Aaarghhh & Ahoy! Happy Talk Like A Pirate Day!

I've got the radio on and the two DJs are falling over themselves in their efforts to one up each other in their pirate talk. In case you weren't aware, today is National Talk Like a Pirate Day. Be sure and throw out a "Ahoy matey" whenever you feel it's appropriate.

The brain is bouncing this morning. A lot going on. Could it be time for one of my lists? Arrrgh, I believe so.

• Tomorrow is the Salem Lake 30K (18.6 miles) race. I'm testing my marathon readiness by attempting to hold my marathon pace of 9:09/mile. Feeling a little unsure. I also have barely put any mileage in this week, adding guilt to the mix.
  
• My agent (that just doesn't get old) e-mailed and asked that I update my website with the new book info and her contact information. Seems to make it more "real" somehow.
• I was one of 7 finalists for the cat blogger position on www.catster.com. I didn't get it, and am more than a little bummed about that.
• SO MUCH writing to do. Yesterday I started compiling a quiz for the cat book and even though it's a parody, I'm still structuring the quiz so people can take it for the their cats and get "real" results, which is requiring a whole lot more coordination than I had anticipated. Also need to find time this weekend to rough out an article for Rally to Rescue magazine. I spent this week interviewing 7 different people and would prefer to write while their comments are fresh in my mind.
• Laundry, laundry, and more laundry.
• Money. I'm owed it. Time to send some reminder e-mails to clients. 
• Library. I have nothing to read at night and am close to clawing my eyes out.

That's the main stuff. I've got details like website updates and workshop planning floating around on the back burner. But today is a WRITING day. All day. So I can sink into bed tonight and collapse after my run tomorrow feeling that I'm ahead of the game.

Happy (talk like a pirate) Friday.

Lucy In Tunnel

So the new hot spot in our home is the multi-colored tunnel in the middle of our hall. Lucy has taken to napping there during the day. This is the cat who jumps a mile when the air-conditioner clicks on but yawns with boredom when I accidentally almost  step on top of her daily. 

Can you hear the thought process involved in the following photos?

Why are you down on the floor with me? Can't you see I'm gazing into the distance thinking important thoughts?

Huh. You're still here. Well, I shun you.

You bore me. I'm leaving.

We're Going to Egypt

We're going to Egypt! At least, that's the plan. Last night Blair and I attended an informational session about a Spring 2009 group tour of Egypt. Eleven days of pyramids, temples, and ancient ruins. I have ALWAYS wanted to go to Egypt, but we've been hesitant about navigating a trip there on our own. Now we have a chance to go with a tour group of 22 people and I am psyched.

Psyched that is, until they brought up luggage. They expect everyone to get by for 11 days with a 24" suitcase and one carry-one. Um, hello? That will, like, hold my shoes? Blair said this will be a good exercise for me in learning to do more with less. I told him to go soak his head.

But no--I'll make it. Rewearing clothes doesn't bother me so much, but temperatures will be in the 90's - 100's and I have no desire to rewear smelly, sweaty clothes. Let's hope the hotel and cruise ship have laundry facilities. (A trip to see remnants of ancient civilizations and I'm focused on will my whites be white. Typical.)

I'm also a little freaked by the 10-12 hour plane ride, but many of the people who attended this meeting appear in their 50's/60's so if they're up for it, so am I.

My greatest concern, as always, is leaving the cats for so long. Especially with Lucy now needing her medicine twice a day. I'm just going to have to resolve to not think about them while we're gone. Otherwise I'll obsess.

What I LOVE about this group is they suggest all of us sign up for a course at the local community college on Egypt, so we'll be studying the history and monuments well before the trip. Come January, I'm going to throw myself into reading books on Egypt so I can understand and appreciate what it is I'll be seeing. 

Egypt. I may as well say I'm going to Mars. It sounds so... out there. But I'm thrilled. Plus, I actually have a friend in Egypt. A woman in Cat Writer's of America lives in Egypt so I'm going to see if we can connect during the trip. 

Of course, many more details will follow. Most of them involving how I can pack a hairdryer and straightening iron in my luggage without Blair's noticing....

...and I Spent How Much in Gas?

Today was not the most productive use of my time. I had a 3 PM meeting in Greensboro and--under the category of "What was I thinking?"--scheduled a 2 PM phone interview. It's a 35-40 minute drive into Greensboro and my interview was going to last 30-40 minutes, meaning I wasn't going to make my meeting. So I decided I'd drive into GSO early and conduct the phone interview at the coffee shop where I'd be meeting my 3 PM. Plus, my running group meets tonight at 6, giving me enough time to change and get there after my 3 pm ended..

I drove into GSO, but once I got there my 3 PM called to say she had to cancel. Plus, it was raining with no signs of stopping, making our workout look iffy. So in essence, I drove 40 minutes into GSO today to sit in my car and conduct an interview on my cell phone, then turned around and drove 40 minutes back home. 

I think I'm going to throw in the towel for the day and just go read a book and enjoy the rain.

Cheers.