Running Through Life

My last goat. Gone. I have no more. I am not sad. It is a relief, a weight off my shoulders, a blessing in disguise. Not that they were evil varmints out to ruin my life, eat anything with color on it, trample the garden, destroy fences and cause property damage. No they were none of that. Ha!

Now I have 6 acres of free and uncluttered pasture. What should I fill it with now? What should the next, great farming adventure be? I wait with breath abated your wisdom on my future. What say you!!!!

On that note, the acupuncture last night was pretty damn awesome. Thank you Second Wind Running Club for your speaker series. I have plantar fasciitis in both feet but for the demo he worked on one. It did relax. It is still there. The knot is still there, but the tension is lessened. One foot did not hurt this morning when I got out of bed. I am considering going back and having more done. He is located in Urbana. See here.

Running schedule - I forgot that I had signed up for the Forest Glen 5 mile trail run (10.20) which makes 3 possible marathons out of the question (though I could have only chosen one). Sorry Joanna. So that probably leaves only the St. Jude marathon as a possibility this year. Smaller runs - lots of them - I am looking at:
Wild Wilderness 7.45m - 9.30
Wooly Worm 5k - 10.6 (against an 11 yo and clocked a low 30 already)
Forest Glen 5m - 10.20
Allerton 5.5m - 10.28
Run for the Library 5k - 11.17

Wow, maybe I should have entitled this post 'Lots o' Links'.

That's it. Peace out.

I saw.
I came.
I conquered.

Oh, you want more detail? Well, it all began way back when...

This weekend was a great time in Chicago. Drove up, got parked (20 minutes to drive .2 miles) and then proceeded to head out. I really wanted to get into the Redhead Piano Bar, but the lines were about a 30 minute wait and I was thirsty.

So the Excalibur was next - wrong!!! Way under dressed. The women were dressed in skimpy outfits and high heels spikes. I could have gotten hurt.

Stout's - which kind of looked like a local bar had a line around the corner. So that left the Hard Rock Cafe. It was large. It had bands playing. The music was good and the beer was cold.

I listened to a Band Called Catch, listen to there music here and to Tree ( I can't find anything about them). Both were good.

Saturday was the Cards/Cubs game. Cardinals let one slip away. But Wrigley is a nice place to watch a game. Just don't expect any pulled pork sandwiches.
The pre-game festivities were awesome as well as John Barleycorn's. Where there was an abundance of free food and beer. Lots of beer. Lots of orange Illini t-shirts.

That evening was Dark Knight Rises at the Navy Pier IMAX. What a great way to watch a movie. 12,000 watts of sound and Cat-woman bigger than any cat I ever seen.

Sunday was a drive to LaSalle to meet Leia (a Siberian Huskey) who now lives with Luke - yes, Luke and Leia - 2 dogs. Awesome.

Then home to Senator's for some pizza, beer and hot peppers. Damn that Ali.

mel·an·chol·y/ˈmelənˌkälē/Noun:        A deep, pensive, and long-lasting sadness.


I am not sure if that is the right feeling or not. While not exactly sad, I have had a gut feeling that not all is well. I am not sure why. But this weekend is very promising. A weekend of fun and excellent company. And maybe some fireworks. 

Too Much Time On My Hands

Just a little, but not really. I had yesterday afternoon off. Sorta. I sat. In a courthouse. All afternoon. And did nothing. Listened to a strange court case. Why can't people just use some common sense and there would have been no issue.

Dinner was awesome and a nice surprise. Papa Del's pizza. Yum Yum in my tummy. Thank you.

Today is Hump Day - not sure about the movie though.

Got up early, rolled over and went back to bed.

Running so far - 0 miles. Oh well, it will start. Time to order a new belt for my treadmill and attempt it. Let's see if Nordic Track can help me. Be right back.......
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
back. Looks like I need the exact model number and not the model name. Jeesh!!!

I have to give my boat back today. Well the one that has been parked in my yard for most of a week. It was nice to wake up, go out on deck and stare lovingly at it.

Maybe tomorrow will be a more interesting blog. This one sucks.

Well, the weekend is over.
Phew!!! As some would say after smelling beer burps.

It was hot. It was really hot. I got sun burnt. I got wind burnt. But it was a good time on the lake Saturday.
A really good. I wakeboarded, I tubed, I just rode in the boat and looked good. :)

Then the trouble started. The boat wouldn't run right. It coughed. It sputtered. It died. Not good. I can't swim. But we limped back and believe it is just a bad fuel filter. Find out tonight when I replace it.

Oh, and did I mention that the boat wouldn't start in the morning. I almost forgot. The battery needed replaced. Simple.

And Sunday morning pleasant - not really. Burned up the plug for the RV. I need to replace that tonight so I can return the RV.

So tonight is busy, busy, busy.

Hoping to get some running in this week to get started again. Still thinking about what races to run and what marathon might be good to train for. Maybe people should vote for what I run? Then I can set a time goal, people can choose their own and see who is closet.

Good idea or not?

And the shoes from yesterday are wrong. I have Brooks Glycerin 9 pictured below.

-the beginning of the end

I think it is time to start again. Start blogging, start reading blogs, start running, start working on my house, my yard. Just start.

It has been a good few months. Thanks to those that have made it so.

So, why did I leave?

Injury, personal issues, mental issues. But all those now seem to be resolved. My neck seems 99% healthy, my belly has grown to twice it's size since Sept 2011, my shoe size has gone up another size, my skin has tanned and my hands and fingers are all cut and bruised and all but one goat are gone (and he will be soon).

After getting injured and not being able to run St. Jude's or Disney I was really despondent for awhile. I tried running on New Year's Day and made it the one mile that I tried. Nothing hurt, and for 2 months afterwards I ran.

Then I got mental.
Crazy.
Not normal - well maybe crazy is normal in this mixed up world.

So I worked on getting uncrazy. It took time. Beer. Friends. But eventually, I think I have it under control. A little.

I ran. Once. A race. 5 miles. Buffalo Trace. I was 22nd in my age group. People were proud of me. Next year I get to run with the 50 year old kids. They will still kick my ass.

I bought new shoes. Bright green ones. (not sure these are the exact ones, but close)

Too bad they did not come in yellow. It was also the biggest Dick's store I have ever been in. And I ate at Joe's. I haven't worn the shoes to run in since buying them. But they appear to be broken in now from the yard work.

I have been camping a few times, been to a few ball games (Go CARDS!!!), learned how to stand up on a wake board (in water while being pulled by a boat). On that note, I got rid of the boat  had been storing fro a year.

I hired a new employee. I have more reporting/documentation to do. Yuck!!! :)

Now to find a marathon to train for. Or maybe just start running and see what happens. St. Jude's would be an option, Goofy Challenge would be nice, St. Louis RnR would be fun, Indianapolis would be close and Wisconsin Dells (and they give out some swag)  if I wanted to go north.











Or shorter runs would be easier to complete and train for - Villa Grove Ag Days 5k, Mahomet half marathon and 5k, Staci's 5k, Shoreline Classic 15k/5k, Wild Wilderness 7.45m, Wooly Worm 5k,  Forest Glen Trail run (which I am signed up for the 5 mile race), Allerton Park Trail 5.5m, 2012 Run for the Library.

A lot of running could be done -
if I was in shape
if I was motivated
if I wasn't overweight
if my beer drinking wasn't in the way
if I could see my feet
if I could ever finish this list

Well, stay tuned and let's see what happens, see who chides me, berates me, taunts me, dares me to strap on a pair and get going.

Let's get READY to RUUMMMBLE!!!!!!


- the beginning of the end

Training is going good. I hit my scheduled runs last week except for the 8 miler on the weekend. instead I spent part of the day traipsing around Turkey Run State Park. With the hiking up and down and the new trail blazing (my hiking partner lost the trail) I think I completed a great workout.

This week I made the first scheduled run - a short tempo run. I did it on the treadmill to hit the pace exactly. It was easier than expected. Tomorrow I will be doing Yoga. Yes, Yoga. I am one of the most inflexible people I know. I figure it won't hurt and it counts as cross training. Wish me luck with downward facing dog and sun salutations.

Fund raising is close to being on schedule. I have 11% raised, but no slowing down. I need to average $500 per week. Please spread the word or donate yourself. Remember it is tax deductible and for a good cause.

I have signed up to participate in a TNT (Team in Training) event again. I have previously participated with them, mentored and coached. This involves raising money to help families afflicted with blood cancers. Money also goes to research.

Running a half marathon on Saturday and a full marathon on Sunday may sound difficult, but it is nothing compared to what cancers patients do. Please help me raise money for a very worthwhile cause. You can donate on line here - http://pages.teamintraining.org/il/wdw12/mastrosky

Thank you Donate to LLS and Team in Training

I ran.
I blogged about it.
Nuff' said.

May 21 was the annual Buffalo Trace 5 mile trail run. The last 2 years I have run this race in almost the same time. 47.36 in 2010 and 47.34 in 2009. I had hoped to at least run it in 47.30 this year. 


I was up early. The sky was gray and overcast with a bit of humidity. I drove out to catch up with the new fall TNT team. I met one of the new members and caught up with a few alumni as well. They would become my wonderful cheering crowd at 1.25 miles and 3.6. They were loud and boisterous and made me smile. 


But after a long, hilly, humid run I made it. And I completed it in a personal best. There is no official time yet posted, but my Garmin indicated a time just under 47 minutes. 


This just in - official results - my age group once again kicking ass with speedy times. 34.27 was the first 43 year old to cross, another 9 seconds later. But I DID PR. 


By 44 seconds. Not bad for all the walking I did. I should listen to all my running peeps and actually get out there and train. I might run this race well. I'll try for next year.


-the beginning of the end

According to dictionary.com, Perseverance - –noun  --- steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.

As you know I ran the Indy half marathon a few weeks ago. Some friends of mine ran it as well. After speaking with one of them, it became apparent to me of the effort he put put to finish that half marathon.

Let me describe this man-mountain to you - 6'4" and slightly overweight, around 260 lbs. I would guess. Strong as an ox in the upper body. Thick skulled, but slowly learning to accept that some think differently than he. He was a Marine, almost 30 years ago. He was in better shape, anaerobically. He claims his first marathon was around 3.34.

He hasn't run in a long time, let alone train. But he survived. He hobbled the last 3 miles to come in under 3 hours. He persevered.

Now he must do it again. This Rogue has signed up for the St. Jude's marathon in Memphis on December 3. His must train. He must persevere.

Last weekend was the Indy mini. I went and ran with 30618 of the best finishers I could find. It was cool but humid and a little sprinkle at the end. This is the one of the few races I have run multiple times. It is one I happen to enjoy running.
I went there with a friend (we'll call him Rogue) and promptly proceeded to the bar across the street The Wild Beaver Saloon A rustic, simple place with an interesting dress code for the female staff. Pants cut out from the waist band down to mid thigh only attached to the waist at the seams. With that look the ladies wore swimsuit bottoms, panties or what-not with fishnet and leather bras.  Not a bad place. Of course, we had a few beers and then off to Hard Rock for dinner. Not ready to call it a night, we went back to the Beaver for some carb-loading.

Beer does have carbs right? After 5 or 6 we walked across to the hotel for a good night's sleep. I know, convenient.

I got us to the start line early by the Rogue's standards, though the press releases said to be there by 6.45 for a 7.30 race start. We tried to find the hot Mexi-American in her designated corral to no avail. I think she started farther ahead than she was supposed too. 22 minutes after the start of the race we crossed the start line. Off we were, past the zoo (with an elephant watching us crazy two-legged creatures running without any predators in sight), through town and into Speedway and onto 2.5 miles of race track. Off the track and back into town across the river and into Victory Mile.

Just before the race track I caught up with the hot Mexi-American and her hot friend. I chatted with them awhile, congratulated both on their good pacing and then carried on my way.

I was feeling good.
No real pain.
No issues. It was a nice feeling to just jog along at a 10 min/mile pace. I walked the aid stations and quickly took off once my drink was done. I picked it up a little at then end and had plenty of gas left. I felt good.

A 2.13 and some change. Not bad for not running for 2 months. My friends all finished about where they wanted too. It was a good day for all.

The Rogue and I had a friend (Red) come to visit from Columbia and we had more drinks that night. We drank at the Beaver (Red had not been there), Jillians and watch the big fight and then down to the Slippery Noodle for a bands. Back to the hotel we went around 3.30am. Sunday morning came and back home we did drive.

It was a good weekend. i took the prescribed few days off from running and then started back into my routine  with some fast 400m repeats (1.36 - 1.47). There will not be a lot of hard running this month as I am trying to build base back again.

In 2 weeks is the Buffalo Trace 5 mile trail where the Running Doc ran during an appendicitis attack and Alison captured a third place age group trophy. I think I will run it again. It is a fun trail run. It won't be as much fun without the 2 of them, but still a nice run through the meadows, over streams and under the leafy canopy of trees. (Thoreau/Whitman have nothing on me). Then hopefully, I'll continue on for a longer run after that.

Sorry for the long winded post, but I felt like I had a lot on my chest. Here is to a good racing season to all of you. On that note, I just wanted to copy something here that I read on another type of blog I follow. I have no idea who wrote it or when. I know the blog I saw it on is not the original author. But here it is -

Take a step back. Fucking look at yourself. You are human. You are beautiful. You are so beautiful. And you can be anything. You can be everything. Don't hate everyone because someone broke your heart, Or because you parents split up, or your best friend betrayed you ,your father hit you, the kid down the street called you fat, ugly, stupid, worthless. Do not concern yourself with things you can not control. Cry when you need to , then let go when it's time. Don't hang onto painful memories because your too afraid to forget. Let go of things that are in the past. Forget things that aren't worth remembering. Stop taking things for granted. Stop taking life for granted. Live for something. Live for yourself. Fall in love. Fall out of love. Fall in love. Fall out of love.Do this over and over until you know what it really takes to love someone. Question things. Tell people how you really feel. Sleep under the stars. Create. Imagine. Inspire. Share something wonderful. Meet new people. Make someone's day. Follow your dreams. Live your life to its full potential. Just live dammit. Let go of all the horrible things in your life and just f●●king live. And one day, when your old, look back with no regrets.


- the beginning of the end

Indy mini is tomorrow. I carb loaded with a friend at the Wild Beaver Saloon earlier tonight. It was nice. It was dirty. But it was carbs. Tomorrow will be all to soon. I am not prepared, I am not ready, I am afraid. Very afraid.

I would love to PR but the fact that I have only run 4 times since the first of April precludes any chance of a personal best. Any chance at all. So, since I know two people here, maybe more, I might get lucky enough to hook up with them and just enjoy myself.

I expect them to run in the 2.30 - 2.45 range. Easily doable for me even without being in shape. But the eager beaver (hint to saloon above) I may go out way to fast. Let's see if I can rein in the excitement and just enjoy tomorrow.

Bib number is 18691.

Good luck to me.

- the beginning of the end

The Indy mini is Saturday. Yours truly will be there. Since I gave up running (for Lent, for injury, for, oh just because) two months ago. Yes, Running Doc, I have only run 3 days in March, 0 in April and yesterday. It will be tough. A PR does not look to be practical (2.04.26 - 2009) this year.

2009 was also the year I beat my son as well. With him serving our country proudly and in the best shape of his life, I do not ever see me beating him again. Love ya, Jake.

But I am trying to get back into. I ran yesterday. Mile repeats at 7.40 pace. Extremely fast for me for not running for 2 months. I need to ease back into as I have been told by my best running friend. As she told me - Above all, consistency seems to be key for you. You have a tendency to go out hard for three weeks. Even while it's physically possible, you're physically capable of it, it's too hard on the body to jump in. The body's response is to shut down and preserve for a bit, and the inconsistency sets in. Start out easy this time!  I replied - Consistency is the bane of my existence along with determination, fortitude and drive. Some day I will find a way around these debilitating factors of mine. Until then I rely on you, Hookers and others to continue to remind of what might be if only I had a heart.

And the Running Doc is correct. Like usual. Guess she deserves that PhD she has. :) I do start out tough, hard. Like gangbusters only to eventually fall flat. Deflated like a popped balloon. Not sure what it really is. Maybe I have some inner psychosis that refuses to be successful and not allow myself to become happy and achieve the greatness that resides in me. Not that I am great, but we all have a greatness in us, the ability to achieve that which we don't think we can.

My training plan is pretty simple - run. Run 3 days a week and make them good, quality timed runs. To that end I have adopted training from the FIRST program or Run Less, Run Faster. The training programs they have are all the same, just the times are different. With that here is my plan -

Here's to running consistently

- the beginning of the end

To diet or not to diet? 
Lose weight or maybe just to eat a little healthier. 

I started tracking my food intake this week. I shuffled from site to site looking at all the calorie counters, databases of foods, eating habit routines and electronic miles and miles of valuable information. I was so overwhelmed I felt like Neo in the The Matrix just visualizing streams of 1's and 0's. 

So I settled, like I have so many times in the past, settled on being underpaid and over worked. Settled on being average when I knew I could be better, settled on being quiet when I should have been vocal. 


It's not the website I settled on (I think TrainingPeaks is a great site) I just settled for the free account. But it still does a lot. So I started tracking my food intake (yes, beer is a food). It is amazing the calories I put in my belly. It is only Thursday after lunch and I already have 8100 cals. Trying to stick to 1500 a day gives me 2400 cals to spread over 3 1/2 days. 


Me hungry. It's just amazing that I eat how much I do. I still have some snack foods and a few sodas to add. Dieting must be really hard for those of you that do it.Your very own Sisyphean task. 
 So, I will continue to eat like I normally do for a week or two to give myself some basis point to start from. Then, maybe, like Sisyphus I can start rolling that rock uphill and change my bad eating habits. 

Now to figure out how to prepare meals for one.  

-the beginning of the end 

Tomorrow is Boston. Tomorrow is my birthday which is the bigger event? I mean Boston is 115 years old, whereas I will only be 48. Boston would consider me a kid, a youngster. And I consider Boston old. Really old. And a little senile in dropping their qualifying times by 5 minutes. But I should respect my elders.

April 18 is a big day for a lot of runners. Some of you are lucky to be running Boston. A lot of us will watch for incoming results. Will Shalane have her big day? Will Ryan?

I will be trying to steal glimpses of the race from the conference room of work. Not everyone there understands the magnitude of this event. Not many understood the magnitude of my birthday. But some did.

For them I am glad.

It has been a bad couple of weeks for me. Work and personal. Turning a year older has nothing to do with it. Get old or die. Do we really have any other choice. But spending a birthday alone is not what everyone wants to do. Not what I really wanted to do.

So friends, such good friends that I consider them family, made sure that I wasn't alone. Hooker started it Friday night. My Hoooker - where would I be without Hoookers. Elliott and Henley took Saturday night and fed me. Spent two nice nights shooting the shit (guys don't talk, girls do) and having a few brews. It was good times.

Today was different. Mommy was taking me to dinner at 5. Red Lobster. Mikey loves some seafood. Today started atypical with a hearty (yes, not healthy) breakfast of bacon and eggs. Finish laundry, read, look at all work that needs done in TV room still and ignore that work.

Plans to see a movie later and meeting Hooker to pick up some stuff. But instead I was treated to a surprise party in my honor. Burgers, brats, dogs, party favors and cake all just for me. I loved it. There were Hookers, Elliotts, Morses and a Henley.

What's a Henley, don't ask, just be thankful there is only one.

It was a great time. Because of these people (and others) I continue to survive. I don't just hang on, but I thrive and I live. I in an existence that is codependent on them, but it is a symbiotic relationship. One that benefits both parties, though I do believe that I get the most out of it.

These people are the stuff of legends. They are knights of my round table. The shoulders of Atlas that hold me up. They are my Eureka and Nostradamus foretold of their coming.

Because of them I am.

Thank you

- the beginning of the end

I was looking at my Running Ahead training log and it looked bleak, dismal, empty. I haven't run in a long time. I actually do not remember the last time. but I got to looking at my PR section and the Indy mini popped up. It is only a few weeks ahead. Below is what I wrote about the race afterwards, a race I was extremely happy with.

2009 Indy half marathon. Friday night Hooters with Jake and Tom. Order of boneless wings and 6 Killians and off to bed. At 12:30 am. Up 5 hours later and off to the start line with Jake. Explained the course to him and off we went together. For about 1/4 mile. Then I lost him.

My race went well. Same issues I always have at a start. Why am I doing this? How am I going to finish? This is going to hurt. But then I fell into a rhythm. I rhythm that I was comfortable with. A rhythm I thought I could hang onto.

I ran. I made it to the track - still filling good. But the track - that is such a long track. (if you didn't know the Indy half marathon runs miles 6 - 8.5 on the Indianapolis race track) - always looking at the same thing for 2.5 miles. Eventually I was off it and running back towards the finish area.

Mile 9 was a slow one - 10:01. Slow, not sure why. But then mile 10 came up - where I lost it last year. I came together and cranked out a 9:09. Only a 5k left and I was under the pace I wanted. I wanted 2:10, a 10 minute pace. I was about a 9:30 pace and hoping I could hang on the last 5k.

I wasn't hurting, I wasn't breathing hard, I wasn't overly tired. I actually felt good. I was getting past by people, but I was also passing people. I kept at my pace. I grabbed water and walk while I drank. Like every other water station before.

So I ran.

The closer I got, the happier and apparently faster. Crossing the river in the last mile became a race between me and knowing I had it whipped. I ran my last 5k in 28:42. My last mile was an 8:39. Sweet!!!!

It was  a great run for me. A fantastic one, not so much for my son, the cross-country high schooler that promised to kick his old man's ass. Somewhere in the last 3 miles I passed him and beat him. I lost him in the crowd and did not find him at the designated meeting spot. But then I did not expect to wait on him, he was supposed to be there waiting on me. Now that he has gone through Army basic training and continuing to workout I do  not think I will ever beat him in a race again. But that's ok.

So, I am reading this and trying to think back to my training. Was it better then than it has been this year. There wasn't an almost full month of non-running was there?
March 2009 - 52.6 miles
April 2009 - 45.2 miles
Not great but at least I was active. 26.2 of those miles were the Illinois marathon 3 weeks before the Indy mini. This year?
March 2011 - 16.3 miles (including a 5k PR)
April 2011 - 0 (but the month isn't over yet)

I know RunningDoc, you don't have to tell me, but you should anyway. And the rest of you as well. I deserved to be grounded. In my defense, well, what defense can I truly give. I have slacked, caved, gave in. I have become the Jack Black of the running world. Slacking, barely getting by. 

Work is work - always taking too much of my time.  Spring/summer is here and that means outdoors clean up. The house is still in a perpetual renovation mode - that I have actually done some work on recently. Helping friends out with their projects and just hanging out. Doing a lot of introspective contemplation (big words there Astro - now go look them up) and some reading. (Personal Record by Rachel Toor - book review coming later). 

I just need the proverbial kick in the ass, the pep talk to get me out, the you always have time to run for 30 minutes. The 'damn your belly is getting round' statement. And like my Hooker loves to say, 'Come on Sally, you can do it'.

But can I? I really have my doubts at time. Doubts about doing it, doubts about finding the time. Did I mention all the projects at the house I am in the middle of? And that spring is here with yard work - 6 acres of grass that grows and grows, a driveway to repair, goats, chickens, cat and a dog. A dog that has learned how to climb the fence and get out of his confinement. Yea, he does that now. 

Anyways, I am working on it. I am getting closer to getting out the door in the morning. Hopefully soon, hopefully tomorrow. 

- the beginning of the end 
 
 

It was an awesomely hilly course. I had forgotten how hilly it was and as all runners know what goes down, must come up. And up and up and up. I started out the morning with a delicious Hostess apple pie. Yum Yum.


Anyways, I started about mid back and took off. 29 degrees and off we went. Uphill. Did I mention it was hilly? I passed people on the left and on the right. I side-stepped diagonally through throngs of people. It was into. Running. Mind adrift. Magical. Serene and peaceful. 


Mile 1 - 8.12 under pace by 18 seconds but it is earlier and some big downhills.
Mile 2 - 8.21 mostly flat and crowded. This part was single file with runners coming at you. Also an aid station. Still awesome time.
Mile 3 - 9.03 - ok, slower, I was tiring and the big uphill was here. then gently rolling to last downhill tenth
Mile 3.11 - 37.95 seconds. Blasted a 5.45 pace.  Felt good.
Total - 26.13.65 for an 8.26 pace. Right on. Can you say PR? I can


It was also the only post race party where chili-mac was served.


The rest of the weekend was a blur.  Cancer benefit in Villa Grove. I go to them, but they always down me just a little bit. Great people to chat with and....


Bonus!!! - I slow danced with a beautiful woman.


Had dinner with my mommy and possibly her new man on Sunday. Sunday night was some good jazz/bluegrass/ Scottish highland music and a classic rock band to listen to. Not all the same band, 2 different ones.


An ambulance just. 

Hope everyone had a great weekend and summer weather is just around the corner.

-the beginning of the end 

Hugs everyone

Vote and bring it to the University of Illinois. I want to meet Natalie Portman.