Paint Swatch Art

I've seen a ton of examples on Pinterest where people have made colorful paint swatch art.  I needed something yellow for my dining room to go with my curtains (since I realized once I hung them that I have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ELSE that is yellow in my entire house...still trying to make that work... my custom curtains may have to go come fall in lieu of another more neutral color, but I'll save that for another post).  I decided to try it out so I went to Lowe's Hardware and grabbed all the yellow paint swatches they had... I'm sure the guy at the paint counter thought I was insane, but anyway...

It's pretty easy, I just cut a bunch of them up into little squares and then started arranging them on a piece of cardboard out of an old frame.  I put them lightest to darkest in a sunburst pattern:

Then, I cut off the uneven edges so I could fit it back into the frame:

Voila, paint swatch art!  Price: free :o)

Couch to 5K

After several years of unsuccessful jogging attempts on my part, I have decided to try, try again.  I read an article in a magazine about how this woman downloaded a Couch to 5K app on her iPhone and it helped her be able to jog a 5K in only 9 weeks!  So I've decided to tackle it.  Since I don't have a smartphone, just a regular simpleton dumb-phone, I'm not able to download these cool, flashy things you call "apps", so I just went online and found the schedule and printed it out for myself.  You can find it here: http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

The concept is simple: ease yourself into running/jogging by working up to a goal slowly over time.  It starts out by having you warm up with a brisk 5 minute walk and then alternate jogging/walking for 20 minutes.  The first week you jog for 60 seconds and walk for 90 seconds for a 20 minute period.  The second week moves you up to jogging 90 seconds and walking 2 minutes, 3rd week increases your jog time while decreasing your walk time, and so on and so forth...

Shockingly enough, I've actually been able to do it so far.  I'm beginning week 3 today and hoping I will be able to continue without having a heat stroke or a heart attack.  Hopefully by posting this, it will motivate me not to give up since I'm publicly announcing my jogging attempts.  It seems to help having a formula and guidelines to go by for a designated time period.  It also helps to have my 65-year-old dad by my side (who never seems to get tired or out of breath, I might add) egging me on and keeping me company, all while laughingly saying, (as I'm gasping for air) "Okay, now try to quote the Gettysburg Address!" and "Maybe when you get to be 65 you'll be in as good of shape as me!"  I would usually laugh or have some sarcastic retort, but I'm usually so out of breath that all I can manage is a faint wheeze....

There's a 5K in November here in my area called the Turkey Trot, so my goal is to enter that so I have something to work towards.

How about you guys?  Anyone try any new workout regimens you'd like to share?  Goals met that you're proud of?  Tips for getting past the "I'm-so-out-of-breath-and-tired-I-could-just-collapse-in-a-heap-and-pass-out" feeling?  Wish me luck!   :o)