You're right Kurt Warner ...

Jonathan loves Kurt Warner, so I watched & DVR'ed his press conference on Friday. (If you're not a football fan, Kurt Warner announced his retirement yesterday)

He mentioned that he'll obviously miss the couple hours he spent on the football field every week, but what he'll miss most of all is the 5 hours each Sunday he hung out in the locker room with the guys. Sure, he'll still stay in touch with many of his teammates, but it just won't be the same.

This made me really think about my current (and temporary) job. I'm working in a computer lab, sitting inches away from my co-workers. I could pull my chair away from my desk, swing around with my legs extended, and smack 4 people in the back. We all eat lunch together, work together, heck - we even carpool together (ok, I carpool with 1 other person I carpool with, but you get the idea).

Sure, after the job is over (which, for me, is probably sooner than later) I'll stay in touch with some of my co-workers, but it just won't be the same. When you spend 9 hours a day with people, all sort of fun and odd conversations happen. Plus, I really stink at keeping in touch. Facebook makes it easer ... but I just really, really bad at keeping in touch. It makes me sad.

So thank you Kurt Warner! You were the greatest show on turf, and you're one smart son of a gun.

Graph Jam

I found a great new blog to follow.

www.graphjam.com

It's great stuff!

Notes from the WDW marathon ...

I really wish I brought a notepad and paper with me during the marathon. I tried to remember stuff, but I'm sure I forgot it all. Mostly, I remember my hamstring ripping away from what ever hamstrings are attached with.

If you've never done a marathon before - I highly recommend it. While you're in the process, it seems like torture, but when you're all done it's a great feeling! As my friend Hiromi said, "Very spiritual ... yet at the same time and awful experience." Yesterday I swore I would never do it again, but today I'm all pumped to have at it again!

Pre-race: People are wearing shorts and the temperature is in the 20s!!! I'm prepared wearing 6 shirts, a scarf, hat, gloves, sweatpants and shorts. Also, pre-race is the last time I saw any toilet paper (remember that for later ...)

Mile 1: There goes sweatshirt #1

Mile 2: Adios sweatshirt #2 and my scarf. "This isn't so bad!"

"Is that guy wearing a really fancy, Norwegian style sweater?"

Mile 3: "My hands are kind-of hot, I guess I don't need my gloves any more"

The water stop water was partially frozen!

Mile 4: "I want my scarf back!!!"

My 3rd shirt is thrown to the side of the road.

Mile 5: My face is partially frozen.

I'm desperately looking for gloves that somebody threw on the side of the road.

Some guy wearing JEANS passes me. Jeans?!?

Mile 6: The sun finally rises!

"Why does my back hurt of all things?"

Mile 7: A high school band is playing the theme song from Rocky. It rocks and totally pumps me up!

Mile 8: "Is somebody stabbing me in my quads? I really think somebody is ... I'm never doing this again!"

Mile 9: I finally found a glove on the side of the road. It was a super nice warm winter glove. I could only find one, but it was awesome!!

Mile 10: I made it inside the Magic Kingdom. Sweet!

Mile 11: Tiana, Naveen and Louis (Princess and the Frog) are out posing for photos. It's impossible to meet Louis inside the park. I wish I had brought my camera.

Two of the Country Bears run along with us from Diamond Horseshoe down to the Jamboree.

Mile 12: It's 9am - I should be at work, but instead I walked 12 miles.

I make the hard decision to throw my hat away.

Mile 13: I think my hamstrings are going to detach.

I stop my 'walk 5 minutes, run 1 minute' routine and start a similar 'walk 5 minutes, run 30 seconds'

Mile 14: I eat 1/3 of a banana. I don't even like bananas, but they are giving them out.

"What's that loud stomping noise?!? Oh, it's my feet slamming against the ground."

Mile 15: The piano guy that plays near Casey's Corner is randomly on the side of the road.

Mile 16: I've had to pee for about an hour, but the lines for the port-a-potties are so long. I finally give in and wait 4 minutes. No toilet paper anywhere!

16.5: I wipe my nose. I realize I just went to the bathroom, didn't use toilet paper, and didn't wash my hands (nothing to wash with). Gross.

My walk/run routine is getting really hard.

Mile 17: "There are tons of hills inside Animal Kingdom - this is awesome!"

They are giving out cold sponges. Why in the world do I want a cold sponge in 30 degree weather?!?

Should I shed my 4th shirt? I don't, and it was a great decision.

"Only single digit miles left!!!"

Mile 18: "Crap, I thought this was mile 19, but it's only mile 18."

Mile 19: They are giving out more bananas. I eat the entire thing this time.

We walk up a massive hill outside Animal Kingdom. I walk backwards for about 1 minute to shake things up.

Mile 20: "I could come in last place ... as long as I finish, I'm cool with that."

It's amusing to say to yourself, "awesome, only 6 more miles to go!" When is it normal to say ONLY 6 more miles?

I can't believe I kept up the walk/run routine. It's a miracle. I decide to power walk the rest of the way.

Mile 21: I see a chubby guy dressed as Mr. Incredible.

"If and when my hamstrings detach from what ever they are attached to, I could still limp 5 miles and finish."

Mile 22: I decide to go to the bathroom again. Again, no TP.

Mile 23: I get a 2nd wind from out of nowhere. It doesn't last too long.

They give out a box of raisins. It could've been a box of broccoli and I would've devoured it.

"I've got this thing in the bag - no problem!"

Mile 24: Walking along that water's edge between Studios and the Boardwalk was super cold!

Mile 25: I get my 3rd wind. I pick up the pace and breeze thru Epcot.

A crazy Japanese lady dressed up as Donald Duck is right next to me. I bust my butt to pass her, so my 'crossing the finish line' photo isn't with her in it.

Mile 26: I've passed Donald Duck lady.

"Where the heck is the finish line?!?"

.2 miles & a sprint later: "Woo-hoo!"

If you're still reading this, congratulations. This might be my longest blog ever.

Wish me luck!

So if you're reading this at 4:30am on Sunday, then you're inside and I'm outside waiting for the Disney marathon to start.

I signed up about a month and a half ago on a whim. I've done it before (and it was super hard!!!), but I kept thinking, "can I do it again?" It's not every day that you are able to push yourself to the extreme and accomplish a goal. It's a pretty cool feeling to say, "heck yeah - I did this!" Well, hopefully I can say that again tomorrow.

I'm scared to death and really nervous, because you have to keep up a certain pace, otherwise they remove you from the course. I'm not out to set any land speed records, I just want to finish on time ... and get that awesome Mickey Mouse metal!

So, wish me luck! Hopefully this afternoon I'll be back with some photos. I plan on 'running' with my digital camera. (I use the word 'running' very loosely. There will be much, much, MUCH more walking than running.) Although my stupid camera batteries die so quickly. I'll probably get 3 or 4 photos taken before they die. Then I'll have to lug my stupid camera with me for another 15 miles. Stupid batteries!

Universal Studios

Bart: Cool! Personalized plates. Barclay... Barry... Bert... Bort!? Aw, c'mon! Bort?
Little Boy: Mommy, Mommy! Buy me a license plate!
Mother: No! Come along, Bort.
Man: Are you talking to me?
Mom: No, my son is also named Bort.

PA Announcer: We need more Bort license plates in the Gift Shop. Repeat, we are sold out of Bort license plates.

(a couple of my favorite quotes from the Itchy and Stratchyland Simpsons episode)

I wonder if the Bort nametags were actually sold out (I would've totally bought one!!!), or if they are ALWAYS sold out to go along with that famous scene from the episode? Hmmmm ...

A couple weeks ago Jonathan and I went to Universal Studios (free tickets from my friend Monica - yay Monica!)

I took 2 dramamines and made Jonathan go on the Simpsons Ride with me. That will probably be the last time I go on that ride. Normally my stomach can't handle simulators, and this one is super duper bumpy.

As you can tell from the photo ... it was a very crowded day at Universal ...

Here is a crappy quality YouTube video of Bort ... classic:

Love/Hate

How cool is this t-shirt?!?

It says "hate", but when you look in a mirror it says "love".

No clue where to buy one, but I was just amazed when I saw it.

I guess I won't actually buy one. I don't really want to walk around with the word "hate" written across my chest.

I mean, how often are really you in front of a mirror besides the bathroom?

Stranger Danger?

So I've been carpooling to work with Chris, a neighbor, for about 3 months now. We have a pretty sweet setup ... every day we rotate drivers.

So a couple weeks ago we had to work on Saturday, and it was his turn to drive. When he picks me up, I wait by the front door (with the door open, I don't have any big windows to look out from). When he stops in the road in front of my house, I run out and hop in his car.

Well, on Saturday a strange car stopped outside of my house.

Assuming it was his girlfriend's car (I've seen her gray car in the driveway), I ran out the front door towards the car.

As I opened the car door, I see a leg with shorts on. Normally I see a leg wearing work pants.

Still, I assumed it was Chris' leg so I hopped in the car.

Now, it DID end up being Chris in the car (wearing casual shorts since it was a Saturday), but it got me thinking . . . any total stranger could stop in front of my house at 8:25am in the morning, and I would probably hop in their car!

Connect the DOTS ...

How to sneak food into a hockey game.

1. Wear un-tight jeans

2. Wear a giant hockey jersey

3. Enjoy candy that doesn't cost $5!

Happy Resolution Day!

Besides dusting off those old usual resolutions (lose weight, eat more veggies, get more sleep ...), I'm going to do a fun resolution this year.

This was all the rage last year, but in typical "Amber fashion", I'm always behind on the trends.

I'm going to take at least 1 picture every day.

I think that will be a fun 365 end-of-the-year yearbook for me.

I stole the idea from a facebook friend Allyson. She did it last year, and I always loved looking at her photos. Granted, she is a professional photographer, so they were alway quality photos.

My photos will just be ... whatever. Whatever the heck I'm doing. And what I'm normally doing is A) working or B) watching TV. So, if you work with me, watch out! I'm bringing my camera to work next week!