Monday, June 14th, Day 103 Ran 3 miles/ Miles so far 168/ Miles to go 832
Was a wonderful day in new york. I wish I were here all week instead of having to return on Wednesday. "Summer's Lease has all to short a stay." to quote Shakespeare. I slept in late and after my coffee went to the Gold's Gym on 54th near 8th, just a few blocks away where I ran three miles on the treadmill. I could have gone further but I have promised my close friend, Charles Michell that we would have brunch and he was picking me up with a cab at 49th and 9th avenue at 1. After a quick shower and change I walked the block from our apartment at 49th and 8th and at the appointed hour Charles and the taxi arrived. Charles is a world class voice coach and has a company called the Voice Bank which if anyone is interested in making money doing voice overs, they should contact for on line coaching. He has lived in New York since moving here right after college and we share the same age and birth month. It was his and my birthday celebration that I last wrote about.
Charles said we were heading to the Village (Greenwich Village to non-New Yorkers) to get out of our neighborhood. We were dropped off in its heart and just sauntered down a few tree lined narrow streets till we stumbled upon a small little Italian restaurant with an outdoor seating area. The weather was perfect as was the ambiance and I ordered some kind of fru fru fruity drink with various fruit liquors and an open faced sandwich which had prosciutto ham and figs on that Italian bread that begins with a F that I can never pronounce.
I have patterns that I seem to follow (some would say ruts) when it comes to ordering at restaurants. I either get the same thing every time I go to a restaurant because I love it and that is the reason I go to that restaurant; or I get what I consider the "gold standard" for that type of cuisine to see how the restaurant measures up....usually for the first time I try it so I would order meat lazzannia at an Italian restaurant or Cheese Enchiladas at a Mexican, etc.; or I order something I have never had and would probably never make......hence the figs and ham sandwich was was actually very tasty and was paired with a small green salad. I ended my repast with a crisp glass of proseco while Charles ordered a cappuccino and nibbled on a few cookies they supplied. I was a wonder brunch which I followed with a nice nap back at the apartment.
After my nap I met daughter Leigh for coffee across the street at our neighborhood Starbucks. She was grabbing a quick bite before going to Proof Reading Class. Later I met a friend for Thai food down the street and a couple of beers. Soon it will be sleep time and a wonderful day will be just another memory....but Life is Good!
Monday, June 14, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Day 102 New York State of Mind
Sunday, June 13th, Day 102 Ran 4.5 miles on Wednesday and 4.5 miles on Friday and 3 miles on Saturday. Miles so far, 165/ Miles to go 835. Gambling investment so far $54, won 2 dollars on Wednesday with weekly grand and 4 on Saturday for a total winnings so far of $33 Means I am down $21!
Flew to New York on Thursday for a seminar and a little vacation. Leigh moved this weekend from her Mid Town Times Square apartment to a 5th floor walk up in China Time. Taka, Leigh and took two cabs and drug all her stuff out of old apartment and into the new. I am totally exhausted. Happy for her. We will go to dinner tonight to celebrate.
My flight to New York was quiet eventful. One of the Executive Platinum American travelers who was among the privileged who get to board first was stopped by the luggage gestapo because he was trying to carry on both a roller bag and an overstuffed computer bag which obviously would not fit under a seat. She told him he would have to check on of his bags. He insisted that he always carried both these bags and she said he could not put one under his seat and told him to look at the tester space. He tried to put the computer bag in the space but had to take his computer out to fit and she said "See!" He then demanded to speak to a supervisor and she said fine and one was called. As he fumed and waited the platinum traveler asked the boarding agent again..."What is different this time from my flight here when I took both on?" She replied....."You did not have me to deal with last time I guess." Lovely vignette . Meanwhile on the plane there was a new mother with baby in some kind or new age wrap with all hosts of bags and baggage which, since she was sitting in the front row, all had to go in the overhead bin. There was all kinds of problems and baby crying and as she was adjusting passengers were trying to pass by and getting more frustrated. Then a man tried to put a small bag in the overhead bin and another gestapo yelled to him "Put that under your seat...overhead bins are for roller boards! Shear Chaos.
But once in New York, Thursday night found me at a wonderful Greek Tapas restaurant with Leigh as we munched on grilled octopus, sausage and fried cheese. The cheese arrives with a flame and flourish. A pitcher of sangria was the perfect complement. After tapas we wandered down the block to one of our haunts, Vice Versa for a cheese plate, bottle of wine and more catching up on life.
Friday and Saturday I attended the American Association of Law Schools Property Section Mid-Year meeting, the justification for this trip. But Friday afternoon Taka and I ran along the Hudson River for 4.5 miles and Saturday I ran 3 miles at the Gold's Gym nearby. Friday night we ate at a neighborhood Chinese noodle joint called Mee. Saturday we went to a family run French Restaurant, Tout Va Bien for a joint birthday dinner for me and friend Charles Michells. They know us there and the evening was full of merriment....escargot, mussels, lamb, Beaujolais, champage and a multitude of desserts.
Today, after a wonderful brunch at Mont Blanc, an Austrian Restaurant ran by Marie where we ate in her garden under a real Apple Tree, in the Middle of Manhattan! Taka, Leigh and I took two taxis and moved all of Leigh's things into her new apartment....up 5 floors. I thought I would pass out....but we made it. Tonight Taka and visiting friend from Japan, Shin are going to the Tony's. Leigh and I will hopefully have a nice quiet dinner in the neighborhood....Life is Good!
Flew to New York on Thursday for a seminar and a little vacation. Leigh moved this weekend from her Mid Town Times Square apartment to a 5th floor walk up in China Time. Taka, Leigh and took two cabs and drug all her stuff out of old apartment and into the new. I am totally exhausted. Happy for her. We will go to dinner tonight to celebrate.
My flight to New York was quiet eventful. One of the Executive Platinum American travelers who was among the privileged who get to board first was stopped by the luggage gestapo because he was trying to carry on both a roller bag and an overstuffed computer bag which obviously would not fit under a seat. She told him he would have to check on of his bags. He insisted that he always carried both these bags and she said he could not put one under his seat and told him to look at the tester space. He tried to put the computer bag in the space but had to take his computer out to fit and she said "See!" He then demanded to speak to a supervisor and she said fine and one was called. As he fumed and waited the platinum traveler asked the boarding agent again..."What is different this time from my flight here when I took both on?" She replied....."You did not have me to deal with last time I guess." Lovely vignette . Meanwhile on the plane there was a new mother with baby in some kind or new age wrap with all hosts of bags and baggage which, since she was sitting in the front row, all had to go in the overhead bin. There was all kinds of problems and baby crying and as she was adjusting passengers were trying to pass by and getting more frustrated. Then a man tried to put a small bag in the overhead bin and another gestapo yelled to him "Put that under your seat...overhead bins are for roller boards! Shear Chaos.
But once in New York, Thursday night found me at a wonderful Greek Tapas restaurant with Leigh as we munched on grilled octopus, sausage and fried cheese. The cheese arrives with a flame and flourish. A pitcher of sangria was the perfect complement. After tapas we wandered down the block to one of our haunts, Vice Versa for a cheese plate, bottle of wine and more catching up on life.
Friday and Saturday I attended the American Association of Law Schools Property Section Mid-Year meeting, the justification for this trip. But Friday afternoon Taka and I ran along the Hudson River for 4.5 miles and Saturday I ran 3 miles at the Gold's Gym nearby. Friday night we ate at a neighborhood Chinese noodle joint called Mee. Saturday we went to a family run French Restaurant, Tout Va Bien for a joint birthday dinner for me and friend Charles Michells. They know us there and the evening was full of merriment....escargot, mussels, lamb, Beaujolais, champage and a multitude of desserts.
Today, after a wonderful brunch at Mont Blanc, an Austrian Restaurant ran by Marie where we ate in her garden under a real Apple Tree, in the Middle of Manhattan! Taka, Leigh and I took two taxis and moved all of Leigh's things into her new apartment....up 5 floors. I thought I would pass out....but we made it. Tonight Taka and visiting friend from Japan, Shin are going to the Tony's. Leigh and I will hopefully have a nice quiet dinner in the neighborhood....Life is Good!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Day 97 Long Run before Roto Router Day!
Day 97, Monday - June 8th, Ran 6 miles/ Miles so far 153/ Miles to go: 147
Got up early this morning to take Taka to the airport for his return to New York. I was so glad that I could use the HOV Lane on IH 635 (also known as LBJ Freeway) as the traffic was really bad at rush hour. There is the phenomenon about highway names in Dallas. It seems that most of them have more than one name and so people get really confused who do not live here. Natives tend to call them by person names, like "Take LBJ to the Central Expressway Exit then south to Woodall Rogers" When the road sides will say IH 635 and State Hghy 75, etc. We name all the main roads after someone but then street signs usually just have the highway number. Glad I am a native is all I have to say, although they are building or widening so many roads, especially toll roads, that I fall victim to this same phenomenon when I travel to a new area of the MetroPlex. I think they should sell naming rights to the roads instead of naming them after dead people. That would at least help pay for the confusion! But then, no one really has asked for are cares about my opinion on that issue I suspect.
After dropping Taka off, I went straight to the gym at school. I wanted to get my run in because I knew I would not be able to run tomorrow, Wednesday. This is because I had to have a "procedure" i.e. what I call the "Roto Router" done...a colonoscopy and if you don't know what that is you are lucky....google it if you want more info. I have this done every 5 years since my Dad had colon cancer and detecting it early is the best way to beat it should I follow in his hospital slippers.
Fortunately they put you completely asleep and you really don't remember a thing about the procedure. That is the good news. The bad news is that the day before you have to have a total cleanse. They make you drink only clear liquids and take laxatives then drink about 64 onces of yucky fiber stuff, mixed in lime gatorade which then lets you travel about every 10 minutes or so for several hours back and forth to the bathroom. So much for a good night's sleep.
My procedure called for me to be there at 6:30 in the morning. Upon arrival the admission nurse was sickeningly sweet. I am sure she gets tired of saying the same thing every day over and over but she acted like she was a pre-school teacher and I was 3 years old. "Mr. Camp, let's go over our papers." (Just as an aside, don't you hate it when medical people use the plural "we" when it is really about "me"? These are my papers, my body that is about to be pricked and poked!) She continued "I will mark all the places that you need to initial or sign to make it easy for you. You don't have to go over all this unless you want to....it is a lot I know. This page just says that if anything goes wrong we told you it might so you wont' sue us and in fact you agree that if anything goes wrong it is your fault...." Well, she did not actually say those things about not suing, but she did tell me where to sign and mark it and honestly, I did not see a single patient read any of the consents or disclaimers, etc. After completing the 7 pages of materials, I was called to the back where they gave me heated socks and a blankie...nice. Another nurse came and got me to sign more of my life away with more papers for the anesthesiologist who would put me to sleep.
After that, I was stick for the IV, wheeled into the procedure room and, after greeting the pleasant young "put me to sleep" doctor and the older pleasant "I saw you 5 years ago" doctor, whom I am sure did not remember me from Adam, I was put under and woke up an hour or so later to a box of berry juice followed by an ice cold real with sugar coke that tasted fantastic! Gym Rat took me to his apartment, since I was not allowed to drive, where I took a long nap. The release papers told me I could not make any important decisions that day either. As I write this blog, I am about to teach my class. I suspect I will be a little more spacey than usual but this too shall pass. Oh...and the good news? Clean bill of health with the admonition to eat more fiber! Life is Good!
Got up early this morning to take Taka to the airport for his return to New York. I was so glad that I could use the HOV Lane on IH 635 (also known as LBJ Freeway) as the traffic was really bad at rush hour. There is the phenomenon about highway names in Dallas. It seems that most of them have more than one name and so people get really confused who do not live here. Natives tend to call them by person names, like "Take LBJ to the Central Expressway Exit then south to Woodall Rogers" When the road sides will say IH 635 and State Hghy 75, etc. We name all the main roads after someone but then street signs usually just have the highway number. Glad I am a native is all I have to say, although they are building or widening so many roads, especially toll roads, that I fall victim to this same phenomenon when I travel to a new area of the MetroPlex. I think they should sell naming rights to the roads instead of naming them after dead people. That would at least help pay for the confusion! But then, no one really has asked for are cares about my opinion on that issue I suspect.
After dropping Taka off, I went straight to the gym at school. I wanted to get my run in because I knew I would not be able to run tomorrow, Wednesday. This is because I had to have a "procedure" i.e. what I call the "Roto Router" done...a colonoscopy and if you don't know what that is you are lucky....google it if you want more info. I have this done every 5 years since my Dad had colon cancer and detecting it early is the best way to beat it should I follow in his hospital slippers.
Fortunately they put you completely asleep and you really don't remember a thing about the procedure. That is the good news. The bad news is that the day before you have to have a total cleanse. They make you drink only clear liquids and take laxatives then drink about 64 onces of yucky fiber stuff, mixed in lime gatorade which then lets you travel about every 10 minutes or so for several hours back and forth to the bathroom. So much for a good night's sleep.
My procedure called for me to be there at 6:30 in the morning. Upon arrival the admission nurse was sickeningly sweet. I am sure she gets tired of saying the same thing every day over and over but she acted like she was a pre-school teacher and I was 3 years old. "Mr. Camp, let's go over our papers." (Just as an aside, don't you hate it when medical people use the plural "we" when it is really about "me"? These are my papers, my body that is about to be pricked and poked!) She continued "I will mark all the places that you need to initial or sign to make it easy for you. You don't have to go over all this unless you want to....it is a lot I know. This page just says that if anything goes wrong we told you it might so you wont' sue us and in fact you agree that if anything goes wrong it is your fault...." Well, she did not actually say those things about not suing, but she did tell me where to sign and mark it and honestly, I did not see a single patient read any of the consents or disclaimers, etc. After completing the 7 pages of materials, I was called to the back where they gave me heated socks and a blankie...nice. Another nurse came and got me to sign more of my life away with more papers for the anesthesiologist who would put me to sleep.
After that, I was stick for the IV, wheeled into the procedure room and, after greeting the pleasant young "put me to sleep" doctor and the older pleasant "I saw you 5 years ago" doctor, whom I am sure did not remember me from Adam, I was put under and woke up an hour or so later to a box of berry juice followed by an ice cold real with sugar coke that tasted fantastic! Gym Rat took me to his apartment, since I was not allowed to drive, where I took a long nap. The release papers told me I could not make any important decisions that day either. As I write this blog, I am about to teach my class. I suspect I will be a little more spacey than usual but this too shall pass. Oh...and the good news? Clean bill of health with the admonition to eat more fiber! Life is Good!
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Day 95 Braving the Heat on the Katy Trail
Day 95, Saturday June 5th Ran 4.5 miles/ total so far 147/ miles to go 853. Won neither the lottery nor the weekly grand so now gambling investment so far 51 dollars and winnings of 27 dollars so down 24 dollars so far. :(
Saturday Taka and I took to the Katy trail around 10 a.m. Taka is hard to run with because he runs much faster and further which I attribute to the 9 years age difference (ignoring that he runs more consistently than me these days it seems). He wanted us to run 7 miles on the trail (3.5 out and 3.5 back). It was hot and I forgot my baseball cap. I did put on some sun block, but soon sweated it off. After 2.75 miles I had to stop and let him continue. I walked and then he returned after completing the leg out and we walked back together. I tried to run again and stopped after 1/4 mile, content that I had at least ran 3 miles. But when we got to the marker that said there was only 1.5 miles left Taka pushed me to run some more. I had intended to just run another 1/4th mile or so, but I put my head down and started doing a counting game and before I knew it I had run over 1.2 mile and then I realized that in around 10 or 12 minutes I would reach the end of the trail and so I just kept running and counting and even sprinted at the end to make a good 4.5 mile run with about another mile and a half of walking.
There was an old fashioned lemonade stand manned (or should I be PC and say, personed or peopled) by three young girls and Taka and I truly enjoyed the 50 cent glasses of tart lemonade. The run was followed by champagne cocktails and a nice salad that Taka prepared and a nap. I love weekend naps.
Saturday night we spent with good friends in Ft. Worth at their lovely home. We had a gourmet dinner and then and ended up singing until the early morning hours. I never knew you could find most songs in a karaoke version on UTube and their was connected to the television. Music of the Night has never been song the way I did it after too much red wine I am sure!. Saturday was a wonderful day and life is good!
Saturday Taka and I took to the Katy trail around 10 a.m. Taka is hard to run with because he runs much faster and further which I attribute to the 9 years age difference (ignoring that he runs more consistently than me these days it seems). He wanted us to run 7 miles on the trail (3.5 out and 3.5 back). It was hot and I forgot my baseball cap. I did put on some sun block, but soon sweated it off. After 2.75 miles I had to stop and let him continue. I walked and then he returned after completing the leg out and we walked back together. I tried to run again and stopped after 1/4 mile, content that I had at least ran 3 miles. But when we got to the marker that said there was only 1.5 miles left Taka pushed me to run some more. I had intended to just run another 1/4th mile or so, but I put my head down and started doing a counting game and before I knew it I had run over 1.2 mile and then I realized that in around 10 or 12 minutes I would reach the end of the trail and so I just kept running and counting and even sprinted at the end to make a good 4.5 mile run with about another mile and a half of walking.
There was an old fashioned lemonade stand manned (or should I be PC and say, personed or peopled) by three young girls and Taka and I truly enjoyed the 50 cent glasses of tart lemonade. The run was followed by champagne cocktails and a nice salad that Taka prepared and a nap. I love weekend naps.
Saturday night we spent with good friends in Ft. Worth at their lovely home. We had a gourmet dinner and then and ended up singing until the early morning hours. I never knew you could find most songs in a karaoke version on UTube and their was connected to the television. Music of the Night has never been song the way I did it after too much red wine I am sure!. Saturday was a wonderful day and life is good!
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Back on the Track and Post! Birthday Fun and the United Nations Gas Station.
Day 94 Friday, June 4th. I ran 3 miles today and 4.5 miles on Thursday. Total so far 142.5/ Miles to go 857.5 Gambling investment 48 dollars, won $2 Saturday and Wednesday so winnings total 27 dollars...total losses so far, 21 dollars
But, someone from Dallas won 98 million with a lotto ticket from a 7-11 in Garland on Saturday. I have to admit I experienced disappointment and the sin of coveting of my neighbors goods, or at least his lotto ticket. I mean, here I have been supporting my local Richardson Indian owned gas station convenience store and someone in the DFW area wins with a ticket from 7-11? What is up with that? My store is like a mini-United Nations. The owners are Indian but they rent out the little cafe area to a Pakistani family! Talk about peace among peoples! And it is only one block from the Mosque so there is a constant stream of Arabs and other Muslims, especially since it is also right next to the small Arab strip center where there is an Islamic Bookstore, cafe, hair salon and a space formerly occupied by a Hookah Cafe....now boarded up. I do not know if the cafe failed because there weren't enough Hookah officianaldos (don't really know what one calls those who partake of the Hookah) or if the construction in front of the center drove them out of business. Spring Valley Road has been torn up for about a year as they construct a new Light Rail mixed use development with apartments, town houses, restaurants, retail and office. The construction also brings a menagerie of construction workers into the store where I buy my lotto tickets....Mexican Americans, blue collar whites, etc. Yes I think that my store should have been the one to receive that winning lotto ticket and I should have been the one to purchase it....in the name of World Peace....But as I joked with the cashier when I did not win....maybe next time!
My running and blogging has suffered lately. Memorial Day Weekend found me grading exams all day long all weekend long. It is a tedious task, like reading the first chapter of War and Peace a hundred times and trying to find out minor differences in language and grammar. I am almost through and can't wait to turn in my grades. Unfortunately, summer school has already began and I am teaching Real Estate Transactions at 7:50 on T/W/Th until 9:30 for seven weeks. The good news is that I love to teach and get paid extra to teach summer school. The bad news is that I have not had a real break and psychologically I am tired...especially with all this grading!
Wednesday was my birthday and dear Mrs. Savage arrived with delicious beef tenderloin in tow to prepare a birthday feast. She also baked Boston creme pies for my birthday cake! Good friends celebrated with me and I will need more runs to work off the birthday calories. My birthday celebrations continued Friday night as I joined friends at a Korean Barbecue Restaurant for a second Birthday celebration. Life is Good!
But, someone from Dallas won 98 million with a lotto ticket from a 7-11 in Garland on Saturday. I have to admit I experienced disappointment and the sin of coveting of my neighbors goods, or at least his lotto ticket. I mean, here I have been supporting my local Richardson Indian owned gas station convenience store and someone in the DFW area wins with a ticket from 7-11? What is up with that? My store is like a mini-United Nations. The owners are Indian but they rent out the little cafe area to a Pakistani family! Talk about peace among peoples! And it is only one block from the Mosque so there is a constant stream of Arabs and other Muslims, especially since it is also right next to the small Arab strip center where there is an Islamic Bookstore, cafe, hair salon and a space formerly occupied by a Hookah Cafe....now boarded up. I do not know if the cafe failed because there weren't enough Hookah officianaldos (don't really know what one calls those who partake of the Hookah) or if the construction in front of the center drove them out of business. Spring Valley Road has been torn up for about a year as they construct a new Light Rail mixed use development with apartments, town houses, restaurants, retail and office. The construction also brings a menagerie of construction workers into the store where I buy my lotto tickets....Mexican Americans, blue collar whites, etc. Yes I think that my store should have been the one to receive that winning lotto ticket and I should have been the one to purchase it....in the name of World Peace....But as I joked with the cashier when I did not win....maybe next time!
My running and blogging has suffered lately. Memorial Day Weekend found me grading exams all day long all weekend long. It is a tedious task, like reading the first chapter of War and Peace a hundred times and trying to find out minor differences in language and grammar. I am almost through and can't wait to turn in my grades. Unfortunately, summer school has already began and I am teaching Real Estate Transactions at 7:50 on T/W/Th until 9:30 for seven weeks. The good news is that I love to teach and get paid extra to teach summer school. The bad news is that I have not had a real break and psychologically I am tired...especially with all this grading!
Wednesday was my birthday and dear Mrs. Savage arrived with delicious beef tenderloin in tow to prepare a birthday feast. She also baked Boston creme pies for my birthday cake! Good friends celebrated with me and I will need more runs to work off the birthday calories. My birthday celebrations continued Friday night as I joined friends at a Korean Barbecue Restaurant for a second Birthday celebration. Life is Good!
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Day 86 SIX MILES! The power of LSD
Day 86 Thursday May 27th Ran 6, total so far 135, Miles to go 865. Gambling won $2 with Weekly Grand. Gambling investment so far $42 winnings $23 losses $19
Running still in fits and starts. Combination of busy at work and fatigue. Need to get back into my rhythm of running some every day. I think I will be able to do it.
Impressed myself by running 6 miles. I realized that I have been speeding up so fast that I have made myself tired too soon. So I went back to a slower pace and increased in 1/2 mile increments instead of 1/4th mile. This dropped by overall pace to more than 10 minutes a mile but allowed me to run a little over an hour and 6 miles. I am going to stay with this approach for a while and see if I can increase mileage and begin to make up my deficit. I now consider 3 miles the minimum so that everything over 3 is "Deficit Reduction" Wish our government would consider deficit reduction a priority lol. I call my approach LSD (long slow distance) and hope that by using it I can start running 10 miles at least one day a week...talk about deficit reduction!
Friday I had planned to run in the day but I ended up with a lot of work and errands and then son Eric and daughter in law Karla came over so my run was supplanted by cooking beef stew and brownies....need a caloric reduction now to make up for that wonderful dinner with two incredible people. Unfortunately, the drama of home ownership intruded into my blissful family meal time as one of my roommates, Tim who is also a handyman par excellence, came into the dinning room announcing that there was a huge leak in the water line in the back yard. The good news is he spotted it or it would have leaked all night. The bad news....well it was a huge leak so he shut off the water. The good news, he was there and knew what to do and is fixing the leak today. The bad news....well it costs money to fix things and well it seems with an older house each month brings a new manifestation of the not to wonderful "joys of home ownership." Thinking about it today made me reminisce about life in a small posada (like a Bed and Breakfast or small family inn) in Mexico where all I own would be a few changes of clothes and where I would have a small room with a bed and night stand, which the posada maid cleaned every day. I would have fresh towels and in the morning could drink coffee with the proprietor and wander down to the town square for a lite breakfast. After my siesta I could order a nice meal with some wine or beer and retire to a book and bed. The next day would repeat the prior....my combo monk retirement fantasy....no responsibility, traveling lite, simple, simple, simple.
But for now, I am going back to reality and will spend the Memorial Day Holiday grading exams! Such is life. But Life is Good!
Running still in fits and starts. Combination of busy at work and fatigue. Need to get back into my rhythm of running some every day. I think I will be able to do it.
Impressed myself by running 6 miles. I realized that I have been speeding up so fast that I have made myself tired too soon. So I went back to a slower pace and increased in 1/2 mile increments instead of 1/4th mile. This dropped by overall pace to more than 10 minutes a mile but allowed me to run a little over an hour and 6 miles. I am going to stay with this approach for a while and see if I can increase mileage and begin to make up my deficit. I now consider 3 miles the minimum so that everything over 3 is "Deficit Reduction" Wish our government would consider deficit reduction a priority lol. I call my approach LSD (long slow distance) and hope that by using it I can start running 10 miles at least one day a week...talk about deficit reduction!
Friday I had planned to run in the day but I ended up with a lot of work and errands and then son Eric and daughter in law Karla came over so my run was supplanted by cooking beef stew and brownies....need a caloric reduction now to make up for that wonderful dinner with two incredible people. Unfortunately, the drama of home ownership intruded into my blissful family meal time as one of my roommates, Tim who is also a handyman par excellence, came into the dinning room announcing that there was a huge leak in the water line in the back yard. The good news is he spotted it or it would have leaked all night. The bad news....well it was a huge leak so he shut off the water. The good news, he was there and knew what to do and is fixing the leak today. The bad news....well it costs money to fix things and well it seems with an older house each month brings a new manifestation of the not to wonderful "joys of home ownership." Thinking about it today made me reminisce about life in a small posada (like a Bed and Breakfast or small family inn) in Mexico where all I own would be a few changes of clothes and where I would have a small room with a bed and night stand, which the posada maid cleaned every day. I would have fresh towels and in the morning could drink coffee with the proprietor and wander down to the town square for a lite breakfast. After my siesta I could order a nice meal with some wine or beer and retire to a book and bed. The next day would repeat the prior....my combo monk retirement fantasy....no responsibility, traveling lite, simple, simple, simple.
But for now, I am going back to reality and will spend the Memorial Day Holiday grading exams! Such is life. But Life is Good!
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Day 83 Meat Loaf and Cherry Pastries....yum! And the trip that almost happened!
Day 83, Monday May 24 Ran 3 miles/ Total so far 129/ Miles to go 871
Gambling did not win :( Total invested so far $39 Winnings $21 Losses $18
Spent the weekend with Mrs Savage, my second mom. She arrived Friday night with meat loaf, a bag of red new potatoes and an onion (for mashed potatoes), some broccoli salad, a tray of cherry pastries, a bag of chocolate chip cookies, a cheese ball and all the fixens to make Old Fashion's. For those of you who are not of "a certain age" or not familiar with any mixed drinks other than rum and coke or crown and coke (lol) an Old Fashion is a mixture of bourbon (mostly bourbon), bitters, sweet syrup or in her case, sprite, with an orange slice which you use to coat the rim of the glass before squeezing and leaving in the drink. It is served with rocks. Pat Savage has to have her cocktail each evening and I enjoyed one (well actually more than one) too as we ate crackers, cheese and some pate and then her wonderful meal. I ate the rest of the meal left overs last night and have been munching on cookies from the freezer and heating up pastries for breakfast.....needless to say I will need many more miles to cancel out the calories form her visit which also included a greasy double cheese burger with grilled onions from Dallas' oldest drive-in, Keller's, washed down with cold root beer which Pat and ate from her car after shopping for my birthday present....4 lawn chairs and an umbrella and base for my patio table. She wanted me to have a nice space to enjoy in the back yard and had seen these chairs on sale at Big Lots. They do look good, as does the umbrella!
Saturday night, after planting flowers we also bought in new pots, and attending Saturday Mass at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, we went to Papasitos near by for Margaritas and Tex Mex. Pat left Sunday and I continued my gardening with the purchase of 4 red rocket crepe myrtles for the front yard and a couple of hibiscus to replace those that died in the freeze. I expect to enjoy lots of color all summer from my front porch. Needless to say, all the company and gardening got in the way of my running.....bad excuse but mine. I will catch up this week (InshAllah...God Willing)
Monday morning found me up at the crack of dawn at Love Field for a trip to Austin and the swearing in ceremony for those who passed the Feb. Bar Exam. Normally I try to go up the night before, but because of Mrs. Savage I did not. Unfortunately, after taxiing out to the run way the plane did not take off. We sat over an hour then went back into the terminal. They did not know how long it would take and the next two flight were full so I had to cancel my trip. Later that morning the Dean of Career Services called and asked if I forgot something? She said a student at the ceremony had told her that they announce my name as a representative from SMU but nobody stood up. I explained that I had not forgotten, but......
The entire experience reminded me of a Zig Zigler routine. Zig was a great positive thinking speaker. I used to listen to his tapes. He tells the story of being told his flight was cancelled. To the astonishment of the desk attendent he replies, "Fantastic!" When asked why such news was fantastic, he replied, "There are only three reasons why my flight was cancelled. First, there is something wrong with the plane. Second, there is something wrong with the pilot who is going to fly the plane. Third, there is something wrong with the weather that the pilot is going to fly the plane into. If it is any of those three reasons, I do not want to be up there in the plane. I want to be right here on the ground. You see, you can cancel my flight but you cannot cancel my day! It is 24 hours for me to use productively."
And so I returned to my office and my day and got a lot done that I would not have been able to do in Austin. Good news, Bad News, who is to say!
Life is Good.
Gambling did not win :( Total invested so far $39 Winnings $21 Losses $18
Spent the weekend with Mrs Savage, my second mom. She arrived Friday night with meat loaf, a bag of red new potatoes and an onion (for mashed potatoes), some broccoli salad, a tray of cherry pastries, a bag of chocolate chip cookies, a cheese ball and all the fixens to make Old Fashion's. For those of you who are not of "a certain age" or not familiar with any mixed drinks other than rum and coke or crown and coke (lol) an Old Fashion is a mixture of bourbon (mostly bourbon), bitters, sweet syrup or in her case, sprite, with an orange slice which you use to coat the rim of the glass before squeezing and leaving in the drink. It is served with rocks. Pat Savage has to have her cocktail each evening and I enjoyed one (well actually more than one) too as we ate crackers, cheese and some pate and then her wonderful meal. I ate the rest of the meal left overs last night and have been munching on cookies from the freezer and heating up pastries for breakfast.....needless to say I will need many more miles to cancel out the calories form her visit which also included a greasy double cheese burger with grilled onions from Dallas' oldest drive-in, Keller's, washed down with cold root beer which Pat and ate from her car after shopping for my birthday present....4 lawn chairs and an umbrella and base for my patio table. She wanted me to have a nice space to enjoy in the back yard and had seen these chairs on sale at Big Lots. They do look good, as does the umbrella!
Saturday night, after planting flowers we also bought in new pots, and attending Saturday Mass at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, we went to Papasitos near by for Margaritas and Tex Mex. Pat left Sunday and I continued my gardening with the purchase of 4 red rocket crepe myrtles for the front yard and a couple of hibiscus to replace those that died in the freeze. I expect to enjoy lots of color all summer from my front porch. Needless to say, all the company and gardening got in the way of my running.....bad excuse but mine. I will catch up this week (InshAllah...God Willing)
Monday morning found me up at the crack of dawn at Love Field for a trip to Austin and the swearing in ceremony for those who passed the Feb. Bar Exam. Normally I try to go up the night before, but because of Mrs. Savage I did not. Unfortunately, after taxiing out to the run way the plane did not take off. We sat over an hour then went back into the terminal. They did not know how long it would take and the next two flight were full so I had to cancel my trip. Later that morning the Dean of Career Services called and asked if I forgot something? She said a student at the ceremony had told her that they announce my name as a representative from SMU but nobody stood up. I explained that I had not forgotten, but......
The entire experience reminded me of a Zig Zigler routine. Zig was a great positive thinking speaker. I used to listen to his tapes. He tells the story of being told his flight was cancelled. To the astonishment of the desk attendent he replies, "Fantastic!" When asked why such news was fantastic, he replied, "There are only three reasons why my flight was cancelled. First, there is something wrong with the plane. Second, there is something wrong with the pilot who is going to fly the plane. Third, there is something wrong with the weather that the pilot is going to fly the plane into. If it is any of those three reasons, I do not want to be up there in the plane. I want to be right here on the ground. You see, you can cancel my flight but you cannot cancel my day! It is 24 hours for me to use productively."
And so I returned to my office and my day and got a lot done that I would not have been able to do in Austin. Good news, Bad News, who is to say!
Life is Good.
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