Sunday, December 19, 2010

We’re not Detroit!

Good bye Columbus!

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What a roller coaster of a day! The day started around 8am, with packing/truck loading started yesterday. Kevin and I packed our little hearts out, till ever last thing was out of there! Here is proof of the EMPTY apartment. Wait, who is that sneaking around the corner?

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After packing, we were ready to go, but before hitting the road we went to Waffle House!

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It feels like it has been forever since we visited the old WH. Back in BG, the staff knew us by name tandem, and now it has been months since we have eaten there. you can’t tell from these empty pates, but I am taking a vegan-cation till the end of the year. Still going vegetarian strong, but dairy has made its way back into the diet.

After everything was loaded we embarked on the wonderful drive to Cleveland. by wonderful I mean TERRIBLE, as I am not a fan of driving to point A Ohio to point B Ohio if the trip is over 2 hours.

After the long drive, we had about another 2 and a half hours of unpacking. Getting the bed into the apartment is a feat I am still not sure how we accomplished. This bed may never leave this room again.

After the unloading was completed we made one FINAL stop to Goodwill and then dinner. We DEVOURED our food at the Cheesecake Factory. It was AMAZING and not vegan. It was the vegan option possible probably.

Also, I discovered Bellinis, how fabulous!

Now here I am , in the mess of our apartment, filling out HR paperwork for my work orientation tomorrow, and I couldn’t be happier.

Good night folks, and here is your Cleveland moment of Zen:

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Junk in the trunk

Today was a roller coaster of emotions. Around noon we picked up the truck and began packing. Here you can see me doing my best Vanna White to show off the many things we donated to Goodwill.

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Kevin, our trusted driver, here taking one of our many trips to Goodwill.

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Goodwill is an amazing organization and does a lot more than just manage the retail stores. I HIGHLY recommend volunteering with this organization! They go great work to ensure all people are able to live independently. Check them out here.

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Soon our mood took a sudden turn for the worst. While packing, we had to make some hard decisions. Our truck was getting full and we just couldn’t take everything.

That is when we both looked at the tandem. Its so big, and hard to move and we have no place to keep it now. We both knew what we had to do, but neither of were happy.

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We took it over to play it again sports and sold it. My face really explains the mood of the moment.

sad sad day … GOOD BYE TANDEM! You will never be forgotten

After all the packing we finally decided we could not get everything done tonight AND unload in Cleveland as well today. We decided to call it a night and go see the Black Swan.

(source)

It was CRAZY! Check it out sometime this holiday, but be ready to have your mind messed with to the extreme!

Since the bed is already in the truck, Kevin and I created out own hibernation nest. You might ask, what is a hibernation nest. Well, as I mentioned before, we were worried about hedgehogs strange new burrowing in his bedding.

Turns out, when hedgies get cold, they start to hibernate. When they go into hibernation mood, they create nests! We decided to use Sand’s message and create our own nest!

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And now, your moment of zen:

The crazy pony comes ALIVE

Lots to do tomorrow, night!

Friday, December 17, 2010

Last Day

What a day! I woke up around 6am to start my LAST day of work! I spent most of the day in basically Kentucky/West Virginia Southeastern Ohio checking posters. It was long, cold and terrible, as usual. I just felt so tired by midday.

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Then, when I got back to the office at 4:30 I realized, oh my god, this is my LAST DAY! From then on it was all adrenaline baby! I got my last bit of paper work completed and I was outta there!

Good bye work! You were an interesting learning experience, thank you and good bye!

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While I have been working my little heart out, Kevin has been doing a great job packing/cleaning. Just look at the cleaning job he did on this bathroom. It is amazing, I didn’t know he had such mad Mr. Clean skills.

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Kevin v. Mr. Clean

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(Mr. Clean source)

Yup, I’ll still take the fluffy one. On an unrelated note, the picture above is form the most disappointing Costco trips ever. What a retail FAIL on their part.

All in all, packing has been coming along smoothly. Things are getting done.

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And other things haven’t gotten done.

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Our plan is to get the truck tomorrow and start packing up. As of now we aren’t sure if we are driving up Saturday or Sunday. I am taking it one step at a time, and taking the night easy/resting.

All I know is, I am done! For the first time since school ended I finally feel DONE. I have completed my job, am starting a new one Monday, and am 75% ready to move! This is how I feel:

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Now you might ask yourself, Ashley what is that hairy growth coming out of your head? Well, when one is truly relaxing, one puts their bangs in a pointy tail, making it appear as if your head is sprouting a small hairy tree, or a tail. Either would be interesting.

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Weird pony tails is how I let loose. I eat Mexican food too, and maybe have a beer, or two. Don’t worry I still think most beer taste like socks, but this is blueberry flavored! Doe that even count as beer anymore?

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Alright, bed time for me, and early to rise for these things tomorrow:

  • Truck
  • Packing
  • 4 mile run (wait, what?)

Oh my, what a day!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Picking up the pace

I just had a great work out! I ran, and I ran fast! Who would have thought running fast could be, dare I say it, fun?!

For me, running has been a leisurely thing. Even when I was training for a half marathon, my runs consisted of me just going out and running. There were no speed training, tempo runs, or anything like that, instead just me trotting along. I never pushed myself, for the fear that putting to much pressure on myself would take the fun out of running.

Don’t get me wrong, sometimes my body wants a nice slow chill run, usually with a little Ben Folds or Weezer in the background. I realized today though, sometimes the body wants speed, too!

(source)

I am going to give myself a mini goal during this training season to add a little speed work into my training. When I say speed work, I use the term quite loosely. At the most I might through in some intervals or fartleks.

Ha, fatleks.

Anyways, I am excited to add this new aspect to my training. Besides it giving me an added challenge during training, it also keeps things from getting boring. Especially when running inside, its nice to break up a run into intervals. Sometimes 3 miles on a treadmill can feel like you are running across the whole United States.

Forest Gump, he did not run on treadmills.

Anyways, its late and I have my LAST DAY OF WORK TOMORROW.

Smile 

So excited!

Also, here is your moment of Zen:

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Late addition – here is a great post from one of my favorite blogging runners on getting faster.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

The return!

He’s back!

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Ok not that guy, this guy!

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It is so nice having Kevin back! I strongly believe people who are in love should never be separated, ever. It was nice to have the place to myself some of the time, but most of the time I thought, where’s the poof? Life is just funnier with Kevin! Also, I feel like our relationship is what it would be like if Barack Obama was engaged to Dennis Kucinich. Just imagine that, and that is what ever night with us is like. Our idea of a fun night, talking tax codes. Strange strange people …

On our first night back together, we made sure to have family time with our little furry spiky friend! I swear, Kevin thinks he is the hog whisper or something. Here is Kevin trying to charm Sandwich out of his home.

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I have been worried about Sand lately. Look at what he does! He brings all his bedding inside his house. He never did this before. What does it mean? Is it too cold? Does he hate me? What is the deal?

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Nonetheless, These are might be some of the cutest pictures of the hog to date!

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Ah, it is so good to have the family back together!

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Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Traveling!

The last couple of days I have been driving ALL OVER Southeast Ohio for work. Below is one of my spots today, and a picture of my “office.”

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Whew it has been busy, but I am getting a lot done! Also, Kevin is finished with exams and will be heading down TOMORROW! Thank god, because with work I haven’t been able to do much more packing since Sunday. He has reassured me that once he gets here things will start getting done, in big ways!

I am just glad he is coming back. The past few months apart has been difficult, to say the least. it will be nice to be under the same roof again. Besides, he is much better are keeping track of the hog.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

The packing begins!

After piling all my belongings in the living room I decided it was about time I left home. First I went and got some boxes from Staples, and then headed to campus to do some printing/work. This is what I found.

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Sh! Ohio State is sleeping! All the student are gone, and the snow cover added another layer of quite to the place. I headed to the PHIL lab, for one of the last times ever! It still feels strange that I am done with classes.

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When I was finished printing (and talking to Amanda) I started my packing! I went from this (left) to this (right)!

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Ok it doesn’t look like a lot is done, but trust me, for just a few minutes I really made a dent. Also note, among the packing boxes is a box full of condoms. Typical Ashley.

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Look who helped! Beanie hedgie and Totoro were really the ones in charge here. Totoro also happens to be Kevin’s biggest fan.

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To top of my day I got in my 2 mile run, bringing me to 13 miles total. Oh my god, that is only HALF of a marathon. Oh well, that is what training is all about, building that mileage base!

Night!

Very cold beep beep

Currently I am in phase one of moving. This is the phase where …

  1. You try on your clothes and decide if there is anything you want to donate
  2. pile EVERYTHING in your living room. This is my everything so far.

If you can spot the Lance bobble head, you win a prize.

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Also I would like to note that when I leave hedgehogs cage door open Kevin worries he is going to escape. My response is, I would like to see him try.

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Also note it is FREEZING! It has been snowing all day.

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Please note how COLD my car looks! Also note that I do not have an ice scraper. How did that happen? Wish me luck in this winter wonderland as I head out to get boxes for packing and finish some stuff for work.

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