I am finally back running in what I am calling the couch to Desert Solstice training plan. I know that a lot of people are wondering why things didn't work out with Colorado. Unfortunately, I don't really want to talk about it. It was all things beyond my control and I ended suffering from terrible depression. I sat one night listening to my kids laughing and wondering if I would miss them if I killed myself and that was the low point. I loved living in Colorado, I loved my students and families at the school in Norwood, but it was clear we needed to come back to Phoenix. I am starting to feel a little better so I really would like to move on from that and not talk about it. I also don't want to talk about it because what was going wrong involves a lot of other people and while I am comfortable telling everything about myself and talking about Norm, I am not comfortable talking about other people. Maybe I will tell the whole story one day, but not today. For now I am just focusing on the fact that HaShem makes every thing happen for a reason and coming home has worked out well for us. Norm went back to work at the same two places he worked before pretty much immediately. I ended up going to back to teaching in the Chabad community but in Chandler. I am teaching kindergarten at the Chandler Jewish Preschool.
I also want to give you fair warning that the next 18 weeks might have a lot of talk about converting to Judaism. If you ever wondered, “is she or isn't she… Kristina Pham doesn’t sound very Jewish” I am not. I have thought about it off and for most of my adult life, but it wasn’t until about 4 years ago that I started practicing and seriously considering converting. I feel like I have been very fortunate to be part of the Chabad community and that it has helped me to become a better person, but on the flip side I know that Orthodox conversion is not for me. Because of that I am going through classes offered by the Union for Reform Judaism. I know that some people will not consider my conversion “real” or “proper” but that’s okay, I think in the end it’s between me and G-d. I had my first class last week and I know that I am doing the right thing for me.
As for running, my weeks leading up to moving back to Phoenix weren’t great weeks. My mileage was any where from 0 to 13 for the week. Things didn't really turn around just because we moved back to Phoenix. I was still battling some pretty heavy depression. I didn't just move back and everything was instantly better. It took a little time for me to pull myself together. Part of that was just handing off everything Norm. I am usually the one that takes care of all the problems, but I just can't do it right now. I need to stick my head in the sand and pretend it isn't happening.
When I finally did go back to running I had a week of good running and all of the sudden I couldn't walk on my foot. I took a week off from running (but kept going to yoga). I even bought a new pair of shoes even though the last thing I had money for was a new pair of shoes. Poor Lisa Kravetiz and Melissa Ruse were just minding their own business when Lisa asked how Colorado was and I lost it. So if you ever need shoes and a little emotional support, I recommend iRun. My foot was a bit iffy and I was a little pissed that the new shoes didn't solve the problem. But I rolled it on a frozen water bottle and golf ball a few times a day and before I knew it I was as good as new.
I struggled for 2 weeks to run 40 miles. I have to keep reminding myself that going from super low mileage (like sometimes no mileage) to 40 miles a week is a lot. But Desert Solstice is looming. And patience isn't really one of my talents.
Monday:
I left the house with terrible cramps. If you think I am going to talk about my period, I am sorry to disappoint. These were just random, fun, for no reason at all, lady cramps. Funny side story, when I started teaching in Norwood one of the families told me they had read my blog. For one thing it is creepy and also impressive that they took the time to do that. And for another thing, all I could think about in that moment was all the times I talked about my period. Okay, so back to Monday. I really didn’t think I would get very far but my body felt good. I mean the cramps were annoying, but the running me felt good. I just kept running. I kept thinking, maybe another mile. And before I knew it I was at 7 miles and decided it might be smart to turn around. I was worried I would be walking home. I didn't even carry water with me. I also did not use enough Squirrel’s Nut Butter because I had some serious chaffing. But I did it! It was slow and easy, but I ran 14 miles.
I am back at hot yoga at Madison Improvement Club. I might not ever be able to move away because I love this place so much! Other than my Jewish community, it was the one thing I really missed about Phoenix. I went to yoga at 6pm thinking I would feel like I was going to die, but I felt great.
In conversion class I have become the spokesperson for Orthodox Judaism. This will be interesting over the remaining 16 weeks. I am not exactly an expert. But also, Orthodox Judaism is a big umbrella. For sure there are some groups of Orthodox Jews that do some shit I am not down with at all! I don't even agree with everything at Chabad, but I can only speak to my experience, which has been really positive and valuable to me.
Tuesday:
I don't have a training plan at the moment. I set a goal for the week, but am just letting my body dictate what happens. I thought an easy 6 miles would be more than enough today, but I felt pretty good. And the weather was beautiful. It was cool and cloudy. And the trails were empty. So I ended up running 8 miles. An hour later I was in a 90-minute hot yoga class hoping I didn't die, but again I felt great. I am feeling pretty happy with my body right now. I am hopeful that I have reached a turning point and my body is ready to start training. I am just focusing on mileage in October. The plan is to get 50 miles done at the end of the week. For a lot of people 50 miles sounds like a lot, but I feel like 50 miles is so low. I am trying really hard to be patient.
Wednesday:
Today I am substitute teaching for the Hebrew teacher at the kindergarten. I tutor 2 students from my old school right after work. It’s going to be a long day! I decided to take the day off from running and hit an early morning yoga class. Yoga starts at 6am. I always feel like I might fall back asleep during the beginning meditation. The kindergartners were exhausting. Small people really do not like a change in their routine and they were not impressed with my pathetic Hebrew pronunciations. Tutoring was amazing though! We are doing a lesson on the Pied Piper and why it is probably based on a true story. So fun! I love writing curriculum.
Thursday:
I am substituting again today. I always go to 6am yoga on Thursday because it is my favorite teacher. The plan was a small run after work but it took me an hour and 20 minutes to get home from Chandler. I was exhausted, hungry and in no mood when I finally got home. No running.
I have to figure out how to make peace with this commute. First, I hate driving. So driving at rush hour in Phoenix is like my worst nightmare. Yeah Phoenix, you suck! Where we were living in Colorado, people typically stick pretty close to the speed limit and no one is aggressive or pressuring you to drive faster. When that did happen, it was usually a person with Arizona plates. And if you are thinking, “well go back to Colorado if it is so great”, trust me, I would if I could. Second, I can't sit for that long. I want to climb out of my skin. I could make a lot more money if I left teaching, but it’s not just my love of teaching that keeps me in the classroom. I would be miserable at a desk all day. I would never survive. I need to move, I need change, I need the exact life I have built for myself.
Friday:
We need to order a mattress, but we don't have the money for a mattress so I am sleeping on the couch in the den and Norm is sleeping on camping mattresses in our room. (to the lady who couldn't understand why I don't care about not sitting with my husband at services, see we don't even sleep in the same room so not sitting together in Shul is not a big deal.) But I am not sleeping. The $80 futon we have from Ikea is not the most comfortable and Enzo is up at all hours of the night. I guess I forgot to teach him how to close a door without slamming it! People are using Central as a drag racing strip waking me up at least once a night. PS – City of Phoenix, I know I live in the poor neighborhood but would it be too much to ask for you to do a little policing?
So, the point is, I am exhausted and I did not get up to go to 6am yoga. This has now left me with a dilemma. If I go to 4:30pm yoga, I won't make it home in time for candle lighting. I know some people just light candles whenever and I know that I am not observing all the 613 Halacha. Some are easy, I don't have any fields or cattle and I am not going to eat a worm in the fruit, even without being told. Others, I am just choosing not to observe. But for some reason, not lighting at candle lighting makes me feel really guilty. Norm says maybe because it's something I know I can do, where as keeping kosher I can't because my family won't cooperate. I take my yoga clothes with me when I leave because I can’t decide what to do.
If you are only reading this to know more about my running and couldn't care less about the rest of it, I did run 10 miles.
Since my Chabad Rabbi isn’t going to sponsor me for conversion, I need a sponsor. I am meeting with the Rabbi leading my classes to talk about her possibly sponsoring me. I really like her. Rabbi Mason-Barkin is warm, funny, and lovely to talk with. She asked a bunch of questions and I answered a bunch of questions. It was a good talk. She asked why I wanted to convert. She asked about my practice of Judaism. We talked about why I wasn’t seeking an Orthodox conversion. In the end, she told me she couldn't sponsor me right now because she wanted me to do some soul searching and make sure that I wouldn’t feel like I wasn’t really Jewish if I didn't have an Orthodox conversion and think about how I would feel to not have my conversion recognized by Chabad. A friend said, “they have to say no 3 times, right?” but that is not true in Reform and she even told us on the first day she doesn't believe in that practice. So no, this wasn’t my first of three rejections. I don't think she was saying no, never. I think she was just saying no to right now, but I left feeling really dejected. The wind was definitely out of my sails. I try so hard. I daven 3 times a day. I try to follow what the Rebbe says. I read the Parsha. I wash and daven for Hamotzi (it helps to be gluten free because that bentching prayer is like 10 minutes long). I try to be careful about covering (except when I am running, so just look away). So I left that meeting with the feeling that I am trying so hard and no one wants me. I fit in nowhere.
I decided not to go to yoga. I would feel too guilty. But I got home with 40 minutes to candle lighting and the kitchen was a disaster and the traffic had left me on edge. I decided to go to Shul at the reform temple. I have to try 3 different places during the conversion class so no time like the present. I sat in the back. It was okay. A little hard to follow, but okay. I hear the Rabbi say to rise, but I must have missed the next part because I was trying to figure out where we were in the Siddur and I didn't have my glasses on so I was having a hard time reading and I look up and everyone is facing the back except me. That means that everyone is looking at me not turned around to welcome Shabbat like a bride. I quickly turn around. I still have no idea where we are in the Siddur. I try to reach in my bag and fish out my glasses and end up dropping everything while everyone is still facing me. I am beyond mortified. We move on, turn around and sit down but I am still having trouble following things. Then people are bowing and I am not sure when to bow. In the Chabad Siddur there are instructions for everything, You cannot mess it up! There are no instructions in this Siddur at all. We sit back down. They are davening again. I have no clue where we are at in the Siddur and I can tell I am about to start crying so I get up and leave. Probably not a good time to make an exit, but I had to go before I had a full on panic attack.
I had stormed out of the house earlier and told everyone to eat with out me and forget about Shabbat. But they waited and had everything set up to make Kiddish before dinner. Norm did his best to read transliterated Hebrew and then listened to my story. Sometimes my family knows what to do for me. Sometimes.
It’s bothersome to feel like I don't fit in. Not just in this area, but because I feel like this is my story in all areas of my life. In the running community, I feel like in live in no mans land. People who are slower than me never want to run with me because I am too fast. Faster people never want to run with me because…well I don't know why, but I haven't really made friends in that” people who win races “community. (I am trying very hard to not use the term elite because it is so elitist. See the problem.). I don't feel like I have a place in my family. My parents have much younger kids and I live far away and I know my parents love me, but I just don't feel like I have a place there. I am far away, I have much different beliefs, I am not a part of “it”. Norm and I love each other and even feel pretty lusty toward each other, but we don't really have a lot in common. And now the conversion thing. I just always feel very on my own. Probably my own fault, but still not a great feeling.
Saturday:
I slept in because I am tired from not sleeping and tired from the emotional onslaught of Friday. When I finally left to run it was 8am. And it was warm. I took some cookies from last night with me just in case I ran out of energy. I wanted to get 12 miles done. At mile 8 I decided I just wanted to run faster and ran a 6:45 pace for a mile. It felt good, but I was ready to slow it down. At mile 10 I picked it up to 6:40 pace again. Definitely felt harder to hold pace. Also I was starting to chaff the one place I didn't have any Squirrel’s Nut Butter. I forced myself to not cut it short with 11 miles and actually run the 12 miles. Today is the first day that I can feel it in my legs. They feel tired and achy. I feel tired, but not achy. I am at 44 miles for the week, which means I should make it to my goal of 50 miles this week. Oh, and I didn't eat the cookies.
Sunday:
I only needed to run 6 miles today but when I started I wasn’t sure I would make it 6 feet. My legs were feeling dead. I took it nice and easy. But I have to admit I am a little concerned about being ready for Desert Solstice. Everything was gong fine until some young, hard body college age kids started flying at me on the bridle path. Not wanting to look like an old person I pushed the pace and when I was finally past all of them thought I might die on the side of Central. Slow and easy the last mile home and with that I have 50 miles for the week!
When I got to yoga the class was full and I couldn't hide in the back. I got stuck in the middle row which means that everyone can see you all of the time! Luckily my yoga game was strong. Yes I like yoga for the flexibility and the workout. And I like it for the relaxation. But I also like it because it forces me to be in a position where I have to concentrate and focus only on what I am doing and nothing else. It often requires that I push beyond what I think I can do. I think the focus and calm determination practice in yoga serves me well in my running. While Brandi was coloring my hair I texted Hayley about my fluctuations between you can do this and you can so NOT do this. (Hayley is currently the only person other than Norm who knows my goal.) Her advice was basically to go for it.
There is a quote I keep on my desk by Tom Peters (big wig business guy).
I also want to give you fair warning that the next 18 weeks might have a lot of talk about converting to Judaism. If you ever wondered, “is she or isn't she… Kristina Pham doesn’t sound very Jewish” I am not. I have thought about it off and for most of my adult life, but it wasn’t until about 4 years ago that I started practicing and seriously considering converting. I feel like I have been very fortunate to be part of the Chabad community and that it has helped me to become a better person, but on the flip side I know that Orthodox conversion is not for me. Because of that I am going through classes offered by the Union for Reform Judaism. I know that some people will not consider my conversion “real” or “proper” but that’s okay, I think in the end it’s between me and G-d. I had my first class last week and I know that I am doing the right thing for me.
As for running, my weeks leading up to moving back to Phoenix weren’t great weeks. My mileage was any where from 0 to 13 for the week. Things didn't really turn around just because we moved back to Phoenix. I was still battling some pretty heavy depression. I didn't just move back and everything was instantly better. It took a little time for me to pull myself together. Part of that was just handing off everything Norm. I am usually the one that takes care of all the problems, but I just can't do it right now. I need to stick my head in the sand and pretend it isn't happening.
When I finally did go back to running I had a week of good running and all of the sudden I couldn't walk on my foot. I took a week off from running (but kept going to yoga). I even bought a new pair of shoes even though the last thing I had money for was a new pair of shoes. Poor Lisa Kravetiz and Melissa Ruse were just minding their own business when Lisa asked how Colorado was and I lost it. So if you ever need shoes and a little emotional support, I recommend iRun. My foot was a bit iffy and I was a little pissed that the new shoes didn't solve the problem. But I rolled it on a frozen water bottle and golf ball a few times a day and before I knew it I was as good as new.
I struggled for 2 weeks to run 40 miles. I have to keep reminding myself that going from super low mileage (like sometimes no mileage) to 40 miles a week is a lot. But Desert Solstice is looming. And patience isn't really one of my talents.
Monday:
I left the house with terrible cramps. If you think I am going to talk about my period, I am sorry to disappoint. These were just random, fun, for no reason at all, lady cramps. Funny side story, when I started teaching in Norwood one of the families told me they had read my blog. For one thing it is creepy and also impressive that they took the time to do that. And for another thing, all I could think about in that moment was all the times I talked about my period. Okay, so back to Monday. I really didn’t think I would get very far but my body felt good. I mean the cramps were annoying, but the running me felt good. I just kept running. I kept thinking, maybe another mile. And before I knew it I was at 7 miles and decided it might be smart to turn around. I was worried I would be walking home. I didn't even carry water with me. I also did not use enough Squirrel’s Nut Butter because I had some serious chaffing. But I did it! It was slow and easy, but I ran 14 miles.
I am back at hot yoga at Madison Improvement Club. I might not ever be able to move away because I love this place so much! Other than my Jewish community, it was the one thing I really missed about Phoenix. I went to yoga at 6pm thinking I would feel like I was going to die, but I felt great.
In conversion class I have become the spokesperson for Orthodox Judaism. This will be interesting over the remaining 16 weeks. I am not exactly an expert. But also, Orthodox Judaism is a big umbrella. For sure there are some groups of Orthodox Jews that do some shit I am not down with at all! I don't even agree with everything at Chabad, but I can only speak to my experience, which has been really positive and valuable to me.
Tuesday:
I don't have a training plan at the moment. I set a goal for the week, but am just letting my body dictate what happens. I thought an easy 6 miles would be more than enough today, but I felt pretty good. And the weather was beautiful. It was cool and cloudy. And the trails were empty. So I ended up running 8 miles. An hour later I was in a 90-minute hot yoga class hoping I didn't die, but again I felt great. I am feeling pretty happy with my body right now. I am hopeful that I have reached a turning point and my body is ready to start training. I am just focusing on mileage in October. The plan is to get 50 miles done at the end of the week. For a lot of people 50 miles sounds like a lot, but I feel like 50 miles is so low. I am trying really hard to be patient.
Wednesday:
Today I am substitute teaching for the Hebrew teacher at the kindergarten. I tutor 2 students from my old school right after work. It’s going to be a long day! I decided to take the day off from running and hit an early morning yoga class. Yoga starts at 6am. I always feel like I might fall back asleep during the beginning meditation. The kindergartners were exhausting. Small people really do not like a change in their routine and they were not impressed with my pathetic Hebrew pronunciations. Tutoring was amazing though! We are doing a lesson on the Pied Piper and why it is probably based on a true story. So fun! I love writing curriculum.
Thursday:
I am substituting again today. I always go to 6am yoga on Thursday because it is my favorite teacher. The plan was a small run after work but it took me an hour and 20 minutes to get home from Chandler. I was exhausted, hungry and in no mood when I finally got home. No running.
I have to figure out how to make peace with this commute. First, I hate driving. So driving at rush hour in Phoenix is like my worst nightmare. Yeah Phoenix, you suck! Where we were living in Colorado, people typically stick pretty close to the speed limit and no one is aggressive or pressuring you to drive faster. When that did happen, it was usually a person with Arizona plates. And if you are thinking, “well go back to Colorado if it is so great”, trust me, I would if I could. Second, I can't sit for that long. I want to climb out of my skin. I could make a lot more money if I left teaching, but it’s not just my love of teaching that keeps me in the classroom. I would be miserable at a desk all day. I would never survive. I need to move, I need change, I need the exact life I have built for myself.
Friday:
We need to order a mattress, but we don't have the money for a mattress so I am sleeping on the couch in the den and Norm is sleeping on camping mattresses in our room. (to the lady who couldn't understand why I don't care about not sitting with my husband at services, see we don't even sleep in the same room so not sitting together in Shul is not a big deal.) But I am not sleeping. The $80 futon we have from Ikea is not the most comfortable and Enzo is up at all hours of the night. I guess I forgot to teach him how to close a door without slamming it! People are using Central as a drag racing strip waking me up at least once a night. PS – City of Phoenix, I know I live in the poor neighborhood but would it be too much to ask for you to do a little policing?
So, the point is, I am exhausted and I did not get up to go to 6am yoga. This has now left me with a dilemma. If I go to 4:30pm yoga, I won't make it home in time for candle lighting. I know some people just light candles whenever and I know that I am not observing all the 613 Halacha. Some are easy, I don't have any fields or cattle and I am not going to eat a worm in the fruit, even without being told. Others, I am just choosing not to observe. But for some reason, not lighting at candle lighting makes me feel really guilty. Norm says maybe because it's something I know I can do, where as keeping kosher I can't because my family won't cooperate. I take my yoga clothes with me when I leave because I can’t decide what to do.
If you are only reading this to know more about my running and couldn't care less about the rest of it, I did run 10 miles.
Since my Chabad Rabbi isn’t going to sponsor me for conversion, I need a sponsor. I am meeting with the Rabbi leading my classes to talk about her possibly sponsoring me. I really like her. Rabbi Mason-Barkin is warm, funny, and lovely to talk with. She asked a bunch of questions and I answered a bunch of questions. It was a good talk. She asked why I wanted to convert. She asked about my practice of Judaism. We talked about why I wasn’t seeking an Orthodox conversion. In the end, she told me she couldn't sponsor me right now because she wanted me to do some soul searching and make sure that I wouldn’t feel like I wasn’t really Jewish if I didn't have an Orthodox conversion and think about how I would feel to not have my conversion recognized by Chabad. A friend said, “they have to say no 3 times, right?” but that is not true in Reform and she even told us on the first day she doesn't believe in that practice. So no, this wasn’t my first of three rejections. I don't think she was saying no, never. I think she was just saying no to right now, but I left feeling really dejected. The wind was definitely out of my sails. I try so hard. I daven 3 times a day. I try to follow what the Rebbe says. I read the Parsha. I wash and daven for Hamotzi (it helps to be gluten free because that bentching prayer is like 10 minutes long). I try to be careful about covering (except when I am running, so just look away). So I left that meeting with the feeling that I am trying so hard and no one wants me. I fit in nowhere.
I decided not to go to yoga. I would feel too guilty. But I got home with 40 minutes to candle lighting and the kitchen was a disaster and the traffic had left me on edge. I decided to go to Shul at the reform temple. I have to try 3 different places during the conversion class so no time like the present. I sat in the back. It was okay. A little hard to follow, but okay. I hear the Rabbi say to rise, but I must have missed the next part because I was trying to figure out where we were in the Siddur and I didn't have my glasses on so I was having a hard time reading and I look up and everyone is facing the back except me. That means that everyone is looking at me not turned around to welcome Shabbat like a bride. I quickly turn around. I still have no idea where we are in the Siddur. I try to reach in my bag and fish out my glasses and end up dropping everything while everyone is still facing me. I am beyond mortified. We move on, turn around and sit down but I am still having trouble following things. Then people are bowing and I am not sure when to bow. In the Chabad Siddur there are instructions for everything, You cannot mess it up! There are no instructions in this Siddur at all. We sit back down. They are davening again. I have no clue where we are at in the Siddur and I can tell I am about to start crying so I get up and leave. Probably not a good time to make an exit, but I had to go before I had a full on panic attack.
I had stormed out of the house earlier and told everyone to eat with out me and forget about Shabbat. But they waited and had everything set up to make Kiddish before dinner. Norm did his best to read transliterated Hebrew and then listened to my story. Sometimes my family knows what to do for me. Sometimes.
It’s bothersome to feel like I don't fit in. Not just in this area, but because I feel like this is my story in all areas of my life. In the running community, I feel like in live in no mans land. People who are slower than me never want to run with me because I am too fast. Faster people never want to run with me because…well I don't know why, but I haven't really made friends in that” people who win races “community. (I am trying very hard to not use the term elite because it is so elitist. See the problem.). I don't feel like I have a place in my family. My parents have much younger kids and I live far away and I know my parents love me, but I just don't feel like I have a place there. I am far away, I have much different beliefs, I am not a part of “it”. Norm and I love each other and even feel pretty lusty toward each other, but we don't really have a lot in common. And now the conversion thing. I just always feel very on my own. Probably my own fault, but still not a great feeling.
Saturday:
I slept in because I am tired from not sleeping and tired from the emotional onslaught of Friday. When I finally left to run it was 8am. And it was warm. I took some cookies from last night with me just in case I ran out of energy. I wanted to get 12 miles done. At mile 8 I decided I just wanted to run faster and ran a 6:45 pace for a mile. It felt good, but I was ready to slow it down. At mile 10 I picked it up to 6:40 pace again. Definitely felt harder to hold pace. Also I was starting to chaff the one place I didn't have any Squirrel’s Nut Butter. I forced myself to not cut it short with 11 miles and actually run the 12 miles. Today is the first day that I can feel it in my legs. They feel tired and achy. I feel tired, but not achy. I am at 44 miles for the week, which means I should make it to my goal of 50 miles this week. Oh, and I didn't eat the cookies.
Sunday:
I only needed to run 6 miles today but when I started I wasn’t sure I would make it 6 feet. My legs were feeling dead. I took it nice and easy. But I have to admit I am a little concerned about being ready for Desert Solstice. Everything was gong fine until some young, hard body college age kids started flying at me on the bridle path. Not wanting to look like an old person I pushed the pace and when I was finally past all of them thought I might die on the side of Central. Slow and easy the last mile home and with that I have 50 miles for the week!
When I got to yoga the class was full and I couldn't hide in the back. I got stuck in the middle row which means that everyone can see you all of the time! Luckily my yoga game was strong. Yes I like yoga for the flexibility and the workout. And I like it for the relaxation. But I also like it because it forces me to be in a position where I have to concentrate and focus only on what I am doing and nothing else. It often requires that I push beyond what I think I can do. I think the focus and calm determination practice in yoga serves me well in my running. While Brandi was coloring my hair I texted Hayley about my fluctuations between you can do this and you can so NOT do this. (Hayley is currently the only person other than Norm who knows my goal.) Her advice was basically to go for it.
There is a quote I keep on my desk by Tom Peters (big wig business guy).
Brandi and I sometimes go to Elevate Yoga downtown for aerial yoga. Our favorite is the relaxation class. Tonight we went to a special relaxation and Reiki class. I have been looking forward to this for 2 days! It was amazing except for the one position that made my allergies go crazy for some reason. Brandi told me later she thought I was crying. They are in a new studio. They used to be in a shared space with a architecture firm, which sounds weird, but I kinda loved it. I came home to finish work on my dissertation and ended up finishing watching season 1 of I’m Sorry. If you like completely inappropriate humor you need to watch this show. I can’t remember the last time I laughed so hard.