Friday, April 16, Day 46 Ran 2 miles/ Total so far 83/ Miles to go 917
Was an extremely hectic week of breakfast, lunch and dinner meetings and classes. Running did not happen. Thankfully after next week I will not be teaching in the evening again until the summer and school will slow down with the end of classes. Missed my runs. Friday I was determined to run. After work I stopped at the gym, but only had time for two miles. I needed to hurry home for a birthday dinner with my son Eric and his wife, Karla. Can't believe I can have a son who will be 29 on Sunday. I guess when you start a family at age 11 it is possible....lol
Karla cooked a wonderful shrimp alfredo and we stuffed ourselves with salad and garlic bread in addition. The meal ended with large slices of chocolate cake that I had baked that morning before school. All the more reason I need to keep running. Seems that no matter how busy I am I find time to eat and the busier I am, the less healthy my meals.
Had dinner Thursday night with an old friend I had not seen in a while. Over bone-in rib eye steak with potatoes, mushrooms and the proverbial lettuce wedge salad, he shared with me that recently he had become fascinated by crop circles and aliens. In a very matter of fact voice he told me of websites and alien races who were already here, but not to worry because the New Earth was waiting when the mother ships came for us at 2012 when this Earth was going to go through "The Shift." His coup de gras to prove his point was the rhetorical question "After all, Where are the Mayans?" I had to admit I did not know where they were. His fervor reminded me of a fundamentalist christian friend in my youth who, when I once asked what his: "I found It!" t-shirt meant, explained that he had found Jesus. I remember pissing him off when I replied that "I did not know He was lost!"
So I think I need to stop now and do some meditation so I can channel some being who can tell me the winning lottery numbers....After all, there are less than 2 years left before December 21, 2012 and the mother ships, so I better win soon....
PS...did not win the lottery on Wednesday and did not win the Weekly Grand. Gambling investment so far: $18/ Winnings: $8/ Net down $10 But Life is Good!
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Day 43 Monster Drinks and Kennedy Smiles
Monday, April 12th, Day 43 of the Challenge...did not run. Still at 81 miles run and 919 to go.
I took off Sunday after running two days in a row. I had a lot of backed up chores to do including a couple of weeks of laundry...yuk, and an event Sunday night that I had to attend at school. The weekend had passed entirely too fast and I also had to prepare for my classes ....excuses, excuses...blah, blah.
Monday was incredibly busy. Started with a breakfast meeting and then I literally had meetings back to back all day, culminating in teaching my class at 7:20 so that by they time I finished I was beat. It did not help that I had not slept well Sunday night for some reason. I usually have no trouble sleeping but I had woken up at 3 and could not fall back to sleep until after 4. An early text from a friend woke me up around 7 from a weird dream in which I was talking to a panel of relatives that I did not know that I had. They came in all shapes, sizes and sexes but all shared the same big toothy grins. They said that they were Kennedy's and that is why they all had the same smile....Never knew I was related to the Kennedy's.
The only way I got through class was by purchasing in the vending machine next to the class room a large Monster Lo Carb Energy drink....not sure what all was in it but the rush got me going and an hour and 15 minutes later I said goodbye to the class, erased the marker board and headed home where left over steak and potatoes and a little Cabernet enjoyed on my front porch provided the other bookend of my day....Have a 7:30 breakfast this morning.....let the chaos begin.
Life is Good.
I took off Sunday after running two days in a row. I had a lot of backed up chores to do including a couple of weeks of laundry...yuk, and an event Sunday night that I had to attend at school. The weekend had passed entirely too fast and I also had to prepare for my classes ....excuses, excuses...blah, blah.
Monday was incredibly busy. Started with a breakfast meeting and then I literally had meetings back to back all day, culminating in teaching my class at 7:20 so that by they time I finished I was beat. It did not help that I had not slept well Sunday night for some reason. I usually have no trouble sleeping but I had woken up at 3 and could not fall back to sleep until after 4. An early text from a friend woke me up around 7 from a weird dream in which I was talking to a panel of relatives that I did not know that I had. They came in all shapes, sizes and sexes but all shared the same big toothy grins. They said that they were Kennedy's and that is why they all had the same smile....Never knew I was related to the Kennedy's.
The only way I got through class was by purchasing in the vending machine next to the class room a large Monster Lo Carb Energy drink....not sure what all was in it but the rush got me going and an hour and 15 minutes later I said goodbye to the class, erased the marker board and headed home where left over steak and potatoes and a little Cabernet enjoyed on my front porch provided the other bookend of my day....Have a 7:30 breakfast this morning.....let the chaos begin.
Life is Good.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Day 41, Long and Fast....Pancakes and St. Paulie Girl
Saturday, Day 41 of challenge. Ran 5 miles in 50 minutes! Miles total so far: 81/ Miles to go 919. Did not win the Weekly Grand or the Lottery :( Gambling investment so far $15/ winnings $8/ Down $7 dollars. But no one won the Texas lotto so that just means more for me on Wednesday :) "Hope springs eternal in the heart of man!"
Saturday found me sleeping in. There is a luxury to sleeping late on a weekend. I was tired from the run and fun of the night before. Met Gym Rat for brunch at the Original Pancake House....a popular breakfast joint in uptown where almost everything comes with a stack of pancakes. I ordered two eggs with sausage on the premise that I usually cook bacon at home so I would eat something new. The two sausages were smashed so thin they looked more like pieces of rye bread and covered most of the plate. They tasted fine...think I was just hungry. I felt no guilt when I ate the pancakes....I was planning a long run and would burn some calories.
After brunch I went with Gym Rat to look at condos with his real estate agent. Think he has found one to make an offer on. Old complex of two story town house type apartments which have been gutted and made new with the hardwood floors and marble counter tops, new stainless steel appliances, etc. There is a main street that runs in the middle of the complex and it is lined with huge live oak trees. The place has a lot of character. Hope he get it.
Took at nap on Gym Rat's couch as I did not want to drive back to Richardson and he lives in uptown. Later I left Gym rat's place and went to the gym. Wanted to run 5 miles. Started at a pace on the treadmill a little under 12 minute miles then each quarter of a mile I increased it so that by the time I ran the last of the 5 miles I was running under a 9 minute mile pace. Endorphins were kicking in so hard that I forgot that it takes 60 minutes to equal an hour and when I looked at the time and it read 50.70, I was sad. I thought, gee, I almost ran 5 miles in an hour. Then as I cooled down, I realized that I had run my 5 miles in only 50 minutes...a 10 minute a mile pace. I was really happy.
After stretching and showering at the gym, I went to the Barnes and Nobles in West Village. I am always a little intimidated when I go in a bookstore. I am proud that I am a published author, but it is so humbling to see so many books and realize how many authors there are and how many new books come out all the time. But I also am a little sad when I go to the bookstore these days. I have this sense that I am seeing the end of an era, that fewer people will be reading books, at least paper ones, and I wonder if someday they will go the way of the 8 track tapes of my youth or just be collectors items like vinyl LP's? The times they are a changing. Students at law school these days tell me that they do not know how to write in cursive....that it is taught and then dropped early in grade school. Oh well, I refuse to feel old or live in the past!
So I left the bookstore and went across the street to an outdoor Pub. The weather was perfect. I sat outside and ordered a St. Paulie Girl beer. I know I was, in chronological age, the oldest person there by a decade (or more) but the little boy who lives in my head and drives this body around soaked in the energy and ambiance and just chilled. From there I walked to Mi Concina, a Mexican Restaurant that is too popular and tonight was no exception. I wanted to order their speciality, a Mambo Taxi, which is a margarita with a swill of sangria. Unfortunately, it was so loud that the bartender thought I said mango margarita (something about me and mangos these days) and I did not correct him when he came. About 30 minutes later and after the margarita was gone, Gym Rat met me. I just had water with my meal. Gym Rat does not drink and I usually do not drink when I am with him. One margarita on top of the St. Pauli Girl was more than enough. We ate so so mexican food and had to almost yell to understand each other. We made the decision never again would we go to that restaurant.
Went to bed after the dinner. Content that this had been a good day! Life is Good.
Saturday found me sleeping in. There is a luxury to sleeping late on a weekend. I was tired from the run and fun of the night before. Met Gym Rat for brunch at the Original Pancake House....a popular breakfast joint in uptown where almost everything comes with a stack of pancakes. I ordered two eggs with sausage on the premise that I usually cook bacon at home so I would eat something new. The two sausages were smashed so thin they looked more like pieces of rye bread and covered most of the plate. They tasted fine...think I was just hungry. I felt no guilt when I ate the pancakes....I was planning a long run and would burn some calories.
After brunch I went with Gym Rat to look at condos with his real estate agent. Think he has found one to make an offer on. Old complex of two story town house type apartments which have been gutted and made new with the hardwood floors and marble counter tops, new stainless steel appliances, etc. There is a main street that runs in the middle of the complex and it is lined with huge live oak trees. The place has a lot of character. Hope he get it.
Took at nap on Gym Rat's couch as I did not want to drive back to Richardson and he lives in uptown. Later I left Gym rat's place and went to the gym. Wanted to run 5 miles. Started at a pace on the treadmill a little under 12 minute miles then each quarter of a mile I increased it so that by the time I ran the last of the 5 miles I was running under a 9 minute mile pace. Endorphins were kicking in so hard that I forgot that it takes 60 minutes to equal an hour and when I looked at the time and it read 50.70, I was sad. I thought, gee, I almost ran 5 miles in an hour. Then as I cooled down, I realized that I had run my 5 miles in only 50 minutes...a 10 minute a mile pace. I was really happy.
After stretching and showering at the gym, I went to the Barnes and Nobles in West Village. I am always a little intimidated when I go in a bookstore. I am proud that I am a published author, but it is so humbling to see so many books and realize how many authors there are and how many new books come out all the time. But I also am a little sad when I go to the bookstore these days. I have this sense that I am seeing the end of an era, that fewer people will be reading books, at least paper ones, and I wonder if someday they will go the way of the 8 track tapes of my youth or just be collectors items like vinyl LP's? The times they are a changing. Students at law school these days tell me that they do not know how to write in cursive....that it is taught and then dropped early in grade school. Oh well, I refuse to feel old or live in the past!
So I left the bookstore and went across the street to an outdoor Pub. The weather was perfect. I sat outside and ordered a St. Paulie Girl beer. I know I was, in chronological age, the oldest person there by a decade (or more) but the little boy who lives in my head and drives this body around soaked in the energy and ambiance and just chilled. From there I walked to Mi Concina, a Mexican Restaurant that is too popular and tonight was no exception. I wanted to order their speciality, a Mambo Taxi, which is a margarita with a swill of sangria. Unfortunately, it was so loud that the bartender thought I said mango margarita (something about me and mangos these days) and I did not correct him when he came. About 30 minutes later and after the margarita was gone, Gym Rat met me. I just had water with my meal. Gym Rat does not drink and I usually do not drink when I am with him. One margarita on top of the St. Pauli Girl was more than enough. We ate so so mexican food and had to almost yell to understand each other. We made the decision never again would we go to that restaurant.
Went to bed after the dinner. Content that this had been a good day! Life is Good.
Day 40 Friday Big Hats, Boots and Pizza but no Prada.
Friday April 9 Day 40 of the challenge. Ran 3.6 miles/Total so far 76/ Miles to go 924
I took Thursday off from both running and writing. My legs were sore from running the prior two days and, not wanting a repeat of my post Easter almost injury, I decided that pacing myself was in order. I also had a dinner engagement after work and work itself was hectic.....At least this is my story and I am sticking to it! But Friday found me not wanting to miss my run but also having a 6 0'clock fundraiser at school: the Big Hats and Boots April Fools Auction for APIL - the Association for Public Interest Lawyers. This year it was going to be in the law quad. This event which has a regular and a silent auction, raises thousands of dollars so students can participate in externships helping those who need it the most. I wore my black alligator boots especially for the occasion.
So I left work 30 minutes early, at 4:30 (Friday being the one day a week I leave at 5) and ran at the gym. I wanted to round out my miles so I chose 3.6 miles as the goal. That would give me an even 76 miles total. I had another goal/motivation: afternoon pizza. Another work place hazard of my school is that almost every day there are one or more programs enticing participants with free food, often pizza. In the afternoon when I went into the large area we call the Dean's suite where there are many desks and administrative assistants, I saw the tale tale signs of Pizza...octagon red and white boxes staked on a counter....Leftovers are frequently brought here. This is the same counter that often displays candies or cupcakes, or other sweets that are given for various reasons to the school. The whole Dean's suite is a disaster area if you are on a diet because it almost seems like the administrative assistants compete for the title of Goodie Queen. Every desk has bowls of candies, mini chocolate Mr. Good Bars and Hershey's, cherry sours, tootsie rolls, jelly beans, etc. For a sugeraholic like me, it is a veritable mine field, especially in the afternoon when the sleepy 3 o'clock slump hits.
I was proud that I had bypassed the candy, but the pizza....I could not pass it up. Even though it was not hot, I still grabbed two pieces of pepperoni and ate them on the way back to my office. Of course, once the carbs hit my system the craving returned and 4 o'clock found me back at the pizza table and two more pieces disappeared...or actually will probably reappear as additions to my love handles....that is, I thought, unless I do my run. And so I did run, thanks to the dual guilt of pizza and knowing I needed to blog.
At the silent auction, I bid on a guitar and lost and on a pair of Prada shoes. I don't wear Prada shoes and have never owned a pair, but I have a friend who prides himself on his and I wanted to see if I could get a bargain and rub it in....but others wanted the Pradas much more than I did, so other than my contribution of a shrimp scampi dinner for 4 students as an auction item and my commitment to participate in the Karaoke with the professors night, my wallet remained in tact and I retired to my home satisfied that today's battle of the bulge was a draw. Life is Good.
I took Thursday off from both running and writing. My legs were sore from running the prior two days and, not wanting a repeat of my post Easter almost injury, I decided that pacing myself was in order. I also had a dinner engagement after work and work itself was hectic.....At least this is my story and I am sticking to it! But Friday found me not wanting to miss my run but also having a 6 0'clock fundraiser at school: the Big Hats and Boots April Fools Auction for APIL - the Association for Public Interest Lawyers. This year it was going to be in the law quad. This event which has a regular and a silent auction, raises thousands of dollars so students can participate in externships helping those who need it the most. I wore my black alligator boots especially for the occasion.
So I left work 30 minutes early, at 4:30 (Friday being the one day a week I leave at 5) and ran at the gym. I wanted to round out my miles so I chose 3.6 miles as the goal. That would give me an even 76 miles total. I had another goal/motivation: afternoon pizza. Another work place hazard of my school is that almost every day there are one or more programs enticing participants with free food, often pizza. In the afternoon when I went into the large area we call the Dean's suite where there are many desks and administrative assistants, I saw the tale tale signs of Pizza...octagon red and white boxes staked on a counter....Leftovers are frequently brought here. This is the same counter that often displays candies or cupcakes, or other sweets that are given for various reasons to the school. The whole Dean's suite is a disaster area if you are on a diet because it almost seems like the administrative assistants compete for the title of Goodie Queen. Every desk has bowls of candies, mini chocolate Mr. Good Bars and Hershey's, cherry sours, tootsie rolls, jelly beans, etc. For a sugeraholic like me, it is a veritable mine field, especially in the afternoon when the sleepy 3 o'clock slump hits.
I was proud that I had bypassed the candy, but the pizza....I could not pass it up. Even though it was not hot, I still grabbed two pieces of pepperoni and ate them on the way back to my office. Of course, once the carbs hit my system the craving returned and 4 o'clock found me back at the pizza table and two more pieces disappeared...or actually will probably reappear as additions to my love handles....that is, I thought, unless I do my run. And so I did run, thanks to the dual guilt of pizza and knowing I needed to blog.
At the silent auction, I bid on a guitar and lost and on a pair of Prada shoes. I don't wear Prada shoes and have never owned a pair, but I have a friend who prides himself on his and I wanted to see if I could get a bargain and rub it in....but others wanted the Pradas much more than I did, so other than my contribution of a shrimp scampi dinner for 4 students as an auction item and my commitment to participate in the Karaoke with the professors night, my wallet remained in tact and I retired to my home satisfied that today's battle of the bulge was a draw. Life is Good.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Day 38 Wicked Wednesday..."avoid the near occasion of sin."
April 7, Day 38 of Challenge. Ran 3 miles/ Total so far: 72.4/ Miles to go: 927.6
Weekly Grand/Lotto - did not win lotto...won $4 on Weekly Grand...Total Investment so far $12, winnings $8 Net: down $4
Wednesdays are the days of the temptress at work. I arrive to the smell of donuts and warm sausage kolachis strategically placed in the faculty/staff coffee room so that I have to both see and smell them everything I get a cup of coffee or brew some hot tea or refill my water glass. There are all kinds of donuts, but my favorite are the fried cake donuts crusted with sugary icing. I am sure they have more calories than two of the others combined and I know that if I eat one that the few minutes of blissful sugar high will soon be replaced by the sugar withdrawal low which can often prompt a repeat performance since whoever buys the donuts, etc. (which also includes all kinds of bagels with endless tubs of flavored cream cheese) buys enough for two days worth, resulting in the leftovers from the morning frenzies remaining in boxes begging to be taken throughout the day like sad puppies in pet shop windows.
As I moved through the crowd of morning feasters to get my first cup of coffee (having run out at home and not being at all satisfied by the Tetley's tea substitute) I remarked to the assemblage that they reminded me of a flock of pigeons who had just alighted when a homeless bag lady started spreading bread crumbs. Everyone looked at me with that "What are you talking about?" look that I often get when I trip out in my stream of consciousness thinking that gets orally expressed....then they smiled a knowing smile and parted like the Red Sea just enough so that I could pass to the coffee maker. I tried to not look at any of the goodies. I have the most will power in the mornings and this morning I smugly left the food alone, content that I could overcome that desire, one donut at a time.
Of course, like the siren's call, all day the leftovers whispered my name. I had eaten a healthy breakfast at home of oatmeal with blueberries, a banana, a handful of pecans flavored with some Cinnamon but by 10:30 I was hungry so I passed by the donuts and got a yogurt out of the refrigerator in the staff lounge, Activia....more healthy fare. I keep a week's supply so I can eat one in the mid-morning. I also keep a jar of almonds on my desk for an afternoon snack (supposed to lower cholesterol) but in my haste to leave this morning I left the new bag of almonds and some apples (I keep them on my desk also for afternoon munchies...apple a day keeps the doctor away, right?) on the kitchen counter. But I did succeed in avoiding the temptation of the donuts this morning.
Lunch found me at the Belo....the Dallas Bar Association conference center located in an old mansion downtown that has been greatly expanded. It is call the Belo because that is the name of the family that once lived there (owners of the Dallas Morning News). There was an Ethics Committee lunch meeting which I needed to attend, both because I am the Vice Chair (love that word...vice) and to get one hour of MCLE credit to keep my law license (Mandatory Continuing Legal Education). The buffet good at the Belo is good and once again I exercised my will power to avoid the desserts and stick to some grilled chicken, veggies and a spoonful of herbed wild rice.
Educated and satiated I returned to my office about 1:30 for the rest of the hectic day.
As the afternoon wore on my hunger set in. No almonds, no apple and in a room away cake donuts calling out my name. I had (and I know this will sound weird because it is to me too) a can of sardines in a cupboard of my office left over from one of my Atkins diets when I ate only protein and veggies and was looking for some variety...no carbs in sardines. At 4:00 p.m. I succumbed and ate the sardines, out of the tin. I can't say they tasted great, but edible they were. And I had once again dodged the donut bullet.
I had a Student Bar Association Voting Council meeting at 5:00. As Dean of Students I am the advisor. They always have food. I wanted to abstain because it is usually not the healthiest and often there is not enough for everyone. Unfortunately today the meeting was not that well attended and there were mountains of waffle fries and Chick Fil-a fried, breaded chicken strips left over when all the students had eaten their fill. So like the Apostles gathering the crumbs from the leftovers after the miracle of the loaves and the fishes and the feeding of 5,000, I found myself loading up a plate of chicken strips and waffle fries...dinner before my 7:20 class. And they tasted GOOD!
After class, tired from a day that began at 6:30 a.m. I wanted to go home, but instead went to the gym and for variety, ran 3 miles on the indoor track which is 19 and a half laps. Basketball and indoor soccer games were in play below and I could follow each as I circumnavigated the gym. I felt good after the run and got home about 10:15. Here is where I made my fatal mistake. I should have just gone to bed but I decided that one glass of Cabernet would allow me to unwind and relax. It did. But it also made me hungry again and the bag of potato chips left over from Easter company (crispy Kettle chips) was too much for my wine weakened will power. After salty chips I always want something sweet and so the last piece of Mrs. Savages coffee cake also disappeared.
So the good news was that I avoided the donuts but the bad news was that I ate the chips, cake and chick fil'a. Of course the other good news was that I did run. All these struggles reminded me of the Catholic prayer called "An Act of Contrition" which you say before and after going to confession. There is a line in there about being sorry for your sins and promising not to sin again (which is always broken...at least in my life) and also agreeing to "avoid the near occasion of sin." As a child I used to think this was just too much. Not only could I not sin, I could not even get near it....impossible. As an adult and looking back on today I understand more the wisdom of that line. If there had been no chips or coffee cake in the house, I probably would not have gotten in my car at 11 to go to the store and I would have enjoyed my wine and gone to bed. A lesson to be learned in what to keep and not keep in my house.....But in any event, Life is Good!
Weekly Grand/Lotto - did not win lotto...won $4 on Weekly Grand...Total Investment so far $12, winnings $8 Net: down $4
Wednesdays are the days of the temptress at work. I arrive to the smell of donuts and warm sausage kolachis strategically placed in the faculty/staff coffee room so that I have to both see and smell them everything I get a cup of coffee or brew some hot tea or refill my water glass. There are all kinds of donuts, but my favorite are the fried cake donuts crusted with sugary icing. I am sure they have more calories than two of the others combined and I know that if I eat one that the few minutes of blissful sugar high will soon be replaced by the sugar withdrawal low which can often prompt a repeat performance since whoever buys the donuts, etc. (which also includes all kinds of bagels with endless tubs of flavored cream cheese) buys enough for two days worth, resulting in the leftovers from the morning frenzies remaining in boxes begging to be taken throughout the day like sad puppies in pet shop windows.
As I moved through the crowd of morning feasters to get my first cup of coffee (having run out at home and not being at all satisfied by the Tetley's tea substitute) I remarked to the assemblage that they reminded me of a flock of pigeons who had just alighted when a homeless bag lady started spreading bread crumbs. Everyone looked at me with that "What are you talking about?" look that I often get when I trip out in my stream of consciousness thinking that gets orally expressed....then they smiled a knowing smile and parted like the Red Sea just enough so that I could pass to the coffee maker. I tried to not look at any of the goodies. I have the most will power in the mornings and this morning I smugly left the food alone, content that I could overcome that desire, one donut at a time.
Of course, like the siren's call, all day the leftovers whispered my name. I had eaten a healthy breakfast at home of oatmeal with blueberries, a banana, a handful of pecans flavored with some Cinnamon but by 10:30 I was hungry so I passed by the donuts and got a yogurt out of the refrigerator in the staff lounge, Activia....more healthy fare. I keep a week's supply so I can eat one in the mid-morning. I also keep a jar of almonds on my desk for an afternoon snack (supposed to lower cholesterol) but in my haste to leave this morning I left the new bag of almonds and some apples (I keep them on my desk also for afternoon munchies...apple a day keeps the doctor away, right?) on the kitchen counter. But I did succeed in avoiding the temptation of the donuts this morning.
Lunch found me at the Belo....the Dallas Bar Association conference center located in an old mansion downtown that has been greatly expanded. It is call the Belo because that is the name of the family that once lived there (owners of the Dallas Morning News). There was an Ethics Committee lunch meeting which I needed to attend, both because I am the Vice Chair (love that word...vice) and to get one hour of MCLE credit to keep my law license (Mandatory Continuing Legal Education). The buffet good at the Belo is good and once again I exercised my will power to avoid the desserts and stick to some grilled chicken, veggies and a spoonful of herbed wild rice.
Educated and satiated I returned to my office about 1:30 for the rest of the hectic day.
As the afternoon wore on my hunger set in. No almonds, no apple and in a room away cake donuts calling out my name. I had (and I know this will sound weird because it is to me too) a can of sardines in a cupboard of my office left over from one of my Atkins diets when I ate only protein and veggies and was looking for some variety...no carbs in sardines. At 4:00 p.m. I succumbed and ate the sardines, out of the tin. I can't say they tasted great, but edible they were. And I had once again dodged the donut bullet.
I had a Student Bar Association Voting Council meeting at 5:00. As Dean of Students I am the advisor. They always have food. I wanted to abstain because it is usually not the healthiest and often there is not enough for everyone. Unfortunately today the meeting was not that well attended and there were mountains of waffle fries and Chick Fil-a fried, breaded chicken strips left over when all the students had eaten their fill. So like the Apostles gathering the crumbs from the leftovers after the miracle of the loaves and the fishes and the feeding of 5,000, I found myself loading up a plate of chicken strips and waffle fries...dinner before my 7:20 class. And they tasted GOOD!
After class, tired from a day that began at 6:30 a.m. I wanted to go home, but instead went to the gym and for variety, ran 3 miles on the indoor track which is 19 and a half laps. Basketball and indoor soccer games were in play below and I could follow each as I circumnavigated the gym. I felt good after the run and got home about 10:15. Here is where I made my fatal mistake. I should have just gone to bed but I decided that one glass of Cabernet would allow me to unwind and relax. It did. But it also made me hungry again and the bag of potato chips left over from Easter company (crispy Kettle chips) was too much for my wine weakened will power. After salty chips I always want something sweet and so the last piece of Mrs. Savages coffee cake also disappeared.
So the good news was that I avoided the donuts but the bad news was that I ate the chips, cake and chick fil'a. Of course the other good news was that I did run. All these struggles reminded me of the Catholic prayer called "An Act of Contrition" which you say before and after going to confession. There is a line in there about being sorry for your sins and promising not to sin again (which is always broken...at least in my life) and also agreeing to "avoid the near occasion of sin." As a child I used to think this was just too much. Not only could I not sin, I could not even get near it....impossible. As an adult and looking back on today I understand more the wisdom of that line. If there had been no chips or coffee cake in the house, I probably would not have gotten in my car at 11 to go to the store and I would have enjoyed my wine and gone to bed. A lesson to be learned in what to keep and not keep in my house.....But in any event, Life is Good!
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Day 37 I'm back in the saddle
Tuesday, April 6th Ran 3 miles/ total so far: 69.4/ Miles to go: 930.6
Forgot...Saturday invested 3 more dollars in the Weekly Grand and Lotto ticket. Did not win the lotto or the Weekly Grand. Total invested so far: $9/winnings: $4/ Deficit: $5
Life is going back to normal. Everyone is gone from the Easter Bash and, other than memories and leftovers (which have fed me the last couple of days), the weekend is past. Felt much better today and hope the cold or allergies are over. After a busy day at work I went to the gym. Here is where I want to thank you readers for this blog and the impact it has on me and my running resolve. The Good News was that I went to the gym even though I was tired and really just wanted to go home and to bed. The Bad News was that when I got there and checked my locker, I did not have any gym shorts. I always keep a lot of extra exercise clothes in my car but I am not driving my car right now. Actually my car is really my Daughter Leigh's car... a little burgundy convertible Miata that I am driving now that she is in Manhattan and does not need a car. My worn out old Lexus died an untimely death a few months before she graduated and I saw no reason to incur more debt with a new car when hers would be sitting here. But this weekend with all the out of town guests to be picked up at the airport, I rented an ugly blue I do not remember what it is called Chrysler for a week since the two seater Miata has a trunk smaller than a woman's purse and I needed space. I have to return the blue bomb Thursday....but I did not transfer my gym clothes to it and so at 6:30 p.m. I had to face the dilemma of no running shorts at the gym.
Of course, first I had to pay $45 dollars for the yearly rental of a locker since they do not let you do it on line and then when I got to the locker and realized that I did not have the shorts my first reaction was "Oh gee....well, guess I will just have to go home....maybe I am not suppose to run today....what is it that the Universe is trying to tell me? Zennnnnnnnn." But then I started thinking about having to write about wimping out and how I could hear people coming up with all kinds of reasons why I could still run like "Couldn't you run in your neighborhood?" etc. Then I thought about getting back in my car and driving to a Target a few miles away to buy gym shorts or driving home and returning but I knew if I got in that car the lure of home and supper and a glass of wine would be too strong. For a fleeting moment I considered the option of running in my khakis...I said fleeting. Then I remembered that the SMU Bookstore run by Barnes and Noble was only a block from the gym and they have all kinds of SMU clothing.
So off I went by foot on my mission for some stylish SMU shorts. Of course, once I got there I realized that I would be paying SMU prices for what at Target would have been cheap and serviceable. After groaning at the prices of the merchandise I finally settled on some $34.99 (They always try to trick you with the lower than $35 rouse....but we are on to them) blue all purpose shorts which, with tax etc., ended up costing about $37. But at least I had them and so I was able to complete my run, start back on whittling down my remaining miles and get a few endorphins flowing at the same time. So the Good News is that because of you I ran tonight. The Bad News is, it cost me 37 dollars but the Good News is...I feel great and ........Life is Good.
Forgot...Saturday invested 3 more dollars in the Weekly Grand and Lotto ticket. Did not win the lotto or the Weekly Grand. Total invested so far: $9/winnings: $4/ Deficit: $5
Life is going back to normal. Everyone is gone from the Easter Bash and, other than memories and leftovers (which have fed me the last couple of days), the weekend is past. Felt much better today and hope the cold or allergies are over. After a busy day at work I went to the gym. Here is where I want to thank you readers for this blog and the impact it has on me and my running resolve. The Good News was that I went to the gym even though I was tired and really just wanted to go home and to bed. The Bad News was that when I got there and checked my locker, I did not have any gym shorts. I always keep a lot of extra exercise clothes in my car but I am not driving my car right now. Actually my car is really my Daughter Leigh's car... a little burgundy convertible Miata that I am driving now that she is in Manhattan and does not need a car. My worn out old Lexus died an untimely death a few months before she graduated and I saw no reason to incur more debt with a new car when hers would be sitting here. But this weekend with all the out of town guests to be picked up at the airport, I rented an ugly blue I do not remember what it is called Chrysler for a week since the two seater Miata has a trunk smaller than a woman's purse and I needed space. I have to return the blue bomb Thursday....but I did not transfer my gym clothes to it and so at 6:30 p.m. I had to face the dilemma of no running shorts at the gym.
Of course, first I had to pay $45 dollars for the yearly rental of a locker since they do not let you do it on line and then when I got to the locker and realized that I did not have the shorts my first reaction was "Oh gee....well, guess I will just have to go home....maybe I am not suppose to run today....what is it that the Universe is trying to tell me? Zennnnnnnnn." But then I started thinking about having to write about wimping out and how I could hear people coming up with all kinds of reasons why I could still run like "Couldn't you run in your neighborhood?" etc. Then I thought about getting back in my car and driving to a Target a few miles away to buy gym shorts or driving home and returning but I knew if I got in that car the lure of home and supper and a glass of wine would be too strong. For a fleeting moment I considered the option of running in my khakis...I said fleeting. Then I remembered that the SMU Bookstore run by Barnes and Noble was only a block from the gym and they have all kinds of SMU clothing.
So off I went by foot on my mission for some stylish SMU shorts. Of course, once I got there I realized that I would be paying SMU prices for what at Target would have been cheap and serviceable. After groaning at the prices of the merchandise I finally settled on some $34.99 (They always try to trick you with the lower than $35 rouse....but we are on to them) blue all purpose shorts which, with tax etc., ended up costing about $37. But at least I had them and so I was able to complete my run, start back on whittling down my remaining miles and get a few endorphins flowing at the same time. So the Good News is that because of you I ran tonight. The Bad News is, it cost me 37 dollars but the Good News is...I feel great and ........Life is Good.
April 5 Still Alive....Day 36 of Challenge
Day 36, Ran 0/ Total so far 66.4/ Miles to go 933.6
Blog has been silent a few days...power outage caused in part by Hurricane Easter Holiday with a mild case of "not ready for prime time allergies/cold"! Today I plan to run again for the first time in about a week after work...Wish me luck and give me encouragement!
Thursday last week began a marathon of a different kind.....holiday fun. Picked up son Haydon at Love Field at 10 and Taka and daughter Leigh at 11 at DFW. Wonderful that everyone could be together for the Holiday. Haydon and Leigh promptly went out with some of Leigh's college buddies. When reminded that she was not arriving until 11 Leigh reminded me that the bars close at 2!. In Spanish they say "La noche esta en penales" (the night is still in diapers) when they don't want to end the party....so I guess the penales were in style Thursday (and most other nights of the trip...but you will have to go to Leigh's blog to find out about those times...see the link on my home page of this blog).
Good Friday was a holiday from work. I was reminded after cooking bacon for breakfast that observant Catholics are not supposed to eat meat on Good Friday....I observed my clan did not have a problem eating the bacon, however. My gracious and forgiving God will forgive me and them I am sure for our transgression. It reminded me of the time that my time my daughter-in-law's mother, Janie, as the Roberts and the Camps were trying to decide where to eat one other Good Friday a few years ago, reminded Eric that they could not go eat ribs because Good Friday was a Holy Day of Obligation....no meat. After which she promptly crunched down on a pork skin....(if you are not from the south, you will not understand but a port skin is like a potato chip kinda, but is actually fried port skin which sounds horrible but tastes great to those privileged to grow up in the the land of cotton). Eric looked at Janie and asked "Isn't a pork skin meat?" The look on Janie's face......Priceless as the skin was spit out.....
So Friday lunch found Taka and I at a favorite Vietnamese Restaurant for Pho (beef noodle soup) and Friday night Taka and Haydon and I at a Korean Barbecue Restaurant near our house for wonderful barbecue cooked at the table on a hibachi ....thin slices of meat, wrapped in lettuce instead of a tortilla (much healthier....) We toasted each other and the good life with a Korean vodka like drink....Life lived to the fullest.
Saturday was the big day...about 16 people, all the kids, Kay and the kid's grandparent...Big Mommy and Big Daddy (how southern is that?) Karla and Eric and Karla's parents, Mike and Janey and Uncle Nick. Good friends Nickie and Bob... and friend, Pat Parise. Dear Mrs. Savage was sorely missed but remembered as we ate the wonderful coffee cake she had sent and toasted to her health (She was away at a grandson's graduation). I baked a large ham and succeeded in not burning the yeast rolls which were heavenly. Janie brought peas flavored with wild boar sausage. Karla made a yummy squash casserole all the while bemoaning the act as indicative of her new family status....time passes and we grow up. Nickie brought carrot cake and Big Mommy a lemon pound cake in which she used lemons from a tree in her back yard.
Taka was his amazing self. I wish I had half his energy. One look at my spotty crystal and he was washing the wine and campaign glasses in soapy water. He cleans as he cooks and took over the duties normally handled by Mrs. Savage. He cooked a wonderful three color pasta salad with three colors of peppers, another salad with baby mozzarella cheese and cherry tomatoes and some broiled asparagus and when he finished you would not have known someone had been in the kitchen whereas when I cook the place looks like a band of wild banshee's ransacked the place.
Many, many mimosas and bloody Mary's mellowed out the crowd. At one time I realized that the women had gathered in the living room and the men in the den and I felt I was back in the 1950's, but most of the time everyone just circulated from group to group and inside and outside of the house as the weather was perfect and the back yard was usually full.
In the afternoon we played monopoly with 100 dollars of weekly grand tickets distributed in order of success and also placed in the Free Parking space for those lucky enough to land there. I won the game but the winning from the weekly grand were slim, only about a 25 dollar return on our 100 dollar investment.
Sunday saw Dim Sum with good friends Jonathan and Alfredo and with nephews Gary and Matt and their wives Aurdrey and Naomi. Gary and Audrey drove all the way from Oklahoma City to see us...such a wonderful family and such a blessed time.
Today, Monday, found me sad as I took Taka and Leigh to the airport......But Life Is Good!
Blog has been silent a few days...power outage caused in part by Hurricane Easter Holiday with a mild case of "not ready for prime time allergies/cold"! Today I plan to run again for the first time in about a week after work...Wish me luck and give me encouragement!
Thursday last week began a marathon of a different kind.....holiday fun. Picked up son Haydon at Love Field at 10 and Taka and daughter Leigh at 11 at DFW. Wonderful that everyone could be together for the Holiday. Haydon and Leigh promptly went out with some of Leigh's college buddies. When reminded that she was not arriving until 11 Leigh reminded me that the bars close at 2!. In Spanish they say "La noche esta en penales" (the night is still in diapers) when they don't want to end the party....so I guess the penales were in style Thursday (and most other nights of the trip...but you will have to go to Leigh's blog to find out about those times...see the link on my home page of this blog).
Good Friday was a holiday from work. I was reminded after cooking bacon for breakfast that observant Catholics are not supposed to eat meat on Good Friday....I observed my clan did not have a problem eating the bacon, however. My gracious and forgiving God will forgive me and them I am sure for our transgression. It reminded me of the time that my time my daughter-in-law's mother, Janie, as the Roberts and the Camps were trying to decide where to eat one other Good Friday a few years ago, reminded Eric that they could not go eat ribs because Good Friday was a Holy Day of Obligation....no meat. After which she promptly crunched down on a pork skin....(if you are not from the south, you will not understand but a port skin is like a potato chip kinda, but is actually fried port skin which sounds horrible but tastes great to those privileged to grow up in the the land of cotton). Eric looked at Janie and asked "Isn't a pork skin meat?" The look on Janie's face......Priceless as the skin was spit out.....
So Friday lunch found Taka and I at a favorite Vietnamese Restaurant for Pho (beef noodle soup) and Friday night Taka and Haydon and I at a Korean Barbecue Restaurant near our house for wonderful barbecue cooked at the table on a hibachi ....thin slices of meat, wrapped in lettuce instead of a tortilla (much healthier....) We toasted each other and the good life with a Korean vodka like drink....Life lived to the fullest.
Saturday was the big day...about 16 people, all the kids, Kay and the kid's grandparent...Big Mommy and Big Daddy (how southern is that?) Karla and Eric and Karla's parents, Mike and Janey and Uncle Nick. Good friends Nickie and Bob... and friend, Pat Parise. Dear Mrs. Savage was sorely missed but remembered as we ate the wonderful coffee cake she had sent and toasted to her health (She was away at a grandson's graduation). I baked a large ham and succeeded in not burning the yeast rolls which were heavenly. Janie brought peas flavored with wild boar sausage. Karla made a yummy squash casserole all the while bemoaning the act as indicative of her new family status....time passes and we grow up. Nickie brought carrot cake and Big Mommy a lemon pound cake in which she used lemons from a tree in her back yard.
Taka was his amazing self. I wish I had half his energy. One look at my spotty crystal and he was washing the wine and campaign glasses in soapy water. He cleans as he cooks and took over the duties normally handled by Mrs. Savage. He cooked a wonderful three color pasta salad with three colors of peppers, another salad with baby mozzarella cheese and cherry tomatoes and some broiled asparagus and when he finished you would not have known someone had been in the kitchen whereas when I cook the place looks like a band of wild banshee's ransacked the place.
Many, many mimosas and bloody Mary's mellowed out the crowd. At one time I realized that the women had gathered in the living room and the men in the den and I felt I was back in the 1950's, but most of the time everyone just circulated from group to group and inside and outside of the house as the weather was perfect and the back yard was usually full.
In the afternoon we played monopoly with 100 dollars of weekly grand tickets distributed in order of success and also placed in the Free Parking space for those lucky enough to land there. I won the game but the winning from the weekly grand were slim, only about a 25 dollar return on our 100 dollar investment.
Sunday saw Dim Sum with good friends Jonathan and Alfredo and with nephews Gary and Matt and their wives Aurdrey and Naomi. Gary and Audrey drove all the way from Oklahoma City to see us...such a wonderful family and such a blessed time.
Today, Monday, found me sad as I took Taka and Leigh to the airport......But Life Is Good!
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