I’ve written about the Instagram effect before — of feeling like your life doesn’t measure up to someone else’s because they (and most of us, really) just post the highlights on social media.

I’m going through some real-life lowlights right now (and no, not the “make me a little less blonde for fall” kind) that I’m not ready to write about publicly (though I’m journaling about it in case I ever do). I’m not going to pretend things are “normal” right now, but I’m going to try to keep this space as normal as possible for now.

So in that spirit, here’s some random stuff on my mind lately:

Off the shoulder tops — yay/nay? I kind of like this one but I still don’t get the cold-shoulder top trend.

I desperately need to do a closet clean, and am planning on listing a bunch of stuff on Poshmark. (If you use this link, we each get $5.) Unsurprisingly, there will be a bunch of Lilly.

LOVE this post from Jess about taking time to reflect — alone. I’m great at sharing my feelings in therapy or with friends, but spending time alone reflecting is different and, frankly, scary. I say I treasure my alone time — and I do — but I either spend most of it still busy (I make to-do lists for home before I leave work that, realistically, I could never get through) or completely depleted on the couch. Like Jess, I love baths, but I’m usually bringing something to read in there…or, my phone, despite knowing really well that I shouldn’t be doing that.

I need to get my cashmoney flow in order. Asking you: how do you budget? Paper and pencil? Excel? Some fancy program?

I’ve had some complaints from my neighbors (one cranky neighbor?) about Bailey barking. I just bought him a ThunderShirt to try/swaddle — any of you have experience with these helping your dogs?

I saw Boston: The Documentary, a documentary on (yeah you guessed it) the Boston Marathon, tonight in the theater. The movie examines the history of the storied race, weaving it in with the story of the 2013 bombings and the 2014 redemption year.

The movie is directed by Jon Dunham, who also directed the Spirit of the Marathon movies, narrated by Matt Damon, and the score is recorded by the Boston Symphony Orchestra. All this to say: it was exceptionally well done. Even though we all knew Meb won the 2014 running, we were on the edges of our seats.

It’s a good thing I stalk IG stories, because last night I saw that Iliza Schlesinger, one of my favorite comics, was playing at Gotham Comedy Club, just blocks away from me. (She’s who I saw for my birthday at Foxwoods!) She will have her own show, starting next month, which I’m really excited for. 

It’s been a while since I’ve checked in here, I know. There’s a lot going on with my family, and I’ve been splitting my time between NYC and NJ these days. Please keep my family in your thoughts and prayers.

The Boston Marathon is this Monday. If you follow any runners on Instagram, you already know that. 

Everyone’s checking into their hotels and heading to the expo to pick up their bibs and celebrate their hard work.

I never had a life plan, but I used to have a 5-year running plan.

I never considered myself fast, but I did improve pretty quickly and consistently as a marathoner and runner in general.

Marathon 1, Chicago Marathon, 2010: 4:59

Marathon 2, NYC Marathon, 2011: 4:19

Marathon 3, Marine Corps, 2012: 4:04

Marathon 4, NYC Marathon, 2013: 3:56, bitches!

I was 30 when I ran NYC 2013, and that time progression gave me hope that if I kept running a marathon a year, that I’d be able to keep chip, chip chipping, and I’d be able to run 3:40 or under by the time I turned 35. 

I’ve run two marathons since then, but they were after a back injury, and I was happy just to finish them.

Last year, I had sinus issues and a body that just didn’t want to cooperate with running.

I’m signed up for NYC this year, and with everything going in my life, I’m not going to pressure myself on time right now. 

Who knows, maybe I won’t chip any time off this year but miraculously run a 3:40 next year when I *am* 35. 

But I want to qualify for Boston — and I plan on running for the rest of my life, so I’m not going to give up on this goal.

And you? Do you want to/have you qualified for Boston? Or what’s your big running goal?