I got a mysterious cut on my thumb. It’s more annoying than painful, especially when squeezing lime or giving my apartment a much-needed scrubbing.

I went wedding dress shopping with my mom and sister yesterday. I’m pretty sure I found the dress.

I read on NPR’s The Salt blog that Americans eat an average of 31 pounds of cheese annually. That caught my eye for obvious reasons. I didn’t know if it was a #31fail or a #31ftw. Then I did the math. 31 pounds is only 1.35 ounces a day. That’s around 1 1/3 servings daily. No big deal. If it was the amount of cheese I consumed yesterday — one slice on an egg sandwich, half a slice on a cheeseburger, half of that mozzarella en carroza up there, and whatever was on two slices of sausage & spinach pizza — then I’d be concerned.

I really hate this statement: “getting a BA is the new high school diploma, it’s meaningless.” All that tells me is that the speaker comes from quite the privileged background. I know that for someone who shares my background — immigrant parents, first generation college student, Chicana, lower middle class — earning a BA was beating the odds. Hell, graduating high school is a big deal for a lot of people like me. It’s true that college-going and graduation rates have increased for all segments of the population, but some groups still fall far behind.

I made my first trip to Target in a few weeks. To keep to my not be a sucker for Target resolution I made a list beforehand, and stuck to it for the most part. I bought one item off the list, a set of 10 pound dumbbells. Sean gave me his disapproving side-eye if he caught me looking at something that was not on the list, but he suggested the new dumbbells since the 8 pound ones are too easy.

I’ve been strength training twice a week for seven weeks now. I’m seeing some results. I’ve been able to increase the weights 25%. Okay, it’s only going from 8 pounds to 10, but that’s still improvement. My jeans and blouses fit less snug too.

I thought I was getting faster after incorporating regular strength and cross training. After doing the math, I’m not so sure. I averaged a 9:15 pace for easy runs from October through December; this excludes long runs and races. In January my easy runs averaged a 9:04 pace. Not as big a difference as I thought considering my average easy run is shorter these days. Well, at least I’ve shown some recent improvement in the half marathon distance. I ran about 2:03 in my first half marathon in October 2010. My personal best in December was 10 minutes faster.

This week I realized I was “brave” because I venture out in to the world without makeup and any special hair style 95% of the time. I don’t wear makeup because I want to buck social norms. I’m just too apathetic to bother, too cheap to spend money on the good stuff, and don’t like spending much time getting ready. I really like the way I look with makeup, but I’m not so used to myself with mascara and eyeliner that I feel I look ghostly or insecure without it.

I had my first beer in a month yesterday. I temporarily gave up alcohol in January. It’s easy for me. I don’t drink much to begin with. Now, giving up Diet Coke for a month was difficult.

My Blogotitlán friends want to run the Chicago Marathon in the fall. I’m bummed I’ll have to sit out this reunion as I’ve already decided not to run a fall marathon and I’ll probably be tapped out of any extra funds due to the wedding and honeymoon. [Photo by Oso.]

I’ll leave off all the ones relating to all the other things I need to be doing as they just feel like checklists.

Health & fitness

1. Stick to my LA Marathon training plan and get through the highest mileage weeks and long runs of marathon training without injury. Plan includes strength and cross training.

2. Figure out a race pace and get comfortable with it.

3. Run the Hansen Dam Friendship Run 18-miler.

4. Change up my strength and core routine. Try another Nike Training App workout. I did — er, attempted — a core workout and it kicked my ass.

5. Track (with points) for at least a week and one weigh-in. I got through about 4 days of tracking my points and then abandoned it after the BBQ for my grandparents’ anniversary.

6. Continue planning out dinners for weekday nights at the beginning of the week. We just started doing this and it really helped save time and streamline shopping.

JANUARY GOALS CHECK-IN

Health & fitness

1. Continue attending yoga classes: Nope. Yoga went by the wayside as I got in more running.

2. Rehab IT band: Sorta. It feels much better, but I still feel some discomfort during long runs. It’s not as bad as it was in December. I need to be better about icing and rolling it with the Stick, even if I don’t feel like I need it. I’ve been increasing my mileage recently and have felt good.

3. Get my 5 servings of fruits and veggies daily: Check. Eating a big salad for lunch almost daily helps with this.

4. Attend one Weight Watcher’s meeting: Check. I started tracking and counting points for food last week. Based on my sex, age, height, weight, and activity level, I was allotted 26 measly points. I haven’t stayed within that limit at all in the last 7 days. If I did, I’d feel quite hungry. In the past, I still lost weight even using the weekly flexibility points (49/week) and activity points I earned.

5. Stick to Marc’s training plan: Check, sorta. Sometimes, I don’t do the scheduled cross training and run instead. However, I’ve stuck to the straining and look forward to it. I’ve been able to up the weights for the dumbbells I’m using.

6. Negative split at Carlsbad half marathon: Check, just barely.

Wedding

1. Update guest list: Check. It’s a little worrisome that our guest list is larger than our venue cap.

2. Gather addresses: Check. The mailing list is 85% complete. We still need addresses for Sean’s family and his parents’ friends.

3. Make planning timeline, consult planning checklists: Half check. I got the latter done and downloaded a few wedding planning apps.

4. Schedule Catholic couples retreat: Not yet.

5. Begin wedding gown search: Online, yes. I got suggestions from LA/Southern California area bridal boutiques from friends and family. I’ll be visiting a few shops later this week with my mom and sister.

6. Complete save-the-dates: Check. We got them on Monday.

7. Make wedding website: Check. It’s still in progress.

8. Book honeymoon: Nope. We still have a lot of work to do researching the various options.

Bonus:
I originally delegated the mariachi search to my dad. I know he’s picky with mariachis and he has good taste. He had a group he liked, but they were booked. After some online searching, my dad went to a party and heard a mariachi he really enjoyed. They also had two women in the group, which I liked because I love to hear women sing rancheras and boleros. The group is available and affordable. We just need to make it official.

We also signed up for a couple of gift registries. We haven’t done much with them yet.

Blog

1. Bring back This Day in Chicano History posts: Check. I have a list I made a couple years ago with several dates. I need more women-related dates on it.

JANUARY GOALS

Health & fitness

1. Continue attending yoga classes
2. Rehab IT band
3. Get my 5 servings of fruits and veggies daily. No burgers or fries!
4. Attend one Weight Watcher’s meeting
5. Stick to Marc’s training plan (includes cross training and strength)
6. Negative split at Carlsbad half marathon

Wedding

1. Update guest list (already begun)
2. Gather addresses (already begun)
3. Make planning timeline, consult planning checklists
4. Schedule Catholic couples retreat
5. Begin wedding gown search
6. Complete save-the-dates
7. Make wedding website (in progress)
8. Book honeymoon

Blog

1. Bring back This Day in Chicano History posts

DECEMBER GOALS

Health & fitness
1. Use my Groupon for yoga classes at a local studio: Check. I took one beginner’s class and am looking forward to going back. I liked the teacher.

2. Run around the UCLA perimeter twice: Nay. I avoided a hard hill workout before the Holiday Half (12/11). Afterward I was recovering and dealing with some mild IT issues. From what I read, hills make it worse.

3. Run the Holiday Half Marathon and PR: Check!!!

4. Strength training twice a week: Half check. I started this in the last two weeks of the month.

5. Do a couple of runs with a friend or group: Nay.

6. Stick to my training plan: Nay. I fell off after the half, but I did start incorporating the cross training and strength he’s included.

7. Decide on the LA Marathon: Check. I’m in unofficially.

Wedding

1. Engagement photo session: Check. Loved the results and the process of getting all dolled up was fun too. [Photo above by Michael Fletcher.]

2. Estimates/hiring 2 other big ticket vendors: Nay.

The blog
1. Post 3 times week: Check.

Other
Get the most of our Disneyland passes: Check. We went after the half marathon. It was quite crowded, but we saw/did some more new stuff and finally checked out the fireworks show.

I came up with my first resolution ever.

Don’t be an overspending sucker at Target!

I know a lot of people plan to save more, pay down debt and get their finances in order. Those are great goals. I haven’t set one of those in a few years, because it’s not an area I feel I really need to work on. I’ve been putting away money for retirement since my early 20s through work and on my own. I didn’t get a credit card until I was 24, much to my father’s chagrin. He would’ve preferred I never got one. If I carry a balance on a credit card, it’s almost always been low enough to pay off with money I actually have. I’m not debt free though thanks to my car and school.

Target is different. Almost every time I visit, I go in with a list and come out with items on the list along with several other things I didn’t “need” until I saw them on the shelf. I’m a sucker for Target’s shelf psychology, or how stores arrange items to maximize consumer spending. (If any retail psychologists or marketing researchers need a 30-something college-educated Latina to fit a quota for a survey or focus group, sign me up! I’ve participated in consumer research for cars, and it was a neat experience that paid well for the time involved.)

I went shopping at Target today. I didn’t go with a list, but stuck to the goal I made up after my trip. Sean and I spent $105. We bought groceries, necessary toiletries, and dumbbells. Sean picked up a space heater for his bedroom.

Strategies to stick to my sucker free goal:

1. Always make a list. (I didn’t do that today.)
2. Stick to the list.
3. You can go off the list if the item is needed. Example: I realize I need dish soap while at the store, but forgot to include it on the list.
4. If possible, shop with cash and leave credit and debit cards at home/in the car.

Add some letters to your name without going crazy in the process. (Or making others crazy.)

Kissing Sean at midnight on New Years Eve. That almost didn’t happen thanks to a fierce winter snowstorm that delayed his move from NY to LA a few days. [post]

Feeling Grandpa and Grandmas’ spirits giving me strength in the final miles of the LA Marathon. Something made me surge at mile 25. I say it was my grandparents. Crossing the finish line was cool too. [post]

Getting a text message telling me to turn around and then seeing Sean down on his knee, holding a ring in a box. I said yes. There were tears and mocos (boogers). [post]

Learning from Adrian via a midnight text message that St John Vianney was on fire and likely unsalvageable. It didn’t hit me until the next morning when I saw the news and photos of the gutted church. [post]

Running and biking along Lake Ontario during my trip to Toronto. Other memorable runs during my travels: a long run through Santa Barbara; a short post-LB Marathon run along the Hudson in New York; running along the nature preserve in Napa. [post]

Reaching the point on our hike when Nevada Falls finally came in to view. Yosemite was great overall. Even though our trip was cut short thanks to the crazy storm it was still pretty amazing. [post]

Setting a date, signing contracts and paying deposits to reserve the church and reception hall. After that point, getting married started to feel official. [post]

Celebrating my 31st birthday with lots of friends and family. Not only did they show up, a lot of people also put in lots of time and effort to make it special for me. [post]

Seeing Sean and his friends sing Jay Z’s “Empire State of Mind” at the top of their lungs at a bar during our only trip back to New York this year. I know he misses NY. I do too. [post]

Spending a day at Disneyland with my parents, grandparents, aunt, uncle and cousins. It was neat to fill up an It’s A Small World boat with my family and see Papá Chepe and Mamá Toni enjoy Disneyland for the first time in 35+ years. [post]

Kicking ass during the Holiday Half Marathon and earning a 5 minute PR. I ran a few PRs this year and for the most part met my running goals. However, this one instilled some confidence and felt like a come back from my awful LB Marathon experience. [post]

That’s my cousin Valerie up on the left. On the right is Jessica Frech, a singer featured in the Hyundai Holiday commercial. When we saw the commercial on Christmas Eve, a few of my cousins noted the resemblance between our cousin and the singer.

Valerie wasn’t so convinced. Isn’t it usually that way? I told her I’d post the question here. What do you think?

Past look-alikes:

My dad and César Chávez

Emmanuel “Meme” del Real from Café Tacuba and Dave Grohl

Johnny Depp and Edward James Olmos as el Pachuco

Never fear, here’s 10 timely topics. Don’t worry, these haven’t been done to death by bloggers, magazine writers and local TV news.

1. How not to gain weight through the holidays and manage eating at holiday parties. This includes writing about low-fat and low-calorie versions of traditional holiday dishes.

2. Gift guides for everyone, including the neighbor’s dog.

3. How to survive spending time with your family over the holidays and holiday dinners

4. Your holiday decorations: traditions; sentimental ornaments; Christmas tree buying adventure; your take on the fake vs. real debate; caring for a real tree

5. Complaints about the holiday season: it starts too early; the “war on Christmas” (e.g. secularization of the holiday, Jesus is the reason for the seaon!); rampant consumerism; overplayed carols in stores and on the radio; traveling for the holidays; your neighbor’s gaudy decorations/lack of decorations in the neighborhood.

6. How to deal with holiday stress, the blues and other #firstworldproblems

7. Open letter to Santa Claus (nevermind that you’re 27). This can be doubled with #2, since a lot of gift suggestion lists read as personal wishlists.

8. Inventory of your gifts or the gifts you purchased for others

9. Menus and recipes for your holiday dinner spread. Make sure to include lots of photos of your favorite cookies or tamales.

10. How to handle the work holiday party and etiquette for how to drink/dress at the party. Make sure to include complaints about your job and co-worker.

Bonus: just post photos of Christmases past. (Guilty.)

I did better on my goals for last month (see below), but can still improve and this month gives me a good chance to do so. I know a lot of people dread December fitness-wise. I don’t. I’m also as chill as VR up there. I look forward to the family Christmas parties, holiday work parties and spending more time with friends as they have time off.

Since I work at a public university that needs to find clever ways to cut budgets, I get a forced 7 day vacation during the winter campus closure. As a result of the state’s penny pinching (er, fiscal mismanagement), I’ll have more time for Christmas related stuff as well as writing, getting in my workouts, try new classes, etc. It’s a good time for to mix up my usual routine.

DECEMBER GOALS

Health & fitness
1. Use my Groupon for yoga classes at a local studio
2. Run around the UCLA perimeter twice. I’ve done the 3+ mile route once a couple years ago. It’s a great hill workout.
3. Run the Holiday Half Marathon and PR (<1:58). I’m not sure I have it in me, but after the Turkey Trot I have more confidence in my ability to sustain a sub 9 pace.
4. Strength training, twice a week. I need to do this.
5. Do a couple of runs with a friend or group. Trail running with Lori in the San Gabriel Mountains perhaps?
6. Stick to my training plan. I’m paying a coach to tell me what I should do. I should listen to him.
7. Decide on the LA Marathon. Yes? No? I can’t delay much longer.

Wedding
The November goals we didn’t meet carry over.
1. Engagement photo session
2. Estimates/hiring 2 other big ticket vendors (mariachi? florist?)

The blog
1. Post 3 times week. I’ll have the time.

Other
Get the most of our Disneyland passes. We upgraded about a month before they expire. Might as well make our money worth it.

NOVEMBER GOALS

Health & fitness

1. Stick to my half marathon training plan – Check. I skipped 2 or 3 runs and was off 10 miles from the total my online coach had for me.

2. Run the Turkey Trot 10K and set a PR – Check.

3. Strength training twice a week – Fail. I’m much more likely to work out if I can do things at home. I’m lazy about getting to the gym even though it’s so close and on one of my running routes. I need one more piece of equipment to do most of my strength exercises my coach has for me at home.

4. Run home from work once a week – Half check. At rush hour, I can make the 5 mile trip from my office to my apartment on foot faster than on the bus or even doing my usual car/bus method. (Drive 1.5 miles, bus the rest. I do this to save money on parking. A subsidized bus pass is much more affordable than parking on campus.) This time of year, running home is a good way to deal with earlier sunsets and I’m guaranteed not to flake on my planned workout. It’s also mainly downhill, so that helps. Trouble is, it takes some preparation. I ran home twice; the third week I forgot to pack a sports bra. I stopped by the student store and considered buying one, but nixed that plan when I saw they were selling Champion bras for $34. Um, that same bra — minus the UCLA logo — costs $15 a Target. The commute home that day was really bad and took over an hour.

5. Go back to Weight Watchers for a meeting – Check. I achieved Lifetime status last spring after getting to my goal weight and maintaining it for 6 weeks. Unfortunately, maintenance isn’t as easy as losing. I quickly gained back ~5 lbs and was ineligible to attend free meetings since I wasn’t within 2 lbs of my goal weight. So, I didn’t go back because I didn’t want to pay for something I wasn’t getting much out of anymore. Earlier this year I found out the WW plan had changed and I was curious about it. I attended a meeting and learned all about the new Points Plus plan. It’s different enough that there’s a bit of a learning curve for me. I tried tracking for a week and fell off very fast as I had to calculate/look up everything rather than go from memory. I do want to get back to goal weight, so when I decide to make that a priority, I’ll go back to tracking and keeping within my points. It worked once before!

6. Focus on eating more fruits and vegetables – Fail. I didn’t track this, but I’m pretty sure I wasn’t getting my 5 recommended servings per day.

Wedding
1. Get save-the-date and invite ideas to our graphic designers – Yes. We’ve got some feedback and even a first look of some graphics we’ll use.

2. Decide a concept/location for our engagement photo shoot in December – Half check. We can’t really delay on this much longer.

3. Figure out estimates for 2 more big items on our budget – Fail. This was sort of an off month in the wedding planning area. At least we got some props for our photo booth thanks to post Halloween sales.

The Blog
1. Do something for 11/7 (blog anniversary) – Check, but I didn’t post my other reflections on 10 years of blogging. It’s tough to pick out favorites when you have 10 years’ worth of posts.

As for what’s been going on these past few weeks:

I got an iPhone 4. (Not the 4S, the local Verizon store didn’t have it in stock. Plus, the 4 was cheaper and I was fine without the 4S’ features.) I resisted getting an iPhone or any other smart phone mainly out of inertia — Verizon didn’t have iPhones until recently — and cost. I liked my relatively low cell phone bill. I finally gave in after having an iPad for a couple of months. I’m happy with the iPad, but as my brother says, I can’t make calls/text on it and I look really dorky trying to take a picture with it. I took advantage of my 2 year upgrade. I feel like I’ve finally joined the dark side… but really, it was a matter of time ’til I caved. That In-N-Out cheeseburger photo up there was the first taken with my new phone. I had to make it special.

I’m running the Puente Hills family YMCA Turkey Trot on Sunday. The 10K is two loops of a flat and boring course through the Puente Hills Mall and adjacent business park. I’ll get great views of the 60 freeway and the San Gabriel Mountains in the distance. Rain is in the forecast; this makes me happy. Last year, I think the rain scared off a lot of runners which meant the field of 10K runners was tiny. My sister won her age group and a turkey and I actually placed. I’m not sure I can best my time from last year considering I haven’t done any dedicated speed training. I’ve just been working on building up the miles again. Still, I know I can run strong distance races as I’ve done it a few times this year. Plus, maybe the rain will give me boost as it did at the LA Marathon and Pasadena Half Marathon.

Sean and I went to a screening of Tegan and Sara’s new tour/concert DVD Get Along at the Vista Theater on Tuesday. I’ve seen them once before at the Hollywood Bowl. Even in a huge venue, it was easy to see that they have great rapport with their fans. I loved their in-between song banter. After the screening, they did a lengthy Q&A with the audience. It was refreshing to see just how much they appreciate their fans, even if they can seem a little too, um, earnest.

I can’t wait for Thanksgiving. I see my extended family often enough that the only difference with Thanksgiving is that we’re hanging out on a weekday and not eating Mexican food. My favorite part (aside from ham, stuffing and pumpkin pie) is playing board games with the cousins and my godmother’s house. We also like to take silly pictures.

Wedding planning is slowly coming along. I feel like we get something done every two weeks or so and then get lazy. Right after Halloween, we took advantage of sales at costume shops to get props for the photo booth. Earlier this week, we finally came up with a workable concept for our wedding invitation. Sean’s friend, a graphic designer, has agreed to design our invites. I’m excited to see what she comes up with.