Non Sequitur Box

One thing I have not discussed on this website is my love for classic point-and-click adventure games. I wasn't a true gamer like my brothers, but I loved games with puzzles. I enjoyed jigsaw puzzles, logic puzzles, science, mysteries, and these games with challenges. What started with Myst and Riven expanded to the Broken Sword series (I've only played the first two) and Adventure Game Studio, a game engine created by Chris Jones ( http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/ ). In high school, I tried to make my own game, which was soon interrupted by college and other responsibilities (How did I have so much time to draw so much, learn a new program, run, do my homework, and complete all my chores while going to school 45 minutes away from where I lived? When did I sleep?). Now, on sick days, all I do is play adventure games if I feel well enough to sit up and think. In this month, I've played through quite a few games (for cheap, mind you). Available for download on GOG.c...

In January, I read $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future by Chris Guillebeau. It is a book about beginning your own startup on minimal costs. Guillebeau uses many examples throughout his book, from children running a garbage service aboard a medical ship to a man who sells mattresses (and delivers them by bicycle). As someone who likes to daydream and taunt the idea of starting my own side business, I found the book to be a good resource. The stories are inspiring (from losing a job to "making it" on your own), especially when you can picture yourself in that person's shoes. I constantly found myself thinking, "If she can do it, then I can do it too!" Guillebeau doesn't sugarcoat the issue of starting your own business. He interviews people on what worked, what didn't work, and what changes had to be made. He emphasizes that it will take a lot of time and real work to achieve a goal. I liked that...

Sometimes the most challenging runs are the best runs (or best memories). I think it's because we show ourselves just how strong we can be, that we won't break so easily. I live in the D.C. area (which basically covers from Rockville, MD to Quantico, VA). During this ridiculous "polar vortex" last week, we experienced our coldest day in twenty years! When I left for work on Tuesday morning, my body actually hurt from the cold weather. As I sat eating my instant oatmeal inside my car, waiting for my car to warm up a little bit, I checked the ambient temperature. 0 degrees Fahrenheit (about -17 degrees Celsius). I cried a little on the inside. I don't own a pair of every day gloves, but my boyfriend's mother had made me a pair of fingerless gloves which I wear everywhere now. They keep my palms and wrists warm. My fingertips were hurting on my drive to work because it was still so cold inside my car (and they were bare). After it warmed up a little that ...

Ingredients: 1/2 cup instant oatmeal 1 cup water (or however much it says for your instant oatmeal handful of dried sour cherries handful of sliced almonds Instructions: 1. Put all ingredients into a bowl. 2. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. I like instant oatmeal because I like to make a quick and easy breakfast. I just like to share easy ways to spice up plain instant oatmeal without buying those pre-flavored instant packs. I don't like to use table sugar or brown sugar to add some sweetness to the oats, so I use fruit most of the time (I do use chocolate chips if I'm looking for a chocolate fix). Dried fruit is great, especially if you're mixing a large dry batch for a trip.

Ingredients: Kale (we bought one big bunch) Olive oil (spray works best) Salt Instructions: 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (~177 degrees Celsius) 2. Line a baking sheet with foil or wax paper (or nothing, I just like an easy clean up). 3. Break kale up into smaller pieces (about 2-4 inches long). 4. Either toss kale with olive oil now or wait if you have some spray. 5. Line kale in a single layer across the baking sheet (I was running out of room and had a little overlap). 6. If you haven't tossed with olive oil, now is the time to spray with olive oil. 7. Add a little salt if you like (I like salt, so I shook a little salt over the chips). 8. Place on the top rack for 15 minutes. 9. Remove when crispy. You can enjoy right away! My boyfriend wasn't a fan of the kale cooking smell (it smells like Brussels sprouts, he said), so he didn't want any kale chips. I ate all of this by myself. I guess cooking the kale is a good way to get in ...

Today I raced in Potomac River Running Store's (=PR=) New Year's Day 5k at Reston Town Center. I've been coming back to running from a knee issue (my left knee and foot were giving a lot of troubles). I've been doing a lot of active recovery geared toward strengthening, lengthening, and inhibiting certain muscles (one legged strengthening exercises, balancing, foam rolling, and yoga). Coming back, I've very slowly upped my mileage (from 8 miles a week slowly up to 20-ish miles), not run on consecutive days, tested my shoes with and without my orthotics, and focused on cross training and lifting. This also means I haven't been running too much with Jack lately (he is speedy!). Preparation: On Monday, I ran on the treadmill for four miles (increasing the speed every half mile, then every quarter mile, and finally every tenth of a mile) and did a short lift (squats, lunges, man-makers, pull-ups, and ab circuit). On Tuesday, I did a very light four mile jog o...