Image via Wikipedia

News of the meet made me finally purchase that indoor cycle I'd been thinking about getting. I knew I wouldn't get in the shape I'd ideally have to be in, but I could at least try to drop a few pounds. I somehow managed to hurt my thigh muscles the week before the event, of course, but nothing was going to stop me from running that sprint!

Nothing but a tornado, actually. Yes, the relay (200-200 (me!)-400-800m) was literally on the track (after the tornado sirens went off twice, and the lightning siren once) when someone got the news that a tornado had really touched down in West County and we were all herded to the basement of the Athletic Complex (lots of unwashed wet athletes in a small space, yay!) as the rain poured down.

So I didn't get to run in a race. But I warmed up and ran a bit, and put on my spikes that hadn't seen daylight in eight years. And I did warm up sprints before the aborted start, and I remembered how good it felt to run down that track, how different it is to run in spikes and not regular running shoes, how strange to think that at one time I was covering seven meters in a second and maybe, just maybe, I could do that again.

I miss track so much.

  Big Yellow Taxi, Counting Crows

file under: competition , reallife Posted by Jen at 2:29 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} |

Five years ago this day I was down in Georgia, at Emory University, winning the 100m, the 200m, anchoring the gold-medal 4x100m team, and placing fifth in the 100m hurdles. The only time I ever openly celebrated the moment I crossed the line. Beating my "rival" Nyota Pieh, of Emory, who had won every year since in the three I won. Being part of an unbroken WU women's outdoor track conference championship streak. Getting gum on the hem of my dress on the plane ride back.

In a few hours I'll be on the road, once again on my way to Georgia, to cheer on this year's Bears. I'm missing the WU 5-year reunion and a few friends b-day parties, but this will be worth it. I was sorely tempted to try to pick up my golden spikes (no kidding. That was the only color they had, honest) as a rallying point, but that is pretty silly. I don't know where my medals are. I think I got them, unlike the ones from junior year outdoor UAAs...I'll just cheer...and try to be motivational. Life is a journey, time is a river, the door is ajar, that sort of thing...

Here's what I said the day after, all those years ago:
Well, here I am again. No more UAA competition for me.

Somebody up there really loves me.

Let's go Bears!

  something off the Blood Diamond soundtrack
  Karavans, Jennifer Roberson
file under: celebration , competition , getmoving Posted by Jen at 1:21 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} |

Appropriate, don't you think, since this site is all about the stars?

Of course, there's always the award-o-matic if you need a little pick me up

Hey, are you voting for me in the topsite? Yeah. Didn't think so

Should I or shouldn't I go to the Q&A orgo class tonight? I just don't know. I don't have any questions right now, and at the rate I'm going with this voting thing, I doubt I will by then...stupid me not ever being able to ask questions when I have them and never having them when I need them...bah. orgo sucks. back to voting and faffing about with Excel.

  NaNoWriMo mix

file under: competition Posted by Jen at 4:55 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} |

Superman no more I can't believe that Christopher Reeve is dead. He was such a driving force for stem-cell research and scientific advances. He genuinely believed that one day he would walk again. I suppose now he will, since Heaven is all that's good, but I would have liked to see him do it on Earth. I will miss you, Superman.

(stl plug: a link to WU's spinal research site is included in the article.)

On the good side of things, both the Cardinals and the Rams won their games last night. The Rams won in overtime, overcoming a 17-point deficit to totally stun the crowd. The Cardinals came back from losing the last away game in Los Angeles to beating them 6-2, so they're moving onto the NLCS for a best of 7 series. Getting closer to the World Series! How cool would it be to have the Cards in a World Series again? The last time they went was '87, the last time they won was '82...they definitely need to do it again so I can be around and remember it

And my whole family made apple pies last night. Dad did the peeling, mom did the pie crust, and I picked the apples Well, not last night of course. But I did help in random ways...mmmm. apple pie. Soooo good. Thank goodness there will be some waiting for me after class tonight. Argh! Class! Test a week from Wednesday! Nooooo! I have so much homework to do before then....it seems like this semester (year, really) is going by so quickly. Which is good in that the class will be over soon, but bad that we're already up against another test. Bah.

It smells like turpentine in here. I am heartily sick of all this construction. And I really need to get out and exercise, but I'm not willing to get up earlier and I feel like when I get home I need to immediately eat something and do homework. Ergh.

And especially important this week: I need you to vote for me today and all this week. I'm at the highest level of competition and it seems like whenever I get to this level my support just isn't enough. So please give it a click? Vote links are also after the post

Check this out. Cool astronomy. Thanks D.

  "Story of the Year: Anthem of our Dying Day"

file under: competition Posted by Jen at 10:51 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} |

Please vote for me today and all this week. You can click on the picture above or after any entry or along the sidebar...this is the first time that I've made it to Queen of the Web (the highest level in the Caring Women website competition)and I'd love to do well. It's just a click and entering your email...

Yay! I have a desk! Thanks Paige And the King Arthur and Spidey 2 scores, which makes me happy, because they're good. Now all I have to do is wait for Harry Potter to come out tomorrow and I will be a happy girl. And then no more spending for weeks and weeks as I try and try to save so I can actually get things like a new computer, scanner, digital camera, and of course, a keyboard. But until then I'll have to be happy with my desk And my massive amounts of Magnetic Poetry. Perhaps I'll share some of my epiphanies with you if I ever get around to typing them up...

file under: competition Posted by Jen at 9:52 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} |

Well, I got everything returned/exchanged last night so Jen is a happy camper. So not only did I get a dvd that works, (Yay Siege of Gondor!) I got the Aragorn figurine I forgot to pick up (rather, they forgot to give me) which I got for pre-ordering, and a massive RotK theatrical version poster. Alas no Legolas, so it won't go up in my room Yay free stuff!

And I got an award last week for moving up in CW:

And Nile sent me this sweet little gift for being her supporter:

Sweet!

file under: competition Posted by Jen at 11:22 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} |

Thanks again for moving me up. Be sure to click'n'vote!

Sheesh. late every time. You do realize this was from last week, right?

file under: competition Posted by Jen at 12:45 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} |

Look at that. Only one week in competition and I'm moving up already! Thanks so much, guys. Be sure to click on the picture to vote for me today...or any of the various other places where you can click to vote *smooch* love!

And check out my poster store, which may or may not be actually up when you read this, but at least I'm trying, eh? Feel free to buy any of those for me

Guess I should go check on that blood.

file under: competition Posted by Jen at 9:35 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} |

Thanks for voting for me, guys! And thanks Rebecca for making a great site and using my voting plaque

I'm off to get Pirates! Whee! I love having a dvd player

file under: competition Posted by Jen at 7:02 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} |

I think I've fixed most of what's wrong with the Realm, again. Some pictures are still not showing up and I have no idea why...they've got direct links and everything. Ah well. But anyway, the clique is up and running, you just can't see the whole list, for some reason. So go join.

The Realm has been confirmed in the Middle Earth Awards and the Yummy-Lembas awards...yay! You can't vote for me in those, but you can go visit and see what they've got. Links are on the Realm index page.

file under: competition , webetcetera Posted by Jen at 7:31 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} |

better if you vote for me. lol. seriously. Back in the Challenge again at TWQ, and I'd really appreciate your vote. Tough competition this week, so I need all the help I can get. Just once I'd like to make it to the Tower on my own steam...of course, I'd take it any way I can get it

The etoiline.com network is in the middle of the first month of passing 1 GB in bandwidth. Yay! People are visiting. Please go visit my hostees, which is where most of the traffic is going to...course, that's why they're there. Feel free to promote, lol.

For some reason 54 people visited Aspire II last wednesday and I'm at a bit of a loss as to why. Was it because I posted the lyrics to the new John Mayer song? Eh. At least they came. Not one of them left a comment. Pah. Any ideas?

and because it was asked: When will I get a boyfriend? Honey, I am so not the person to ask about this. I haven't had a boyfriend since high school so I'm definitely asking myself the same question. Of course, if you really need an answer, I recommend your nearest Magic 8 ball. It's as good an answer about destiny as you're going to get

file under: competition Posted by Jen at 12:12 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} |

Please Vote for this site! I'm at a really high level of competition and up against a wonderful opponent. I can use all the help I can get! Thank you oh so much I'll have to make a graphic giftie for all my supporters. I hope I can!

Eeggh! Gotta get tickets for PotC I think we're going to see the preview show on tuesday, as long as they still have tickets...gotta get some feathers for fletching, check on the money issue...finish the gosh darn quiver...and think up a masquerade skit! Anyone know where I can find the songs Lego sings (what book they're in?)

a funny joke from this article in the NY Times:

What kind of movies do pirates like best?

The ones that are rated Aarr!

Here they come!

file under: competition Posted by Jen at 9:37 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} |

Thanks for moving me up, folks. I've been in the forests of Lorien for several weeks now, and I finally made it back into the challenge! Means a lot to me. Of course, the wonder of all wonders would be to actually make it into the Tower in two weeks...anyway. Thanks for all your support and be sure to keep voting!

You might have noticed a bit of a snafu in the site on thursday night/fri morning, but all is well. There was a directional mishap with the renewal email making it to my inbox, and the company didn't send a reminder which makes me just want to scream. Anyway, it's all taken care of and etoiline.com will last for another year...and you can be sure I'll get my renewal in on time!

There will be more content soon, really. Cause I'm sure you all want to know more about my life and my passions. Ha. Moll is inspiring.

file under: competition , webetcetera Posted by Jen at 1:13 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} |

Rescue me! I'm in the south woods.

Yeah. I'm trying to play guitar. Does that sound like a broken record? I wish I could pick it up quicker. I just wanna play songs, and maybe write my own someday...I keep telling myself, someday this will be natural. yeah right. we'll see.

file under: competition , music Posted by Jen at 10:43 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} |

I'll be putzing with the site for the next couple of days. I'm trying to convert to using php so this thing isn't such a bear to update. You may experience technical difficulties you can still vote for me in the diamond web awards, though (hint hint) hopefully you'll like the new layout.

For my VE friends: I'm on LOA this week as well.

file under: competition Posted by Jen at 10:49 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} |

Breah from The Wizard's Quest gave me Site of the Week!

Thank you Breah! Glad you had a good time here

So I'm working on the Aspire Exchange trying to make the code easier. Lose a little functionality but only one thing to paste. Please join if you've got a site, eh?

TTT didn't win any GG's. I didn't entirely expect it to. I feel sorry for Sean Astin, having to sit through all of that with just clapping to do. Ah well. Here's hoping for Oscars...*fingers crossed*

I thought about...the Army... Needing a job here, I am...

file under: competition Posted by Jen at 10:24 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} |

Gosh, what a week for birthdays. Yesterday was Orli's, and today is the WQ's...I've only been a part of this web comp for about five months, but I've had fun all the way here's to a great year!

file under: competition Posted by Jen at 6:30 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} |

So I got the TTT soundtrack on friday, the same day that I got an email telling me it had shipped. Fast service, I like it! Now, the street date was supposed to be the 10th, so I got it really early if that's still the case. Cool beans! It's very good. I've only listened to it about five times in three days...but it's got some really cool new stuff. I got the internet special edition so there's some bonus features that I haven't had time to check out yet, but will soon. Tell you all about it then!

I missed Dominic Monaghan's birthday yesterday (err, the 8th anyway) so happy 26th, Dom!

Ok, this is important. I moved up to the Apprentice's Challenge (again ) so I need you to vote for me everyday this week! Wouldn't it be nice to be in the Tower (the highest level of competition) during the week that LotR comes out? lol. Not obsessed am I

Oh, and in case you were thinking of getting me a gift and didn't see anything terribly interesting on my wishlist (see after the post) you could try going to TORn's Holiday Gift Guide for the Tolkien Fanatic and see if something suits your impression of me and thank you, Alex

Jem, I'll get right to work on that reader's guide for you. Yeah. I did some of your layout this weekend. I'll try to get it done soon. But I really need the title you want...it's part of the illustration, you know...

Please vote! Welcome to all my new supporters!

file under: competition , lordoftherings , music Posted by Jen at 12:23 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} |

I've moved up to the Apprentice's Challenge, once again Thanks to all of you, and thanks to my new VE friends Let's hope this week turns out a little better than the last time I was there...

There's a snake loose in the lab. My boss' cat caught a little garter snake last week and she brought it in, sort of a mascot, lol. The new girl at the lab, Fatima, said it was there this morning, but there is no snake in the terrarium... this could be interesting.

I wrote a lot yesterday for TMC. One of the huge turning points in the book. It's so far ahead of anything I've written so far that none of you would get it, but you'd all probably kill me if you knew what it was. Actually, May is the only person who knows about it. It's all beautifully tied in to what's already written, but I can't share it. Damn, I need to write quicker. *hint coming up* I've only gotten one person's opinion on chapter four of TMC (thanks Jem)...come on, read it! Let me know what you think!

Don't forget to vote...links are after the post...

file under: competition , writings Posted by Jen at 11:35 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} |

Thanks to you guys, I moved up from Gondor to Lothlorien in the WQ this week...

Be sure to keep voting!

We rented Spider-man last night. I've seen it twice since then We're supposed to watch it one more time so we can have popcorn during it, but I don't know if that's going to happen, cause we had a big dinner...Braveheart was on, and so was the second half of Gladiator, with some new footage cut in a la LotR:FotR. So I don't think we'll get to it. Thank gosh Blockbuster gives you till noon to return it now.

I got boots for my Legolas costume today. They might be a little small, but leather is supposed to stretch, and the next half size up was too big. Go fig. I'm trying to draw the buckles and closures so my grandpa can make them for me

It took me three weeks to finish the ten books of the Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series. Yup, I'm done. That's 3.3 books per week or .37 books per day Tres tres bon. Read them.

I remember why I hate watching television in November. Or at least before election day. 'This candidate did that. Didn't do that.' only to have the opponent totally refute the other ad and basically just piss me off. I'm very happy I know I'm a Democrat and my choice is sort of made for me already. It just bugs me that you can't ever really know what's true unless you actually got out there and found the 'records' that they're backing the statements up with. I'm so glad we have the privilege of voting, but I hate politics. I would never willingly chose to be a politician. It's why I would lose in Survivor. Sure, I'd survive, I could do the physical stunts and maybe even some of the mind game ones, but I could never be savvy enough to ally myself with anyone in hopes of winning. What do you think?

file under: competition Posted by Jen at 11:46 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} |

Ok, so I got eliminated from the Apprentice's Challenge at WQ and am back at Hobbiton, so go vote and get me back up there! Thanks

Watched FotR for the I-don't-have-the-slightest-clue-what-time, and was again reminded just how damn hot that elf is. Sigh. I want to be in a movie just for the pointy ears. If Cate Blanchett said that, then so can I.

Call it dividing energies, but now I can be totally happy. I've got a modern-day vamp/werewolf story and a fantastic medieval magic story with elves and I don't have to figure out how to combine the two. You know what's funny, sometimes I almost feel like the story is already written in my head, it's just the getting it onto paper (or in pixels as the case may be) is the difficult part. I feel like I have to carry around a tape recorder all the time so I can record those random bits of insight that make the story come together. Course, then I'd look insane, talking to myself all the time...like anyone cares! I wonder though, if I can be 'dark' enough to do justice to Decadence. I think I have read enough to know, but it's like writing romance. Sure I had my share of heady stuff, but a) it was a long time ago and b) I am considerably older and better-read than I was then, so my experiences with romance are probably a little out of whack. And I'm not a dark person, so it will be interesting to see what I can dredge out of my subconscious...glad y'all like it, anyway.

file under: competition , writings Posted by Jen at 12:46 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} |

Thank you for voting!

Please keep doing so

file under: competition Posted by Jen at 10:09 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} |

once again I have to thank you, my friends. I've moved up in the Wizard's Quest to the Apprentice's Challenge... so come Monday, limber up those voting fingers and grab your friends and vote for me again! Links at the bottom of posts and to the side! And let me know what you think of my new layout

file under: competition Posted by Jen at 9:20 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} |

another day at work, bah.

file under: competition Posted by Jen at 10:45 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} |

I've moved up from Hobbiton in the Wizard's Quest awards, I'll be in Rohan this week. So, come Monday, limber up those voting fingers! Tell your friends. Tell your lovers. Heck, tell your enemies. As long as they vote (preferably for me, lol) I don't care!

file under: competition Posted by Jen at 11:44 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} |

just wanted to remind you that I now have an entry in Wizard's Quest... please vote for me. I love you!

file under: competition Posted by Jen at 12:24 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} |

Look at that. An unsolicited award! Whoohoo

Thank you.

btw, I got my bow and arrows and quiver last night. So now all I'd have to do is varnish the bow and maybe decorate it a little, and see what I can do about modifying the quiver. I guess we'll see what happens... and I might try to paint the arrows, being as they're orange and not green...

file under: competition Posted by Jen at 11:20 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

vote for ATTS: ER | Wishlist: {Amazon} |