Ok, if any of y’all just read on google reader or the like…take a moment today and head on over to the site and check out all the hard work that my lovely wonderful Ariela did.

I got a beautiful blog makeover and I’m so excited and it’s so beautiful and Ariela is the bestest.

You know, also, we just rolled the new theme out, so there may be a few bugs.  If you notice any, drop an email to ariela@penatpeace.com

[Ariela's Update: I've successfully uncovered at least one issue with the Gravatars... Grr argh...]

Hey folks.  Um where the heck did April go?  For reals.  My posting has been soooo sporadic and for a while I couldn’t figure out why.  Then I realized that my Ironman training ramped up this month.  This week, for example, my training is at 14 hours/wk.  I haven’t really figured out how to balance work, puppy, training, blogging, and a social life.  If you think I’ve been neglecting you, I have straight up abandoned a social life.

With all this craziness I’ve been all over the place lately.  I’ve been starting a lot of posts lately…and not finishing them.  Which is the story of my life.  I’m constantly going in twenty directions, and I find it hard to devote my full attention to completing any task.  A while ago, I posted a formspring page…and never finished answering all the questions.

I answered some of the questions (here and here).  But there are still a fair number of them that have yet to be answered (because, honestly, I kinda forgot about it…).  The remaining questions can really be grouped into two categories: running/triathloning and lawyering.  So…in order start cleaning up the stuff I’ve started and not finished, tonight I bring to you the answers to the lawyering questions.

Where did you go to undergrad and law school?

I went to Washington University in St Louis for undergrad, where I got a BA in Political Science and Environmental Science.  But, that was not before beginning as a math major, switching to a physics major, pondering a move to the engineering school, considering switching to the social work school and finally contemplating the ability to get a third major in women’s studies.  I love school.  For reals y’all.  If I could stay in school learning for the rest of my life I would be sooooo happy (academia, anyone?!).

And, I went to Duke for grad school, getting a joint law degree and Masters in Psychology (JD/MA).  I started out just as a law student, but I knew that I was going to enter a joint degree program after my first year.  At first I just didn’t know what the joint degree would be in.  I was leaning towards a joint JD/MEM (Masters of Environmental Management…the program which led me to pick Duke) before law school, but it became clear that as much as I loved environmental work, my real passion was in the intersection of criminal law and psychology.

I love hearing stories about your work, how did you know you wanted to be an attorney? Did you go right to law school after college? Was law school as hard as everyone says it is?

First, off…how did I know I wanted to be an attorney? Um…I think the better question is when did I figure out I didn’t want to be an attorney.  I went to law school straight out of undergrad.  My path veered towards law school for many many reasons, none of which were wanting to be a lawyer.  I think.  I ended up in law school because:

1. What can you do with a poli sci degree?
2. I wanted to save the world/environment/people
3. I liked learning and wanted to stay in school (forever)
4. I had an odd talent for taking the LSAT
5. All my friends were doing it
6. I LOVED Constitutional history and civil rights work
7. I was OBSESSED with the Supreme Court and Supreme Court Politics
8. I wanted to become a Supreme Court Justice
9. I didn’t know what else to do with my life.

Now, I didn’t figure out that I wasn’t interested in being a lawyer until my first year of law school.  By then, I’d sunk enough money (and energy) into law school, it didn’t seem like a choice to leave.  Plus, I had no idea what I really wanted to do (beside “save the world”).  Eventually, I figured out that I wanted to change the way our criminal justice system is run.  I am a huge proponent of rehabilitative programs in prisons and juvenile detention centers.  And, my ideal dream job would be to design and implement rehabilitation programs in juvenile detention centers (or as we call them in GA, “Youth Development Campuses”).  I essentially want to be a prison psychologist.  (My master’s thesis was on Deviancy Training in Juvenile Detention Centers, i.e. how kids come out worse after confinement time…)

This is going to require going back to get my PhD in Clinical Psychology.  When I realized what I really wanted to do with my life in law school, I considered going straight into a PhD program.  Then I thought that it might be helpful if I had a real person job before I turned 30.  So I decided to be a lawyer for a little bit.  But, my estimated return to school is fall of 2012.

You started in Big Law – was your goal to end up in Big Law before/during law school? Or did you always have an interest in PD work?

For the non-lawyer-y people out there, “Big Law” is essentially the term huge firms that do all the corporate work.  Straight out of law school, I was working at one of the largest (size-wise) international firms doing corporate and securities work.  The partners I worked for specialized in venture capital finance.  There are some people who dream about working in these huge firms where you work way too much for lots and lots of money.  It was never my dream to work in a firm like that.  But, I had six-figure law school debt, and working in the public sector didn’t seem to be doable.  So, I took a big law position with the plans of moving on, either into the public sector or back to grad school after a few years.

The economy and managing partners had different plans for me, though.  When I was laid off last year, I had to look at it as an opportunity.  An opportunity to pursue something I care about.  So, I applied to public sector jobs, hoping to nab a public defender job.  The population I work with has a very high incidence rate of mental illness and drug problems, so I encounter daily the issues I want to deal with as a psychologist.  Plus my job is essentially one part lawyer, one part social worker.  The new federal student aid programs for people in public sector jobs has made this awesome job a reality.  (Plus, if I work in the public sector for 10 years, the outstanding balance of my loans at that point are forgiven!)

There was also a question about how America with drug offenses…and I have WAY too much to say to add anything to this post about that.  That will get it’s own post.

Ok, so sorry for the loooooong post.  If you stuck with me, you rock.  If not, then you probs aren’t reading this.  But, for those still here, question: Did this bore the shit out of you?

…while I was running.

So today marked the beginning of yet another jury trial session.  I was supposed to be first up today with a trial…a trial that I WAS NOT looking forward to…but, after watching a video of the incident/arrest over and over and over and over and over again with my client, he finally came to his senses and plead.  The sad thing is, though, that public defenders get such a bad rap for supposedly forcing all their clients to plead.  So whenever I tell my clients that my advice is to plead, I feel guilty.  Like I’m fulfilling the bad stereotypes of public defenders.  But, honestly, this was a BAD case.  And, if he wanted to avoid massive jail time, pleading was the best option.

That said, it was one of the most frustrating days ever.  Seriously, talking to this client about the case was like running into a wall over and over and over again.  And then continuing to bang my head against the wall.

And, he decided to plead after we got started with the jury trial.  After we had impanneled a jury…

Fortunately for me (and you guys, if you like me being happy and non-grumpy), I have no more trials this term.  I think.  Maybe another…maybe not.  Most of them are all worked out.  Which is good.  Because I have nightmares before trials.  They stress me out a lot.

Ok, work rant over. There have been some inquiries into how my garden is going (mostly from the mom and daddy)…but I took some pictures this weekend, and figured I’d share with you all.  (I even got to cook with my first garden product last night…used some basil)

Currently growing:

• Top Row (LtoR): Oregano, Zuchinni, Strawberries, Cilantro, Cukes (2), Parsley
• Second Row (LtoR): Rosemary, Squash (X5), Dill, Bell Pepper
• Third Rowish (LtoR): Lavender, Eggplant, Banana Peppers (small baby plants in row 2.5), Habanero Peppers, more Banana Peppers (don’t ask…), Basil, Red Cherry Tomatoes
• Forthish Row (LtoR): Yellow Cherry Tomatoes, Red Bell Peppers (X2), Lots of Green Bell Peppers, Orange Bell Peppers, Yellow Bell Peppers, Regular Red Tomatoes

Everything is growing really well.

My veggie garden has turned into my third baby…I’m kinda obsessed.  Seriously, sometimes I just go out on my deck and stare at it.

I was sooo excited to see my tomatoes begin to flower!

I’m also excited that the UV filter that my daddy gave me for my camera at Christmas helps take beautiful pictures of my new baby.

I even planted some more in the empty space in my border…now there is mint, some more squash, blackberries and some peas and beans.

I added a hydrangea too.

Which has died a little on the backside thanks to a certain little boy pee-er.

I’ve added some more pretty annuals.  Because I like color.

And I’ve managed to kill my first plant.  By overwatering it.

Oops.  Apparently lavender doesn’t like wet/damp roots. And I was trying so hard to be a good plant mommy by watering her every day…

Ok time for a nice little recovery ride…and thirty minutes of abs. (check in with me tomorrow to see if it hurts to breath because my abs are so sore…)

PS. I know Kelly, Hilary, and Chelsea have some stuff growing…anyone else out there with a garden?  What is your favorite edible thing to grow?

PPS. CONGRATS to all the lovely ladies running Boston today!!! Can’t wait to read your recaps, Karyn, Brit, Susan, and AR!

Exactly one year ago yesterday, I packed up my life in my little toyota corolla and headed eastbound on I-20, leaving behind my happy comfortable life in Atlanta.  When I think back to that girl, she seems like a baby compared to me now.  As I was sitting at the dog park this evening, reading The Happiness Project, I began reflecting on how I’ve grown in the last year.  The lessons learned.  The mistakes made. The bloopers and the awesome moments.

When I moved and began this new life, my mom told me I should keep a journal about my experiences because they would no doubt make an interesting memoir.  Northern girl loses big corporate job in big city, buys a house in smaller southern town to defend indigent criminals, leaving her friends and life behind in big city.  Northern girl flounders around becoming an adult.  Flounders owning her first home.  Flounders dealing with a completely different clientele than she’s used to.  Eventually northern girl finds her way as an adult.  Funniness ensues in the meantime.

Yep, that’s pretty much the story line for my life from the past year.  But did I listen to my mom and take notes as things went?  Nope.  That would have been too easy.  And too obedient.

And now, I’m looking back, trying to remember the year.  And I’m sad that I don’t have a full account of this past year (I would love to read my thoughts on the day I came home for lunch and found my dining room ceiling caved in….).  So, I’m doing something I rarely do.  I’m listening to my mom.  And I’m going to start documenting my life…better.  I’m going to do what she told me to do from the beginning.  Because, as usual, mommy knows best.

I’ve been in a blog funk lately.  Not really feeling like blogging…because I don’t feel like I fit in the “healthy living blog” mold.  I don’t fit in the “running blog mold.”  I just feel like I don’t know where it’s going or why I do this.  And then, I realized that the most fun I have with the blog is writing about this new life.  Sometimes that’s about my training.  SOmetimes that’s about cooking.  Sometimes it’s about the time I had to sentence someone while my nose was running down my face (true story.  I’ll tell you tomorrow…).  And sometimes it’s about running into a client in a speedo.

So that’s why I’m actually listening to my mommy this time (a first!).  I’m going to be writing about my new life.  Growing up.  FInding my way as a grown-up.

This means this might be less of a healthy living blog.  And more of Penny Living Blog.

Hope y’all will still stick around.  There will still by cupcakes.  I promise.

I know it’s half way through week 3 of Ironman Training…but, better late than never with week 2 stats?  Right?! Right.

This was another recovery week from the marathon…though, I’m not feeling the marathon at all anymore.  For the most part it went really well, although it was hard fitting in some of the training with the visit from my mom.  Not because she wouldn’t let me train…she would.  But, with all the work we were doing in the backyard, I was exhausted when we came inside.  And I def did not want to get back out on the road…

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: Bike-Hills…WU, 5X5min hill (w/ 2min recoveries), CD. 16.69mi in 55min @ 18.2mph

Wednesday:

• Run: 40min Base Run. 5.02mi in 40min @ 7:59/mi pace
• Swim: Distance Per Stroke Drills, 1200yds in 36min

Thursday: Bike: Trainer Technique Workout.  53min, 15mi-ish

Friday: Rest! (Unless you consider grueling physical yard work…)

Saturday:

• Long Ride: 36.66 mi in 2 hours at 18.3mph
• Distance Swim: 2600yds

Sunday: Long Run: missed it.

Totals:

• Time: 7.5 hours
• Run Time/Distance: 40min/5.02mi
• Bike Time/Distance: 3hr 48min/68.5mi
• Swim Time/Distance: 1hr 36min/3800yds

This week is a little hectic and crazy…it’s my first week of testing (lactic threshold and the like)…and I’m squeezing in an “easy” half marathon for fun on Saturday.  Which means I’m moving this Saturday’s bike LT test to Friday.  Which means no days off this week.  And I doubled up last evening because I missed my Monday swim since I was in Atlanta all day.  Um, a 2800yd hard swim followed by an LT run test = miserable.

Also, good news about last week–found out I haven’t lost all that much cycling endurance and speed since the end of last season…I guess running does translate well to cycling.

So if you thought that I was just neglecting you all during the last week…you would be wrong.  I’ve neglected EVERYTHING.  For reals, y’all.  You should see my bedroom.  There is a 4 ft X 2 ftX 1 ft pile of clothing on my floor.

Also, I haven’t cooked anything with my CSA vegetables since the Marathon.  So 2.5 weeks worth of veggies have been sitting in my fridge.  SOOOOO, I came home at lunch today and whipped up a real cooked lunch.  It was wonderful.

Red Cabbage and Spring Onion Slaw

Green Bean and Tomato Stew (with Cannelloni Beans)

Oh, and a bag of Earth Fare ginger snaps…

And then, I got home and got to cook some deliciousness too!  A parsnip and red lentil soup and sweet potato wedges…I didn’t have an onion, so I used some more CSA spring onions.

Overzealous stirring spurred by ABBA leads to spills…

I love this week, btdubs.  Because there is craziness in Augusta.  There is never craziness in Augusta…except one week in April.  When celebrities and the paparazzi descend on this bitty southern town for a way over-hyped golf tournament.  Yes, ladies and gents, it’s master’s week in Augusta.  And, if I don’t venture over toward the National, you wouldn’t really know that anything is going on…accept my job is a little quieter this week.  Why is that you ask?

Because all the cops are too busy working the tournament and looking the other way when tourists drunk drive to arrest my clients this week.  We normally have 20+ people in jail clearings each afternoon…today we had 9.  And I know it’s not because they aren’t committing crimes.  Or allegedly committing crimes.

Well, whatever the reason, I’ll take it.  Lot’s o paperwork to clean up.  And trials to prep.  And celebrities to search for…

So do I have any golf fan readers out there?  Who do we think will get the green jacket this year?  And how do we feel about Tiger now?

Hey Lovelies!  I’ve gotten a few inquiries as to whether I am still alive…to which I respond: yes, but just barely.  It’s been a crazy week…and not sure where it went.

Where the heck have I been?  Yea, I don’t know…really.  Except out in my garden.  So, because I don’t know how else to bridge the gap between last week and this week, I present to you a partially complete pictorial review of the last six days.

Ok, I’ve been keeping up with everyone, too.  I promise.  I’ve just not been commenting…but I’m getting back on top of my google reader tonight.

But, until then…what’s new with you all?? Seriously, tell me one thing that happened in the last week!

(yes, the title is a Village People reference.  Don’t judge.)

I hadn’t decided which of my formspring questions to answer next…and then I went to work on Friday.  And I got my answer.

I had strolled down to the little convenience store in the courthouse to buy a gatorade.  And I don’t remember how this conversation started, but somehow it came up that the cashier used to run track.  And, like I always do when someone says they were a runner, I ask what events she ran.

Her: Oh, I was a hurdler and sprinter.

Me:  Me too!  Well, I moved up to middle distance by my senior year.

Her: Yea, I hated running anything more than a 200m.

Me: Yea, I hated running anything longer than a half-mile in high school.  I never would have thought that I would end up being a marathoner.

Her: Wow, I would NEVER look at you and think you ran a lot of miles.  You just don’t look like…

Me: *nervous awkward chuckle*

And, I leave, and turn to the coworker who was in there with me, and we both react “what the f does that mean?”  I of course take it to mean that I’m too fat/large/oafish to run marathons.

Ok, so that brings me to the formspring question I want to answer… You seem so comfortable with your body! Have you ever struggled with weight/body image problems?

I received a bunch of variations on this question.  Which, honestly, surprised me.  Because confidence in and comfort with my body has never been something that was my strong suit.  So, the short answer? YES.  YES YES.  I have and still struggle with body image and weight issues.

I grew a whole lot during 8th and 9th grade, going from 5′5″ to 5′10″.  My senior year of high school, I started really wanting to be “small.”  I hated being tall.  Because it was different and non girly.  And I was taller than most of the boys.  And if I couldn’t be petite, I would be small gosh darnit.  And then I lost about 25 lbs from an already thin frame.  I looked like a skeletor.  It was not my most attractive time (my fastest running, but most unattractive).  And, it left me with the scars of an eating disorder for many years.  I ballooned up in college, gaining many times the freshman 15.  I was clearly at war with food.  I hated my body.  I hated food.  It occupied WAY too much of my mind during my college years.  I worked out like crazy.  And always knew an exact calorie count at any point in the day.

I’d love to say that a switch just flipped and I got “ok.”  But, clearly, that’s not what happened.  A lot of work was put into being ok.  But, for many years it was a daily battle.  As I grew up into an adult, it started to fade away.  I started just eating when I was hungry; I slowly stopped having a running calorie count in my head for each day; and I started excersing because I loved it.  And after about 5 years, I just started to be ok.  I now can generally consume food without feeling guilty.  I recognize the benefit and role of good food.  And thoughts of hating my body do not consume my day.  Once I stopped being anxious about my body and food, my body found a happy weight.  I’m not super skinny.  And I’m probably not at my fastest race weight.  But, I am at a good healthy weight that I can maintain without obsession (which, for a person with an obsessive and addictive personality, is an important factor).

When I miserably loathed my body, it was oft a topic of my discussion.  And, I was a bore in conversations because NO ONE wants to hear about me complain about my perfectly functional healthy body.  So, I just stopped talking about it.  Which is probably why you all came away with the impression that I am comfortable with my body.  And I guess I am.  Mostly.  I have my days.  And the lovely Ariela listens to me bitch and moan.  I’ll complain about being (now) 5′11″ and taller than the average man.  And being strong and not little and cute and petite.  But mostly, I don’t spend too much time thinking about my body one way or the other anymore.

Do I love my body?  Meh…it has its perks and it’s flaws.  But, I’ve gotten to the point where I realize there are way too many wonderful things in my life to spend time worrying about my plump rear.  Would I like to lose a little body fat and gain some muscle?  Sure.  Will that likely happen as a result of my Ironman training…I’m also sure…But this body that I used to treat so poorly has done a lot of wonderful things over the year that I and it should both be proud of.  A two time marathoner.  A half-ironwoman.

I also know that ED scars in my brain have left me with a healthy case of dysmorphia.  So, even if I’m feeling large and fat, I try to give more credence to what an outside observer says.  I may not believe them, but I leave open the possibility that my perspective of my body may be off.  I also know that I can and will drive myself crazy thinking about me being “oafish.”  So I don’t let myself think that way often.

So, the short answer, Yes, I often wish that I were shorter and smaller.  Long answer, I’m working on it…and I have times when I love rocking out heels and being over 6-ft tall.

And now, after being incredibly honest and vulnerable…it’s time for a glass of wine and bed.

So, the marathon season is over for me…and now on to IRONPERSONING!  For those of you who don’t know, I’m training for my first full Ironman…140.6 miles of glory.  I’ve hired myself a coach because the thought of getting myself through 6 months of intense training…including 20hour training weeks…just didn’t seem possible without some help.  I’ve hired a training friend who is also a coach and member of the USAT National Team.

I’ve been bouncing around ideas in my head about how to balance my desire for a tasty blog with a training blog…and here’s what I came up with…Each week on Sunday, I’m going to have a recap post of that week’s training (“Ironperson Trains”).  I’m also going to have occasional features of “Ironperson Eats,”  ”Ironperson Recovers,” “Ironperson Thinks.”  But…the rest of the time…its going to be all about fun and cuppycakes etc.

So, without further ado, the first installation of Ironperson Trains.  This week was a nice recovery week after the marathon.  I wasn’t in pain after Tuesday, but my body was still tired…so the recovery week was well needed.

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: 30 minute walk…with the pup.  We’re both gonna be in great shape after this Ironman.  He doesn’t know it yet, but he’s gonna be doing a lot of runs with me.

Wednesday: 1700yd swim in 50 minutes…recovery drill set.  I got seasick in my gym pool (which is why the workout took me so long).  For serious.  I blame the fact that it is this tiny shallow pool and whenever there is someone else swimming there you get massive waves.  So it’s kinda like swimming in the ocean.  Which, I guess is good tri-training…but still.  I hate that pool.

Thursday: 30 minute run.  3.7 miles in 32 minutes (8:38.mi) I’m going to have to get used to workouts being written in terms of time instead of distance.  I have all these specific distance run routes, and it never matches up perfectly with a time.  So, do you stop when the time is over and walk the rest back?  I don’t know.  I just ran it all the way in this time…My legs didn’t have any residual marathon pain…but they felt like absolute lead.

Friday: Rest

Saturday: Doubling up.

• 2600yd Swim in 54 minutes.  Main set was 3X200, 4X100, 5X50…with warm up, cool down, kick and pull sets.  Felt great to be swimming at a real (non-gym) pool and to not get seasick.
• 90 minute Bike, covering 24.6 miles at 16mph.  Holy crud.  I have a lot of bike work to do.  My “easy” 25ish mi rides last summer were at 18-19mph.  This felt hard.  And I was going slow.  I will partly blame the super head wind for most of the ride…but mostly, the blame should fall on me for neglecting the bike since February.

Sunday: 30 minute run…same route as Thursday.  3.7 miles.  Feeling better, but legs still tired.

Totals:

• Time: 4 hours 56 minutes
• Run Distance: 7.4 miles
• Swim Distance: 4400yds
• Bike Distance: 24.6 miles

Ok, time for a little rest and relaxation…

ps. Check out the “IronPerson” page above where I will compile all my Ironpersoning stuff.