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January 31, 2006
Interesting Turn-Based Web MMORPG
If you are interested in Darkthrone, click this link, and I'll get a citizen and 250 gold!
If you register, it's even better...I'll snag 10,000 gold and 10 citizens.
Read the poorly spelled strategy guide first--will definitely help if you are interested in playing.
Posted by crystallyn at 07:27 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
January 21, 2006
Paku!
Over on one of my favorite websites, Cute Overload, Meg introduced us Westerners to a cute little stuffed panda which the Japanese take pictures of in various settings
and post to a website. Lucky me, my longtime friend Greg has been hanging out in Japan and I asked him about the pandas. He said that the website doesn't really sell them--just one store in Harujuku does. So he made it his mission to hunt down a panda for me.
It was my 5AM but for my little Paku Panda it was 6PM when he began his long journey on "a snowy Tokyo evening with two sweet Japanese chicks who kissed panda's forehead before his maiden voyage..."
Ooooo where will he go next?
Posted by crystallyn at 09:30 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
January 16, 2006
i am going to die
After I rudely push my way through a crowded line at the zoo, a large, angry man picks me up and throws me over a guardrail into the bear pit. Being only minutes before feeding time, I am quickly devoured by the hungry beasts.
Posted by crystallyn at 05:37 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
January 13, 2006
this is just too rich...
Posted by crystallyn at 07:11 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
January 12, 2006
2005 Cities Meme
Following in Jason Kottke's footsteps...
All the cities I stayed in 2005, not including Boston, of course.
Las Vegas, NV
San Francisco, CA
Provincetown, MA
Waterloo, ON*
Dublin, CA
Boise, ID
Pittsfield, MA* (Berkshires)
One or more nights spent in each place. Those cities marked with an * were visited multiple times on non-consecutive days.
The lack of travel denotes two things--one, I managed to get out of going a lot for work and two, we is poor... We tended to go to the Pitt a lot for vacation because it's free to stay and we have a great time when we go.
Joe pointed out that my list is full of "rainbow" destinations...
Posted by crystallyn at 07:27 AM | TrackBack
January 11, 2006
becoming an athlete, yes--me!!
So here is my training schedule. This is a three-day a week running plan. Two-three other days during the week are for cross-training (bike, elliptical, etc.) cardio and for weight training.
Currently finishing my couch to 5k Training. I'm in week nine now. The numbers with / are run vs. walk times.
Jan 9 Week 9 5 min warmup, 3min run/2min walk for 30 min, 5 min cool down Total minutes ran each session: 18
Jan 16 Week 10 5 min warmup, 3/2, 4/1, 3/2, 4/1, 3/2, 4/1, 5 min cool down Total ran: 21
Jan 23 Week 11 5 min warmup, 4/1 for 30 minutes, 5 min cool down Total ran: 24
Jan 30 Week 12 Same type run as week 10 for day 1, week 11 for day 2&3 Total ran: 21/24
Feb 6 Week 13 5 min warmup, all running for 15, 15, 20 minutes, 5 min cool down
Feb 13 Week 14 5 min warmup, all running for 20, 20, 20 minutes, 5 min cool down
Feb 20 Week 15 5 min warmup, all running for 20, 25, 25 minutes, 5 min cool down
Feb 27 Week 16 5 min warmup, all running for 25, 25, 30 minutes, 5 min cool down
10k Training (miles not minutes) with at least 5 min walking warmup and cool down. Focus here is distance and improving speed.
Mar 6 Week 1 2.5m, 2m, 3m
Mar 13 Week 2 2.5m, 2m, 3.5m
Mar 20 Week 3 2.5m, 2m, 4m
Mar 27 Week 4 3m, 2m, 4m
Apr 3 Week 5 3m, 2m, 4.5m
Apr 10 Week 6 3m, 2m, 5m
Apr 17 Week 7 3m, 2m, 5.5m
Apr24 Week 8 3m, 2m, 5.5m
My one concern is that I'm traveling twice during this training period and I worry that will throw me off a bit. But the hotel in Dublin (CA not Ireland!) has a gym that I can use and WILL use and when I'm in Boise in March I'll have to find a way to make it a priority. I think it will be easier because I'll be closer to the race day and will have more motivation to stay on track.
I'm also thinking of maybe running a 5k in March to warm me up. Any suggestions?
Posted by crystallyn at 07:14 AM | TrackBack
January 08, 2006
vengeful mouse
The most talked about story on Technorati today is a BBC News article about a mouse that some 81 year-old guy threw in a pile of burning leaves.
The mouse decided to take its revenge and it ran back to the guy's house and set it aflame.
Serves that guy right! WOOHOOO Mouse!
I can't wait to tell Rosie, Joe's mom. She collects mice. Draws them on everything. She'll definitely get a kick out of this.
Posted by crystallyn at 03:37 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
January 06, 2006
For Joe's Birthday
I'm thinking of getting this for Joe's birthday on the 1st....what do you think?
Posted by crystallyn at 06:58 PM | TrackBack
January 05, 2006
Happy New Year!
So I figure I should blog something...people are starting to worry about me. :)
Should I do the obligatory resolutions? Let's look at last years:
1. To lose another 35 lbs and become even healthier. I AM healthier but I actually went up 15 lbs, then lost those 15 lbs again. That said, I'm more fit and I began running.
2. To find an agent for my book on creative writing exercises. Ok, here I was lame, but I DID beef up my resume quite a bit--became a published columnist and a college writing professor. I needed the extra credibilty.
3. To be a better correspondent with my aging grandparents. It took me till December to manage this but now I talk to my two grandfathers on a weekly/biweekly basis.
4. To write one poem a week. Ok that didn't even remotely happen. And I'm not sure why. One poem really isn't difficult. Maybe I'll add it back this year.
Sooo this year:
1. Run a 5k by my birthday on June 5 (but am really going to try and aim for a 10k on April 30). This is a lofty, but I believe achievable, goal for someone who has never been a runner until I began training this fall.
2. Strive to be better at remembering people's names--this is essential since I started teaching.
3. Find an agent for my book. The research is done, the proposal is done and I have thumbs up from several people--I know it will sell so I have to get off my rear and sell it. But oh that means I'll have to write it!
4. Write one poem a week. I better get cracking, huh? I think I have resolved this every single year--man I suck.
Posted by crystallyn at 07:23 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack