Changes

So, its 3am. And I’m awake.  So you know what that means. Other than the fact that my body clock is wayyyy out of wack from working some insane hours last week — it means I am having an epiphany.

All my late-night or early-morning wake-ups (when I don’t have to be up) happen for a reason. This one was because I woke up and the first thought out of my brain was a giant epiphany.

Staying Safe at Night

Staying safe at night is a priority for me. Working at 4:30a and leaving the house at 3:30a means I have to be vigilant in the morning. Working until 2:30 or 1:30a sometimes means I have to be vigilant late at night. The following are my tried and true tricks for staying safe in the big city late at night and early in the morning, whatever takes you outside.

Mom: Please note, none of these things have happened to me — most likely because I’m so overprepared.

Surviving the 80 hour work week

Why hello strangers! I’ve clearly gotten a little bit busy since coming back from Ontario.  It’s been crappy weather, some respiratory illness for me and the flu for Manfriend, and , oh yeah, the mystical 80 hour work week reared its ugly head thanks to some extra guests at Job 2 this week.

(Note: That may sound sarcastic, but I’m actually grateful for their business. Keeps us busy in one of the slower months of the year and I prefer Job 2 to Job 1. Job 1 = necessity at the moment. Job 2 = loads of fun).

Life has been a tad crazy. Along with changes that I’m trying to figure out, I haven’t been able to work out (read: stupid respiratory illness) and I’ve been focused on recovering. Which is a good thing to focus on, but I’m tired of sitting still. I want to MOVE!

Awards Ceremony

Hey everyone! I hope your Saturday’s are epic and wonderful.  I’d like to start by thanking you all for your emails, comments, and general discussion both on facebook and twitter regarding my letter to Lance Armstrong. It received a lot more attention than I expected, and I appreciate all your comments and was really excited to be able to generate some discussion on the issue. So thank you!

In honor of awards ceremony being upon us, I have decided to host a tiny little awards ceremony of my own.  And so, without further ado, welcome to the 1st annual Live Travel Eat and Run Awards show! *clap at your computer please and imagine thousands clapping with you*

Dear Lance Armstrong

Dear Lance Armstrong:

Tonight the world will flip their TV channels to the Oprah network. Reporters and bloggers will flock to see what it is that you shared with the woman who stands at the pulpit of the modern day confessional.  News stations will report on it for days.

I don’t know a lot but I know for certain I won’t be there. With the exception of what flies by as I scroll my twitter and facebook feeds, I will not read.  I will not click links, I will not pick up the newspaper or magazine. I am determined to not care about you anymore.

Give me back my ‘sparagus!

Hello Everyone!
I’m back in the sunny snowy can’t make up its mind land of Vancouver after ten days in the province of Ontario.   Parts of Ontario are absolutely beautiful and I highly encourage people to visit up north and cottage country. But the area around where I grew up (with the exception of my neighbourhood itself) is pretty much highway. I’m a girl from urban suburbia who now lives in the big city.  I already miss my dog. There are quite literally one hundred pictures of her from this trip.

Home is Where the Run is

I’m not going to lie, its been a little bit weird coming home from Vancouver.  I grew up here, and even though I moved away to go to University, this is the first time I’ve changed my permanent address and physically moved myself into a permanent home that is not the one I grew up in.

And it was great — and definitely the right decision — but there is a certain amount of nostalgia when you come back to a place that you left after 24 years of life there.

Weddings and Running

I am ready to run.

After my pulled shoulder, pinched nerve, broken toe and overly emotional week I am ready to hit the road.  The most exercise I’ve had since December 30th is stretching to ensure I’m limber while catching the bouquet at Manfriend’s cousins wedding (which I didn’t catch).

I’m just going to take my ipod and let  my nike running app do the tracking because I left my beautiful Garmin in Vancouver so I didn’t lose it. I have lost many things while being here so this is not an absurd possibility.

Thirteen Bloggers to meet in 2013

The online community that we are all involved in is a lovely one, but can be relatively impersonal at times. At other times it can seem all too personal. Balancing your life outside of blogging and the life you lead in the blogging, running, twitter and other (read: sweatpink, fitfluential and girls gone sporty) communities can be tough.

The following is a list of 13 bloggers who have made my journey so far that much better, whose blogs I make the conscious effort to read as often as possible, and who are all incredible women I would love the chance to sit down for a coffee with in 2013.

From the Mouth of Manfriend – December Edition

Hello!!

I’m writing to you from my parents dining room table in Ontario (or Onterrible as many people in BC love to call it). Whatever it is, it’s mine. I am at my favourite writing spot with my favourite puppy. Feeling pretty good, minus my injuries.

I lasted less than a day in 2013 without being injured. Silly, accident prone me. I broke my toe on the airplane. It’s purple and bruised! But it was a fun flight. Manfriend was full of witty anecdotes as per the usual. I’ve decided its time for me to share with you some of the many witty things he said in December. So gear up for another edition of From the Mouth of Manfriend.