6.7 miles and I’m alive to tell about it.

Yesterday I ran the longest I’ve ever run. 6.7 miles. I definitely won’t be doing it again next weekend, or attempting that half marathon anytime soon, but I am glad I did it. And that I ran the whole thing without stopping. And that my time was about 54 minutes (real times will be posted today). That’s a little slower than average for me, but I also have to realize that I’ve never run that many miles before! And I’m not doing it to be 1st place. I’m doing it for the challenge and for the scenery and maybe even a little for the cause. I figure if I don’t have time to volunteer, at least I can give some money to Cancer Research by running my ass off in 85 degree weather.

Immediately after, I was feeling wobbly. I definitely needed some water because the tiny cups they give you along the run were used more for dumping on my head then entering my mouth. When I think about it, I don’t understand how anyone can drink out of a baby size Dixie cup while running. It’s like driving with your eyes closed, while talking on the phone and eating a pizza.

So I got some water and ate a banana. I needed that banana. The second it entered my mouth, it was gone. After a few minutes talking to Dominic and stretching, I wanted to walk around and collect my free shit! That’s right, races are the mecca for free things. I should’ve been doing this years ago.

I got fancy water galore, as many bananas I could shove in a bag, loads of bagels (I could’ve also taken pizza, but I didn’t want to eat anything but bananas at that point), trail mix from Trader Joe’s, Emergence Vitamin C packets, a free massage AND….

Dave’s Killer Bread.

Okay, that last free prize might not seem like much if you aren’t from Seattle or Portland. But if you are, then you know this is the biggest deal ever. In fact, you’ll be even more jealous because I got to meet Dave himself, in the flesh. And I got so excited that I recognized him, and he was so excited that I recognized him that he immediately gave me a shirt. The table set up he had was really just for tasting, but I told him how much of a fan I was (really, it’s great bread. His story is just great too. Read about it here.) and he looked under the counter, asking me which was my favorite. I told him Spelt, and suddenly he reappeared with a bag of Spelt bread, handing it over like it was my trophy for not winning the race.

I don’t know why that was so exciting. Maybe because I just saved my $5.70 on bread (I know it’s expensive, but I’m telling you man, this bread is worth it!) or maybe because I got to meet him in person, and he’s kind of a Seattle Bread Celebrity (Celebreadity?).

All I know is that I ran farther than I ever had before, all along the shores of Seattle, to get me some of the best bread in Seattle. And if that was always the prize, then I’d do it again. Just not next weekend.

You can tell how my busy I've been this week...

This weekend Seattle has some huge Pride festival, complete with guys in gag balls and whips and chains. This is actually low key compared to last weekends Solstice festival which displayed naked bikers travelling throughout the city.

And you wonder why I love this place.

I was invited to go to a Gay Porn moving night complete with banana splits and nuts and dirty drinks this Friday. It'll almost be like a bachelorette party, except no one is getting married.

So when I tell Dominic that I'm going to things like this he shakes his head. Not in disappointment, but in confusion. Why would I want to watch a pizza delivery boy flirt with the pool boy? Well, I couldn't really come up with an answer. Because it's funny? Because we're a bunch of weird girls with too much time on our hands? Beceause we've never seen two guys doing it in the butts?

Probably all our true.

Despite his uneasiness, I was excited to receive an email from him asking how many people would be in attendance to this gay porn screening. Why? Because he wants to get us all gifts! It'll be a surprise, but I'm just glad he understands. Because that's what a boyfriend should be like, right? He should understand when you want to watch gay porn with your girlfriends, eat ice cream, get drunk and knit the night away.

Mom, I think I found a winner.

I can't sit still.

Summers in Seattle are like that damn Ring in Lord of the Rings. You have to cherish every moment. Every ray of sunlight is precious. Every day above 65 is amazing.

And I take it all in. Almost too much.

My calendar is filled. Every day is set. Whether it's just roaming around at the Olympic Sculpture Park and anticipating a friend's arrival or planning what to do with Dominic's parents for the week or convincing friends to join me in a DIY boot camp or knitting or going to Gay Porn Parties to celebrate Pride week or seeing the Running of the Bulls at a new Spanish bar or camping or hiking or drinking and biking at the same time or training for a 10k or even just planning a day to relax, I'm booked until like August!

Not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing, but at least I know I won't be wasting the summer inside watching tv.

One year and a few days ago...

Date: June 14th, 2007
Time: 5:30 am
Location: Yellow Cab from some Casino

Dominic says, "Don't go home."

I say, "Oh geez. Really? I don't know. I mean, I don't want to go home, but won't this be weird. I mean we work together. Weird. Right?"

Dominic shrugs.

I don't go home.

So many places, so little time...

I keep thinking about next year's travel plans. I have this "dream" fund that I'm slowly putting money into for a big trip next year. After this trip the "dream" fund might become my "condo/house" fund so it could very well be the last BIG trip for me (when I say big, I mean somewhere outside of the US and for at least 2 weeks - I will still travel at least twice a year if not more, like usual).

I wrote a list down of places I want to check out, and it was basically the world. I need to think smaller at the moment, because by next year I should have about $3500-5000 to spend (for airfare/hotels/food/everything). And honestly, I don't really want to use all that money...

Here's where I need your help. Where should I go? Obviously Austrailia is out, for the ticket price alone. I need a place that's relatively cheap. And preferably not in Europe. Although, I would maybe go to Greece (is that Europe? is that a dumb question?). I mean I don't want to go to Spain or Amersterdam. I've been there. I'm done for awhile.

Here is my wish list, so if any of you have been there or heard amazing things please let me know. If you have an amazing place to add, please tell me. Even if you haven't been there, but always wanted to, tell me. I'm not looking for something crazy. Almost the opposite. I want a place I can just walk around and not feel pressured to do too much. I never remember the museums or the buildings. I do remember the food and if the people were nice. And speaking of people, I kinda don't feel like learning a language either. So if they mostly speak English then that's a big plus for me.

I really want an easy going place, with things to see, but not too many things to see, hiking opportunities, beach opportunities, good food, good people and english speakers at my disposal.

-Turkey
-Istanbul
-Brazil
-Malta
-Greece
-India
-Egypt
-Indonesia
-Thailand
-Morocco
-Tokyo
-South Korea
-Germany
-Argentina

Thank you and god speed.

Mommy and Me

My Mom and I are very different. And this is exemplified when we go on a vacation to NYC. She gets too tired, too old, too hot, too whatever. That's why next year - even though we had a good time, saw her old school, her first apartment, where she met my Dad, saw Sex and the City, Strawberry Fields, ate a great big piece of pizza and even went to a Yankees game before they tear down the stadium - we promised each other to go somewhere more relaxing. Like Maine or Colorado. A place where she doesn't have to walk or do anything at all except maybe get a massage. And that's perfectly fine by me.

With that said, here are some pictures from our trip. Don't get too hot looking at them. It was only 97 degrees when we were there.


She was very excited to show me where she lived. It was cute.



At the Yankees game with Jerry, our gracious host for the week.



The Mom's high school, blocked by a fence to keep people like my Mom from getting back in.



You know when you ask someone where the best black and white cookie may be, and they highly suggest a chain bakery? Well, we didn't realize Zaro's was a chain until we got there and I was just not impressed at all. It was like going to Fridays for a filet mignon. So I tried to erase this little mishap from my mind and went to a place I knew would carry a black and white that would be suitable to my snobby taste buds. Simply put, all I had to do was go to a local Jewish bakery. Duh!



Indeed, it was hot. 95 degrees on this particular day. We would find shelter, though, in the coolest of places like Grand Central Station or the New York Public Library.



This was the one thing I really cared about seeing. Sure, I didn't shed a tear when we saw Sex and the City and my Mom thinks I have no heart at all (actually, I think those were the exact cruel words she used) but just being near the construction of the World Trade Center site made me think about all the times I had gone there when it was there. I loved this place, the sphere that used to be here. I would buy tix here. I would go up top to see the view. I would just sit here all the time. So when I came back, for the first time in about 8 years, I cried like a baby. Because, even if some stupid movie can't get it up for me, it's the real shit that does.



This was something The Mom had to see. I didn't mind, because a) it's right next to Columbia and b) it's right next to my favorite pizza joint!



Which brings me to this perfect picture of the Mom enjoying an extra cheese slice twice the size of her face.



The guy actually forgot to make me pay, and normally I'd just say aha! I got a free meal, but considering my Mom insisted on paying for practically everything on this trip I felt I should splurge the $11 and tell the dude that I NEED to pay.



And this was our bathroom, in Jerry and Fran's apartment that they've lived in for FIFTY YEARS! It hasn't changed one bit.

I win!

I sign up for a lot of shit. I mean, if I have the time and all I have to do is fill out a form, then why not. The worst thing that could happen is I just wasted about 5 seconds of my life. I've wasted 5 seconds doing much worse.

So this week I signed up for this thing at my gym. They were giving away different prizes every day to promote some new technology device that I'll never, ever use. And yesterday, I noticed my name as a winner.

Wait, I'm wrong. I actually saw this:

Congratulations to Barrio Arliss. You won last night's drawing!

I couldn't remember what I signed up for, as each day was a different prize. And when I first talked to the dummy's behind the desk they told me I probably won the lifetime supply of some shitty bulk-inducing powder. Now I'm not one to complain (who am I kidding, yes I am) but I did not want this as a prize. If this is what I really won, I would've just told them to keep it or give it to someone who might actually want it.

But I didn't win the shitty powder. What I did win was something practically tailored just for me. One hour of a personal yoga session, followed by a one hour massage! How friggin' awesome.

Now, of course, the other day I ordered a massage for next Friday but who cares. It's my belief that you can never have too many massages. Especially when one of them is free.

So today I get a gold star. Tomorrow I get on a plane to NYC. And then my Mommy and I will be together again.

Eat me.

-Two servings of Homemade Rhubarb Crisp from a recipe I made with fresh, Washington grown rhubarb.

-A tiny piece of a rich chocolate cake given to me by my neighbor, who bought it from Eat Local, which is a market that only carries locally pre-made foods.

-One glass of Chocolate Milk. Usually this milk would be local too, but I just didn't have the time to pick up my glass jug this week. Thus, it was Lucrene skim milk ultra pasterized, which isn't even my normal grocery store milk choice, but Dominic bought it for me so I had no say in the matter. The chocolate syrup was, of course, from Hershey's.

-One Pink Lady apple from Washington. Apples are so not in season anymore. But for some reason that never stops me from wanting 20 in a day.

-Three spoonfuls of generic crunchy peanut butter that was probably made in a factory.

This was my dinner last night. And it was fucking delicious.