Day 13, Ran 3/4ths mile, total so far 30.75, to go 969.25
Saturday began with a nice breakfast at one of my weekend haunts, Pancake House, with a couple of friends. One of them mentioned that he worked out at a new LA Fitness on Mockingbird. My other friend, whom I will call gym rat to preserve his anonymity and our friendship, volunteered that he would like to check it out. Gym rat is in is wonderful shape. The gym is his number one priority and even though he is over 40 he looks like he is in his mid thirties with a body of someone in their 20s who cared to keep a body (lots of people in college start the long road of dunlap disease....dunlapped over their belt...a disease that prompted my blog and 1000 mile challenge). G.R. and I used to work out together about 7 or 8 years ago and I must confess that during that time I looked the best physically that I ever have. I would work out with G.R. 5 or 6 times a week. It was the only time in my life that someone commented to me at a pool that I looked better with my shirt off than on. They would not say that today!
G.R. is always on my case to work out and chastises me whenever I let anything else (like life) get in the way of my workouts. He is happy for the blog...but cardio is just part of it he tells me. So G.R. and I decide to check out the L.A. Fitness near his work, a new one occupying an old SIM's department store site. The Italian, Jock, "Don't you want to buy a membership from me today?" salesman ("and by the way I want to be a policeman and my family owns a lot of restaurants, but I don't want to be in that business and I don't like Texas, but it takes too long to be an NYPD trainee...blah, blah, blah" from Mr. endless chatter, ) seemed to lose interest in us when we insisted we only wanted a one week pass to try it out. He kept saying "But with a membership you can use any of your 30 clubs in the metroplex and G.R. finally said "Why would we want to use any of those other clubs...we don't live or work near them and you told us they are all basically the same?" At that point, Jock Man Salesman gave up and gave us our passes.
Later that afternoon, we returned only to discover that they close at 8 and we only had a little over an hour to exercise so I only got 3/4ths of a mile of running in before we went to lift weights. It was fun...I like being told what to do and then being told that was good...I would have been a good lap dog, maybe an Iris Setter. After the workout we went to Magianos and ate a half order of fried calamari which was enough for a meal for two, and we split a half order of spinach salad and a half order of lasagna. Believe me, I was still full so if you ever go to that Restaurant, don't get a full order unless you want a to go box. Saturday was a good day. I did not feel guilty for my Itanlian indulgences because I had worked out! Life is good.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Saturday, March 13, 2010
March 12, Day 12, 5 miles, twinkies, lotto and the Weekly Grand!
Day 12, ran 5 miles, Total so far 30 miles, Miles to go - 970 3/100ths of the goal
Writing this post the morning after my run. Came home after 5 miles on the treadmill feeling tired but exhilarated...runner's high. Ate some brisket tacos I made from my left over pot roast washed down with the second half of the cheep Merlot, which tasted a little better than the night before, or so it seemed...maybe the 24 hours had breathed more life into it. I use a crystal wine stopper engraved with my initial which was given to me by a close friend....suspect it is not airtight. Went to bed after dinner, hence today's post about yesterday's run. I find that with all the running I am not doing, I do need more rest. I am sure my body is trying to compensate.
Dallas weather changed again yesterday. It was still sunny, but a cold wind blew in, a strong wind. I noticed how strong when I stopped at my favorite gas station/convenience store for my twice weekly gambling experience. I admit it. I buy one $1.00 Texas Lotto ticket for the Wednesday drawing and one for the Saturday drawing. If you want them to pay you gotta play. I have special numbers I use each time. I also purchase one 2 dollar Weekly Grand. The Weekly Grand is a scratch off ticket where the grand prize is $1,000 a week for 20 years. I once had a friend who knew someone who knew someone who won the Weekly Grand. The winner was a construction worker who stopped at the same convenience store every day for a breakfast of a package of Twinkies and a box of orange juice. He would also purchase a Weekly Grand and one day, viola, he won. He did not change his lifestyle. Kept his job and put the money in the bank so his kids would have a college fund. He is my hero.
Of course, since my kids are all out of college, except the youngest who has one year to go, I could keep all that money for myself....actually give it to my creditors! There is another part of my program that is very important. You can win three ways with the Weekly Grand. At the bottom you scratch off three symbols. If two match, you win an instant $20. I always scratch this first....have never won the $20. Then at the top you scratch off your number and their number. If your number is larger, you win the prize for that number. I have won up to 10 dollars with this option. Finally you scratch off six prizes in the middle and if three of them match, you win that prize. I have often won 2 or 4 dollars here and sometimes 10. Here is the key. Most people, if they win 2, 4 or 10 dollars, will immediately purchase more scratch off tickets, trying for the larger pay out. Generally they keep doing this and eventually lose back anything they have won. I don't. I consider my 6 dollar a week habit, just that, play money. If I win 2 or more dollars, I keep it, applying it to reduce my habit's cost. It is like the cost of admission, the ticket price for a ride. I do the same thing the few times I have gone to a casino. I decide what I would be willing to pay for the experience, usually 50 or 100 dollars, and play till it is time to leave or the money is gone. I know I need that discipline and have seen what gambling can do to people when the habit becomes a "can't stop" compulsion.
I told a friend one time about my system and he pointed out what he said was a fatal flaw. "Do you know why you have not won the Weekly Grand?" he asked. "It is because you don't buy the Twinkies!" That caused me to have a lot of angst for a while. What a delimma. I love Twinkies and actually used to buy one package and a carton of orange juice sometimes for breakfast when I worked as a teller in college at a bank in Shreveport. But now I try to eat a better breakfast and I really don't want to buy one every day....increase the cost of my habit by the cost of OJ and the Twinkies (which, to be fair, I would have to adjust by the lesser cost of breakfast at home that I would have cooked....eggs and bacon or oatmeal cooked at home being cheaper, but still having a cost). Don't like math. Didn't want to try to figure out the cost. Finally reconciled myself to the realization that my friend was wrong. In fact, taking his advice would have been disastrous. After all, what are the odds that two people who purchased a Weekly Grand, OJ and a package of Twinkies every day, would win the lottery? I am smugly convinced now that my odds of winning are enhanced by not buying the Twinkies! And I am also helping to keep my waist from being enhanced by the Twinkies!
I do think it is important to buy the lotto tickets and Weekly Grand from the same convenience store (like the hero of my story). The store owners get a payout too if you win. I like to think that we are partners. This Chevron store, near my house, is owned by some Indians (east Asian, not native Americans) but they lease out the deli to some Pakistanis in a example to the world that peace between enemies is possible (especially where money and commerce are concerned). There is a little blue tray by the cash register where people can leave pennies for those who are short (short on change, not short in stature...unless you are both I guess). I like using one of those pennies to scratch (my scratch off game). While doing so I joke with the cashier about this being our time to win the lottery. He always agrees and wishes me luck.
Back to yesterday's weather, it was so windy that when I pulled into the convenience store to buy my lotto and Weekly Grand, I noticed that the plastic top to one of the gas pumps, a large sign saying Chevron, had blown off and was lying broken in the driveway. Made me a little nervous, considering I was in a Miata. The idea of flying debri takes on a new meaning when all that is separating you from it is a clothe top. I hurried in while suspiciously eyeing the other gas pump plastic tops and trying to calculate what angle of trajectory they would have to take if blown off and were to hit my car. At the cash register there were no pennies in the tray - not a good sign. After I bought my lotto ticket and Weekly Grand, I had to use a key to scratch....no winnings from the Weekly Grand. I will have to wait for Wednesday now for my next crack at the Weekly Grand.
But tonight....may be my night for the lottery win. A good friend, who also is a lotto player, once told me that the only thing that would be sad about winning the lottery would be that he would miss me. I asked him why. He said "If I win, I won't be hanging around with your kind, you know. poor people!" But friends who read this blog, don't worry. If I win I won't change (well, not too much!) but if the blog goes silent.....
It was this same wind that forced me to run on the treadmill at the gym. Refreshed from taking the day before off, I was determined to run 5 miles. I like the treadmill because it tells you so much and measures accomplishments. I can see how fast I am going (11:45 minute a mile pace) and how many calories (895 - justification for the taco part of the brisket taco last night) and I can watch both the clock wind down (I had set it for one hour) and the miles pile up (ran a little more than 5, but will just count it as 5). Followed the run with a lot a stretching. Only thing I miss about my gym at school is that it does not have a jacuzzi, steam or sauna. That would have felt good after the run.
Legs a little stiff this morning. Will run less today...maybe more on Sunday (maybe not if I win the lottery tonight!) Life is Good!
Writing this post the morning after my run. Came home after 5 miles on the treadmill feeling tired but exhilarated...runner's high. Ate some brisket tacos I made from my left over pot roast washed down with the second half of the cheep Merlot, which tasted a little better than the night before, or so it seemed...maybe the 24 hours had breathed more life into it. I use a crystal wine stopper engraved with my initial which was given to me by a close friend....suspect it is not airtight. Went to bed after dinner, hence today's post about yesterday's run. I find that with all the running I am not doing, I do need more rest. I am sure my body is trying to compensate.
Dallas weather changed again yesterday. It was still sunny, but a cold wind blew in, a strong wind. I noticed how strong when I stopped at my favorite gas station/convenience store for my twice weekly gambling experience. I admit it. I buy one $1.00 Texas Lotto ticket for the Wednesday drawing and one for the Saturday drawing. If you want them to pay you gotta play. I have special numbers I use each time. I also purchase one 2 dollar Weekly Grand. The Weekly Grand is a scratch off ticket where the grand prize is $1,000 a week for 20 years. I once had a friend who knew someone who knew someone who won the Weekly Grand. The winner was a construction worker who stopped at the same convenience store every day for a breakfast of a package of Twinkies and a box of orange juice. He would also purchase a Weekly Grand and one day, viola, he won. He did not change his lifestyle. Kept his job and put the money in the bank so his kids would have a college fund. He is my hero.
Of course, since my kids are all out of college, except the youngest who has one year to go, I could keep all that money for myself....actually give it to my creditors! There is another part of my program that is very important. You can win three ways with the Weekly Grand. At the bottom you scratch off three symbols. If two match, you win an instant $20. I always scratch this first....have never won the $20. Then at the top you scratch off your number and their number. If your number is larger, you win the prize for that number. I have won up to 10 dollars with this option. Finally you scratch off six prizes in the middle and if three of them match, you win that prize. I have often won 2 or 4 dollars here and sometimes 10. Here is the key. Most people, if they win 2, 4 or 10 dollars, will immediately purchase more scratch off tickets, trying for the larger pay out. Generally they keep doing this and eventually lose back anything they have won. I don't. I consider my 6 dollar a week habit, just that, play money. If I win 2 or more dollars, I keep it, applying it to reduce my habit's cost. It is like the cost of admission, the ticket price for a ride. I do the same thing the few times I have gone to a casino. I decide what I would be willing to pay for the experience, usually 50 or 100 dollars, and play till it is time to leave or the money is gone. I know I need that discipline and have seen what gambling can do to people when the habit becomes a "can't stop" compulsion.
I told a friend one time about my system and he pointed out what he said was a fatal flaw. "Do you know why you have not won the Weekly Grand?" he asked. "It is because you don't buy the Twinkies!" That caused me to have a lot of angst for a while. What a delimma. I love Twinkies and actually used to buy one package and a carton of orange juice sometimes for breakfast when I worked as a teller in college at a bank in Shreveport. But now I try to eat a better breakfast and I really don't want to buy one every day....increase the cost of my habit by the cost of OJ and the Twinkies (which, to be fair, I would have to adjust by the lesser cost of breakfast at home that I would have cooked....eggs and bacon or oatmeal cooked at home being cheaper, but still having a cost). Don't like math. Didn't want to try to figure out the cost. Finally reconciled myself to the realization that my friend was wrong. In fact, taking his advice would have been disastrous. After all, what are the odds that two people who purchased a Weekly Grand, OJ and a package of Twinkies every day, would win the lottery? I am smugly convinced now that my odds of winning are enhanced by not buying the Twinkies! And I am also helping to keep my waist from being enhanced by the Twinkies!
I do think it is important to buy the lotto tickets and Weekly Grand from the same convenience store (like the hero of my story). The store owners get a payout too if you win. I like to think that we are partners. This Chevron store, near my house, is owned by some Indians (east Asian, not native Americans) but they lease out the deli to some Pakistanis in a example to the world that peace between enemies is possible (especially where money and commerce are concerned). There is a little blue tray by the cash register where people can leave pennies for those who are short (short on change, not short in stature...unless you are both I guess). I like using one of those pennies to scratch (my scratch off game). While doing so I joke with the cashier about this being our time to win the lottery. He always agrees and wishes me luck.
Back to yesterday's weather, it was so windy that when I pulled into the convenience store to buy my lotto and Weekly Grand, I noticed that the plastic top to one of the gas pumps, a large sign saying Chevron, had blown off and was lying broken in the driveway. Made me a little nervous, considering I was in a Miata. The idea of flying debri takes on a new meaning when all that is separating you from it is a clothe top. I hurried in while suspiciously eyeing the other gas pump plastic tops and trying to calculate what angle of trajectory they would have to take if blown off and were to hit my car. At the cash register there were no pennies in the tray - not a good sign. After I bought my lotto ticket and Weekly Grand, I had to use a key to scratch....no winnings from the Weekly Grand. I will have to wait for Wednesday now for my next crack at the Weekly Grand.
But tonight....may be my night for the lottery win. A good friend, who also is a lotto player, once told me that the only thing that would be sad about winning the lottery would be that he would miss me. I asked him why. He said "If I win, I won't be hanging around with your kind, you know. poor people!" But friends who read this blog, don't worry. If I win I won't change (well, not too much!) but if the blog goes silent.....
It was this same wind that forced me to run on the treadmill at the gym. Refreshed from taking the day before off, I was determined to run 5 miles. I like the treadmill because it tells you so much and measures accomplishments. I can see how fast I am going (11:45 minute a mile pace) and how many calories (895 - justification for the taco part of the brisket taco last night) and I can watch both the clock wind down (I had set it for one hour) and the miles pile up (ran a little more than 5, but will just count it as 5). Followed the run with a lot a stretching. Only thing I miss about my gym at school is that it does not have a jacuzzi, steam or sauna. That would have felt good after the run.
Legs a little stiff this morning. Will run less today...maybe more on Sunday (maybe not if I win the lottery tonight!) Life is Good!
Friday, March 12, 2010
March 11, Day 11, Never forget an old friend and lost data doesn't matter
Day 11, Ran 0 miles, Total so far 25, Miles to go 975
Fatigue set in yesterday. Probably a combination of the lack of sleep from the day before, the travel, the extra running, etc. I also had an early (for me) breakfast meeting with an old friend from college whom I had not seen in over 30 years. The breakfast was great, a chance to share lives and stories. One of my mentors, John Hill, the Former Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court, once told me "Never forget and old friend and never be afraid to make a new friend." He was right and I tried to live by that creed. I am sure Brad and I will enjoy more times together now that facebook has reconnected us.
Had to deal with being technologically challenged yesterday. My blackberry was running slower than I do at the end of a run. The annoying spinning hour glass kept appearing and it had gotten so bad that when I tried to call ATT to ask I could not enter my cell phone number because the hour glass kept coming on and freezing the phone. I really did not want to invest in a new phone, and when I am honest with myself I realize that part of that reason was not wanting to have to decide between all the options and relearn a new system. It is a phenonmenon I call the Baskin Robbins syndrome.....31 flavor choices won't allow me to enjoy any for fear of what I am missing....in the old days I had no trouble deciding between vanilla, strawberry or chocolate....it was chocolate, of course. When I eat Chocolate it is a religious experience... I know there is a God or how else could there be something so wonderful in the world?
After Googleling (is that how it would be spelled as a verb?) for cell phone repairs, I selected one near my house figuring I could go at lunch and eat afterwards....left over chicken brocholi casserole calling my name and my wallet. The nice young student at the repair office in an obscure one story office park, told me the problem was that I had not updated my software. The good news was that he did so and did not charge me; the bad news was that he erased everything on the phone in the process; the good news was that I had much of that stored on my computer at the office; the bad news was that I could not sync it because now my software was not compatible; the good news was that the surly IT guy at the office fixed my software on the office computer; the bad news was, I realized that I lost my calendar, my phone photos and any contacts that I had added or modified in the past few months....oh well, I remembered the year of the Rat's Ass philosophy and decided not be upset...but if anyone is reading this you might send me your contact information again and let me know if we have an appoitment....
By three or so in the afternoon, I was ready to crash and the coffee just did not do its magic. I went home at 6 and at some pot roast and vegetables that I had put in the slow cooker at lunch time. The dinner was good, the inexpensive Merlot was not so good (probably why it was inexpensive) and then I went to bed early....hence waking up now at 3:00 a.m. and, not being able to go back to sleep, deciding to do my post.
Going to try to run 5 miles again today...maybe my body will be more refreshed and I can do it. We shall see.... One nice thing that has been greeting me the past couple of days....blooming daffodils and hiacynths hat I planted last fall...some inside and some outside the house. An early spring awakening...Life is good!
Fatigue set in yesterday. Probably a combination of the lack of sleep from the day before, the travel, the extra running, etc. I also had an early (for me) breakfast meeting with an old friend from college whom I had not seen in over 30 years. The breakfast was great, a chance to share lives and stories. One of my mentors, John Hill, the Former Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court, once told me "Never forget and old friend and never be afraid to make a new friend." He was right and I tried to live by that creed. I am sure Brad and I will enjoy more times together now that facebook has reconnected us.
Had to deal with being technologically challenged yesterday. My blackberry was running slower than I do at the end of a run. The annoying spinning hour glass kept appearing and it had gotten so bad that when I tried to call ATT to ask I could not enter my cell phone number because the hour glass kept coming on and freezing the phone. I really did not want to invest in a new phone, and when I am honest with myself I realize that part of that reason was not wanting to have to decide between all the options and relearn a new system. It is a phenonmenon I call the Baskin Robbins syndrome.....31 flavor choices won't allow me to enjoy any for fear of what I am missing....in the old days I had no trouble deciding between vanilla, strawberry or chocolate....it was chocolate, of course. When I eat Chocolate it is a religious experience... I know there is a God or how else could there be something so wonderful in the world?
After Googleling (is that how it would be spelled as a verb?) for cell phone repairs, I selected one near my house figuring I could go at lunch and eat afterwards....left over chicken brocholi casserole calling my name and my wallet. The nice young student at the repair office in an obscure one story office park, told me the problem was that I had not updated my software. The good news was that he did so and did not charge me; the bad news was that he erased everything on the phone in the process; the good news was that I had much of that stored on my computer at the office; the bad news was that I could not sync it because now my software was not compatible; the good news was that the surly IT guy at the office fixed my software on the office computer; the bad news was, I realized that I lost my calendar, my phone photos and any contacts that I had added or modified in the past few months....oh well, I remembered the year of the Rat's Ass philosophy and decided not be upset...but if anyone is reading this you might send me your contact information again and let me know if we have an appoitment....
By three or so in the afternoon, I was ready to crash and the coffee just did not do its magic. I went home at 6 and at some pot roast and vegetables that I had put in the slow cooker at lunch time. The dinner was good, the inexpensive Merlot was not so good (probably why it was inexpensive) and then I went to bed early....hence waking up now at 3:00 a.m. and, not being able to go back to sleep, deciding to do my post.
Going to try to run 5 miles again today...maybe my body will be more refreshed and I can do it. We shall see.... One nice thing that has been greeting me the past couple of days....blooming daffodils and hiacynths hat I planted last fall...some inside and some outside the house. An early spring awakening...Life is good!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
March 10, Day 10, Short Run and the Year of the Rat's Ass
Day 10 of Blog Ran 2.5 miles/ Total so far 25 miles/ Total to go 975 miles 1/40th of the way!
Seems I am writing blogs in the morning these days, for the day before. Yesterday was a typical Texas weather day. Started out nice and sunny but very quickly turned to rain and hail. The sky decided to open up and spit out ice and water at the moment I was pulling into my parking space at the law school parking lot. Sans umbrella I made the made dash to the building. I was running late and knew that "God's wonderful plan for my life" this day was to soak me as a lesson that I needed to be punctual and honor my commitments. Years of devotional readings, men's groups, Protestant work ethic sermons and other influences have fined tuned my Catholic guilt, mixing it with other strains of Christianity and other world religions so that it must look like one of those swirl cakes you always see on the boxes at the store...vanilla with a chocolate swirl. I have learned to laugh when things like an early morning soaking happen. It is just no longer that important in the grand scheme of things. I attribute part of this attitude to the realization a couple of years ago that it was the Chinese year of the Rat. With a good friend we decided that most of the things we got upset about were not worth the effort and that for this year, we would try to not give a Rat's Ass about the small stuff. It works and I decided that every year would be the year of the Rat's Ass as far as I was concerned.
Back to Texas weather. By lunchtime the sun was back and the day was beautiful. I had a hard time staying indoors and working on the mundane aspects of my job. It is spring break so there are not many people around (administrator's don't get spring break, or summers off though I wish we did). At around six I went to the gym. I decided that after Tuesday's five miles I really needed to not push too hard this time. I have learned the results of over doing it and I am here to finish, not get hurt. So I went back to the outdoor track this time.
I had decided to run 2.5 miles so I could reach a total of 25 miles, 1/40th of the 1000 miles goal. Math not being my best subject I was half way through the run before I realized that I had been calculating my laps to go assuming I needed to run 12 times around the quarter mile track, rather than 10. Quite a nice surprise and so the remaining 4 laps were not that hard. I have always been able to convince myself that I can withstand anything as long as I see an end in sight and so running those laps passed quickly. I occupied myself during the run watching a coach work with some 5 or 6 year old boys. He would time them as they raced 50 yards or so, encouraging one for trying hard and criticizing one for slowing down before the finish line. He then had them doing push-ups and other exercises. I enjoyed their enthusiasm and carefree attitude. They were having fun without a care in the world....I keep a picture of myself at about that age taped to the side of my computer to remind me that I need that child-like attitude of hope and enthusiasm. I look at it when the grumpy old cynic in me wants to color my world grey.
At home, I made a casserole out of things that I had. Broccoli, chicken breast, left over spaghetti, Campbell's broccoli cheese soup, sharp Cheddar cheese and some parmigiana cheese.....I washed it down with a nice Riesling as I sat on my front porch. I love and need outdoor spaces and when the weather is as perfect as yesterday, you will usually find me outside on my covered porch at night with a glass of wine, a candle and a smile. Come over and toast with me sometime. Life is Good!
Seems I am writing blogs in the morning these days, for the day before. Yesterday was a typical Texas weather day. Started out nice and sunny but very quickly turned to rain and hail. The sky decided to open up and spit out ice and water at the moment I was pulling into my parking space at the law school parking lot. Sans umbrella I made the made dash to the building. I was running late and knew that "God's wonderful plan for my life" this day was to soak me as a lesson that I needed to be punctual and honor my commitments. Years of devotional readings, men's groups, Protestant work ethic sermons and other influences have fined tuned my Catholic guilt, mixing it with other strains of Christianity and other world religions so that it must look like one of those swirl cakes you always see on the boxes at the store...vanilla with a chocolate swirl. I have learned to laugh when things like an early morning soaking happen. It is just no longer that important in the grand scheme of things. I attribute part of this attitude to the realization a couple of years ago that it was the Chinese year of the Rat. With a good friend we decided that most of the things we got upset about were not worth the effort and that for this year, we would try to not give a Rat's Ass about the small stuff. It works and I decided that every year would be the year of the Rat's Ass as far as I was concerned.
Back to Texas weather. By lunchtime the sun was back and the day was beautiful. I had a hard time staying indoors and working on the mundane aspects of my job. It is spring break so there are not many people around (administrator's don't get spring break, or summers off though I wish we did). At around six I went to the gym. I decided that after Tuesday's five miles I really needed to not push too hard this time. I have learned the results of over doing it and I am here to finish, not get hurt. So I went back to the outdoor track this time.
I had decided to run 2.5 miles so I could reach a total of 25 miles, 1/40th of the 1000 miles goal. Math not being my best subject I was half way through the run before I realized that I had been calculating my laps to go assuming I needed to run 12 times around the quarter mile track, rather than 10. Quite a nice surprise and so the remaining 4 laps were not that hard. I have always been able to convince myself that I can withstand anything as long as I see an end in sight and so running those laps passed quickly. I occupied myself during the run watching a coach work with some 5 or 6 year old boys. He would time them as they raced 50 yards or so, encouraging one for trying hard and criticizing one for slowing down before the finish line. He then had them doing push-ups and other exercises. I enjoyed their enthusiasm and carefree attitude. They were having fun without a care in the world....I keep a picture of myself at about that age taped to the side of my computer to remind me that I need that child-like attitude of hope and enthusiasm. I look at it when the grumpy old cynic in me wants to color my world grey.
At home, I made a casserole out of things that I had. Broccoli, chicken breast, left over spaghetti, Campbell's broccoli cheese soup, sharp Cheddar cheese and some parmigiana cheese.....I washed it down with a nice Riesling as I sat on my front porch. I love and need outdoor spaces and when the weather is as perfect as yesterday, you will usually find me outside on my covered porch at night with a glass of wine, a candle and a smile. Come over and toast with me sometime. Life is Good!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Day Nine, Five Miles on the Katy Trail and memories of being a dad.
Day 9: Ran 5 miles yahoo/ Total so far 22.5/ Miles to go 977.5
Yesterday was one of those perfect Dallas winter days. Sunny, 78. I had been thinking how nice it was to run in the sun in my sweats and low 50's weather in New York the past few days. But back in Dallas, I remembered that 50 is not warm and I was grateful for the incredible weather that awaited me on my return. I always explain to friends who are not from Texas that the reason we have such changing winter weather, warm and sunny one day and ice the next, is because of the battle between Mexico and Canada. The middle of the US, nestled between two mountain ranges, the Appalachian and the Rockies, is basically flat. The cold Arctic air races down from Canada and meets the warm tropical Mexican breezes. Where they meet determines what kind of a day we will have in North Texas. Mexico won yesterday and hopefully will win again today. Most of the time I route for Mexico!
I got up at 4 a.m. to catch the 6:00 o'clock to La Guardia to Dallas American Airlines flight. It was hard to answer the alarms call after having had a wonderful dinner at a little Thai restaurant near NYU the night before. We had gone to that neighborhood because we had made plans to meet up later with daughter Leigh after a copy editing class she was taking, and our friend Rose, who was giving a speech nearby at the NYU law school. A crisp Argentinian Sauvon Blanc washed washed down my stir fried cubes of steak, onions and tomatoes....a lot of wine. We met Rose and Leigh at an Irish Pub a few blocks away for Samual Adams seasonal (the beer of the night, and at happy hour prices though is was getting late), some stale chips and salsa (so hard to find good chips and salsa in New York) and some calamari (Leigh had not eaten much and there is always room for a little fried calamari).
After 4 hours sleep and the cab ride to the airport, I managed to doze most of the flight to Dallas. I would like to say that the plane sleep refreshed me (it didn't) but it was better than nothing. The day was not too bad, it being spring break so fewer people around. I wanted to go home and go to bed, but remembered the blog and the goal. So at 5:30 I was at the gym and walking to the Katy Trail. I love the Katy Trail....an old railroad right of way that has been restored to an urban oasis of walkers, runners, joggers, bikers, strollers and dogs. The non-profit that supports the trail continues to landscape it and build little parks, and entrances with vistas, a wonderful civic public private partnership. The trees and bushes had just began to bloom and white and pink buds had started to pop open everywhere.
On the way to the trail head, as I walked the four blocks from the gym through the nice Highland Park streets, I saw a father and son in a vacant lot playing catch. The toe headed boy replete with baseball hat and striped uniform, looked about 5 or 6. The dad, in plaid shorts, beer belly and Hawaiian shirt looked, well, ridiculous. The dad was obviously not an athlete. But the scene caused me to have a flashback to my own attempts to be the sports dad for my oldest son, Eric.
Eric is a natural athlete, born with a ball in his hand. I was and am a klutz when it come to team sports. Always skinny and awkward, the last chosen for teams, etc. I had expected my first son to be similar. I was al prepared to console him when he too was choosen last, with the "Harvard Cheer" appropriate for all geeks..."That's alright, That's OK, their gonna work for you some day!" I was startled that Eric was so gifted. In retrospect, considering the genes on his mother's side, and especially his Big Daddy, Kay's father who played college baseball, I should not have been surprised with his ability.
When I would take Eric to the park and try to throw the ball so he could hit it, only about one in 4 or 5 actually sailed over the plate anywhere near a strike zone. Eric was so patient with me....shouting "That's good daddy!" whenever I was able to pitch a ball he could hit. Wonderful memories of those times flooded my mind as I passed Mr. Hawaii and his son and watched them at play.
At the trail my goal was modest. I had been running 2.5 miles the past few days. I knew if I ran another 2.5 I would reach 20 miles, a slice of my pie equal to 1/50th of the 1000 miles goal. The Katy Trail is marked at 1/4th mile intervals. I was starting at mile 0, the beginning of the trail. I determined to run out 2.5 miles and turn around and see how far I could go. I play lots of psychological games to motivate me. One is the think of any extra miles beyond an origninal goal as "gravy." I am sure this comes from my southern roots where everything is better with gravy on it. I remember a comic one time dressed as a Luby's Cafeteria Lady asking in a deadpan tone "You want gravy on that gravy?" So I knew that any distance longer than 2.5 miles would be gravy for the run.
At just before the one mile marker, I came to the intersection of Knox Street and the trail. The cars are supposed to yield to the runners, but you have to be careful as many drivers subscribe to the Kathy Bates mentality from the movie, Fried Green Tomatoes, "I am bigger than you and I have more insurance," and pay little attention to the trail until they hit the speed bump right before the crosswalk and their tires squeal. Right at this intersection, there are some restaurants and retail stores in old buildings dating back to the days of true neighborhood retail. One of my favorite is Ta Louse, a french haunt with outdoor seating, like a Paris sidewalk cafe, minus Paris.
As I passed Ta Louse, more memories came flooding in of one of my favorite days of all time. It was the spring of 2009, Leigh's last in Dallas as an SMU coed before she graduated in May and left to find her fortune in the Big Apple. We had decided to go for a run on the Katy Trail. I told her to bring her ID and she looked at me with that look which said "OK, but?" I had a surpise in mind so I let her wonder and she did not push. We ran out two miles turned around and ran back one mile, which after water at the trail fountain and a short walk, brought us to the Knox street crossing and Ta Louse. It was a day very similar to yesterday, sunny, 70's. We sat down. I ordered us a bottle of wine (she was 21 but I was not taking chances...hence the ID) and some mussels cooked in a white wine and garlic sauce just perfect for dipping the crusty warm french bread that came with the fruit and salad plate I had also ordered. As we sat there eating the marvelous food, flush from a great run and conversing about the future, Leigh's hopes to move to New York (she did) and find a job in publishing (she has). I remembered thinking, like the Jim Croce song, Time in a Bottle, that I wished I could put that moment in a bottle to savor again and again. Yesterday, on the run, as I passed Ta Louse, I realized that I could put time in a bottle, in my mind. I opened that bottle, remembered that wonderful day with Leigh and Ta Louse, and was grateful for the many blessings in my life.
Oh, and I did turn around at the 2.5 mile mark. I was feeling so high from the run and the memories I just kept running until I reached the beginning of the trail again...and had completed 5 Miles. Life is Good!
Yesterday was one of those perfect Dallas winter days. Sunny, 78. I had been thinking how nice it was to run in the sun in my sweats and low 50's weather in New York the past few days. But back in Dallas, I remembered that 50 is not warm and I was grateful for the incredible weather that awaited me on my return. I always explain to friends who are not from Texas that the reason we have such changing winter weather, warm and sunny one day and ice the next, is because of the battle between Mexico and Canada. The middle of the US, nestled between two mountain ranges, the Appalachian and the Rockies, is basically flat. The cold Arctic air races down from Canada and meets the warm tropical Mexican breezes. Where they meet determines what kind of a day we will have in North Texas. Mexico won yesterday and hopefully will win again today. Most of the time I route for Mexico!
I got up at 4 a.m. to catch the 6:00 o'clock to La Guardia to Dallas American Airlines flight. It was hard to answer the alarms call after having had a wonderful dinner at a little Thai restaurant near NYU the night before. We had gone to that neighborhood because we had made plans to meet up later with daughter Leigh after a copy editing class she was taking, and our friend Rose, who was giving a speech nearby at the NYU law school. A crisp Argentinian Sauvon Blanc washed washed down my stir fried cubes of steak, onions and tomatoes....a lot of wine. We met Rose and Leigh at an Irish Pub a few blocks away for Samual Adams seasonal (the beer of the night, and at happy hour prices though is was getting late), some stale chips and salsa (so hard to find good chips and salsa in New York) and some calamari (Leigh had not eaten much and there is always room for a little fried calamari).
After 4 hours sleep and the cab ride to the airport, I managed to doze most of the flight to Dallas. I would like to say that the plane sleep refreshed me (it didn't) but it was better than nothing. The day was not too bad, it being spring break so fewer people around. I wanted to go home and go to bed, but remembered the blog and the goal. So at 5:30 I was at the gym and walking to the Katy Trail. I love the Katy Trail....an old railroad right of way that has been restored to an urban oasis of walkers, runners, joggers, bikers, strollers and dogs. The non-profit that supports the trail continues to landscape it and build little parks, and entrances with vistas, a wonderful civic public private partnership. The trees and bushes had just began to bloom and white and pink buds had started to pop open everywhere.
On the way to the trail head, as I walked the four blocks from the gym through the nice Highland Park streets, I saw a father and son in a vacant lot playing catch. The toe headed boy replete with baseball hat and striped uniform, looked about 5 or 6. The dad, in plaid shorts, beer belly and Hawaiian shirt looked, well, ridiculous. The dad was obviously not an athlete. But the scene caused me to have a flashback to my own attempts to be the sports dad for my oldest son, Eric.
Eric is a natural athlete, born with a ball in his hand. I was and am a klutz when it come to team sports. Always skinny and awkward, the last chosen for teams, etc. I had expected my first son to be similar. I was al prepared to console him when he too was choosen last, with the "Harvard Cheer" appropriate for all geeks..."That's alright, That's OK, their gonna work for you some day!" I was startled that Eric was so gifted. In retrospect, considering the genes on his mother's side, and especially his Big Daddy, Kay's father who played college baseball, I should not have been surprised with his ability.
When I would take Eric to the park and try to throw the ball so he could hit it, only about one in 4 or 5 actually sailed over the plate anywhere near a strike zone. Eric was so patient with me....shouting "That's good daddy!" whenever I was able to pitch a ball he could hit. Wonderful memories of those times flooded my mind as I passed Mr. Hawaii and his son and watched them at play.
At the trail my goal was modest. I had been running 2.5 miles the past few days. I knew if I ran another 2.5 I would reach 20 miles, a slice of my pie equal to 1/50th of the 1000 miles goal. The Katy Trail is marked at 1/4th mile intervals. I was starting at mile 0, the beginning of the trail. I determined to run out 2.5 miles and turn around and see how far I could go. I play lots of psychological games to motivate me. One is the think of any extra miles beyond an origninal goal as "gravy." I am sure this comes from my southern roots where everything is better with gravy on it. I remember a comic one time dressed as a Luby's Cafeteria Lady asking in a deadpan tone "You want gravy on that gravy?" So I knew that any distance longer than 2.5 miles would be gravy for the run.
At just before the one mile marker, I came to the intersection of Knox Street and the trail. The cars are supposed to yield to the runners, but you have to be careful as many drivers subscribe to the Kathy Bates mentality from the movie, Fried Green Tomatoes, "I am bigger than you and I have more insurance," and pay little attention to the trail until they hit the speed bump right before the crosswalk and their tires squeal. Right at this intersection, there are some restaurants and retail stores in old buildings dating back to the days of true neighborhood retail. One of my favorite is Ta Louse, a french haunt with outdoor seating, like a Paris sidewalk cafe, minus Paris.
As I passed Ta Louse, more memories came flooding in of one of my favorite days of all time. It was the spring of 2009, Leigh's last in Dallas as an SMU coed before she graduated in May and left to find her fortune in the Big Apple. We had decided to go for a run on the Katy Trail. I told her to bring her ID and she looked at me with that look which said "OK, but?" I had a surpise in mind so I let her wonder and she did not push. We ran out two miles turned around and ran back one mile, which after water at the trail fountain and a short walk, brought us to the Knox street crossing and Ta Louse. It was a day very similar to yesterday, sunny, 70's. We sat down. I ordered us a bottle of wine (she was 21 but I was not taking chances...hence the ID) and some mussels cooked in a white wine and garlic sauce just perfect for dipping the crusty warm french bread that came with the fruit and salad plate I had also ordered. As we sat there eating the marvelous food, flush from a great run and conversing about the future, Leigh's hopes to move to New York (she did) and find a job in publishing (she has). I remembered thinking, like the Jim Croce song, Time in a Bottle, that I wished I could put that moment in a bottle to savor again and again. Yesterday, on the run, as I passed Ta Louse, I realized that I could put time in a bottle, in my mind. I opened that bottle, remembered that wonderful day with Leigh and Ta Louse, and was grateful for the many blessings in my life.
Oh, and I did turn around at the 2.5 mile mark. I was feeling so high from the run and the memories I just kept running until I reached the beginning of the trail again...and had completed 5 Miles. Life is Good!
Monday, March 8, 2010
Day 8, Goodby New York and The Definition of a Good Day!
Day 8, Ran 2.5/ Total miles 17.5/ Miles to Go 982.5!
Was another beautiful day in New York. Sunny and mild. Perfect weather. After a couple of cups of strong coffee at the apartment we were off to meet good friends, Jim and Shachiko at a real Japanese restaurant (i.e. one truly owned by Japanese...which I had discovered is a must for some of my Japanese friends...and I can't blame them knowing that the best Mexican food is not made by the Germans. Ha!) The two bus ride (you travel north first then take the cross town to the other side of the island) was pleasant if uneventful. No panhandlers with B.O. like the night before (see that post for the details). At the restaurant we lingered after a nice meal then Taka and I walked back, which was about 40 blocks, on a meandering path which included a walk through Central Park and a stop at a coffee shop. I took a nap and then got up to go for my run. Once again I realized that but for this blog and knowing I would need to write about it, it would have been so easy to skip the run today. After all, I had walked halfway across Manhattan. But ran I did and I am glad.
I always get a little melancholy on my last day in New York, knowing I am leaving one world and going back to another. That reality began to set in after my run, as I walked the 10 blocks to the apartment. I was struck by the reality of how hard so many people work just to live. I know, it sounds corny or shallow, but one of the things that being on the street and mingling with everyone does for you in New York, is bring you into contact with the world. Sure there are the suited white collars exiting the skyscrapers, lost in cell phone conversations or texting away. These people I used to see at work in Dallas. The difference is that in Dallas, people get into their cars and drive to places where they will associate with similar people and drive home to neighborhoods where they will be their group and not have much contact with others. Our cars are like spaceships, shuttling us from planet to planet.
In New York you walk or take public transportation. You literally share the world with the world. All ages, races, colors, creeds and socio economic types, surging in a multi-lingual mass along the sidewalk, into and out of buses or the subway. Even catching a cab requires standing with the everyman of city life.
What really struck me today, though, was how in my world of the professional lawyer, accountant, business person, people are so often obsessed about self actualization and if their job is fulfilling, The angst is real and the pain is too. But today, as I said hello to the doorman of our building who has been there more years than I can remember, and walked pass the man at the fruit stand and the one with the shawarma cart and the Nuts for Nuts vendor and the old lady with her used books on a sidewalk table - As I thought about the cooks in the Greek Deli where we had coffee this morning, the Russian boys hawking rides on their push carts in Central Park, or the faces of the restaurant workers in the little eateries I passed by or the pizza delivery and Chinese takee outee men on bicycles weaving through the crazy New York traffic dodging cars like Keanu Reeves dodged bullets in The Matrix I could not help but think that these workers, doing whatever they could to survive, did not have the luxury to self actualize about whether they were in the right firm or practice area. Certainly, the income they made after working so very hard would not allow them the luxury of eating out at the upscale restaurants on a regular basis where I had often heard my contemporaries complain over pesto and pinot about the stresses in their lives.
Please don't get me wrong. I am not intending to belittle any one's struggle with the challenges of the modern world. with mortgages to pay and kids to send to college, etc. Stress is stress. It is just that somehow today, I was reminded that there is a reason it is called work and not play and there is meaning in work. When a waiter makes you smile or you see the cook at the hot dog cart laughing with each customer, you realize that we find happiness when and where we want. My Dad always told me that I should be thankful for my problems at work because they created my job. And he was right. He also told me that his definition of a good day was a day above ground. I have relied on that definition many a time. He was right, and today was a very good day! Life is Good!
Was another beautiful day in New York. Sunny and mild. Perfect weather. After a couple of cups of strong coffee at the apartment we were off to meet good friends, Jim and Shachiko at a real Japanese restaurant (i.e. one truly owned by Japanese...which I had discovered is a must for some of my Japanese friends...and I can't blame them knowing that the best Mexican food is not made by the Germans. Ha!) The two bus ride (you travel north first then take the cross town to the other side of the island) was pleasant if uneventful. No panhandlers with B.O. like the night before (see that post for the details). At the restaurant we lingered after a nice meal then Taka and I walked back, which was about 40 blocks, on a meandering path which included a walk through Central Park and a stop at a coffee shop. I took a nap and then got up to go for my run. Once again I realized that but for this blog and knowing I would need to write about it, it would have been so easy to skip the run today. After all, I had walked halfway across Manhattan. But ran I did and I am glad.
I always get a little melancholy on my last day in New York, knowing I am leaving one world and going back to another. That reality began to set in after my run, as I walked the 10 blocks to the apartment. I was struck by the reality of how hard so many people work just to live. I know, it sounds corny or shallow, but one of the things that being on the street and mingling with everyone does for you in New York, is bring you into contact with the world. Sure there are the suited white collars exiting the skyscrapers, lost in cell phone conversations or texting away. These people I used to see at work in Dallas. The difference is that in Dallas, people get into their cars and drive to places where they will associate with similar people and drive home to neighborhoods where they will be their group and not have much contact with others. Our cars are like spaceships, shuttling us from planet to planet.
In New York you walk or take public transportation. You literally share the world with the world. All ages, races, colors, creeds and socio economic types, surging in a multi-lingual mass along the sidewalk, into and out of buses or the subway. Even catching a cab requires standing with the everyman of city life.
What really struck me today, though, was how in my world of the professional lawyer, accountant, business person, people are so often obsessed about self actualization and if their job is fulfilling, The angst is real and the pain is too. But today, as I said hello to the doorman of our building who has been there more years than I can remember, and walked pass the man at the fruit stand and the one with the shawarma cart and the Nuts for Nuts vendor and the old lady with her used books on a sidewalk table - As I thought about the cooks in the Greek Deli where we had coffee this morning, the Russian boys hawking rides on their push carts in Central Park, or the faces of the restaurant workers in the little eateries I passed by or the pizza delivery and Chinese takee outee men on bicycles weaving through the crazy New York traffic dodging cars like Keanu Reeves dodged bullets in The Matrix I could not help but think that these workers, doing whatever they could to survive, did not have the luxury to self actualize about whether they were in the right firm or practice area. Certainly, the income they made after working so very hard would not allow them the luxury of eating out at the upscale restaurants on a regular basis where I had often heard my contemporaries complain over pesto and pinot about the stresses in their lives.
Please don't get me wrong. I am not intending to belittle any one's struggle with the challenges of the modern world. with mortgages to pay and kids to send to college, etc. Stress is stress. It is just that somehow today, I was reminded that there is a reason it is called work and not play and there is meaning in work. When a waiter makes you smile or you see the cook at the hot dog cart laughing with each customer, you realize that we find happiness when and where we want. My Dad always told me that I should be thankful for my problems at work because they created my job. And he was right. He also told me that his definition of a good day was a day above ground. I have relied on that definition many a time. He was right, and today was a very good day! Life is Good!
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Day 7 Two Scouth Marys and Two and a half Miles!
Day Six Ran 2.5 miles/ Total so far 15 miles/ Miles to Go 985
Morning was mortgaged to the debt of the night before. I did not get up until 11:30. It was glorious to languish in bed. Saturday night was spent at a combination going away party for a friend and her daughter moving across the country and an engagement party for her sister as the ring was unveiled. Mixing sorrow with joy...the ying and yang. Most of the people there were Japanese. I speak a little Japanese, and understand less. Many conversations were in English but many more were not. At one point someone asked me if I felt like Bill Murry on the set of "Lost in Translation?" I had to admit that I did at times, but as the wine flowed and as I filled up on the wonderful plates of food spread across the dinning room table...all was well with the world.
On the way home, in another New York moment, a very loud black man on the nearly empty subway was pan handling and asking everyone if he had body order. He did and he knew he did. I guess his routinewas to stand there stinking long enough so a weary traveler would give him money to go away. But the late night crowd would have none of it and no one reached for change. We all practiced the art of the straight ahead stair or the more sophisticated pretend to be asleep head tilt. He stopped right in front of me and kept talking nonsense. I was not in the mood. I just stared...at him, right at time, and he stared at me. Without thinking, and probably just because I was tired, I blinked. He laughed...said "You blinked!" and moved on. I was not stabbed and I had not succumbed to his blackmail.
It was the too cheerful text from daughter Leigh asking if I wanted to run this morning (at 11:30 so there was not much "morning" left) that prompted me to get out of bed. I texted back that brunch and Bloody Marys sounded more apropos at the moment, and that we had all afternoon to run. She agreed and Taka, Leigh and I met at a favorite haunt on 44th Street, Et Cetera Et Cetera, for a wonderful brunch which included salad (with goat cheese, walnuts, apples, arugula etc.) and fat nasty medium rare burgers with EE fries (Et Cetera Et Cetera french fries). Mine were washed down with two Scotch Marys, my latest favorite brunch drink, made with scotch instead of vodka....I know sounds terrible but is heavenly, if you like scotch and I do. Leigh and Taka stuck to traditional vodka Bloody Marys but made with Tito's home made vodka from Austin, Texas. How cool is that....a New York bartender from outside of Boston, recommending a Texas vodka!
Brunch also included wonderful mini cornbread muffins with orange marmalade, crusty herb bread and a wonderful dessert of lemon sorbet floating in Limonella liquor. I refused to feel guilt of any kind for my excess since I had been running and knew I would run again that day. But as I napped and realized it was now 4:15 and friends were coming over for dinner, I had my moment of truth. If I was going to run it had to be now. I texted Leigh and she joined me at the apartment and we walked to Central Park. Her enthusiasm for the run from this morning (when she was fresh from 12 hours of sleep sans party hangover) had been tempered by her brunch indulgences...but she was a trooper and determined to support me in my run. Off we went for another 2.5 mile run. Leigh started out at a pace that hurt but then as the trail turned to a long uphill climb she asked why I sped up on hills? I don't and I hadn't, so I felt redeemed. We survived, laughing at all the characters we passed along the way, including an anorexic woman in a midriff top who yelled "Shit" as she passed...don't know why.
Felt good when the run was over....but I did it. Thanks Leigh! And thanks to you readers who keep me motivated. Tonight is a quiet dinner and the Oscars at home...Taka"s Shrimp curry yum! Life is Good!
Morning was mortgaged to the debt of the night before. I did not get up until 11:30. It was glorious to languish in bed. Saturday night was spent at a combination going away party for a friend and her daughter moving across the country and an engagement party for her sister as the ring was unveiled. Mixing sorrow with joy...the ying and yang. Most of the people there were Japanese. I speak a little Japanese, and understand less. Many conversations were in English but many more were not. At one point someone asked me if I felt like Bill Murry on the set of "Lost in Translation?" I had to admit that I did at times, but as the wine flowed and as I filled up on the wonderful plates of food spread across the dinning room table...all was well with the world.
On the way home, in another New York moment, a very loud black man on the nearly empty subway was pan handling and asking everyone if he had body order. He did and he knew he did. I guess his routinewas to stand there stinking long enough so a weary traveler would give him money to go away. But the late night crowd would have none of it and no one reached for change. We all practiced the art of the straight ahead stair or the more sophisticated pretend to be asleep head tilt. He stopped right in front of me and kept talking nonsense. I was not in the mood. I just stared...at him, right at time, and he stared at me. Without thinking, and probably just because I was tired, I blinked. He laughed...said "You blinked!" and moved on. I was not stabbed and I had not succumbed to his blackmail.
It was the too cheerful text from daughter Leigh asking if I wanted to run this morning (at 11:30 so there was not much "morning" left) that prompted me to get out of bed. I texted back that brunch and Bloody Marys sounded more apropos at the moment, and that we had all afternoon to run. She agreed and Taka, Leigh and I met at a favorite haunt on 44th Street, Et Cetera Et Cetera, for a wonderful brunch which included salad (with goat cheese, walnuts, apples, arugula etc.) and fat nasty medium rare burgers with EE fries (Et Cetera Et Cetera french fries). Mine were washed down with two Scotch Marys, my latest favorite brunch drink, made with scotch instead of vodka....I know sounds terrible but is heavenly, if you like scotch and I do. Leigh and Taka stuck to traditional vodka Bloody Marys but made with Tito's home made vodka from Austin, Texas. How cool is that....a New York bartender from outside of Boston, recommending a Texas vodka!
Brunch also included wonderful mini cornbread muffins with orange marmalade, crusty herb bread and a wonderful dessert of lemon sorbet floating in Limonella liquor. I refused to feel guilt of any kind for my excess since I had been running and knew I would run again that day. But as I napped and realized it was now 4:15 and friends were coming over for dinner, I had my moment of truth. If I was going to run it had to be now. I texted Leigh and she joined me at the apartment and we walked to Central Park. Her enthusiasm for the run from this morning (when she was fresh from 12 hours of sleep sans party hangover) had been tempered by her brunch indulgences...but she was a trooper and determined to support me in my run. Off we went for another 2.5 mile run. Leigh started out at a pace that hurt but then as the trail turned to a long uphill climb she asked why I sped up on hills? I don't and I hadn't, so I felt redeemed. We survived, laughing at all the characters we passed along the way, including an anorexic woman in a midriff top who yelled "Shit" as she passed...don't know why.
Felt good when the run was over....but I did it. Thanks Leigh! And thanks to you readers who keep me motivated. Tonight is a quiet dinner and the Oscars at home...Taka"s Shrimp curry yum! Life is Good!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
