Rain

Summertime

I haven't had a true summer vacation in years and yet I still get ridiculously excited for this season. Sure nothing in my daily life changes -- i.e., I go to work everyday -- but I guess out of habit my mood shifts with the warm weather. I feel carefree(ish) and happy. I even go out on weeknights and still have the energy to run early in the morning and function at work. (Yes I know this is a pretty sad definition of "carefree" -- I'm a 25-year-old old person. Sigh.)

I contemplated making a list of things I want to do this summer but the reality is, I just want to have fun. No pressure to get things done. I want to savor the sunsets, drink loads of ice coffee, dine al fresco, and wear inappropriately short dresses in public. (Guess I'm not THAT old.)

So here's to summer 2012. May it be the best one yet!

Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Book club

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I absolutely love book club. It's quintessential girl time and it's the best. Plain and simple.

We always ALWAYS have so much fun -- chitchatting, eating cupcakes, and drinking wine. If the book sucks, we don't discuss it at length but that's fine by us --  we're mostly there for the company (and wine -- book club stereotypes are true). And while we didn't all know each other in the beginning, we mesh perfectly. It's quite incredible. I leave each meeting with the biggest smile on my face and a million times happier.

If you have the opportunity to join a book club, I highly recommend it. It will definitely brighten up your week!

Oh and in case you're interested, the next book we're reading is Summer Sister by Judy Blume. It's one of my favorite books of all time -- I've read it every single summer since I was 14 -- and in my opinion, it's the only way to kickoff the season.  

Boston Street Style

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A few weeks back, I was featured on Boston Street Style -- a ridiculously awesome new blog you just have to check out. Gorgeous photos and a gorgeous design, I'm completely obsessed with it. I always knew Boston was a pretty stylish city but blog-creator and graphic designer extraordinaire Krista has a real eye for picking out the true gems.(I'm beyond flattered she stopped me. This HM coat was really the best purchase EVER.) 

In other news, I know I've been kind of random lately but I'm just getting my footing on a few things and figuring some other things out. Yeah, I know that's obnoxiously cryptic but it's better than saying I'm a lazy bum.

Rainy day runs

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More than half of my last 14 runs have been in the rain and I couldn't be happier! Running in the rain reminds me of being a kid and jumping in puddles -- not caring how soaked my clothes or shoes got. I've done 16 and 20 milers in torrential downpours -- literally buckets of water -- and I remember laughing in the middle of both and just having the greatest time. (Though, in fairness, it doesn't take much to excite me mid-16 or 20 miler.)

I don't have any fancy-schmancy rain gear -- and personally I don't think it's necessary-- however, there are a few things I do to make rainy runs more pleasant.

• Wear a water-resistant (ish) jacket with a hood. The chances of you finding a jacket that keeps you from getting soaked in downpours are slim to none, but a basic windbreaker with a hood will (usually) keep you relatively dry long enough for you to warm up and get over the rain. I recommend this one from Nike.
• Wear a hat. It won't keep your head dry but it does keep the water out of your eyes so at least you can see. Which is always important.
• Don't wear cotton. I don't think you should wear cotton ever on runs but I think this especially true in rain. Cotton holds in the water so you'll be chilly -- and you'll get some pretty nasty blisters if you wear cotton socks. 
• Wrap any electronics in plastic. If I'm doing a long run in the rain, chances are good I have my phone on me (safety first) and while it's tucked away in my Camelbak, those things aren't meant to be submerged in water. To prevent damage, I always toss mine into a little plastic baggie.   
• Smile and wave to other runners. You already feel like a crazy badass -- and they probably do too. So why not acknowledge your insane-runner selves and say hello? Sometimes I even go as far as making a joke. "Great day for a run, aye?" Sounds corny now but trust me -- it always gets both of us to giggle.
• If there's lightning, abort. Water is one thing but if you see flashes of light, find shelter and wait it out. Even if that means hiding in a super-classy administrative building at Harvard. It's fine. No ones judging you.
• Just deal with it. Look, I get that the idea of running in the rain -- especially when it's windy and chilly -- sounds horrible. And while non-runners may think it's a good excuse to stay in, you know better. And you also know that the first step is the hardest. So stop complaining -- it's not going to help the situation. Just suck it up and go! You won't regret it.  

And now, on a completely unrelated note, how handsome does Little Greg look in this photo?

Total rockstar.