNPOgNonklvmbrufcEomHWnTCiWihoOMgtDEK5ua7GcNzo4A6kauFea54/s1756/IMG_6739.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1756" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZs8k_w05o5kAn3e7EH5H48b71bP4RdGx5SvyZaSpCPAPhAUBdDBVVM4Rahmx4FVIkK6e7_Rvo2Rn68RFeEqI95UKYCBNRghwHUXaWZ_Uw_wqDGBqLYMhVgHbQ5QQ-pAJ3eE3tNPOgNonklvmbrufcEomHWnTCiWihoOMgtDEK5ua7GcNzo4A6kauFea54/w266-h400/IMG_6739.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>I loved this book. The characters are sympathetic, their problems relatable, their triumphs well-earned. Despite the writing being fairly bare-bones in some ways, I was moved to tears multiple times, I was that wrapped up in the characters' stories. Not to say it was depressing! As promised, this novel is wholesome and left me feeling warm and happy inside.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting </i>was, basically, everything I had hoped <i>The Starless Sea </i>would be.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is a book about found family, starting over, defining yourself, and making connection. We live in a world where it's just too easy to be rather cut off from other people, and this was an excellent reminder of how taking risks and opening yourself up can be so rewarding. </div><div><br /></div><div>I can't recommend it enough. I borrowed it through Libby but may need to buy myself a hardcopy, and these days, that's really saying something.</div><div><br /></div><div>Ali</div>Ali K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15736472530374069410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417693555590736116.post-55396670957151741992023-12-05T00:00:00.000-08:002023-12-05T00:00:00.145-08:00November blahs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Q3JMgULSb4XN-n3reQUiOR9YuRtNu6EVn3jYupH30S61pG0yU60SACPni6u55PTUSA0s8A5Lr07pn5AznSjBUFBY0YxWcdCL4KzUmlCRasC-aWj9Jnw8D4Rzto29c55ssQDapr0Zx2fpkzYb0lqs_oxjH1QF3Gv3I9F-K9i6wg5gi07xgx3ZhXUxJ1cA/s1153/training%20update.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="1153" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Q3JMgULSb4XN-n3reQUiOR9YuRtNu6EVn3jYupH30S61pG0yU60SACPni6u55PTUSA0s8A5Lr07pn5AznSjBUFBY0YxWcdCL4KzUmlCRasC-aWj9Jnw8D4Rzto29c55ssQDapr0Zx2fpkzYb0lqs_oxjH1QF3Gv3I9F-K9i6wg5gi07xgx3ZhXUxJ1cA/w640-h226/training%20update.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I had high hopes for this training cycle, and I'm afraid I'm already letting myself down a bit. For a few weeks I was having the hardest time figuring out why I was struggling; I always cut down on my mileage in the summer and bounce back, what was going on?<span><a name='more'></a></span><div><div><br /></div><div>I've come to realize that not running from March to May this year really destroyed my usual foundation. And while I met my November goal of reaching 6 miles on a long run, and that means I'm on track for the half in February, I'm dealing with shin splits and fatigue that just doesn't feel typical.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm bummed. I have no doubt I'll be able to run the half, but this year's was so surprisingly excellent, I was looking forward to a similar performance next year. <strike>I know there's time for things to turn around, but at this time last year I think I was already at 7 or 8 miles. I just feel so behind.</strike></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9dgqXQ2LTxPsALRgk9VKIERcqSEenpJ8xJq-D7_gabiRMlEkBcRHVY7ocpKffMIle8CA9QrPPZYg1eIqaOPzcaHji3_D_qIw-XqhPQo0Zez6eLJHJbYd6eMUE8oydsgBeV7ChvDZYn4T08E6n9epfDHbARFkmpuzuicZsm-QC-y5iPcOlgh7m6x5FslJk/s4032/IMG_6551.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9dgqXQ2LTxPsALRgk9VKIERcqSEenpJ8xJq-D7_gabiRMlEkBcRHVY7ocpKffMIle8CA9QrPPZYg1eIqaOPzcaHji3_D_qIw-XqhPQo0Zez6eLJHJbYd6eMUE8oydsgBeV7ChvDZYn4T08E6n9epfDHbARFkmpuzuicZsm-QC-y5iPcOlgh7m6x5FslJk/w640-h480/IMG_6551.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">November was actually really busy and pretty great, goal-wise.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div>Okay, this is why tracking your workouts is awesome. Because as I was writing that last bit and feeling really mopey, I decided to log in to Garmin Connect and verify my concerns. And guess what? I was totally wrong. This time last year I was running between 5 and 6 miles, and in December I ramped up to 7 and 8. At the end of December we had an ice storm resulting in two weeks off, so I didn't even start running double digits until January!</div><div><br /></div><div>It does set my mind at ease to know I'm on the same schedule as last year, but I'm concerned that I'm not running with the same stamina and ease as last year. I've been having some aches and pains I'm not used to dealing with.</div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtvJkodZuWhDIhxAkatTnzSPMFaXTPVo9KE1mvLXZLDrkjr-YKn7AhWauIJocqEQjQikHkzd7zMnC7FomQEYwiDXGOqcnpDvccDgnxdqeUAAt9ldl0WuKIe1PTuXJrk2iKFv1-1kvyz_rb9ZR5HooYfCXZNrTojixGdAV23H2G5EbHTzYFSiimo92knbXc/s4032/IMG_6510.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtvJkodZuWhDIhxAkatTnzSPMFaXTPVo9KE1mvLXZLDrkjr-YKn7AhWauIJocqEQjQikHkzd7zMnC7FomQEYwiDXGOqcnpDvccDgnxdqeUAAt9ldl0WuKIe1PTuXJrk2iKFv1-1kvyz_rb9ZR5HooYfCXZNrTojixGdAV23H2G5EbHTzYFSiimo92knbXc/w640-h480/IMG_6510.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Running's been tough but the views have been spectacular.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>My main concern is my right shin. I've been having shin splints early on in every run. Sometimes they go away, sometimes not. I never have shin splints; even when I had CECS I never had shin pain. Foam rolling and stretching isn't helping, although I could be better about the frequency. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm going to try a different model of shoes, and if that doesn't help, I guess I'll need to seek out an orthopedist up here. I really don't want to have to deal with that again.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyPn3YLFmEG0jC3sqIwmAROsLEFF7sqE_T7r9p2NHgiWMrH6hvRxKkwvReu046xSgMY-RqhbK25GgtCxKjJBpky81__Ph8_SGNhRqxK_vVe_GOrcnrMZ1JOU8DTZteNdLsPZ7Eio-FLu-toD5BU7KtEjN7fozml-MIghgDa6pSRhh52jk-IM9mkSozRWpo/s3432/space%20coast%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3432" data-original-width="2746" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyPn3YLFmEG0jC3sqIwmAROsLEFF7sqE_T7r9p2NHgiWMrH6hvRxKkwvReu046xSgMY-RqhbK25GgtCxKjJBpky81__Ph8_SGNhRqxK_vVe_GOrcnrMZ1JOU8DTZteNdLsPZ7Eio-FLu-toD5BU7KtEjN7fozml-MIghgDa6pSRhh52jk-IM9mkSozRWpo/w512-h640/space%20coast%202.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm going to try my old favorite, the Asics Kayano. I was heartbroken when they narrowed the toe-box but the newer models had widened it again, so I'm hopeful it'll be a perfect fit.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>I'm trying to keep the possibility of the 2024 Loch Ness Marathon in mind, and I'd rather be overly careful now and avoid a serious injury than train through pain and end up too injured to run it. If that means cutting back now to focus on recovery so I can run a full in 2024, so be it.</div><div><br /></div><div>That's where things stand for now; we'll see how December shakes out.</div><div><br /></div><div>Ali</div></div>Ali K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15736472530374069410noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417693555590736116.post-86862675168743497862023-12-01T00:00:00.000-08:002023-12-02T20:52:10.542-08:00Well, I did it<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEYfufQ1Hb9AYSzMCHDPtqW5brWcpYjWPb9AgSvl57pPjB9Jpk1_u_oteNzlihs6mmrZfPbgTF5CqKuBBU_37iaLv3VjYlCXvVm32FKeJzF4RNT4gtMUjO1nk8F0fwxpsc1O8I9oqbhU5Vy2C0Syh9Oh07wsiQJIU3nqvmwLJ4rPXrsvGqO44NXqlCKGXl/s1153/writing%20update.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="1153" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEYfufQ1Hb9AYSzMCHDPtqW5brWcpYjWPb9AgSvl57pPjB9Jpk1_u_oteNzlihs6mmrZfPbgTF5CqKuBBU_37iaLv3VjYlCXvVm32FKeJzF4RNT4gtMUjO1nk8F0fwxpsc1O8I9oqbhU5Vy2C0Syh9Oh07wsiQJIU3nqvmwLJ4rPXrsvGqO44NXqlCKGXl/w640-h226/writing%20update.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>NaNoWriMo ended early for me...not because I gave up, but because I finished my novel on November 26, four days ahead of schedule.</div><div><br /></div><div>This challenge was surprisingly easy for me. Once I decided to write at least 1000 words a day, I just committed. Most days I wrote closer to 1200, which was good because it meant I hit my 30k word goal by the 21st and then had time to reach my stretch goal and finish the draft.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5u-MQBBaGAbdB6fwn_DMSISR27nV_7yPL8p5lm2AI9fXEgiUZcX0VBvwsaAs-_KRVM5ey1ONI0nPoFIiVXHoFUhf9v82_FDjYYofIm_KiYsmnd11n4sZgHpVTmlEcWZmiG3ZGnZaghHAlV8BdDdz-O_AqKH_N1eLMsfg-vfnLAJoW9hxgIZEFAmPPUcf4/s958/Code%20Name%20Seashore.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="741" data-original-width="958" height="495" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5u-MQBBaGAbdB6fwn_DMSISR27nV_7yPL8p5lm2AI9fXEgiUZcX0VBvwsaAs-_KRVM5ey1ONI0nPoFIiVXHoFUhf9v82_FDjYYofIm_KiYsmnd11n4sZgHpVTmlEcWZmiG3ZGnZaghHAlV8BdDdz-O_AqKH_N1eLMsfg-vfnLAJoW9hxgIZEFAmPPUcf4/w640-h495/Code%20Name%20Seashore.png" width="640" /></a></div><span></span><span><a name='more'></a></span><div>It's been about 15 years since I've actually finished a novel, although I've started and abandoned quite a few, so I was surprised how effortless this felt. For the first time in years, I lost myself in telling a story, writing sometimes for hours without having to even pause to think about how a scene should play out. It wasn't as easy as it was when I was a kid, but it was way less painful than it's been in recent years.</div><div><br /></div><div>I think there were a few things that made this all feel doable.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinS37dgJ4t2N61Rbad9bPw3eVQJhIR4kiBN5k-tGgK3uIlViPoByCik1445j5rrgGv073-3Tm9PJOvuWWFy8JXMsvDnalvqwxkYhOEB3nUa7cXjoUhdOtClnRcNjEc3l9yn2MGdytiAbNAzbvCU6_C1OjM-vJZEVndnkoczSqX7c62Ng-DvjCq_9Nxo-tC/s3563/IMG_6404.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3563" data-original-width="2850" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinS37dgJ4t2N61Rbad9bPw3eVQJhIR4kiBN5k-tGgK3uIlViPoByCik1445j5rrgGv073-3Tm9PJOvuWWFy8JXMsvDnalvqwxkYhOEB3nUa7cXjoUhdOtClnRcNjEc3l9yn2MGdytiAbNAzbvCU6_C1OjM-vJZEVndnkoczSqX7c62Ng-DvjCq_9Nxo-tC/w512-h640/IMG_6404.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zoe's moral support was, of course, invaluable.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div>1. For the first time ever, I was <a href="https://www.seattleali.com/2023/08/tldr-im-writing-again.html" target="_blank">sharing</a> my writing.</div><div><br /></div><div>I am incredibly self-conscious of my fiction, but this time around I took the risk of looping Elizabeth into my process, and it made a huge difference. Writers who participate in classes and workshops will read this and roll their eyes, because it's obvious, but it was an eye-opening experience for me. I got so much out of it!</div><div><br /></div><div>Sharing my writing gave me the chance to talk through my process, plot points, concerns, and goals in a way I never have before. Talking to yourself just isn't enough sometimes! After each day of writing, I'd send Elizabeth a section to read. That habit held me accountable, but it was also invigorating and made the process collaborative and fun. Having a reason to talk out loud about my progress was both motivating and helped me work through writer's block and moments of self-doubt.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR6NTNQrf8vxw3su5RQ2c8RGf_62RCCw5iSbwZSeaOVmWLzJ0DFZfbZx2EHqVViCut2hoHCn4nZjglo_EsZxyvw1QlZgUdAlluj0bEKKcj6_1zEIn4sn3oJ_e63renebLUTsU6CHPg1X4KDVy5leKkJ1u9QuLJ08A_LqgeY4UWZ0JqAxRHDay-rHL3Fxqe/s1170/IMG_6544.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1168" data-original-width="1170" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR6NTNQrf8vxw3su5RQ2c8RGf_62RCCw5iSbwZSeaOVmWLzJ0DFZfbZx2EHqVViCut2hoHCn4nZjglo_EsZxyvw1QlZgUdAlluj0bEKKcj6_1zEIn4sn3oJ_e63renebLUTsU6CHPg1X4KDVy5leKkJ1u9QuLJ08A_LqgeY4UWZ0JqAxRHDay-rHL3Fxqe/w400-h399/IMG_6544.PNG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elizabeth was always excited to get something to read and it was fun to leave her on cliffhangers just to see her reaction.</td></tr></tbody></table><div>She was always at least ten chapters behind me, so getting her feedback and hearing her thoughts, theories, and predictions was really fun, since I'd often be at a point where many of her questions had already been answered, unbeknownst to her.</div><div><br /></div><div>2. I actually decided to write my subplot this time. </div><div><br /></div><div>In the past, I'd write the main plot of the story and let the subplot and secondary characters make progress "off screen", and then never go back to fill in the missing scenes, leaving my novels underwritten. I just find the secondary plot less interesting, and when you're writing for yourself...well, who cares what's happening with anyone but the main character? And, because I've never actually revised/written a second draft or had the desire to, the B plot would just never get written. </div><div><br /></div><div>Because I was writing this novel with an audience, and I knew I couldn't just skip the subplot. The result is a novel that's actually fully fleshed out and makes sense.</div><div><br /></div><div>3. Perseverance is actually weirdly motivating. </div><div><br /></div><div>While the effortless, uninhibited, unself-conscious writing of my youth is gone, learning to write through tough scenes, or scenes I don't love, or scenes I don't have confidence in executing, built my confidence and gave me a sense of accomplishment <i>while I was writing,</i> like a positive feedback loop! The more I overcame the hard parts, the more confident I felt about continuing.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUI1hze6ChgjWc_9NTru7BCGfc2bT3sEAGtANXkxrcX3a09OBSRA6GMdbCABvoqs00nyKExm1iSYU_RJUMcIGWa4j_kK3jjdc9J8k6QP4BGdMX5Q1HJ9o74GLySNK2CCKxlCICINytOYFT_SIMUK1Tmsy5wvaf-zB6NAhg4ta-Al_T1zP9t7B0GXJPKcTU/s792/progress.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="345" data-original-width="792" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUI1hze6ChgjWc_9NTru7BCGfc2bT3sEAGtANXkxrcX3a09OBSRA6GMdbCABvoqs00nyKExm1iSYU_RJUMcIGWa4j_kK3jjdc9J8k6QP4BGdMX5Q1HJ9o74GLySNK2CCKxlCICINytOYFT_SIMUK1Tmsy5wvaf-zB6NAhg4ta-Al_T1zP9t7B0GXJPKcTU/w640-h279/progress.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Recording my progress on the NaNo website and watching my dashboard stats update was <i>highly</i> motivating.</td></tr></tbody></table><div>4. Along the same line, writing every day made writing every day easier.</div><div><br /></div><div>The more practice I got, the easier writing became. But also, it really helped to sit down each day and have a fresh memory of where I left off. When you've let a draft languish for six months, you tend to forget what the hell was happening in the last scene, let alone in the last few chapters.</div><div><br /></div><div>5. This time around, I have a job with some flexibility and less mental load.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's no surprise I was in college the last time I finished a novel. Once I graduated, I went into one of the most mentally-exhausting, creatively-draining occupations I could've chosen. As a teacher, I was always tired and mentally depleted. There is really something to be said for work/life balance and the ability to enjoy my hobbies again! </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKtDMjnybWBpSjCCcDv7FZAIOu9voPdFm_2Upg7hjqQVPi890_Lam5jft90iuJIjzILYBnsEWgNkZfy4lxI77651bHdLDXOp77AMkgL_1K5oYEjV55BiPOlbD0gk4z-BniJGWRfevTQWNiQRyuIuoULS8UN7mV143sgqccfS1u7-v1MHfXKleVoYboZJ0y/s1170/IMG_6543.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="957" data-original-width="1170" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKtDMjnybWBpSjCCcDv7FZAIOu9voPdFm_2Upg7hjqQVPi890_Lam5jft90iuJIjzILYBnsEWgNkZfy4lxI77651bHdLDXOp77AMkgL_1K5oYEjV55BiPOlbD0gk4z-BniJGWRfevTQWNiQRyuIuoULS8UN7mV143sgqccfS1u7-v1MHfXKleVoYboZJ0y/w400-h328/IMG_6543.PNG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Did I flex my work hours to get my writing done when I was most motivated? I'll never tell...</td></tr></tbody></table><div>This challenge wasn't all effortless joy, of course. I faced two major difficulties. </div><div><br /></div><div>1. The first was overcoming my tendency to quit when faced with technically difficult or complex scenes. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's daunting to see a high-action or emotionally intense scene in your head and know it won't translate perfectly on the page. That's just the nature of the written word. Having no choice but to power through made me a stronger writer, but there were at least two times I wrote 300+ words and then deleted it all to start fresh when the scene didn't feel right.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj1b7zyYx0A9WHqS4NhRX3d1R-zjqJksZdZQ4uwSxvoXmeNox6iGRlmScXv0w_8jj5898GY5lvKwDxm1u4ADTAoAnLVBY4pWy5SnQQQiJjDaB3dH-CSYhvDlyq61ProILmFEq_TuWckkiSGvxXDk0JOY1q6MRrht8O-Y8iyH0MQzTLuk8VIPeyBS6yGOsb/s1024/e869e60d-1048-4a3e-9140-c37742fa143d.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="816" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj1b7zyYx0A9WHqS4NhRX3d1R-zjqJksZdZQ4uwSxvoXmeNox6iGRlmScXv0w_8jj5898GY5lvKwDxm1u4ADTAoAnLVBY4pWy5SnQQQiJjDaB3dH-CSYhvDlyq61ProILmFEq_TuWckkiSGvxXDk0JOY1q6MRrht8O-Y8iyH0MQzTLuk8VIPeyBS6yGOsb/w319-h400/e869e60d-1048-4a3e-9140-c37742fa143d.jpg" width="319" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Relatable. Obligatory: I am not OP lol.</td></tr></tbody></table><div>2. The second major difficulty was the existential dread of being done with this novel. </div><div><br /></div><div>I wasn't scared that I couldn't finish it; my fears revolved around doing just that. A small part of me was worried I'd feel a sense of <i>such</i> accomplishment that I'd never want to write again. I worried about losing all motivation and drive to write. I think that worry in particular came up because it's been so long since I've consistently finished a work and <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/grammar/dived-or-dove-which-is-correct" target="_blank">dived</a> into another that I was anticipating a long lull.</div><div><br /></div><div>Another part of me worried I'd never have an idea for another novel. I worried about the post-race blues but...for writing.</div><div><br /></div><div>You know what I mean: the letdown you face after a major event you've built up toward is finally over and you're left thinking, "Now what?"</div><div><br /></div><div>That feeling is still sort of lingering. When I wrote the final line and realized everything had tied up pretty much as I had hoped, I drew in a deep breath and just stared at my screen. I expected to feel exultant but really I just felt...nothing. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYU_E9vEvQVByNhAH3NPiSMd120jLDbI7HyUaX45JTcWYI_PSZcLO6ndhVaTOP9seQ6qNiPlz-GoNW1Llut34kHkIrMBhPbIZ6Qagri75Nne_KToAzJpskff3VmIRcH7ZjJeUvIxnBxiJ12G1EPd_-PN-SPnTM3A9VmWtRW9z-R2sMIQJjz11gWN6xnQTM/s486/Image%2011-26-23%20at%206.23%20PM.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="486" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYU_E9vEvQVByNhAH3NPiSMd120jLDbI7HyUaX45JTcWYI_PSZcLO6ndhVaTOP9seQ6qNiPlz-GoNW1Llut34kHkIrMBhPbIZ6Qagri75Nne_KToAzJpskff3VmIRcH7ZjJeUvIxnBxiJ12G1EPd_-PN-SPnTM3A9VmWtRW9z-R2sMIQJjz11gWN6xnQTM/w640-h442/Image%2011-26-23%20at%206.23%20PM.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now I just have to decide what the heck to title this thing.</td></tr></tbody></table><div>So I'm still a little numb right now, a little bit in disbelief, but in a few weeks I'll print the manuscript out so I can start revisions, and I think having it in hand will help drive home that I really did it. I wrote another novel, after years of stagnation and doubt.</div><div><br /></div><div>More importantly, I've rediscovered the joy in writing fiction and my passion for it. I've missed this part of my identity so much; it really does feel wonderful to have it back.</div><div><br /></div><div>Ali</div>Ali K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15736472530374069410noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417693555590736116.post-45393240652050649362023-11-19T22:45:00.000-08:002023-11-28T17:55:31.496-08:00NaNo check-in<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzPjYFrbeOsDf6efJuWnnLTYrBS8bXaX-SA98IErJDQ1QmNRDE6RZd7LMKGh1xbYgTfdGMmGq6DoIIxtSSb_wImU78-eUd89iDDama38MqGx6N9tTARenHitx62tZVx3ZR6QCWk4ARl0H0B0gO5pljo4pnn3pBMkkzpxgHa7paRKqT0DdEpsptNfExY63/s1153/writing%20update.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="1153" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzPjYFrbeOsDf6efJuWnnLTYrBS8bXaX-SA98IErJDQ1QmNRDE6RZd7LMKGh1xbYgTfdGMmGq6DoIIxtSSb_wImU78-eUd89iDDama38MqGx6N9tTARenHitx62tZVx3ZR6QCWk4ARl0H0B0gO5pljo4pnn3pBMkkzpxgHa7paRKqT0DdEpsptNfExY63/w640-h226/writing%20update.png" width="640" /></a></div><p>It's day 19 of NaNoWriMo and I am having some feelings.</p><p>Originally, I wasn't going to write a post on NaNo until the month was over, but I'm at a point where I feel like a check-in is due, so here we are! A little-more-than-halfway check-in!</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>As I <a href="https://www.seattleali.com/2023/11/no-books-just-words.html" target="_blank">mentioned </a>earlier this month, my goal for NaNo was to use it to finish the first draft of the novel I'm working on. I set my word count goal at 30,000 words but secretly thought I could finish the novel in 20,000. I planned to write 1000 words daily.</p><p>So, as of October 31, I had 49,483 words written. That was my starting point.</p><p>I have successfully written at least 1000 words every day, but most days I go over. I'm thoroughly enjoying logging my word count on the NaNo website and tracking my progress.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMHeES0D_Nipxooo521UjaOa39iKdUzHo2yGgduGatC_UpGCZzFlmNuJs5Yq0OOs9TIUORHfllfR-GohiVGEZrPAQOlZjwcgE-bvJ8HqN13vw-U6lD_sv7ZuDKkmu6OEcdw6simHniFacrhvdhxTUj_T7wbra7RVXTA2inKYRRTsHVgdNnTh4jUddY7d9/s400/avg%20word%20count.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="400" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMHeES0D_Nipxooo521UjaOa39iKdUzHo2yGgduGatC_UpGCZzFlmNuJs5Yq0OOs9TIUORHfllfR-GohiVGEZrPAQOlZjwcgE-bvJ8HqN13vw-U6lD_sv7ZuDKkmu6OEcdw6simHniFacrhvdhxTUj_T7wbra7RVXTA2inKYRRTsHVgdNnTh4jUddY7d9/s320/avg%20word%20count.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love this for me!</td></tr></tbody></table>This challenge has helped me power through some of the harder scenes where, in the past, I would just let the draft flounder for a few months (or years) rather than write a less-than-perfect rendition of a scene I'd built up in my head.<p>I'm leaning into the power of mantras to get me through some of this.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://media.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExNzA0MXo1ajhzYnVmbXNpNHlpNHNuejU5YTJqazV6OXR6a3p2Mm92eCZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/di2ObXaUBafIgYWmGT/giphy-downsized-large.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="270" height="640" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExNzA0MXo1ajhzYnVmbXNpNHlpNHNuejU5YTJqazV6OXR6a3p2Mm92eCZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/di2ObXaUBafIgYWmGT/giphy-downsized-large.gif" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ignore the sticky with my GI contact info. #celiacproblems</td></tr></tbody></table>With 11 days of the challenge to go, I have (I think) about 4 chapters left to write. I realize now how silly I was to think I'd only need 20k...I clearly had no idea how many words/pages I would need to build each scene and chapter, which has been an interesting learning curve! <p>I've never written with a final word count in mind; I generally just write the draft and call it done when I get to the end. Because I always hit at least 50k, I've never stopped to really think about word count during the writing process.</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWyPMaD3zgWfCQarb9KA5hk0cJce_ThdljW8tWdOW00dNiRYgff8WH4SCY9LyEJ-ifW0LdhhN4cb0R1UCXOOD4EtwXv61ZAfAzaukIOxvz0H6v13o80eav40sQ6Rc1JiWYq3h8OV7HaWD6DoucnWIiHjc_eoA4YPd4FQwjw8F4OWD5kHr9OUCdrWi7xnGI/s808/current%20status.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="260" data-original-width="808" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWyPMaD3zgWfCQarb9KA5hk0cJce_ThdljW8tWdOW00dNiRYgff8WH4SCY9LyEJ-ifW0LdhhN4cb0R1UCXOOD4EtwXv61ZAfAzaukIOxvz0H6v13o80eav40sQ6Rc1JiWYq3h8OV7HaWD6DoucnWIiHjc_eoA4YPd4FQwjw8F4OWD5kHr9OUCdrWi7xnGI/w640-h206/current%20status.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The draft is currently around 75k.</td></tr></tbody></table>But<i> the end</i> is what brings us to this blog post. In the last 15 years, I tend to give up on my novels at one of two points: the climax or the denouement. If I can power through the daunting undertaking of writing the climax, I almost never write the final chapters of the novel. It lives in my head, but I just can't ever seem to get it on paper.</p><p>This time will be different. I'm not sure if I'll finish this novel by November 30 – that's sort of my secondary goal, after reaching the word count – but I do intend to finish it. The way things are going, it will surely be finished before the end of the year.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd_xDavdZdlWQVlbbycyUYjs6fq26o7Tj9YeqPVyIygFlXlkZChbYByMuRRoqkvv76GwUjRQ3sOFhD14SgALOEIEXkckRNn2D-hE1U8S6qJ5CguKnlzUoGDbNc2HYQTJgjmOjqEPmDCK6s-CvM-d3JsxBTgTFKHblHa8H3tH2a4Z3YRGs8Yo8bgkpvy8Si/s814/graph.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="378" data-original-width="814" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd_xDavdZdlWQVlbbycyUYjs6fq26o7Tj9YeqPVyIygFlXlkZChbYByMuRRoqkvv76GwUjRQ3sOFhD14SgALOEIEXkckRNn2D-hE1U8S6qJ5CguKnlzUoGDbNc2HYQTJgjmOjqEPmDCK6s-CvM-d3JsxBTgTFKHblHa8H3tH2a4Z3YRGs8Yo8bgkpvy8Si/w640-h298/graph.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm on track to reach the 30k goal by Nov. 22, apparently.</td></tr></tbody></table>I have hit the hard part, though. I was able to power through the climax with only a little panic, but I can fully feel myself digging my heels in as I near the end of this novel. Part of that fear is doubt in my ability to bring this thing home. The other part is that I'm not sure what will happen <i>after</i>. What if I feel burned out and don't want to start another? What if I never have another story idea ever again?<p>When you write for yourself and not to publish, finishing a draft is a private triumph. I'll probably print the novel and stick it under my bed to join the others. I'll probably never read it in its entirety, for fear that I'll cringe at how terrible it is.</p><p>So, finishing means saying goodbye to the characters I've grown fond of, and I'm not sure I'm ready for that. I started this novel March 1, 2022, then let it languish for a year or more. To finish means the story is over, the arcs and outcome are set. I'm not emotionally prepared for it!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoUV03TBQ7EvTcGvnBUd73TpjPKHkHc8wCipiiLOCDcIgOJJPiPetkIHHvqnzMFFZ-dmD7BDeygayZYjxc2nQbqfASagIPrzT5HjJ-s_rGIDUozl42pliDbN_fJauNn086eLON11zTpqmhhPZc5DS8ErVqFEwCWr2eFKHnELZgNc1aZ_b0luq0HG84-P-g/s4032/IMG_6404.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoUV03TBQ7EvTcGvnBUd73TpjPKHkHc8wCipiiLOCDcIgOJJPiPetkIHHvqnzMFFZ-dmD7BDeygayZYjxc2nQbqfASagIPrzT5HjJ-s_rGIDUozl42pliDbN_fJauNn086eLON11zTpqmhhPZc5DS8ErVqFEwCWr2eFKHnELZgNc1aZ_b0luq0HG84-P-g/w480-h640/IMG_6404.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zoe has offered excellent moral support through the hard chapters.</td></tr></tbody></table>But, it has to be done. I'm putting some NaNo "winner" merch in my cart and preparing to hit my 30k goal ahead of schedule and then...well, the end is nigh.<p>It may be time to start brainstorming a title.</p><p>Ali</p>Ali K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15736472530374069410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417693555590736116.post-46929110553533277252023-11-10T00:00:00.001-08:002023-11-10T00:00:00.145-08:00Time to get serious<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwkxXQicOuECDSoQz8OROT1i_TZKs_4gqLJeYm0KMdONM6VjSPArU_zPvLTt0f_9TTl2T3gvXyF53rLxpR6fyAHr22eEa9J1oqdJ2S0bIO4AA4BNNgo4SO9N-KEqfwM0Qwi0xCwoqTcBcj-qQwprosiyqq6sXIGHuh5y9_36Uv14OyhLEsHl7CB7If5eMd/s1153/training%20update.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="1153" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwkxXQicOuECDSoQz8OROT1i_TZKs_4gqLJeYm0KMdONM6VjSPArU_zPvLTt0f_9TTl2T3gvXyF53rLxpR6fyAHr22eEa9J1oqdJ2S0bIO4AA4BNNgo4SO9N-KEqfwM0Qwi0xCwoqTcBcj-qQwprosiyqq6sXIGHuh5y9_36Uv14OyhLEsHl7CB7If5eMd/w640-h226/training%20update.png" width="640" /></a></div><p>August is always my worst training month. I'm not a fan of relentless sun, and by August we've already gotten eight weeks of it. Sunrise is at like 5am in the summer, so beating the sun and getting in a cool run is nearly impossible. And yes, I understand the irony of these complaints considering I spent the first dozen years of my running "career" in Florida. But I've discovered the joy of chilly, rainy runs, and now I find myself resentful of the heat.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPAElX-71dlp9YCj9Lp72NTwgQDkj5zRO7zMCQwqlrrD7XTD-S3umxioW1ggOCz89xp_fRvjhJxtjsRe4NPlqArFCR71QIX5d1FlCEtzM3CRj_nOdZ19Zs10hPd1F2tbtSEpcTORx0XIjTYgcKMoVnZMDQffvfBboxbgRK0lpt8_pq9YKEnVcpep7NWKBZ/s3780/9B31E1B2-50B4-4CBD-81E6-3CE3FF069A63.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3780" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPAElX-71dlp9YCj9Lp72NTwgQDkj5zRO7zMCQwqlrrD7XTD-S3umxioW1ggOCz89xp_fRvjhJxtjsRe4NPlqArFCR71QIX5d1FlCEtzM3CRj_nOdZ19Zs10hPd1F2tbtSEpcTORx0XIjTYgcKMoVnZMDQffvfBboxbgRK0lpt8_pq9YKEnVcpep7NWKBZ/w512-h640/9B31E1B2-50B4-4CBD-81E6-3CE3FF069A63.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More leaves, less heat</td></tr></tbody></table><p>So in July I tend to fall off my training, and by August I'm often barely doing anything. That's not great considering I need to shift from a rest-mindset into a super-focused-training mindset by September for my February half.</p><span></span><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>This year, I struggled with the mental shift. A lot. Maybe it's partially because the "nice weather" overstayed its welcome, maybe it's because I'm still struggling to find a cadence that works for me with Matt's new schedule. Maybe taking four months off in the beginning of the year and attempting to get back into the swing of things just as the warm weather started has just made it that much harder.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL21jJa_13PyjZTbHvXsRM2Fcdijg28lAT5xITzIhBn78pJYX48QCRqs98ORPnf1bE4n64MGUMgGMseEWrlCOMo0CMEj9sXdxHYrP2WLRYNI8MlNwZsZD5IOl74qs-CwsKfj8jUM9WN8v1cIp77d1PCAVEd9BmPbmrxsGr5YGdnf8SUpLIW86D1fczDvGF/s3432/IMG_5806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2601" data-original-width="3432" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL21jJa_13PyjZTbHvXsRM2Fcdijg28lAT5xITzIhBn78pJYX48QCRqs98ORPnf1bE4n64MGUMgGMseEWrlCOMo0CMEj9sXdxHYrP2WLRYNI8MlNwZsZD5IOl74qs-CwsKfj8jUM9WN8v1cIp77d1PCAVEd9BmPbmrxsGr5YGdnf8SUpLIW86D1fczDvGF/w640-h486/IMG_5806.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT8wY_qPBj2RjhTiYlnyB4LWlXw-4LQTLca1cztSVYThz22KuLjfemQT8NYT2sMoWWSQ2SFFpKEpiKraTDMIbAE2T7VDwqKneXnZwQqo-8a2dSXHMCu_nbKoOaqxWkd3_Z8ooROFJSkoxvoorpwnctkYjmj_Yd9cqUzzzcTBtNl7p8vbarpMPZUJSJxuQs/s4032/IMG_5849.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT8wY_qPBj2RjhTiYlnyB4LWlXw-4LQTLca1cztSVYThz22KuLjfemQT8NYT2sMoWWSQ2SFFpKEpiKraTDMIbAE2T7VDwqKneXnZwQqo-8a2dSXHMCu_nbKoOaqxWkd3_Z8ooROFJSkoxvoorpwnctkYjmj_Yd9cqUzzzcTBtNl7p8vbarpMPZUJSJxuQs/w640-h480/IMG_5849.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unbeatable running views</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Whatever the reason, September came and went with barely any increase in consistency.</p><p></p><p>In October I finally realized I was going to be really behind on training if I didn't get serious, so I was much better about getting my runs in, but I wasn't really running with purpose or building mileage.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw_ZaWrZK2HI54GQOSvyugDxQunArNIeLbiJeDuVjyjDnDVgO_e_z_gTvwRWSLIVs7AfnNnvUfjJtWP-uVScyb3KJvz3qN3waQecGZUZO9RyanVKnXITiaQzHy2aSWaiq6rZitwAM2I52F2jNXNEMM2K2W9tb9NNWrdEzMALLuW3poiz0FodGPDJgCGIyf/s3599/IMG_6228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2612" data-original-width="3599" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw_ZaWrZK2HI54GQOSvyugDxQunArNIeLbiJeDuVjyjDnDVgO_e_z_gTvwRWSLIVs7AfnNnvUfjJtWP-uVScyb3KJvz3qN3waQecGZUZO9RyanVKnXITiaQzHy2aSWaiq6rZitwAM2I52F2jNXNEMM2K2W9tb9NNWrdEzMALLuW3poiz0FodGPDJgCGIyf/w640-h464/IMG_6228.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1D1XtBwm_8sQPzIzfvmGQM3C7jMiHvTd7oLaLD1WHCdJcW0PoPERMyyo7sUSno-JnjoGSmZ6Xw-JOR-jzufyy5ts1EzLEPtUCc5nhnqFUQp40PR10S1SP9zF6m0zvm2bvlJYJ0aZLe7usO_3sO7ZcVrYx3lCNhOXDv0EYX6Nj6GxDT1xaMOgF38-wJjff/s3088/IMG_6217.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1D1XtBwm_8sQPzIzfvmGQM3C7jMiHvTd7oLaLD1WHCdJcW0PoPERMyyo7sUSno-JnjoGSmZ6Xw-JOR-jzufyy5ts1EzLEPtUCc5nhnqFUQp40PR10S1SP9zF6m0zvm2bvlJYJ0aZLe7usO_3sO7ZcVrYx3lCNhOXDv0EYX6Nj6GxDT1xaMOgF38-wJjff/w480-h640/IMG_6217.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back to very cold runs that end before the sun is up!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>And now here we are, in November, race day three measly months away, and I am behind.</p><p>At least the realization has finally kicked me into gear. I've mapped out a training plan for the next three months that I think is pretty realistic. There's always the danger of bad weather interrupting a week or two in December, but if I can stick with the general plan and stop skipping my strength days, I should be ready to tackle my birthday half on February 11.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7keZBcRZUVeOkv6DztdSXcp1BLmfTSn437R5uZJMW5mnJCsEuBieCaUSYBeXxnWNq_KsCOb_-wT0ncLZp0wx9S-EMwc_azfFU2_WYn9W5aH15Z965mKhmzLdh5NMl3vCj85geFCn2N-i0v8SDJ4a5HjJU1oHf8lUGL8nOX4SfhuS5_5hMlGM3k40oVZVL/s606/mbh.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="606" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7keZBcRZUVeOkv6DztdSXcp1BLmfTSn437R5uZJMW5mnJCsEuBieCaUSYBeXxnWNq_KsCOb_-wT0ncLZp0wx9S-EMwc_azfFU2_WYn9W5aH15Z965mKhmzLdh5NMl3vCj85geFCn2N-i0v8SDJ4a5HjJU1oHf8lUGL8nOX4SfhuS5_5hMlGM3k40oVZVL/w400-h258/mbh.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>Goal-wise, I wouldn't mind another PR. <a href="https://www.seattleali.com/2023/02/my-better-half-half-marathon-2023.html" target="_blank">Last year </a>I broke my 9-year-old PR entirely by accident, which has me wondering what I could do if I actually <i>tried, </i>but I know how unpredictable training can be and I also know how much time and effort I'm willing to put in, so I'm not planning on anything too impressive.</p><p>As usual, I mostly want to finish the race, have fun, avoid injury, and close out another year with a shiny new medal.</p><p>...and getting to a place where I feel strong, consistent, and ready to build mileage for <a href="https://www.seattleali.com/2023/10/what-have-i-done.html" target="_blank">marathon training</a> wouldn't hurt, either.</p><p>Ali</p>Ali K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15736472530374069410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417693555590736116.post-56118255253102534232023-11-02T12:37:00.012-07:002023-11-28T17:55:42.723-08:00No books, just words<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJfTRUTZW1fc1rUZHIHbTa-87wzOC3CJxjDI6LbMa7SCi4rYSkasJ7az7xzycYilwkFUVdBMo0eRmf70drivtFSlFtJvlcnb23JykS0AArWSuSPaNGG2GQxflEriPDLEsi-nVQ2KBoshI4US1TdEasotoPY3IpaWTccMg9_X7RrJSjjNfy0JCbVT_hrAOv/s1153/writing%20update.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="1153" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJfTRUTZW1fc1rUZHIHbTa-87wzOC3CJxjDI6LbMa7SCi4rYSkasJ7az7xzycYilwkFUVdBMo0eRmf70drivtFSlFtJvlcnb23JykS0AArWSuSPaNGG2GQxflEriPDLEsi-nVQ2KBoshI4US1TdEasotoPY3IpaWTccMg9_X7RrJSjjNfy0JCbVT_hrAOv/w640-h226/writing%20update.png" width="640" /></a></div><p>Despite having a long list of books available at the library right now, I am holding off borrowing any this month. Instead, I am focusing on writing.</p><p>In the last few months I've reached 50,000 words in my current manuscript. I'm aiming for a total around 70,000. That goal has always been sort of abstract, fully missing the T in <a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/SMARTcriteria_cropped.png" target="_blank">SMART</a>. I've been taking my time and writing a few times a week, enjoying the process without worrying too much about the destination.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh7CXspxhXrM2a5n2pu9EHt0-L8xOpfhW3tBSocxUXnmYklbVKXfyVdHU_SP4XgeNKG2-iPPI69u_FjKkxMXs8a5m7_IX7se5OM5gfy6NbTFK2r47VLePSBRfgLPyg-NrZ_nZFTAsY-Ojx0oRKcKDg4Y_lc1-VkZ6k-oS8SyPLIpoo3mSojM2GDYQrkEAF/s1573/C998D4C7-99C4-4479-84DC-51C5B8F1BF622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1573" data-original-width="1170" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh7CXspxhXrM2a5n2pu9EHt0-L8xOpfhW3tBSocxUXnmYklbVKXfyVdHU_SP4XgeNKG2-iPPI69u_FjKkxMXs8a5m7_IX7se5OM5gfy6NbTFK2r47VLePSBRfgLPyg-NrZ_nZFTAsY-Ojx0oRKcKDg4Y_lc1-VkZ6k-oS8SyPLIpoo3mSojM2GDYQrkEAF/w476-h640/C998D4C7-99C4-4479-84DC-51C5B8F1BF622.jpg" width="476" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's been a long time since I've made this much progress on a novel!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I'm not sure what happened, but in the last week of October I started thinking about <a href="https://nanowrimo.org/" target="_blank">NaNoWriMo</a> and how it might be a good opportunity to set a goal to finish this draft by November 30.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><span></span><p>When this idea came to me, my initial reaction was resistance. I kind of don't want to finish this novel. I'm enjoying the process of writing it; it's been so long since I've written habitually like I am right now, and I'd hate to lose that momentum when the book is done! I also always tend to flame out and give up around the 2/3 mark, so I am definitely in the territory of facing my usual wall.</p><p>On the other hand, I set a goal to finish this draft and who knows what doing that will ignite in me? I may suddenly feel excited to dive back into other old projects, or start something fresh.</p><p>During NaNoWriMo, participants are supposed to write a 50,000 word novel start to finish, but you can join in an unofficial capacity and set your own word count goal. My goal of finishing my novel would require me to write about 1,000 words a day – 7,000 words a week – give or take.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-VXZ2jLuHobykGTNYB-zIqiMliqd-5PkZ61NuoysGyARhmhwpifzVq62SUWEvafIzBJpsLqMWq6wVYsI_rmSICDSo1isamJqVV6oh-S1wk2uA3OBxod1mvtn7V-oshN1JtVNmn04xNWPaV6xJLdaI7Cc2mzCqYPs_mKx9cUrm6XnaPt6JdB5xKlhfCSaj/s4032/IMG_5667.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-VXZ2jLuHobykGTNYB-zIqiMliqd-5PkZ61NuoysGyARhmhwpifzVq62SUWEvafIzBJpsLqMWq6wVYsI_rmSICDSo1isamJqVV6oh-S1wk2uA3OBxod1mvtn7V-oshN1JtVNmn04xNWPaV6xJLdaI7Cc2mzCqYPs_mKx9cUrm6XnaPt6JdB5xKlhfCSaj/w480-h640/IMG_5667.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My cheer squad/task master/worst distraction</td></tr></tbody></table><p>With half marathon training a top priority right now, plus my day job, I don't think this is necessarily an easy undertaking...but it's also not impossible. 1,000 words takes me 60-90 minutes, depending on how focused I am and how easily the ideas are coming. Most people participating in NaNoWriMo are writing 1,666 words a day – nearly 12,000 words a week!</p><p>Anyway. I went back and forth on this, but in the end I decided to give it a shot. It may be the motivation I need to actually push through my fear and finish this draft. And participating, even unofficially, gives me the opportunity to take advantage of the write-ins and meetups hosted for NaNoWriMo, so I'll get to meet some fellow writers, too.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCQR7RN0u_EShQ7HJ11HUyxAwByQlI5bGmE2Wg4fopcEQ9F8ZYUfpFu9GgrPgbELGDlTkrI7r9BPdzqAZicrq_r63-vzxTBEOk5N8KDTYbmSi5Q5GiP_2gp3toh4JJC8PSmVERYYzrRcklk6GcNeAH2cKCUgaQfsmtWkA10G6qkB-z6tj73-gmNd_qGsxt/s759/stats.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="759" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCQR7RN0u_EShQ7HJ11HUyxAwByQlI5bGmE2Wg4fopcEQ9F8ZYUfpFu9GgrPgbELGDlTkrI7r9BPdzqAZicrq_r63-vzxTBEOk5N8KDTYbmSi5Q5GiP_2gp3toh4JJC8PSmVERYYzrRcklk6GcNeAH2cKCUgaQfsmtWkA10G6qkB-z6tj73-gmNd_qGsxt/w640-h452/stats.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When I first heard of NaNoWriMo, this cute and handy dashboard didn't even exist!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Hopefully by the end of this month, I have a finished manuscript for the first time in...well, in way, way too long. And when I do, I'm going to indulge myself in a NaNoWriMo Winner shirt or mug, because shopping always motivates me.</p><p>Wish me luck!</p><p>Ali</p>Ali K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15736472530374069410noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417693555590736116.post-48862324171961219812023-11-01T00:00:00.074-07:002023-11-01T00:00:00.155-07:00October Reads<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5iVyCFPotrLjhlRn982SPbwi0eaWrI7I6k1f03Amhu2MzIYc9tqtoaTs48quLuH9P2GlqwcbzuLlKhGjFxMfB_uLC4J-7yEugzGdsMQniQpnF6xg5KQaq3yJuHbazeg9Q9NLoDpSDHwddA1fL9wYF7dfPNU4r3VnOg3vK2wnnmzUbxWDpBQeCEXB0d53T/s1153/book%20banner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="1153" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5iVyCFPotrLjhlRn982SPbwi0eaWrI7I6k1f03Amhu2MzIYc9tqtoaTs48quLuH9P2GlqwcbzuLlKhGjFxMfB_uLC4J-7yEugzGdsMQniQpnF6xg5KQaq3yJuHbazeg9Q9NLoDpSDHwddA1fL9wYF7dfPNU4r3VnOg3vK2wnnmzUbxWDpBQeCEXB0d53T/w640-h226/book%20banner.png" width="640" /></a></div><p>I didn't actually intend to read anything this month, but three books I've been waiting for became available to borrow mid-month, so I jumped on them all before my holds lapsed. One was a hyped-up fantasy I'd been waiting months for, and the other two were the next in the Gaslight Mystery series. Spoiler alert: I enjoyed them all.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirnBEW_pemitbmuJlBnlFrgyf1VNPKwn40UuZVz3M2BfmhE-_bDKYHPVt4tb_Gv9zX-ZCeHxFcp2EK6wmH2hyNx6OvKoSmtpAqMtMaDOXeYucHUaZJLTYLzPbcDmUihtJFtnc7jBGtsGmBlurzhVkyK7j9Oj8qVrg_3OG-Buw0d3KSK7X5EukrhL1yjBJf/s1789/IMG_6142.PNG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1789" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirnBEW_pemitbmuJlBnlFrgyf1VNPKwn40UuZVz3M2BfmhE-_bDKYHPVt4tb_Gv9zX-ZCeHxFcp2EK6wmH2hyNx6OvKoSmtpAqMtMaDOXeYucHUaZJLTYLzPbcDmUihtJFtnc7jBGtsGmBlurzhVkyK7j9Oj8qVrg_3OG-Buw0d3KSK7X5EukrhL1yjBJf/w261-h400/IMG_6142.PNG" width="261" /></a></b></div><b>Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree</b><p></p><p>I've heard so much praise for this book, I really went into it with high hopes. It's described as a "cozy fantasy", which felt exactly like what I needed during a rough October. Maybe because of this genre, it was slow to get into, but I'm glad I stuck it out. By the time I was a third of the way in, I was enjoying myself, although I wouldn't say this book lived up to the hype. I liked it, but it's not going onto my "must reread annually" list or anything.</p><p>The novel follows retired mercenary orc Viv as she opens a coffee shop in a town where no one has heard of coffee. As Viv meets people who will help her succeed, we sink into a comfortable story about self-discovery, found family, and not letting who you've been define who you can be. </p><p>I appreciated that the early conflicts in the story were fairly quickly resolved, because I wasn't in the mood for angst. At the same time, it wasn't until the main conflict was finally introduced that I found myself enjoying the book. I guess that just goes to show that even when I'm craving something light, conflict makes a story interesting.</p><p>I would agree with reviewers who say the conflict seems low-stakes because there's never a doubt Viv and her friends will succeed, but I kind of enjoyed knowing there was a happy ending waiting for me. That said, I'm not sure I'll pick up the sequel.</p><p>Something to note is that this novel was originally self-published as a NaNoWriMo project. It's pretty cool to see how it gained popularity and a following since then, and is now traditionally published.</p><p style="text-align: right;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT6OXmdgxfMirC4nHtBFDmvZxmIMKDFxvXfM0bqnEN4PZaOapmtxDIFVFwrzfbJvtuq50DmK2n4i0Lwsy4XzK252b4hyNTw4G0qsewTr8dN6yWlZGlCO6qojEL4hvgOLGVYFCoDWjyp0W6dbZGB9txopVtS7DpppTyjLU4Q1hR8HXfLDdE3F_4EuiTsjM8/s1889/IMG_6153.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1889" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT6OXmdgxfMirC4nHtBFDmvZxmIMKDFxvXfM0bqnEN4PZaOapmtxDIFVFwrzfbJvtuq50DmK2n4i0Lwsy4XzK252b4hyNTw4G0qsewTr8dN6yWlZGlCO6qojEL4hvgOLGVYFCoDWjyp0W6dbZGB9txopVtS7DpppTyjLU4Q1hR8HXfLDdE3F_4EuiTsjM8/w248-h400/IMG_6153.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Murder on Washington Square by Victoria Thompson</b></div></b><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">In the fourth novel in this series, Sarah Brandt and Frank Malloy work together to solve the murder of a young woman...and clear the name of an obviously innocent man.</p><p style="text-align: left;"> This book was something new for the series because an arrest is made right away, but we have reason to believe the suspect is innocent. There are no outrageously obvious red herrings, and although we <i>know </i>the suspect is innocent, there's no clear secondary suspect until well into the book. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Thompson also includes mention of a real case that made headlines around the turn of the century, and something about that made this novel feel a little less pulpy and a little more "historical fiction."</p><p style="text-align: left;">In this book, the pacing and tone felt more well-crafted; the author is clearly improving her style as she goes on. I keep being surprised at how Sarah is pulled into these murders in plausible ways. Although I picked up on the breadcrumbs and foreshadowing left along the way, I didn't see the outcome coming at all. </p><p style="text-align: left;">I really like that in this series, I may have an inkling about the guilty party, but the actuality of whodunit is always a little more complex than I imagined.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Also, we finally get Frank and Sarah's first kiss, but the relationship clearly has some way to go before it amounts to anything. It really isn't going as I suspected it would, and the slow burn continues. I am still fully enjoying this series.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Murder on Mulberry Bend by Victoria Thompson</b></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwF-L-JFPUcmJ-ehBk7-2W3GgGio5MVojSk62D-xFM3k62oJWFoh8pwF_xXCadBd2v32hHcolL4m5lQZib0CuHkH8uQZs5ucQbMNshhniukVbatDemHj2q2yGSt7G2A3P6GOzrbiZiqMVVMpLM6ekmA30AF0U7keqZ1IGPSdACd2Apuc4L12tp6NPlSIFX/s1890/IMG_6167.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1890" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwF-L-JFPUcmJ-ehBk7-2W3GgGio5MVojSk62D-xFM3k62oJWFoh8pwF_xXCadBd2v32hHcolL4m5lQZib0CuHkH8uQZs5ucQbMNshhniukVbatDemHj2q2yGSt7G2A3P6GOzrbiZiqMVVMpLM6ekmA30AF0U7keqZ1IGPSdACd2Apuc4L12tp6NPlSIFX/w248-h400/IMG_6167.jpg" width="248" /></a></div>I usually wait a few weeks and read something else in between books in this series, so picking up the fifth installment right after the fourth gave me some interesting insight. The writing style in book four struck me as more engaging and interesting than the usual simplistic, straight-forward style of the first three books, but it seemed to regress again in book five. Is Victoria Thompson a pen name for multiple people, a la Ann M. Martin? I'm not sure, but I was disappointed in the caliber of writing in this book after seeing such improvement in the last one.<p></p><p style="text-align: left;">I will say, the writing style is my least favorite thing about this series. It's so direct and frills-free, it almost feels like reading an essay at times, and this is especially annoying during high-stakes action scenes. I even found myself rewriting certain sentences in my head during the climax.</p><p style="text-align: left;">All that said, book five presented another engaging mystery, a new and interesting way to pull Sarah into it, and further examination of Frank and Sarah's feelings for each other. I do wish Sarah would stop running off to interrogate possible murderers by herself, though.</p><p style="text-align: left;">This series continues to provide quick reads (I finished <i>Mulberry Bend</i> and <i>Washington Square</i> in a day each) that are entertaining and provide a break from doom-scrolling Instagram. I really love the historical aspect and feel I'm learning some interesting things about 1890s New York...And of course, I'm still invested in Frank and Sarah, so I'm here for the long-haul.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Ali</p>Ali K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15736472530374069410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417693555590736116.post-18348131822098825432023-10-23T15:36:00.002-07:002023-10-23T15:37:24.225-07:00What have I done?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgElYo59jcMMrvkxLMKLxwvdDQcOpzAr7iiSaZ7UkJxun-0z9ausKimAVeL1gvvjqilVZx0YB_xVci7jB-zYc2LyOkV0WtB1lUVws9x0KKCSGTOeQu5YGWPilL4ZcErCBEN8AZhDQkR1Kv4Cgonw9Gj725RswU54PpRcMQGWtLHOLwjn50TTLyU9jDTZkh1/s1153/life%20update.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="1153" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgElYo59jcMMrvkxLMKLxwvdDQcOpzAr7iiSaZ7UkJxun-0z9ausKimAVeL1gvvjqilVZx0YB_xVci7jB-zYc2LyOkV0WtB1lUVws9x0KKCSGTOeQu5YGWPilL4ZcErCBEN8AZhDQkR1Kv4Cgonw9Gj725RswU54PpRcMQGWtLHOLwjn50TTLyU9jDTZkh1/w640-h226/life%20update.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A few weeks ago, Matt told me he had to request his PTO dates for 2024. Apparently firefighters request their dates well ahead of time and they are assigned by seniority. As a probationary firefighter, Matt's at the bottom of the seniority ladder, so it was recommended to him that he not even try for summer dates.</div><div><br /></div><div>There's a few other stipulations – things like choosing single dates vs. pairs of dates – but basically he told me we should pick a few shifts in fall and spring and hope for the best. If we didn't get the ones we asked for, they'd give him a chance to pick different ones.</div><div><br /></div><div>And I said, "Let's choose late September, and if you get the dates we can go to Scotland and I can run the Loch Ness Marathon."</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihyphenhyphen6FvLhyS0dh3BAnv0jDCLdnh2Z2se3NDDpYRAKi38iQrWaA7uqCDDjZHvgbWqb1sqYO17YWMVDh-0Ripp8R9JuvoyeJlcAXnDw8n-RDcaliABmBr7jc4JZkcEpnd-HvUMPl7B8OXrtvBjGkU_Smte_acCS5LVuC6qDPWIsGDrdNaXKeAbrxPLPKzKOwG/s425/olCTznxK.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihyphenhyphen6FvLhyS0dh3BAnv0jDCLdnh2Z2se3NDDpYRAKi38iQrWaA7uqCDDjZHvgbWqb1sqYO17YWMVDh-0Ripp8R9JuvoyeJlcAXnDw8n-RDcaliABmBr7jc4JZkcEpnd-HvUMPl7B8OXrtvBjGkU_Smte_acCS5LVuC6qDPWIsGDrdNaXKeAbrxPLPKzKOwG/s16000/olCTznxK.jpeg" /></a></div><div>The Loch Ness Marathon has been on my bucket list ever since I knew it existed. The race features a route along (as you may have guessed) Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands and ends in Inverness. Matt and I visited the area when we studied in Edinburgh in 2007 and I fell in love; the Highlands are so beautiful and wild, Loch Ness feels mysterious and eerie, and we've always planned to return to Scotland someday.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3tpzKRoOo57QauNhh2nm_I2stMaQbU1N17x7Z2pswg477worFBT7zBg7ve4tqtj9nXk4-c853vJkehSRD918hIuaivYAd9OQWvq0fex_Uk68V3PAFgFWacULsJOklcxcL-HM5-nDiDuS9WiLC5aOgsFP6y8MhyjNyKFyiEXfPMAawy461xFZxjYfT4dY1/s800/DSC01984.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3tpzKRoOo57QauNhh2nm_I2stMaQbU1N17x7Z2pswg477worFBT7zBg7ve4tqtj9nXk4-c853vJkehSRD918hIuaivYAd9OQWvq0fex_Uk68V3PAFgFWacULsJOklcxcL-HM5-nDiDuS9WiLC5aOgsFP6y8MhyjNyKFyiEXfPMAawy461xFZxjYfT4dY1/w640-h480/DSC01984.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2007-us in the Highlands.</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkvP0W9T4zaEv9rK0s2uCIyGoGODPD4l38oSCepzgR09wzgqvXlA93BUjxkzscIkA1S3UbMP3YIchFazbfVp6NMlxQ1GKP4VjJJXSB4VhHCVnUpzxMxjobYJVRvz6rttDUuMUWwNfRzWgqoMmdooXu9N2w_ddbaKO_8MCKY6sBYcoEEYU8a0Si9hFiZQ-2/s800/DSC02018.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkvP0W9T4zaEv9rK0s2uCIyGoGODPD4l38oSCepzgR09wzgqvXlA93BUjxkzscIkA1S3UbMP3YIchFazbfVp6NMlxQ1GKP4VjJJXSB4VhHCVnUpzxMxjobYJVRvz6rttDUuMUWwNfRzWgqoMmdooXu9N2w_ddbaKO_8MCKY6sBYcoEEYU8a0Si9hFiZQ-2/w640-h480/DSC02018.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixR-8CNZFshM1S52qlvwOFslOM_ekPXfEIwWslP78pzR2ppWzTFblpfNZBSAR656581zcyxVlACjPgpWtv3bI911EmEuNLeaT6DqLBAkPLW6gkKWHLkhpBQkA6IxL5RokjKl__gNfn54MK71oVBDKAf5DN5ovcQ3FThnI_QVoVUAb54Hl61sTkAAxu7JXQ/s800/DSC02017.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixR-8CNZFshM1S52qlvwOFslOM_ekPXfEIwWslP78pzR2ppWzTFblpfNZBSAR656581zcyxVlACjPgpWtv3bI911EmEuNLeaT6DqLBAkPLW6gkKWHLkhpBQkA6IxL5RokjKl__gNfn54MK71oVBDKAf5DN5ovcQ3FThnI_QVoVUAb54Hl61sTkAAxu7JXQ/w640-h480/DSC02017.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Loch Ness</td></tr></tbody></table><div>Anyway, this race has always sort of been a pipe dream. I loved the idea of going back to Scotland and the race felt like an excuse to make it happen. I never expected it was something I'd actually do...</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm sure you can see where this is going.</div><div><br /></div><div>Last time Matt was on shift, he texted me that his dates had been assigned.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhktkLBquvUq0rBP6QWK5OrjiCWYuYLzRBOjWXHTFjyKSl6rbaxCe11HDwRwBLPHo5Gtf5jc2zJIB82V5vqEls27Scg-16jBLZhBAqrScddvdXR9l1A5UGC26oYOJk4IKVihEAsCKnAiceMHdoW6i4ehvmQt1masGZOZpEFKr86gIekHVLyYqfrI-Fq-fSy/s2033/IMG_6126.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2033" data-original-width="1170" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhktkLBquvUq0rBP6QWK5OrjiCWYuYLzRBOjWXHTFjyKSl6rbaxCe11HDwRwBLPHo5Gtf5jc2zJIB82V5vqEls27Scg-16jBLZhBAqrScddvdXR9l1A5UGC26oYOJk4IKVihEAsCKnAiceMHdoW6i4ehvmQt1masGZOZpEFKr86gIekHVLyYqfrI-Fq-fSy/w368-h640/IMG_6126.PNG" width="368" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>At first, it didn't sink in that the dates he'd asked for had been approved. I had to go back in my message history in Instagram to check. My brain refused to believe it, but there it is in black-and-white. Matt has PTO that aligns with the race.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3vOmIY5mgrON9EN2WTmU5-qo0Dqiq47cDU4BhhXdYxPmUxNog1PPjEndIPY1KxFm13uncpXVbmgaVZTOysYMDhvuMVNakIGdZEZursIRq5hsVrEuovi16iUt9eHCaGNxj-umd2EzwIIUu1hFgbXFK9tIDBZ_OrFK8JScCHHtBMGdcr3FQRinpdZXaZgXm/s4000/ADE43DCC-2F56-4F9D-B8AF-6233BEC8A073.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="2999" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3vOmIY5mgrON9EN2WTmU5-qo0Dqiq47cDU4BhhXdYxPmUxNog1PPjEndIPY1KxFm13uncpXVbmgaVZTOysYMDhvuMVNakIGdZEZursIRq5hsVrEuovi16iUt9eHCaGNxj-umd2EzwIIUu1hFgbXFK9tIDBZ_OrFK8JScCHHtBMGdcr3FQRinpdZXaZgXm/w480-h640/ADE43DCC-2F56-4F9D-B8AF-6233BEC8A073.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div>This marathon is now entirely possible, and the only thing standing in my way is my own hesitation.</div><div><br /></div><div>Over the last few days, I've had time to wrap my head around some things. My initial panic – what have I done?! Why did I float this plan?! – has worn off. I realize now that my biggest fear is actually the logistics: the long flight, leaving Zoe, getting to the race, running a marathon while jetlagged, balancing tourist stuff and pre-race rest...</div><div><br /></div><div>But all that aside, I'm kind of excited! I haven't trained for or run a marathon since 2016, and I've only ever run flat, hot marathons. It will be a new challenge to train for a hilly, chilly race.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkb5DkfM1TQuSCijcG3iwnAsbVbqWJrjhH9zb1YEdogQDM7be897SnwI2FtHZBXXRTnGXYcC39-v9XYKUgUILErq4u_bbM-UxO8lzahPWzJMg0TuovOCkJsbJ9MGi_AdD5NSTB14zzeT7h1yJsnO0RGCI22tV40SEY5xaDo4LB9OXNOKvZUETc16GmYN3l/s2000/Loch-Ness-Marathon-Profile.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="437" data-original-width="2000" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkb5DkfM1TQuSCijcG3iwnAsbVbqWJrjhH9zb1YEdogQDM7be897SnwI2FtHZBXXRTnGXYcC39-v9XYKUgUILErq4u_bbM-UxO8lzahPWzJMg0TuovOCkJsbJ9MGi_AdD5NSTB14zzeT7h1yJsnO0RGCI22tV40SEY5xaDo4LB9OXNOKvZUETc16GmYN3l/w640-h140/Loch-Ness-Marathon-Profile.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hills actually don't look too bad!</td></tr></tbody></table><div>So, now what? I have nearly a year to figure out logistics and train for this race. I am starting to feel less apprehensive and more excited. It's going to take a lot of planning, but I have time. And, for the first time in awhile, I'm happily anticipating a training plan.</div><div><br /></div><div>At this point, I haven't signed up, but I'm planning to. Probably sometime in February after my half and Matt's graduation.</div><div><br /></div><div>But, yeah. I think I've got a marathon on my 2024 calendar, and it's going to be a doozy!</div><div><br /></div><div>Ali</div>Ali K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15736472530374069410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417693555590736116.post-48580862830580766952023-10-09T18:30:00.000-07:002023-10-09T18:30:29.776-07:00Two roads diverged in a yellow wood<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixMNAShaBMK5UnSfxnXzzWn4QVM4B3tbBsgy7hssV_1p8XuC2s6IMKyKjSTEVXDe843asIqe3kuJtred3J9qHM7iZUKpKZddpYD6OMM9BuFaU3GBFnp1AL1u8-fDZfJAxAj6VnUN2KFXQq3l4N1LRT3R8rFSuK1ikcYh1xlQmHt8G3wB_ZziN9lD8WSm9a/s1153/hike%20banner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="1153" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixMNAShaBMK5UnSfxnXzzWn4QVM4B3tbBsgy7hssV_1p8XuC2s6IMKyKjSTEVXDe843asIqe3kuJtred3J9qHM7iZUKpKZddpYD6OMM9BuFaU3GBFnp1AL1u8-fDZfJAxAj6VnUN2KFXQq3l4N1LRT3R8rFSuK1ikcYh1xlQmHt8G3wB_ZziN9lD8WSm9a/w640-h226/hike%20banner.png" width="640" /></a></div><p>I usually associate the coming of fall with fiery orange and deep crimson leaves, but this October has been fully yellow. When the sun hits the trees just right, you find yourself standing under a canopy of molten gold, and the world around you feels hazy and magical.</p><p>That was my experience this weekend hiking in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, near North Bend. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbdxBuvKH-XheBrhiGm8pyAsQistAI8pE9j31HItNNCNPq1bUD18yM0zJLmZvZ_IzImQ57iTovIyg__TusHNBwKZrnKNRmJMN5mbhC6M7M-n2R13n4djNiItFFS6Hh6EMz9LNwHCaeOdBprHftKpGzzwE4o4oYesOGVGDSTuEjMoHJbHxe4KOYgRdtdd6D/s4032/IMG_5862.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbdxBuvKH-XheBrhiGm8pyAsQistAI8pE9j31HItNNCNPq1bUD18yM0zJLmZvZ_IzImQ57iTovIyg__TusHNBwKZrnKNRmJMN5mbhC6M7M-n2R13n4djNiItFFS6Hh6EMz9LNwHCaeOdBprHftKpGzzwE4o4oYesOGVGDSTuEjMoHJbHxe4KOYgRdtdd6D/w640-h480/IMG_5862.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Home for the weekend</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Like we did in August, Matt and I booked ourselves a cute little rental and spent a four-day weekend soaking in this gorgeous PNW-October.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><b>Snow Lake Trail</b></p><p><b>6.7 miles, 1699ft elevation gain</b></p><p>On Saturday we took on the Snow Lake Trail, which I learned after the fact had been on Matt's to-do list since we first moved out here. I was not mentally prepared for the taluses we'd have to pass. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCRJWChFNDStcEY1H7YaufyNygqrjUFYHHcQe8P3M1cSybvHrVaORv3D9bMYW0nPMjm2-ZbMopUujYJbPqPc3iN-bxpZR6OADhxIXEJTjk0rk2TjPVJ0HFfJS1Mdrsc0dy4DdXox5hphNNt51cNmt6x5wuTR8Wgspr5TT5fJlan3NvYWqxiwy8MJeuors7/s4032/FullSizeRender.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCRJWChFNDStcEY1H7YaufyNygqrjUFYHHcQe8P3M1cSybvHrVaORv3D9bMYW0nPMjm2-ZbMopUujYJbPqPc3iN-bxpZR6OADhxIXEJTjk0rk2TjPVJ0HFfJS1Mdrsc0dy4DdXox5hphNNt51cNmt6x5wuTR8Wgspr5TT5fJlan3NvYWqxiwy8MJeuors7/w640-h480/FullSizeRender.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But that view though</td></tr></tbody></table><p>They were made much more challenging by Zoe, who really wanted to pull me along faster than I could find easy footing. Once Matt took over the leash, I found this trail much more doable, although I'd still rate it a moderately challenging hike.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubR6ETUlp13jOWCyep9i-3ghSVRn5Tub750r_V8dVqaNiG-oa8eD3100ck5mVpV0qgBR6QxF9QDUSZpOQK5cYzfT9thTcbWxmrabjQGFb9XhxlLx1IlNlRPrqPjEblQayU-037NN9noFQ8AkqWAocP9l1K8NzU4iDLeDL23uk-9CuOHfQvP9kL0V4041y/s3088/IMG_5887.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubR6ETUlp13jOWCyep9i-3ghSVRn5Tub750r_V8dVqaNiG-oa8eD3100ck5mVpV0qgBR6QxF9QDUSZpOQK5cYzfT9thTcbWxmrabjQGFb9XhxlLx1IlNlRPrqPjEblQayU-037NN9noFQ8AkqWAocP9l1K8NzU4iDLeDL23uk-9CuOHfQvP9kL0V4041y/w480-h640/IMG_5887.heic" width="480" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13tzc_4GWkLtPp_7ezY7_1JB2RZlZwlFaOymGLWWyFwNpzpdW-KQo-W4GRi_aAQQW7RrgezfrWzyCAXIaXJ4gyJIHERBiVVFr35yld2wOTr6rtFZ54lwQ-PfCipqoJWBliRRyj_89O1CdgOReiNP8ePkhdL5h20ymdLk6o3CIh4CL0Lk4R4aXo9V6oW1p/s4032/IMG_5934.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13tzc_4GWkLtPp_7ezY7_1JB2RZlZwlFaOymGLWWyFwNpzpdW-KQo-W4GRi_aAQQW7RrgezfrWzyCAXIaXJ4gyJIHERBiVVFr35yld2wOTr6rtFZ54lwQ-PfCipqoJWBliRRyj_89O1CdgOReiNP8ePkhdL5h20ymdLk6o3CIh4CL0Lk4R4aXo9V6oW1p/w480-h640/IMG_5934.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rock slides, man.</td></tr></tbody></table>The first mile or so was through lush, colorful forest. As we climbed, though, the trail gave way to rock slides (taluses) and steep steps. It was in the high 70s and sunny, and we didn't have much shade along the ridge. The trail was pretty narrow in spots and very crowded. Zoe did so well passing other dogs on the trail, but I wouldn't say it was really the most immersive experience.<p></p><p>It's hard to lose yourself in the beauty of nature when you're constantly skirting around strangers.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ySXck-tbxg_yGO_Pce2MQc8HXDAn3ITqQdV2ksEs7xui59E4zvLefipUk6DAuFWcB8ymLqL7rJTa8IyCCAawBoaN-lzkLw3rlmVUK-qoIDA_ptHSdUNwMqtDE7NJP07Swbxl1wX9X3ehqt1JHRgid3KnbFB91PfmicwYjH_G5k2frUMcu_qwWOE4S2U0/s4032/IMG_5879.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ySXck-tbxg_yGO_Pce2MQc8HXDAn3ITqQdV2ksEs7xui59E4zvLefipUk6DAuFWcB8ymLqL7rJTa8IyCCAawBoaN-lzkLw3rlmVUK-qoIDA_ptHSdUNwMqtDE7NJP07Swbxl1wX9X3ehqt1JHRgid3KnbFB91PfmicwYjH_G5k2frUMcu_qwWOE4S2U0/w480-h640/IMG_5879.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div>Around mile 2 we stopped to eat. (We did something really smart this weekend – packed real food. It can be hard to figure out a good gluten free lunch that packs easily on a hike, but North Bend has a Jersey Mike's and the #6 proved to be the perfect solution to this problem.)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitlbdh0dDtCEn8pl_qFYZLXGUyA0ckGXW7OUj56NFKsgLQqhScr6HS-UzJQoSGd7RXr5QyKAuFQ1VOO6y0WWTwMeGLpESaaRb54TLZAZJqqxgQPMcXbe0WRyLvuCzwXAXVnI3dvh130TBNROwg54cS6HSRy5xh0CETEobOsOE_D4CG9JsCsQkVd6gNZR6O/s4032/IMG_5881.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitlbdh0dDtCEn8pl_qFYZLXGUyA0ckGXW7OUj56NFKsgLQqhScr6HS-UzJQoSGd7RXr5QyKAuFQ1VOO6y0WWTwMeGLpESaaRb54TLZAZJqqxgQPMcXbe0WRyLvuCzwXAXVnI3dvh130TBNROwg54cS6HSRy5xh0CETEobOsOE_D4CG9JsCsQkVd6gNZR6O/w640-h480/IMG_5881.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first glimpse of the lake from the switchbacks made it all worth it.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><p>About 2.5 miles in I wanted to quit. By then, though, we'd basically reached the ridge. We followed about a mile of switchbacks downhill to the lake in question.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrgGOb6f-pDJp7RnNSdqyYwasgGwECvUVhrR8VdwDZMla6l9d5Ai7jEKVb3QfLRsMUYwjOJHVqzI5HhtaQAg8jzyq2g5Ag5ZOz3j-3OQ51awkvisqA7zq7F-WhgbPxvbmiwGfDl3mg14cf1CKsJlkprFaPNUO5hFG2pVcBY6J8eRLNXHCsPq-LJub2h-Yv/s4032/IMG_5889.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrgGOb6f-pDJp7RnNSdqyYwasgGwECvUVhrR8VdwDZMla6l9d5Ai7jEKVb3QfLRsMUYwjOJHVqzI5HhtaQAg8jzyq2g5Ag5ZOz3j-3OQ51awkvisqA7zq7F-WhgbPxvbmiwGfDl3mg14cf1CKsJlkprFaPNUO5hFG2pVcBY6J8eRLNXHCsPq-LJub2h-Yv/w640-h480/IMG_5889.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mountain lakes are really something else</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4NrLENeNZGPAGmX-MugDDII5WI4L13JbbYoo3gJMCNS7NT4ab9XDwhNlMbMAFyQCFYrFUL3SshjNxtfTNGXfUTQeWG3PY4qKy3pHNcsFXUyhj-6he3JmxXWuWiO1xwOhyphenhyphenpnOszX3cA6LF-Nwurxnih5FPYSvJ-T15Zi_H1Bg9mORT5ec39ieGky6vcOA-/s4032/IMG_5916.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4NrLENeNZGPAGmX-MugDDII5WI4L13JbbYoo3gJMCNS7NT4ab9XDwhNlMbMAFyQCFYrFUL3SshjNxtfTNGXfUTQeWG3PY4qKy3pHNcsFXUyhj-6he3JmxXWuWiO1xwOhyphenhyphenpnOszX3cA6LF-Nwurxnih5FPYSvJ-T15Zi_H1Bg9mORT5ec39ieGky6vcOA-/w640-h480/IMG_5916.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div>I finished my sandwich while Matt got his feet wet and Zoe unlocked a new instinct and showed us she could doggy paddle at the mere suggestion she may land in water.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaKNZ6JWnhNM747872GMWNLKS-hIbNkBhhtJQn5QBf-nS8cePXs0fMt6EgM49ZRSdmsh5w_cCxBaifZIWSoWgxUJ9GX5WkP3SM8YQrJDhhGKTRJROkBAS_4G-ZlTsBJ5EWYBF1gN9dlNh9srMQYl4ZN7ySY2wdknr9vKEnmDZPAu9n68rIAZytVezqW4p9/s4032/IMG_5928.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaKNZ6JWnhNM747872GMWNLKS-hIbNkBhhtJQn5QBf-nS8cePXs0fMt6EgM49ZRSdmsh5w_cCxBaifZIWSoWgxUJ9GX5WkP3SM8YQrJDhhGKTRJROkBAS_4G-ZlTsBJ5EWYBF1gN9dlNh9srMQYl4ZN7ySY2wdknr9vKEnmDZPAu9n68rIAZytVezqW4p9/w480-h640/IMG_5928.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrkuEsGwp8rzZSSFe0nMthe6uVSzfshAUyQam_mD0_hkpbKXPIfXsjdD5wHHl9EGE2u8MXOblK3w-IxzpFMpFbsBUkNEK3cLYC7XlDv80HGCfSWEcn3mh3RyBUTpQMORsduEF-SHBUUNLzcQfH2nX-Xo-Tlyv7FnG1w_U0oy0OySei51RVutIwb9IsjJw_/s4032/IMG_5895.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrkuEsGwp8rzZSSFe0nMthe6uVSzfshAUyQam_mD0_hkpbKXPIfXsjdD5wHHl9EGE2u8MXOblK3w-IxzpFMpFbsBUkNEK3cLYC7XlDv80HGCfSWEcn3mh3RyBUTpQMORsduEF-SHBUUNLzcQfH2nX-Xo-Tlyv7FnG1w_U0oy0OySei51RVutIwb9IsjJw_/w480-h640/IMG_5895.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div><p></p><p></p><p>The hike back down was a breeze. The sun was setting and we got lots of shade and cool air.</p><p>The views on this hike were absolutely gorgeous, but this isn't really my favorite type of hike. The one we did Sunday, though...that one checked all my boxes.</p><p><b>Pratt Balcony Trail</b></p><p><b>2.5 miles, 626ft elevation gain</b></p><p>My legs were toast after Snow Lake, so we opted for a short hike on Sunday. Matt found a few options and I chose Pratt Balcony. It was an excellent choice.</p><p>The green. The seclusion. The quiet. The green. The rock formations. Did I mention the green?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYsS3eu9FKDbkHmbNSO69df4QhHCjB-ZH2YW7sBtO7IwbFOFhANvVPk9Rxukj8gACl5H9NzBzsf1q3vFOnpiyGFRVvv1ZWkBcid01mTaIR1Us4_Fm4YoiGrIGfJ7NCiaWaVsPtEew6iFTU5WnSIVaw89R3x9YiM19cDdZ-iTS_hGJrVhrpBXkU5u9JJTa/s4032/IMG_5940.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYsS3eu9FKDbkHmbNSO69df4QhHCjB-ZH2YW7sBtO7IwbFOFhANvVPk9Rxukj8gACl5H9NzBzsf1q3vFOnpiyGFRVvv1ZWkBcid01mTaIR1Us4_Fm4YoiGrIGfJ7NCiaWaVsPtEew6iFTU5WnSIVaw89R3x9YiM19cDdZ-iTS_hGJrVhrpBXkU5u9JJTa/w480-h640/IMG_5940.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><p>I loved everything about this trail – my only complaint is that it was too short! We started along a narrow trail that felt almost...informal? Like enough people had just walked single-file through the grass to form this sort of unofficial mud-and-rock trail that eventually led to an actual trailhead.</p><p>At one point, I said it felt like walking along a dried up creek bed.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidMAEciNrHQnXbQqZWvaeNNd8FexQhtlCU9LsMkaaTbuxf7mrg27AR7DZU1qtFv-d7RVcOJXYjQBOhNSKdn1R8MFDm8HNx6Xyqc-Be4PNlhMzhZsNap3zOcsyyKSV2uBgWnibjxR1_h5OjL5l0NZdW6ZbyiIpNJt93Gfc5jFQl0oXUCQL_TQJNkFPKbABU/s4032/IMG_5947.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidMAEciNrHQnXbQqZWvaeNNd8FexQhtlCU9LsMkaaTbuxf7mrg27AR7DZU1qtFv-d7RVcOJXYjQBOhNSKdn1R8MFDm8HNx6Xyqc-Be4PNlhMzhZsNap3zOcsyyKSV2uBgWnibjxR1_h5OjL5l0NZdW6ZbyiIpNJt93Gfc5jFQl0oXUCQL_TQJNkFPKbABU/w480-h640/IMG_5947.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is this path straight out of The Hobbit or what?!</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWS16bePHl7r9A2nn1YC6sha3BA5DSVkV3ndAlPemDe0-BFqpmK0keeLjCWG9ZMsj6bsS0y62goWct5h8J5pwcPU2793p-mSZOT2CaEt9-vuniYLlfwvjHzdKIFJg2HpZtGGbZQXmyslI1qOWgn7nYiNG8GX31KIz5WV1McUuX63nn7OzKAW6r0DYenoqP/s4032/IMG_5967.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWS16bePHl7r9A2nn1YC6sha3BA5DSVkV3ndAlPemDe0-BFqpmK0keeLjCWG9ZMsj6bsS0y62goWct5h8J5pwcPU2793p-mSZOT2CaEt9-vuniYLlfwvjHzdKIFJg2HpZtGGbZQXmyslI1qOWgn7nYiNG8GX31KIz5WV1McUuX63nn7OzKAW6r0DYenoqP/w480-h640/IMG_5967.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><p>Once we hit the more densely packed part of the forest, the trail widened. There were lots of cool stepping-stone paths, felled trees, and moss-covered rock walls. The moss was so vibrant, so jewel-toned. The whole hike was a celebration of eye-candy.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeuzv6DA8ymQFUpznSCeMxVAYZhZpOG21KdXjLl0srjvllO4vdII6dfDOGjA19aoGClAbWOfK7n5iLSneCqNI46FwGzXP0bPi414hiJ2dTtpXhcpbrLhID3cmd4Qloz72vset-S7buvQnnL-LRtRzQbo4otRBznDNaUWjX5_5Y9-qp3oNkrCjQfYm1xOG4/s4032/IMG_6815.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeuzv6DA8ymQFUpznSCeMxVAYZhZpOG21KdXjLl0srjvllO4vdII6dfDOGjA19aoGClAbWOfK7n5iLSneCqNI46FwGzXP0bPi414hiJ2dTtpXhcpbrLhID3cmd4Qloz72vset-S7buvQnnL-LRtRzQbo4otRBznDNaUWjX5_5Y9-qp3oNkrCjQfYm1xOG4/w480-h640/IMG_6815.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVANCHRWZ8kyb1cURssIuQFYu5WWDJQKMV8QyzyXqbdi9Ix_6QhXvD_WzUnayHcghJ9EXBaBG8QJ6RVJq9BWVUGNR0Z42nc0QyCq8OBwXQgHpm_miE2SGKhEbLPgh3XKv5EbDOOKVX8HxW09PMhtMCo-9QcR_Y0PYV0br1cJ4oT1dXu1JwnGYa93G3DNFv/s4032/IMG_6818.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVANCHRWZ8kyb1cURssIuQFYu5WWDJQKMV8QyzyXqbdi9Ix_6QhXvD_WzUnayHcghJ9EXBaBG8QJ6RVJq9BWVUGNR0Z42nc0QyCq8OBwXQgHpm_miE2SGKhEbLPgh3XKv5EbDOOKVX8HxW09PMhtMCo-9QcR_Y0PYV0br1cJ4oT1dXu1JwnGYa93G3DNFv/w480-h640/IMG_6818.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p>At the top, we had the most amazing payoff: the view of the Snoqualmie River below and the mountains ahead. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDG_5BZJTDzelfXw7pZKbGaW-TCjxLGxCPFN0xRhyTd-rW__adO3KLidJIaPN-auMKuE6-f4lqMTJMjG2OMl0tBjujdweVrKn-m5U4gVqgtdNvndjeSCWVGtxAKS0Q8ZA7hGSRi1IqGMzTfCkzN5oA8GEwazolfcFdFJ2bxvsKAS6nCJPcZYLOkDOEJZOT/s4032/IMG_5954.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDG_5BZJTDzelfXw7pZKbGaW-TCjxLGxCPFN0xRhyTd-rW__adO3KLidJIaPN-auMKuE6-f4lqMTJMjG2OMl0tBjujdweVrKn-m5U4gVqgtdNvndjeSCWVGtxAKS0Q8ZA7hGSRi1IqGMzTfCkzN5oA8GEwazolfcFdFJ2bxvsKAS6nCJPcZYLOkDOEJZOT/w480-h640/IMG_5954.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7jEqRLVkZS_WSBI3ybLHF46e6FK-rJx8wE9MqNneSsK3cLFS7xdPBhwt2vqiDDmFECrSjrdX6HUlJ71IQbSy6rcXDiOzBfsFNcgjVp2NQ-30TcVHVaVftzASNuRQB3AQEMOyAgSZKSI8Psh3SAidBit7V_FqiTwRJwIUmdT4Y8woh8BkzjuNwy0wk345/s3325/FullSizeRender.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3325" data-original-width="2310" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7jEqRLVkZS_WSBI3ybLHF46e6FK-rJx8wE9MqNneSsK3cLFS7xdPBhwt2vqiDDmFECrSjrdX6HUlJ71IQbSy6rcXDiOzBfsFNcgjVp2NQ-30TcVHVaVftzASNuRQB3AQEMOyAgSZKSI8Psh3SAidBit7V_FqiTwRJwIUmdT4Y8woh8BkzjuNwy0wk345/w444-h640/FullSizeRender.heic" width="444" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very good girl.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><p>We actually ran into another group of hikers at the top, who had a dog with them that looked just like Zoe, but taller. They said hello, and then that group left us to enjoy the view on our own.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge1bA5jS8DhWRGAjDL7MSFS6mfcbSEZbAu4COuxp_dsaU4esktUraJRzyRvpHhUodAk_0ptWpoMQSWTv77Yv4fGtGBC5h8IzIC_6zOuRjYcP4C6KTw17Ib93mP_hK_7Tud3ZagVl3L3knFg6SmnZdwZwC2fnvsH9mg8N9DVQEpJ7yhJDxMM_-8beM_kDNP/s4032/IMG_5963.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge1bA5jS8DhWRGAjDL7MSFS6mfcbSEZbAu4COuxp_dsaU4esktUraJRzyRvpHhUodAk_0ptWpoMQSWTv77Yv4fGtGBC5h8IzIC_6zOuRjYcP4C6KTw17Ib93mP_hK_7Tud3ZagVl3L3knFg6SmnZdwZwC2fnvsH9mg8N9DVQEpJ7yhJDxMM_-8beM_kDNP/w480-h640/IMG_5963.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><p>We had lunch and took our time at the balcony. When we hiked back down, we took a slightly different route to add some mileage and a change of scenery.</p><p>The road into the national forest is full of little turn-offs where you can stop to find a trail or go down to the river. Before heading home, we pulled into one of those spots and set up the hammock.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_Tm2KVqBcjiC99m1jAUJ1XuR_ar11F8pBM_QXlsGHrw1L-xrlAIw0b1BOPW5_NSIPbysW4cjvrDXa441LFxpNfYadPx1NYTd-6kuaEbDDcBHL7q3RJHfUUK0F6vFpH3VXO4XLp8T3dcM80bwFfodz9TTvc-YMVtvliIC3uXP5by8xxYluiwb3im1NK4z/s4032/IMG_6833.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_Tm2KVqBcjiC99m1jAUJ1XuR_ar11F8pBM_QXlsGHrw1L-xrlAIw0b1BOPW5_NSIPbysW4cjvrDXa441LFxpNfYadPx1NYTd-6kuaEbDDcBHL7q3RJHfUUK0F6vFpH3VXO4XLp8T3dcM80bwFfodz9TTvc-YMVtvliIC3uXP5by8xxYluiwb3im1NK4z/w640-h480/IMG_6833.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifT-EF99mLhbjJNKqHlrFwNJYh9lAyjEbsTPP4h3oCjysTY_PGwoHfDbwL717lpEiCvw5MLhOzHBCKzH534q4vcHlIwXjBuS0zsRv3qDlm3G2mB4_vkaKqRiU5QDrY-2VZU8MnsT9W6H82TaOZKFLYRN4OhkgMguizCSTm7ll-iro-Or1VQTGnfdlPHdgs/s4032/IMG_5990.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifT-EF99mLhbjJNKqHlrFwNJYh9lAyjEbsTPP4h3oCjysTY_PGwoHfDbwL717lpEiCvw5MLhOzHBCKzH534q4vcHlIwXjBuS0zsRv3qDlm3G2mB4_vkaKqRiU5QDrY-2VZU8MnsT9W6H82TaOZKFLYRN4OhkgMguizCSTm7ll-iro-Or1VQTGnfdlPHdgs/w480-h640/IMG_5990.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I took this from a rocking hammock, hence the angle</td></tr></tbody></table></div><p>This weekend was a nice little getaway and I'm so happy we got a some hiking in while the weather was nice. North Bend isn't far from Seattle, but it feels good to book a stay somewhere and get away from home for a bit. Being somewhere else just makes the time feel more purposeful.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIvTlcVNTgsF7fK5uv5jFLBiwhCj5B-i_Xn5uSAVqLFIB2l33JC-87c33orSzJkMrgHSwJOlxVR4OK41jOX_NMrMF26yzJczDYYCqOgj9-jm9LW3vF9q9J-IXkonBi3wS0vtNANvN6aw2nwPNKVWu7jUCWefoDcPjTvnw6STVRzodqiEtkHEYHbg3ESviX/s4032/IMG_5994.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIvTlcVNTgsF7fK5uv5jFLBiwhCj5B-i_Xn5uSAVqLFIB2l33JC-87c33orSzJkMrgHSwJOlxVR4OK41jOX_NMrMF26yzJczDYYCqOgj9-jm9LW3vF9q9J-IXkonBi3wS0vtNANvN6aw2nwPNKVWu7jUCWefoDcPjTvnw6STVRzodqiEtkHEYHbg3ESviX/w640-h480/IMG_5994.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><p>We probably won't get another vacation (or hike) in before the new year, so I'm glad this one was so perfect.</p><p>Ali</p></div>Ali K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15736472530374069410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417693555590736116.post-89729230009635890022023-10-01T00:00:00.000-07:002023-10-01T00:00:00.144-07:00September reads<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgExEa7hVy_jR1jhHxDWZuKRyFt0rYlxKolmcBnIgH7DtEOg1j54UQbvgN3PX-kRyielZ5Na7jwMHPkCI7jAYDR9haif4pnTEYJm8uqZDoMWrbxZFSRCJ4IKeK5jF-Al37WqDOdWSFC6hBlWlcHvgb46Mnhe6mCU2wSvBNiEvRim2WKoF-4sDqdZDJ1Ohch/s1153/book%20banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="1153" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgExEa7hVy_jR1jhHxDWZuKRyFt0rYlxKolmcBnIgH7DtEOg1j54UQbvgN3PX-kRyielZ5Na7jwMHPkCI7jAYDR9haif4pnTEYJm8uqZDoMWrbxZFSRCJ4IKeK5jF-Al37WqDOdWSFC6hBlWlcHvgb46Mnhe6mCU2wSvBNiEvRim2WKoF-4sDqdZDJ1Ohch/w640-h226/book%20banner.png" width="640" /></a></div><p>This month I found a couple new-to-me BookTubers, and binging their videos was strangely motivating. As I've been writing more, I'm more aware than ever that I should be reading more. I'm not exactly reading with purpose yet – that is, I'm not focusing on my own genre or reading with a critical eye – but I do find the practice of reading is making writing easier, and vice versa.</p><p>Watching other people talk about reading made me excited to make time for it myself this month.</p><p>Pretty soon I'm going to stop patting myself on the back for having rediscovered a hobby with a low cost of entry (free thanks to Libby and my Kindle), but today is not that day.</p><p>I read two books this month. Let's dive in!</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>The first book I read this month, I picked up because one of those aforementioned BookTubers absolutely raved about it. Unfortunately, it left something to be desired. But on the bright side, I learned something about myself while reading it!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoa6p0qc84D9bF9wt-HmmPw08sXNQVhi8a6_uv3x5J4CiRUCJAimBgOL4zWBlrSHTzNWuEqV9faJhzRfmIBhM5kViOcaOCedAI2vnCxa1ULtOO25noqX5Z-K6ksGRGKlDT3zmNbKWrPj-5urFnA0wpj7owC4LKLCPkUbFxI1XYDeRpNxtZJqCPTEZUbTrO/s1744/IMG_5671.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1744" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoa6p0qc84D9bF9wt-HmmPw08sXNQVhi8a6_uv3x5J4CiRUCJAimBgOL4zWBlrSHTzNWuEqV9faJhzRfmIBhM5kViOcaOCedAI2vnCxa1ULtOO25noqX5Z-K6ksGRGKlDT3zmNbKWrPj-5urFnA0wpj7owC4LKLCPkUbFxI1XYDeRpNxtZJqCPTEZUbTrO/w269-h400/IMG_5671.PNG" width="269" /></a></div><b>A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft</b><p></p><p>I struggled with this one from the start and nearly DNF'd it. What kept me going was that, at first, I had an inkling the main character's religion is supposed to be a fantastical version of Judaism, and I wanted to stick around to find out.</p><p>Margaret is the daughter of a heartless alchemist and an outcast for being Yu'adir, which, yes, is Jewish in this book's world. I picked up on the some of the earlier hints right away, and by the time the hints became sledgehammers to the head, I was far enough in that I wanted to finish. (I later googled and discovered the author is Jewish so her handle on subtle microaggressions makes sense.)</p><p>The love interest, Weston, is this world's Catholic Irish immigrant, and faces his own set of bigotry. The book takes place in an alternative world's 1920s, as far as I can tell.</p><p>So here's the thing: I felt like the exploration of prejudice and bigotry based on minority religious status was interesting, but found the comparison between the two minorities and the difficulties they face oversimplified and juvenile. The majority religion is some form of Christianity that is never really expanded upon. I'm sure Irish immigrants had it rough, but I felt focusing on Weston's Catholicism (Sumicism in-world) as the reason people hate him was silly when put up beside fantasy-Judaism. </p><p>Imagining the situation in the real world had me rolling my eyes. Were people ever really murdering Catholics for being Catholic? Did I miss that day in religious-history class?</p><p>Anyway, the other reason I struggled to get into this book was the writing style. I tend to dislike present tense and the internal monologuing was overwhelming (lots of telling where we could have seen some showing), even though the book is 3rd person POV. I did learn that YA is just not my genre anymore, and that's fine. I'm glad I finally know that about myself.</p><p>The mythical hunt the characters are gearing up for is fairly interesting, but almost a McGuffin in the sense that this book is much more about the love story and character development than the plot, and that's fine, too. I just didn't like the characters enough to care when they grew.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoiz6IWOOxDIGVMSIv2FXhis2GaVarI1tFZBuGEGCyObG-2enAPr7I6nUJM1hkjGKB2dDefbG8LhaUrvy21Q6bIhrkFuZ7MS3IG8D34QsryLJZIlNteUHgPhxP7WS5-vbffxLIA3dS6tSSONse_E7GDP4-cxtU_WhMi7G90qTtGp0p1AUN0np42fjMVaqu/s1727/IMG_5745.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1727" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoiz6IWOOxDIGVMSIv2FXhis2GaVarI1tFZBuGEGCyObG-2enAPr7I6nUJM1hkjGKB2dDefbG8LhaUrvy21Q6bIhrkFuZ7MS3IG8D34QsryLJZIlNteUHgPhxP7WS5-vbffxLIA3dS6tSSONse_E7GDP4-cxtU_WhMi7G90qTtGp0p1AUN0np42fjMVaqu/w271-h400/IMG_5745.PNG" width="271" /></a></div>Honestly, this book could have been so much more than it was. I was left wanting more and oddly unsatisfied. In a way, it showed me what I want to avoid in my writing, which made it a valuable read.<p></p><p>In the end, <i>A Far Wilder Magic</i> was fine but I never truly lost myself in it.</p><p><b>Murder on St. Mark's Place by Victoria Thompson</b></p><p>After finishing <a href="https://www.seattleali.com/2023/08/august-reads.html#more" target="_blank">Murder on Astor Place</a>, I was looking forward to continuing the Gaslight Mystery series by Victoria Thompson. I was surprised I had to wait for the next book to be available – this is an older series, but apparently still popular.</p><p>Book two<b> </b>picks up a few months after the end of the previous book. Sarah Brandt and Frank Malloy once more find themselves working together to solve the murder of a teenage "Charity Girl", the 1920s term for a girl who exchanges sex for gifts.</p><p>The mystery didn't disappoint. I thought I had the killer pegged early and was a little annoyed, because either the clues were too obvious or the red herring was, but in the end I was satisfied by the reveal. Thompson, so far, has not disappointed on that front.</p><p>I also enjoyed the character growth in this book. We learn more about Frank's personal life and see a friendship develop between Sarah and Frank. They still aren't together – or even fully aware they like each other as anything other than colleagues – but the deepening of their friendship feels genuine and natural. I appreciate a good slow burn. </p><p>This book flew by. At 288 pages, I read it in a single day. The writing style is fairly simple and sometimes spells things out a little too much, but I don't mind a lack of purple prose in a mystery novel.</p><p>My biggest complaint is that the end felt fairly abrupt. The last two chapters seemed to come out of nowhere, and I thought there could have been a filler chapter between them to draw out the suspense just a little longer. </p><p>Still, I'm getting a kick out of this series and it's nice to know what I'll be picking up next. I've already got book three on hold.</p><p>Ali</p>Ali K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15736472530374069410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417693555590736116.post-27897374906242032362023-09-27T17:29:00.000-07:002023-09-27T17:29:10.456-07:00Three years on<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqoJM3Mb07s2K1yFRU1Wy_yq0YuBb3vaM8q_j8utBnhMutT15fJczwtIv8YuLX5QNf9-LLA0yeT2iMhJn9fuAt8pFLRvbJzWPtC8Irt7GtxK991COPjnTJb0V0RkK8hvBfJilTQyLTL5F9THToaJDcwk9zESWB9TnUiw3BWtcL5H_7F5mMa3HPyhvmHWpL/s1153/life%20update.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="1153" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqoJM3Mb07s2K1yFRU1Wy_yq0YuBb3vaM8q_j8utBnhMutT15fJczwtIv8YuLX5QNf9-LLA0yeT2iMhJn9fuAt8pFLRvbJzWPtC8Irt7GtxK991COPjnTJb0V0RkK8hvBfJilTQyLTL5F9THToaJDcwk9zESWB9TnUiw3BWtcL5H_7F5mMa3HPyhvmHWpL/w640-h226/life%20update.png" width="640" /></a></div><p>It's been three years since Matt and I moved to Seattle and I still feel it was the best decision we've ever made. After three years, the shock that we actually <i>did it, </i>that we truly picked up and basically started a whole new life, has worn off a bit. Now Seattle feels like more like home than an adventure.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIp5Lh-AXTdDSOmnej_tXUEZtP0PaTMbvF4IchmcCr66tBHfjSDZ_1fryGHsPMPb6qddFpWeH3GEQr2nzzGo1ztZo53di8iWgY6rYyVHRMZXakip3b6_npAiPDpw70tAzr37SJiB4kffdMJafUbAxdFZC6XdMxA8iaKa-XeRWtT-igbBrpwwo_LSqG1f07/s640/bye%20ffl.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="490" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIp5Lh-AXTdDSOmnej_tXUEZtP0PaTMbvF4IchmcCr66tBHfjSDZ_1fryGHsPMPb6qddFpWeH3GEQr2nzzGo1ztZo53di8iWgY6rYyVHRMZXakip3b6_npAiPDpw70tAzr37SJiB4kffdMJafUbAxdFZC6XdMxA8iaKa-XeRWtT-igbBrpwwo_LSqG1f07/w490-h640/bye%20ffl.jpeg" width="490" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bye, FL!</td></tr></tbody></table>So, three years in, I wanted to share some things I truly love about our new city.<span><a name='more'></a></span><p><b>The outdoors. </b>This has to top the list even though it's been said a million times. I just can't get enough of the trees, the hikes, the parks, the <b>green. </b><i>There is so much variety.</i><b> </b>Florida has its beauty if you like the beach, but it's hard to appreciate when you're constantly battling bugs, heat, and humidity. I had truly forgotten I loved being outside until we moved here.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ9FQ87TqK6EmVfsPVSDuAVBJbjtUeMYizoBdei-0gkgHo0TDkdCzahDZsfIf_F-IivCLZKn7KdST9sTXYZd7kU9iynGZMuLbeZK6OpcJ7Qq33og3vxdeUiz8zOE-bf3-K3FQ8XWzXXUAt1HMIv-wFj3RgG7xOflk814MQi0rtqVMwRljpHNR3Ur_ExYJa/s640/barclay%202.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="517" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ9FQ87TqK6EmVfsPVSDuAVBJbjtUeMYizoBdei-0gkgHo0TDkdCzahDZsfIf_F-IivCLZKn7KdST9sTXYZd7kU9iynGZMuLbeZK6OpcJ7Qq33og3vxdeUiz8zOE-bf3-K3FQ8XWzXXUAt1HMIv-wFj3RgG7xOflk814MQi0rtqVMwRljpHNR3Ur_ExYJa/w518-h640/barclay%202.jpeg" width="518" /></a></div><p><b>The weather.</b> Obviously I can't mention the outdoors without mentioning the weather. Not only do we have seasons, but we get the best of each one. Summer isn't too hot; winter isn't too cold. I feel like Goldilocks over here!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZm3ULkWsMoO0NoklohmwPYHqJLuJr9P2gqwzIW0H3kZ9x01xP5FQpD5MRvNnXhKl9lppvYzwKqHjmnpvBrTpFoHow0RXnugDtZ7HlnSxy6ojV50w8cx5K2VWlFCxvE1gUl5hlojmM_j_xyJjSwVBG7kW7ryKhOindxV_XWAZ_47THYs-Nr40qBp9VSBxs/s4032/IMG_0976.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZm3ULkWsMoO0NoklohmwPYHqJLuJr9P2gqwzIW0H3kZ9x01xP5FQpD5MRvNnXhKl9lppvYzwKqHjmnpvBrTpFoHow0RXnugDtZ7HlnSxy6ojV50w8cx5K2VWlFCxvE1gUl5hlojmM_j_xyJjSwVBG7kW7ryKhOindxV_XWAZ_47THYs-Nr40qBp9VSBxs/w640-h480/IMG_0976.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><p>We have the most beautiful summers I've ever experienced, with cloudless blue skies, blooming flowers, and temperatures that generally don't creep too far past 79°. Do we get rain? Yes. Do we get sun year round? Also yes. Plus just enough snow to keep it novel and fun!</p><p><b>Entertainment. </b>Before moving to Seattle, I didn't really seek out entertainment<i>. </i>Part of this was due to being a broke teacher with no energy or free time, but part of it was because I lived somewhere where "entertainment" consisted of the movie theater, mall, or beach. In Seattle, we've got choices.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ1HRjkhG0auwY0I0Y5Dzs1JkG-GezyPL2N4KGjBWehx_Pc5wT43Ln52joUgvbUjGkYDPuJQa_vI5Euzl2iW5KYwS5Gxy9miLnLugCbo-_cYNr0XKubYPM_UOhfbRi_8MdPGM5uSvi-9vWqaBF-aucrikMpKABID4opkWXF4dox-CwZqis5zjwiqO_o1K5/s4032/IMG_6151.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ1HRjkhG0auwY0I0Y5Dzs1JkG-GezyPL2N4KGjBWehx_Pc5wT43Ln52joUgvbUjGkYDPuJQa_vI5Euzl2iW5KYwS5Gxy9miLnLugCbo-_cYNr0XKubYPM_UOhfbRi_8MdPGM5uSvi-9vWqaBF-aucrikMpKABID4opkWXF4dox-CwZqis5zjwiqO_o1K5/w480-h640/IMG_6151.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Moore Theatre</td></tr></tbody></table>There are constantly things to do, from live shows and musicals (I finally got to see Les Mis!) to dozens of museums. Farmers markets, random events and festivals, concerts, eclectic shopping. There is always something to do and lots to choose from any day of the week.<p><b>Our walkable neighborhood.</b> One of the biggest perks, especially since buying our condo, is being able to walk nearly anywhere. The other day I had to get my flu shot and return an Amazon order. Rather than driving, I walked to Walgreens and then to UPS. The walk was less than two miles total and I got myself a Seattle Pop on the way home.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidt2LhXlKs4hjTtRgRtxqumtyB1CXA64_7jfWteWpXVXrgDogeF4k8DdkTQ2f1KGNb62P1oLgB23fWTH7359Li-ZvkXh6PyWAbpt6aaWHkjW06kFzg7J_v7xtpvLtPkifDiljgRZSKv5nLnM_WPVqq6qEI1oUOBJGfvGEq4Pva4Kk6YpRKvwoXWyS8tXOH/s1573/55521B3B-8AB3-4BED-B56E-E7D1D437E934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1573" data-original-width="1170" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidt2LhXlKs4hjTtRgRtxqumtyB1CXA64_7jfWteWpXVXrgDogeF4k8DdkTQ2f1KGNb62P1oLgB23fWTH7359Li-ZvkXh6PyWAbpt6aaWHkjW06kFzg7J_v7xtpvLtPkifDiljgRZSKv5nLnM_WPVqq6qEI1oUOBJGfvGEq4Pva4Kk6YpRKvwoXWyS8tXOH/w476-h640/55521B3B-8AB3-4BED-B56E-E7D1D437E934.jpg" width="476" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lilikoi Cream with a milk chocolate dip from Seattle Pops.</td></tr></tbody></table>I've read before that when people are nostalgic for college, what they really miss (besides a pretty manageable work-life balance) is living in a walkable neighborhood. I think that's really true. Being able to walk anywhere and start to recognize your neighbors makes you feel like you truly understand and belong in a place. You become a part of the community.<p>Our place is less than a mile from countless restaurants and coffee shops, groceries, ice cream (Seattle has a lot of local ice cream shops!), bars, shopping, and parks, and walking a mile here is completely doable because you don't break out in a sticky sweat the second you leave your air conditioned home.</p><p><b>Gluten free eating. </b>Generally, the food in Seattle is pretty great, but I have to focus in on the absolute abundance of gluten free options here. I have gotten spoiled. When I traveled to Missouri for work this summer, I realized I'd gotten very used to seeing clearly marked menus with lots of gluten free options.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNKRilU6tuU92RiLrIZU0GKBrGI0XD5PFrhSFsnZRwR3f3iXV_xLLJ9-21pEZxQTOKCVqOfBUkEHrLl9nLqFWgLdtFjXb4WNX4mm1IUFri80dvTpADFAewHe_TiTC7vcRK2Vl1-m-HLV9oQJTk5C68mMDUb2cKWZxMq-dCcF6hrd_R_BUNIgQvaxitVlIW/s3226/IMG_2942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3226" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNKRilU6tuU92RiLrIZU0GKBrGI0XD5PFrhSFsnZRwR3f3iXV_xLLJ9-21pEZxQTOKCVqOfBUkEHrLl9nLqFWgLdtFjXb4WNX4mm1IUFri80dvTpADFAewHe_TiTC7vcRK2Vl1-m-HLV9oQJTk5C68mMDUb2cKWZxMq-dCcF6hrd_R_BUNIgQvaxitVlIW/w600-h640/IMG_2942.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My birthday cake from Nuflours.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Every restaurant and bar in Seattle has options<i> </i>– <b>plural – </b>and I've never had so many <i>dedicated </i>gluten free bakeries and restaurants to choose from! I can't get over the novelty of being able to <i>order a professional birthday cake </i>instead of baking one, or pick up a sandwich while out and about.</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCUNrqCt7-CG8oYfgOPqQlxtKPDFpeZR-WXPvjlcNB0zB6p2Wd_gZ2AA4lktClfucrAuE1f72G9KkY4kqLJjDgKuufhRSlymz07XY485zusX6VCy7UkxP7PJLqxKicsr_cfGHIMxco9GjB2cU2pFEPndrgbwKIqsS4sU_a0hOEm9Ss-4EoPAa1LG7SiBRp/s4032/IMG_5018.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCUNrqCt7-CG8oYfgOPqQlxtKPDFpeZR-WXPvjlcNB0zB6p2Wd_gZ2AA4lktClfucrAuE1f72G9KkY4kqLJjDgKuufhRSlymz07XY485zusX6VCy7UkxP7PJLqxKicsr_cfGHIMxco9GjB2cU2pFEPndrgbwKIqsS4sU_a0hOEm9Ss-4EoPAa1LG7SiBRp/w480-h640/IMG_5018.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lemon raspberry pancakes at Portage Bay Cafe.</td></tr></tbody></table> Restaurants that aren't dedicated GF usually have at <i>least </i>three gluten free options on their menus, <i>not counting salads.</i></p><p>Besides everything I've listed, the bottom line is that there's something in the air here that's just so...nice. Life here feels full and easy in a way I don't think I've experienced before. </p><p>I'm the kind of happy I didn't realize could be long-term. Not like, a moment of happiness here and there, but a true, lasting contentment I didn't even know I was searching for. Credit the weather or the food or my new career path, but there's no arguing that three years later, I am absolutely so grateful we decided to make this move a reality.</p><p>Ali</p>Ali K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15736472530374069410noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417693555590736116.post-32542530386907962652023-09-11T19:47:00.001-07:002023-09-11T19:56:07.406-07:00I'm bad at balance<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN2p8IGSmj2gq0cm3OOJn8q_QXZLgxWWhBshR7AnBmMjb5TtQ2eOlPSx77y7G7Sbcz2vf6E7SBsefS6JFYBYNLgd_cXca6_XAnGHdj2lQlUsEnbYoUZaqFqQUjgT608Qn5BihqL7A1pYP1HcfE4I-FPJHu-lGslArwf4M2kAD5MgzSXyEnrMMT8ClEkPTJ/s1153/life%20update.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="1153" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN2p8IGSmj2gq0cm3OOJn8q_QXZLgxWWhBshR7AnBmMjb5TtQ2eOlPSx77y7G7Sbcz2vf6E7SBsefS6JFYBYNLgd_cXca6_XAnGHdj2lQlUsEnbYoUZaqFqQUjgT608Qn5BihqL7A1pYP1HcfE4I-FPJHu-lGslArwf4M2kAD5MgzSXyEnrMMT8ClEkPTJ/w640-h226/life%20update.png" width="640" /></a></div>I don't know if this is a marker of adulthood or just how my brain happens to function, but I've really found I can't seem to maintain more than one hobby at a time.<span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><div>Over the last few months, writing has become my primary interest. Once I broke through the self-imposed barrier of being too afraid to start, I've been...well, a little obsessed. Sitting down and losing myself in the story for two or three hours feels so wonderful after years of doing barely anything; it feels like it did years ago, when it was fun and effortless and care-free.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://media.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExOXp3bWIxeXlhNTkyd2NnMGJvZWJtZjNvb3Z0aGptZTBicjJvOW1xdSZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/8EtUI61dSIIe2XQnG9/giphy.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="270" height="640" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExOXp3bWIxeXlhNTkyd2NnMGJvZWJtZjNvb3Z0aGptZTBicjJvOW1xdSZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/8EtUI61dSIIe2XQnG9/giphy.gif" width="360" /></a></div><div><div>Speaking of writing, I was really moved by people's response to my <a href="https://www.seattleali.com/2023/08/tldr-im-writing-again.html" target="_blank">post</a> about getting back into it. I'm not sure why I have such weak faith in my friends that I imagined that, at best, they wouldn't care or, at worst, would be judgmental. Once I finish this draft and want to look for beta readers, I'll try to keep a more generous perspective on that.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>But for some reason, reigniting my writing in August put a damper on my workouts. Maybe I just have limited bandwidth; it's not like the issue is time so much as mental energy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaDr4GXYcFji1HX-7xzwNREmtwxUG_LJHpngDswFB9SyAQ5L0GT05AYn8JF5EcmsUUk7xrSshfBW4-30-FuMiY631Yj1t4Uof0g8-3PKm_TApw7TQDaTDTM-0LiVGSn4Ax-1pnYM27CZO0f9tfqZYNmpPWSJZQSJPheVHhARxk02AnVksTA_9kFpbiWwlS/s3187/IMG_5538.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2470" data-original-width="3187" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaDr4GXYcFji1HX-7xzwNREmtwxUG_LJHpngDswFB9SyAQ5L0GT05AYn8JF5EcmsUUk7xrSshfBW4-30-FuMiY631Yj1t4Uof0g8-3PKm_TApw7TQDaTDTM-0LiVGSn4Ax-1pnYM27CZO0f9tfqZYNmpPWSJZQSJPheVHhARxk02AnVksTA_9kFpbiWwlS/w640-h496/IMG_5538.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><div>My August calendar was quite disappointing on the running front, but it seems like August is historically a bit of a fallback month for me, so I'm brushing it off. I can feel really proud about reading three books and completing nearly 15 hours of writing.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>I tend to run in the mornings and write in the afternoons, but for some reason doing both on the same day is just too much to think about! When I wrote out my September calendar, I separated my days and made time for both, and I intend to be better about sticking to that.</div><div><br /></div><div>This week I finally scraped myself off the couch and got three good runs, a long walk, and a strength workout under my belt.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTqPQwaw9CHPUuiffYODX6_li78_PC-CHa7-GiOyKLWzn7NFC0IK1HMktRhE-mBmoT8R7qMiktx5qu1P4MTR9OhiYKeE7Bs27DuFsEl4pE8kiWTtIYHKDZJZaffod7sE2a_7lrBPl9kJKRPF7CuuFNcS90fgvvm-ZiurZ8svlW8qbLRKrQ61OHr4upRzum/s1327/IMG_5650.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1327" data-original-width="1170" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTqPQwaw9CHPUuiffYODX6_li78_PC-CHa7-GiOyKLWzn7NFC0IK1HMktRhE-mBmoT8R7qMiktx5qu1P4MTR9OhiYKeE7Bs27DuFsEl4pE8kiWTtIYHKDZJZaffod7sE2a_7lrBPl9kJKRPF7CuuFNcS90fgvvm-ZiurZ8svlW8qbLRKrQ61OHr4upRzum/w565-h640/IMG_5650.jpg" width="565" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">September's off to a good start!</td></tr></tbody></table><div>And, if I plan to run a birthday half in February as usual, it's about time to start thinking about serious training. Right now three miles is a slog, but I also know I can build back up without too much drama.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>In other news, Zoe celebrated her first birthday (or, you know, we celebrated based on the vet's best guess). I baked her a puppy-safe cake and she seemed to enjoy it.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrqSi6J3mdLllT4KMUHC8GIamoLWL9BuE1wMep3VVhb2TwFteteiQUCYH5Q59e1kSmCoWhDE8hUocCX26V6TAAOffZR5pfr2eIqIU5rNhlkq10IAEePxYun7-Ig9KkPV6R5WQpcTYOrB8ZYRNrJVs5UllEEzbHGNhAf6BHOfyajrJ4KoSeh-au4fypzi5a/s3109/IMG_6662.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3109" data-original-width="2483" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrqSi6J3mdLllT4KMUHC8GIamoLWL9BuE1wMep3VVhb2TwFteteiQUCYH5Q59e1kSmCoWhDE8hUocCX26V6TAAOffZR5pfr2eIqIU5rNhlkq10IAEePxYun7-Ig9KkPV6R5WQpcTYOrB8ZYRNrJVs5UllEEzbHGNhAf6BHOfyajrJ4KoSeh-au4fypzi5a/w512-h640/IMG_6662.HEIC" width="512" /></a></div></div><div>We also recently took her to the dog park for the first time to see how she'd do. She was the only one in the small dogs area, but she loved having the freedom to run around and she didn't seem bothered by the big dogs on the other side of the fence. I intend to make it more of a habit to bring her during the week.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1esSfF1biRUj_Dsu4fWbh2qZtt1Uej4-UDSTBFNUOmsfJteZf7eO4--a1RRimepbySLr5GrrHK_BgXhY2trBVjaGmumYxnZWBOfJhbDA-YIrQQv33izG9S_-vBGlsIFCWaiNjy9tXNV5y2fddo2QreBCFCz0kBvHbwL_ljxi8GmakeW9L6KNJhVedwNop/s4032/IMG_5645.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1esSfF1biRUj_Dsu4fWbh2qZtt1Uej4-UDSTBFNUOmsfJteZf7eO4--a1RRimepbySLr5GrrHK_BgXhY2trBVjaGmumYxnZWBOfJhbDA-YIrQQv33izG9S_-vBGlsIFCWaiNjy9tXNV5y2fddo2QreBCFCz0kBvHbwL_ljxi8GmakeW9L6KNJhVedwNop/w480-h640/IMG_5645.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div></div><div>It's hard to believe fall 2023 is here. I'm making the most of the last gorgeous days of late summer before proper running weather and colorful leaves return. Matt and I have another little getaway planned for next month and are tentatively planning some bigger trips in 2024...but more on that if and when they come to fruition.</div><div><br /></div><div>Ali</div>Ali K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15736472530374069410noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417693555590736116.post-20013713077811581692023-08-21T14:44:00.006-07:002023-09-24T17:09:06.747-07:00August reads<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyAo_1gfGKmkm3ezeE8rh2LaBCSN_9cLjMSY9OxrYstgNlgkTI9DXHRi6yhx2a5Yl2hDKBCcoSfOcErEUl7vPImBmRGf7rCs_uopVUiB9ELkNXwI2sbW3gqxNukAT1gqOIOjtCvJY5NO82xHQkSwpr1zkuggXiH5cszsTlYRZUhiqgyVYwejlYaPkV4Ob7/s1153/book%20banner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="1153" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyAo_1gfGKmkm3ezeE8rh2LaBCSN_9cLjMSY9OxrYstgNlgkTI9DXHRi6yhx2a5Yl2hDKBCcoSfOcErEUl7vPImBmRGf7rCs_uopVUiB9ELkNXwI2sbW3gqxNukAT1gqOIOjtCvJY5NO82xHQkSwpr1zkuggXiH5cszsTlYRZUhiqgyVYwejlYaPkV4Ob7/w640-h226/book%20banner.png" width="640" /></a></div><p>This month I surprised myself with the number of books I read! I've been mostly focusing on writing rather than reading, but a new book in a series I like was released August 1 while I was traveling for work, which set me up to read at least one thing this month. (Nothing's better than a new book on a plane!)</p><p>After that, I guess I just got on a roll!</p><p>While the book that got me started ended up disappointing me, I enjoyed two of the three books I read this month <i>and </i>I surpassed my 10-books-in-2023 goal!</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><b>The Bone Hacker by Kathy Reichs</b><p></p><p><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgEvMv42mc6BPI1WiDYTWP63Kxk1HLM9aysclNvjatYaTFZHOMCSA2grxoypO4bOmR-0aqVJMtJZI-QmPbVpA79ureI_z5CtCqjvka3Em-HbUToLu2_AiXksQetfdiAOEwTu8Rw6JgwVYtkDb_CTj6JS5o-hRFqSdWy4OjSrA65pJNP_VIjgJEj1_VW1XV/s1765/IMG_5286.PNG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1765" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgEvMv42mc6BPI1WiDYTWP63Kxk1HLM9aysclNvjatYaTFZHOMCSA2grxoypO4bOmR-0aqVJMtJZI-QmPbVpA79ureI_z5CtCqjvka3Em-HbUToLu2_AiXksQetfdiAOEwTu8Rw6JgwVYtkDb_CTj6JS5o-hRFqSdWy4OjSrA65pJNP_VIjgJEj1_VW1XV/w265-h400/IMG_5286.PNG" width="265" /></a></b>The first book I read, and the one I had the highest expectations for, was <i>The Bone Hacker </i>by Kathy Reichs. This is another book in her Temperance Brennan series, which the TV show <i>Bones</i> is based on.</p><p>These books are always easy reads with real forensic details (the author is an actual forensic anthropologist) and interesting twists. Generally I expect the first body in the book to seem unrelated to the bigger case, but in the end they always connect in some way. Often this is done seamlessly, sometimes connecting decades-old cold cases with new murders.</p><p><i>The Bone Hacker </i>was more of the same, but felt a little unwieldy from the start. Not only do we get a gunshot victim in Canada whose murder leads Brennan to Turks and Caicos, but we also have an apparent serial killer on the island and a lost boat filled with mysteriously dead people. Connecting these three plots felt like...overkill.</p><p>On top of that, I picked up on some anti-Jewish micro-aggressions (and some downright egregious antisemitism) that absolutely left me feeling disappointed. It was the sort of thing that, unless you're pretty well-versed in antisemitism, you might miss, so I was going to give Reichs the benefit of the doubt...until she called the Jewish suspect's dog a "Nazi dog." I actually said, "Really?!" out loud when I read that bit. This was the point where I would have stopped reading if I weren't already 85% in.</p><p>There are some weird, heavy-handed stereotypes about Jews and Israelis in this book, and an overdone mix of motives, attempting a mix of terrorist plots, incels, and serial killers. All in all, I was quite disappointed in this one and now I'm thinking I may not want to read the next in the series, which is a shame, because, 20+ novels in, I was really enjoying them, and it's nice to have a series on hand you know you can rely on.</p><p><b>How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKaoVxjPWRhD3OO8wy4jp2p8avNeVX5kq3k8cIg8Xe42L8NT1Rm7CYgG0tk1U46Q2XIEgSWnHg7q8TdLkOfHlyHYpcjDqL5WaEdFc8qQQdO4e7tHwOUqZtk3u_USjGmE3Zhm3WB-igwCglF34u25u4M7hOQ5HWliei9Zt26Zk7bB8EQBgxoF3P5nKpIHpE/s1737/IMG_5422.PNG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1737" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKaoVxjPWRhD3OO8wy4jp2p8avNeVX5kq3k8cIg8Xe42L8NT1Rm7CYgG0tk1U46Q2XIEgSWnHg7q8TdLkOfHlyHYpcjDqL5WaEdFc8qQQdO4e7tHwOUqZtk3u_USjGmE3Zhm3WB-igwCglF34u25u4M7hOQ5HWliei9Zt26Zk7bB8EQBgxoF3P5nKpIHpE/w270-h400/IMG_5422.PNG" width="270" /></a></div>The second book of August was <i>How to Sell a Haunted House</i> by Grady Hendrix. I do like horror (Stephen King made me a reader and a writer!) but I haven't read a lot of it lately. I don't remember who put this book on my radar, but it was a nice change of pace!<p></p><p>This novel centers around a brother and sister who have lost their parents and need to sell their childhood home. Little by little, you see hints that things aren't completely normal with this family. There's an excellent mid-book reveal and a satisfying twist near the end. </p><p>The haunting in this book is truly bizarre and left me rolling my eyes sometimes, but I think that's part of the fun. I wouldn't call this book <i>scary</i> but there was some body-horror (nothing too grotesque), and if you find dolls and puppets creepy, this may scare the pants off you.</p><p>What I liked most in this book was the exploration of the family dynamics and how keeping secrets and burying trauma can impact future generations. When you get right down to it, the best horror explores the human condition and relationships, making the haunting a lens for how circumstances impact us. </p><p>Despite some moments of having to <i>really </i>suspend my disbelief, I enjoyed this book and will read more by Hendrix.</p><p><b>Murder on Astor Place by Victoria Thompson</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-C3l3OOSlDaCQHtf7Vy7aQ6leHTyQtQUKseSdRuMStaVA23xmH8wUf0kJO5jGMGYf0yzIwhR0Bob7a-Ng_sI8wGrQDnLcDsFG3bSYDcCp8-DBOooG2qIjRmq9yom5fqM-y8ZU8h5DQ3IwGHlNE2AKjbXZ9emWpRDiLcodoZXvEP0z79uJWEVy_uCcD9qF/s1861/IMG_5482.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1861" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-C3l3OOSlDaCQHtf7Vy7aQ6leHTyQtQUKseSdRuMStaVA23xmH8wUf0kJO5jGMGYf0yzIwhR0Bob7a-Ng_sI8wGrQDnLcDsFG3bSYDcCp8-DBOooG2qIjRmq9yom5fqM-y8ZU8h5DQ3IwGHlNE2AKjbXZ9emWpRDiLcodoZXvEP0z79uJWEVy_uCcD9qF/w251-h400/IMG_5482.jpg" width="251" /></a></div>Finally, I finished the month with <i>Murder on Astor Place </i>by Victoria Thompson. I came across this series accidentally when a book-Tuber I watch mentioned the genre of "gaslight mysteries". Google brought up this series and the first book title intrigued me (I'm a sucker for anything resembling my maiden name). The series sounded a bit like the Anne Perry series I enjoyed in high school so I thought I'd give it a shot.<p></p><p>I read this book in a day! The characters were intriguing and complex, although sometimes written a little obviously. The book takes place in the 1890s and the protagonist, Sarah Brandt, is bold, confident, and unconcerned with flouting society's expectations. Frank Malloy, the detective in the series, is boorish and cutthroat, but as his history is slowly revealed, you come to understand why he is what he is. Of course, Sarah influences him to change in small but important ways early on by just being her confounding self!</p><p>I know later in the series they end up married, so I'm looking forward to a slow burn as their relationship develops. You definitely get the idea that Frank finds Sarah puzzling and obnoxious, but soon appreciates how she challenges him. They're barely friends by the end of this book, so I'm assuming it takes them awhile to get together.</p><p>As for the mystery, I found it well done. It was satisfyingly twisty, I didn't guess the murderer ahead of time, and the outcome and motives were (unfortunately) equal parts believable and horrifying.</p><p>I thoroughly enjoyed this one and will be picking up the next book in the series soon!</p><p>Ali</p>Ali K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15736472530374069410noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417693555590736116.post-72547342060331955372023-08-17T19:15:00.001-07:002023-11-28T17:55:49.981-08:00TL;DR: I'm writing again<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsch0isRNUmG1GxQXrnPOPL9uH7Ftp9ZGGIQ9zHZlfRbCMzTguXayxiEmr3WEuDL7y-UGwhE38UoR3Le3DOitAL4whyhdsGSAfL9yAsLJ2X4JJHaFrk_6ua1nhMPbZVBDUxbMHfQktBmB0tnjvR17tua5vD9SgmfrYYwot9tUpr_mSrIplXGyXpFGs0qPN/s1153/writing%20update.png"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="1153" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsch0isRNUmG1GxQXrnPOPL9uH7Ftp9ZGGIQ9zHZlfRbCMzTguXayxiEmr3WEuDL7y-UGwhE38UoR3Le3DOitAL4whyhdsGSAfL9yAsLJ2X4JJHaFrk_6ua1nhMPbZVBDUxbMHfQktBmB0tnjvR17tua5vD9SgmfrYYwot9tUpr_mSrIplXGyXpFGs0qPN/w640-h226/writing%20update.png" width="640" /></a></div>Buckle up, folks. This one is long and rambling, but in order to get to the point (hey! I'm writing again!), I had to provide some context as to why this is a big deal. Light on the pictures, heavy on the self-reflection. Here we go.<span><a name='more'></a></span><div><div><br /></div>In July 2021, I started going to therapy. When we first moved to Seattle, I was jobless for the first time in my adult life. I wasn't stressed about the job search; on the contrary, I enjoyed the time off as I worked on transitioning to a new career. I felt like I could actually breathe and recuperate for once! But all that downtime gave me the opportunity to think, and two things became apparent.<div><br /></div><div>First, I realized just how toxic and traumatic teaching had become for me in the last few years. (I am talking <a href="https://journeypureriver.com/big-t-little-t-trauma/#:~:text=Little%20“t”%20traumas%20are%20highly,and%20loss%20of%20significant%20relationships." target="_blank">little-t-trauma</a> here, not big-T-Trauma. Between the active shooter drills, mental exhaustion, unattainable expectations, rampant disrespect, and emotional manipulation and blackmail, teaching truly has a traumatizing effect on the brain.) </div><div><br /></div><div>Reckoning with that was emotionally depleting; for the first time, I was coming to terms with just how abusive teaching had been. I realized I had buried so much of myself in order to survive day-to-day, losing touch with my emotions and personality. The more time went by, the more I began to thaw, and the more I realized I'd been in survival mode for years on end and my body and mind didn't know how to cope when I finally had the time and space to reflect on it.</div><div><br /></div><div>I began to see that I – an oversensitive, sentimental softy – had become a sarcastic and jaded person, and I wasn't sure how or when that happened. </div><div><br /></div><div>The second thing I realized was that being in a constant state of overextension and strain had destroyed my identity, my sense of fun, and my ability to enjoy being out in public and around new people. In short, my natural introversion had morphed into full on social anxiety and I'd lost the ability to enjoy things I once had.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'd lost my hobbies, my creativity, my joy.</div><div><br /></div><div>I wanted different for my life in Seattle. I wanted to rediscover who I was and lean into all the things I had cast aside.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, I sought therapy, and over the last two+ years my therapist and I have worked on exactly that, which brings me (finally) to today's topic.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm writing again.</div><div><br /></div><div>I had found myself missing it, had found myself <b>wanting to want </b>to write, and so my therapist suggested I set a measurable goal for weekly writing and stick that goal on my workout calendar and report back in a few weeks with an update.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was out of practice and at first writing for 30 uninterrupted minutes felt difficult and almost painful. My brain was sluggish. Words I used to pick out of my mind with ease were elusive. The imagery I wrote felt stilted and flat.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA30JB-yOUu9docNuU_PolDn_UPx_sOUF6b6r-tOCompnr-Axd37sCM46kov36EWYIGZijiDyCMUrkIy2CG4V2C1ekNE4_ASBAf7x1_budv1s8BNO5bealPjigWdqlYyQWuyrNapkgMt15uuiTPqa2ZtVoSVjk3QuqPGzf9npqafytzeh_xq8SjmRxBf9Y/s4032/IMG_5130.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA30JB-yOUu9docNuU_PolDn_UPx_sOUF6b6r-tOCompnr-Axd37sCM46kov36EWYIGZijiDyCMUrkIy2CG4V2C1ekNE4_ASBAf7x1_budv1s8BNO5bealPjigWdqlYyQWuyrNapkgMt15uuiTPqa2ZtVoSVjk3QuqPGzf9npqafytzeh_xq8SjmRxBf9Y/w640-h480/IMG_5130.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Truly the best helper.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div>But over the next few weeks my brain remembered how to create and I found myself having fun again. Soon I was writing for 90 minutes at a time.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then, we upped the stakes.</div><div><br /></div><div>After discussing my goals with regard to writing, I sheepishly admitted that I had always wanted to publish a novel, but that's clearly pretty hard to do if you won't let anyone read what you're writing.</div><div><br /></div><div><div>For context, I really don't share my writing. At all. I mean, obviously I share this blog, but it's low-stakes. How vulnerable is it to share day-to-day life stuff? (I mean, I guess talking about working through work-related-trauma is fairly vulnerable, but that's beside the point.)</div><div><br /></div><div>What I'm getting at is that I've been writing fiction for as long as I can remember and I stopped letting anyone look at it around the time I hit puberty. It just felt like letting people see what my imagination was making up was way too scary. Writing is so personal; it's something you're literally creating out of nothing using just your thoughts, and my rejection-sensitive ego can't handle a single word of constructive feedback, so I avoided it at all costs.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>My therapist suggested I share a tiny bit of my writing with a safe person, and the first person I thought of was Elizabeth. (She turned out to be the perfect choice: she likes reading the genre I write in, she's not a literary critic of any kind, she's been begging to read what I write for ages, and she loves me too much to be mean.)</div><div><br /></div><div>She was ecstatic when I told her of this plan.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNphtGZLE4UURiKXgjRXTQQZ4uFor5xgJphh4Dqo6qg8K8tGiTt5yjcQq92z6U90QKb32Q523tLMMXuIJxFoV8tmca0JdifbaKXJP6oS72w0VC5D8ws6WPNtjQnT6C6UG85YLXf5ObeeLLEG0dtMQJP0kWtUKXYUGhIEmApJkcE22HsvjYXAJI8IinSiKG/s2167/IMG_5451.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2167" data-original-width="1169" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNphtGZLE4UURiKXgjRXTQQZ4uFor5xgJphh4Dqo6qg8K8tGiTt5yjcQq92z6U90QKb32Q523tLMMXuIJxFoV8tmca0JdifbaKXJP6oS72w0VC5D8ws6WPNtjQnT6C6UG85YLXf5ObeeLLEG0dtMQJP0kWtUKXYUGhIEmApJkcE22HsvjYXAJI8IinSiKG/w346-h640/IMG_5451.jpg" width="346" /></a></div><div>So, I began sharing a paragraph with her each time I sat down to write, starting at the beginning of the novel I'm working on. I gave her strict rules (questions and comments okay, but absolutely no criticism) so when she responded with pure gushing kindness, it was hard to believe it was genuine. But as I've sent more and we've talked about it at length, I've realized some things.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sharing my writing makes it easier to talk about it, which makes the weaknesses in my writing feel less personal. I used to feel like if my <b>writing </b>was bad, <b>I</b> was bad, and therefore worthless and stupid etc etc. But this process has helped me get beyond that. Weaknesses feel a little easier to identify and tackle. </div><div><br /></div><div>Talking about my writing helps me adhere to the writer's mantra of the first draft: <b>let it be bad. </b></div><div><br /></div><div>Amazingly, I've been able to move away from the fear that my writing itself is bad (because honestly, I know I can write) and face the fear that the story is boring, or being told poorly, or is somehow embarrassing or weird. Now that those fears seem outlandish, I can instead focus on the knowledge that I have the least practice with construction and pacing, so there will be parts of the story that need major help later on, and that's okay. Those are things I can learn about and work on when I'm ready.</div><div><br /></div><div>I don't have to magically be perfect at this. It's okay to make mistakes and make revisions and take some critical feedback. (Someday. We're getting there. For now, I just want to actually be able to finish this first draft of the novel.)</div><div><br /></div><div>Having someone to talk to about my writing who has now <i>read </i>my writing has motivated me to write more and enjoy it more, and it's made me more productive than I've been in the last 15 years.</div><div><br /></div><div>I feel like I'm writing with a purpose and passion again. Finally.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, this whole long blog post is basically my way of saying: I'm writing again, and I will probably write about my writing sometimes here at HTGR, and I'm proud of myself and so fucking grateful for therapy.</div><div><br /></div><div>Ali<br /></div></div>Ali K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15736472530374069410noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417693555590736116.post-68606290478691603132023-08-15T21:33:00.001-07:002023-10-09T16:29:06.598-07:00A weekend away<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwv3HpRum5H1mcinbMyB_zwLppaZ0ykYXaofIt1OIqcVk58Ocngr3h4M8bzbf2rkkifepaiiD9t4tg5_McnC3FQt8aFQe1IrBGqhswUTJ2aYlRH_G9u2ET_9fUwOv2EeM_PMP1dtqKYCvnpC1gAaSdcouG5z5s3_Kgc4G7YeofiJNzRAhwGmZqZbj4gaEg/s1153/hike%20banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="1153" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwv3HpRum5H1mcinbMyB_zwLppaZ0ykYXaofIt1OIqcVk58Ocngr3h4M8bzbf2rkkifepaiiD9t4tg5_McnC3FQt8aFQe1IrBGqhswUTJ2aYlRH_G9u2ET_9fUwOv2EeM_PMP1dtqKYCvnpC1gAaSdcouG5z5s3_Kgc4G7YeofiJNzRAhwGmZqZbj4gaEg/w640-h226/hike%20banner.png" width="640" /></a></div>I've been dreaming of taking a completely chill, no-stress vacation since the minute Matt entered drill school. I knew how little I'd see of him during those 15 weeks and I knew we'd want some major quality time after graduation. I couldn't plan this vacation ahead of time because we didn't know what his shifts would look like, but once we had his schedule I started scoping out some options, and I landed on Bainbridge Island.<span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><div>Bainbridge is a small island accessible from Seattle by ferry. We've gone many times – in fact, we just went with my Mom when she was in town. But we've only ever done day trips. The ferry takes less than 30 minutes and the main little town area is full of cute shops and restaurants. Little did we know, though, that were is hiking on Bainbridge! In fact, Bainbridge is home to the Grand Forest and other nature preserves.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSe9Wr9RbALdBpKHQqPTh_QH1HLCpj24ggIWd787ks2VAYxDzJ4u0ewe7rfWt12J-Gn_Qb6JiP7H5tI9pgNjkBmYFqpp6brG6PbS6NfWA9sXFqFxjJbW7Q_yhe6ll8sOiiwwXwCSBQFy5yDc8PLv1-YPcETCl3KB8NFe7ZC5fQTp88Yu5CC6TPXBMqQkz/s4032/IMG_6356.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSe9Wr9RbALdBpKHQqPTh_QH1HLCpj24ggIWd787ks2VAYxDzJ4u0ewe7rfWt12J-Gn_Qb6JiP7H5tI9pgNjkBmYFqpp6brG6PbS6NfWA9sXFqFxjJbW7Q_yhe6ll8sOiiwwXwCSBQFy5yDc8PLv1-YPcETCl3KB8NFe7ZC5fQTp88Yu5CC6TPXBMqQkz/w480-h640/IMG_6356.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flashback to the ferry ride with mom in July!</td></tr></tbody></table><div>My favorite kind of hiking is the kind where you're surrounded by trees the entire time and there's no real rocking climbing involved. So, I was sold.</div><div><br /></div><div>We booked an adorable, pet-friendly cabin on Airbnb and I spent the rest of June and July daydreaming about our upcoming getaway.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0O-7Jsx4qQt4Z3fdzZ7oYzW3bMdYYjdkj5lcr4eMQi6gbALw4-3Ka8wxEUMa5dOqX6YvTYYM4Qe58Ic4dBwOVMHyZpJSqO3qxQKTZtHBuHwrheUo_zzaKk3ttBsUxS2wNN52a80dZQX3LIUZ_COm1bcTkofnWAoyumrZaLI3wQ_LQt_1kT4hkWWnpjjn1/s4032/IMG_5298.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0O-7Jsx4qQt4Z3fdzZ7oYzW3bMdYYjdkj5lcr4eMQi6gbALw4-3Ka8wxEUMa5dOqX6YvTYYM4Qe58Ic4dBwOVMHyZpJSqO3qxQKTZtHBuHwrheUo_zzaKk3ttBsUxS2wNN52a80dZQX3LIUZ_COm1bcTkofnWAoyumrZaLI3wQ_LQt_1kT4hkWWnpjjn1/w480-h640/IMG_5298.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It did not disappoint!</td></tr></tbody></table><div>I logged out of work a little early on Friday and we got on a late-afternoon ferry. Zoe had never been on a ferry before, and she's not always the best in the car, but she did a great job! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsApxeljzhoj_l0Naj0JIonwKKpCL0PBVxYFL3PTqHtKmqRikWXQPbNMzYhjXOFS92iTEHVLFNE6cyTm8f7ID0b192nF3q7pjQ0ELkpsBUKRxo76saOmDpGEcVBqEkHHzS6L-MyZRYKXGv8ChqdHH0kr9yNWgqIqOtsZc-4ois9EE0Rc0b_ZfDdEq3xk2P/s4032/IMG_5295.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsApxeljzhoj_l0Naj0JIonwKKpCL0PBVxYFL3PTqHtKmqRikWXQPbNMzYhjXOFS92iTEHVLFNE6cyTm8f7ID0b192nF3q7pjQ0ELkpsBUKRxo76saOmDpGEcVBqEkHHzS6L-MyZRYKXGv8ChqdHH0kr9yNWgqIqOtsZc-4ois9EE0Rc0b_ZfDdEq3xk2P/w480-h640/IMG_5295.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioDcVKAI3HpCCDmeZIrWhsWZ_RQp5PmG2c5ncKs-GMX9nDsAu5XS1bYfHF9eLW8wcQC1hG4ueNuY2C2G2wSI2Iiw93j7cUB3zo3jGFjKoJbmmi2J2JULZnUKdz3cX5eJ1YMbLTMRA1MKRfpoJ0ImXGashG6jBcknpE31J3rXclNVK1_OenwTouMIP38-sB/s4032/IMG_5287.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioDcVKAI3HpCCDmeZIrWhsWZ_RQp5PmG2c5ncKs-GMX9nDsAu5XS1bYfHF9eLW8wcQC1hG4ueNuY2C2G2wSI2Iiw93j7cUB3zo3jGFjKoJbmmi2J2JULZnUKdz3cX5eJ1YMbLTMRA1MKRfpoJ0ImXGashG6jBcknpE31J3rXclNVK1_OenwTouMIP38-sB/w480-h640/IMG_5287.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The wind really got those ears flapping!</td></tr></tbody></table><div>We got to the cabin around 6pm and got settled in. I wish I'd taken some pictures of the inside before we dumped our stuff, because it was beautiful – vaulted ceilings, a fireplace, and a gorgeous view out into the forest from the bed.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPz-7AGiHk7t_5dDxijzX0-5TxbHf89g-6EIENJgBoYylt4EHi5mqaTrlVm92ojLPNEJUwHZc3qit-Xl2Qhlx3HRNUbPObchYIHBiRuVcoqKCy1NcI2G-KzrYehOB_C_pO1Fwsfh84gDOcGOTr9qlCf8sNtPzjw7qRP1E4YYgsNyGLTEQZVZtTlo6MmZe/s4032/IMG_5300.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPz-7AGiHk7t_5dDxijzX0-5TxbHf89g-6EIENJgBoYylt4EHi5mqaTrlVm92ojLPNEJUwHZc3qit-Xl2Qhlx3HRNUbPObchYIHBiRuVcoqKCy1NcI2G-KzrYehOB_C_pO1Fwsfh84gDOcGOTr9qlCf8sNtPzjw7qRP1E4YYgsNyGLTEQZVZtTlo6MmZe/w640-h480/IMG_5300.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning view.</td></tr></tbody></table><div>Saturday morning we slept in and took our time having breakfast. Then, we headed out to Gazzam Lake for our first hike of the day. This nature preserve has a few different trails you can follow, and we opted to follow the fork down to the beach first, picking wild blackberries along the way. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9PjplC67VAKvR8vKJYZ0FtQnabEGuU5syISrEwpqdNKLSEAdKFdLWC5j5a3y05xMcOO-aOwpeK6eD1b3Wji6c6o-_L2AV9httVZ-7z3whAdEmrO1-1Ha0gtKVQZZ7-U32va50QhfnOZVP5gRlx2cFVkA6fa5S9jjchxNbm3U48Ej-X4BLZulTy18-HQLi/s4032/IMG_5309.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9PjplC67VAKvR8vKJYZ0FtQnabEGuU5syISrEwpqdNKLSEAdKFdLWC5j5a3y05xMcOO-aOwpeK6eD1b3Wji6c6o-_L2AV9httVZ-7z3whAdEmrO1-1Ha0gtKVQZZ7-U32va50QhfnOZVP5gRlx2cFVkA6fa5S9jjchxNbm3U48Ej-X4BLZulTy18-HQLi/w480-h640/IMG_5309.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYEbQ9KMkMpqIP7Exjws1pek5TF_WCiKIX2uBJCjc6qg8WPqR6T7qrN6Oae5qLNfG0DhwesEFnMQ_cCkObziEpZu8e1Z-rRZcUg55fQh5A4TuZWYtuhq6m8pmUjCJqZuyjvU-p9IYSkawU2cO2Xl9sZHR74V8U6ZYaSeH3r0mvcyB0oc7ww4KEwHs_Ml5w/s3088/IMG_5320.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYEbQ9KMkMpqIP7Exjws1pek5TF_WCiKIX2uBJCjc6qg8WPqR6T7qrN6Oae5qLNfG0DhwesEFnMQ_cCkObziEpZu8e1Z-rRZcUg55fQh5A4TuZWYtuhq6m8pmUjCJqZuyjvU-p9IYSkawU2cO2Xl9sZHR74V8U6ZYaSeH3r0mvcyB0oc7ww4KEwHs_Ml5w/w480-h640/IMG_5320.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvS9A1OaZ4gz3dvs3bfeuhbFMXMZJdlyy2d4vEn34IMRoTH3ETrzo6Ketekpbmh-bQih5_oROmntI3oHqCpfI9zOBitt1c80D9sAb0by9IZ4W5T-yK1XuX86JTDD2PXT83trqKQd3yrB1zMqqoLqPGhav8LkWAk_Kw9NeQYPPhiNJYYNUZ6a6UP6Z8gMv-/s4032/IMG_5321.HEIC"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvS9A1OaZ4gz3dvs3bfeuhbFMXMZJdlyy2d4vEn34IMRoTH3ETrzo6Ketekpbmh-bQih5_oROmntI3oHqCpfI9zOBitt1c80D9sAb0by9IZ4W5T-yK1XuX86JTDD2PXT83trqKQd3yrB1zMqqoLqPGhav8LkWAk_Kw9NeQYPPhiNJYYNUZ6a6UP6Z8gMv-/w480-h640/IMG_5321.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div>This part of the hike was a little less than 2.5 miles round trip.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAq-WEXwQ6MuNu5FgjfqsZnjAAIZGVmZFR3VHwshfHImvXHjq5nyjOv2X1m3wZHfitvFQGB1jpbi8dKHrfCaqRYwwNGwfheYrnw6yUu6i6CuE6y1OsaSRdgeZYW3qOYrA808x_1cD2Aq5XoqXysWw1MgtyK8eIApdr0BMWB_KTgEEcpkhHwmPkJ07Yum3m/s4032/IMG_5327.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAq-WEXwQ6MuNu5FgjfqsZnjAAIZGVmZFR3VHwshfHImvXHjq5nyjOv2X1m3wZHfitvFQGB1jpbi8dKHrfCaqRYwwNGwfheYrnw6yUu6i6CuE6y1OsaSRdgeZYW3qOYrA808x_1cD2Aq5XoqXysWw1MgtyK8eIApdr0BMWB_KTgEEcpkhHwmPkJ07Yum3m/w640-h480/IMG_5327.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can't tell but they're on a giant rock.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu6hJQr2WS76EB2pajjnvZMHAbp1_GdVZkvhtYz1x8A59q7pKO_AtmI86nWW2iutNWlASI0b-jfKKgCFApVzuc_KIJZ8kQlOaN02sSvHiAsLn4QKMe6V0YZmODf6sND2f0ah5irNvLHhISGHTq4-iIy9Qgd67ifiIBH2YDYXptMqngDldggjtLG_pqkyd4/s4032/IMG_5329.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu6hJQr2WS76EB2pajjnvZMHAbp1_GdVZkvhtYz1x8A59q7pKO_AtmI86nWW2iutNWlASI0b-jfKKgCFApVzuc_KIJZ8kQlOaN02sSvHiAsLn4QKMe6V0YZmODf6sND2f0ah5irNvLHhISGHTq4-iIy9Qgd67ifiIBH2YDYXptMqngDldggjtLG_pqkyd4/w480-h640/IMG_5329.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div></div><div>When we got back to the fork, we decided it was time for lunch. We headed back to the cabin where we had leftover Thai for lunch while Zoe caught a nap. Then, we made our way back to the preserve and hiked down to the lake.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXRyMpxlf-mQZYywmmz8GYfN3GmmkpGGdH2jUug3ynmwaDuhvliSFQUQrnPC9yVQw5NO-el9g3BVKmv42qvTJSNVViAZPG-ZBXen1NUlNFVvOpRV9e0LHzX3vCv8QVnvXzVX4uhrPw0wwsTTgUMG0bZHSchEs0JC4CEksJZPU8YjzmOX3CLOaZuKwAOjxt/s4032/IMG_6556.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXRyMpxlf-mQZYywmmz8GYfN3GmmkpGGdH2jUug3ynmwaDuhvliSFQUQrnPC9yVQw5NO-el9g3BVKmv42qvTJSNVViAZPG-ZBXen1NUlNFVvOpRV9e0LHzX3vCv8QVnvXzVX4uhrPw0wwsTTgUMG0bZHSchEs0JC4CEksJZPU8YjzmOX3CLOaZuKwAOjxt/w480-h640/IMG_6556.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div>This was a really cool little hike. It's basically downhill switchbacks the entire way, and at the end of the trail you find yourself on a stretch of pebbly beach on the lake shore. Zoe attempted to jump onto a rock in the water and ended up soaking wet. Matt set up the hammock and we chilled over the water for a little while, until the tide came in and we had to bail. The hike back up was...well, uphill switchbacks the entire way.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX-ry_MS554lwbGxlz8AEvnRWm91xXSspJ_kHFhWJKBolloNFo0OZQGj9ZUHVMcXE2AAuFniLtcWHqT4ePZl9QsBwcbTcd94_Cr0pzElkF8NK42OctX-cq5XKMWsLXJ5Nakekl4GqeqJ0rMt_yuzzYEDewdb0GRD6whzvFdtz7WNNv54_Aka8batZULZtr/s4032/IMG_5351.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX-ry_MS554lwbGxlz8AEvnRWm91xXSspJ_kHFhWJKBolloNFo0OZQGj9ZUHVMcXE2AAuFniLtcWHqT4ePZl9QsBwcbTcd94_Cr0pzElkF8NK42OctX-cq5XKMWsLXJ5Nakekl4GqeqJ0rMt_yuzzYEDewdb0GRD6whzvFdtz7WNNv54_Aka8batZULZtr/w640-h480/IMG_5351.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div></div><div>All in all, Saturday we hiked about 5.5 miles. We stopped for ice cream at Bainbridge's <a href="https://mynorthwest.com/34451/bainbridge-mora-iced-creamery-named-best-in-us/" target="_blank">famous</a> Mora Iced Creamery (the line was out the door, as usual, but still worth the wait), then picked up Mexican for dinner.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbcvQcwpkCJl91xqAajXjhywnGNpGjg5dDcN0dTZDuPa1Xj77LhyBOZocW9NRc3KtFJfrRi8wlFBP2pPtW2nu2WAooKHUNfGBn36SxVVkvM6WRDvTI17yb-T_-0AjPkAEZNmiNopPZTvlCY3mpC0VMEEp8LLhEPQWiDmaMfhXRio81oam3gQo2SZt_8BMw/s4032/IMG_5378.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbcvQcwpkCJl91xqAajXjhywnGNpGjg5dDcN0dTZDuPa1Xj77LhyBOZocW9NRc3KtFJfrRi8wlFBP2pPtW2nu2WAooKHUNfGBn36SxVVkvM6WRDvTI17yb-T_-0AjPkAEZNmiNopPZTvlCY3mpC0VMEEp8LLhEPQWiDmaMfhXRio81oam3gQo2SZt_8BMw/w640-h480/IMG_5378.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zoe was completely tuckered out after her big day and a shower.</td></tr></tbody></table><div>Sunday was more of the same. We had a relaxing breakfast, then played with Zoe on the Airbnb's property. They have a huge grassy yard for their dogs, and Zoe had a blast chasing Matt around. She definitely wiped out a few times. There were wild blackberries all along the yard and we (and Zoe) enjoyed our fill.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIxJ_24bpdmdI5OmbwdoMpGJL_-p958fq9c4mefwP6vG9eib_lG4Lr2Gdn3IFxS5ymRVkl2XfgQXF11BcN8wprNHMl1dNp795JU-moQPd-W90SuewYXrxWw6AWToMuy9swr2XonuIG0RJALKoBxSuJpGGX1yFbT4zI7rFCg1fGLQys-AzXl9sKbj-4pT7v/s1555/IMG_5432.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1555" data-original-width="1165" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIxJ_24bpdmdI5OmbwdoMpGJL_-p958fq9c4mefwP6vG9eib_lG4Lr2Gdn3IFxS5ymRVkl2XfgQXF11BcN8wprNHMl1dNp795JU-moQPd-W90SuewYXrxWw6AWToMuy9swr2XonuIG0RJALKoBxSuJpGGX1yFbT4zI7rFCg1fGLQys-AzXl9sKbj-4pT7v/w480-h640/IMG_5432.PNG" width="480" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNY9a9W-CKaFJzPfaJ8AcNtu0bJTc8ssUsFNutlPztv1KEltbQaOWLc6P32Mc5IVaRuEcGZxizZ0NQIIFh8MHPlHvks-lwaxrQ_ICzOnMTDxSMJDMZ0MM7QTUEAody90aDcz-vKY3r6N4Hi61RfYK400_8kHQNaoA2R0UVmNRdQfJe62zakw5g4IiNuCER/s1557/IMG_5430.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1557" data-original-width="1168" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNY9a9W-CKaFJzPfaJ8AcNtu0bJTc8ssUsFNutlPztv1KEltbQaOWLc6P32Mc5IVaRuEcGZxizZ0NQIIFh8MHPlHvks-lwaxrQ_ICzOnMTDxSMJDMZ0MM7QTUEAody90aDcz-vKY3r6N4Hi61RfYK400_8kHQNaoA2R0UVmNRdQfJe62zakw5g4IiNuCER/w480-h640/IMG_5430.PNG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The amazing flying Zoe!</td></tr></tbody></table><div>After lunch, we made our way to the Grand Forest, which was less than five minutes from our rental. This hike was absolutely gorgeous. I just can't get enough of seeing sunlight filtered through leaves.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9uh_B-bCgjJXCRKUgDC4pY6j6_09mxz34a_oySa01pgcoc-ToHlbMcxYie8sgLqz87TlhpVPyTHyVArmEd_nwKrOattqC8tDOkaKtf6IxkshhnjQhlXsIHbTi1Bp6TzTia3sEMjZgnr0eHHvb-59c1i6eks03k4aoqmQXBuAUSM9iq5Lg1oMMguJ3l8fR/s4032/IMG_5396.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9uh_B-bCgjJXCRKUgDC4pY6j6_09mxz34a_oySa01pgcoc-ToHlbMcxYie8sgLqz87TlhpVPyTHyVArmEd_nwKrOattqC8tDOkaKtf6IxkshhnjQhlXsIHbTi1Bp6TzTia3sEMjZgnr0eHHvb-59c1i6eks03k4aoqmQXBuAUSM9iq5Lg1oMMguJ3l8fR/w480-h640/IMG_5396.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDOetuzEar03TAtJZ6bhvqsO-fG1Aady57Kx4RImyjNA7LG2Tllj1fmKmvont31eJvr3lREY4oTVZqt8KJ-Rg1REBwsSSzFNost1rF6pvVqznSRtOKy2oYonn3Hxnr1G4Vu7Imu-FCM4lZWDtkLr0uD3eIBFm4zNhdFtlCsClhSmircGWelevFhZXn3Tcp/s4032/IMG_5400.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDOetuzEar03TAtJZ6bhvqsO-fG1Aady57Kx4RImyjNA7LG2Tllj1fmKmvont31eJvr3lREY4oTVZqt8KJ-Rg1REBwsSSzFNost1rF6pvVqznSRtOKy2oYonn3Hxnr1G4Vu7Imu-FCM4lZWDtkLr0uD3eIBFm4zNhdFtlCsClhSmircGWelevFhZXn3Tcp/w640-h480/IMG_5400.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This lake was so reflective you can't even tell where it ends and the trees begin.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1eAf-dpXWx96V_7onT-w9YCZ7fatSASmxj1aiXXdEzeXoQaMkNU45OaGhkTXsq4JJlF9-3xeeOYgoZfStscuuL3gycze94oFV_F0Ymhg76EP1tcGcMSgPY_V2Krgk5LKCk9xO_gkZyMgKZF59Aai0QamwsjZIBL3ulCfZSsJvRCSxDpGrqqOPHJqhw4OY/s4032/IMG_5401.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1eAf-dpXWx96V_7onT-w9YCZ7fatSASmxj1aiXXdEzeXoQaMkNU45OaGhkTXsq4JJlF9-3xeeOYgoZfStscuuL3gycze94oFV_F0Ymhg76EP1tcGcMSgPY_V2Krgk5LKCk9xO_gkZyMgKZF59Aai0QamwsjZIBL3ulCfZSsJvRCSxDpGrqqOPHJqhw4OY/w480-h640/IMG_5401.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div>At the halfway point, we paused to set up the hammock again and took a rest. By the time we finished, we were ready for...you guessed it, more ice cream and dinner.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTU9CXHydtSsHNmced-3pOCjwCI3sF56TACXTVtfZm5_cDLd1ONaIZpBjJAfzw6aKufAgOnoe80Q2GwppXLKAAIw-__oXTT06aQq6FMUmaTMECLMu7M2ABVe9epTzhoT1iwWTJfTyf-hiU1gNpv6YycqZuDhjW4pcwYzDYpY5MzWr_4RSHl3lhiS-D0fB8/s3088/IMG_5406.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTU9CXHydtSsHNmced-3pOCjwCI3sF56TACXTVtfZm5_cDLd1ONaIZpBjJAfzw6aKufAgOnoe80Q2GwppXLKAAIw-__oXTT06aQq6FMUmaTMECLMu7M2ABVe9epTzhoT1iwWTJfTyf-hiU1gNpv6YycqZuDhjW4pcwYzDYpY5MzWr_4RSHl3lhiS-D0fB8/w480-h640/IMG_5406.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div></div><div>We checked out Monday morning, but not before tiring Zoe out at the dog run again. She was absolutely calm on the ferry ride home. (This is a tangent, but this trip made me sad we don't have a yard for Zoe to run in. She really loved it and it tired her out so effectively!)</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_GtbWBbaJvR29htEiyPBxBcJm2SrAxBcmx7RyJXwenHOlrCreHXvwT4AN766JePz4MRNM417g7iV6xcB5n-yhbr7Fz0n-Ya2FloItHr8ajHNSk_PXvo6Ut4HvphpdUQU6JR2bd-5CXwkMNUzKiHVxjwAa2VGJ1-IMnzcOLXhwB0pnCiZWsFafO0JMh-5M/s4032/IMG_5417.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_GtbWBbaJvR29htEiyPBxBcJm2SrAxBcmx7RyJXwenHOlrCreHXvwT4AN766JePz4MRNM417g7iV6xcB5n-yhbr7Fz0n-Ya2FloItHr8ajHNSk_PXvo6Ut4HvphpdUQU6JR2bd-5CXwkMNUzKiHVxjwAa2VGJ1-IMnzcOLXhwB0pnCiZWsFafO0JMh-5M/w480-h640/IMG_5417.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saying goodbye to our breakfast view.</td></tr></tbody></table><div>This trip was exactly what I'd been hoping for. Matt and I had a chance to totally disconnect from the daily grind and reconnect with the great outdoors...and each other. He graduated about three months ago and between getting used to his new shift schedule and balancing ongoing studying, I think we both really needed an excuse to just chill and be together, and this was it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqbVHs3HF7bRwEZAXsNjcgvT7wVMFjo73yVQAVcGJzatucj4tgyDSSTCnwlg1QFFtlopspJ1C6ieKxYoO-hSweLfUQRAo2EfeuSFvh89yiQWLyQWZfV_YZJDahlO6kkPy7TOYJ4YDWsD9V4-BFy2ThvWYT1e7pDsx-NHT3kkWRBSy7e1b574pPl0xOGqJ4/s3088/IMG_5388.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqbVHs3HF7bRwEZAXsNjcgvT7wVMFjo73yVQAVcGJzatucj4tgyDSSTCnwlg1QFFtlopspJ1C6ieKxYoO-hSweLfUQRAo2EfeuSFvh89yiQWLyQWZfV_YZJDahlO6kkPy7TOYJ4YDWsD9V4-BFy2ThvWYT1e7pDsx-NHT3kkWRBSy7e1b574pPl0xOGqJ4/w480-h640/IMG_5388.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div>Not to mention, it was really cool to discover Bainbridge has more to offer than we'd thought. I'd happily go back and explore some more trails there in the future!</div><div><br /></div><div>Ali</div>Ali K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15736472530374069410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417693555590736116.post-57413583560560987002023-07-22T10:55:00.000-07:002023-07-22T10:55:44.197-07:00Mom meets Seattle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqz2tRMmXl7RXz1rahMhsZbyuU7t7GMdNC_NsloMO_r_Xo5H-U3xAauDHqC11EEJewvd4tpUVcczF7ToJuU_J1omtICe_xl1keNsOpzoNqPRgOzFEWbbVvCrsKd3B9hMKrot7x-4g_9mA3EngJ88hF-34_GwbcoSJv5dxh9E0eJV_ZP59IhEvMJMazCA4w/s1153/life%20update.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="1153" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqz2tRMmXl7RXz1rahMhsZbyuU7t7GMdNC_NsloMO_r_Xo5H-U3xAauDHqC11EEJewvd4tpUVcczF7ToJuU_J1omtICe_xl1keNsOpzoNqPRgOzFEWbbVvCrsKd3B9hMKrot7x-4g_9mA3EngJ88hF-34_GwbcoSJv5dxh9E0eJV_ZP59IhEvMJMazCA4w/w640-h227/life%20update.png" width="640" /></a></div>Given that it's been three years since Matt and I moved, my mom decided it was finally time to come visit. I know she was a little nervous about the long flight (especially with how chaotic flying can be these days) and coming to the city in general (we've all heard how Seattle has been destroyed in an anarchist uprising and it's basically Mad Max out here), but we finally sat down and chose dates and got her out here!<div><br /></div><div>The visit went really well. I had a long list of things I wanted to show her, especially if this trip ended up being a one-and-done situation, so we had a lot to fit into 4.5 days.</div><div><br /></div><span></span><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><b>Monday, July 17: </b>Mom flew in Monday morning and I took her to <a href="https://cafeflora.com/restaurant/cafe-flora-seattle-vegetarian-restaurant/" target="_blank">Cafe Flora</a> for brunch. We swung by our old neighborhood so I could show her where we lived, but our landlady was in the yard so I got nervous and just zoomed past! </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJU_V6-pv-N0DtOkRVPGNmWOkK2RkspZnqfEzeKVgNWf5szu_TfY4Yb-JEXA9GFeuB6EkE7Gy9Q_BloKFSQHk_hK_GAktxtxFZ__1ttuOZI_NELFDO4BJAgQRYu_GYkQrcuX0lwArn2L8jMbZ5cb1v-ARE279xrd0ctM6gtQbv456cXC7eFKdF-KbPQrr2/s4032/IMG_4983.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJU_V6-pv-N0DtOkRVPGNmWOkK2RkspZnqfEzeKVgNWf5szu_TfY4Yb-JEXA9GFeuB6EkE7Gy9Q_BloKFSQHk_hK_GAktxtxFZ__1ttuOZI_NELFDO4BJAgQRYu_GYkQrcuX0lwArn2L8jMbZ5cb1v-ARE279xrd0ctM6gtQbv456cXC7eFKdF-KbPQrr2/w640-h480/IMG_4983.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zoe took to her right away!</td></tr></tbody></table><div>I brought her to the condo to meet Zoe and showed her the updates we've made. (Yes yes, posts on our renovations are coming...eventually.)</div><div><br /></div><div>I hadn't been able to fit a "real" hike into our plans, but I figured Discovery Park was kind of a good compromise. We took Zoe and walked the Loop Trail, making sure to get a nice view of the Puget Sound and the Olympics.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKGN78dhy5HI_vE7sJYQZLC7OvVt8cFWpzNCdVa_U-cfoKuQ_oben4_RvFk_g7zQzWWZOnbcUypjvqma1xwa74pm5B2puY5PhFNjZUQWEiig_btN6oy0l-lJVRphb5yEaZix6XWUsQwMVgVeRmHAVx4YJC3so1PjlAULRNxcqJC9e-4E-T07BGWtv1gdjP/s3088/IMG_4944.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKGN78dhy5HI_vE7sJYQZLC7OvVt8cFWpzNCdVa_U-cfoKuQ_oben4_RvFk_g7zQzWWZOnbcUypjvqma1xwa74pm5B2puY5PhFNjZUQWEiig_btN6oy0l-lJVRphb5yEaZix6XWUsQwMVgVeRmHAVx4YJC3so1PjlAULRNxcqJC9e-4E-T07BGWtv1gdjP/w480-h640/IMG_4944.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Discovery Park</td></tr></tbody></table><div>For dinner I took her to <a href="https://silvertraythai.com/" target="_blank">Silver Tray Thai</a>, which is this tiny place in Wallingford Matt and I just discovered. The portions are huge and delicious. Mom had her first Thai iced tea and now understands our obsession.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tuesday, July 18: </b>Matt was on shift Monday, but Tuesday morning he got home and went on duty as our driver/chaperone for Bainbridge Island. We stopped at <a href="https://eltana.com/" target="_blank">Eltana</a> for breakfast before getting on the ferry. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUAKQif3KBlvXFcT_KbN9v6SKh-6BYi0z4cWSF3iNRCUe84b9HgPP41uoLhhYTDKIE8Po-7ow_Q3vjaBAqfLjzruxyMuGQb7OJMRvR0hRdioJtIXcfpPGjoNF9ZUlIJ7jFLTvrmxqbmKU4QDIuvHhTcECSDX-kaU75PaYS7Ye1QxpWgS7Oi5NlVbl8Sdxp/s4032/IMG_4958.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUAKQif3KBlvXFcT_KbN9v6SKh-6BYi0z4cWSF3iNRCUe84b9HgPP41uoLhhYTDKIE8Po-7ow_Q3vjaBAqfLjzruxyMuGQb7OJMRvR0hRdioJtIXcfpPGjoNF9ZUlIJ7jFLTvrmxqbmKU4QDIuvHhTcECSDX-kaU75PaYS7Ye1QxpWgS7Oi5NlVbl8Sdxp/w480-h640/IMG_4958.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom with her Tel Aviv coffee at Eltana</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVRzneZ6k38pbnJwBjiF7O8Cl3qWXIb8J7s63FvEfHV2jhCXFQolTQzJ3kXYndBxdhEG0Mb5nG1xKOl77rgUjB7CujHsFjVZDSvOOFshcpGHjGAO56tgAjCDHg06U2I-hoeVVBY2vmnl43IGB58zIDh4ZQTzR_X1_6AEtIhS7zPhB64PBuPDH-jkNBdEum/s4032/IMG_6357.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVRzneZ6k38pbnJwBjiF7O8Cl3qWXIb8J7s63FvEfHV2jhCXFQolTQzJ3kXYndBxdhEG0Mb5nG1xKOl77rgUjB7CujHsFjVZDSvOOFshcpGHjGAO56tgAjCDHg06U2I-hoeVVBY2vmnl43IGB58zIDh4ZQTzR_X1_6AEtIhS7zPhB64PBuPDH-jkNBdEum/w480-h640/IMG_6357.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the ferry. I spy Rainier!</td></tr></tbody></table><div>In Bainbridge we had lunch at <a href="https://docsgrill.com/bainbridge-island/" target="_blank">Doc's Marina</a> and then did some shopping. I was hoping to replace a reading-themed candle I'd bought in Bainbridge years ago but the store was closed, so I opted for a PNW-themed one instead.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-lwHI16p9V9mevY2YJhyrWJuroifp2SKYZE09RQ3J1yxOZMW1eUzNbD5yODHgfCZDkYd7DfkrubrGEN4yjffPuX-8VwIWs9WjHoQg5ShvWAHj6tNTR4_7NhGqsOsskgebV0Ms7UUbGO1C9BTemUF3GN1a0pMdApbMUBKv3w7_BDJT3F-TMSHdDdcUT2El/s4032/IMG_4966.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-lwHI16p9V9mevY2YJhyrWJuroifp2SKYZE09RQ3J1yxOZMW1eUzNbD5yODHgfCZDkYd7DfkrubrGEN4yjffPuX-8VwIWs9WjHoQg5ShvWAHj6tNTR4_7NhGqsOsskgebV0Ms7UUbGO1C9BTemUF3GN1a0pMdApbMUBKv3w7_BDJT3F-TMSHdDdcUT2El/w640-h480/IMG_4966.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view at Doc's Marina.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div>After Bainbridge we were beat. We enjoyed some well-deserved naptime, then ordered in from <a href="https://www.clover.com/online-ordering/kamakura-japanese-cuis-seattle" target="_blank">Kamakura Japanese</a>, watched a show, and called it a night.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Wednesday, July 19: </b>Wednesday was our big touristy day. We had breakfast at home and then headed out to the city center for the Space Needle and Chihuly. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEistdTuRuJ9duBUwDOaBLQ8OENdICIyHNZw2zJHi9ZhBLVCJn484lQqho31INq6bAry3m_fDD7kv6u7ZJ0rzsf9utvnt_j3jWSVGegBTp0Sa5TYiOwnW9x_qkyLGrllvLLTcG2LGunvdVEU7YVnoNhiX7N9fRlypmhdeRCvjJym9g-TqDs_7NGkK2z_9OA7/s3088/IMG_4991.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEistdTuRuJ9duBUwDOaBLQ8OENdICIyHNZw2zJHi9ZhBLVCJn484lQqho31INq6bAry3m_fDD7kv6u7ZJ0rzsf9utvnt_j3jWSVGegBTp0Sa5TYiOwnW9x_qkyLGrllvLLTcG2LGunvdVEU7YVnoNhiX7N9fRlypmhdeRCvjJym9g-TqDs_7NGkK2z_9OA7/w480-h640/IMG_4991.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs-uVarJPentAMKibn8o2qDER7l1VJUX8SQS9Jexko5lc3g4dyve8vzkTuY1skdrbi_JrVHPDG9nRgG8SBXL1etkVGamnlXCDFPAYqbWbm75_9fGcamdc1CvT6tMm3WLTQptImbSlsOgXM-KtuvgsZMS8GkHuuaM5hhDjubXVlPiqXIpS9gZ_daxUN8vbO/s3088/IMG_5006.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs-uVarJPentAMKibn8o2qDER7l1VJUX8SQS9Jexko5lc3g4dyve8vzkTuY1skdrbi_JrVHPDG9nRgG8SBXL1etkVGamnlXCDFPAYqbWbm75_9fGcamdc1CvT6tMm3WLTQptImbSlsOgXM-KtuvgsZMS8GkHuuaM5hhDjubXVlPiqXIpS9gZ_daxUN8vbO/w480-h640/IMG_5006.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div>I've never done the Space Needle before and probably won't do it again just because of the lines and crowds, but I'm glad I waited to experience it when my mom was in town. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh76qS0DG7XwLJ3TpJkAhN532Bvfy7z3Gi3A8eAm1mE4C5j-FtKeD4JH5LqnYKcDX1z0ifRUx1Dgdc-ryEs6Rt5WZT_mn5yFIbEHxtThUSKasslT6eNIUvtVe-cGUMIq5S18PI4DcO0h433vejqSNhmnje9OnJzhSw2XKvzlQH4F6R0w07I2KDBV68kTAGi/s4032/IMG_6383.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh76qS0DG7XwLJ3TpJkAhN532Bvfy7z3Gi3A8eAm1mE4C5j-FtKeD4JH5LqnYKcDX1z0ifRUx1Dgdc-ryEs6Rt5WZT_mn5yFIbEHxtThUSKasslT6eNIUvtVe-cGUMIq5S18PI4DcO0h433vejqSNhmnje9OnJzhSw2XKvzlQH4F6R0w07I2KDBV68kTAGi/w640-h480/IMG_6383.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div>Later in the day we had dinner at the <a href="https://www.thecrabpotseattle.com/" target="_blank">Crab Pot</a>, made a detour to Gas Works Park (and saw a surprise performance from the Seattle All Schools Marching Band), and had dessert at <a href="https://www.mollymoon.com/" target="_blank">Molly Moon's</a> in Wallingford.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Thursday, July 19: </b>Thursday was our final day, and with the big stuff out of the way it was much more relaxed. We had brunch at <a href="https://www.portagebaycafe.com/" target="_blank">Portage Bay Café</a>, then dropped Matt at home. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh62LJv2RnmMSd5RemkWDe4trqRh5W-D1DmShqBKEB5hB0OmT4AkW8NU4n-bANl-h1sHrSHdvyQzLdrc_icPlFb9YGJW0bze_edhnibsr-LJ91F9Cph8AuxgghL6W0q2af-6u5wO6-MV4BHj4x0zqko5pL_0BA6My_9YaGXpNhdtusqu91sVGQ8rpkGy1Cc/s4032/IMG_5018.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh62LJv2RnmMSd5RemkWDe4trqRh5W-D1DmShqBKEB5hB0OmT4AkW8NU4n-bANl-h1sHrSHdvyQzLdrc_icPlFb9YGJW0bze_edhnibsr-LJ91F9Cph8AuxgghL6W0q2af-6u5wO6-MV4BHj4x0zqko5pL_0BA6My_9YaGXpNhdtusqu91sVGQ8rpkGy1Cc/w480-h640/IMG_5018.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No such thing as too much whipped cream.</td></tr></tbody></table><div>Mom and I explored Pike Place, where she got to see the first Starbucks and stick some gum on the gum wall...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIJKOyannS6nnVzB8vjCspLYF6s1ICm4KoftVhuIkP_m8haBvfmshqvQdVPV47ittVkqPxNdMEtaCd1x2l3cSL6Xvwa6YDBpDegQxe7hja7s0rsyBAj13VQlFMpPF4EPcKBhNSbNc5D6ik_MWkBmkhwxVkcctmqMBefYSq1LngK_8doUSlqVutmQ4G_DOA/s3088/IMG_5019%20(2).HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIJKOyannS6nnVzB8vjCspLYF6s1ICm4KoftVhuIkP_m8haBvfmshqvQdVPV47ittVkqPxNdMEtaCd1x2l3cSL6Xvwa6YDBpDegQxe7hja7s0rsyBAj13VQlFMpPF4EPcKBhNSbNc5D6ik_MWkBmkhwxVkcctmqMBefYSq1LngK_8doUSlqVutmQ4G_DOA/w480-h640/IMG_5019%20(2).HEIC" width="480" /></a></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu72iuB_4dfLvfSnlkeQEFUrwqNPHS3eLTDCK6E4-tjI_xL4-8hFzRwgCDgs9b_V6UcEEszHSsP8ia95YgkY7fdoHLozPC_QrNrpAj00p7nHg76MSiMVa7BdqjIauAcLDN1w8YWoVOM5cX7qSSZ26m6lyeZlLvkIANno_-KnPSUCgeD9pF2MpCi_zPdA-H/s4032/IMG_5023.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu72iuB_4dfLvfSnlkeQEFUrwqNPHS3eLTDCK6E4-tjI_xL4-8hFzRwgCDgs9b_V6UcEEszHSsP8ia95YgkY7fdoHLozPC_QrNrpAj00p7nHg76MSiMVa7BdqjIauAcLDN1w8YWoVOM5cX7qSSZ26m6lyeZlLvkIANno_-KnPSUCgeD9pF2MpCi_zPdA-H/w480-h640/IMG_5023.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifp6-PQ-rLgQ2czDm3WvZRL-3KMuCePjOyCBcHTeCfbqdXmgcWiCahlhS3bt0mASMJpXYXFCd7gRCQEYyk1fsBjM8IJ0k1zdlpN8CXCWAe_uxyOenj4L9Nqvw4Z4rPkWkl4Y3U1G0wZhtkshYbZSey4RP5NbyYYbc9FP1hWrZriYEAa53GrI6UesAbdggQ/s1799/IMG_5078.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1799" data-original-width="1439" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifp6-PQ-rLgQ2czDm3WvZRL-3KMuCePjOyCBcHTeCfbqdXmgcWiCahlhS3bt0mASMJpXYXFCd7gRCQEYyk1fsBjM8IJ0k1zdlpN8CXCWAe_uxyOenj4L9Nqvw4Z4rPkWkl4Y3U1G0wZhtkshYbZSey4RP5NbyYYbc9FP1hWrZriYEAa53GrI6UesAbdggQ/w512-h640/IMG_5078.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now our gum will mingle together forever...or until the next power-washing!</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div>...then the <a href="https://www.starbucksreserve.com/en-us" target="_blank">Starbucks Roastery</a> and MOPOP. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiE7vyzSVN8XvxCrbGaeb32xE7ajm-AH_7yqDXGHJJgMIQQ9ndgdQFOnLkN8-K6TNp6_eVyfYUTFDmbOx9B9vi6_UxB4TCUuxry1UKyKV-mcfzRUb9UgcKw7AHBpQJq1UVSl_qocUO_rZXQp4EZ9jCPPR7TY-FLJXYY-hX8DW5eQgdDEsEHt5o6EWU4lVH/s3088/IMG_5030.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiE7vyzSVN8XvxCrbGaeb32xE7ajm-AH_7yqDXGHJJgMIQQ9ndgdQFOnLkN8-K6TNp6_eVyfYUTFDmbOx9B9vi6_UxB4TCUuxry1UKyKV-mcfzRUb9UgcKw7AHBpQJq1UVSl_qocUO_rZXQp4EZ9jCPPR7TY-FLJXYY-hX8DW5eQgdDEsEHt5o6EWU4lVH/w480-h640/IMG_5030.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxt8TQnCn4eDJs49CB6xHbl7kOjysbMli465Ia2aGzRYm_-DDg7SEaTxM6LmyAMJEAxCByAumUpEWcja3Y_3nyd2t8uHT3xkSIQ1gsTizvW35GfGpFTVGAtBG-2HVf1L7zJmAbq7s3jZO7WE2jrM14L01icj2Maot4su47XviRZaEiWPJ2aa73cQ23Dps/s4032/IMG_9928.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxt8TQnCn4eDJs49CB6xHbl7kOjysbMli465Ia2aGzRYm_-DDg7SEaTxM6LmyAMJEAxCByAumUpEWcja3Y_3nyd2t8uHT3xkSIQ1gsTizvW35GfGpFTVGAtBG-2HVf1L7zJmAbq7s3jZO7WE2jrM14L01icj2Maot4su47XviRZaEiWPJ2aa73cQ23Dps/w480-h640/IMG_9928.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div>We considered stopping by Expedia so mom could see where I work, but I wasn't really dressed for it, so we just walked some of the Elliott Bay Trail and looped around the front of the building so she could see.</div><div><br /></div><div>For dinner we made the trip to <a href="https://www.dukesseafood.com/" target="_blank">Duke's Seafood</a> in West Seattle so mom would have a chance to see Alki Beach. I've never eaten at Duke's before but they have a surprising number of gluten free dishes and the food was amazing. I was glad to check another Seattle staple off the list and find it lived up to the hype.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0EEmLB0vnx9p_E2rzUegzNMcTE5Sg_u3NG8PuGtzc8tdTk60S_-oLOZNxp_XaiRxShA9fA6Jh4WNZg8tTvWatsCHtyvLIAwG8yeAQ9t3PtDG-Cx7c_kOUXvaeCY0p1_OxAoiJWNOf_pAmXGx73aF8L7yA00wCaXzxvC-8awV0rfSI7WR4Q5adDEgCe-yI/s4032/IMG_6389.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0EEmLB0vnx9p_E2rzUegzNMcTE5Sg_u3NG8PuGtzc8tdTk60S_-oLOZNxp_XaiRxShA9fA6Jh4WNZg8tTvWatsCHtyvLIAwG8yeAQ9t3PtDG-Cx7c_kOUXvaeCY0p1_OxAoiJWNOf_pAmXGx73aF8L7yA00wCaXzxvC-8awV0rfSI7WR4Q5adDEgCe-yI/w480-h640/IMG_6389.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div>Our trip ended with gelato from <a href="https://www.faintinggoatseattle.com/" target="_blank">Fainting Goat</a> in Wallingford.</div><div><br /></div><div>At dinner Thursday, mom started talking about "next time..." so I think I can call this trip a success. I'm bookmarking a few things for her next visit, because I'm sure to forget by the time it rolls around, including Seattle Pops, the Arboretum and Japanese Gardens, a real hike with waterfalls, and some of my favorite dinner spots.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was so happy to share my adopted city with mom and give her a look at our life here and what we love about the PNW. It was a quick trip, a total whirlwind, and I'm exhausted...but so, so happy!</div><div><br /></div><div>Now the question is, who's next to visit us?!</div><div><br /></div><div>Ali</div>Ali K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15736472530374069410noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417693555590736116.post-51795982910495826962023-07-18T21:42:00.003-07:002023-07-18T21:52:24.858-07:00July reads<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSc88ez1aDa0ZQETJ5hgtMMwq9HL8-pJHr2FOtHFDV23zX12WE7FCAMBGxGcHkMBn3Qy3Kux0GOPGUw6DXeMELsNIidV96K2pRRyVJ_gJjFuP1dch_xvHYwQL8cYdiUj4ownyxawbJRDkIgMlROkGo-SvASXatLKSs9eRhHpnjfBdAh4cC3hFZZHEbQIpe/s1153/book%20banner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="1153" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSc88ez1aDa0ZQETJ5hgtMMwq9HL8-pJHr2FOtHFDV23zX12WE7FCAMBGxGcHkMBn3Qy3Kux0GOPGUw6DXeMELsNIidV96K2pRRyVJ_gJjFuP1dch_xvHYwQL8cYdiUj4ownyxawbJRDkIgMlROkGo-SvASXatLKSs9eRhHpnjfBdAh4cC3hFZZHEbQIpe/w640-h226/book%20banner.png" width="640" /></a></div>I don't often read short story collections, but when a friend has her second book published, it's a good reason to branch out of your comfort zone!<div><br /></div><div><i>As If She Had a Say </i>is Jennifer Fliss's second collection of short stories. The stories are eclectic: some border on absurd while others dive right in the deep end of bizarre. I've gotten into the habit of reading light, easy fiction, and at first I had to kind of recalibrate my brain to be in a space to read this genre of writing. I'm out of practice reading stories that engage my brain and explore heavy themes.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-hVoQ7eihn3H1JDZRh5yJS0pGzsbAM_ZZf2incfscwcOoHc10BWccir7A3OpPjf2blOHURM7OwHQKJG_gNYLCZSCCSAQzNzpUdLmjniJAgO02Nim7FHoP0YbSZfZsctD3O4JMlCzZeQDdQyl_8CX9Wrw_2dWLO5u39u19jbkZL7dxt9N7rjIO4ZXzFYAQ/s500/as%20if.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-hVoQ7eihn3H1JDZRh5yJS0pGzsbAM_ZZf2incfscwcOoHc10BWccir7A3OpPjf2blOHURM7OwHQKJG_gNYLCZSCCSAQzNzpUdLmjniJAgO02Nim7FHoP0YbSZfZsctD3O4JMlCzZeQDdQyl_8CX9Wrw_2dWLO5u39u19jbkZL7dxt9N7rjIO4ZXzFYAQ/w266-h400/as%20if.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div>These stories are about women, our bodies, our painful experiences, love, loss, and the way we navigate a world that wasn't built for us. Some resonated especially deeply with me and left me a little breathless. Left me feeling seen. </div><span></span><div><br /></div><div>Some were uncomfortable to read in the sense that the absurdity reveals a little too much truth about the human condition.</div><div><br /></div><div>Many of these stories are heavily metaphorical, which I really enjoyed. While not all the stories relied heavily on metaphor, Fliss has a real talent for framing grief, tragedy, and trauma in abstract or symbolic ways that somehow make the emotional pain clearer than straightforward writing could.</div><div><br /></div><div>I tried to narrow down my favorites, but there were a lot. Here are my top seven (I tried to do five but just couldn't) in no particular order, and my attempt to vaguely capture what they touch on, at least by my interpretation:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>"Postcards from the Person You Ate" (a young woman finds her voice after an assault)</li><li>"This Heart Hole Punch" (the importance of our strange and meaningful coping mechanisms), </li><li>"Projection" (women's bodies as entertainment)</li><li>"Pieces of Her" (grappling with loss and grief)</li><li>"The Ink That Doesn't Dry" (the way trauma marks us, fades, and stays forever)</li><li>"In My Sleep I Am Wounded" (intergenerational trauma and painful reminders we're alive)</li><li>"The Space Where They Meet" (looking for order in chaos as a means to survive)</li></ul></div><div>What's interesting about reading a collection of short stories if you're more accustomed to reading novels is that you have to get into a rhythm of jumping in and out of the story at hand. I had to read this one in small batches because, although short, the stories often pack an emotional punch and I needed some time to digest them before going on to the next.</div><div><br /></div><div>Some stories resonated more than others, but overall I enjoyed the collection immensely and found myself wanting to mark, underline, and annotate favorite passages, something I haven't done since college. (Reading a physical book is a novelty these days!)</div><div><br /></div><div>I haven't been reading much lately – I've been focusing on writing – so it felt good have a reason to pick up a book, especially one so different than my usual fare. I actually think I may explore some more short story collections, because this one whet my appetite for short, powerful, and meaningful stories.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you're an English major at heart and enjoy examining and interpreting stories, and if heavy subject matter doesn't scare you away, I highly recommend this one.</div><div><br /></div><div>Ali</div>Ali K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15736472530374069410noreply@blogger.com0