Denise Novosel's Random Thoughts

My favorite girl!

2011-10-03T16:46:00.000-07:00

Love this girl!! Summer of 2011

40's not so bad!

2011-07-25T21:11:00.001-07:00

Fun, Fun girls weekend to San Fran and Napa! It was wonderful to share my birthday with my dearest friend. Hard to believe i've know a couple of these girls since jr High School!

Love this little guy!!

2010-12-17T20:26:00.001-08:00

I can't believe Tanner is almost 6 months old! He is such a fun and happy little man. I am a lucky woman.

It is also hard to believe that 2010 is coming to a close. What a WILD ride it has been. The past year has been filled with a tremendous amount of joy, a rewarding career and life challenges that I never imagined.

My handsome little man

2010-11-08T22:08:00.000-08:00

Tanner James Novosel

2010-07-13T12:35:00.000-07:00

Arrived Friday, June 25th at 10:03am. 8lbs 1 oz and 20 1/2 inches long.

Sweet baby boy!

30 days...

2010-05-24T21:26:00.000-07:00

I seriously don't know where the time has gone. I had every intention of updating the blogspot, but just haven't gotten around to it. It is hard to believe that the 'end date' is within site. Baby is scheduled to arrive on June 25th, unless he/she decides to come earlier. Can't wait to find out who has been kicking me!

Pregnancy is a funny thing... people love the belly. Fascinated in fact. Me and my belly have entered celeb status at the gym. Mainly, I think people are in awe that I am still working out. I love the fact that I can still keep up in the DavidBartonGym 'Ass Blast' Class. Thinking it might be a bit embarrassing for those who can't keep up...

148 days until Elle becomes a big Sister

2010-02-03T21:22:00.000-08:00

It's been ages since i've updated the blogspot... my excuse? Life is busy, very busy. Oh, and I have been working on my next project. My little incubation has been challenging. It's amazing how something so small, can make you feel so bad. The last 5 months have been a bit of a blur.

I wish I had time to post a better update, maybe on my flight to London?

2009-08-03T22:18:00.000-07:00

Ahhh.... such a sweet baby girl.

2009-08-03T22:15:00.000-07:00

Elle and Denise - June 2009

Over 900 miles...

2009-08-03T22:07:00.000-07:00

Interesting factoid, I was looking at the mileage totals on my running watch and i've run over 900 hundred miles in the last 3 years! OMG! Think about it, i had almost a whole year of no running...pretty much from October 07 thru August 08 there was no running! Wow! No wonder my feet hurt :)

August already?

2009-08-03T13:22:00.000-07:00

Where has the summer gone? My days have been packed from dusk to dawn. Between my walking and talking 14 month old and my ever exciting job, time just flows like water...

I never seem to have an opportunity to update my blog. Currently, at a cruising altitude somewhere over middle America, I happen to have a few moments with an inflight wireless connection, so here I go.

I am on my way to New Orleans for the SIGGRAPH conference. It seems like just yesterday that Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, but I guess it's been almost 4 years! Seriously, 4 years... amazing. And yes, it is hurricane season, but it looks like we are in the clear. Apparently, it is 90 degrees, but 'feels' like 101... hey, no big deal, it was 106 in Seattle last week! Thankfully, I went from my air conditioned office, to my air conditioned car, to my air conditioned house. Luckily, we are one of the 15% who have AC in the NW.

Over the past two months i have enjoyed the early rising, heart pounding. pavement chasing that is know as the ProClub's 6 AM Boot Camp class- 90 mins of pure workout bliss. Enjoyed it so much, that I have signed up for the next session... August/Sept. I've successfully recruited my fav running partner to join me! I have a new love of hills and BMX bike parks... quote from last week "we are deploying on Monday".

Well, we are starting to decend, so I am signing of for now!

Vancouver Half Marathon May 2009

2009-05-29T21:02:00.000-07:00

D & T at the start line of the Van Half Marathon. It turned out to be a gorgeous day in British Columbia. The weather was absolutley perfect for a run through the city and after a long 12 weeks of training, we were ready to hit the pavement.

All went well for me until about mile 9 then my foot started hurting. Worst pain i've ever felt. You know you are in bad shape when you are walking on a decline! I made a pit stop in the medical tent around mile 10 ... made friends with the medical volunteers and then decieded to tough it out. The last 3 miles were difficult, but i was determined to cross the finish line. Nothing like trying to take your mind of pain... strength and courage were the words I kept repeating. Funny, because those are the words that summarize the past year.

Turns out I have a 'bone bruise'... was told to not run for 4 weeks. I lasted about 3 and went out for a couple of easy runs. looks like i'm on the mend.

May 2009

2009-05-29T20:58:00.000-07:00

Elle showing off her teeth!

My valentine

2009-02-23T20:16:00.000-08:00

Elle 8 months

Week 4

2009-02-23T20:01:00.000-08:00

We are just embarking on the 4th week of our 12 week half marathon training plan and all is going smoothly. When I set my mind to something, I am very focused and diligent... in fact, I sent weekly meeting requests to my trainer partner, so she would have the plan on her calendar!

Our long run last week was 5 miles and unfortunatley, I decieded to do my run on the treadmill, becuase it was supposed to rain (the weather forecastor's never get it right). I refer to the treadmill as "treadmill torture". I like to play tricks with myself when I run on the treadmill... I pretend that I am racing the people next to me, I keep a towel over the time, so I don't obsessively clock walk and I replay my favorite tunes on my playlist. All effective tactics.

Well, that's all I have for now...

An update!

2009-01-27T20:45:00.000-08:00

I know, I know, I haven't updated this blog in months. Some of my dear friends have about given up on me and have been be forced to join FB to get updates. For those not on FB, here's a quick update...

Yes, I am still happily employed at Microsoft... I got lots of emails and calls last week after the staff reductions hit the newswire.

My quest to return to my pre-prego self has been accomplished thanks to the Zone Diet Delivery, High Intensity weight training and hundreds of minutes on my precor! Now my next challenge... I signed up for the Vancouver BC Half Marathon.... 96 days to train. Should be interesting since i haven't run more than 4 miles in over 15 months.

Any of course, last but not least, Baby Elle. She is great. She is 17 lbs and LONG. Maybe she will be all legs? Her eyes seem to get bluer by the day. She has two teeth...wow, that was fun. She started swimming lessons earlier this month. She is super chill in the water, just looks around and checks everyone out. Hard to know if she likes it, but at least she isn't crying!

My time off is winding down...

2008-10-16T16:35:00.000-07:00

Where have the last 5 1/2 months gone? Oh yes, we had a darling little girl!

I am more amazed with her everyday. She is such a sweet, happy little girl. People tell you that you will never love anyone as much as you love your child, when you hear this you say "yeah, yeah, whatever..", until you have a child. Coming from someone who didn't think they would be a parent, I can't begin to tell you how true it is.

The summer was a whirlwind and now I only have 18 days until I return to work. I am excited to go back, but I will admit, it is going to say goodbye to my little girl every morning.

Elle is now 12+ pounds. Hard to believe she started out at 3+ lbs. She has been sleeping thru the night for the past two months. You can appreciate this if you have kids. Sleep is an amazing thing!

So, what did we do this summer??

Post baby shape up and slim down was a major priority (still a work in progress). As soon as I received exercise clearance, I was off and running...litterly. I joined Stroller Strides to help get me moving. Thanks to bedrest and a c-section, I went almost 3 months with out exercising. Stroller Strides proved to be an awesome workout. We did lots of running (hills and stairs) and resistance training. The bonus is you have your baby with you in the jogging stroller.

I ran my first post baby 5K with TK in September. We hit all of our goals... beat our time goal, and only walked once. Yes, this is a huge win for someone who hasn't run for almost a year. Now I just need to start training for a half marathon.

We took Elle to Portland and Hood River. We decided to take a road trip, prior to trying air travel. She did great, so I decided to book a trip to Sedona Arizona. Elle's first "girls only" trip. I definitely wasn't the typical girls trip, but we had a great time. Elle hung out at the pool with us (in the shade of course), we took her on a hike, had some great dinners and even took her wine tasting! Thank you KN for your hospitality. WM, great job on your first "baby internship", you are a diaper changing pro!

And last but not least, we've had the opportunity to spend quality time with family and friends!

Elle is 4 weeks old

2008-07-07T20:14:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe, but baby Elle (pronounced "L") is already 4 weeks old. Especially, since her due date was July 5th.

The last 4 weeks have been a blur. Elle spent the first 16 days in the Infant Special Care Unit at Swedish Medical. It was tough to have her in the hospital, since I was unable to drive for two weeks. Yes, another not so nice C-Section benefit.

Elle is doing really great. She is a happy and healthy baby girl. She is perfect!

It's a GIRL!

2008-06-08T22:41:00.000-07:00

Baby Elle arrived on Saturday, June 7th at 8:33 am. She weights 3 lbs 12 ozs and is 16.5 inches long. She is tiny, but mighty! We are in awe with her. She is absolutely perfect!

The journey is coming to an end...

2008-06-03T17:05:00.000-07:00

Technically, I have 32 more days to go, but it looks like the pregnancy journey will conclude sooner than anticipated. Maybe as early as this weekend...

It's been awhile since I've updated the blog and alot has happened in last month...

We had a great vacation in Cabo. Definitely a different experience being pregnant, but nonetheless, it was fun and relaxing. Prego in a bikini, lounging by the pool, sipping on non alcholic fruity concoctions. Delightful!

I went back to work post vacation thinking I had 8+ weeks to go before I went out for maternity leave. Lot's of ambitious plans for my final 8 weeks and not enough hours in the day. I planned to work until the end and even had my personal training appointments scheduled thru the end of June. And then...WHAM, I was admitted to the hospital and was put on bed rest for the duration. This is my fourth week on bedrest. It's very difficult to go from being a workaholic, on the go, "I can do anything" type of person to doing nothing. After 5 days in the hospital, I embraced my new job as incubator and have been determined to do everything I can to make sure baby stays healthy.

We hit the magicial 36 week mark this Saturday, so there is a very good chance I will be induced. It's hard to believe that I will be meeting my child soon. Possibly on my birthday... now wouldn't that be ironic?

Stay tuned...

Prego in the City

2008-04-21T07:33:00.000-07:00

Prego travel report…

Pre-travel: Woke up at 2:45 am… fell back asleep at 4:00 am, woke back up at 4:45 (alarm is set for 5:30, so there is was no point in going back to bed). 6:45 am…Town car smelling of lingering cigarette smoke and cologne picks me up. Ah… the sensitive prego nose.

Airport check-in:
Get to the airport early, so I can get an aisle seat, the MVP desk told me “it would be no problem to get an aisle seat”. NO Aisle seat. Honestly, what is the point of being an Alaska Air MVP if a 7.5 month pregnant traveler can’t get an aisle seat? And to make matters worse, the check in agent was rude. After being rude to me, she had the nerve to ask me to lift my bag on to the conveyer belt, so I said (in the snottiest tone that I could muster) “I am pregnant, I am not supposed to lift over 35 lbs”. Then I just stood there until she picked up the bag...

In-flight:
Maybe I was tired, hormonal, sleep deprived, or just in a generally foul mood, but the my encounter with the first class flight attendant really tweaked me. I couldn’t use the bathroom at the rear of the plane (bev cart in the aisle), so I went up to first class. The flight attendant ‘instructed’ me to wait in aisle 6, since the bathroom was occupied. I wait… person exits bathroom and another traveler jumps up to use the bathroom. So.. I walk back up there and stand.. again, rude attendant tells me to wait at aisle 6, since first class passengers have priority! OMG!

Prego in the City:

I had quite the eventful trip... here are couple of more excerpts for your reading enjoyment...

Drunk guy tried to pick up on me at the bar at the WHotel bar... now, I know a lot of men aren't detoured by a wedding ring, but what about a wedding ring AND a baby bump? There is a weirdo in every crowd (direct quote from a close friend).

More fun at the W bar...the bartender dropped a bottle of vodka and it went all over me! My face, my hair and my shirt. I guess if I can't drink it, I should wear it?

And last but not least...I was in a taxi that got rear ended. Thankfully, the guy that hit us was going slow, so there were no injuries (except for the bumper). Disaster averted.

Traveling back to SEA:

The flight home is slightly more enjoyable, minus the fact that I had a 7:40 am flight … 4:40 Seattle time, yes, that means I got up at 2:00 am Seattle time! Wait listed for first class, no dice, but at least I had an aisle seat in bulkhead.

Shopping tip:
If you happen to find yourself pregnant and are in need of some fabulous designer maternity clothes, check our Veronique in the Upper East Side. Simply fantastic!

The countdown is on...

2008-04-08T18:19:00.000-07:00

I am officially in the third trimester...only 88 more days to go!

Recent purchase:
I am the proud owner of a stroller... i am still in shock (I know some of you are equally as stunned). Of course, I had to buy a jogging stroller (yes, I will get a regular stroller). I did my research and found out that Runners World recommends the BOB Revolution, so that was the obvious choice. My goal is to start running by mid August, so I can train for the Santa Barbara Half Marathon.

Best Quote:
"Last month you looked like you ate a sandwich, this month it looks like you ate two" - I still keep hearing that I don't look that very pregnant, but i swear I have totally popped and am showing a serious bump.

Most disappointing moment:
To add to the list of things I CAN'T do, I found out last week that I can't get a spray tan! No sushi, no wine, NO SPRAY TAN! Geesshh. I shared my disappointment with a friend and she said "well, I am glad to know that pregnancy hasn't taken away your vanity". I will aplogize now to the the pool goers in Cabo.. pale preggo in a bikini.

Babies first modeling job

2008-03-11T12:29:00.001-07:00

BabyNovosel3-10-08
Originally uploaded by denisebue

I was recently accepted as an OB test model for a medical devices company. As a test model, the company can use babies images for their marketing material. This is a picture from the little ones first gig. The picure is a 4D image of his/her face. Not the best image, since little one had it's hand up by it's face. Also, it was trying to hide it's face. Any way, you can see quite a bit of detail... the mouth, nose, eyes etc. Baby is almost 6 months in this picture.

Only another 179 days to go...

2008-01-08T17:33:00.000-08:00

Wow, that sounds like a LONG time!

I am in my 15th week and I have to say, the last 3 months (almost) have been an adventure, or shall i say blur?

Here's what i've learned...my pregnancy top 5 (for now)

5. Being pregnant is like having a hangover 24/7 (without the fun). I have never been so nauseous in my life. Wow! I am so glad I am done with that phase.

4. Can you say tired? I mean completely exhausted? My two favorite activities were laying down and sitting. I didn't workout for 6 weeks!! Good news... I am back! This week I started working out with a pre-natal trainer. I might even work back up to doing some light jogging on the treadmill, since my doc isn't worried about my heart rate. Figure i better go for it before I loose my center of gravity.

3. Prego brain is a real phenomena... you don't know what I mean? Ask someone whose been pregnant.

2. Having oral surgery while pregnant is not a good idea...(aka tylenol doesn't do much for the pain). To top it off, I had surgery on new years eve (obvioussly, it was unexpected).

1. Most importantly, it's amazing how connected you get to the small person you are carrying. We saw baby moving all around during the ultrasound... lots of hand movements. Sort of surreal and at the same time, emotional.

Oh, for my friends who are far away... nope, I still don't look pregnant (unless you look really really close). I haven't gained any lbs, but I expect to see some scale movement soon :)

There's was more than one baby...

2007-12-20T18:06:00.001-08:00

Ultrasound pic 12-19-07
Originally uploaded by denisebue

...crossing the finish line in San Fran!

Yep, that's right, I found out I was pregnant 2 days after I ran the Nike Women's half marathon.

We had our 12 week ultrasound yesterday. SO cool!! Baby is super active. He/She was waving it's hands around the whole time. The ultrasound tech said "you have a drama baby"... must be a girl???

My official due date is July 5th, be the ultrasound predicts 7-7, so we shall see.

Nike Women's Half Marathon

2007-10-26T16:28:00.001-07:00

Nike Women's Marathon
Originally uploaded by denisebue

No woman left behind...especially not a pregnant one! This is a picuture of TK and I at the finish line of last weekends Half Marathon in San Fran. Note: this is my second finish line photo.. I did not run in flip flops! Any way, TK is 7+ months prego and was determined to finish this event. Yay T!

What's your favorite power song?

2007-10-03T21:15:00.000-07:00

Help, I need your help! My half marathon is less than 3 weeks away and i need help with my song list. So, what is your favorite power song? What makes you run to the top of that hill? What song motivates you across the finish line? What song puts a smile on your face?? Please tell me!

Halo 3 Launch Party

2007-09-25T00:55:00.001-07:00

Halo3LaunchParty9-25-07
Originally uploaded by denisebue

Me, Kari and Bill!

From LinkedIn to Facebook...

2007-09-11T17:51:00.000-07:00

I am a huge LinkedIn fan - I've been "linkedin" for almost four years. I joined linkedIn after reading an article in the WSJ ... I was stuck in the airport one December (holiday travel... always fun) and stumbled across the article and thought "hey, what a great recruiting tool". LinkedIn has proven to be a great source for recruitment, but it is also a great way to keep track of former colleagues etc. Are you linkedin? Feel freet to connect with me. Linked is sort of Facebook for adults...

So, Facebook ... Facebook has been around for quite awhile and is really geared towards Gen Y'ers. Since my team does college recruitment for niche skill sets (art, hardware, supply chain, manufacturing etc), I joined Facebook about a year ago, so I could check it out (it's true... I am sort of embarrassed to admit it).

Social networking is proving to be a fantastic way to source top talent. “As the job market heats up, interest in online business networking is starting to soar — turning a one-time novelty into a necessity for millions of business professionals in search of jobs or business contacts.” USA Today.

Tips on building out your Linked in (or Facebook) network...

The number of people you can view in LinkedIn is key to your networking success.
Reach out to your alumni associations, industry associations, friends, acquaintances, and colleagues.
Upload your Outlook Contacts to LinkedIn. You can see which have joined LinkedIn and invite them to join your network.
Connect with former colleagues and classmates. You will be surprised how many already LinkedIn.
Get to know people you don’t know. Gather intelligence on members employed at targeted companies. Search for those with connections, find commonalities and reference in your message.
Personalize your invitation emails. Avoid using the “standard text” invitations. You are inviting people you may or may not know to join your network. Making the message more personalized will go a long ways in strengthening the relationship

How I spent my "actual" birthday

2007-07-20T16:09:00.001-07:00

DNandMAandGunnerFurryFK
Originally uploaded by denisebue

Meredith, Gunner and I ran (sort of) the Furry 5K. Hard to actually run when A) there are hundreds of dogs(humans) blocking your path and B)... you are sort of out of shape.

Tired Dog....

2007-07-20T16:06:00.001-07:00

DandGunnerTiredDog
Originally uploaded by denisebue

Gunner is starting to slow down. This pic was taken close to the finish line of the Furry 5K

Birthday Fun 2007

2007-06-12T21:02:00.001-07:00

Birthday Fun 2007
Originally uploaded by denisebue

Girls night IN and then OUT!

From the pool and beyond

2007-05-19T15:21:00.000-07:00

As always, Mandalay Bay and THEhotel never disappoint. Fun weekend with great friends. Too many laughs to count. In fact, we were *still* laughing when we arrived at baggage claim. You know, the kind of laugh that causes your stomach hurt, the kind of laugh that makes you want to lay on floor, because you can't stop laughing. Why all the laughter? Partly due to the people watching at the pool... number 1 suspect, Joe Dirt look a like... sort of a celebrity sighting. Oh yes, we saw him and his fabulous mullet blowing in the wind. To top it off, he was dripping in gold chains and bracelets. We have proof... thanks Nat for taking the digital cam to the pool.

Now for the beyond... got home Sunday night, felt pretty good...relaxed, suntanned etc. Woke up Monday with bit of a sore throat, but chalked it up to the climate change, air travel, air conditioning etc. Tuesday... the sore throat gets worse, but I had to power through the day, since i was delivering a 3 hour training. Throughout the whole training i was freezing cold and my throat hurt, but I figured it must be the a/c. After the training concluded, I still couldn't warm up, so I decided to go work from home... note: it was 85 degrees on tues and i drove home with my A/C off (black car, sitting in the sun... no A/C) ... something wasn't right. Took my temp when I got home and it was 103.7! HOLY S%&!. Within mins it went to 103.9. Needless to say, i was a little freaked out, so I called our medical helpline. Talked to a nurse and she wanted me to go to the ER (bad things happen when your temp goes over 104). Clearly, i couldn't drive, so she says "I will send a Dr to you". That's right, house call! Microsoft is running a Mobile medical pilot. Turns out, they wanted me to be seen by a physician, so they could rule out meningitis. YIKES. I am happy to report that I don't have meningitis, rather a rare form of Strep Throat. Miserable week, absolutely miserable. I don't think I have ever been that sick...

Vancouver Half Marathon…Go, no-go?

2007-05-07T20:59:00.000-07:00

Go was the choice, but I started regretting my decision around mile 7 when my injured knee started hurting… clearly I hadn’t fully recovered. I spent the last four weeks in physical therapy and made some good progress (apparently, not enough). So, back to mile 7…did I stop? OF COURSE NOT! No, I kept going, painful step, after painful step. Not only was my knee hurting, but my opposing foot started to hurt. I pushed myself to mile 10 and that’s when the “wheels fell off”… sort of a mercer island repeat. Unfortunately, I still had 3 miles to go. Basically, I had to walk them. Oh, and… it was raining… 3 painful, wet, cold miles… Thank you T for being my “athletic supporter”, I was thankful you decided to run the first 5 miles with me and it was great to see your cheerful face at the finish line.

Today? Well… I am having a hard time walking down stairs AND my foot is totally bruised. My Physical Therapist says I have soft tissue damage… great!

No running for a couple weeks. Oh what will I do? I think there is lounge chair by the pool at Mandalay Bay with my name on it… sun, relaxation and fun.

Getting bored with you running mixes?

2007-04-13T11:55:00.000-07:00

Try PODRUNNER podcasts by DJ Steve Boy... "grooves for the moves". Happy running.

Mercer Island Half Marathon

2007-03-30T18:45:00.000-07:00

Mercer Island Half 2--7
Originally uploaded by denisebue.

Are we there yet? Oh wait...we just started!

Are we havin' any fun? Mercer Island Half Marathon 2007

2007-03-30T18:32:00.000-07:00

MercerIslandHalfGroup
Originally uploaded by denisebue.

Here's a group photo from last Sunday's Mercer Island Half Marathon. Here we are, pre-race standing in the rain and as Mike said, "this is the photo before the PAIN".

Here are some of the conversation excerpts:

"I finished, that is all I can say...." We all (except Mike)had a bit of a rough day (including our Boston Marathoner).

"you got lost? How lost?....OPPS"

"I made a new friend"..."we walked the last 2 miles together"

"yes, of course I want a second Bloody Mary"

In the end, we all had fun, the course was beautiful and the post-race gathering was FUN! The downside is I hurt my knee and am headed for physical therapy. Nothing to tragic...just an IT band issue. Hey, maybe I should have taken my training seriously...

Nike Women's Half Marathon...#3

2007-03-02T18:59:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning, Nike annouced a "pre-registration" for past Nike Women's Marathon runners. The pre-registration was supposed to be open for 26.2 hours and then the registration would open up the general public. Thankfully, I was able register...It took me 30 mins and ten tries, but I got my confirmation. Any way, the Half Marathon registration was never opened up to the general public, because it SOLD OUT! OMG! Crazy. Any way, today, Nike announced a random drawing -The drawing will close on April 2, 2007. The entries will be chosen at random and announced on April 9th, 2007. Good luck!

Merlot wins best of breed at Westminster!

2007-02-12T21:07:00.000-08:00

MerlotBestofBreed
Originally uploaded by denisebue.

My sisters Siberian Husky "Ch Paragon's Red Red Wine" won best of breed today at the Westminster Kennel Club show in NYC.

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/youandme/story/6389200p-5698787c.html

Should have been there...the flu ruins everything...

Power outage 2006

2007-02-01T01:20:00.000-08:00

DeniseGunnerPowerOutage3
Originally uploaded by denisebue.

This is a funny picture of me and Gunner. We were relaxing by the fire during out power outage. I am guessing this is day 2 (maybe 3), since i have a smile on my face. Any way, our "baby" Gunner, had a strong urge to stay close to us during the 6 day power outage. I guess I make a nice pillow...

Survival in suburbia...Part II

2007-01-11T18:32:00.000-08:00

Yet again, the Pacific Northwest was slammed by another winter blast. And once again, Seattle-ites have proven, we are not prepared for inclement weather. As for me? Well, I was lucky enough to partake in the evening's marathon commute...It took me me 4 hours and 2 mins to go 8.7 miles! Unbelievable. What a scene. Cars were abandoned everywhere. People just ditched their cars and started walking...I contemplated walking, but I was wearing 3 inch heels. The parkway that leads to my neighborhood was completely littered with parked cars. I guess I am lucky my car handles good in the snow. Thanks to the storm, I now know what the "ECT SNOW" button means.

To top off my adventure, when I arrived home, I was greeted by a dark and cold house. Yes, that's right...we had NO power. I had flashbacks of the 6 days in December that we spend without power. Thankfully, the power returned by midnight.

Resolution run

2007-01-09T17:42:00.000-08:00

No rain on Saturday, so I decided to hit the pavement for the first time in 2007. I had a nice 50 min jaunt on Lake Wash Blvd. It was so nice to be outside...I can only take so much of the treadmill.

On my run, I reflected back on all of the amazing places I was able to run in 2006. I was fortunate to be able to run in Central Park, along the Charles River, Lakeshore Dr in CHI, Manhattan Beach, San Fran, Vancouver BC...and many others, but I think these are my most memorable.

On my run on Saturday, I pondered my 2007 running resolutions. So here I go...

1. Hills!! I WILL train on hills! Watch out San Fran
2. On my long runs, I am committed to staying in between HR zone 2 and 3.
3. Weight training...I will find a new way to commit myself to weight training. Honestly, lifting weight sans Jade and Keoni is just not the same. I've tried working out with other trainers, but they aren't Jade and Keoni. I guess I need to lower my expectations, or move to the Carolina's.
4. Seriously consider training for a full marathon. Stay tuned...

So, what's in store for 2007? I just signed up for the Mercer Island Half on March 25th. Contemplating either the Vancouver BC half in May, or the San Diego Rock'n'Roll in June. H and I celebrate our b-day's in early June...might be a fun way to celebrate. Without a doubt, I WILL run the Nike Women's Half in October.

We haven't blown away...yet

2006-12-15T11:57:00.000-08:00

The crazy Seattle weather continues! Over a million people in the NW are without power. Almost all businesses are shut down… Microsoft’s entire Puget Sound campus is without power. As for me, well…we have no power either. Haven’t for about 12 hours, so I decided to venture out to Tully’s and jump on the WiFi. This place is a mad house. The line for coffee resembles the lines a Disneyland.

The howling winds knocked down 100’s of trees and power lines. Our neighborhood looks like a war zone. Last night streets we closed due to fallen trees and mudslides. In fact, my good friend who is 9 months pregnant had a transformer blow up in front of her while she was driving and then a tree feel on her car. Good news is she is fine, just very shaken up.

My colleague and I had a holiday party at the W Hotel last night, so we decided to brave the elements. Thankfully, we had a town car service lined up, so we didn’t have to deal with the driving. The drive home was an adventure!

KC's Birthday weekend in Vegas...

2006-12-11T16:51:00.000-08:00

Where do I start?? There are SO many "favorite" moments, so I will start at the beginning...

H and D's cancelled flight turned into two first class tickets on the next available flight...MVP status does have it's privileges. This is one of the many, many reasons why said friend enjoys her trustee travel companion.

So, we land in LV and head to baggage claim, while at baggage claim, we witnessed a very bizarre mix of people. We soon learned that a pro Rodeo and the LV Marathon were both taking place. Strange, very strange. I have never seen so many cowboy hats in such a concentrated area. Note: I am the only one of the group that can throw out the line "I'm a cowgirl".

Upon arrival at THEHotel, we found our other travel companions in their PJ's. Well, it was midnight and the did arrive in the AM, so we cut them slack...except for the birthday girl.

Favorite moments/things:

H's reenactment of the moment when J "accidentally" drenched P with her mouth full of water. OOPPS! Apparently, P's skin is STILL dewy and moist. Oh, she does have some other reenactment, but they are too hard to put into words.

"Hello Kitty" SWAG bags..B is such a Girl Scout! Thank you for supplying all the ladies with tic-tacs, antibacterial lotion, lip smacker, Emergen-C and "kisses".

K dancing with TWO cowboys! No, I am NOT kidding.

Last but not least, L heard the following broadcasted over the loudspeaker at McCarran."Passengers Novosel and Mathieson, please report to Gate D26 for an immediate departure. Apparently, she was cracking up, yet at the same worried that we might be trapped in the airport if we didn't make it! I can't think of anything worse...

Best quotes:

"I was a running back, feel my quads!" --H couldn't resist... AHHH
"How sad, she is the runner-up"
"Are we HAVIN' any fun"...sung off tune
"we almost missed our flight, but dang, those fries were goooooooooooddddd"

We are lucky to have such a great group of friends! I am so glad I was able to partake in K's birthday festivities!

Seattle Snow Day

2006-11-28T17:22:00.000-08:00

Snow Day - D and Gunner
Originally uploaded by denisebue.

Snow Day in Seattle

2006-11-28T17:06:00.000-08:00

18 degrees in Seattle. Yes, 18. The burbs could drop into the 12-16 degree range tonight.

The crazy Seattle weather continues. Record breaking rainfall..now snow. The roads are a mess...completely iced over. Schools are shut down...Microsoft even closed our main campus today. This may seem silly to my friends who live in the North East and Mid West, but Seattle literally shuts down when it snows. Contemplated sledding with tneighborbor kids, but opted for a walk to Starbucks (4 miles roundtrip) with my Chocolate Lab.

Marathon Girls - Team Lucky 13.1

2006-10-25T14:48:00.000-07:00

Marathon Girls - Team Lucky 13.1
Originally uploaded by denisebue.

The night before the big race. Note: the ladies we in bed by 8:30 pm!

The fourth half

2006-10-24T16:48:00.000-07:00

Do four halves equal two wholes? Last Sunday marked the completion of my fourth half marathon in 12 months. Three pairs of running shoes, two different HRM's, lots of laughs, hundreds of training miles....and a wonderful weekend with a great group of friends.

Once again, the Nike Women's Half Marathon in San Fran proved to be fantastic. Nike gets an A+ for exceptional event execution!

Favorite quotes from the weekend...

Pat Gibbons, stunt car/town car driver with a raspy smoker's voice ...."GIVE ME A NAME....Tina Sharp and our flight is at 7AM"
Young Punks in line at Clift......"they are Carbon Copies of the last group but just....a bit older"
Drunk "girlfriend" at the W Hotel....."those girls are boring, let's go out!"
KC...."I Rule"
"Someone please talk me out of buying these shoes"

Favorite moments...

The breathtaking views of the Golden Gate Bridge...the bridge was peeking through the veil of fog that was hovering over the bay and the sun was shining on the bridge...Majestic, absolutely majestic.

For two of my friends, this was their first half marathon, so seeing the sense of accomplishment on their faces was amazing.

Seeing all of the race supporters andtheirr inspiring signage...every sign told a story of honor, motivation and memories of loved ones.

Water buffalo in Golden Gate park? Who knew?

Saddest moment...why, mini why? Yes, my iPod mini gave out on me at mile 3.5...right in the midst of John Mayer's "Why Georgia why"...yes, dead, completely dead! The Apple store confirmed mini's demise. I will admit, I was devastated. This may sound strange to people who don't listen to music while they run, but I was so let down and my perfectly orchestrated playist was for not.

In the end, I didn't hit a PR, but I did beat last years time. I know I should be thankful to have the ability to run 13.1 miles, but I have the nagging feeling that I could have done better. I hate the feeling of leaving "something" on the table and feeling like I didn't give all that have, but I guess that is who I am. Always, always striving for more.

Saturday randomness

2006-09-26T13:06:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday turned out to be a completely random day. The day began with what was "supposed" to be a 10 mile training run (note: San Fran Half marathon is about 30 days away). Any way, my training run turned into something that I didn't expect, thanks to the dying battery in my Polar foot pod. Note: your distance and pace will NOT calculate correctly if the battery is low. Ultimately, I ended up running farther than I had intended...I am now a self proclaimed accidental over achiever. My legs were sore for 2 days.

To top off my day, I was able to see John Mayer and Sheryl Crow in concert! LOVE John's new CD Continuum. John's quote about the new CD "A lot of these songs are about coming to terms with getting older"...WHAT?? Isn't he 28?

Favorite songs from the concert:

Slow Dancing In A Burning Room -- Commentary: I think this is best song on the new album. It's heartbreaking and brilliant. He could not have described a doomed relationship better than he did in this song.

Why Georgia (this is my all time fav John Mayer song)

I Don't Trust Myself (With Loving You)

I will admit, I was totally bummed that he didn't play "Clarity" or "Your body is a Wonderland".

Quote of the day...

2006-09-26T13:05:00.000-07:00

"Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can't lose."
--Bill Gates, Microsoft Corp. co-founder, philanthropist

Fall Fashion: The runway, your way

2006-09-14T15:29:00.000-07:00

Here's a snip-it from a recent WSJ article...

Score It or Store It
Bye-bye boho and feminine frills. Here is what's coming in and going out this fall:

SCORE IT: Tunic sweaters, full blouses with dolman sleeves belted at the waist.
STORE IT: Turtleneck cashmere sweaters in rainbow shades.

SCORE IT: Thick platform shoes and boots.
STORE IT: Slingback stilettos and cowboy boots.

SCORE IT: Skinny jeans in dark denim, black leggings and opaque tights.
STORE IT: Low-rise boot-cut jeans, sequined jeans.

SCORE IT: Above-the-knee A-line skirts, lean dresses with belts at the waist.
STORE IT: Ethnic, tiered bohemian skirts with low-slung belts.

SCORE IT: Minimalist-look jewelry -- flat and sleek in gold or silver.
STORE IT: Chandelier earrings, flashy diamond or crystal necklaces.

SCORE IT: Military-style coats with buttons, cocoon-shaped coats.
STORE IT: Straight coats in colorful embroidered fabrics.

SCORE IT: Black or "money-green" handbags with gold trim; red bags to accent dark clothes.
STORE IT: Handbags with outside pockets, buckles and geegaws.

New training partner

2006-09-11T17:16:00.000-07:00

I will admit, I like gadgets. I purchased my fifth Polar HRM about 6 months ago, but I just discovered the Polar Personal Trainer and Weblink last week. The Polar RS200sd Running Computer™ has the abiltiy to track pace, distance etc and you can easily download your info to the your online personal trainer.

Weekend in CHI town

2006-08-22T16:47:00.000-07:00

What a fun weekend! Great time with great friends!

The Nike Run Hit Remix was a blast...5 Miles of pure running bliss. The start time for the race was 9PM...key learning... Chicago is very humid in late August. Also, another key lesson learned...don't eat Chicago deep dish pizza, prior to running. Any way, as we ran through the streets of Chicago we were rewarded with the tunes of some fantastic 90's bands...Digital Underground "Humpty Dance" and Young MC "Bust a Move". The feature band was De La Soul. As always, Nike put on a fantastic run. Can't wait to do it again next year.

Great dinners....Sushi Samba and Blackbird -Sushi Samba was the best...when I was in NYC earlier this year, I went to Sushi Samba in SoHo and thought it was my best meal of the year...

Bonus...the Chicago Water and Air show happened to be taking place the same weekend. There is no other "rush" like the Blue Angels flying over your head. However, one of our friends is still trying to figure out how planes flying over her head are supposed to make her "feel". Humm...here's an idea, envision a fighter pilot in a flight suit...that might help you "feel" something. Hah!

As for the CHI "scene" and nightlife...A special thanks to Dr and Mrs Miller for the wonderful conversation and nightlife suggestions....oh, and fertility wisdom. Good news...I still have a few good reproductive years left. Back to the nightlife... my favorite spot was Jilly's on Rush. Rush street is the place to be in CHI...other locations of interest Gibson's, Lux Bar and the Tavern on Rush.

Favorite/Memorable moments...

Great conversation and Sangria with my close friend ...no matter how many states separate us, or the span of time between visits, our friendship bond remains strong. Thank you for making the trek into the city!

H getting "educated" on the advantages of tounge accessories...

Crazy cab rides...

H's pearls of wisdom...I think the quote went something like this "I can't remember the past, but I can definitely see the future".

Avis does try harder

2006-08-10T18:22:00.000-07:00

For those of you who heard about my Boston travel adventure, the story has a happy ending...

For those of you who don't know, last Friday TK and I missed our flight home to Seattle. We "thought" we knew how to get from the Westin Copley Place to Logan Airport...we thought wrong. Tunnel closure and Friday traffic...we missed our flight by minutes. When we realized we were completely lost, we called Avis to see if we could drop the car at the airport. They suggested something that 'sounded' like a better option. The suggestion was for us to pull into Avis and they would have a driver waiting to drive us (in our car) to the terminal. Bottomline, nobody was waiting for us, so we were forced to travel to the terminal via rental car shuttle...Clearly, not the 'fastest' route to the terminal...we missed out flight. Any way, I have been extremley impressed with how Avis has handled this situation. Everyone has been very responsive and genuinely concerned about our misfortune. To make it up to us, they credited us for our rental charge. Very nice gesture. I may never rent a car in Boston, but I will continue to rent cars from Avis.

Tina and Denise Fenway 2006

2006-08-07T17:47:00.000-07:00

Tina and Denise Fenway 2006
Originally uploaded by denisebue.

Denise and TIna having fun at the Sox game

Boston...Love and hate

2006-08-07T16:30:00.000-07:00

Just returned from an exhausting week in Boston...SIGGRAPH 06 was a success...and we "managed" to have some fun along the way.

The fun times...

Last Monday we went to Fenway to watch Sox's vs Indians...Apparently, we left before the most exciting play of the game -- "Monday night, down two runs with two on and one out in the bottom of the ninth. Did anyone at Fenway actually think the Indians were going to survive this mess?"...JJ, JP, TK and I must have, because we LEFT the ballpark seconds before this happened. NICE!

Another fun moment...we made some new friends at the Boston Fire Dept Station in the North End.

Biking around Martha's Vineyard was very memorable. I will vacation there some day...it is all I have thought about since returning to Seattle.

Completing two long runs along the Charles River.

Great restaurants...

We had a fantastic dinner at Sage. Sage is a Italian restaurant located in the North End...small and intimate...great place for a date...with your co-workers .

Stephanie's on Newbury -- this resturarant was recommended by a friend. KUDOS! Amazing food! Great lunch spot. I highly recommend the lobster quesadilla. Yummy food and excellent service.

Uni Sashimi Bar at the Eliot Hotel...yes, I had to go back! AMAZING food.

The Upper Crust on Newbury -- Great Pizza, fantastic service!

The "not-so" fun times...

As the week wore on, my team and I had the running joke about the "ten things we hate about Boston"... not sure if we ever finalized the list, but here are a few of the outtakes.

It was HOT and very humid. Apparently, last Wednesday was the hottest day of the summer... I think the heat index on Wednesday was 110 degrees

Rude people...favorite quote of the week: "go back to LA!" Yes, that's right; someone shouted this at us on Saturday night. Funny...we aren't FROM LA!

People cannot drive...there is a reason why roads have designated lanes.

Pedestrians...they cross the street anytime, anywhere...

Soccer Mom gave us the finger at a stop light...what!! Why??? We still don't know... was it the Ford Taurus rental car?

The tunnel closure, which in turn resulted in TK and I getting lost on our way back to the airport...oh, and it was rush hour! Yes, we ended up missing our flight. I will save that "story" for some other time....

coming zune

2006-07-24T16:06:00.000-07:00

Microsoft takes on Apple with Zune digital player

another great quote...

2006-07-20T10:31:00.000-07:00

If you can't accept losing, you can't win."
--Vince Lombardi, National Football League coach

Quote of the day

2006-07-06T09:45:00.000-07:00

We don't accomplish anything in this world alone ... and whatever happens is the result of the whole tapestry of one's life and all the weavings of individual threads from one to another that creates something."
--Sandra Day O'Connor, former U.S. Supreme Court Justice

"clubbing" in our running gear...

2006-07-05T15:24:00.000-07:00

Is this ever a good idea? It is if you are running a 5K at midnight (or 11:55 PM). That's right, my friend J and and decided to run the Firecracker 5000 on July 3rd. We decided to partake in some pre-race carbo loading at Peso's...as we ate our mex food and drank sangria we pondered how we might feel later that evening...

Favorite quotes: "navigational error" and "monumental mistake"...by about 11 pm Peso's turned into a horrific clubbing atmosphere, so J, N, S and I decided to migrate closer to the start line. We ended up at at TS McHugh's and let's just say, the scenery for the guys wasn't as appealing.

Fashion DON'T: Some well meaning chap decided to debut his too tight WHITE Lycra Sleeveless Under Armour shirt over his beer belly...nice!

All in all, the race was a fun adventure. I must admit, it was a little odd running through the streets of Seattle at Midnight. Unfortuantly, I am still battling a cold, so I didn't break any speed records, but I am happy I did the run and just might do it again next year!

Can Air Conditioning Make You Fat?

2006-06-29T16:30:00.000-07:00

Can this be true??? I am battling a crummy cold, so I invested in a little "couch time" this am. While zoning in and out from cold medicine, I caught a glimpse of this story on Good Morning America, so I thought I would share the article.

A moment worth sharing...

2006-06-27T17:50:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a rather stressful day...budget and fiscal year planning can get you down. Then in an instant, my day changed. My perspective changed. Why? An e-mail. A simple email titled "cheryl germany". Some of you may recall my 10/17/05 posting on inspiration. Cheryl is a source of inspiration for me and many others. Any way, one of Cheryl's former co-workers reached out to me to tell me that he read my posting. He was grateful to finally know the outcome of her illness and let me know that she truly is an inspiration, even now. Sort of puts things in perspective and is a reminder to keep focused on what's important.

You can't go tight with white...

2006-06-20T14:31:00.000-07:00

...pants! Fashion don't, don't, don't! I can't even tell you how many tourist I saw in NYC wearing "too tight white"...so Ghetto!

Celebrating my birthday

2006-06-20T13:07:00.000-07:00

Kelly and Denise
Originally uploaded by denisebue.

Mango Margarita...
Lemon Drop....
Cosmo...
Green Apple Martini...
Glass of Chardonnay...
Shot of tequila...
Chocolate cupcake...
A day spent couch bound in complete misery....
not so priceless...

Apparently, as you get older it is more difficult to bounce back from and evening of indulgence.

NYC June 2006

2006-06-20T13:01:00.000-07:00

NYC June 2006
Originally uploaded by denisebue.

D & T on our way to see "The Color Purple".

Tina shared with me that D&T is also an anagram for double trouble

The day has arrived...well almost

2006-06-09T14:09:00.001-07:00

I am in denial, I can't believe I will be turning 35 tomorrow. How did that happen? Well, if the 30's are the new 20's...all is good.

It’s true
I don’t feel too blue
I still feel alive
I might still have the vibe
At 35!

Counting Crows Summer Nights Tour

2006-06-04T20:23:00.000-07:00

Alright, those who know me, know I lOVE the Crows. Well, maybe it's Adams hair that I love? Any way, one thing is for sure, I MUST see them! I would love to see them in Vegas on June 17th, but my NYC recruiting trip is going to get in the way. They are playing an outside venue in Seattle on June 22nd -- outside venue in June= a potential weather disaster.

Ok, so I don't think Vegas or Seattle are going to work, so what are my other options? Denver, Phoenix, Boston? Denver sounded like a good option, but they are playing Red Rocks on July 5th, which happens to be a Wednesday. Maybe Phoenix on July 1st? Or, there is Boston...now this might be a good option. I will be in Boston for Siggraph http://www.siggraph.org/s2006/ July 30th thru August 3rd. The Crows are playing on July 29th, so traveling to Boston a day earlier might be a good option.

my next career...

2006-06-04T20:12:00.000-07:00

Foot Model! Hah!

I was at a BBQ over Memorial Day weekend and out of the blue, a friends brother says to me, "you have THE most attractive feet". Odd, very odd statement to make to someone you don't know. Maybe he is socially unaware? Oddly though, I have heard the same thing on other occasions, so it struck me, maybe I should be a foot model!

Vancouver Half Marathon - May 2006

2006-05-30T17:53:00.000-07:00

Vancouver Half Marathon - May 2006
Originally uploaded by denisebue.

Smiles everyone, smiles!! How happy was I to see the finish line???

Oh...running attire "find" of the season...Running Skort from LuLu Lemon.

Runners World Editorial Contest

2006-05-17T10:44:00.000-07:00

The June 2006 issue of Runner's World invited readers to enter an editorial contest.
Info from Runners World "In 50 words or less tell us what motivates you to run."

Funny thing is, I was just thinking about this over the weekend. Until that moment, I never really considered myself a "runner". I run for a lot of reasons, but first and foremost, I run for me.

Here's my 47 word submission:

Am I running for something, to something, from something? Maybe it is all of those things, or maybe I just run for me. I escape when I run. I am alone with my thoughts when I run. I feel complete peace in my soul when I run.

Fun people and places

2006-05-09T16:57:00.000-07:00

Last week was a whirlwind... I must admit, when I boarded my 7:50 am flight on Friday from Boston, I breathed a silent sigh of relief. The first 3 legs of my adventure were almost over..

Boston: I was literally in Boston for only about 16 hours. My sightseeing consisted of a run along the Charles river and Newbury street.

Had dinner at Clio at the Eliot -- Great Sashimi bar and amazing cocktails! My favorite was their signature drink "Enter the Dragon". http://www.cliorestaurant.com/

After the Eliot, we ventured on to Sonsie. Swanky place that was in close proximity to my hotel. We grabbed a table near the front of the restaurant, so we could people watch. When we sat down, a waiter came over and indicated that the tables were for dinner patrons. We weren't eating, but ordering a bottle of Cristal seemed to do the trick...there was no more mention of food after that exchange. Glad I wasn't paying that bar tab...

http://sonsieboston.com/?cslink=profile_info_website_cust

Providence:

I must admit, they is not a lot going on in Providence on a Wednesday night, but I did find a fun spot for dinner. MODA restaurant and Lounge http://www.modarestaurant.com/

Vancouver:

My friend Marc recommend Glowbal in Yaletown. Excellent atmosphere and wonderful food!

Oh...and as for the people, my favorite quote for the week was "Dino, Nino, Pino, Vino???"...Where's Gino!

Vancouver in review

2006-05-09T16:41:00.000-07:00

KC and I both achieved our best ½ marathon times to date – despite the following:

Inadequate training – both in distance and duration

Torrential downpour (the entire race) and COLD weather! Oh...and the wind!

Limited hydration...they only had water stops at mile 3, 11 and 12! Yeah, I was completely dehydrated by the time I hit mile 11. KC (the smart one of the duo) had her water bottle in tow. Silly me, I didn't bring a water bottle, since there were supposed to be water stations throughout the course. The Vancouver Marathon Society actually sent out an apology e-mail today. "We deeply apologize for this and we promise to have a more immediate back-up plan in place in future years. We assure you that this type of incident will not be repeated."

Consumption of copious amounts of beverages known or thought to contain alcohol in days, weeks, months leading up to race.

Cinco de mayo’s unfortunate date…2 days prior to said race

KC, thank you for your contribution to this blog posting!

Did I wake up in Seattle?

2006-05-03T15:51:00.000-07:00

My flight to Boston from Rochester was supposed to leave at 6 pm last night…we ended up being 4 hours delayed, due to weather. After a horribly turbulent plane ride, we arrived in Boston around 11:30 pm…after retrieving my luggage and rental car, I still had an hour+ drive ahead of me. The north east states were experiencing torrential rains, so driving in my CHEVY Malibu rental was a little scary. My life flashed before me several times. Oh yeah, and thanks to google maps, I got LOST. Yes, LOST at 1am with an almost dead cell phone battery.

This AM...

Did I wake up in Seattle? Gray, gloomy and rain. I was so excited to do one of my last training runs in Providence. I didn’t envision that run taking place in the westin gym. Alas, I forced myself to run a grueling three miles on the treadmill. I am trying to repress the thought of running 13 on Sunday...

13 days until Vancouver, BC Marathon...

2006-04-24T10:16:00.000-07:00

I can't believe the race is only 13 days away! All I can say is UH OH! Unfortunately, my training hasn't been all that I planned. Our weather in Seattle has been horrible and I have been traveling quite a bit. Both excuses are good, but the reality is that I don't really feel ready...

I went on a 10 mile run yesterday along Lake Washington Blvd and Seward Park. The sun was shining and everywhere you looked people were water skiing, biking, running and walking. I think we actually broke 70 degrees yesterday...is it finally Spring in Seattle?

I need to make my final training push this week, because next week is pretty much shot. My final week before the race will be spent in Rochester, NY, Providence, RI and Boston, MA. That's right, 3 states in 5 days. Back to Seattle for a few hours and then the road trip to British Columbia begins.

KC, BC and I are working on our iTunes race mix. Any suggestions?

Quote from KC:
"I think we should try to find a nice blend that won't make us all vomit before mile 5 and keep us motivated until mile 11.5. I think that is when it become MENTAL...oh, I mean METAL! But I don't know anything metal..."

Detox Diet Chronicles

2006-04-05T19:21:00.000-07:00

Some of my friends and I have embarked on a 7-day detox diet. The diet is sort of a modified 10-day detox diet, minus the fast. We decided that we wanted to "cleanse" ourselves and rid our bodies of toxins. No carbs, no sugar, no alcohol. Brilliant.

For the last two days I have eaten nothing but fruits and vegetables. I had baked butternut squash for breakfast...

What have we learned so far?

1. It is very hard to not eat carbs
2. The Girl Scouts are not your friend...I still have some "Thin Mints" in my office
3. Going out for happy hour is NO fun

GDC 2006 Tina & D

2006-03-28T10:36:00.000-08:00

GDC2006Tina&D
Originally uploaded by denisebue.

Tina and I are SO tired in this picture. This was a never ending travel day...two hour flight turns into an all day adventure.

GDC Suite Night 2006

2006-03-27T16:53:00.000-08:00

GDC Suite Night 2006
Originally uploaded by denisebue.

Denise, Tina, Mikey and Erin all celebrating the conclusion of a VERY long day. At the time of this photo, we had all been on our feet for about 12 hours and we were ready to celebrate.

Oh and for those of you who haven't had the opportunity to see me with bangs, here it is...

What is your vote? Should the bangs stay or go?

San Jose: day 1.5

2006-03-22T22:59:00.000-08:00

So, we survived the travel day from H@LL yesterday. We spent the entire day in SeaTac Airport. I think the team and I were fortunate to visit all the airport "lounges"...thank you Alaska Air. Yes, that is right, our flight was cancelled...Maintenance problems! Excellent, we were already on packed flight, so having our flight cancelled was not an ideal scenario.

Anyway, when I heard "cancelled" over the loud speaker, I jumped into action and RAN to the podium. There were six of us, so I knew I need to act fast. Thank goodness, because I was forth in line and by the time I got us rebooked, there were only seven remaining seats. PHEW! Maybe I should try to get on the Amazing Race?

The good news is that we are staying at the Hotel Valencia. What an amazing hotel. Very boutique-ish. Kind of the W meets an Italian Villa. Very nice! Excellent location. Great shopping. All of our favorites are here...Gucci, Donald Pliner, barberry (ummm, for those of you who thought I lost my mind...I meant to say BURBERRY...

Onto day .5 -- I decided to go for a run outside this am. The hotel and Santana Row are amazing, but once you get outside of Santayana row, the locale is a little questionable. I knew once I bumped into the liqour store and the 7-11 it was time to turn around. Running alone...not always the greatest idea. Post run I was off the expo. Our booth is amazing! Mission accomplished! We definatley made a statement.

2 more days...more to come.

Recruiting, Recruiting, Recuiting...

2006-03-20T17:10:00.000-08:00

Back to California we go! We are off to the GDC (Game Developers Conference)for the remainder of the week.

Events:

Suite Night: Suite Night provides an opportunity to network and recruit developers in a social environment with drinks, food, music and fun. To encourage and promote a fun and inviting environment, we have invited the talented women of the PMS clan to our venue http://www.pmsclan.com/index.php -- the clan will be on hand to challenge you to a game or two.

Fairmont Hotel (Ballroom Level)
Thurs, March 23rd
7-9pm

Career Expo - Booth is #1833.
Wednesday, March 22 - Friday, March 24

Women in Gaming: 5th Annual GDC women celebrating women networking event. An evening networking cocktail reception that provides an informal environment that encourages and promotes networking and information sharing among this key constituency; women in or interested in breaking into the gaming industry.

Fairmont Hotel – Crystal Ballroom
Thurs, March 23rd
5-7pm

Blacks in Gaming: This evening cocktail reception encourages and promotes networking and information sharing among African Americans in the gaming industry. Attendees will be eligible to enter to win an Xbox 360!

Wednesday, March 22 | 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.
The Agenda Lounge, 399 South 1st Street

Have a nice day

2006-03-07T10:42:00.000-08:00

Jon Bon Jovi
Originally uploaded by denisebue.

Last night some friends and I went to the Bon Jovi concert. Very entertaining!

Quote from an esteemed colleague "Don't forget your acid washed jean jacket and your lighter".

Another friend said "girl, get your bangs on!"

Evening highlights…

Once again, Drew came through with and awesome compilation CD for limo ride to the concert

Stopping at Dick’s for a late night snack…wait, whose idea was this?

The annoying dude in front us who spent more time watching Lisa and dance than he did watching the concert

JBJ’s superman tattoo…40 is the new 30!

Sensual Skin Enhancer

2006-02-20T16:41:00.000-08:00

By Kevyn Aucoin

So, this is my other favorite product of the moment. While in Vegas this past September, I got hooked on Kevyn's line. Why? Well, I accidentally burned my face while sunbathing poolside at Mandalay Bay. Somehow, I managed to stay in the sun for almost 6 hours and forgot to reapply sunscreen. OOPPPSSS! Not good. Hey, at least I didn't have a sunburn emblazoned tattoo on my back. Anyway, I am not a huge foundation person, but I needed something to hide my red face. So, while on a shoe shopping voyage at Neiman's, I stopped by the Kevyn Aucoin counter and met my new lover...Sensual Skin Enhancer.

Sensual Skin Enhancer to replicate the look of healthy, radiant, dewy skin. Apparently, this was Kevyn's favorite product to create a natural, youthful glow on all his clients.

Kevyn Aucoin's line is hard to find. Nobody sells it in Seattle. I know his line can be purchased at Neiman's and Bergdorf's -- also, www.beauty.com

Creme de la Mer

2006-02-16T16:08:00.000-08:00

I was very apprehensive about dishing out the money to buy this stuff, but I am a product junkie, so I HAD to find out what all the rage is about this product. I hate to say this, but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it! I don't want to, but I can't help it. I'm hooked. I don't know if it’s worth $110 an ounce to you but it is to me.

iTunes download of the day

2006-01-31T17:13:00.000-08:00

"I wanna be your lover"- Prince

Great song for the running mix, also makes me wanna dance in my office. Should I close the blinds??

What Does Your Purse Say About You?

2006-01-31T16:58:00.000-08:00

According to this article, The Things You Carry Can Provide a Window Into Your Soul... so I decided to put it to the test and it seems fairly accurate.

Small, gold, metallic clutch:
This bag is not too small of a clutch but small enough to fit inside another bag for an easy "day to night" transition. (funny, right now I am carrying a small metallic Coach clutch...humm).

This bag contains:
Small credit card case with key fob - yep, essentials --Drivers license, Corp Amex, Visa
Lip stain/gloss all in one - I admit it, sometimes I have TWO lipglosses in my purse
Compact
Business card case with cards -Of course, I am a recruiter, I ALWAYS have biz cards
Cell phone - Never leave home w/o it!
Breath mints - Yes, yes! Always have mints or gum. Sometimes I carry the Oral-B brushups

Waterman: This bag is for the party pro. She knows how to consolidate and be minimal, and she is always on the run (that's me, always on the run). This is definitely not the bag of a girl with a 9-to-5 job (9-to-6?, 8-to-7??? Not 9-to5). Her needs are pared down, and she doesn't feel compelled to carry around a lot of useless junk. The emptier the bag, the more confident the girl.

2006 Race Calendar

2006-01-26T12:24:00.000-08:00

Ladies, lace up your running shoes...

Henry Weinhards St Patricks Day Dash - Sunday, March 12th
http://www.stpatsdash.com/index.html

Vancouver Marathon -Vancouver, BC - Sunday, May 7th
http://www.vanmarathon.ca/hm/

Nordstrom Beat the Bridge - Seattle, WA - Sunday, May 21st
http://www.beatthebridge.org/site/TR?fr_id=1030&pg=entry

Race for the Cure - Seattle, WA - June 17th
http://www.pugetsoundraceforthecure.org/site/TR?pg=entry&fr_id=1000

Nike Women's Marathon- San Fracisco, CA -Sunday, October 22nd http://www.nike.com/nikemarathon/main.html?ref=nike_running_usa
Registration opens March 16th

Seattle Marathon - Sunday, November 26th
http://www.seattlemarathon.org/

Van Half

2006-01-25T19:50:00.000-08:00

Watch out Vancouver, BC

We’re committed – KC, BC and D are going to run the Vancouver Half Marathon on May 7th. Still trying to convince some others (you know who you are, so just sign up).

Our official 12 week training kicks off Feb 13th, so I only have a couple more weeks to slack off. Maybe the rain will stop by then?

A new form of commitment

2006-01-24T20:28:00.000-08:00

BANGS! OMG! I have BANGSSSSSSSSSSS!!! My hairstylist Kathryn wanted to "style" my hair different today. When I got back from my shampoo, she had W mag opened to a hot blonde with bangs. Panic immediately set in. Bangs are a huge commitment and they require maintenance, but I decided to commit and I took the plunge. Great! One more thing that requires maintenance. I think I was 23 the last time I had bangs.

I totally trust Kathryn. She is amazing. She was recently named by a ALLURE MAGAZINE as a Beauty expert -- quote from Allure --"Flattering cuts that grow out seamlessly". Kathryn is very stylish and hip, so I totally trust her!

http://www.garymanuel.com/company/staff/staff_20.php

Immediately following the life changing hair appt I had plans to meet up with Bri and Steph. I am sure I annoyed them all evening trying to get reinforcement on my bang decision. I was annoying myself, since I am not use to having bangs in my eyes. Quote from Bri "well, coming from a predatory male, I really like the bangs!". Alright, enough said. At the end of the day, it's just hair and grows.

A day without rain

2006-01-17T16:37:00.000-08:00

After 27 days of non-stop rain, the sun finally appeared on SUNDAY! The crazy thing is that some folks in the NW were actually disappointed that we didn't break our record of 33 days of straight rain. No, I am not kidding!

In honor of the sun being out Sunday, my feet hit the pavement for the first time in 3+ weeks. It felt SO good to run outside. Winter treadmill running is absolute torture. I swear, there is always something out of the ordinary that happens to me while running on the mill; accidental karaoke toe pinching weirdo, or the smelly person wearing stale workout wear always seem to find a spot right next to me!

Jingle Bell Run 2005

2005-12-27T10:12:00.000-08:00

Jingle Bell Run 2005,
originally uploaded by denisebue.

I know, I know, wearing reindeer antlers is a bit silly, but every once in awhile, you have to cut loose and let out the inner child.

HO-HO-HO

2005-12-14T14:24:00.000-08:00

I have already shared this story with a few lucky individuals, but figured it might be a worthy blog post.

Last Sunday I did the jingle bell run with a group of friends --the run is very fun 5k race in downtown Seattle. Anyway, people dress in crazy holiday attire for this event, so why not join the party. I know TK and I looked especially fabulous running with reindeer antlers on our heads. I was a reindeer tangled in Christmas tree lights....guess you'd have to see the pictures to understand.

Anyway, we saw 3 women running together and they all had “HO” emblazed in giant letters on the backs. Very funny when they were running together – HO-HO-HO…even more humorous when they got separated.

Thought provoking question of the day: is it ever a good idea to have "HO" on your back?

The Presidents of the United States

2005-12-07T17:41:00.000-08:00

The Presidents of the United States,
originally uploaded by denisebue.

We were fortunate to have The Presidents of the United States play at our launch party. The President's evoke some very fond J&M memories from the early 90's...some of you will recall our fondness for "Kitty". Poor Newman!

Today's obsession

2005-11-30T17:01:00.000-08:00

Hanky Panky Low Rise Thong. A special thanks to BE for turning me on to these delightful undergarments. BE swears by them, so I was game for checking them out. We were partaking in a little post holiday happy hour in close proximity to Nordstrom’s, so it didn’t take too much convincing. I love Cosabella, but I am always willing to venture into unknown territory. Definitely glad I did!

http://www.hankypanky.com/thongs.php

No rain...well, almost no rain

2005-11-28T17:11:00.000-08:00

Is it crazy to run a half marathon at the end of November in Seattle? I guess not, because I was out there running with about fourteen thousand other crazy people.

I have to confess, I was completely stressed out all last week, due to the weather forecast. We had torrential rain on Friday and the forecast was calling for rain Sunday. It rained all night Saturday and early Sunday, but thankfully, the weather cleared out for the marathon...well almost. I thought I was going to make it through the 13.1 miles dry, but at mile 11 it started to rain, only lightly though, so it wasn't too bad. However, I was frozen by the time I crossed the finish line.

Best race moment: Crossing the finish line knowing that I beat my San Fran race time!

Best sign on the race course:
"My Mommy runs for beer" -- Note: this was being held by a child who looked about 4-5 years old!

Favorite race tunes on mini:
"Right Now" -- Van Halen -- this tune came on at mile 12, perfect timing
"P.Y.T" -- Michael Jackson
"Have a nice day" -- Bon Jovi

At last! The John Mayer Trio debut!

2005-11-23T11:11:00.000-08:00

November 22nd was a big day! The John Mayer Trio finally released their debut album TRY! I have been waiting for the release since I saw them in concert this past September in Las Vegas. I must say, the album was absolutely worth the wait. If you like blues or bluesy rock, you will enjoy the John Mayer Trio. The group is very reminiscent of Stevie Ray Vaughn with a dash of Jimmy Hendrix. Again, I still wonder, what is John thinking when he makes those faces? I am sure he is thinking only pure and divine thoughts.

XBOX 360 Launch Day

2005-11-22T14:56:00.000-08:00

They day we have all been waiting for has finally arrived! Unless you are living under a rock, you know that today (well, last night at midnight) we launched the entertainment product of the decade!

The employees of the Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices division wait patiently for their "Ship-It" gifts. That's right; we all received our very own premium bundle, along with Project Gotham Racing, Kameo and Perfect Dark Zero.

I can’t tell you how many e-mails and phone calls I have received in the past week. All my friends and family members are looking for the “hook-up”. Sorry, I can’t help.

Toe pinching bandit

2005-11-16T23:11:00.000-08:00

The most bizarre thing happened to me this am --treadmill karaoke guy seems to be stalking me. I don't think it's a coincidence that he keeps selecting the treadmill next to me.

So, I was on the treadmill this morning, just finished my 5 mile run and thought I would stretch. I put my leg up on the cross bar, so I could stretch my hamstring. Right as I started my stretch, the singing genius reached over and pinched my toes! I was totally dumbfounded. Shocked to say the least. Now, I know I look hot in the morning; no makeup, ponytail hair, sweaty --totally irresistible! Maybe he wanted to touch my new Mizuno's?

My friend TK has a theory "Maybe he wants to ask you out and is afraid so thought he would lovingly touch you in an inappropriate way". Maybe I should report him?? Definitely a good reason to wear my wedding ring while working out. Any way, bizarre behavior at the proclub. Just ask me about the hair dryer incident.

Does treadmill running build mental toughness?

2005-11-13T15:55:00.000-08:00

Let's face it, running like a crazed hamster on a wheel is NOT easy, espeically for me. I swear, I have ADD when I am on the "mill"--I am always looking around, checking the time on my heart rate monitor, glancing at my iPod and critiquing the other gym goers (especially, the singing ones).

I had friend tell me that runners who master the mind numbing boredom of running for an hour, 90 minutes, or even longer on the treadmill, are ready to take on longer races. Well, I spent 93 mins and 32 seconds on the treadmill today. I didn't think is was possible, so I played the visualization trick and made it through the first 60 mins with ease (well, sort of). I thought about all of my favorite running spots; Alki Beach, Lake Wash Blvd and the stretch of road between Wailea and Kiehi.

I wasn't planning on a treadmill run today, JM and I were going to do a 9 mile run outside, but the weather this morning was just hideous; cold, gray and rainy. So, my only option was to run on the treadmill (well, I guess I could have braved the elements, but...not my idea of fun). We are two weeks away from the Seattle Marathon, so there is no time for slacking. We have to do 10 miles outside next weekend, rain or shine....

Pour some sugar on me...

2005-11-09T08:21:00.000-08:00

Maybe I shouldn’t admit this, but....I think I will, since it’s mildly entertaining. Last night, 10 of us went to the Def Leppard and Bryan Adams concert, yes that’s right, 80’s glam rock! The best part of the whole adventure was traveling to and from the concert in a Limo, our time enroute provided us with the opportunity to sip on cocktails and shamelessly belt out the words of our favorite songs. A special thanks to Drew for burning a Bryan Adams Def Leppard complilation CD.

Anyway, the first thing that comes to my mind when thinking about one of my favorite 80’s rock band is, well…mullets! Yes, I did see some mullets…a she-mullet, a he-mullet and a kid-mullet. Aside from the mullets, I was shocked to see how many women still have their 80’s bangs! Yikes! All in all, the concert was blast – they played all my favorites…”Foolin”, “Photograph”, “Hysteria” …you get the picture.

The only downside to this adventure was staying out past 1:00 am on a school night -- Cleary, 5 hours is not enough quality beauty sleep.

Sun-day training run

2005-11-06T17:35:00.000-08:00

The rain this past week has been hideous. JM and I planned our training run for today and we fully expected it to be miserable, since we've had so much rain...the precip this past week was almost two and half times our normal precip for this time of year. SOGGY in Seattle.

As it turned out, today was unexpectedly beautiful! It was a little chilly at first, but the SUN was out! We started our run in Madison park, so we could head down lake Washington Blvd. As we headed down the hill, I saw the sun glistening on the lake and I felt completely exhilarated! The 8 mile out and back loop is a segment of the Seattle Marathon course, so we were in good company today...tons of people out enjoying the day. What I wouldn't give to be able to bottle the feeling of running outside, it would make the treadmill days so much more enjoyable.

Quote of the day

2005-11-03T10:34:00.000-08:00

Despite my thirty years of research into the feminine soul, I have not been able to answer... the great question that has never been answered: what does a woman want?... Sigmund Freud