I have been horribly negligent of you, dearest blog.  Please forgive me.  It will definitely happen again, probably right after this post, but I hope you will still love me.

I once emailed a teacher when I had to miss class… I told her that I had lots of good excuses I would be happy to provide her with, and to let me know if she wanted to hear them.  I think it must have gotten at least a chuckle because I was totally excused and she even took my assignment that was due that day late with no penalties.  So, dear blog, I would be happy to give you my list of excuses if you would like.  Yes?  Ok, sure… um…

1 – Exam time.  All my free time (and by free time I mean the time that is not taken up with sleeping, classes, or my nightly tv schedule) is devoted to schoolwork.  Or facebook.

2 – I’ve been reading a lot of other blogs and using up my creative juices writing witty comments.

3 – TreasureIsle.  You know, one of those zynga games on facebook?  I’m totally, hopelessly addicted.  But do not fear, like all of my fixations (like farmville), I will reach a point soon where I am OVER it and will never play it again.  Not sure how much longer that will take, though.

4 – I got a new bike… and lost my mind.

Oh, #4 not clear enough for you?  Ok.  Here’s what happened.  I got a cool new bike and felt like a kid on Christmas morning.  It’s soooo preeetttyy!  :-D   A few days after said bike arrived and had taken me on some super-fun spins around the neighborhood, I was talking to my mom.  She mentioned an organized bike ride for the MS Society that she was interested in riding, but she didn’t have anyone to ride with her.  A good friend is the organizer and after this year she will be handing it off to the MS Society to run as one of the training rides for their huge fall Bike MS ride.  So of course I said, “I’d love to ride with you!”  And it was is the truth.  I am very excited.  It’s a really cool ride that is based at a vineyard and we get to slog down a bunch of wine when we’re done .  Endorphins + alcohol.  Oh yeah!  Only one problem.  The shortest distance for the ride is 25 miles (in the rolling NC piedmont) and I have been riding for a week.  Before that it had been nine long years since my ass had graced a bicycle saddle.  The ride is on May 22.  Oh. God.  What. Have. I. Done.

I’ve been riding for a week, did 10 miles yesterday and 8 today.  It’s going well… but I foresee much more physical activity over the next few weeks than I normally engage in unless under duress.  But then again, maybe this counts as duress…

I will keep you updated, dearest blog.  And now, for my final excuse:

5 – my entire body hurts so much from bicycle boot camp that I can’t even move my fingers enough to type a blog post.  Pass the ibuprofen?

PS – the ride is Gears and Cheers, all profits go to the Multiple Sclerosis Society, and fantastic organization.  They have rides nationwide, if anyone is interested.  Many of them are beginner-friendly.  And you will get a full report once I’ve survived my own first MS ride!