Friday, November 30, 2018

Runfessions over Coffee: November

The calendar says the end of November but the thermometer says January. With almost a foot of snow on the ground, coffee sounds good, doesn't it? Last weekend, I brought my Badger back to Wisconsin and came home with some of the local grounds from Colectivo. I've got a pot brewing, so let's sit down and catch up over a cup!




Speaking of Turkey Trots, earlier this week, I shared my recap from my recent half marathon. Since posting, I learned of a local guy who takes thousands of photos at some of the smaller races in the area and posts them on his FB page. I found some of me and I runfess that I'm a little disappointed in the photos. Actually, I don't think I've ever looked less athletic than I do in these pictures. If a picture paints a thousand words, I don't want to know what this one is saying...

I may have gone completely insane here or maybe I'm smiling because I'm approaching the finish line.
Do you remember that beautiful snowy trail run I did earlier this month? It's always wonderful running in the first snowfall of the year. But there was a dark side to that run. I was aware of some tummy issues during the run but I had no idea how bad it was until we all met up later at Starbucks. I ordered my coffee and went to use the restroom. I'll spare you the details but I runfess that I left that bathroom minus one undergarment. I calmly retrieved my coffee and joined the club at the table as if nothing happened.


Over the years as a nurse practitioner, I've precepted many students in my clinic. This week I said goodbye to my current student. I teachfess that I received her request in a most unusual way--we were following each other on Instagram. She's a yogi and does beautiful poses. We also learned that we had our careers in common. Even more of a coincidence was that not only is she local, but we work for the same healthcare system. When she asked me to precept, I said yes, not knowing a whole lot about her. Sometimes it pays to go with your gut because both of us enjoyed our time together. We closed the semester with a clinic yoga pose. Funny how social media brings people together, isn't it?

Nurse practitioner warriors!
Speaking of social media, I play Words With Friends online with my mom and my aunt--and anyone else who wants to play. I'm a little leary of accepting game requests from people I don't know and oops, I did it again. A man I didn't know wanted to play and against my better judgment, I gamefess that I accepted. As soon as I sent a word, I started getting messages from him. I ignored them but he persisted. Does this happen to you? I'm getting almost daily FB friend requests from strange men and I've gotten IG messages as well. Is this the new version of honking at a woman who is walking (or running) down the street?

Make words, not love.

ICYMI, last week I took a steroid pack to ward off a flare of rheumatoid arthritis. I am finished with the steroids and as I expected, am feeling much better. I do have some residual symptoms, though, including pain in my big toe. I runfess that I considered continuing the steroids. In fact, I wish I could be on them all the time. Seriously. They make me feel 20 years younger! Too bad they have long-term side effects like bone thinning and high blood pressure.



What would you 'fess to me over coffee? Winter getting to you yet? Are you getting unwanted attention from strangers on social media? Have you made friends or connections with anyone through social media? Any Turkey Trot stories? The runs? Thanks to all for your kind words of support with my recent flare.

It's the trifecta of linkups! I'm linking up with Marcia for Runfessions, Fridays with Fairytales and Fitness, and with Coco and Deborah for the Ultimate Coffee Date.








41 comments :

  1. Heck, it's only fall. Not that we really had much of a fall, but most of our snow was actually washed away by the rain. And isn't there supposed to be a sun somewhere? Seattle ain't got nothing on us.

    I get a number of friend requests on FB & IG from strange men. I ignore and thankfully they don't DM me. I don't really get it. Aren't men supposed to be looking for younger chicas? Or maybe gray hair is actually a turn on, I dunno.

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    1. Sun? What is that? November has been way too gloomy and January-like. I can only hope this means we will fast forward to spring.

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  2. Oooh a trail shart! I joke with my kids that we need to go see the Chartres Cathedral because I like saying it and seeing their side eye. I think all those strange men on social media are a scam of some sort. Not gonna pursue to find out.

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    1. I figured instead of being mortified about it, I'd just laugh...because I can't hold it in...

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  3. That Starbucks "event?" Yeah, me too, except not on a run. I was on my way to a conference, my tire blew out and well, it happened. I left same type of undergarment in a local fast-food rest room. I didn't leave like nothing happened, though. I cried all the way home, got my tire fixed, turned around and drove to the conference.

    That guy! Uber-creepy. I hope you blocked him.

    You don't look insane in that photo but it's pretty funny.

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  4. How cool about your precept student! I think her and the creepy WWF requests show the good and bad (or at leaset icky) of social media. I do love that Wisconsin Starbucks mug.

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    1. There are a lot of good things about social media. They are just overshadowed by the bad.

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  5. I almost...ALMOST...included a runfession about a similar social media thing.Too many strangers (mostly men) wanting to be friends and not getting the hint (as well as too many insincere invites to join their "team").

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  6. That's great about your precept student - that's the great side of social media! And then there are the creepy men...yes they seem to be coming out of the woodwork lately, ugh!

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  7. I do get lots of weird requests on IG and Twitter sometimes just "hi" in a DM -why? I post less and less on my personal FB bc people kind of creep me out sometimes. I was obsessed w words w friends for a long time but kind of ran out time for it. I never look good in running photos!

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  8. I literally lol when I read about your Statbucks incident! I get random messages on IG from men. I keep thinking this isn't a dating app. Would you stop!

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    1. Oh, I had to share it. I mean, most of us have been there at one time or another.

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  9. I'll play words with friends with you! I usually have about 20 games going! And yes, I had to block a man who messaged me that he wanted to take his messages off line and that I shouldn't tell my husband. Yuck! Blocked! I also get random friends requests from men and occasional messages on IG. It always makes me wonder what the younger women get.

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  10. It's wonderful when teaching/mentoring goes well! I have had student teachers and junior practicum students and while they were all very nice, some of them were just more "with it" than others, which of course made my job a lot easier! However, I can't fault them. They are brand new starting out... that's the whole point! I was a mess during student teaching. I had no clue what I was doing.

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    1. I've had mostly good experiences with precepting, but a few memorably bad ones! I'm pretty picky about who I choose to work with.

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  11. I runfess I had to look up what "precept" meant. And your Starbucks incident, you are not alone... let me just say that!

    That race pic - love it! I love that you posted that... sometimes you just have to laugh, right?

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    1. I do laugh. A lot. Life's too short and we're just doing this for fun. I can't take myself too seriously!

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  12. I never look athletic in race pictures. I have one, and that's it. I don't even look at race photos anymore.

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  13. I don't play Words With Friends, but I've gotten some weird PMs from guys on Twitter. Yuck! I love the top you are rearing in the race photo! So cool!

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    1. Oh, that's InkNBurn! I love their tops. So colorful, especially in the winter.

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  14. I ALWAYS wear black shorts/pants on long runs for that exact reason. Life as a runner. ;-)
    I rarely like any pic of myself running but I did take note of the HS girls XC team running yesterday and they didn’t look super athletic either. Sadly I got some satisfaction from that. :-)

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  15. I am so not looking forward to flying back to the cold! :[!

    Your student sounds super cool! That's awesome that you were following each other on instagram before, haha. I love when social media works out positively!

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    1. She was so cool. I need to hang out with younger people so I stay relevant.

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  16. Yeah that words with friends thing was just creepy... I don't understand why men are so darn weird!

    Oh I'm the queen of crazy race photos. I should actually share some of my craziest ones on my blog, lol

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  17. So many creepy messages!
    If you want to slow play against someone guaranteed non creepy, I'm there as travellingcari.
    Been there, done that re: undergarments. Our bodies are weird

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  18. We had a tease of winter but now we're back to more fall-like weather. And we continue to have lots of rain...I'm over it!

    Ugh, men online are so good at being creeps. Glad he didn't say anything awful to you.

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  19. Eww creepy messages. Also I love that you had such a great connection with your student. As a new occupational therapy practitioner, I am so grateful for all the supervisors and clinicans who I shadowed, trained with who helped me out!

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    1. That's why we do it! Now it will be your turn to train future Its!

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  20. Sorry about the disappointing race photo - today Trudie and I were congratulating Ruth on her latest one which showed her athletic AND happy and that never happens! I have some real shockers in my archives. I love the one of you and your student, though! I have had manky words with friends requests, yes - and I love playing so sometimes I accept then ew. not SO many friend requests but probably 2 per week.

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    1. I don't get a lot of WWF requests, but I'm always happy to play with friends (hence the name of the game). It's not Words with Strange Male Predators, after all!

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  21. I had a random stranger start a WWF game with me by accident years ago - turns out he thought he was starting one with a relative. We played that one and have kept playing; he lives in Australia so every once in a while we'll send a message regarding the game and I get to read his Aussie phrasing which entertains me greatly. But he's not creepy and I sure wouldn't appreciate a random weirdo trying to get with me via a game. Does that ever work for them?? Gross!

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