Brain Clutter

The clock is ticking on the Mothering Heights "Mother's Day Essay Contest." There is a week left and I am really starting to wonder, will I finish? I have been so focused on my marathon training, my computer time has been minimal. I know I am making excuses. I finished my essay last year on the due date, hours before the deadline, but this year I made pact with myself to have it done early. Early means what in my mind? The day before.

My biggest problem is sticking to a topic. I think I like an idea. I write a few hundred words and then think its not worth writing about. I need some help. A muse. My children. Someone to inspire me to write something, anything at this point. Otherwise, come next Friday, all I will have is just a bunch of unfinished essays. I won't let that happen. Not me.

I will make a point to get writing this weekend. Maybe after my big training day on Sunday (14 miles). I will be too exhausted to do anything else. Right? All I will want to do is sit at my computer and write, right? I hope. I really need to focus, but my brain is cluttered with ideas. I need to focus! Just focus.

Mental Games: Marathon Training

I began to question my sanity as I was running, pushing 48 pounds (my 22 month old in a non-jogging stroller) up and down a hill for an hour and fifteen minutes. On the uphill climb my mind was telling me that I was torturing myself, on the downhill climb, my mind recovered long enough to think I could do it again, fifteen times, until finally it was over and I had a cool down two mile walk.

The cool down was great and I felt elated that I was one step closer in my marathon training program and I reminded myself I wouldn't be pushing 48 extra pounds during the marathon. I look at the 48 pounds as my drag. Kind of like, when swimmers wear an extra bathing suit and don't shave during training and then on the day of the big meet, they shave and wear paper thin suits, although I am sure its not the equivalent of 48 pounds.

I thought back to the time when I was on the swim team in college, and my coach handed me a 25 pound weight and told me to walk around with it. I wondered why he was making me do that? Then he told me to put it down and said, "Isn't that better. Now imagine if you lost 25 pounds, how well you would swim." I am not sure if that was a good thing or not. Telling me I needed to lose weight, but to this day, as I train I think about the extra pounds I am pushing with my son in the stroller and then I think about what a relief it will be when I don't have to push those extra 48 pounds as I am running up and down hills during the marathon.

The marathon is 36 days away and my mind is telling me, I will be ready. I will be ready. Even if just a few hours ago I felt temporarily insane running uphill with a stoller. I will be ready. I am not insane, I am just in training.

Krups "IDIOT MODEL" Toaster

My husband finally persuaded (more like forced) me to open the Krups Stainless Steel Four Slice Toaster that I received for Christmas. I was completely content with my Red Kitchen Aid Two Slice Toaster, but my husband complained it didn't toast well enough and why didn't I want to be able to toast four slices of bread at once for our FOUR children.

Okay, so now that the toaster is on our counter, my husband insisted on reading the instructions. We must have the Krups "IDIOT MODEL."

DO NOT

1. Do not immerse toaster in water or run water into the toaster. (Who does this?)

2. Do not operate toaster under or around any flammable materials. (DUH!)

3. Do not place the toaster in the dishwasher. (Do people really try this?)

4. Do not cover toaster chamber when in use. (Really?)

5. Do not insert objects into the toaster other than bread. (Okay!)

BEFORE FIRST USE

1. Remove toaster from packaging. (I'm sorry, I just can't go on!)

But for those of you who still need further help, when purchasing a Krups toaster, please make sure it says "IDIOT INSTRUTIONS INCLUDED."

Too Much Information

I just received an advertisement from Apple promoting their new ipod touch, the "Internet in your pocket" that's all I need. Don't get me wrong, I love my ipod, but having the internet available at all times??? I already feel like I spend too much time on my computer, writing and surfing the net. I can't imagine having it everywhere I go. That would be too much information at my fingertips. I can already barely remember the days when I had to use an encyclopedia or go to the library to find information or buy a newspaper to read the news. Internet accessiblity is great, but do we need to have everything in the here and now? It is pretty cool, though!

Fred or the Red Hoodie: The End of the Patriots Path Perfection

I thought I knew my friends. Two weeks ago my friend sent me an e-mail asking, "Are you having a Super Bowl Party, so we can come and mooch? I have a new dip recipe I am dying to try out!" I replied, "you can come under one condition, that your husband who was born in New York does not root for the N.Y. Giants." I called her later to make sure. She laughed and said, "Fred doesn't watch football. He could care less." So they were invited.

One Super Bowl and a major upset later, I found out, FRED did care. I am not going to blame him for the PATRIOTS' LOSS, but I have now come to the conclusion that even those who think that they don't care, ultimately do. When Fred arrived, I truly believed he would be more interested in the "Think Fun" games I pulled out to occupy his time during the sixty minute game that lasts three to four hours. I was sure he wouldn't even be paying attention to the game.

Come to find out he, not only was he watching, he was rooting for the underdog Giants. He felt the game was rigged. He was convinced the Patriots would ultimately win. He kept saying he wanted to see the Giants ahead for a little while, for the sake of the game. Keep it a close game, he kept repeating. Is that the voice of someone who does not care?

He got his wish. Oh, the game was close. Too close for my liking. And there was Fred, in my house, wishing for Giants to win. How could I have let this happen? I tried my best to distract him. I encouraged him to try the puzzles I brought out, but he kept watching the game. He kept wishing for a Giants victory. He got his wish!

In the end, I am not sure if it was Fred or Bill Belichick's "Red Hoodie" (How could he go and change his style for the Super Bowl? He needed the old gray hoodie! I said it first! At the start of the game!) that led to the end of the Patriots' perfect season? That is a question I will never know the answer to, but I can safely say the next time the Patriots are playing the Giants, I know who not to invite over to watch the Super Bowl. The person who did not spend an entire season, every Sunday and Monday watching the games leading up to the Super Bowl, because even those that say the don't care, FRED, do when it comes to rooting for their home team!!!!!!

And by the way, whatever happened to the dip?????

"Hannah Montana: One in a Million"

"Hannah Montana: One in a Million"
Rated G
Amazon $13.99
Reviewed by Emily Marchant (age11)

Who is the teen pop star sensation sweeping the nation? Why it’s Hannah Montana or should I say the now Miley “Ray” Cyrus (she recently changed her name). I am here to give you the details on her new DVD “Hannah Montana: One in a Million.” Hannah Montana fans, the DVD comes packed with four episodes from the second season, as well as a bonus episode of the Disney hit show “That’s So Raven.” Here’s the dish on the episodes and the special features.

The first episode, my personal favorite, is “Lilly’s Mom has got it Going On.” This episode is about how Miley and Lilly try and set their single parents up on a date, but end up in a fight when things don’t go the way they hoped. Isn’t that always the case? Best friends should never let their parents date. Special guest star, Heather Locklear, plays Lilly’s mom.

The second episode stars the hit pop group, The Jonas Brothers. In this episode, The Jonas Brothers ask Miley’s dad to write a song for their band. When Miley finds out her father is going to write a song for them, she becomes jealous, so she and Lilly dress up as “Milo” and “Otis” and try and convince them not to have Miley’s dad write the song for them.

The third episode is about Miley winning an award. She invites her Aunt Dolly and Aunt Mama to come, but when they do, they get in a big fight over an old feud. Here’s a hint: It had to do with Elvis. The final episode is about Miley getting jealous about a movie that her on again off again crush, Jake Ryan, is filming with female star Mikayla.

The special features were great! I enjoyed watching the music videos “One and a Million” and “True Friend,” but the special feature I enjoyed the most was “The Top Ten Disney Character Feuds.” In this special feature, Disney names the biggest feuds between characters, like Zack and Cody, The Jonas Brothers and Hannah Montana and Hannah and Mikayla.

All and all this is a great DVD to own. I enjoyed watching it with my family. I recommend this as a gift for any Hannah Montana fan.

I give it 9 out of 10 Binkies

There's Always Tomorrow

Twelve miles was on the marathon training schedule for today, so what happens when you approach the twelve mile mark and you are still a mile away from the finish line (a.k.a. my house)? The twelve mile training day becomes a half-marathon. By the time I made it home, the only thing I felt like doing, besides downing 32 ounces of water, was climbing into a super hot bathtub. As for the rest of my day, I wish I could say this would be the perfect time to sit at my computer and finish a certain essay that is now due two weeks from today, but all my body wants to do is lie down on the couch and take a nap in this rainy weather. Yesterday I made a colorful calendar, today I finished a half marathon and tomorrow.... Yes, tomorrow I will write that essay or my New York Times Bestseller. Why be an over achiever, when I can just achieve. One step at a time. There's always tomorrow.....