Parting is such sweet sorrow...unless you make it Ugly

The ability to make an ugly face is important to me. This makes me somewhat of a critic when taking pictures. Of course, I can smile normally but that's not entertaining. So after the first picture has been taken and it's time for the 'make a face' picture, I really shine. Not only have I a mastered my facial muscles to the point that I have names for my different funny faces ( Dry Heave, Goblin Child, Botox, etc..) but I really respect other people who aren't afraid to be hideous.
That said, this is what I really wanted to write about - The end of my career at WIA. *sniffle* The above picture portrays the best 'funny face' my beloved coworkers could produce. Some are awesome (which raises my esteem for said person) others are, well, lacking. However! That does not mean that each person that I have shared the last two years with at WIA has not impacted me.
In fact, I would like to address each one in this public forum.
Paris,
You will always be taller than me, and perhaps you don't have to work so hard at destructive behaviors to get the public attention but you've always been a proper frenemy. Thanks for all the diet coke, celery sticks and dove to counteract the celery sticks. Oh, and the awesome time on your boat...I mean yacht.

Dear Samoan Princess,
You are the best world's best boss, and I mean that in a non Michael Scott kind of way. I'll miss trying to take you down in the hallway and your wealth of random fitness tidbits. Picture me on a treadmill somewhere in Texas, pounding out one last mile because the monitor hasn't reached all even numbers yet.

Dear Prego,
Thanks for setting me up when I was too lazy to socialize but too lonely to refrain from complaining about it. You know I'll help you paint your house, watch your kids, take a kickboxing class with you ANYTIME. May we continue as Buddha's Feast sisters many long years.

Dear Commuter,
Anytime 'I earned it' I will fondly think of you. As well as anytime I order a fancy drink. You are one of the most thoughtful and sincere people I know. Thanks for always letting me mooch flavor and stain stick from you. I'll keep you posted on any triathalons that we could meet in the middle at.

Dear Karl Marx,
Why doesn't anybody listen to you? At least I do. It's a good thing too because otherwise I wouldn't have a clue about tracking one's temp, grad school, Uworks, and good hair. Also, I passed statistics with the help of your husband. You guys should apply in Texas...just sayin.

Dear Token Male,
Really I can sum up what I have to say to you in one word - sorry. For all of the mistakes I made in Case Managing that you surely don't know about yet. May you continue to provide balance. Oh, and watch out for posting non-authorized flyers in the building. Seems that doesn't go over too well.

Dear Miko,
I apologize to you as well. For all the mistakes I made that you will have to fix. Whatever, I know you won't judge me, and if you do I'll think smugly about you walking around in sweat shop clothes. I hope you love the job. Keep spinning.

And so I lovingly dedicate this post to the staff at WIA. They are saving the world one GED at a time.

Updates...

WASATCH BACK RELAY
The official team name has been decided: Run More, Eat More. It's more of a mantra I'd say. But I voted for it too so I'm not complaining. La Dolcezza did suggest we name the team Bringin' Wasatch Back, which made me laugh. Clever, clever girl. The registration has been paid in a lump sum and so if you want to secure your place you need to get your money to Pamchenko (Team CAPTAIN!) as soon as possible. For those of you who have not researched the website as previously suggested, you will want to know that if you want to pay and then have to drop out at a later date substitutions are allowed until April.

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MOVING TO DALLAS
Yes I will be moving to the Lone Star state at the beginning of October. I can't tell you the excitement I feel when I picture myself packing all my worldly belongings into my Civic and heading out...which reminds me, I am in need of some sweet new road trip tunes. Suggestions? Oh, and I copied this from Bexy's blog. HILARIOUS!



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GRE VOCAB WORD OF THE DAY
Mendacious - adj. Lying; habitually dishonest.

Want to Know Where to PARTY?

The above heading I copied from the Wasatch Back cross country relay website. For those of you who have not been recruited by Pamchenko or myself - The Wasatch Back is a 176 mile run on backroads from Logan to Park City. Naturally, the feat is accomplished in teams.
And we, my friends, are compiling our team of Running Lunatics.




Like any successful team we need to unify ourselves by choosing a stellar team name. Various emails have been circulating several good suggestions. Unlike other races, you register as a team instead of individually and you cannot register without a team name. If you are planning on running you need to email Pamchenko your vote by this Sunday ( if you need that address leave me a comment) and then she will register the team once the votes are collected. Check out the website. There is extensive information on how much each person runs, elevations, training schedules etc. This race is gonna be crazy! If you aren't sure you can commit (the race isn't until next June) we would still love your input. If you don't vote you can't complain when we decide to call ourselves Team Super Fudge Chunk.

There have been some rumors of appointing a team captian. Indeed, I received a ridiculously long voice mail from Sue expressing concerns over whether she was cut out for the job. Of course Sue would be an ideal captain and I think she should shoulder this resposibility as well as start wearing a viking helmet with horns and braids BUT i don't want her to feel pressure. Besides, Toad insists that they will be in Hawaii during June. Funsucker.

Therefore, I suggest we appoint Pamchenko as team captain - she's a running veteran, benevolent dictator, and most importantly she's committed to bagging this race.

Get Thee to a Bunnery

Today is Bunny's birthday. Besides declaring that she is one of my top people, I should like to share some of my top moments of Bunny history.

- During one of our trips into the Uintas a nasty storm hit us. The first day soaked us to the bone, making the set up of camp a miserable affair. We rushed about trying to get our tent up and find dry places to stash our packs, all the while shivering and snapping at each other in our sopping clothes and gear. Finally, as we climbed into our freezing but dry sleeping bags, Bunny insisted that I reach down and unzip her pants for her as her hands were too frozen for such fine motor movement. I declined at first. But I soon realized that her capacity for piss and vinegar was yet untapped and so I tried to be obliging.

-All the nights she helped me with stats homework and all the Math Curse! phone calls she calmy fielded.

- The first time, while sitting at the kitchen table, she gave me her impromptu rendition of Silverstein's Deadly Eye. Her eyes were as big as saucers, veins popping, and her cheeks were flushed. This talent for oddity has since been immortalized and can make me laugh any place, at any time.

-When she finally gave up speaking proper English and started calling Bangerter, Bangety

-When she ran her first half marathon. I was at the finish waiting to cheer for her and when she came through triumphant and strong I knew I had to do the same. She was inspirational.

-All the times when we were little and she would lay in her bed at night and beg me to come running down the hall and jump on her.

-After her wedding reception she and I stood in our parent's bedroom and talked about how to handle honeymoon anxiety while I helped her unlace the world's tightest corset.

-During See How They Run she would come on stage and say, "Oim Oida!" and everyone backstage would collapse with laughter. Comic genius.

-When I get to see her bossing her class around. "WHY IS THERE ALL THIS TALKING?"

-When, baited to the breaking point, she told Toad to go to hell.

-On a road trip to Denver when I was depressed and broken hearted yet she never gave up on me.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Love.

Flight Of The Conchords - Jenny