Christmas

Left: Cooking a traditional Christmas dinner. Note tinsel on tent :-)

We had a really good Christmas in Utah. Nothing went to plan though. I'll talk about the bad things first, because apparently it is better to finish on a high (or a song, but that isn't really applicable in this case). We ended up setting off a day late because Andy was ill, then having to leave a day early because I was ill. On the way back, we had the now customary car failure, when one of the back tires blew out. We spent around 4 hours sitting at the side of the road, mainly due to the incompetnace of the people manning the emergency phone line - apparently being broken down in Utah but being closest to a city in Colerado is mind-numbingly confusing. Andy had to explain so may times where we were, I don't know how he kept his patience. At the very least he should have tried a range of silly voices for variety.

We couldn't ski or snowshoe because the snow was too thin, and we weren't very sucessful climbing, mostly because of me having a big girly wimp attack. I had my first lead fall, something I have been dreading for about two years. I was very frightened because I had made some bad decisions (which was an educational experience). The fear went away as soon as I fell off, since that removed any element of control I had over the situation. I did have a moment of relief then panic when my puny size one nut briefly cammed into the crack and stopped my fall momentarily, before pinging out. I was finally stopped by the rope coming tight on a bolt, and some first class belaying by Andy. I ended up rather ungracefully suspended in a spikey bush, with a few bruises and dented confidence. I didn't feel like leading anything else that day and we didn't get to go back as it was Christmas the next day. I am out of practise, but I'll get better and nail it next year :-)

Left: Delicate arch at sunset

So positive stuff... We had a good laugh, the Arches national park is beautiful, and barbecued turkey sausages make an excelent Christmas dinner. We also learend some lessons from our trip to Yellowstone, and managed to not freeze to death camping.

We opened some presents there, but we have just opened our presents from Andy's family, so we got to have a second Christmas day. Thanks if you read this, more personal thanks will be dispatched forwith (oops slipped into 19th centuary mode by mistake there).





Below left: Andy in Turret Arch, Arches NP. Below Right: Sunset at Delicate Arch #2

Oh... and Merry Christmas!

We are probably going on holiday on Wednesday, so to anyone I don't speak to before then, have a good one :-)

Harry Potter and isn't that the guy out of only fools and horses?

So the new Harry Potter film ticks a lot of boxes: it's exciting, funny, and someone taught Daniel Radcliff how to act... BUT I spent most of the time trying to work out which British sitcoms the supporting cast were from (Only fools and horses, Drop the dead donkey, Rising Damp, Auf Wiedesain (excuse the spelling) Pet)..did I miss any out? Very distracting.

Tips on cross country skiing

Andy maintains some grace and style...


...while I give some tips on how not to do it:

#1) Relax


#2) Stay up right


#3) Most importantly, don't ski off the trail and bury yourelf in a big snowdrift
>

Nordic skiing..

Skiing + downhill = normal
skiing + uphill = crazy norwegian idea

Nordic skiing rocks. On the flat, it feels like running on the moon; you push off like normal running, but then glide gracefully (well, some people do) forward. Downhill is fun because gravity is my friend. Uphil is a bit wierd though. Since when did trying to move slippery planks of wood against a gradient make any sense as an efficient mode of winter transport?

We went out with the uni ski team, and it was awesome. I spent quite a lot of time sliding down hills on my bottom screaming, and I still have no idea how to stop or turn, but it is really good fun.. apart from the uphill bits, obviously.

The friendly American...

.. I found him! He was in the post office all along! I went to post my Christmas cards, and was frightened by this unfamiliar building, full of strange metal cabinets. It looked like no UK post office I'd ever seen- nothing was painted red, there were no queues of old ladies and doleites, and there wasn't that air of frustration and stale cigarettes. I was starting to go into fear overload, when the guy at the counter noticed me. He was kind and chatty, and helped me put stamps on my cards. Unlike the supermarket experiences, I didn't leave with a strong feeling of failure and annoyance, wondering why simple every day tasks are beyond me.. Instead I left feeling confident enough to try other new things, like buying presents and renting nordic skis.. is this sounding like a lipton ice tea commercial yet?

Leaving the house....

I finally made myself put my running gear on and head out to the park. I did what I laughably called a 'warm up' jog (not sure my body temperature ever got above necrotic), then did 5 circuits of the 1 km track, alternating running and walking. I'm hoping to build up to 10, then reduce the amount of walking. It was crazy because the south side of the track was warm and pleasent, with a bright blue sky lighting the snowed in pond, which is pock marked with the feet of overly optemistic ducks.. The north side, though, was bitterly cold, with granular snow blasting its way across the tarmac. On every circuit, the sun would get a little lower and another layer of ice crystals would accrete on the colder sections of the path. I didn't like having the low sun behind me as it gave me a pear shapped shadow. The water in the cap of my bottle froze, blocking the spout. Walking was in some ways tougher than running- my lungs might not have been complaining but the rest of my body was missing the extra heat generated on the runs.

I had Andy's iPod for company, Kosheen to be precise- one of the few albums we can actually agree on. I feel a million times better for the exercise, so even if I pay for it later it was worth doing. I am bone chilled and stiff, and would like nothing better than a hot shower.. pitty Mr Mucous appears to have cut our water supply off. Nice of him to warn me huh?

No more miss grumpy boots...

...I am trying, anyway. I'm going to go for a run and do some work, not spend the whole day reading/ asleep. I don't feel miserable, I just don't feel well. The glands are up in my throat, my head feels wooly and I have that horrible drained feeling. I feel like I just keep moaning on about my health, but it's hard to ignore it when it influences my life so much. I'll go see my GP when I get back to the UK.. but he will no doubt fail to find anything wrong with me and assume I am either crazy or a hypochondriac.. very frustrating. So I'm going to force myself to go for a run, do some work and think happy thoughts.. What else can I do?

:-(

I'm pretty sad today. I've been applying for UK jobs, but I really want to be able to come back here to be with Andy. The US claims to be warm and welcoming, but I've drawn a blank trying to find a way to get a visa... legally, anyway. Apparently I can try inventing my own national security number, or go buy a green card from some guy called Rodriguez if I hang around by the Mexican border, but I don't really want to risk being held for an unspecified length of time under some dark and shady 'anti terror' laws. It's not like I want much, just the opportunity to get a short term, crappily paid job so I have a small amount of available cash and self esteem.

The other option is to get Andy back in the UK.... there are a few lectureships going here and there, but he doesn't seem overly keen...

So I'm back to the fundamental problem... no money, no job etc... What fun!

Bloody Tranmere...

....they dominated most of the match but conceeded 2 late goals, one of which was a penalty. Deja vu anyone?

I want to go for a run. I couldn't go yesterday because there was that kind of evil wind that strips the skin of your extremities. I waited until today... The wind is still here and has been joined by a steady light but persistent snow. Damn. Should have gone yesterday; I might have lost an ear or two but at least I would feel a wee bit fitter.

Arrgggh!

I've applied for maybe 10 jobs today, so I'm REALLY sick of this computer. In a last ditch attempt to cheer myself up, I looked for jokes on t'internet.

I think I've found the worst joke ever... not even bad in a punny, groan-making 'dad joke' kindof way... just bad:
__________________________________________________________________

Lightbulb joke

Q: How many cabbage patch dolls does it take to change a light bulb?
A: The question is irrelevant since you couldn't find the dolls even if you knew how many.

Note: Topical to 1983 and the difficulty of obtaining cabbage patch dolls

_________________________________________________________________________________
Topical to 1983?!! For god's sake!!!!

If anyone knows of any jokes lamer than this one let me know.. On second thoughts, don't. Please.

No Andy....

he's at the AGU Fall meet in San Fransisco this week. Why is Autumn Fall, but winter isn't 'cold' and spring isn't called 'things go green now?'... it's a bit like a toddler pointing at things and naming them.. anyway slightly off topic. I miss Andy. He's only away for a week, but it's made me realise how short my time left here is. Soon I have to go back to England and the reality of no job, no money, no thesis and no idea of when I can live with, or even see, Andy again.

George Forman grill....

...the 'fat reducing grill' my a&se. How can any device that gives you easy acess to bacon sandwiches be 'fat reducing'?

Question for Americans...

...what is the correct response to the question 'hi, how're you today?'? I get asked everytime I go into a shop, but I have a sneaking suspision that the asker couldn't give a rat's toss how the askee is today, yesterday or tomorrow. I generally reply 'good thanks, how are you?', and rarely get an answer. Andy thinks non-commital grunting is the way forward, but I don't like to appear rude. What is the point in asking how someone is if you don't want to hear the answer? Just saying 'hi' would be fine, failing that (safeways cashiers take note) just not throwing my %&*£ing groceries at me like you are on Supermarket Sweep then complaining when I haven't bagged them one nanosecond after you have scanned them would be fine. Have a nice day y'all.

Suggestion for Americans: try curry, it's really nice.
Suggestion for American supermarkets: try stocking curry paste. See above.

Running...

Funny how fickle fitness is (oo, nice alliteration!). I haven't been running much in Laramie, and I had a three week total layoff due to illness and laziness. I've started up again, but right now I'm struggling to do a mile or 2. I've gone from slow but determined long distance plodder to runner up in the zimmer frame race in a matter of months. I am planning a dramatic comeback though... health-dependant of course; why do I have to get ill so often *sulk*? I'm going to use my remaining time in Laramie to rebuild an ok base level of fitness. When I'm back in the UK I am going to start training for the blackpool 10k- I'll have a couple of months to try and improve my speed (PB so far is just under an hour, would be great to get that down to 50 mins). After that I start training for my 'holiday'- a 90 mile epic of running, camping and dirty socks :-). Assuming I survive that, I can either look for another half marathon to torture myself with, or try and nail a decent (sub 25 min) 5k... and of course there's the race for life this summer- not a great chance for a good time, but an excellent chance to have a laugh with 10000 women dressed at least partially in pink :-).

One other thing- to any runners out there: when I'm unfit/ it's very cold/ very dry I get yucky stickiness in the back of my throat. How does one sucessfully eject said stickiness without ending up looking like a snail has crawled all over one's running gear? ;-)

Things to do (near) Denver when you're (not quite) dead..

#1: Build cars and race them. We used crayola model magic, which is the spongiest, bizarrest model mateial ever. Tough to work with but colourful!

Vroommm...! This is Andy's sporty creation