Job Hunting Whoas

Ever since I found out my graduate assistanceship was ending, I have been job hunting. I've applied for umpteen jobs; Eight of which I would actually like to do. Four out of the eight I would really, really love to do.

Here's what I've learned/what I know.

• Job hunting, in any form, is frustrating.
• Crying solves zero problems, but it makes me feel better.
• I feel guilty for not working. Like something is very wrong. The college version of me would be disgusted with this guilty version of me.
• I love days off. But I hate this permanent days off thing I'm currently in.
• Money absolutely does not grow on trees. Trust me I check the trees outside every morning. No money.
• I go nowhere so I spend no money. It's a very sad existence.
• I'm qualified to do the jobs I apply for, but they always want MORE experience. Hello, you have to have a job to gain experience. Pretty soon all the people coming out of college won't be able to get jobs because they have zero experience.
• My baby face is a disadvantage. On paper, I'm a 24-year-old college graduate with a pending Master's degree upon the completion of a thesis. In really life, I look like a 15-year-old. Sigh.

But this is one thing I do know.

If I could just get in a room with a potential employer, I have the confidence and the drive to win them over. I want to work. I want to have a career in the field I love. I want to help as many people as I can. I feel called to do those things.

With all this drive, it's hard to stay in such a stagnant period for so long. I mean YOLO. (I sort of hate myself for saying YOLO just then, but it felt appropriate.)

For the past month or so, I've prayed that God would put me on the path He created for me. To put me in a job where I can do great things. To move forward in a way that is pleasing to Him.

And I'm ashamed to admit that I am frustrated, upset and little bit depressed about my current situation. I fully trust in Him to provide me with all the things I need to be the person He wants me to be. So I feel even more frustrated and upset that I would be having any of these thoughts in the first place.

Please pray for me as I go through this MAJOR transition period in my life. Pray that I am on the path God has created for me. Pray that I do not get frustrated with myself for things that are completely out of my control.

I need your help. I can't do this alone.

Holy Cow: My Half Marathon Training Plan

Over the weekend, my mom finally finished writing up my half marathon training plan for St. Jude.

She put the long runs on a fancy calendar print-out with all the weekly workouts written on the back of each month.

I guess now would be the optimum time to confess that I haven't been running like I was back in March. After the Capital City Classic 10K from hell, I took some time off. Then I had some health problems, which I got under control. So I ran for 2 weeks. Felt good. Then I passed out at a concert. Insert more health problems here. Found out I'm hypoglycemic.

But the confession is that I'm scared to run. I'm scared to run by myself. And it's not that I'm scared I'll fall out in the middle of it. I'm scared to find out how much fitness I've actually lost. So there it is. My big confession. I'm being such a baby about it. Like really. It's pitiful.

I was suppose to run over the weekend with my mom. But it rained at all the key points in the day when running would be best....ahem...the morning time.

When I looked at the finished training plan, I felt sick. Doubt clouded my thoughts. Am I going to be able to do this? Like really do this to the extent I planned when I signed up in May?

I only have a month and a half to get my base run under some kind of control. Someone needs to politely slap me in the face and tell me to get it together ASAP!

In the spirit of getting it together, I'm posting my training plan --- which my mom wrote specifically for me so feel free to change it up to fit you if you choose to use it. I'm hoping this ever-living post will provide me with some kind of accoutability. So if you choose to use this plan, please leave a comment saying that you are using it and together we shall overcome the fear and run!

My Half Marathon Plan for St. Jude's Half Marathon

This plan is centered around 3 weekly runs with one optional easy run. It's a 13-week plan with built-in recovery weeks to help with burnout. You will have three to four rest days depending on if you choose to do the optional run. Feel free to work in cross-training on those days, but take rest whenever you feel you need it.

Week 1

Speedwork: 2 mile fartlek

Tempo: 3 mile tempo run - 1st mile slow, each mile try to make it 10-15 seconds faster
Long run: 4 miles

Optional: 3 mile easy run

Week 2

Speedwork: 2 mile fartlek

Hillwork: 3 mile run - find some hills or use treadmill inclines.

Long run: 5 miles

Optional: 3 mile easy run

Week 3

Speedwork: 3 mile fartlek

Tempo: 3 or 4 mile tempo run - race pace goal

Long run: 6 miles

Optional: 3 mile easy run

Week 4 - Recovery

Speedwork - 2 mile fartlek

Tempo - 2 mile tempo run - pace doesn't matter as much

Long run - 3 miles

Optional: 3 mile easy run

Week 5

Speedwork: Warm up easy jog - 1 mile. 1 minute - fast pace; 1 minute slow jog, alternate for 20 minutes. 1 mile cool down.

Hillwork: 3-4 mile interval run - find some hills

Long run: 7 miles

Optional: 3 mile easy run

Week 6

Speedwork: pick up the pace run - 4 miles. Start slow and end final mile at race pace. Example: mile 1 11:45, mile 2 11:30, mile 3 11:15, mile 4 11:00 (rest 1:30 minutes inbetween.)

4 mile run at Race pace

Long run: 8 miles

Optional: 3 mile easy run

Week 7

5 mile hill workout

4-5 mile repeat. 1/2 mile warm up. Run race pace for each mile wtih 1:30 minute rests in between. 1/2 mile

cooldown.

Long run: 9 miles

Optional: 3 mile easy run

Week 8 - Recovery

Speedwork: 2-3 mile fartlek

4 mile easy run

Long run: 4-5 miles

Optional: 3 mile easy run

Week 9

Speedwork: 4 mile fartlek

Tempo: 5 mile tempo run

Long run: 10 miles

Optional: 3 mile easy run

Week 10

1. 5 mile run: 1/2 mile warm-up and cool down. 1 mile repeat at race pace with 1:30 minutes rests inbetween.

2. 1 mile warmup: 2 miles of one minute faster then 1 minute slower jog. 1 mile cooldown.

3. Long run: 11 miles

Optional: 3 mile easy run

Week 11

Tempo: 4 mile tempo run at race pace

Hills: 5-6 mile hill interval run

Long run: 12 miles

Optional: 3 mile easy run

Week 12 - Recovery

3 miles at race pace

Tempo: 4-5 mile tempo run at race pace

Long run: 5-6 miles

Optional 3 mile easy run

Week 13 - Race week

Monday: 3-4 mile easy run

Wednesday: 2-3 mile run

REST! REST! REST! - stretch a lot.

Saturday/Sunday - RACE DAY 13.1!!!!

If you would like to support my fundraising efforts for the St. Jude's Hero program, go here.

Prayer Warrior T-shirts

You only have two days left to order a Prayer Warrior t-shirt! Get 'em while they're hot! Click the photo for all the information on how to order. Send you order via e-mail to pinnedja@aol.com. Or find Tish Fallis on Facebook and send her a direct message. You have until July 14, 2012 to place your order.

The Bit got to try out one of the new rooms in the brand new Oncology unit at Children's this last visit. She was followed by the news and everything. She told us her new room was beautiful. And it really was. The rooms are all private rooms. Very spacious with lots of natural light. And we could look outside and see the healing garden and the new just for oncology patients playground. Very fancy and fun.

Before going in for progress scans, Asher got to spend a few days at the lake playing and swimming. It was a joy to see her so happy and kid-like again. Sometimes she just seems so much older than a 3-year-old.

I love to see her so happy. And to top off the happiness, she got good news on her progress reports. The main tumor in her leg is shrinking. And some cancerous spots in her chest have disappeared altogether. When I read the results, all I could do was laugh and cry and thank God for listening to my desperate prayers of healing for this sweet child.

Thank you for following Asher as she is on this fighting journey! Thank you for ordering t-shirts and wearing Prayer Warrior bracelets and praying continuously for this kid I love so much. It's hard to put into words the gratitude we feel for you. Thankfulness doesn't even being to explain it. It's more like pure awe and humbleness.

So really. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting Asher as she kicks cancer!

Stuffed Poblano Peppers

First thing first, I have a recipe to share with you. But not before I tell you some things I've learned this past week.

Gatorade comes in a can. And it will change your life. So cold. Where did I discover such greatness you might ask? Arkansas Children's Hospital has refrigerators full of this stuff. Like hospital gold. Since the mindblowing discovery, I have googled canned Gatorade upteen times with no luck as to how to get it. Any ideas? Please comment below if you know of how to get your hands on this.

Kind bars. Almond and coconut Kind bars. So freaking good. And there is only 10 grams of sugar per bar. A-mazing! There are lots of flavors. I will be trying them all. Not even kidding. Go. Get. Some. Today. I got mine at Kroger in the Natural Foods section.

The guy who wrote this book is a journalist. I am digging this book, even though it's from a guy's perspective. Not all things apply to me, but it's been very interesting. If I could go back in time and tell my 18-year-old self to double major in Journalism and Nutrition, I totally would. I could write a book like this. Maybe I will...Would you read it?

Now on to the main event. The recipe you've been waiting patiently for...or you skipped the beginning of this to get here. Whatever. Just make it. And love it.

Stuffed Poblano Peppers

What you will need:
1 lb (or package) of ground chicken (you can use beef or pork or whatever)
3 poblano peppers (also known as passilla peppers)
1 15 oz. can of tomato sauce
1 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes
1/2 uncooked brown rice
1 15 oz. can of pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 package of taco seasoning (I made up my own taco seasoning to cut out some of the sodium.)

Put the rice in a pot with one cup of water, a sprinkle of salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Cook 35-40 minutes. Brown rice takes longer to cook, but you can get other stuff ready while it does its thing.

Cut the peppers in half, vertically. Scoop out the insides. Open the can of diced tomatoes and pour into the bottom of a 9x13 pan. You might not have to use the whole can, but if you like it more juicy go for it.

In a saute pan, brown the ground chicken with half the pouch of taco seasoning. By then, the rice should get close to done. Add the cooked rice, rinsed and drained pinto beans and half of the can of tomato sauce. Stir in the rest of the taco seasoning. Things should be smelling good.

Fill the pepper halves and place them in the pan with the diced tomatoes. Just put any remaining filling on top of the peppers. It doesn't have to look fancy.

I forgot to tell you to pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees....So do that before so you don't have to wait around for it. Put the peppers in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Make sure to cover the peppers with some foil.

At the 45 minute mark, remove the foil and cover the peppers with your favorite cheese. I used cheddar cheese. Bake for 15 minutes uncovered so the cheese will melt and the pepper will continue to soften.

Remove from oven. Put on a plate. Savor the smell. And try not to burn the roof of your mouth. These peppers are seriously delicious. And you can stuff them however you want.

Feel free to modify this recipe to make it your own. But promise me you will try the poblanos. There is something about them that just kick regular bell peppers to the curb.