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I think they should teach how to load a dishwasher in a fire academy. I can't believe how lazy/inept Firefighters are at loading dishes. they won't pull out the drawer so everything is tossed in the first 6" of the rack or in the first silverware slot. They put huge pots in that take up the entire rack. And face bowls and plates tightly towards the walls. Its so annoying!

Just one thing that makes working a little less pleasant every day.

Test

Blogging from my iPad. Big investment in effort to have a productive, profitable year on the sales road. Plus I'm tired of playing on the internet on my phone....

tips to cycle 100 miles

1. Eat alot.
2. Apply Butt Butter liberally. Before, during and after.
3. Ride two inches off of Charlie's back wheel for 99 miles.
4. Walk down people with carbon fiber bikes and Ironman tattoos- count them, pass and smile.
5. Stop at each rest stop- every 20 miles. Eat one of everything on table, two if its something you actually want to eat, like oatmeal creme cookies. (which I will never eat another one again)
6. Don't find out until mile 89 that you are actually riding 106 miles.
7. Constantly compare current ride to last month's nightmare 75 mile mountainous and mechanically cursed ride.
8. Have Charlie's cycle computer not work due to operator error. This means he can not constantly push the speed higher.
9. Eat some more, even though you don't like bananas or peanut butter.
10. Drink water. Do not drink only gatorade, unless you want the one hour drive home to include as many rest stops as the bike ride.
11. New high performance tires... $130
12. Slow down, look up and enjoy scenery occassionally.

I can say I did it, but really 100 is no more fun than any 50 miler. Plus today I am absolutely paying for an electrolyte imbalance.

Tour de Moore
6:12 ride time, 7 hours total, 106 miles. 17 mph average.

August

This is the first time that August has rolled around and I don't wish I was back on campus moving in with the rest of the students, or wearing sundresses, or going to rowing practice (ok, I sorta wish I was going to rowing practice) Usually I am quite depressed and regretful right about now.
But I am just so happy right now with my life and all that I have done lately. I love exactly where I am and don't want to be anywhere else. I have a perfect happy life, surreal actually.

sophie diss

i just got dissed by Sophie.
i put them outside tonight for about 4 hours while we went swimming. it was after dark when i got home. i expected barking and whining when i shut the car off, but all the barking came from my neighbors stupid dogs.
i went inside and the dogs were waiting patiently at the back door. no whining, jumping, scratching at the door. i opened it and they came in rather calmly. then, i went to the bathroom -a place the dogs know they have a captive audience. (aside: i will choose my next house by putting everybody and dog in the smallest room in the house and making sure we all fit. because that's where everyone ends up together)
but meanwhile charlie started playing with Sam. they were wrestling and playing and barking. sophie comes into the bathroom door looks at me, looks back towards the living room, looks at me and runs back to play. my totally velcro anxious dog may be normalizing.
also Lacey doesn't beg for human food while we eat anymore. good thing too, she must be at least 5-10 pounds over weight.

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Work is boring. Nothing to write home about, really. Frustrating of course, dealing with politics and personalities of so many different people and administration. But I've realized two things:
1- keep my mouth shut. no one gets anywhere around here by speaking up
2- this very well may be typical in any workplace

On the other hand we had a public education group show up today. We didnt know they were coming and they came right as I was making lunch and looking forward to my nap. But they were from a special needs group home and such joyful people. It can turn your day around when you hear (over and over again) "we are in chapel hill today, and we are having a great time." "my name is max and I am doing the best I can" Just simple, honest expressions.

The part time gig is going well, trying to squeeze hours in during the week. Which isn't much fun because there are a million things I'd rather be doing, but something has to fund those activities and firefighting doesn't pay worth a damn. Hopefully this week I will sell three thermal imager cameras, it leads to a big check. But the really big check for selling the ladder truck may never come, I think we priced it too high and the department can't afford it.

I'm pretty sure my house shakes when I have three dogs inside it. They are all doing very well, Sam burns his balls on the hot concrete but stupid dog keeps laying on it. Lacey is too freaking cute for me to do anything but spoil her. And Sophie seems like she has adjusted very well to my house. I often catch her wrestling with Sam in the living room. She slept out there by herself (As opposed to at the foot of my bed) without incident the other night. I even took her out on a bike ride, maybe 600 yards total. But it was something special just for her.

Me? I am itching like crazy. My head, hands and feet are driving me up a wall. I coat with benadryl when it gets bad. I think its an adverse reaction to a prescription so I've been trying to flush it with lots of water. Other than that, I too am just trying to do the best I can. Set myself up for success down the road, no big screw ups, maintain balance, ease the anxiety, and run more.