detailed outline

my housemate lindsay suggested that i try the detailed outline method for writing my dissertation proposal. this basically involves writing an outline with the main points you want to say and then filling in the details until basically all you have to do is put transitions in between them. so i started today with a not-so-detailed outline and it has been getting more detailed as the day wears on. this is so much easier than the way i wrote the first two sections.

in unhappy news, my ankle is swollen. this is the same ankle that was sore after the massage i got on my birthday. i rolled my ankle during the race on saturday, but it wasn't a painful roll, if that makes sense. i don't think it was swollen after the race or after i slept for a few hours either. it doesn't hurt to run or walk, but if i try and stretch my peroneous longus (there's not a layman's term for the muscle, sorry about that) it hurts.

at this point i should pause for an educational moment. peroneous longus is a muscle that runs from the head of your fibula (the boney bump on the outside of your leg just below your knee) down your leg, around the back of your lateral malleolus ("ankle bone," which is actually part of your tibia, but i digress) and then connects on the head of your 1st metatarsal (a long, skinny foot bone). the peroneous longus is used when locomoting, particulary on uneven surfaces. when engaged, you can evert your foot (rotate it "out," such that the outside of your foot moves "up" and the inside of your foot moves "down"). in other words, its important for trail running, walking on grass and cobblestones and for my research (how people move in stability threatening environments, such as on uneven surfaces).

so, i'm ibuprofenating for a couple days and hopefully that helps. i water ran with michelle again this morning, and i'm going to yoga tonight. i am hoping that the latter in particular does some good as one of the causes of an inflamed peroneous longus (that's getting fun to say) can be tight calves.

i have only been back in the coop for 48 hours and not having to cook or grocery shop has been making me very happy...and saving me lots of money. yeah! i heart leftovers that i can bring to work for lunch the next day.

i'm almost completely unpacked. at this point, i basically just have to hang all my pictures up. i forgot to mention that the race i did this past weekend was in memory of a cancer victim, captain karl. the prizes for the winners were framed drawings that karl's wife made. they're gorgeous. mine is currently the only thing hanging in my room. while i'm not sure that this is necessarily a positive thing, cancer has kind of been a constant in my life for more than 15 years as its affected family members and friends and as i've participated in things like race for the cure, relay for life, texas 4000 and made donations to many friends who have gotten involved with one of the team-in-training programs. its amazing how a disease can connect us all and inspire us to work together to find a cure. it gives me hope.