I won!!!!

Some of you helped me win this... and you will be entered in the "reward pool" if you are a "liker" on my Facebook page.  You can still "like" my page even though the contest is over ;-)

But...

Woo hoo!!!!!

It is so satisfying to have beaten out Charo, David Duchovny, The Berenstain Bears, and Darth Vader. I didn't really consider Conan O'Brien a contender ;-)

I think it was my swank scotty dog headband.

Or was it the camel-toe?

Fidel?

Burn, Baby! Burn!

What's cookin', kids?

So the other day when I was in the garage finding all the photos for my awesome collection of Big G's first year as a traveling man, I was simultaneously starting to cook my lunch.

Based on my pies... whether turkey pot or mixed berry... and my awesome gadget collection, you'd think I was some kinda somethin' in the kitchen. But I have been very honest with you about my lack of culinary prowess... or is it simply a case of "CRS"... can't remember s***?... so let's drop all expectations.

I was so distracted engrossed in my trip down memory lane research project and recovery mission in the name of The Blog, that I did it again...

And this time the toxic crap from the melted plastic of the steamer ruined the best 50-year old, popcorn-making Revereware pan in the universe. I am in so much trouble :(

Both the pot and the steamer were goners.

Also cookin'...

This kid on the track... she LOVES to run! If you don't remember her indoor workout from a few weeks ago, you can see it here. And now that the weather is super nice, she got a chance to stretch her legs outside...

That is not a load in her pants... I promise. The pants and diaper just look like it is. Really.

The last item on our menu of what's cookin'... or not cookin'...

I have been so slow and struggling with my running all week. My legs still feel thrashed from that hilly leg of the Oakland Marathon Relay last Sunday :(  On Tuesday, I squeezed out a tempo run that felt okay enough to feel good about, but Thursday night... whoa...

Just an easy 5 miles was slated. I headed out at 8:40 PM. Yes, PM. And I really wanted to be out there running... really, I did. But my legs didn't :(

But I made them :) 

We went around the loopy-doos 6 times for 4.5 miles and then they just said, "uncle... no mas." And I obeyed. I have a tenner on the docket for this weekend, and I want to be able to do it. I was going to do it today, but my husband just now told me he has to work all day, and I have to work tonight (yes, people, I kind of have a .... yob .... steering clear of the "J" word... can't quite bring myself to use it). Looks like the big 1-0 will have to happen tomorrow. I'm scared ... wish me luck!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! see the sidebar! 
remember it is all for YOU if we win :) ... if you have 'liked' the Taking It On Facebook page which you can access by clicking on the badge also in the sidebar  
>>  >>  >>

And enter to win that Williams-Sonoma gift card, too!

And if you want a postcard from a cool place, go play the guessing game :)

Vecchio Venerdì... with a guessing game!

We're going on a trip.

To a place we've been before.

Everyone in the family has been there except for Miss C.

Where are we going?

Let's play Blue's Clues...

Our first pawprint is...

My first time... 1996

And that's our first clue!

(put it in our notebook :)

'cuz it's whose clues? Blue's Clues!

We got to find another pawprint...

It's in yesterday's post...

about halfway down the page.

And that's our second clue! (put it in that notebook ... whose clues? Blue's Clues!)

Now we find that last pawprint...

And that's our third clue!

Put it in the notebook... whose clues? Blue's Clues!  

You know what to do!

Sit down in our Thinking Chair and think... think... 

theee-uh-eee-uh-eee-uh-eee-uh-ink...

'Cuz when we use our mind and take a step at a time, we can do 

ANYTHING

that we wanna do!

Did you figure it out?

Yay! Put it in a comment and I will send you a postcard from there if you like :)

If you didn't understand this post, you don't have little kids :P

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And remember to VOTE!!!  see the picture of me and Fidel up in the sidebar?

Click on it and VOTE! And if you go to my Facebook page (see sidebar for that, too) and 'like' it, you will be eligible for sharing in the photo contest prize!

Don't underestimate The Force!

I neeeed your votes!
>  >  >  >  >  >  >

First we were up against the Berenstain Bears... and in a dorkiness contest, those guys are pretty hard to beat.

Then it was Charo.  The girl is looking "tired" and plastic... and the contestant is looking pretty dorky ;-)

I thought the competition couldn't get any stiffer after they threw David Duchovny at us.  Not too much dorkier than having your pic taken with a sex addict celebrity.

But now it's....

Darth Vader!

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Guys! Help! Fidel and I need your votes to win you the prize!

Remember... I am doing this for all of YOU! click on that to see the deets...

So go click on that pic in the sidebar... it'll take you right to the voting station.  And go click on that Facebook badge a little lower down on my sidebar, then "like" that Taking It On Facebook page for a chance to share in the contest winnings.

Ever had your picture taken with a celebrity?  If yes... go enter the contest!

A Sex Addict, a Plasticated Lady, and the Berenstain Bears

They are upping the ante daily!

I really hope you guys are voting for me EVERY DAY!  You're allowed to. It is not cheating in this particular contest! Did you know that?

Go!  >  >  >  >  >

Fidel is way too classy to lose to David Duchovny.  Way too natural to lose to Charo.  And way to ... ummm... normal? ... to lose to the freakin' Berenstain Bears!

And remember...

I am not doing this for me... I am doing it for you :)

I am splitting the winnings between five people who "like" my Facebook page.  The winners will be selected at random. It'll be fun. It'll be real. It'll be real fun.  yes, I am a dork.  That is why I should win this contest!

So....

vote.

and

like.

now!


Or enter a picture of your own!  
– I have a friend who played professional basketball and has a pic of himself with Dr. J in the days of his  huge 'fro... I am trying to talk him into entering his picture. I love the competition!

Musique pour Mercredi... and Charo update!

This song is so lovely... it's a shame to have to mention Charo in the same post.  But we have our work cut out for us!  In case you missed yesterday's post about the contest which includes a link to the post explaining how it works click here.

So this is just a daily reminder to go VOTE!!!  >>>>>>>>>

Now.... we can sit back and get lost in the beauty that is Wasis Diop... a French-speaking, Senagalese.

:)



Have a wonderful Wednesday :)

Cuchi-Cuchi!

Stop Charo! ...

Finally... a worthy adversary!

I am in trouble... really.

Have you voted yet?  > >> >> >> >>>

The backstory:  I entered a photo contest. The Me + celebrity photo contest over at LadyBrain.  The prize is a $100 gift card to some as-yet-undetermined business.  I know, kinda sketchy.  But the ladies over at LadyBrain have it goin' on and so I trust that it will be an ultracool business. ;-)

I do not plan on keeping the winnings.

No.

I am going to split that hunnerd smackers (in its little plastic form) into 5 easy pieces shared among 5 lucky likers of my new facebook page!  See? Over there on the sidebar?  Facebook Badge!  Coolio, n'est-ce pas? So if you want to be a part of something bigger than yourself, get on over there and get busy "liking" ;-) You don't have to do the liking thing if you don't want a slice of the pie... but 
please vote!!!


Anyway, here's the latest dealio... someone is endeavoring to trump my Fidel Castro pic... even with my headband and camel-toe!  Can you believe it?  That someone has entered a picture of herself with....


CHARO!  (see above picture with link)


yeah, Charo... and all her "cuchi-cuchi"... sheesh....


I must admit that my match has stepped into the ring. The contest is open until April 6th. There are bound to be others entering... Bring 'em on!  


A victory is empty without worthy opponents :)  


I have never enjoyed a cakewalk.


I'd rather lose to the best than crush the dregs.


Ut oh.


I'm starting to sound cocky.


Go Vote!

mommy goed RUNNING!

yeah...

that's cuz mommy goed poop!

lol... do you like how I made that brown? click on it if you missed the background story.

In my last running update, I mentioned that I would be trying to run on Tuesday.  Well, that didn't happen.  It was slated to be a tempo run... which I usually like.  But I just wasn't in the mood.  Not like I always have to be in the mood to go running when I go running, but on Tuesday .... "oh, excuses, excuses, XL. you just suck and are lame and have no biz being on this planet"..."oh, shut up, you." yes, I talk to myself. I can't remember what happened.


I went on Thursday.  Just a mellow 5.25.  I ran 7 of my little 0.75-mile loopy-doos inside The Gate.  It was all that... but we're skipping the side of chips ;-)  Very consistent laps... only a 6-second spread between the fastest and the slowest not counting the one lap where I was messing with the iPod... gotta stop doing that... never again in a run for time like my 5K two weeks ago... but it is hard to run to anything by Flight of the Conchords and not bust up laughing, and it is hard to run to In My Father's Eyes without crying, and the seminar on How to Listen to and Appreciate Great Music just wasn't working for me, nor were the little French pronunciation mp3 downloads from the kids' school... you see?  I had to search!  It still was a very relaxed and relaxing pace right around 9:40 per mile.

Next up... 8 to 9 miles tomorrow.  I'll be shooting for the 9 but knowing that, after nearly 2 weeks off, the 8 is probably more realistic.  I am a realist.  My husband is the optimist.

I know all you running readers doubt that I really run.  And those pics from my last 5K were in the dark and I run at night when no one is looking so there is really no proof... I know that is what you're thinking.  So here are some pictures of me running in the day a few long runs ago... maybe a month or so ago...

My biggest fans giving me the ol' high-five as I speed past...

Big G in typical fashion pissing me off trying to show me some "new" way to high-five... 

that he invented as part of some mythological alien body language based on the last 40 bazillion books he has read

LOVE THAT KID!

Approaching the halfway/turnaround...

this is near that portapotty I was telling you about ;-)

And there's my sweet Q!

I have to stop for hugs!

how can I not?

Tomorrow I am hoping to share the new core workout of the century.  I started it last week... in my own way... still waiting to see the results.  But this routine... if you can do it... guaranteed to give you the core strength of... of.... the guy who is in the video!

I'll let y'all know how that big run tomorrow goes... now that I'm 'going' there shouldn't be any problems ;-)
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And don't forget to vote for my picture in the sidebar
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
so WE can win the prize!
did you miss my post about the contest?
Here... click here.

Contests...

You might notice some changes going on around here.

The first thing you might notice is the ROCKIN' pic of yours truly and Fidel over on the right >>>>>>>>

When you click on this picture it will link you to a contest... me + celebrity photo contest... "the dorkier the better" is what the creators put in their tag line.  The creators are some pretty hilarious and out-there women... the ladies behind the brain of Lady Brain.  If you want to know about manscaping or 15-minute O's or if women journalists should be placed in dangerous situations, you need to check the ladies out!  Their radio show and website covers EVERYTHING... really.  

The winner of the contest wins....

ONE HUNNNNNNDRED DOLLARS

I want to win this contest.  But I don't want to win it for me... I want to win it for YOU.

And this takes us to the second thing you should notice on the page...
the NEW FACEBOOK BADGE!

If you click on the BADGE with the lovely picture of Baby X silhouetted against the sunset, you will be transported to the NEW FACEBOOK PAGE for Taking It On.  Woooo hooooo!
Low readership on one site isn't enough for me!  I need to experience being ignored on multiple sites ;-)
So what you do is....
click on the BADGE.  Then once you are on the new Taking It On Facebook page, you click the "LIKE" button... the one with the little 'thumbs up'... near the top where it says Taking It On.

Go on... click it.
It won't hurt.
You can do it.
Awesome!  Thanks so much :)

If When I win this photo contest, I am going to share the winnings with my Facebook likers!  My first thought was to split it evenly amongst all of us... we'd each get about two bucks. Then I realized that my popularity might suddenly begin approaching my generosity, and that would significantly diminish what we'd each walk away with monetarily... of course, the good, warm feelings of sharing and friendship and love and being a part of something bigger than oneself are impossible to put a monetary value on, and in that regard we'd all be richer than Bill Gates... or Oprah. Plus, I was reminded that the postage to mail a quarter to 400 people (my husband is the Eternal Optimist in addition to The Penguin) would kind of blow my budget :(

So what I propose to do should I win is to draw 5 names at random from the list of likers on that Facebook page and split the winnings between them. $100 ÷ 5 likers = $20.  I got the math thing down ;-)  Now I want to let you know that it won't be $20 cash... they are doing a gift card to some place as yet unknown, but I am sure I can figure something out so that it works the way I want it to :)

What this means is... 
click on the dang Facebook badge and go "like" my page!
Then...
click on the dang picture and vote for me and Fidel!
And...
don't forget to tell your friends and family to get them in on the action of helping US win!

And get ready....
tomorrow's Vecchio Venerdì is going to be pretty amazing :)

Are you open to change or do you resist it?
– it depends on the change... moving from a nice house to a dump... resist.  The other way around... open :)

What would you do if you won $20?
– if I won $20 million, I would pay of my debts and buy momma a new house. Then I'd go to Costco and buy a 52" widescreen HDTV and a new Escalade with spinning rims. Oh... not million? Okay... then I'd probably go treat myself to a burrito with guacamole and sour cream!  Pullin' out all the stops ;-)