Here is the latest Red Shoe Report from the print edition of the paper. As always, I look forward to hearing from you!

http://www.winchestersun.com/public_html/?module=displaystory&story_id=20554&format=html

I apologize for not posting anything new in so long, but check back later today for a new Red Shoe Report column on my 25th birthday and how I feel about turning a quarter of a century.

Thanks for reading!

Here’s my column from Monday’s paper: More about finishing the mini-marathon.

Today marks my one year Winchester Sun anniversary! Thanks for reading!

The mini marathon is finally over. I still can’t believe I actually did it, and I even finished with a respectable time, under three hours. The first six miles might have been the most fun I’ve ever had running. The last seven, well, they’re over, and that’s the important part, right? I’ve been told that as a group we raised over $15,000 for the Early Learning Center, which is pretty amazing. I know a lot of kids will really benefit from that money. Maybe next year I’ll tackle the marathon. Or maybe not…

Being a dutiful Community Editor has kept me busy the past couple of weeks and I haven’t posted my Monday columns. However, I am correcting that right now.

Here is a column on something special happening in McCreary County in honor of my dad, Big Norm.

I also wrote a column explaining some of my motivation for running the Derby Festival mini-marathon.

Happy reading!!

Thanks to faithful reader Debbie for pointing out that I have been remiss in getting Monday’s Red Shoe Report from the print edition on the blog. So, for those of you who are interested in my latest cooking adventures, here you go:

For those of you who have been following along the past few weeks, I thought I would give you an update in the continuing saga, “Red Shoe Writer Learns to Cook.”
My newsroom compatriot, and page designer extraordinaire, Brittany, invited me over to her house last week for a girls’ night in with a lasagna recipe. a Beatles record playing and, of course, good conversation — the kind of good conversation that can only happen when two girls are alone together in the kitchen.
As it turns out, I might actually be able to cook after all. Well, one thing anyway, and I got to spend some time with one of the coolest people I know.
Although I am in the running for the title of “Nerdiest Human Being on the Planet,” I have been fortunate enough to meet some cool people that are willing to take pity on me. Community service or something, I guess.
Anywho, I’d say that my first foray into the kitchen was quite a success. Brittany and I picked out a recipe that looked good and, more importantly, relatively simple, and then we met at her house to do the actual cooking because making a lasagna requires ingredients and cooking utensils, two things you will not find at my house. Hey, Rome wasn’t built in a day, right?
We chopped, we shredded, we diced, we used words like “sauté” and “broil.” I felt very skilled and knowledgeable, even if I did just stir some hamburger around in a pan — as long as you can use the lingo correctly, you are, in fact, a real cook. Girl Scout’s honor.
But what was even better than honing my admittedly limited domestic skills was getting to spend some time with Brittany, who is a whole lot of fun. We have been working together for almost a year now and during that time, we have developed what I consider a great camaraderie. Nothing like being in the same room with someone eight hours a day everyday to help you get to know them. Sometimes I feel like a broken record, talking about all the things that have happened in my life over the past year, but it really has been a big year, and I think that working with some really fun people has been a big help to me.
Not only does Brittany listen to me babble on incessantly about whatever ridiculous thing is on my mind on any given day, she actually lets me come over to her house and babble incessantly in her kitchen. And not only that, but I also get to learn a useful skill in the process. Turns out giving up fast food does not, in fact, mean that I will starve to death.
So while I’m munching on my leftovers the next few days — OK, the one day I’m munching on my leftovers because we all know they won’t last much longer than that — I will have Brittany to thank. Turns out, there really are advantages to doing something grown-up and responsible. And I have even heard tell of some cupcake baking in my future. Talk about a beautiful friendship.

Contact Rachel Parsons at rparsons@winchestersun.com.

A new Red Shoe Report column will be available on Monday. Check back here Monday afternoon to hear about my further adventures learning to cook with co-worker Brittany.

I look forward to your thoughts and comments!

Growing up in McCreary County is an experience that you can only truly understand if you actually lived it. That’s why my friend Erica and I will always be friends — it would be way too hard to explain Pine Knot and Bethel Road to somebody else. But Pine Knot is like a member of the family — sometimes it can make a person crazy, but you always love it.

So I would just like to take this opportunity to thank everyone from back that has sponsored me in the mini-marathon. The donations have far exceeded my expectations, and they just keep on coming in. So anyway, if any McCreary Countians happen to meander on over to Red Shoe, know that you are appreciated!

Of course, I can’t leave out my new hometown in my love-fest either. I’ve made a lot of friends in Winchester thanks to my new obsession with running (a little shout out to Roy, for cheering me on through my long runs, Melissa for organizing the whole thing, and Rhonda and Jenny for getting me outside on days when I otherwise wouldn’t have, and for bringing me cookies!!!) and I’m super-excited about getting the chance to know them all. And thanks to you lovely Winchesterians that have made donations, too. I appreciate it, and I know the kids at the Early Learning Center appreciate it, too!!

I thought that reality TV and I had reached an amicable parting of the ways. Turns out I was wrong. Darn MTV had to come out with a new show that I am, of course, totally addicted to. “The City” is a spin-off of one of my old favorites, “The Hills,” and airs at 10 p.m. every Monday. I won’t lie, I’m pretty excited about a new episode tonight. The premise for those of you who don’t watch is that Whitney, one of Lauren Conrad’s best friends from “The Hills,” is moving to NYC to work in the fashion industry and the show follows her life, just like “The Hills” follows Conrad’s life. It has all the same trappings of “The Hills,” the young, rich and beautiful creating a lot of drama over silly stuff, but it is entertaining. I wish I didn’t like it so much, but the truth is the truth. Are any of my faithful readers as addicted as I am?

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