Out of Africa

What could possibly compel me to blog 10 months after my last post? AFRICA. We spent 9 incredible days in the beautiful country of Tanzania. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but Tanzania was not what I expected. I guess when I think Africa, I think desert. Boy was I wrong. The landscape in Tanzania is stunning: lush rolling green hills, mountains, volcanic craters, open plains. Tanzania has it all. We spent 1 day in Ngorogoro Crater which is like a Disney-fied safari, but guarantees great animal sightings. But the 3 days we spent exploring the Serengeti were my favorite. I felt so removed from daily life back at home. Our guide said that his girlfriend always says the sky seems bigger in Africa, and it sure seemed like that in the Serengeti. Endless plain and endless sky. I felt so in-the-moment there. When I'm home, I have serious ADD: checking email, surfing the Web, thinking about the next thing on my list, Googling any and all questions that come to mind. There, it was all about taking it all in and not really thinking about anything else. We ended our Tanzanian journey at Lupita Island. Talk about private and remote, but incredibly luxe (in a private and remote way). I'm not really good with free time, so the 3 days there with some planned activities along the way were perfect. There is something incredible about unwinding at an island resort halfway around the globe where very few people have gone before. There is also something about going to sleep in your open-air villa with lake breezes coming through mosquito netting and being woken up by birds in time to see the sun rise. I don't know that I'll have the chance to visit Africa again in my lifetime, but I feel lucky to have had the privilege.

Chicago Marathon Balance Sheet

In the minus column:

$500 registration fees for the marathon and various training runs
$100 cabs, parking and gas for getting to the marathon and various training runs
$240 2 pairs running shoes
$500 running clothes, including $70 for a long-sleeved shirt, which directly caused the 85-degree race day temp
$200 podiatrist visit and x-ray to get a non-diagnosis on toe pain
$100 various power gels and drinks
$90 post-race massage

Total liabilities: $1,730

In the plus column:

1 finisher's medal, made of unknown metal
1 polyester race shirt, probably never to be worn again
Bagful of random samples from the Expo
1 mega blister
Possible hemorrhoids
3 pounds gained during summer training (!)

Total assets: Unquantifiable

10-10-10

Well, I did it. My first marathon. Though a couple good training runs this summer had me eyeing a 4-hour marathon goal, some injury setbacks had me go back to my original 4:30 goal. Race day came, and I aggressively decided to go for a 4:05. End result was 4:19:53, which I'm actually really happy with. So happy with my time that I'll take it as a PR, and now I never need to run a marathon again!

The marathon was really, really hard. I knew it was going to be hard, especially between 20 and 25, but I had no idea how hard. There were many times I just wanted to quit. My IT band was bothering me, my feet hurt and my legs felt like concrete. Continuing to put one step in front of another just felt impossible. Thankfully E joined me on the course at mile 17 and stayed with me until after 25, when she got shooed off. She was a rock star--encouraging me without being annoying about it, slowing down when I had to slow down and making me go a little faster when she knew I could. She was also my personal concierge, racing ahead in the aid stations and bringing me Gatorade and water. I am going back to marathon-as-spectator-sport, but I will also repay the favor by doing this for somebody someday.

I thought the marathon was incredibly well-organized. It was hot, but aid stations were plentiful, well-organized and fully equipped. And the people of the city were phenomenal. People lining the streets with water, Gatorade, bananas, pretzels, candy and ice, and turning on their garden houses to keep us cool, and just their overall support was amazing. I had never been to Pilsen, but even today, I can't stop thinking about the generous spirit there. That was definitely the coolest part of the marathon--being able to run through the city, many times to areas I had never even been despite living here my whole life, and enjoying the people.

The [Not So] Amazing Race

Ugh. Just watched the finale of The Amazing Race and I couldn't be more let down. Dan and Jordan may have been strong competitors, but were supremely unlikeable. That backpack move to budge the line? Not cool. And Dan, I don't know whether you're really such a huge sports fan or you're just overcompensating for your repressed gayness, but really, everyone knows Candlestick Park, sports fan or not. And Caite, you not only failed to prove that you're not as dumb as we all thought, but even worse, you showed yourself to be a horrible human being. Seriously, who calls a cab driver a dumb-ass? And to disparage the entire immigrant population of America? I have no words for you.

This was the worst season of The Amazing Race ever. The show could have redeemed itself if the cowboys won, who were the only likeable team left in the Final 3. Very telling that I only just watched the finale last night. Please please please give me a better show next season!

Thank god for Sonja

Because I honestly don't think I could bear to watch Real Housewives of NY without you. Not even making fun of those other whack jobs is reason enough to watch this harpies. Jill, what happened? I used to adore you, but now you're just as petty as the rest of them. Bethenny, you're not as funny and clever as you think you are. And calling LuAnn a drag queen? Hello pot, meet kettle. LuAnn, money may not be able to buy you class, but apparently it can buy you a meaningless title and a record deal, even in the absence of any discernible talent. Alex, your husband is gay, and you're a wannabe whose hives crack me up. Kelly, you're crazy. Satchels of gold indeed. And Ramona, you may now by default be my second favorite. You may be mean, but at least you're consistent.

Between these loons and Danielle from NJ, they make even the biggest psychos I know look like freaking June Cleaver in comparison.

Attention Deficit Disor....

What was I saying? Oh right, I think I have ADD. I am always looking for a distraction. As soon as an email pops up, I have to check it. Twitter has been a godsend. I do miracles for Gawker's page views. I've neglected this Blog again for months. I am bored of The Amazing Race (say it ain't so!) and American Idol; in fact, I have numerous episodes on my DVR waiting to be watched. Or maybe I just need new TV shows--Glee and Modern Family maybe? Still love the Real Housewives wrecks, though.

On another note, my orchid is blooming again--this time, all 3 stems. You go girl!

At Least He Didn't Swear

T, while holding his Nerf gun sideways (or "gangster style") as he calls it: "Put your f-word hands up!" I think his father needs to better monitor what he watches in front of the kids....

I'm enjoying these Olympics and have been fascinated by biathlon and curling. I think I'm starting to understand curling a little and think I could become a world-class curler. Do you train by cleaning your house? Not that I do that myself, but I'll start if it helps me make Team Korea (they don't have a curling team, right?) for Sochi 2014!