Running

For over a year now, I've been a sporadic jogger. I bought one of those Nike+ things for my ipod nano last tax season and joined an online challenge with my co-workers in order to stay motivated during our busy season. The challenge worked to motivate me, but as soon as tax season - and the challenge - were over, my motivation to run fell by the wayside. I'll jog a mile here and there, but nothing very challenging.

That is until one of my favorite co-workers convinced me to run the Big Sur Half Marathon with her in November. Why oh why can't I resist her enthusiasm? Now I am training for a half marathon.

I started out running the track at North Valleys High School. That was cool at first, but for some reason it's recently become a very popular place at 5:30am. The last thing I need when I'm huffing and puffing at the beginning of mile 2 is group of gazelles bounding around me, forcing my brain to suggest once again that perhaps my short, somewhat mushy, top-heavy body just isn't really built for running.

I'd like to be able to just jog around my own neighborhood, but I live in the foothills around Peavine Mountain and it is WAY to hilly for me at this point. I recently discovered the Sky Vista neighborhood. Instead of sidewalks surrounding the development, they have gorgeous wide asphault paths that seem to be relatively empty at 5:30am. Those lucky ducks.

So I'm on the hunt for good jogging spots in Reno. I think I'll give Rancho San Rafael a try this weekend. No, scrap that idea: Blues Festival this weekend in RSR. I wish I could go, but it's way too expensive. I just paid nearly $400 for the 1st two sections of the CPA exam and I need new running shoes. Can't afford $150 festival tix. Maybe next year when I'm a 1/2 marathon-running CPA making the big bucks . . .

The "W" List

This is a little off topic for my blog, but in a recent entry on the Downtown Women's Club blog, I came across the "W" List, a list of great blogs powered by women. I need to add my favorite: Ask Liz Ryan and Practical Job Search Advice by Liz Ryan. I stumbled across her in a Business Week online column a few years ago and I've been a faithful follower ever since.

Here's the list:

The W List - Women who blog
45 Things by Anita Bruzzese
advergirl Leigh Householder
Ask Liz Ryan by Liz Ryan
Back in Skinny Jeans by Stephanie Quilao
Biz Growth News by Krishna De
BlogWrite for CEOs Debbie Weil
Brand Sizzle Anne Simons
Branding & Marketing Chris Brown
Brazen Careerist by Penelope Trunk
CK’s Blog CK (Christina Kerley)
Communication Overtones Kami Huyse
Conscious Business by Anne Libby
Conversation Agent Valeria Maltoni
Corporate PR Elizabeth Albrycht
Customers Rock! Becky Carroll
Deborah Schultz by Deborah Schultz
Diva Marketing Blog Toby Bloomberg
Dooce by Heather B. Armstrong
Email Marketing Best Practices Tamara Gielen
Escape from Cubicle Nation by Pamela Slim
eSoup by Sharon Sarmiento
Feministing by Jessica, Vanessa, Samhita, Ann, Celina, Jen and Courtney
Flooring The Consumer CB Whittemore
Forrester’s Marketing Blog Shar, Charlene, Chloe, Christine Elana, Laura and Lisa
FunnyBusiness by Elana Centor
Get Fresh Minds by Katie Konrath
Get Shouty by Katie Chatfield
Hey Marci by Marci Alboher
Inspired Business Growth by Wendy PiersallJ.T. O’Donnell Career Insights by J.T. O’Donnell
Kinetic Ideas Wendy Maynard
Learned on Women by Andrea Learned
Learning Optimism by Nataly KoganLindsey Pollak by Lindsey Pollak
Lip-Sticking by Yvonne DeVita and Lena West
Liz Strauss at Successful Blog by Liz Strauss
Little Red Suit by Tiffany Monhollon
Lorelle on WordPress by Lorelle VanFossen
Manage to Change by Ann Michael
Management Craft by Lisa Haneberg
Marketing Roadmaps Susan Getgood
Moda di Magno by Lori Magno
Modite by Rebecca Thorman
Narrative Assets by Karen Hegman
Practical Job Search Advice by Liz Ryan
Presto Vivace Blog Alice Marshall
Productivity Goal by Carolyn Manning
Spare Change Nedra Kline Weinreich
::Surroundings:: by Linda Merrill
That’s What She Said by Julie Elgar
Tech Kitten by Trisha Miller
The Blog Angel aka Claire Raikes
The Brand Dame by Lyn Chamberlin
The Copywriting Maven Roberta Rosenberg
The Engaging Brand by Anna Farmery
The Origin of Brands Laura Ries
The Podcast Sisters by Krishna De, Anna Farmery and Heather GorringeWater Cooler Wisdom by Alexandra Levit
Wealth Strategy Secrets by Money Gym author and Founder Nicola Cairncross.
What’s Next Blog B L Ochman
Wiggly Wigglers authored by fellow Podcast Sister Heather Gorringe
WomensDISH by Diane K. Danielson and friends
Ypulse by Anastasia Goodstein

Nikki Beach

Ahhhhhh. I spent last Saturday hanging out by the pool at the Grand Sierra Resort. My BFF Leah and I arrived around 10:30AM and walked right in - no cover! Yeah! We were there early enough to snag a big two-person lounger. Spent the day soaking up the sun and downing mimosas. Ally, the bartender, knows how to make mimosas: a full glass of champagne with just a splash of OJ for color. Yum.

I'm so glad I found a place to waste away the weekend.

July in Reno

I spent the month of July avoiding studying for the CPA exam by volunteering for Artown. For the uninitiated, Artown is a month-long celebration of arts and culture in the Reno area. Near mid June, the "Little Black Book of Artown" appears in newspapers and various locations throughout the city with a day-by-day listing of all Artown events. Every day in July there are dozens of events to choose from, many of which are free. Check out www.renoisartown.com for more info.

Anyway, I volunteered for Wednesday night "Food for the Soul" concert series and Friday night Movies in the Park. Both events are held in Wingfield Park by the Truckee River. I'm not usually a very outgoing person, so when I was asked to take surveys I was a little hesitant. It turned out to be so much fun. Thank you to everyone who graciously took a few moments of their time away from picnic dinners, family and friends. I loved talking residents and visitors and seeing the love there is for this event. I'm already looking forward to next year.

My favorite concert by far was Fiamma Fumana, a group from Northern Italy. I don't even know how to describe their music except that it was beautiful and it rocked at the same time. I'll be picking up all of their CDs on Amazon.com in the very near future.

Artown is truly an amazing event. The organization brings world-class entertainment and culture to a little city that outsiders and viewers of Reno 911! think is nothing but meth addicts and trailer parks. Sure we have that, too. But we've also got the American Ballet Theater, Pink Martini, and Mikhail Baryshnikov. So HAH!

My Wittle Baby Blog

I moved to Reno, NV in August of 2001. This month marks my sixth year as a resident of the Biggest Little City in the World. I moved here when my (now) husband asked me to leave my quaint little home town (maybe you've heard of it: Las Vegas?) to live with him while he finished his degree at UNR. Here's a short summary of the past six years:

Year One: "As soon as you finish your degree, we are leaving this podunk town and moving back to Las Vegas."

Year Two: "Reno doesn't have the great shopping and restaurants that Vegas has, but at least my morning commute is short."

Year Three: "The commute is short and it's not as hot. Might as well buy a house."

Year Four: "Wow. Shopping and dining options have really improved here. This isn't so bad. I've almost finished my degree, too. Might as well stick around for a while."

Year Five: "Excellent! I'm a college grad, I'm engaged, and I just landed a job at a great firm. Life in Reno is good."

Year Six: "Reno is the greatest place on earth. How dare anyone suggest I move back to that hell-hole in the bottomless pit of this state?"

So here I am, loving my adopted home town so much I want to shout it from the rooftops. But I realized that I spent my first few years here ignoring the possibilities this town has to offer. The more I do, the more I realize there is to do. So I dedicate this blog to exploring the possibilities Reno has to offer (outside of gambling, er - "gaming" and close proximity to legalized prostitution).