Ow. Am in pain today. Had root canal yesterday. Apparently was pretty bad, because my dentist called me today. I couldn’t believe it. He wanted to see how I was feeling! I mean, what dentist does that? Wow! I have the best dentist ever! Took a Xanax before appointment, was pretty woozy. Took a Vicodin last night, slept pretty well, but it started to hurt again this morning and again after lunch today. Am about to take another pain pill and go to sleep. I would have taken one earlier, but I went over to a neighbor’s house and helped her with her 6 week old twins. Ack! Oh my god, they are unbearably cute. I held Eoin (pronounced “Owen”) the whole time, he’s teeeeeny, smaller than his sister (Marigny) and he has wittle dimples and a teeny head and um is just so dang cute I’m using baby talk in my head. Must quit. Must take Vicodin. Must relieve horrific pain in my head. Must run 9 miles tomorrow morning, followed by job interview (oh please god, please please please i can do it) and then work. Blech. Busy day tomorrow. No time for pain!

Seven miles today. For the first, oh, 3.75 miles or so, I ran 2:15 and walked 1. But then I got bored/fed up with that and just ran the rest of the way instead. Woo hoo! Am very pleased with myself.

But now must go to Baton Rouge. Am going to spend time with my mom. Today would be my parents’ 34th anniversary. Sad. But today is me and George’s 9 month-iversary. Exciting. 🙂

Okay, now am official “in training,” even if it is half-assed. On Saturday I went to Audubon Park, ran/walked around three times, a bit over 5 miles. I’ve decided to run 2 minutes, walk 1, and whenever I finish, I finish. That said, I am averaging 12:15 miles, so we’ll see how it all works out. This morning I went a bit over 2 miles, would have gone further, but I overdressed and was burning up. Finally, the cold spell has broken and the morning was just gorgeous. But warmer than I thought it’d be. I’ll be better prepared on Thursday when I go again.

On Sunday, George and I went to the Audubon Zoo. I haven’t been there in sooooo long, it was great! It is huge! We spent almost four hours there, just wandering around. Then we went and gorged ourselves at Superior Grill. Yum.

Last night I went and saw “Chicago.” I enjoyed it, but halfway through it I remembered I don’t like musicals. I enjoyed the musical numbers, but they just went on for-ev-er. I mean, get on with the story! See, I don’t get the whole musical thing. (Exception: Grease 2)

Oh, and Evan’s at Sundance now. Woo hoo! Vote for his film at: http://www.sundanceonlinefilmfestival.com/shorts01_02.html. If you start to download the film, it’ll give you a place to vote.

Oh right, and I went to the dentist today. Need yet another root canal. I am so foul, I have a boil on my gum. Bleccchhh! Taking antibiotics for it. Hope it goes away soon, it’s nasty.

Ran at Audubon Park today, twice around. Haven’t been there in about six months. Good to be back. Saw Lindsay’s sister there. Strange to see her.

So today I decided, with only 4 1/2 weeks to go, to do the Mardi Gras half marathon. I’d planned on doing it a while back, but with work and everything, I figured I wouldn’t have time to train for it. Well, I’m going to do it anyway. I’ve already asked for Saturdays off to train (when I asked for it, I was still planning on doing the half) and so all I have to do is, well, train.

My training schedule shall be as follows:

three weekdays/week: 3-6 miles per day

weekend 1, jan 18: 4-5 miles

weekend 2, jan 25: 6-7 miles

weekend 3, feb 1: 8-9 miles

weekend 4, feb 8: 10-11 miles

weekend 5, feb 16: half marathon

so it’ll be tough, and maybe it isn’t the smartest training program ever, but i can do it. i figure i’ll do the half marathon by the run/walk method so i don’t die. i haven’t figured out my ratio, but it’ll be something easy like run 3, walk 1 or run 2 walk 1. whatever. we’ll see how the training goes.

Birthday party was last night. Was so much fun. Have such great friends! Lots of people showed up. Chris, Rebecca, Candace, Teresa, and Joe from the Baton Rouge crowd. Then Laurie and James and their friend Adam. And Melissa K and her boyfriend Troy from B&N. And Jill and her boyfriend and two other friends. And Paula, my oldest friend, known her since we were six or seven, we were best friends growing up, she showed up! I couldn’t believe it when I saw her. Oh my god! There were tears in my eyes, I was all choked up, it was incredible. And then there were the people from the neighborhood. Polly and Colin and Lindsey’s Colin, and Ross and Raul and it just never ended! And of course my George.

And I got lots of presents and it was terribly exciting and there was yummy cake and lots of drinking and laughing and all of the things that make a great party. Sigh. Am very happy. It reminded me of my 22nd birthday party, when my mom had a dinner party for me and about eight of my closest friends. It was all very elegant, the boys wore ties and everyone was so sweet and it was such a great time and I felt so loved, that it was the best birthday ever. Until last night, I’d say. Of course, it would have been even better if my other best friends had been there, Kristina and Kristie and Ren and Gary and Anne. But it was wonderful anyway. Yay!

Am now old! 28 years old! Only one more birthday in my twenties! Ack! At least everyone at work was surprised I was that old. Maybe next year I should turn 25 or something. Oh, ha ha, I don’t mind my age. I’m only kidding. I don’t want to be one of those neurotic women who lie about their age. But still…

Had a lovely birthday. Went to work, normal day (oh, was 2 minutes late because I stopped at a coffee shop to get coffee and a chocolate croissant) until noon when Mandy, a coworker, gave me the beautiful purple crown (with “Birthday Queen” on it and ribbons and bells and tissue paper flowers) to wear. Heh, that was more like it! The kids loved it, and even though I felt the tiniest bit silly walking around the store with it on, at least people were telling me happy birthday. Growing up, my family always made a big deal about birthdays. I’m not one of those to hide it, no sireee. So then I had a nice take-out lunch from a sushi place nearby, but I didn’t wear the crown to pick it up. Ha ha.

Went home, got all dressed up for dinner with George. New dress, stockings, heels, contacts instead of glasses, makeup, the whole nine yards. Quite out of character for me, but hey, a special occasion. George came over, gave me my gift (the new Irvine Welsh novel, but I’m going to exchange it for some yarn from a fancy yarn shop in the Quarter) and we went by the pub to wait for the ferry. As I’m usually dressed pretty casually (okay, extremely casually), there were a few dropped jaws when we walked in. A nice effect, I must say. Not enough to make me wear makeup more often, because then where would the surprise be?

I still didn’t know where we were going for dinner, but I knew it was somewhere in the Quarter because George told me we’d be walking a bit (and to wear “comfortable shoes.” ahh, boys really don’t have a clue, do they?) We made it to the restaurant, the Pelican Club, which I’d never heard of, but was really nice. Located in a very European alleyway off Bienville St. It was lovely. Ate yummy seafood (scallops, lobster, shrimp, mussels, etc, etc). A guy I went to college with worked there, hadn’t seen him in years, but he recognized me, which was nice. (Usually people don’t remember me.) He sent over a glass of champagne, which was really sweet. So after dinner, we walked to Cafe du Monde and had beignets and coffee. Mmmm. Love beignets. Perhaps a tad messy with a black dress on, but the powdered sugar came right off. (I’m not so neat. How can people eat them without getting covered in powdered sugar?)

By this point, my feet were killing me. Felt like I was walking on coal. Ow. Stopped to browse at a music store, then caught the ferry home. Stopped by the pub, was ooooh’ed and aaahhh’ed over some more. Ego duly boosted. Lovely birthday.

Tonight is my party, friends coming in to hang out at the pub. No heels tonight, thank God. Yay! Can’t wait!

Birthday’s in two-and-a-half hours! Yay! Unfortunately, I’ll be asleep. Have to be at work at 7:30 in the morning. Blah.

Well, I think it’s time for a 2002 year-end recap! Just thinking the other day about 2002, and what a year it was for me. Best year of my life? Close. Most interesting year of my life? Definitely. Most eventful? Yep. So let’s see… how should I do this? List? Or chronologically? Hmmm.

In January, I started training for the marathon. Everything went well. Ran a 5K. Did well.

In February, continued my training. Mardi Gras came and went. Continued training. Ran a half marathon. Did reasonably well (i.e., finished).

In March, went to Austin, met and ran with the incredible Cilla. Ran the Crescent City Classic with Kristina. Had fun. Got ready for the marathon.

April was a great month. Went to London. Ran, er, completed the marathon, in just under my goal time. Met George. Went on first date with George.

In May, I left my job. Maybe not the happiest of events, but certainly a big change. Watched my best friend graduate from law school. Was unemployed for a while, but had fun with Kristina, who was likewise unemployed. Went to NYC for the first time, loved it. Ren and Gary moved away. Sad. Got a tattoo on my back of the Union Jack, to commemorate the marathon. Painful. Decided to cut my losses, move to Boston, make a fresh start. Hey, I’m not going to let some guy stand in my way! I’m independent!

In June, was still unemployed, got desperate, got a job at Barnes & Noble, only temporarily, I thought. But like it still, except for the pay. Decided I wasn’t going to move to Boston. Was I crazy? What’s more important, geographical location or love? Love wins over colder weather and cheaper flights to England.

In July, Kristina moved back to Virginia. Very sad. But at least George is around. Am very happy with him.

In August, I moved to my yellow house in Algiers Point. Love the house, love the neighborhood, love the pub. Am happy. Poor, but happy.

September, October, November. Still poor, still reasonably happy, still in love. Missing my girl friends a lot. George went to London for two weeks. Missed him terribly, got lots of presents when he got back. Evan got a film into Sundance. Bragged about that a lot.

December, busy at work, Christmastime, nice holiday, my sister spits in my face, but hey, par for the course. Ring out the year by earning an easy $100 at a party, then watching the fireworks with my lovely George and friends from the neighborhood.

In the course of the year, I also lost about 35 lbs. Nothing to sneeze at, though could stand to lose another 30. Ahhh, that’s what this year is for! Great feeling. Friends got married (Ann Tatum) or engaged (Kettie) and my cousin Monica is pregnant (the first of my many cousins to reproduce.) It may seem strange, but to me, the biggest thing that happened to me in 2002 was that I fell in love. Not that I ran 26.2 miles. Ahhh, young love!

So what are my goals for 2003? Hmmm. I want to keep running, but since the marathon, it’s been really hard to stay motivated. I know I can do better. After all, I’ve done really well in shorter races since the marathon, so I think I’m going to stick with shorter races for a while, and maybe train for another marathon in 2004. Or I still may do the Richmond marathon in November. I want to lose those 30 lbs, or at least not gain any of the other 35 back. Get a better-paying job, or at least find some freelance work to do to supplement the B&N pay. (The benefits at B&N are really outstanding, plus I really like the people I work with.) I’d like to travel to Washington to see my friends. I’ve got four weddings (so far) to go to and my ten year reunion. I’m excited about those, and hey, I already have a dress to wear to them! I’m determined that this year is going to be as good as last year was. Maybe not as eventful, but just as happy. Yay!

Went back to work yesterday. Always hard to do after 2 days off. But was okay. Went and met Laurie and James and some of their friends for drinks afterwards at the R Bar, where Laurie showed me her engagement ring! Beautiful ring, I almost stole it off her. Ha ha, not really. But she did let me try it on. Round diamond in a square setting with sapphires on either side with a filigree band. I couldn’t tell if it was gold or platinum or white gold, but whatever. Gorgeous. She was so happy, looked so happy, the ring paled in comparison. Love those guys! Yay!

Yesterday was very relaxing. Did nothing, really. Well, took down my Christmas tree and decorations. Not my outside lights. I’m leaving them up. (They’re white, not colored, and I like ’em. Not defensive. Not defensive!) Am sad, my mom is not coming to town for my birthday on Thursday. Hmmph. Have to go back to work today at 3. Yeccch.

Fun New Year’s Eve! The party I bartended at was kind of lame (all old people, no tips, not very busy) but, hey, $100 is $100. I got to the pub around 11:30 and everyone from the neighborhood was there. It was so much fun. Everyone was like “how was bartending?” when I got there, it’s always nice (however briefly) to be the center of attention. Anyway, we stayed at the pub until 3 or so, then crashed.

Spent all day yesterday driving around looking for wiring nuts so George could install the CD player he gave me in my car. Yay! It works now! Very exciting. Then we went on a 40 minute walk. I’m going to try to make this a habit with him, he doesn’t exercise enough and I think that might have something to do with why he’s always feeling ill.