Happy Zombie Day!

You're probably a little confused right now.  The way i see it, there are two different camps of people when it comes to Valentines day.  Those who love it, and those who hate it.  I don't fit into either group.  I am completely indifferent, and i find it a somewhat irrelevant and confusing day.  It's like this religious holiday for a brutally martyred saint, but then we throw in cupid from roman mythology, only the cupid is a weird little baby that flies.  And shoots you?  I don't get it at all.

Either way, I don't like pre-fixe meals, or chocolate, or roses, but i am also not an angry single gal.  Thus Zombie Day was born!!

Zombie day started 5 years ago.  When it comes down to it, I love my friends.  And i love Zombie movies!!  So every February 14th, we all come together to watch zombie movies, and drink bloody marys.  I think it is every bit as nice as romance.  

This year (ok, every year) we are watching "Wild Zero,"  The cult classic japanese greaser punk zombie movie.  There is a drinking game that goes along with it, and it always ends up being a crowd pleaser.

It's gonna be awesome.

Feel free to have your own satellite zombie day parties - All you have to do is watch a zombie movie and drink booze!  Easiest.  holiday.  ever.

So, happy zombie day to all, and to all, "BRAINSSSSSSSSSSSSSS"

A dangerous weekend!

As Halloween fast approaches, I am finding myself staring down danger on a daily basis!

To begin, Matt and I went on a 10 mile run together on Sunday.  No big deal right?  Except for the sideways rain and 40mph winds.  I ran with sunglasses the whole time despite the freaky level of darkness at 11am.  The second i took them off to try to wipe some of the water off, i was instantly blinded by the sideways rain.  I staggered around yelling "I'm blind! I'm blind!" But no one was really out to help me on account of the weather.  If you need a visual:

Shortly after, a falling leaf was transformed into a projectile ninja death star thanks to the wind and sliced my arm.  Et tu, Fall??

That night, Matt and i met up with Kelly, Kim, and Erin for a Zombie shooting hayride.  The only reason i ever do anything is so that i am ready for the Zombie Apocalypse, running included.  I mean, are there people out there who run and aren't thinking about zombies chasing them? If so, I'd like to meet them.  Paintballing some zombies was an excellent way to relieve stress, and polish up my aim.  I might not be a great marathoner, but i am a damn good shot.  

We spent some time checking out the corn maze as well, but it soon became apparent that some of us may have been infected.

Sorry Matt.  If there is anything to be learned from the Odyssey Fun Farms Zombie Safari Hayride it is this:

1. Don't trust anyone - you never know who accidentally got paintball in their mouth and is now infected (hint- it was me. And it will always be me.)

2. How ever much ammo you think you need - it's not enough.  Spring for the extra round of paintballs  ammunition.

3.  When you run out of ammo, and it's looking pretty bleak, just dance to thriller.

A scary weekend indeed!

The fear factor unfortunately spread into Monday, as Wafflito has some kind of stomach bug.  I stayed home with her Monday because she couldn't go an hour without a potty break, and i didn't want to come home to a scene from Hostel.  Needless to say, you haven't experienced true fear until you have seen a basenji with tummy troubles.  Bonus: The vet prescribed pepto bismol, that horrifying pink liquid.  We have to syringe it into her mouth, and she hates it.  Needless to say, it's everywhere, like a hot pink slaughterhouse.

Keepin it real.

First and foremost:


Come do yoga with me this weekend!  On Sunday, my favorite yoga studio, Tula Yoga, is doing a donation class at 5pm, and all the proceeds are going to Huntington's Disease!  Come watch me sit in childs pose in a hot room for an hour.

RSVP here, or don't, and just show up and surprise me - i'll be in the back.  In childs pose.




Now, for the serious stuff.


I have gotten a lot of flack for making light of the zombie incident in Miami, and i just want to let people know, i am not joking around about zombies.  Zombies are a real and serious threat, and i don't joke around about it.  


Here are a few fun facts - ways i am currently preparing for what is obviously an inevitable large scale zombie attack.


1. Remember that Machete i got for Christmas?  (and you all laughed...)

It had been hanging out in the hatch of my car, but since i am officially raising the zombie attack threat level from yellow to red, it has been moved up to the back seat for easy access.


2. I can barely fit my cell phone in my purse....

But i can fit a multi-use pocket knife, bandaids, and aspirin.  And gum.  Woe be the soul caught in zombie apocalypse without gum.


3. I am making sure to text this guy everyday.  

Do you have a zombie survival plan with anyone?  My brother and i have had this plan for years.  It also includes my friend Ashley, but she is currently in Europe, making it very hard to get to her in the even of a full scale zombie outbreak.  My brother is a collector of weaponry, and damn good shot in my opinion.  My goal is to get to him, and then pool our resources.  I am the "brains" of this duo.  


4. Carbo-loading.

You think a marathon is hard?  There is no finish line when being chased by zombies.  You just. keep. running.  Better make sure you are properly fueled.


5.  Food hoarding.

Sure, the bags of rice were on sale so it was a financially wise purchase, but my cabinets are currently packed with 15 lbs of Trader Joe's brown rice.  Because its delicious, and an excellent choice for sustained nutrition should i need to barricade myself in my apartment.  We also have a 40lb bag of puppy chow. (For the dog, obviously)  We are set.


6.  Rations deposits.
There is no telling when the zombie apocalypse will reach chicago.  I could be at work, or stuck in traffic, or at home, or walking the dog, or at a bar.  Thats why i am taking great lengths to make sure i am surrounded by food at ALL times.  I have a snack drawer at work, multiple bags of chex mix in my car, and sometimes i grab a clif bar just to go walk the dog. The only problem is, i keep eating all my snacks and depleting the rations...

7. Meticulous scanning of reputable periodicals for clues.  Remember in Men in Black, when "K" said he got all his leads from tabloid covers?  

Just sayin.


8.  When i was little, my dad taught me shoot a bow and arrow.  I wasn't very good then, and am probably even worse now....but it is definitely time to brush up, because if i learned anything from the walking dead, it's be the guy with the arrows. 

It is the single most efficient way to kill zombies.  And to hunt as well.  I figure at some point, my brown rice hoard will run out, and i will be forced to hunt to survive.  I will also need to convince myself to eat deer, as last i checked, free-range frozen yogurt cups were no longer found in the wild.....

Digging deep.

I. DO. NOT. WANT. TO. RUN. TODAY.


meeeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh......


I am sitting here, looking outside at the prefect day, trying to make up excuses as to why i can't run tonight.  When it comes down to it, I'm tired.  Like, really tired.  I have seven miles to run tonight, and then friday is a glorious, glorious rest day.  Right now though, seven miles seems damn near impossible, and i would rather go home, lay on the couch, and make Matt bring food to me.  One reason i am so tired is that i have been running alot.  Not alot for people who run, but alot for me.  I am reaching that point where i am feeling drained, and no amount of food or sleep can accommodate.  


Another reason is that last night, i said screw food, screw sleep, i am going to the blackhawks game!

Front row seats, naturally.

It was a great game, WE WON IN OVERTIME!  but that also meant i was up wayyyy past my bed time.  
I know every runner has to dig deep from time to time to find the motivation to start a run when they are tired, and finish a run when they are even more tired.  I try and remind myself that i am so fortunate to be able to have enough food available to me to sustain long runs, and the luxury of taking an hour of time (or more!) just for myself to go running.  and legs, i have those.  A lot of people don't have all of the above things.  So i need to shut up and be grateful and just go on my damn run.  
And when all that positive thinking fails, i just imagine there is a zombie behind me.

What motivates you when you need to dig deep?

I will survive....

...a zombie apocalypse.  

But before that - Schwaggle is having a compression sock sale!  You have been warned!  get them before i buy them alllllllllll!

buy them all HERE.

Back to zombies.

Tis the first day of spring!  We survived the long hard winter, and today marks a day of hope for warmer days ahead.  (although to be perfectly honest, if it gets any warmer, i am going to kill someone.)  The downside of spring however, is that all my winter TV shows end, like Walking Dead.  :(

Looks like now i will have to entertain myself with things like running, and socializing with people, and cleaning the apartment.  So, in order to fill the hole that has been left in my heart until next october, here are a few key insights on why distance runners have a better chance of survival during the zombie apocalypse.

1.  The incredibly obvious - we can outrun them.  It's not like you have to be fast - zombies seem to stumble along at about 4.5 mph (at my estimate).  But they are tireless.  If you sprint away from a horde of zombies and end up with a cramp, or an asthma attack, or just are too dang tired to carry on, YOU'RE DEAD.  But if you can run 11 minute miles for 5 hours, most likely someone will tucker out before you and end up as a tasty distraction.  Suck it fast people.  "and the slow will inherit the earth"   Oh wait, that was never said?  my bad.

2.  We are always prepared.  Aside from the obvious fact that i have a machete in my car, at the ready, i also have a glove box full of granola bars, tylenol, electrolyte tabs, a full waterbottle, etc.  I don't even leave the house without food and water on my person.  (mostly because i am always hungry)  If i get trapped by zombies somewhere, i am at least good for a few days hours.

3.  We travel in groups.  I have been known to tackle a long run on my own from time to time, but the plain fact is, distance runners like to be around other distance runners.  We're like a wolf pack.  A very slow wolf pack.

4.  I have no problem skirting all my responsibilities to go for a run.  I will take care of all you bitches after my run (i'm looking at you waffles....) This survival tactic seems to work out well for Lori in the Walking Dead.

You are an awesome role model Lori.

5.  

If we can eat this crap, we can eat anything.  I think choking down nasty sugar paste has given me a better food tolerance.  Roast squirrel doesn't sound quite as bad as it used to.

6.  We are armed with an arsenal of sleeveless shirts, pepper spray, comfortable footwear and sweat-wicking socks.  We might not be appreciated for our bad-assness in everyday life, but when the zombies come, people will wish they were as awesome as us.  I'm just saying, based on the show, sleeveless shirts seem to be a must for zombie apocalypse survival.

I will miss you so much Daryl - so, so much.....

The shakes.

Have you ever been so cold, that even after being in a warm room for like 10-15 minutes, you just CAN'T get warm, and violently shake like a chihuahua??  That was me yesterday.


Since my long run became a short run on saturday (due to cold)  I decided to take a second swing at it on Sunday (even though it was still cold). 


So here is a summary of my weekend:


Saturday morning run:  COLD.  came home, shook violently, then took a super long hot shower.  
Got fab haircut.  (this we already know)  
Drove to Rock-Vegas (Rockford) to see my mom and brother, and introduce Waffles.  
Tried to go to dinner to celebrate Matt's B-day, as well as my brothers at the hope and anchor.  Waited two hours to be seated (and mind you, we are in freaking rockford, IL - not downtown Chicago.)  I have never rarely walked out of a restaurant hungrily giving the host the finger, but it had to happen.  Should you be in the Rockford/Loves Park area, first of all i'm sorry, but second of all, don't go to Hope and Anchor if you are crazy like me and expect dinner.

 Obviously, by this point i have been drinking on an empty stomach and was becoming belligerent, so the family went down the street to Buffalo Wild Wings, because i have a cousin that works there, and Matt and my bro love wings.  It was ok.  In general, i am not a fan of wings, or even chicken, but when you are hungry enough you will eat anything.  I got some naked strips, and the mildest sauce they had, because i am a baby.  


Then we went to this dive bar called "Attitudes" that had karaoke, where i proceeded to drink a fair share of vodka/club soda's and sing karaoke (because that is the way to prepare for a long run.)  For the record, i sang Shania Twain "Man, i feel like a woman" and the Eagles "Heartache Tonight".  I massacred both, and a complete stranger bought me a rose, i think as an attempt to shut me up.

Sunday morning we drove back, and i got suited up to go trail running in Palos Hills with my friend Eric.  Eric ran cross country in high school, so he is by nature significantly faster than me, but because he truly likes running, he is really good at slowing down to my pace.  we did 7.5 miles (although it was supposed to an 8 mile loop...perhaps we went through a time warp?)  IT. WAS. HARD.  I love Eric dearly, and would never shout a cruel word at him, but i vaguely remember at on point looking at a giant hill and screaming "Are you F***ing kidding me????"  Yeah.  it was hard.  Especially the first three miles.  Despite how cold it was, i was stripping every thing off, because if felt like we were running 8 minute miles....we were, in fact, running 11 minute miles.  DANG!  how do you trail runners do it??  No wonder they say running hills makes you faster!

During my run, Matt called me three times, and sent a text saying "call me now"  So i started to panic that there was an emergency.  It turns out that the emergency was that he needed Potbellys, STAT.  Seriously??


I went to get him the potbellys, and blasted the heat in my car all the way back from Palos, but i could get warm. I was standing in the potbellys ordering his sandwich, and i just started shaking.  really hard. I actually had someone ask me if i was ok, bc it looked like i was having a seizure.  I was just so cold!  It's like i was covered in ice cold sweat.  Such a terrible feeling.  I hope he enjoyed the damn sandwich.


After i warmed up, i went to my friend Aaron's to eat an amazing pasta dinner and watch "The walking dead"  The the pasta and the company was top-notch

i went to town.

And as for The walking dead - 
I missed you Daryl Dixon....i missed you so much....***


I hope your weekend was more productive than mine, but equally fun!! 


***Consenquently, they make a Daryl Dixon action figure if anyone wants to buy it for me.

Back in black.

It's good to be back.

After this past week, i finally feel like i am back to where I was last fall before i totally freaked out and decided i hated running and was quitting for a month to better focus my pursuits to competitive snacking.  


I am really focusing on two things with my running right now.  
1.  Speed.  I am really slow, and proud to be slow, but i need to get a little bit faster right now in order to have people to run with.  My short stubby legs have not been keeping up.  Why, oh why, did nature give me the body layout equivalent to a wiener dog?

This is me, all torso, no limbs....

I would love to get my pace down to 8:30-9:00 for my shorter runs by the end of the year.  I am hoping if i chase after Keren and Kelsey enough, it might actually happen!

2.  Quality.  I would like to have "stupid, crappy runs" less often.  Part of why i was so burnt out last season is that i was pushing to hard to make goals, so my body felt like crap, and my mind felt even worse.  I should finish this year without hating running.  or crying during a race.

SO, in order to help focus on these elements, i have made a few goals for this year.  And hopefully, people will help me stick to them.

1.  I would like to run a sub 2:00 half marathon this spring/summer, and possibly a 1:55 by fall.  

2.  I am going to run 3 marathons this year.  Two i will be really training for, and the third i intend to run/walk/drink my way through.

    a.  The first marathon is in may.  I just want to finish.  Lord help me, i just want to finish.

    b.  The second marathon is in Oct.  I want to run it in 4:00:00.  I really want to break that barrier.  

    c.  The third i also just want to finish.  I am only doing it for the bragging rights of an international marathon.
3.  I want to run one race in an elaborate hand made costume.  
I am still kicking around ideas, but i think it would be awesome to force convince someone to run a race with me dressed as ABBA

I wish i could say i was kidding right now, but this would be SO AWESOME!

Naked cowgirl is also in the running, especially if there ends up being a really hot race this summer...

All i would really need is an inflatable guitar....

As always, i am open to suggestions....

4.  I kind of want to try a trail race.  Nothing extreme, i just want to dip my toe in the water...

5.  I want to help someone reach a goal of theirs.  Any goal.  I just want to be a part of it.

I also have a couple non running goals:

1.  Get a haircut.  Like this week.  Its becoming a real disaster up there.

2.  Stop worrying so much.  From here on out, i plan to approach all my problems as Kesha would.  I'm gonna go at it hard, and there is going to be lots of glitter.  and booze.

If ever i had a soulmate...

3. Nice black pants.  I'm gonna own some.  It is time.

4.  I'm going to try and at least limit the candy intake.  I am starting to have concern for my teeth.  As jank as they are, they chew my food, and for that i love them.

5.  Finalize my zombie preparedness kit.  You never know...you just never know.... 

6.  More pictures.  Life is just too short.  And my face is just too beautiful.

Anyone else make some big goals for this year?  I feel like most people did it in January, but it takes me at least a month to commit to the goal making process.

Zombies?

I tried to go to the costume store for "run of the dead" accessories, and it was a grade A skankfest nightmare.  NIGHTMARE.  I felt like i was going to have a panic attack, so i decided to come home and drink a  bunch of dirty martinis.  Because that makes sense the night before a race.  I have a preused zombie costume that i am debating wearing.

memmmmmoooorrriiieeessssssss

Yeah, i was zombie bridesmaid.  I am sitting here drinking my martini debating if i could run a 5k in this baby tomorrow morning.  Actually, i am debating if i can run a 5k tomorrow morning.  I suppose the most perfect ending to this month would be to combine zombies and running.  Also, it could be an excuse for running slow, rather than my inevitable hangover.  

Maybe one more martini and will have talked myself into it.......

Zombie Marathon day 23

Yeah, i am behind by about four movies.  I might actually feel bad about it too if people read my blog.  

Holy mother of hell.Last night i watched REC, and it was about as close as i have ever com to peeing my pants out of fear.

(two close calls in one weekend, dang!)  This was the Spanish zombie movie that "Quarantine" was based on.  I vaguely remember watching quarantine and being so scared i turned it off.  That was a good decision, in hind-sight.  I was so scared i couldn't sleep.  Whats even worse is that there is a sequel, waiting for me....and two more in the works.  CRAP.  The only major difference between REC and Quarantine is that Quarantine has some religious/possession themes to it.  Like it matters, either way, it is TERRIFYING.  It plays on a combination of all my fears....being alone in the dark with fast-moving zombies in a psychopaths torture lair.  YIKES.

PROS:

1. Zombies are legit scary.

2  They don't explain what is going on, so you are clueless as to why everything is happening

3.  The Madieras girl.  (You will know when you watch it.

CONS:

1.  You will have nightmares

2.  You will have to watch the sequels, most likely causing additional nightmares

3.  You may or may not pee your pants.

Zombie Marathon day 20

Bad weather, bad traffic, and cranky because our heat isn't working and our apartment is hovering in the upper 50's.  We need a good zombie movie.

Thank god for you.

Everytime i watch this movie, it gets better.  I LURVEEEEEEEEEE this movie.  When i watch this movie, i feel that i could also survive a zombie apocalypse.  Except i would have a baseball bat instead of a cricket paddle.  Because i am American and all.  While i was watching it, i tried to think of what bar i would hole myself up in during zombie apocalypse.  My first thought was Bob-inn

The greatest bar in Chicago.  period.

I love this bar.  I  moved to be closer to this bar. It's family owned, and sometimes i enjoy just going in to enjoy a beer, watch a sports game, and chat with my neighbors.  Todays pros and cons will be about surviving the zombie apocalypse in the Bob Inn.  (Chicago's "Winchester")


PROS:  
1.  Closest bar to my house, could get there in 5 minutes.  2 1/2 minutes if being chased by zombies.
2.  Fully stocked with can's of miller highlife.  They know what i like.
3.  No one else would think to go there during zombie apocalypse.


CONS:
1.  No food.  I can't go more than three hours without eating something.
2.  Front door is weak, and would not provide much protection from zombies.
3.  They don't have weapons in the bar.  That i know of.  All though i bet i could do some damage with a pool cue....

Zombie Marathon day 19

We watched Zombie High

It started out well enough....ridiculous 80's soundtrack....gratuitous tube socks.....what could go wrong?
This is a movie from the 80's about a girl who transfers to a swanky prep school....and then things go terribly wrongggggg!


I object to their interpretation of zombies.  When they say "zombie" they mean lobotomized teenagers that study hard, do well in school, are extremely focused and polite.  The exact opposite of teenagers.  I am pretty sure this already exists, and they call it ritalin.  or adderol.  AND, if that is what it is to be a zombie, SIGN ME UP.  If i had focus, i probably could have taken over the world years ago.  I would like to make sure that my future children are also zombies.  convert them young, i say.  It wasn't particularly scary or funny.  I actually found the movie really boring, and had trouble staying focused.  Maybe if i were a zombie, i could have sat through it.  The scariest part of the whole night was the tree branch that kept hitting our window.  


PROS:
1.  Keytar and synthesizers used to transition scenes
2.  Tube socks in full effect
3.  Nope...sorry.


CONS:
1.  Created a time warp, we paused it after watching for three hours, and only 40 minutes had elapsed
2.  Not scary
3.  Makes me want to be a zombie...

Zombie Marathon day 18

Man!  Watching all these movies is just as exhausting as running!!


Last night, matt and i decided to go for a scary one.  It was really cold in our apartment, mostly because i am a nazi that wont turn the heat on until november, even if it is 50 degrees in the apartment.  (Gas ain't cheap!)


We watched "Mutants"

It. was. scary. and. French.


I don't know what it is about the French, but then just seem to film movies so much better.  
This movie scared me.  At multiple points, i debated just turning it off so i could go to bed and have horrible nightmares all night.  I think the scariest part about it, is that the main character is alone in this giant scary building with her husband slowly transforming into a zombie, and that sucks.  Other survivors eventually end up at the building as well, but they only want to steal her ambulance rather than help her.  French people are so mean!  If i happen to be in France when the zombie apocalypse occurs, i am just going to start shooting anyone who gets near me, because French zombie movies have taught me better than to EVER TRUST A FRENCH PERSON!  This is the second of three French zombie movies on my cue for October.  Luckily the third one is a drama, and in no way scary, because French horror movies make me want to pee my pants.


PROS:
1.  It's scary.  I was hiding under a blanket at one point
2.  Zombie transformation was really believable.  Kudos to the makeup people
3.  Uber skinny woman claiming to be pregnant is heroine and sole survivor, just like in the Horde


CONS:
1.  Shouldn't not have watched on a scary stormy night
2.  Ending leaves you hanging a bit, and that annoys me
3.  Subtitles.  Even harder when you are hiding under a blanket.

Zombie Marathon day 13

Zombie Wars.

Don't worry, it's much cheesier that the cover would let on.

Zombie Wars take place 50 years after the zombie revolution, and the human survivors are scavengers in rags, sleeping under tarps and struggling to survive.  The zombies however, have started farming people solely for food.  They also have barns for the people, and farm people food to feed the people.

SERIOUSLY?  The zombies are that smart and the people are that stupid?  I am very displeased if the only people who survive zombie apocalypse are the boneheads and rejects.  And, while i am not an animal rights activist, i could totally see how this could play into animal rights, because the human rag-tag band keeps breaking into the zombie farm to try and free (or more accurately, bang) the farmed humans.  Am i the only one who could see PETA all over this?  This movie was so bad, it was awesome.  Just make sure you have a drink or two while you watch it.

PROS:

1.  The farmed people are like, norwegian porn stars, and that amuses me.

2.  The zombies only seem to know how to grow carrots to feed the people.

3.  90% sure all the actors in this film have a background in porn, and thought this was "their big break"

CONS:

1.  I find it hard to believe the zombies are that much more civilized than people.  Maybe I'm a bitch

2.  Pretty poorly filmed

3.  90% sure all the actors in this film have a background in porn, and thought this was "their big break"

Stay tuned, more back blogs to come over the course of the week!!

Zombie Marathon days 16 and 17

So i'm about as good at blogging about zombie movies as i am at getting my training runs in!  I am going to have some out of order and combined posts just to get caught up.  And i guess i'll run tonight, even though my motivation tank is on empty despite having the Cincinnati Half Marathon this weekend.  Thank god the world is supposed to end on friday, and hopefully spare me an embarrassing time.  


This sunday, i was supposed to run with my friend Aaron, but we were both tired and slightly hungover, and it didn't happen.  Instead, he ate a KFC bowl of gross, and i had a bloody mary, which is almost like running, right??  I got to meet up with Aaron later at our friend Jessica's, who was hosting our book club viewing of "Interview with a Vampire"

Jess was the hostess with the mostest, and made vegetarian french onion soup, and we all had lots of yummy red wine, french bread, and cheese.  DE-LISH!  I have read the book before, and seen the movie multiple times, but i still like it.  Its so weird to see it now, as all the actors look drastically different than they did about 16 years ago.  


I know it's technically not a Zombie movie, but they are the walking dead, and they do feed on the living, so we'll allow it.


Last night, Aaron came over and we watch the season 2 premiere of the walking dead

I wont give away major details, just in case someone might accidentally read my blog, but it was AWESOME!  I am very excited for this season.  One surprising twist for me is that Daryl is becoming my favorite character.

I would protect you!

Daryl Dixon was the token hillbilly, racist, roadkill eating guy, but they are already really developing his character into something more.  Maybe it's my rockford roots that draw me to him like a moth to the flame.  Maybe it's the fact that he is the only one not grossed out be ANYTHING.  I like that.  If i am caught in the middle of zombie apocalypse, i want daryl dixon on my side.  I guess you can't deny your roots.  Men in dirty wife-beaters carrying crossbows will always be sexy when you grow up in rockford.  sigh.


There is no pros and cons for this, because Walking dead is amazing.  You need to be watching it.
Posts will be sparse today as well because i have a ton to do, but on the plus side, i have very little to do tonight besides blog, eat ice cream and watch zombie movies!!