it's nice to change things up a bit. usually i like for things to happen at an accelerated pace. i move quick, everything else moves quick... a sharp incline, which usually is followed by an equally sharp decline. i've mastered that pattern quite well. but just enjoying it for what it is and taking my time, now that's something new and different. no over analyzing, because it is surprisingly simple, and minimal fretting, because it is a bit more carefree. and there's a growing respect, at least on my end... how nice. really.

anyhow, finally, a pic from AZ and the wedding. me, my neph, my sister. i truly do love how my nephew loves me and "goes to" me when he won't with some others. he knows who his favorite auntie is, i guess.

6.77 miles after work today. it was a really good sweat. and i've taken to running in skimpier clothing. i do not care at this point whether my abs are flat or i look good in my running outfits anymore... it's about comfort and staying cool which means short shorts, and a tank which usually comes off at some point and i'm running around in just a running bra. i wonder if i look hardcore when i'm running.

i am totally restless and can't fall asleep... so here i am posting some more pics from the weekend. i just realized though that all i have are pictures of my nephew and not much else. i'll have to wait for my sister to send me something, anything of me from the wedding day itself... haha, narcissistic me... i'd like to have at least one hot pic of me in my dress! geez. anyways, ike on the day of the wedding sporting a casual look- his hair was very stylish that day:


a shot from the ceremony, and then another shot of the bride's immediate and extended family:




later in the weekend, ike got into the pool and splashed around for the first time. it was
really exciting because he was so natural in the water. when we pushed him
around the pool in his turtle floating device, he kicked his legs
instinctively. impressive.



here's one pic i managed to find of me, one of the cousin-in-law's, and then the sister and neph... man, my sister is looking pale in comparison, literally:
 

okay, that's all for now. hopefully, good night. i'd like to get some shuteye.

my nephew sat in front of me with his pa on the plane ride back to DC. he was my only source of entertainment on the plane and resulting, is this photo montage.

at first, he showed just a little of his face...

and then i got a glimpse of just a little more...

and then a little bit more...

and then his mouth appeared...

and then his chin along with a little bit of knuckle from his left hand...

he seemed to be a little curious, peering to the sides, checking out our fellow passengers...

 

but then he seemed to become bored by the people around us and started thinking, "hmmmm... how can i mess with my auntie?" so he began stared intently at his fist, devising a little plan.

and then that little hand of his started getting closer to me...

and closer...

and closer...

until he was close enough to grab at the camera and say, "stop! get the camera out of my face! no more pictures!"

hahaha, he's such a cutie. all the lady flight attendants were enamored by him. more pictures from scottsdale later...

damn, i wouldn't mind winning a beauty pageant. can you imagine?  "hi, i'm miss universe, but you can call me jessica. it's so nice to meet you." i'd walk around in my tiara all day long.

i think i might have heat stroke, or some kind of sunshine overdose as i'm itching right now and am a little delirious. or maybe that's the champagne. my dear sister left me with a lovely bottle of bubbly that she received complimentary in her room... so here's the set up: miss universe on NBC, me slightly sunburnt but rocking a great tan, and half of a bottle of champagne left as i try to pack a little before i go to sleep. packing to go home is always the worst. things never fit as nicely as they did initially... and then heading east always stinks because of the time loss. tomorrow will be nothin' but a travel day. boo. and boo for southwest airlines... no assigned seating, no movies on the plane... at least it is a direct flight. i'll need to get some chicklit to make the five hour flight pass by quickly. i'm looking forward to going home though. multiple sources tell me that it's muggy... no fun. 100 degree heat, or 80 degress plus humidity... hmmm, now that's a toss up. getting back into my regular routine though, that will be nice. i can't wait to get a nice long run in... i only had one opportunity to run in scottsdale... but it was too freaking hot so i only got in about five miles.

anyhoo, congrats to miss
japan who is now miss universe, and congrats to miss korea and miss usa
who both made it to the final five- representing! cool to see an asian-o win it though. very nice.

enough rambling, enough random notes. good night.

greetings from scottsdale, arizona. some quick notes:

-it's lovely being able to lay out and sun bathe at 9am in the morning.
-the landscape here is different, but beautiful. the nature is also different... i went for a run this morning and saw jack rabbits, lizards and other creatures.
-kimpton hotels are pretty good. i'm a fan for sure.
-strapless dresses are no fun. i spent the entire time at the wedding pulling my dress up over my chest.
-if i ever get married, i want it to be a big-ass celebration, a party with lots of drink and lots of laughter and lots of fun.
-sun, and drinks, and a pool (or better yet, the ocean), is a great combo.
-i'm somewhat proud but more ashamed to say i started having drinks at 10am this morning.
-i really need to learn how to swim. splashing around and wading is no fun... although i'm not big on getting my hair and face wet. it would just be nice to know how though.

that's it. one more full day of sun bathing left... i'll maybe attempt some shopping but truthfully, i'd rather just lay around and be lazy. i'll post some pics when i get back home.

7.15 miles. i got lost again today and had to ask for directions. home to dupont to rock creek park again, then through the backside of the zoo which is where i was lost- i saw a sign that said maryland <- and downtown ->... so i ran towards maryland... but then i had no clue where the heck i was. i turned around at that point and ran back through rock creek park where again i saw some deer... up through woodley park, adams morgan, and then down P street, 14th street, and finally home. i'm noticing lately that miles one and two are the hardest, and then once i get going, i just keep coasting. here was the run:

i'm in a zone. i have dinners and drink dates planned tonight and tomorrow and i don't even want to go. all i want to do is get outside and run. i'm contemplating flaking out. is this crazy? perhaps. i must be in a zone.

dang, i'm full of things to say or things i want to jot down and capture this evening. maybe it's all just oozing out because i haven't blogged in a few days.

i'm thinking there might be something to this idea of where there's a very thin line between love and hate. (although hate is a very strong word.) specifically, this idea that you see in comedies... okay, maybe romantic comedies... okay, it was inspired by watching stranger than fiction again... but you know, it's where you hate someone or something at first, and then you grow to love it. or maybe you say you hate it initially, but it's just a mask or disguise because you know deep down, it's something or someone you could really like. it's like that whole elementary school, "i'm socking you in the arm because i really do like you" kind of mentality. and i've been through this before now that i think about it- i thought i despised this particular person. i thought he was so arrogant, annoying, obnoxious, full of shit... and then i ended up feeling things quite contrary to those initial repulsions- it turned out i liked him. i liked him a lot.

why do we do such things? it's so troubling. i don't understand what that's all about. it could apply to several different things at the moment- the yankees for one, and an actual person two. it's so bizarre. perhaps this means that i need to not make judgments so quickly. maybe that's it. strange. very strange.

awesome- i ran 7.53 miles pretty effortlessly today. home to dupont circle, up connecticut ave to woodley park, down rock creek parkway and through what felt like a good chunk of the park, a uturn and back to woodley park- during which i saw two deer and i couldn't whip my phone out quick enough to snap a pic- through adams morgan, down u street, and then home.

i think when i was running along rock creek, i could have kept going... but i was a little scared and kind of lost, so i had to turn around and head back! i swear, i thought i was almost in maryland as i was running because it seemed like i was too far out from where i started. also, i have to admit, every time i run near rock creek park, i always think about chandra levy. so, that was enough running in that little vicinity. here's the run (and i love how the further i begin running, the less detail i can show on these little maps!):