See Jen run! Run, Jen, run!

I used the treadmill at the gym for the first time today and instead of feeling like a gerbil running on a wheel, I felt fantastic. So now of course the treadmill is my new favourite thing. It's this superduper computerized contraption that tells you how fast you're going and how far you've gone and how many calories you're burning and how your investments are doing. Really, it is a technological marvel. I don't know why I didn't get on the treadmill track sooner.

See, I took up running in September, but only because I was seething with anxiety over my job hunt and needed to do something with all that energy. Now, I had always hated the thought of running - all that huffing and puffing and sweating, ick! - and the few times I'd started running, I'd stopped just as quickly because it made me feel so uncomfortable and out of shape. Yes, stopping was the logical thing to do in that case, wasn't it? Kind of like putting off taking my driving test because it will be years before they'll let me drive on the 400-series of highways.

Anyway, this time around, I decided to give it a serious try and not give up after a week. I started out with short sprints, setting realistic, obtainable goals for myself. Life is all about setting realistic goals, I'm finding. So on my first runs, in the relative seclusion and privacy of Mount Pleasant Cemetery, where pretty much everybody is dead except for the runners and the baby-joggers and the rollerbladers, I'd run six tombstones, or three mausoleums. Then I was running the lengths of plots, and up hills and through dales and then I finally was brave enough to run in more public places, like the streets. So I started measuring my progress in half blocks and blocks on long unbroken streets like Alcorn Avenue and Farnham. And then, just as I started counting my runs in kilometers, it got wicked cold and icy and miserable and I was tired after a long day's libraianing and I took up swimming (indoors) instead.

Well, the other night, there was a thaw and it was just beautiful outside and I was feeling restless and also painfully aware that my work clothes, which were too loose only a month ago, were uncomfortably tight, so I threw on some jogging pants and a sweat shirt and my running shoes and I ran up a steep hill to the Sir Winston Churchill Resevoir. And then I ran around the reservoir, on St Clair and then down Spadina Road, all the way to Casa Loma - without stopping. And seriously, when I got to Casa Loma, I thought I was going to die or at least throw up and I was sweaty and dishevelled and out of breath. But in two minutes I had my breath back and I felt great.

And I continued to feel great for the next 24 hours. Not only that, but I wanted more. I'm telling you, this running thing, it's like smack. No wonder I see all these people running in the ice and snow at five in the morning with their little reflective-tape bum-flaps and their tights and their water bottles. So this morning I got to work early, just so I could run on the treadmill. Fortunately, today I happened to be working the evening shift so by "early" I mean, I got to work at 10.30AM.

Anyway, so now I'm this big running freak. Who knew?

True Christmas Confessions

The Boston Pops arrangement of Sleigh Ride is, like, one of at my absolute favourite Christmas songs. That cracking whip? Classic. And the trumpet/horse at the end - could that be any more perfect?

I have never tasted a figgy pudding, nor any kind of nog, egg or otherwise. And I'm not about to start.

When I was little, about four or five years old, I could sing Jingle Bells, in both official languages (in French, it's Vive le Vent). But in the English version, I didn't get the line, "Bells on Bobtail ring." I heard and therefore sang, "Bells on Cocktail ring". I didn't know from bobtails, but cocktails? No problem! Give me another Shirley Temple and make it a double this time.

Meli-melo

This is a bit of a catchall post, thus the multiple categories.

Things are hotting up at work and the upshot of it all is that I have been asked if I want to assume more responsibilities along with more pay. This didn't come quite out of the blue, but it happened very suddenly, i.e. on Friday morning right before lunch. Of course I said yes. Duh. So that's kind of exciting. Onward and upward and all that.

Last night Phil and I went to the Spit to look at the coyotes. Yes, there are coyotes in Toronto, and yes we saw them. We had to wait almost two hours though. In fact, we had to decided to leave the spit when we saw them - a family of them, about six in all, three running along the road ahead of us. It was past twilight and quite dark by this time, so they were a bit hard to make out. They look like medium-sized dogs. They have light-coloured fur that's luminous in the dark, and bushy tails. They were not afraid of us - one sat down about ten feet away from us and watched us as we stood there on the road watching them. It's a shame it was so dark - I would have loved to take pictures, but the flash would have scared them for sure.

We also heard a Northern Hawk Owl. It has a ululating call that sounds like a high-pitched, panicked warbling "hoohoohoohoohoohooo!" We have often heard them when we go camping up north, but last year there was a dip in the northern rodent populations and a lot of northern owls have come south looking for food, so that's my guess as to why this one was so far out of its range.

Shalonda Brown - Resume

Aloha! I happen to be one of many crew organizers of FoxyStilezArticles, a famous web writing collective. We craft in Spanish and English for world-wide online visitors, and are on the market for article building for your web site. Below you may find my CV, and you should be able to read other crew organizers and team members' resumes on this internet site. At the end of my CV, you're going to see some samples of our posted posts. For employment inquiries, you should email us with the form on this webpage and we shall react as soon as feasible.



Curriculum Vitae


Shalonda Brown

10717 Bannister Drive

Iowa Des Moines

shalonda_1995@gmail.com




Summary of Qualifications


Graduated With Honors from Princeton University

10 years of composing experience (specially for Internet visitors)

Stunning fluency in Latin and Spanish

Dedicated, team-oriented employee with a aptitude for specifics




Job Experience


FoxyStilezArticles, Toronto Canada

1998 - Present

Team Manager

In charge of organizing a international staff of authors to meet a demanding set of output aims.

- Set new records for output, growing production by 18% throughout the world

- Accurately maintained reliable records of work distribution

- Maintained QC for world-wide production across a sizable staff of freelancers




Additional Abilities


Proficient in Latin and Spanish

Superior competence with a extensive choice of office software




Samples of Released Posts




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Kenya: "Save Our Beloved Country"

This photo is from Mental Acrobatics.  I don't know if the media is still operating under a blackout, but at least they're working together now to articulate what must be every Kenyan's collective wish: "Save Our Beloved Country."  Read an amazing piece of citizen journalism from Mental Acrobatics, who braved the empty, boarded up streets to document the planned rally by Odinga supporters in Nairobi yesterday.

Marcel Clark - Resume

Howdy! I happen to be one of many team leaders of FoxyStilezArticles, a global web content writing group. We post in Spanish and English for global web readers, and are at hand for written content generation for your blog. Below you can find my curriculum vitae, and you may be able to read other team leaders and writers' resumes on this website. At the bottom of my curriculum vitae, you're going to look at some illustrations of our exhibited articles. For work requests, you should mail us with the contactform on this webpage and one of us will answer as soon as can be.



CV


Marcel Clark

2704 Boston Street

New Jersey Trenton

marcel_1987@gmail.com




Summary


Graduated With Honors from The University Of Toronto

10 years of writing experience (especially for Internet readers)

Great competency in English and Spanish

Dedicated, staff-oriented individual with a knack for particulars




Business Experience


FoxyStilezArticles, Paris France

2001 - Present

Group Senior Officer

Answerable for setting up a global staff of authors to meet a demanding set of development aims.

- Set records for production, improving output by 12% throughout the world

- Accurately maintained regular records of job distribution

- Addressed quality control for world-wide output across a sizable staff of freelancers




Special Skills and Abilities


Proficient in English and Spanish

Innovative competence with a full range of office computer software




Examples of Publicized Articles




cottage rentals in ontario | cheap tires | used tires st louis | how to rotate tires | change tire | spare tire mount | transmission fluid flush | transmission rebuild | fuel efficient vehicles | make your own car | painting a car | quick oil change | water heater maintenance | fixing a leaky faucet | file taxes online free | college degrees | toilet clog | average cost of braces | network gateway | tax due date 2012 | best agatha christie books | teaching strategies list | pictures of junk food | maxxis mud tires | auto accessory warehouse

WSJ on South-South Investment

The Wall Street Journal's David Wessel on South-South investment:

(via Africa Unchained)