Sunday, January 27, 2013

Excuse me, have you seen my legs/sanity/social life/dignity? No? K thanks.

I have been officially training for the USA Rock 'n' Roll Marathon for over 4 months now.  On September 19, 2012, I texted Lizbeth to ask her if I could run a marathon and raise money for the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund in her honor, and she said yes.  I had already started training the week before, just to make sure I could get back into running (I haven't done a race since November 2010), but that day I went for my first official training run.  

The thing about training for a marathon is that it is twice as long as a half-marathon.  Shocking, right?  I've only ever run half-marathons and shorter races, so I have no idea why it's been so surprising to me that all I do these days is eat, sleep, eat and run.  And don't get me wrong, I am so thankful every day that I can do these things.  But I do have a few observations to make.  

If you're in touch with me at all, you've probably heard me say something along the lines of, oh no sorry I can't do (fill in awesome social event that will surely be the best thing ever) because I have to run (that day, that night, the next morning) or will be recovering from a run (all day, all night, for the next week).  As my co-lunatic in marathon training, Emily Herron, so eloquently put it today, "Running ain't a pretty sport.  That's fo sho."  

That being said, 317.1 miles later my feet are not lookin' so pretty.  My blisters are putting out the welcome mat for new friends to join them on every run.  I had no idea you could get a blister on a blister (on another blister).  I was not aware that your face turns into one giant crust of salt after a 15 mile run.  Thank goodness the deer haven't found me out yet.  Terrifying.  I was also naive to the fact that hitting the mythical wall that runners speak of goes much less like hitting an actual brick wall and much more like this:

*running, running, feeling good, oh look a blue bird, running, oh hey there fellow runner I can kind of lift my hand to wave at you, running, running, running, running in less of a straight line, running, officially swaying, holycrapmyentirebodyjustturnedintolead, iwasnotawareleadcouldcramp, dearlordpleaseletmebeclosetotheendWHAT5MOREMILESNOOOO!!!, walking, walking, walking, hurts more to walk than run, run/limping/run/limping, sucking it up and running the rest of the way, collapsing into car and chugging electrolyte drink, seeing straight again, swearing you will never do another long run.  ever.  ok maybe you will just figure out a better eating/refueling plan but that really sucked.*

Anywho, sometimes running is amazing, and sometimes it is downright awful.  It really just depends on the day (and about 5,000 other factors that you have very little control over).  My run today was a 16 miler that was about 14.5 miles of glorious running and 1.5 miles of wall-hitting doom.  I usually do my long runs on Saturdays, but because of the glorious ways of mother nature, the trail was covered in ice and I was sidelined until today.

And THANK GOODNESS I waited a day, because instead of ice, I got to run though ice AND slush AND mud today!  Weeeee!!  We pulled up in the parking lot, and I immediately started crying (Patty I hope you are reading this because I am over-sharing again!).  This is how I deal with things that a. terrify me b. take up my entire day c. make me think of sad things d. I know will surely be painful and I have to do alone.  

Brian gave me the side-eye and tried, in his ever-loving way, to say something helpful to convince me that it would be fine and that I could do it, even though I know he was thinking, dear lord women are so so crazy and I've got a real special one here.  

I sucked it up and got out of the car and started wandering the parking lot trying to get a signal on my gps watch (another one of my favorite procrastination techniques).  As I was standing there, I noticed another woman decked out in running gear looking around.  She saw me and walked over and asked me if I was doing a long run.  She was waiting for a friend to do HER 16 mile run at about the same pace as me.  I was secretly trying to figure out how to ask her if I could run with her without looking like totally desperate weirdo, when we realized her friend was not showing up.  I told her I would run with her if she didn't mind, and off we went!  

We met up with another friend of hers after about 7 miles, and we chatted as we dodged puddles and sheets of ice.  These two ladies were true life-savers, because I know I would not have made it to the ill-fated mile 14.5 without them!  I'd be stuck back at mile 8 feeling sad that I hadn't kept going and even more sad that my feet were wet.

As the wall-hitting began, I told them to run ahead so they wouldn't see the insanity of my swervy-running/leg/arm/back cramping self, and I hobbled along to mile 15.8, where I saw them along with Brian, walking toward me (and even applauding me).  I'm pretty sure Brian was there because of the delirious text I sent him that went something like this:  "mile 15.2 diizzay but almost Donna be you soon." The wall had been hit.

When we all made it back to the parking lot, I passed up a gracious invitation to hit up the IHOP with my new running buddies (I will definitely not pass that up again!), and on we went to the Bo Jangles.

So we pass the Bo Jangles every time we drive to the Tobacco Trail to run, and I've always been intrigued by this place.  Despite the cajoling by several southern natives and a few northern converts, I've never actually eaten there.  Until today.  

Because of my non-functional legs, I sent Brian in with the instructions to get me chicken, biscuits and mashed potatoes if they had them.  He came back with all that AND sweet tea!  

And holy cow that tea was sweet.  I think my teeth are still sore.  For as much as I eat fast food (rarely) and especially fast food fried chicken (pretty much never), I am no expert on this stuff, but I will say the chicken was good (although a bit greasy).  The biscuit, however, tasted like it had been dipped in salt.  On the plus side, it made the sweet tea taste much less sweet.  Brian loved it.  I was initially disappointed that they hadn't put any gravy on my mashed potatoes, until I realized that the top inch of white stuff in the bowl WAS the gravy.  Interesting.  

Overall, I will have to say that the next time I eat fast food (rarely) and fast food fried chicken (pretty much never), I'd be ok with getting my chicken from Bo Jangles.  And maybe they have something else to drink besides sweet tea.  But probably not.  (My next career will NOT be food blogging, if you hadn't already guessed...).

Don't forget- If you'd like to donate to support the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (to honor Lizbeth, another person affected by cancer, or in support of my run) you can do that here:
www.tinyurl.com/ccdzmf9

:)  Peace and Love, 

Emily

Stupid smelly happy roses: Why beautiful things shouldn't be wasted

So much has happened in a month:  I celebrated Christmas with my family that now includes my  adorable niece and nephew and of course my fiancĂ© Brian, we rang in 2013 (albeit from the couch with a vicious cold), the Redskins gave us hope and then snatched it away yet again, President Obama began his second term in office, Beyonce lip-synched the National Anthem,  more people freaked out about Beyonce lip synching the National Anthem than could locate Syria on a map, millions have been born, millions have left us, but mostly it has been a month of quietly and sometimes not so quietly missing my friend. 

It's taken me awhile to be able to collect my thoughts enough to write something here, mostly because I've had this overwhelming feeling that whatever I write about will not be enough.  Or that I won't express it correctly.  Or it won't really describe how special she was.    

The day Liz passed, I texted Curtis to tell him to please pass on a message.  I said, "Lizbeth always tells me not to be afraid of new things.  Please tell her not to be afraid now."  He texted me back to tell me that he told her.  When I found out a little while later that she had passed on, I left my little cubicle to go across the street to the beautiful memorial rose garden of the Baptist Church to have  good cry.  It was a gorgeous day in Durham and the roses were still in bloom, and I was angry at them.  I was angry at those happy, smelly little flowers.  I couldn't understand how they could sit there being so pretty and cheerful when the world was currently so ugly.  I sat with my anger and sadness for a few minutes, and then I smiled.  

I thought back a few weeks to a day just as warm and sunny when I was sitting in the rose garden eating my lunch.  A few ladies from the church were there trimming the rose bushes and collecting some of the blooms, and I remember being amazed that it was December and these hearty little plants were still putting out flowers like every day was summer for them.  In the middle of a bite of my salad, I looked up and there was a small boy standing next to me on the granite bench.  He was holding a yellow rose, and looking very shy and not at all sure that he should be talking to me.  He extended the rose and said, "My mom said I should give this to you.  She says it's not nice to let beautiful things go to waste."  

Not to drop a big old clichĂ© here, but Lizbeth was a beautiful thing.  She did things that most of us would be too afraid to do.  She certainly said things that most of us would be too afraid to say.  Her influence on so many was evident at her party last weekend.  Family, friends, co-workers, and students all gathered to celebrate her.  They were there to celebrate her beauty and to be reminded not to let it go to waste.  

I believe that people that leave us live on in us through the ways they have influenced us and how we choose to carry on that influence.  I will always hear her voice telling me not to be afraid to try new things.  I will also always here her voice cursing at idiot drivers, but that's a whole other influence she had on me :).  

I miss my friend.  I will miss her when I run my first marathon in her honor in less than two months.  I will especially miss her at our wedding this September.  But she is with me every time I do something scary or brave or new, no matter how little or huge it is.  She is cheering for me and telling me how special I am and how there is no way I will regret taking a chance.  Even though I didn't always believe her, I always trusted her, and she was never wrong.  She was a beautiful thing, and her kindness and wisdom and love will never go to waste.  

Peace and Love, 

Emily
  

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Golden Globes for Good!

Hi friends!  I promise I'll post a marathon training update soon (as well as some other really important reflections on the past month), but right now I want to tell you about a little contest I hope you'll consider participating in! 

Interested in winning a Movie Night Prize Package from your truly?  Of course you are!  Read on, my friend!


You've probably heard already, but on March 16th, I'll be running my first-ever marathon.  26.2 miles o' runnin'! I'm doing this because I promised a special person that I would. In July of this past year, my friend Lizbeth was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.  I wanted to do something to show my support and to increase awareness about this disease, so I decided to sign up for the USA Rock 'n' Roll Marathon.  I have raised almost $2500 so far for the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, but my goal is $5000, so I have a bit more to raise :).  This is where I hope you'll help.  

This Sunday, January 13, the Golden Globes will air at 8 p.m. EST.  They are hosted this year by two of my favorite ladies, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.  I'd like to offer you some incentive to not only keep up with the awards this year, but to help out a great cause as well.
 

I'm asking you to look over the list of movie and television nominees this year, and choose who you think will come away with the Golden Globe in each category.  After you make your selection, send your choices to me, and then go to my fundraising page and make a $5 (or more if you want!) donation to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.  It's a secure donation- promise!  After all the Globes have been passed out, I'll tally up your picks, and the winner with the most correct picks will get the following awesome Movie Night Prize Pack:

2 large theater boxes of candy (your choice- I prefer Junior Mints!)Yummy popcornGourmet popcorn seasoningA gift certificate for 10 (yes 10!) Red Box rentals!!My unending gratitude!

Your donation will go to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, who gives 90% of money raised directly to researchers working to find early detection methods and a cure for ovarian cancer (there are currently none).

Unfortunately a cure was not found quickly enough for Lizbeth, but there are so many lives that could be saved with the promising research that's happening now.  I promised her I would run, and I'm asking you to help.

If you would like to participate, please copy and paste the categories listed below into an email to emilyerhode@gmail.com.  Choose the letter you think will win the category (a through e) for #'s 1-25, and send your picks back to me.  Then go to my fundraising page www.tinyurl.com/ccdzmf9 to make your $5 (or more!!) donation. 
 
I'll announce the winner on January 14th and mail out your prize package! Thank you so much for your support, and good luck!
-Emily

AND THE NOMINEES ARE:



1.    BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
a.    
ARGO
Warner Bros. Pictures, GK Films, Smokehouse Pictures; Warner Bros. Pictures
b.    
DJANGO UNCHAINED
The Weinstein Company, Columbia Pictures; The Weinstein Company/Sony Pictures Releasing
c.    
LIFE OF PI
Fox 2000 Pictures; Twentieth Century Fox
d.    
LINCOLN
DreamWorks Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox; Touchstone Pictures
e.    
ZERO DARK THIRTY
Columbia Pictures and Annapurna Pictures; Sony Pictures Releasing

2.    BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
a.    
Jessica Chastain  –   ZERO DARK THIRTY
b.    
Marion Cotillard  RUST AND BONE
c.    
Helen Mirren  HITCHCOCK
d.    
Naomi Watts  – THE IMPOSSIBLE
e.    
Rachel Weisz – THE DEEP BLUE SEA

3. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA|
a.    
Daniel Day-Lewis  – LINCOLN
b.    
Richard Gere  ARBITRAGE
c.    
John Hawkes  – THE SESSIONS
d.    
Joaquin Phoenix  THE MASTER
e.    
Denzel Washington  FLIGHT

4.    BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a.    
THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL 
Blueprint Pictures/Participant Media; Fox Searchlight Pictures
b.    
LES MISERABLES
Universal Pictures, A Working Title Films/Cameron Mackintosh Productions; Universal Pictures
c.    
MOONRISE KINGDOM
Indian Paintbrush; Focus Features
d.    
SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN
CBS Films; CBS Films
e.    
SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
The Weinstein Company; The Weinstein Company

5.    BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a.    
Emily Blunt  SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN
b.    
Judi Dench  THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL
c.    
Jennifer Lawrence  – SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
d.    
Maggie Smith – QUARTET
e.    
Meryl Streep  – HOPE SPRINGS


6. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a.    
Jack Black  – BERNIE
b.    
Bradley Cooper  – SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
c.    
Hugh Jackman  – LES MISERABLES
d.    
Ewan McGregor  SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN
e.    
Bill Murray  – HYDE PARK ON HUDSON

7.    BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
a.    
BRAVE
Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar Animation Studios; Walt Disney Pictures
b.    
FRANKENWEENIE
Walt Disney Pictures; Walt Disney Pictures
c.    
HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA
Columbia Pictures / Sony Pictures Animation; Sony Pictures Releasing
d.    
RISE OF THE GUARDIANS
DreamWorks Animation LLC; Paramount Pictures
e.    
WRECK-IT RALPH
Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios; Walt Disney Pictures

8.    BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
a.    
AMOUR (AUSTRIA)
Les Films Du Losange, X Filme Creative Pool, Wega Film; Sony Pictures Classics
b.    
A ROYAL AFFAIR (DENMARK)
(En kongelig affære) 
Zentropa Entertainment; Magnolia Pictures
c.    
THE INTOUCHABLES (FRANCE)
(Les Intouchables) 
The WeinstenCompany, Quad Productions, Gaumont, TF1 Films Production, Ten Films, Chaocorp; The Weinstein Company
d.    
KON-TIKI (NORWAY/UK/DENMARK)
Nordisk Film Production, Recorded Picture Company; The Weinstein Company
e.    
RUST AND BONE (FRANCE)
(De rouille et d’os) 
Page 114, Why Not Productions; Sony Pictures Classics

9. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
a.    
Amy Adams  THE MASTER
b.    
Sally Field  LINCOLN
c.    
Anne Hathaway – LES MISERABLES
d.    
Helen Hunt  THE SESSIONS
e.    
Nicole Kidman  THE PAPERBOY

10. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
a.    
Alan Arkin  ARGO
b.    
Leonardo DiCaprio  DJANGO UNCHAINED
c.    
Philip Seymour Hoffman  THE MASTER
d.    
Tommy Lee Jones  LINCOLN
e.    
Christoph Waltz  – DJANGO UNCHAINED


11. BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE
a.    
Ben Affleck – ARGO
b.    
Kathryn Bigelow  ZERO DARK THIRTY
c.    
Ang Lee  LIFE OF PI
d.    
Steven Spielberg  LINCOLN
e.    
Quentin Tarantino  DJANGO UNCHAINED

12. BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE
a.    
Mark Boal  ZERO DARK THIRTY
b.    
Tony Kushner  LINCOLN
c.    
David O. Russell  SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
d.    
Quentin Tarantino  DJANGO UNCHAINED
e.    
Chris Terrio  ARGO

13. BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE
a.    
Mychael Danna  LIFE OF PI
b.    
Alexandre Desplat  ARGO
c.    
Dario Marianelli  – ANNA KARENINA
d.    
Tom Tykwer  CLOUD ATLAS
Johnny Klimek,
Reinhold Heil 
e.    
John Williams  LINCOLN

14. BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE
a.    
“FOR YOU” — ACT OF VALOR
Music by: Monty Powell, Keith Urban
Lyrics by: Monty Powell, Keith Urban
b.    
“NOT RUNNING ANYMORE”—STAND UP GUYS
Music by:
 Jon Bon Jovi
Lyrics by:
 Jon Bon Jovi
c.    
“SAFE & SOUND”  THE HUNGER GAMES
Music by: Taylor Swift, John Paul White, Joy Williams,
 T Bone Burnett
Lyrics by: Taylor Swift, John Paul White, Joy Williams,
 T Bone Burnett
d.    
“SKYFALL”SKYFALL
Music by: Adele, Paul Epworth
Lyrics by: Adele, Paul Epworth
e.    
“SUDDENLY”  LES MISERABLES
Music by: Claude-Michel Schonberg
Lyrics by: Herbert Kretzmer, Alain Boublil


15. BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
a.    
BREAKING BAD
AMC 
Sony Pictures Television
b.    
BOARDWALK EMPIRE
HBO 
Leverage, Closest to the Hole Productions, Sikelia Productions and Cold Front Productions in association with HBO Entertainment
c.    
DOWNTON ABBEY: SEASON 2
PBS 
A Carnival / Masterpiece Co-Production
d.    
HOMELAND
SHOWTIME 
SHOWTIME, Teakwood Lane Productions, Cherry Pie Productions, Keshet, Fox 21
e.    
THE NEWSROOM
HBO 
HBO Entertainment

16. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
a.    
Connie Britton  NASHVILLE
b.    
Glenn Close  DAMAGES
c.    
Claire Danes  HOMELAND
d.    
Michelle Dockery  DOWNTON ABBEY: SEASON 2
e.    
Julianna Margulies -THE GOOD WIFE

17. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
a.    
Steve Buscemi  BOARDWALK EMPIRE
b.    
Bryan Cranston - BREAKING BAD
c.    
Jeff Daniels  THE NEWSROOM
d.    
Jon Hamm  MAD MEN
e.    
Damian Lewis  HOMELAND

18. BEST TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a.    
THE BIG BANG THEORY
CBS 
Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television
b.    
EPISODES
SHOWTIME 
SHOWTIME, Hat Trick Productions, Crane Klarik Productions
c.    
GIRLS
HBO 
Apatow Productions and I am Jenni Konner Productions in association with HBO Entertainment
d.    
MODERN FAMILY
ABC 
Levitan-Lloyd Productions in association with Twentieth Century Fox Television
e.    
SMASH
NBC Universal Television in association with DreamWorks Television

19. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a.  
  Zooey Deshanel  NEW GIRL
b.    
Julia Louis-Dreyfus  VEEP
c.  
  Lena Dunham – GIRLS
d.    
Tina Fey  30 ROCK
e.    
Amy Poehler – PARKS AND RECREATION

20. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a.    
Alec Baldwin  30 ROCK
b.    
Don Cheadle  HOUSE OF LIES
c.    
Louis C.K. – LOUIE
d.    
Matt LeBlanc  EPISODES
e.    
Jim Parsons  THE BIG BANG THEORY

21. BEST MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a.    
GAME CHANGE
HBO 
Playtone and Everyman Pictures in association with HBO Films
b.    
THE GIRL
HBO 
A Wall to Wall, Warner Bros Entertainment GmbH, Moonlighting and BBC Production in association with HBO Films
c.
 HATFIELDS & MCCOYS 
HISTORY Thinkfactory Media in association with History
d.    
THE HOUR
BBC AMERICA 
Kudos Film and Television/BBC America co-production
e.    
POLITICAL ANIMALS
USA NETWORK Berlanti Productions and
 Laurence Mark Productions in association with Warner Horizon Television

22. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a.    
Nicole Kidman  HEMINGWAY & GELLHORN
b.    
Jessica Lange  AMERICAN HORROR STORY: ASYLUM
c.   
 Sienna Miller  THE GIRL
d.    
Julianne Moore – GAME CHANGE
e.    
Sigourney Weaver – POLITICAL ANIMALS

23. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a.    
Kevin Costner  HATFIELDS & MCCOYS
b.   
 Benedict Cumberbatch – SHERLOCK (MASTERPIECE)
c.    
Woody Harrelson  GAME CHANGE
d.   
 Toby Jones  THE GIRL
e.    
Clive Owen  HEMINGWAY & GELLHORN

24. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a.   
 Hayden Panettiere  NASHVILLE
b.   
 Archie Panjabi  THE GOOD WIFE
c.    
Sarah Paulson  GAME CHANGE
d.    
Maggie Smith  DOWNTON ABBEY: SEASON 2
e.    
Sofia Vergara  MODERN FAMILY

25. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a.   
 Max Greenfield – NEW GIRL
b.    
Ed Harris – GAME CHANGE
c.   
 Danny Huston  MAGIC CITY
d.    
Mandy Patinkin  HOMELAND
e.    
Eric Stonestreet  MODERN FAMILY