But the honest and somewhat startling truth is that I don't really feel like I've done any serious training. I just followed a regimen set in front of me and went the distance I was supposed to. Looking back, I know it was tough but now I feel more or less like shrugging it off. I know I ran some crazy long miles and somehow they're supposed to help me, but they feel so long ago. (It's probably because I've been sitting around recovering for 3 weeks after the 21-miler.) The thing is, I KNOW I can run this marathon... I have very little doubt that it will be just another LONG (yet more entertaining) day of running.
I just feel... unprepared.
I'm somewhat at a loss for how to explain my exact feelings about the event. I don't really have a sense of trepidation; I'm excited. I feel like I'm about to do something crazy, not something I've been preparing for the last several months. And I feel like my love of doing abso-fucking-lutely crazy things is what's going to get me through.
But damn, legs, I'm counting on you.
NOTE: Rachel writes in her blog:
The Portland Marathon organizers have teamed up with www.wigglewireless.com to provide race chip and cell phone text messaging integration for race spectators. What that means is that you can get six updates throughout the race of any participants whereabouts on the course. Flippin’ sweet. If you have text messaging on your cell phone plan and you would like six updates on my whereabouts as I cross certain points along the course, you can sign up on wigglewireless and stalk my path of running insanity via SMS technology.My bib number is 4202 and Justin's is 4209... keep us in your thoughts!
Posted on September 30, 2006 @ 12:30 PM | 1 comments
Comments:
good luck!
By 
gleek, at
4:30 PM, September 30, 2006
In the spirit of time wasting, I bring you this blast from the past: Photos from Glacier National Park, circa August, 2005. These never-before-seen images have sat uncatalogued on my hard disk since they were taken. (NOTE: photos with an * following the name were taken by Rachel or Micah, or by Justin or I with their camera.) My camera and RAW format were still new and intimidating to me, so I hesitated to edit and they were lost as I moved into my first post-grad job search, a family trip to Banff, and a time of laptop-less-ness of over a month. But I've been sitting on my ass for a week now and I don't have much else to do, so here they are! Not quite digitally remastered, but fun nevertheless.
I hope you enjoy them as I enjoy my last week(s) of joblessness and abstain from exercise while consuming a high-carb diet. (That's marathon protocol, you know.)
( More photos & backstory under the cut...)
The Howe Ridge Fire Hike:
Howe ridge was devastated by the Roberts Complex fire in 2003. This fire nearly consumed Apgar Village after it blew over a highway that was meant to hold the fire line during a night of high winds. It traveled ten miles up the far side of Lake McDonald and almost over Mount Stanton to McDonald Creek, where it surely would have wreaked havoc on a handful of innholdings, perhaps including our own.
Two years later, we ventured up Howe Ridge as our initiation hike. It was showing the first signs of strong regrowth. In fact, we turned back before the trail's end because the bushwhacking became too rough.
Climbing Mount Gould:
Mount Gould is the highest peak along the Garden Wall. It rises intimidatingly above Going to the Sun road like a solid vertical slab. And we climbed it. What the hell we we thinking?
We started really early, cut up from GTS road to the highline trail through a stream bed, and headed straight up the mountain face via a route that can be see in this photo as a diagonal slash in the center right ending at a notch near the top. It was grueling, challenging work, with a few spots of sheer exposure and many steep chutes which required one-at-a-time climbing. Reaching the summit was more than a rewarding experience, it was spiritual. It was also the first and only mountain on which Justin and I snuck off behind some rocks and had a little nookie.
But descending, which usually goes quickly, took as long as the ascent and was equally as harsh. I fell and cut open my wrist, twisted my ankle, and was generally spent and cranky by the time we reached bottom. Was it worth it? Yeah. But I still can't believe we did it, and these photos still inspire in me a gut reaction akin to fear.
Florence Falls:
If this looks familiar it's because it's same trail we hiked this year backpacking on our way to Gunsight Lake (where I got engaged)! It was a nice "recovery" day hike, even if the section of the trail from the main path to the falls was steep and overgrown. The falls were beautiful and relaxing. The weather, which had been cloudy and snowy, cleared on the way back to reveal beautiful skies.
Climbing Mount Cannon:
This was our second attempt climbing Cannon after we had failed and thwarted Micah's proposal plans the previous year, due to inclement weather. It turned out that we'd been most of the way to the top when we turned back, but had yet to reach the hardest part. Cannon was again a challenge, with a mind-bending steep set of cliffs to the summit. In retrospect, I doubt they were that bad, but they sure made me feel sick at the time. So sick that I fell asleep for half an hour when we got to the top. Then I felt better!
Night Photos (& More):
There was a full moon and clear skies the night before we departed, so we packed up our cameras and a tripod and headed to Logan Pass for some photos. This was my first attempt at photographing "the darkness" and the tripod turned out to be faulty (iirc, Rachel still has a piece of it from this year's trip) but the photos are interesting.
That's all for Glacier 2005. Hope you enjoyed!
Posted on September 28, 2006 @ 2:54 PM | 3 comments
Comments:
I should be on record as saying that I still think Gould is one of the most satisfying and enjoyable mountains I've climbed in the park. It was a long and strenuous day, but for me it was great terrain and was absolutely fabulous.
I want to climb it again someday...we'll see if I can get anyone to come with me the 2nd time. Maybe I'll have to have some unwitting victims...er guests...up to Glacier some year.
By Justin, at
5:08 PM, September 28, 2006
Oh for the love of Jesus H. Christ, Mt. Gould. Gyaaaaaagargargrah. I'm proud to say that we reached the summit and the views were spectacular. But I am sitting here in my house, weeping out of panic at the memory of the 12+ hour day of climbing and descending. *Rocks by herself in a corner*
I did love teh photos tho, they are beautiful. Good memories and good times of that year! I should really go organize and pick and choose my photos from that year. Hay Kat you wanna do it for me?!?!?! :D
By 
Rachel, at
6:33 PM, September 28, 2006
Well, I think I *do* have all the pics you guys took! In case you didn't notice, all the ones in the album with an asterisk by the name are photos from your collection with credit to you. There are more, of course, but the ones I used are the ones I liked as a compliment to my own.
Lemme make sure to add that your photos are in there to my post. *goes and does that*
But srrsly, I'd be happy to do something with them for you, especially since I already edited and sized about 70 of them. :D
By Kat, at
7:17 PM, September 28, 2006
Today? Well today I'm a model of motivation. I think I'll actually manage to go to class (it starts at 1:30 don't you know...the morning class was canceled today for The Mass of the Holy Spirit. I love non-secular schools. I'm getting off topic.) and make it home (it ends at 7:10 of course) and even bake an apple pie. Even if that last part is completely self serving I think I deserve credit for at least changing out of my PJs to go to class. Right?
Posted on @ 12:09 PM | 4 comments
Comments:
Very. jealous. Katie.
I know how hard it can be to motivate that kind of reading though. I always end up nibbling at it all week, and then having to pull an all-nighter because my "pacing" wasn't... well, wasn't very well paced. In fact, tonight looks like one of those. Sigh.
By inkandpen, at
1:28 PM, September 28, 2006
I am in the SAME BOAT.
I have three courses. One is one day a week. The others are each one day a week too, but they don't meet every week. But there are still readings and homework.... It is HARD to stay on task, that's for sure.
By Lazy Lightning, at
1:51 PM, September 28, 2006
i have found that the best way for me to force myself to do reading that i would rather die than do is to get in some good old fashioned library time. i know it is dreadful, but a cup of coffee and a secret corner in the library where the only comfy chair is usually does the trick.
susan
By , at
3:06 PM, September 28, 2006
I vote for hanging about in your PJs, baking, and not getting your reading done for as long as you can until you start falling behind just enough that you can play catch up. Path of least resistance ftw!
If you really desire to change your habits and be more studious, I agree with Susan that hoveling up in the library is a good trick.
On the upside, being unemployed is starting to feel sort of tedious. All this sleeping until 11AM and getting things done that I wouldn't have time for otherwise. It's nice, but I need some more stimulation!
We're counting down five days until the Portland Marathon this Sunday. I'm not sure I feel ready but I'm making sure I feel rested. We're taking the train down and back because we couldn't get a ride and driving seems unnecessarily dangerous. The Monday after we get back I have a massage and an IUD insertion scheduled two hours apart from one another. Hopefully the massage will have me nice and relaxed. If not, I'm sure a cocktail of painkillers will do nicely. :)
Posted on September 27, 2006 @ 2:44 PM | 8 comments
Comments:
I assume that like all BC, IUDs have gotten better over the years? I ask because I am good friends with more than one 'IUD baby'...
Why would driving to the marathon be "unnecessarily dangerous"?
By Lazy Lightning, at
6:55 PM, September 27, 2006
They have indeed gotten MUCH better. Today's options (Paragard, the copper IUD and Mirena, the hormonal IUD) offer long-term protection on par with sterilization. The old Dalkon Shield IUD was problematic for a number of reasons. It could puncture the uterus and as you know, tended to have issues with effectivity. According to this article, "If intrauterine devices were automobiles, the Dalkon Shield would have been a Pinto." I, for one, am really excited! I'm getting the paragard: go to www.paragard.com for more info. ^_^
And it's not driving to the marathon we're worried about, it's driving back... but we've gotta get home somehow!
By Kat, at
7:01 PM, September 27, 2006
While you're at it, why don't you also have your teeth cleaned and go shopping that same day? I don't think you have quite enough scheduled the day after your first marathon. Remember to give yourself time to recover... you will need it. But don't worry, if you don't, your body will find the time for you. :)
I also wish you more luck with the IUD insertion than I had. 'Tis a pity that such a fine method of bc involves so much pain initially. Mayhaps I will try it again and succeed! Yay "cocktails".
By Rachel, at
11:28 PM, September 27, 2006
P.S. LL: are you really friends with more than one person who have had IUD babies? Eeeeek.
By Rachel, at
11:30 PM, September 27, 2006
Good luck for the marathon!!!
By , at
4:02 AM, September 28, 2006
hhmmm, an IUD. interesting. i don't think that i know anyone who has one. when i'm done having my two children, i'm going for the tubal ligation. snip snip!
good luck in the marathon! you'll need plenty of downtime afterward so take it easy.
By gleek, at
7:46 AM, September 28, 2006
Kat: OIC... I will have to look in to this further methinks!
Rach: No... more than one person who ARE IUD babies - as in, the mistakes of the late 70s and early 80s!
By Lazy Lightning, at
4:53 PM, October 02, 2006
My mother in law had an IUD baby. I can't remember if it was my husband or his brother, though...I think it was my husband.
By , at
6:46 AM, October 03, 2006
Posted on September 24, 2006 @ 12:58 AM | 3 comments
Comments:
Haay... I was just looking at your little sidebar buttons. Do you know whose eyes those are on the "I heart my cat" button? They're my little Wednesday's! So glad you're using my button!
By Lazy Lightning, at
7:41 AM, September 25, 2006
Awesome! I got it at http://gtmcknight.com/buttons/ when I was looking for blog buttons. I had no idea it was Wednesday. How cute! :)
By Kat, at
12:10 PM, September 25, 2006
I went through a button-making frenzy several months ago and uploaded them to that site. The "northern blogger", ND blog, and a lot of those are mine too of course.
It's all from stress. It crept up on me over the last week and has just pwned me for the last several days. I've been getting enough sleep...more than enough, in fact. Justin and I have been konked out for ten or eleven hours a night on our "days off." I've never needed so much sleep in my life. I think it's the marathon training. But recently I haven't been feeling rested.
Ugh, it's the unemployment blues. The job search is definitely getting to me. It's difficult on a basic level, because I worry about running out of money even though I know it's not an immediate problem. It's hard on an intellectual level because I'm torn between wanting an immediate solution and holding out for a good one.
Thankfully, several options have panned out favorably in the last few days. I know I can rock an interview, so the more callbacks I get the better my chances of having more solid choices are. At this point, I've applied for ten career positions. I'm overqualified for some, underqualified for some, and a perfect fit for most. Now it comes down to waiting for callbacks, salary requirements, and interviews. They say beggars can't be choosers, but I'd much rather be picky than end up somewhere I'll be unhappy. But despite my massive stress aneurysm, things are looking up.
Last Justin and I went to Toyoda Sushi for the first time in over a month-- and our first time there just the two of us in far longer. But Toyoda himself was out sick, so we didn't get to play catch-up. Afterwards, we poked our heads into Fred Meyer and walked out with a rapidly spreading obsession among our Eugene friends-- Guitar Hero. We stayed up late rocking out and then watched a few episodes of Battlestar Galactica Season 2. Mmm, video games and sci-fi, the fuel for a geek's soul.
I'm sure you've noticed that I added Justin as an author to this blog. It's not because we're now engaged or anything silly like that... but with all the work I've been doing on the site, I felt the urge to put something extra into it. I haven't had the same energy to post that I used to have, and I've ofted been simply apathetic about blogging even the best little stories (like the Bulldog incident, argh!). Justin and I share a very common existence... most of the good cheese-sandwich stuff we both experience. And sometimes he asks me if I'm going to write about something when I have little intent to do so. So I figured that he might be up to the task of sharing his thoughts and our life together. I don't imagine that this will turn into a wedding blog but I bet we'll both have things to say about planning sometime in the near future (as we're not setting a date until 2008, don't get your hopes up quite yet). Anyhow, thanks for welcoming Justin... we'll see if he can keep up posting for a while. :)
Posted on September 23, 2006 @ 11:15 AM | 5 comments
Comments:
I know the stress illness far too well. Does yours come with a crushing headache that never goes away, even while you're asleep?
With the risk of sounding cliche, I'm sure it'll turn out great. And I'm looking forward to wedding-y posts!
By Lazy Lightning, at
12:48 PM, September 23, 2006
200__8__!?! baaaaaaah! =-) but 7 is such a prettier #.
By , at
9:09 PM, September 23, 2006
Yep, 2008! :) There are a few reasons, some more important than others:
1) I like to savor the finer things in life and I don't want to rush through being engaged. I've always imagined myself with a long engagement... enjoying that sort of in-between period.
2) I like the word "fiance" better than "boyfriend" or "husband" and I want a chance to use it!
3) I need time to plan, carefully and meticulously. A LARGE number of our friends are getting married next summer (I want to say we'll be going to 4 or 5 weddings) and I plan to enjoy these ceremonies as a way of getting ideas!
4) A large number of friends are getting married next summer. We don't want to scrounge for a date for convenience's sake.
5) Justin's cousin has a BIG BIG wedding in July... lots of family attention and dinero is going into it. We don't want to cut into his cousin's time and attention. To be honest, we'd also like the family's attention to be undivided as far as blood-relative weddings the summer we're getting married.
6) Justin gets out of nursing school in summer 2008-- more cause to celebrate and embrace the changes in our lives. We might be looking to relocate and buy a house that summer, too! :)
7)Finally, I'm a firm believer that putting something off makes it better. I know a lot of people have fun planning their weddings and the day is "nice" but not what they expected. I want some time to dream and savor the experience before the experience itself. :)
By Kat, at
9:52 PM, September 23, 2006
If you haven't already, go read Justin's blogger profile ahahahahaha: "I was never that stupid" ahahahaha. Hi Justin, I love and welcome you.
By Rachel, at
10:19 PM, September 23, 2006
Good Luck on the Job Hunt!
i always went into interviews with creating a Win Win attitude & talking about what i could do for the Company!
it was like a Casual Chat as opposed to a dreaded grilling session where yer answering stoopid questions like "Where do U want to be in 5 Years?"
of course i was always tempted to say "in yer Chair so i can FIRE U!!"
;))
& the other thing i would do is pick out Companies in Trade Mags or Shows who weren't Advertising for Jobs or Hiring!
that way yer not competing with 1000 or more peeps responding to a Newspaper ad*
Cheers!! Billy ;))
By , at
10:45 PM, September 26, 2006
If I'm going to post here I guess that means I have to be witty, charming and funny. You know, the qualities that I've so far managed to fool Kat into believing that I possess. Here's to maintaining the deception.
Posted on September 22, 2006 @ 3:33 PM | 9 comments
Comments:
:-O
By Kat, at
3:40 PM, September 22, 2006
sweet!! now we can get the 'he said, she said' posts! ;-) actually - this is great. looking forward to great posts. cheers.
By , at
3:57 PM, September 22, 2006
LOOOK you have your own picture over there too!
My husband won't post on mine. He does read it, and leaves a comment about once every 6 months though.
By Lazy Lightning, at
4:01 PM, September 22, 2006
welcome! you are the shit.
ps: coolest.masthead.EVAR.
By , at
6:37 PM, September 22, 2006
welcome justin! looking forward to hearing more from you! Wow she even gave you a photo!
By , at
9:07 PM, September 22, 2006
Um, hi Justin. You know I love you, but I didn't expect you to have publishing privvies on Kat's blog. Ever. Weird. Not that I have room to talk since Micah and I share the domain and both have accounts, even tho I'm the only one who cares to keep it up... it's still weird. But I'll accept the change, so hay brotha' J!
By Rachel, at
11:06 PM, September 22, 2006
Well Rach, I can tell you I didn't request the privelage. It sorta just showed up.
By Justin, at
1:03 AM, September 23, 2006
I love it! Rachel's all "Um hi Justin, get off Kat's blog it freaks me out kthx!"
By Lazy Lightning, at
12:49 PM, September 23, 2006
Yay, Justinblog! Hi!
I photochopped the image myself-- again, after much head-bashing. It's a picture from Banff, Canada I took last October. I downloaded the font (which looks like that untouched) and the rest is done with brushes and layer alterations. Any thoughts? Any suggestions? Anything broken?
Posted on September 21, 2006 @ 6:13 PM | 9 comments
Comments:
sweet kat !! luv the new look. give me some tips on getting started on my site?
jeff
By , at
7:41 PM, September 21, 2006
Oh hon it's so so so pretty! It looks beeeeeautiful and I'm loving your header image. The font I use on mine is a free download too - get this, it's called "Handwriting Dakota".
Don't you just love those brushes?!
By Lazy Lightning, at
8:16 PM, September 21, 2006
If I choose a third template, will you spiff yours up again a third time too? ;)
J/k, it's really beautiful, I wish I possessed web n' graphic skillz like yours. I'm seriously so excited that you showed me how to change the graphics in the blog template design, hurrrr it took me long enough. But now I can change images, "BECAUSE OF YOUUUU!"
By Rachel, at
11:41 PM, September 21, 2006
Rachel: No d00d3tt3! I was working on this all day when I should have been looking for jobs, LOL.
It took me a while to finally get an image I liked. Just play with photoshop till you chop something cool. :D
BECAUUUSE OF YOUUU I SPEND ALL DAY HIDING IN THE BASEMEEEENNNNT, BECAUSE OF YOUUUUUU!!
LL: My font's called "malapropism." That's silly!
Jeff: Sure thing, dude. :)
By Kat, at
12:01 AM, September 22, 2006
it looks awesome! I am super impressed! I wish I had the mad skills and patience to take mine more "from the ground up"...I just used the blogger template, and messed with it...and now I'm running into problems getting what I want. my code is such a mess. Oh well...i will live with what i got for a while. I love your header image!
ps. my verification word was "oatmus" i just find it silly.
By , at
5:47 AM, September 22, 2006
so, was it the float? it all looks good to me!
By gleek, at
9:05 AM, September 22, 2006
"BEECAUSE OF YOOOOUU I'M WONDERIIIING HOW THE HELL YOUR FONT GOT THE NAAAME: "MALAPROPIIIIIISM..."
By Rachel, at
9:12 AM, September 22, 2006
Looks great! Good job... :P
By cK, at
1:46 PM, September 22, 2006
I really like Blogging Photos from Flickr with the Text post!! To my mind the Visual Images just make the Blog leap right off the Page!!
;))
By , at
10:48 PM, September 26, 2006
The only problem I've encountered is trying to switch the main page body over from tables to CSS. It's just a standard "2-column with header" CSS layout, but I CANNOT get it to cooperate. I can get all the containers aligned but I can't get background colors to set, or margins to work properly... which are both supposed to be simple things. GUH. Any CSS guru out there want to toss some code my way?
Posted on September 19, 2006 @ 5:56 PM | 8 comments
Comments:
I like the new look...nice work so far...I need to find time to play with mine a little more. Wish I could help you, but I only know what i've learned by trial and error...and lots of "view sourcing" other people's pages.
By , at
7:58 AM, September 20, 2006
what background color are you having trouble with? the dark dark gray? change that by changing the "404040" to something else right near the top under the body style tag where it says "background-color". not sure if that is what you were having trouble with?
By , at
8:05 AM, September 20, 2006
I'm having trouble with the white background in the main and secondary columns. The grey background sets fine, and will change if I change the hex #, but the white backgrounds, no matter what CSS I use "background:#FFFFFF" or "background-color:#FFFFFF" or whatever, won't set to white... they just appear transparent, so the whole thing is grey. My current code doesn't reflect what I was messing with in the CSS (I have that saved on my computer and was previewing it in blogger), but I did go through it pretty meticulously to see if anything would cause the column colors to be null... and I couldn't find anything. :(
By Kat, at
11:23 AM, September 20, 2006
ok...i figured something out...i'm gonna email you.
By , at
12:15 PM, September 20, 2006
baah! looks cool but where's the section on cool wedding dresses, flowers, bridesmaid stuff, etc., etc., that you're considering? ;-)
By , at
7:32 PM, September 20, 2006
hey there! i'm glad you commented on my blog! i had totally lost track of you a while back. first, congrats on your engagement!
second, the problem you're most likely having is that you have a DIV holding other DIVS that have floats on them correct? float:left; or float:right. but your DIV that's holding them has no float. float that DIV and then your background colors should show up. this is a total bug that i've run across but i figured out how to fix it from checking the code at alistapart.com because they do something very similar.
good luck!
By gleek, at
12:39 PM, September 21, 2006
Gleek: Thanks, that sounds like it might work! I'll give it a try. My column/header divs are all head inside a "wrap" div that isn't floated. :)
By Kat, at
1:31 PM, September 21, 2006
did you get the email i sent you?
By , at
2:04 PM, September 21, 2006
Get your own pirate name from piratequiz.com.
Posted on @ 1:45 PM | 0 comments
Comments:
Lookie, lookie: I've uploaded photos from this summer's trip to Glacier National Park trip. No bears, but we did see a metric crapton of mountain goats. Here's a photographic rundown:
Day One in the park was a Saturday. (We actually arrived in Montana three days prior and in the park the evening before.) We set out early on the backpacker's shuttle to start our 3-day backpacking trip. The hike on the first day was a relatively flat 6.2 miles from the Gunsight Lake trailhead to Gunsight Lake. We passed through Rachel's Happy Place and other nice reminders from the year before, when we hiked to Florence Falls along much of the same trail. When we got to camp, Rachel and Micah napped while Justin and I waded in the beautiful lake. It was here that he proposed, as I recounted yesterday. :)
We arrived early so we had a lot of time to lounge and explore our beautiful surroundings. Later that evening, we met Tom and Amy from Seattle and made hiking buddies! Then we saw a GIANT moose and a cute little night hunting Fisher before hitting the sack.
Day Two we hiked from Gunsight Lake up to Gunsight Pass (where we saw Ptarmigans!) and over, then down into the Lake Ellen Wilson basin. On the way down to the lake we stopped to bathe in a freezing waterfall (Tom took it to the extreme) and left much refreshed-- which was a good thing because the hike from there was the longest 2.1 miles... ever. That night, we camped at Sperry Campground near the chalet. At sunset, we walked down to the chalet with Tom and Amy and devoured a whole peach pie. We went to sleep and woke up to the sounds of the three resident goats circulating camp.
On Day Three we broke camp and left for home. But were all so exhausted we practically had to be pushed to roll the seven miles downhill back to the cabin. A few more get-togethers with goats made the day complete. We took a long swim and a nap before Tom & Amy joined us for dinner and drinks.
Day Four we did nothing but chill and wage wars against the mouse invasion set upon us while we were gone. Day Five Justin, Rachel, and I ran 19 miles along Lake McDonald and back, then came home and were essentially useless the rest of the day.
Day Six we grew progressively more restless, despite the fact that 3/4 of us didn't have functional legs. The sunny weather of the first three days had become slowly cooler and more blustery, down into the 40s from the 80s. Anticipating snow in the pass, we drove up to take a look and saw a pretty, light dusting everywhere. With winter approaching fast, the Columbia Ground Squirrels were out en force foraging for food (and kissing). The mountains were gorgeous in sun, snow, and storm and the air clear, crisp and freed of smoke by the day's rain. So to celebrate, we ran around and acted like idiots. What else could we do?
Day Seven we stretched our legs by hiking through neat-o forest to the touristy but beautiful Avalanche lake. We ate PJ&J lunch at the lake head, where we grew progressively more nervous watching a creepy man slouch in and out of the bushes smoking, drinking, and generally acting like a total Chester. (We reported him to the Avalance campground host when we got back.) I spotted the Elusive Squirrel Man in a hollow tree. :-O Later that afternoon, Justin's dad drove in from Helena to celebrate the news of our engagement (even though we'd seen him only a week before at his home).
On Day Eight we cleaned the main cabin to make way for Justin's uncle and his guests, and spent the afternoon canoeing in Lake McDonald and building a dam across one section of the creek, a tradition we innagurated last year.
Day Nine we completed our only mountain climb of the trip, up Mount Clements. The peaks at Logan Pass were again free of snow, and the day easily in the mid-80s before noon. It was a blisteringly hot, dusty climb and more scenic than technically challenging (we saw A BAZILLION more goats and some ptarmigans), but definitely a satisfying end to a busy, exhausting trip. It afforded a ton of photo ops on cliff edges and steep slopes. We signed our name in the register at the top, took a group photo, and hiked back down. I recommend checking out the whole day's gallery for a good idea of what the climb was like... and while you're at it, just flip through all the pictures for the whole week. You'll definitely get a better picture of the park than just reading this post. And you'll be amused by our asshattery as well. :) For a whole ton more photos, see the GNP gallery over at RacheMicah.com.
Posted on September 14, 2006 @ 8:06 PM | 3 comments
Comments:
Sounds like you guys had so much fun! I'm jealous!
Oh, and I see now why Rachel thought "my" Kootenay Park goat looked weird. Those are all fuzzywuzzy.
By Lazy Lightning, at
7:01 AM, September 15, 2006
Careful, you might get kyle all excited.
By , at
11:05 AM, September 15, 2006
great pictures!
-meegan
notsosimple.net/simple/
By , at
12:47 PM, September 17, 2006
I'm almost done with all the Glacier photos and I'll post them early tomorrow. Tonight I have a date to play WoW with my sweetheart, so I'm going to dedicate a brief time to talking about something you all demanded to hear more about: Our engagement.
At the time we got engaged, Justin and I had been dating for almost six-and-a-half years. Many of those years we spent hundreds of miles apart and saw each other only on odd weekends. Ten months we spent on different continents. We lived together for a over two years cumulatively, only about six months less than the total time we've spent living in the same city.
Despite our long and unconventional relationship, we've had very few troubles. We value our independence as much as we value our time together, which let us succeed where many others fail in long-distance relationships. We have a wonderfully calm and healing home-life... we're both "nesters," good cooks and home designers in our own way. We share many of the same interests-- a respect for the outdoors, an acumen for health & fitness, a love of the unconventional and offbeat (be it movies, gaming, sex acts, whatever), and a longing to travel. We fit into each other's hearts easily, like two halves of a whole.
Thankfully, we have our differences, and enough of them that we can stand to be apart and do our own thing. We're both opinionated people in very headstrong and sometimes stupid ways. I think Justin objectifies me too much at times, he thinks I don't objectify him enough.
We're lucky that we haven't had any considerable pressure from family or friends to change our relationship, mostly just admiration for our strength and perseverence. My mother was more than a little distressed to discover that we were having sex before I went away to college at age seventeen. Once she got over the fact that I wasn't her wee little girl any more, things calmed down. My family loves Justin-- he's like a brother to my three sisters-- and his family loves me. In some ways, I'm closer to his side than to my own, but that's a "therapy issue."
Come 2006, people started asking why we weren't engaged. Marriage has never been a serious concern of ours, and still isn't, given that we're most likely setting a 2008 wedding date. I did start teasingly putting the pressure on, crazed in that way that we 20-somethings get. But I knew he'd do it when the time was right.
( Continue...) The time was right on Saturday, August 26th around, oh, 2:30-ish PM (mountain time).
We had just arrived at our campsite on the first eve of our 2-night, 3-day, 19-mile backpacking trip through the Montana Backcountry in Glacier National Park. That day, we hiked 6.5 miles from the Gunsight trailhead to Gunsight lake on nice, mostly-flat terrain. We got to the campground early and set up our tents on prime real-estate near the lake. RacheMicah curled up to take a little nap, and I joined Justin at the waterfront.
The water was surprisingly warm, so we waded back and forth for a little while to soothe our feet. I sat down on a large rock off to the side of a little beach alcove we discovered and proceeded to toss pebbles into the lake while Justin waded. After a while, he came over and knelt down in front of me, being generally affectionate. It struck how picturesque the scene was, and how premeditated our alone time suddenly seemed. He was fiddling in his pocket. I thought, Oh, God, he was going to propose! My heart started racing... until he got up, gave me a kiss, and waded back out into the lake.
I laughed a little at myself because I was being somewhat obsessive. In reality, I hadn't actually been thinking of a proposal until that moment because everything seemed to be suspiciously in line. But then I remembered that when Rachel and Micah were engaged in Glacier two summers ago, I told Justin we'd have to do it somewhere else. I cursed myself for saying that.
I was so preoccupied I started chewing on the pebble I'd been rubbing in my hands. Justin came back over and kneeled in front of me again, so I tossed it into the lake. "Oops, it's gone!" I said. "That's OK," he said, "I have something else for you."
When I looked down, he was holding my beautiful ring. All I could say, considering the previous moment's preoccupation was, "WHAT?!" and laugh.
Of course, he asked me to marry him. And, of course, I said yes.
After a few more private, snuggly moments on the beach (during which I requested he ask me to marry him again just so I could say 'yes' some more), Rachel and Micah joined us. I thought our alone time had been staged, but it turned out that no one but some of Justin's nursing school classmates knew his intent to propose. So we announced our engagement and they snapped a few cute, giddy photos:
(for bigger, click here)
As far as issues of protest, I can think of only two, and they are worth mention here if only for their irony in retrospect. The first was when one of this blog's regular readers flipped out and insisted I should find a better man if Justin wasn't going to propose. I wasn't about to break up with someone who wouldn't marry me immediately-- especially as commitment obviously wasn't a weak point of my relationship. I know said reader was just defending me (thanks!) and I knew we would be engaged eventually. So I here's where I say, I told you so! :)
The second protest is less sensible and considerably less happy. It happened only about a month ago when two people I'd considered friends suddenly found it of dire importance to tell me that Justin and I were ill-suited for each other. Had they been concerned because they thought Justin treated me poorly or perhaps because they knew he'd been unfaithful (or something), I might not be writing this today, and I might still be close to them. But no, indeed, their reasoning was less sound. They told me I was too good for Justin... because I was too good looking for him. Yep, you read right. They thought that Justin was too geeky, too quirky, and not hot enough for lil ol' me. Then, later, one of them asked if it was OK with me for them to exclude Justin (i.e. invite only me), when we got together for social functions. Whut? First, thanks for making my preferences your business. Second, thanks for being so superficial that it's wretchedly shocking. Sorry guys, but I got tired of the "ditch your loser friends to hang with the cool kids" thing in middle school.
Why am I mentioning this? It's true that I kind of feel spiteful even talking about what happened with those folks. The fact that it came out of the blue still bothers me a lot. And all told, situation is more loaded and complex that I can give light to on this blog. But I do feel the need to get it off my chest and give someone the finger, at least in a passive-agressive way.
So, screw them and here's to us! I don't plan on marrying Justin because he's trendy like The Gap, I plan to marry him because he makes me smile, gets me going, and keeps me warm. We endure because we care about each other, we challenge each other, and we know how to make each other comfortable. Now, let's plan one hell of a party to celebrate that! :D
Posted on September 13, 2006 @ 8:40 PM | 11 comments
Comments:
When I read this
After a while, he came over and knelt down in front of me, being generally affectionate. It struck how picturesque the scene was, and how premeditated our alone time suddenly seemed. He was fiddling in his pocket. I thought, Oh, God, he was going to propose! My heart started racing... until he got up, gave me a kiss, and waded back out into the lake.
I was thinking he had dropped the ring in the lake and had to go back in to get it.
From reading this you guys seem great for each other. Congratulations.
By running42k, at
3:57 AM, September 14, 2006
Wow! If anyone ever spoke about my boyfriend like that I would go effing crazy.
But hey, at least you can take pleasure from the knowledge that if they are picking their partners according to a set of aesthetic criteria, they are never go to find the depth or meaning you have from a relationship!
Congrats again...
By , at
4:02 AM, September 14, 2006
Wow! What a great story! It sounds like you're perfect for each other... you seem very fitted.
Also... sex (or as I like to say, Secks!) at 17? You're such an unbelievable whore.
Also 2, Justin's way hot, how dare anyone say otherwise (and these people say 'geek' like it's a bad thing)!
And ALSO 3... Justin: Nice shoes.
By Lazy Lightning, at
6:51 AM, September 14, 2006
I think Justin should grow a goatee and get some highlights, okay girlfriend? ASAP!
By , at
7:15 AM, September 14, 2006
He needs a tan too. Not just any tan though, a fake tan. And a body wax.
By Lazy Lightning, at
7:53 AM, September 14, 2006
Haha, I told justin he needs new digs, STAT!
But if he grew a goatee, he might be worse off, not better. Someday I'll post our picture from my senior prom and you'll see what I mean. D:
By Kat, at
10:17 AM, September 14, 2006
LL: Yeah, his aunt hooked him up with new Keens so he could go wading. :D I want some too now... my Tevas are not nearly as awesome.
By Kat, at
10:20 AM, September 14, 2006
I got mine on eeeeeeeeebay!
...my moderation phrase is rgbarfin.
By Lazy Lightning, at
2:06 PM, September 14, 2006
Little late but:
Congrats!
By Zac, at
2:36 AM, September 15, 2006
your ring is gorgeous. i loove it!
what an amazing proposal. i am so happy for you both! here's to real relationships and love.
- meegan
notsosimple.net/simple/
By , at
12:55 PM, September 17, 2006
Congratulations!!! I just randomly came to look at your blog again after approximately two and a half million years, and here you're getting married!
And I still owe Justin a blow job. >_<
- Erin
PS: Geeks are the only way to go!
Marathon over now?
Posted on September 10, 2006 @ 1:40 PM | 7 comments
Comments:
Kat crazy. Kat need nacho cheese doritos.
By Lazy Lightning, at
2:13 PM, September 10, 2006
bah! more about the engagement! engaaaaagement!
By , at
6:27 PM, September 10, 2006
ps: whoooooooa that looks like a huge-ass diamond.
By , at
6:29 PM, September 10, 2006
Good for you. Now pig out! That is what I remember about long runs. I could eat all day and not fill up.
By running42k, at
4:30 AM, September 11, 2006
I agree with Anon. Less run, more SHINY THING LOL!!
Really looking forward to seeing yours and Rachemicah's pix from the trip!
By Lazy Lightning, at
6:13 AM, September 11, 2006
Congrats on the engagement.
By running42k, at
3:43 AM, September 12, 2006
omg. saw adorable engagement pix on rachemicah's site, and your ring looks even 100x awesomer in the shot with it on your hand. GORGEOUS.
By , at
6:59 PM, September 12, 2006
It took me almost a year to post them, but as I mentioned yesterday, I finally finished editing the pictures from my family's trip to Banff, Canada. The photos deserve a brief textual recap because the location (I hesitate to say the trip, because the journey itself was stressful) is so amazing.
I fell in love with Banff. The mountains are incredible and though it's a tourist town, so is the culture. I say this primarily because of the influence a heavy influx of Japanese travelers have had on the city-- authentic restaurants and Japanese-style shopping abound. I could easily, in a heartbeat, make a living using my waning language skills in Banff. Hot springs, wilderness, and warm udon. What more can a girl ask for?
We were there because my dad had a work conference staged at the Banff Center. Which, if you're ever in town, is a wonderful place to stay and certainly more affordable than the legendary Banff Fairmont.
Here's a summary of our trip:
Day Zero through Day One: Drove from Seattle to the upper Northwest corner of Podunk Nowhere and stayed somewhere in Southern Canadia. Finished up the next day with a blustery drive though Roberts Pass and the Canadian Glacier National Park. Not many photos from this day.
Day Two: Drove from Banff to the outlying wonderlands. Stopped at Lake Louise, Lake Moraine, and other pristine locations for strolling and photos before proceeding up the Columbia Icefields Parkway to the ice fields themselves and riding a Snocoach onto the glacier. Wahoo!
Day Three: We woke up late today and walked on a trail near the Banff Center along the river quite a distance from the hotel to the Hoodoos. The Hoodoos are little moundy pillars that look like dribbly sand castles. Color me unimpressed. We saw elk and other wildlife, but it was a cold day and a long way back. We ended up taking the bus to town and eating something delicious that I can no longer remember. It wasn't Japanese and it wasn't Old Sp