Warning: It's a long one!

So it's come down to this....A 2013 review. Let's take a look back at where Sprinkles has been...shall we?

January

 

January started with the birth of a very precious baby girl. (ok...technically she was born Dec 31st) MommaB had her little darling who I just love. I've watched her grow this year and thankfully she seems to love her Auntie Sprinkles.

 

 

I also managed a trip back home to Texas in January! It was really good to get away for a while and to visit my family. I took the Wal-dog with me and got to meet my sister's boyfriend. My sister and I took pictures together to give to my parents.

We both got the Pink Memo!

 

February

 

February brought love into my life. I met RB on a dating website and we had our first date on Feb. 2nd. It went so well that we spent Valentine's day together and he made me a rap video about our first date. It was a good month.

 

March

 

March was a good month in that I took a trip to the beach with RB and I got a job! I had previously been unemployed since July of 2012. I started work in the middle of March as a temp doing surgery scheduling and data entry.

 

 

 

 

This was as close as we got to the beach!

 

April

 

April is a month in which I can't remember a lot happening in. I'm sure something must have happened...but it doesn't stick out in my mind. Sorry.

 



Here's a cute pic of Waldo to make up for April

 

May

 

A lot of shit went down in May...bear with me:

• My divorce from Jazzy was final on May 10th.
• I got my first mammogram on May 10th (yes...the same day I got divorced)
• The mammogram showed that Tina the Tit-Lump was not a cyst like we had hoped.
• I had a biopsy done on my left breast.
• Tina turned out to be a fibroadenoma - in other words...benign!
• The same day my biopsy was done - I got a call from the local police dept. My ex-husband had tried to kill himself and was suspected of trying to make a WMD. The bio hazard crew was brought in.
• The police eventually determined that Jazzy was only trying to harm himself.
• I turned 31!
• I finished Holden:

So pretty! Malabrigo Yarn Sock in Solis

 

June

 

RB dumps me for the first time. No good reason. I spend most of this month in tears.

 

I also start running with my meetup group! I don't like to be told I shouldn't do something or that I can't do something...so I take up running to prove a point. I can and will run a 5k!

 

First day! Before I knew how running would take over my life!

 

Two weeks into the C25K program...I throw out my back.

 

July

 

Three weeks after dumping me in June, RB texts me and says that he misses me. We get back together. He sends out an email to our parents telling them how he was just scared because no one had ever loved him like I did.

 

My back strain heals and I start running the C25K program on my own.

 

My job also turned permanent in July! I got a small raise in pay and even more exciting...benefits! Hooray for health insurance! 

 

I also manage to finish my biggest project to date: Gemini

 

Still don't quite believe I made that!

 

August

 

RB and I take a trip to the beach for his birthday. With his parents.

 

 

The Wal-Dog is less than impressed with the beach

 

Shortly after this trip, RB breaks up with me AGAIN. In the process of breaking my heart he also tears down my self-esteem by saying some very hurtful things about my appearance.

 

September

 

September sticks out in my mind for one and one reason only: the ELECTRIC RUN!

 

 

I electric ran that biotch!

 

I proved to myself that I could and would run 5k! In fact, I kept running, joined back up with a meetup group and continued to run every chance I got.

 

October

 

October brought the birth of this blog, lots more running, and Halloween!

 

Where's Sprinkles at again?

 

November

 

November found RB and me giving it one more go-around. Therapy included. Things were looking up. He couldn't drive on the weekends/evenings so I found myself making the drive to Cary quite a bit.

 

I volunteered for the City of Oaks marathon and had a ton of fun.

 

RB and I weathered our first real holiday together and he came and cheered me on at my Turkey Trot.

 

Love this pic!

 

December

 

Here we are at December. Where did this year go? December had RB breaking up with me one final time. I was the only one who was surprised this time around.

 

Cold and darkness had me joining a gym for the first time in my life.

 

Christmas rolled around and although I had a hard time getting into the spirit of things, I spent Xmas Eve with the people I consider family and Christmas morning with great friends. I skyped with my parents back in TX and talked to my sister on the phone. That evening was really hard for me. I got angry because I wasn't supposed to be alone on this or any other holiday. I was supposed to be with RB. He made me a lot of promises he couldn't keep and that makes me both sad and angry.

 

All in all..it was an interesting year.

 

I can't say I regret time time I spent with RB. He taught me some important lessons on how I want to be treated and deserve to be treated. Plus...I met Bliss and gained an amazing new friend out of the deal. I am blessed to know her and am thankful for her friendship everyday.

 

I also started running because of RB. I keep running for myself...but I definitely started to prove him wrong. So thanks to that...I've lost 25 or so pounds...gone down 4 clothing sizes and feel amazing. I feel like my body is stronger than it's ever been and it continues to amaze me.

 

So thanks for the memories 2013. It's been real.

 

 

















Merry Christmas!

Most people know that I'm kind of a Grinch when it comes to Christmas.

However, now that the day is upon us and the "holiday season" is almost over; I can take the time to enjoy this day.

I hope that you're spending the holiday with those who love you, care about you and make you happy.

I hope that you aren't stressed.

I hope you have good food to eat and great friends to share it with.

As for me? I spent yesterday with my bestie and her family. I am blessed to have a family of choice that loves me and always has a place for me. Today I'll be spending alone with Waldo. I'll skype with my family for a bit back home and open some presents under the tree. Maybe go see a movie, take a nap. Enjoy the day off.

Merry Christmas!

Racing

So I have decided to try to at least run one race every month next year. So that means by the end of the year, I will have run in 12 races.

I was already signed up for the Krispy Kreme Challenge (5 miles, 12 donuts, 1 hour!) in February and while I can NOT wait for that to happen...I needed something in Jan. Luckily for me, there were a couple of options.

I thought about a hot chocolate/doggie run in Cary, NC. But unfortunately, that city holds a lot of bad feelings for me. And while someday I hope that it won't...I didn't want to kick off my year of running with a bad feeling about where I was running.

So I went ahead and registered for the Stubborn Warrior: New Year 5k. It's part of the Stubborn Warrior running series. They award points to the top finishers and the more races you run in the series (I think there are 5) the more points you have the opportunity to receive.

I'm not the fastest runner out there so I'm thinking I probably won't get any points. But I'll get the t-shirt and have a fun run and that's what counts! :D

In other news:

I worked out with my trainer this past Sat. It was my first session so he took my weight and measurements. He also calculated my body fat. I have all these worksheets to fill out...about what I eat and my goals and such. Then we worked out and DANG are my legs sore!!! Supposedly, he's going to come up with a workout plan for me to be able to utilize even when I'm not working out with him. So that's pretty awesome.

Plus I ran 2 miles after working out with him. I felt like such a hoss. lol.

In knitting news:

I hung out with my stitchy bitches last night and we had a blast cutting out snowflakes and hanging them from the ceiling. Plus eating pizza and knitting. It was lovely to get out of the house and hang out with people this weekend.

What sucked was that my awesome Friggin princess hat had to be frogged! When I carried the yarn around for the tiara...I carried it too tightly and it wouldn't fit my fat head. So I had to frog it. I guess I'll be doing the tiara in duplicate stitch like the pattern calls for instead of trying to be smart about it. LOL.

Get yo ass to the gym!

I blame Bliss.

It's got to be her fault! I mean...she joined a gym at the same time I did! She obviously planted the idea in my head!

So I joined a gym.

It's funny to me....because I'm not a gym person. I'm not the type. I've never really even been to one...except in college to take the occasional dance class or to walk around the indoor track with my roommate.

I went to one gym close to my work. Free 7 day pass. Cool...I'll check it out.

I got the hard sell. I actually almost signed with them. The facility was clean and they had fancy lockers but it was very intimidating. I couldn't imagine myself going there and enjoying it. Plus it was in the opposite direction from home.

For this to work...I need to be close to home or on the way home.

Side note: Going to the gym for the first time as a newb is very scary. There are so many questions I have:

• Do you undress in the locker room area? (I ran and hid in the toilet stall to change)
• Are you allowed to bring your own water bottles or Gatorade?
• Do you have to use a towel?
• What if you don't sweat that much?
• What's the correct distance be from someone else on a machine near you?
• How in the heck do you get the tv to work?
• Why is there no sign that says start the tv first and then the treadmill?!
• What do you wear in the sauna/steam room?

Hit me up in the comments if you have more good questions or even better...answers to my burning questions!

/end side note

So after the big box gym got me to almost sign my life away at 46 bucks a month...I decided to visit a smaller, locally owned gym. I had heard they had an indoor running track!

I took a tour and liked the vibe. The walls were painted bright, happy colors. The staff was very friendly. The other workout people seemed nice and normal. Plus the price was right and it's on my way home from work! Score!

I also signed up for a personal trainer. Just once a month. I'mma get lean and mean and ready for this half marathon!!! Wooo!

The year of Sprinkles may commence!

Emotional update

Well...it's been a while. I'm not going to lie. I just haven't felt like writing. Haven't felt like much of anything actually.

I waited out the week that RB was overseas. I tracked his flight so I knew he got home safely. I sent him a text asking if he made it home safely and were we still speaking? Nothing.

So what does any smart, level headed chick do? She calls him.

Here's a transcript of how well that went!

RB: Hello
Sprinkles: Hey! So you made it home safely!
RB: Yeah.
S: Welcome back to the states! So are we not speaking?
RB: I don't feel ready to do that yet.
S: I'm sorry? (I couldn't hear what he said)
RB: I don't feel ready for that yet.
S: Ok. So would you like to tell me what happened between Friday when you sent me the loving card and Sat when you broke up with me?
RB: I want to end this call now. Thanks.

CLICK.

That's right folks. He hung up on me. Who does that?! I don't think I've ever been hung up on. I have hung up on very few people...and those only because they were cursing at me.

I promise I was not cursing at RB.

You know...it was a funny thing. It's like him hanging up on me...set me free. Its like that was the final straw I needed to say...I deserve better.

I do! I deserve better.

Because you shouldn't treat people that way. If I treated someone the way he treated me...my mom would whoop my ass. Then make me apologize. Because she taught me...that's not the way you treat people.

To close out this story...he also sent me my Xmas present. It was a custom made running rack for my running bibs and medals. It's very pretty and exactly what I asked for. However, he couldn't be bothered to put a note inside that said "I hope you enjoy this." or even "Don't ever contact me." He couldn't even bother to put his name on the return address section. He put the name of the company he got it from and his work address. Really? Who does that? Why would you do that? Gah!

It looks even better with MY bibs on it!

I sent him one last text message. "I won't contact you anymore. When you're ready to be friends, you know how to find me."

I'm so tired of all of this.

From now on...I'm going to focus on and work on Sprinkles. She deserves it.

Truthful Tuesday

So it happened.

Some of you have just been waiting for it...others of you are as surprised as I am.

RatBastard broke up with me last Sat.

I was supposed to take him to the airport in the afternoon...but when I woke up he was already sitting out in the living room and wanted to talk.

*sigh*

No really good reason...surprise surprise. Here's a few of the high points of our conversation:

• I'm getting those "feelings" all over again - no definitive answer as to what those feelings might be
• I hate staying over at your house - because I'm messy and he's a neat freak
• I think I can do better
• I think I jumped into dating you because you were the first girl who showed up
• I want to date lots of other women and see what's out there
• I think we're better off as friends
• I think you love me more than I love you

Needless to say, I went home and bawled my eyes out.

Funny thing? Friday evening...he said these exact words to me, "I am not breaking up with you and I will do whatever it takes to earn your trust back."

Even funnier? In my mail on Sat...was a super sweet, lovey-dovey Christmas card in it. It said...and I quote:

"Sprinkles,

I wish you a life filled with love and care, as you filled mine with yours.

I thank you so much for your support, strength and faith in us.

May our shared love, passion and togetherness last for a long time to come.

Love, RatBastard"

 

 

Excuse my language...but WHAT THE FUCK???!!!!

 

The card was postmarked on Friday. So what the hell happened between Friday morning and Sat morning to make him flip the switch?

 

There are a lot of theories being thrown out there. I don't even know. I can't even tell up from down anymore with this boy. I love him so damn much but I am so sick and tired of feeling like this.

 

I know that he loves me. But at this point...that's not enough.

 

I need someone who loves me all the time...full on...balls to the wall. Someone who would walk through fire for me because he knows I'll never ask him to. Someone who recognizes that I'm a diamond in the rough and is proud to have me as his girlfriend. I need someone who I can trust to give my heart to and know that they won't stomp on it time and time again.

 

I want so much and yet I settle for so little. 

Race Face

Well...I suppose I am a real runner now. I have been captured with the dreaded "Race Face."

I got an email today that my race photos were posted for my viewing (and buying) pleasure. Let's be honest...I'm not paying 10 bucks for a 4x6 of me looking like a dufus. Hopefully some day I'll get a good race photo of me that I feel like blowing up to poster size...but until that day happens...I've taken these lovely pics with my phone for your laughing pleasure!

Enjoy!

This is the best of the bunch. Yes...I give the thumbs up! when running.

 

 

So focused on the finish line!

 

 

My friend Joe always says I look like Phoebe from "Friends" when I run. This photo proves that.

 

 

Race Face!

 

OK. You can stop laughing now. You're welcome! 

 



Yarrrrrrrn

I haven't been knitting but I have been playing with yarn!

Almost 2 years ago, I won some dye-able yarn from the Carolina Fiber Festival. I've held onto some of it...just waiting for the right opportunity to present itself.

Last weekend...that opportunity showed up!

A couple of us Dirty Knitters went over to our friend M's house. I shall call her Darkside because we always joke that she balances me out in the world. Everything I love, she hates. Everything she loves, I hate. We're complete opposites...but it works because she's the sweetest person ever.

Darkside has the neatest basement ever. She has a great craft area and it has it's own kitchen with a pull out stove that is seriously retro-cool.

She has done a lot of dying so she knew what she was doing and had the right dyes to make everything super easy. We had all pre-soaked the yarn so we just soaked it a little more with some dawn to make the yarn "open up to take the dye" and then we put the yarn on the stove in big pots with the dye until the dye was "exhausted." What's cool is that if you do it right...the yarn will EAT all the dye and then the water will turn out clear! Sweet!

That hot pink is my yarn!

 

I picked a hot pink color to dye my main yarn. I love bright colors and I couldn't believe that Darkside even had that dye! Apparently a friend of hers bought it. LOL! It's currently drying over my kitchen sink...waiting to be turned into a hat with a tiara in it!

 

I also stuck a skein of yarn in with one of the Dirty Knitter's yarn...for a beautiful teal. My yarn wasn't taking the dye so great so it had to stay after school with Darkside for more soaking. She sent me a text though...it's looking pretty good!

 

 

 Oooohhh pretty!

 

Not sure yet what that one will want to be. But I'll keep you updated! :D 

Turkey Trottin!

It started on Tuesday night when I went to go pick up my bib. It was a cold, dark, rainy night and it took me an hour to drive not even 20 miles. Once I got there it was really easy to pick up my bib...it took 5 mins. Then I almost got hit by a car as I was crossing the parking lot. Really? How do you miss a person with a huge, bright umbrella?! I gave them a few choice words. My heart was beating a little fast after that.

It has my name on it!!!

After a week and a half of not running very much...I was slightly worried about running an 8k. For those of us not so great at math...that's right about 5 miles. That's the furthest I've ever run.

I woke up the morning of and ate some peanut butter crackers. I needed something in my stomach to keep it settled. I also drank a Gatorade and ate some energy chews. Yum!

RB (RatBastard) drove me to the race. He had made me a sign and was planning on hanging out to watch me run. I was excited to have someone there to cheer me on!

 

Rockin and ready to run!

 

I had a ton of layers on. I had a base pair of tights, running pants, 3 technical tops, wool hat, fingerless gloves, and a neck warmer. Plus I bought new socks that sat higher on my ankles.

 

There were just over 3000 people there! I saw so many people dressed up! I saw a girl dressed as a pie, dozens of turkeys, a pilgrim and Native American running together...lots of fun costumes!

 

The run itself wasn't too bad. It was very hilly but I just ran when I could and walked when I had to. I did have to stop in the middle of the race and pull off one of my layers. I took water at the first stop but not at the next two stops.

 

I was so excited as we ran down Ridge Rd and got closer to the finish line. I knew RB would be waiting for me and I couldn't wait to see what his sign said! As I rounded the corner back into the parking lot...I heard a group of people cheering my name! It was my running friends from the Hibernian Harriers run club! Awesome! I pointed at them and cheered and kept on running. Straight ahead was RB! Holding a sign that said "Lady Na-Na, Run like crazy for the turkey and gravy!" I blew him a kiss and booked it to the finish line!

 

Now for the results!

 

In my age group I came in 119th out of 158. Overall I came in 1549 out of 1940. Not too bad! Not the best but not the worst!

 

My gun time was 57:45 and my chip time was 56:05.

 

Splits:

 

Mile 1 = 11:38mm

Mile 2 = 10:12mm

Mile 3 = 9:42mm

Mile 4 = 11:17mm
Mile 5 = 11:23mm

Obviously, I hit my best stride in Mile 3. But overall...I'll take an 11 min mile! After the race I grabbed a banana and a cup of water and made a very nice stranger take our picture. Please excuse how crappy I look...I just ran 5 miles!

 

He's pretty good looking...no?