Sunday, December 30

Today I am in Chicago. Well, I didn't do the 13 miles and I decided I'm not going to. So there. I DID do 4 and a half, and it felt awesome with every step. This is why I run - for those days when you go out and just tell yourself you'll run until you feel like stopping. Those are such awesome days, and the good news is that I have way more of those than I do the days that feel like every step weighs a ton.

Tomorrow is the last day of the year. That is a fact.

Saturday, December 29

Today I am in Chicago. I had a bit of a misstep in my half-marathon training. I was scheduled to do 13 miles this morning with my running group and I didn't show. I don't know why I didn't go, except that I had been dreading it since Thursday. I didn't get much sleep on Thursday night and then stayed up too late on Friday - I think I did this somewhat intentionally so that when the alarm went off at 6:30 on Saturday, I could tell myself I don't have to go. It occurred to me today that training for a race like this is really mentally draining....to have to constantly gear yourself up for these long runs, consistently go into the weekends trying to muster a confidence you don't have, convincing yourself that the pace isn't too fast, you'll hydrate and eat enough, that you won't slip and fall on the slick Chicago path. I feel sort of defeated right now. In the past, I never training properly - I would do lots of short runs and a long run or two, and then just count on sheer will to get myself to the finish. Training semi-properly, which for me means doing the long runs every week and a couple of short runs in between, is wearing me down. I don't have the confidence every week to do these long distances, and so when they day comes I am drained and the rationalizing begins. But...I have to keep reminding myself: I have done EVERY SINGLE long run on this training program, including 12 miles two weeks ago.

Sigh.

Looks like I'm doing 13 miles tomorrow. :)

Friday, December 28

Today I am in Chicago on this, the last Friday of 2007. I flew home today from a week in DC (just ahead of most of the crappy weather we've had today). Kitties are asleep next to me on the couch (evidence above), and all is well.

I got a collection notice today for emergency medical services and ambulance transport for you-know-who when he was still living in Colorado. It was probably from the time that he was having delusions about snipers surrounding the house - I'm guessing that his roommate called 911 or something because he had really lost it. It makes me sad to think about how fucked up he really was back then, and also extremely glad that I wasn't around to witness it. I know now that he was (is?) bipolar. Back then his therapist told me that was his diagnosis, but I didn't believe it - to me, bipolar meant spending sprees and frenzied streaks of productivity punctuated by deep depression, and on TV it happened to people with massive capacities for creativity who didn't want medication to spoil their art. I didn't know that mania could also means delusions. In some way it makes me feel better now to know what it was, like there is some closure to it because it has a name. I haven't thought about these things in a long time and it doesn't really mean anything anymore, but seeing that reminder of how out of control he was made me a little sad. Oh, and now someone has to cough up $480.

Friday, December 21

Today I am in Chicago. I have officially finished my project in Atlanta - yee haw! Right now I am sitting in my apartment with the kitty cats at my feet. We're watching "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles," one of the funniest holiday moves of all time. Today has been a great day: I slept until I woke up, did a bit of work, ran some errands, shopped a little, took care of some administrative stuff that I previously hadn't had time to do, and otherwise just hung out on the couch. Tomorrow I am flying to Maryland to spend Christmas at my mom's. I am really looking forward to it this year more than ever, mainly because I feel like I really earned a chance to relax and enjoy time with my family. Nothing feels better like a good amount of time off after you worked really hard to accomplish something.

It's been a weird year. In some ways, I feel like I really grew and figured out more about what I don't want to do - but I can't say I've figured out a whole lot about what I do want to do. One thing that I've talked about for, oh, 37 years, is trying to launch some sort of musical enterprise. I believe there is no better place to do this than Chicago, because there are so many places to see live music. I had this idea last week to start a band that plays songs from the 60s and 70s that aren't that commonly heard....Etta James, Aretha Franklin b-sides, Sam Cooke, etc. We'll see how this progresses....so far I have a good track record of actually doing stuff that I write in this blog and I don't want to ruin it.

Speaking of things that I've talked about in this blog, I ran 12 miles last weekend. Man....that was one of the hardest things I've done in a while. This is in prep for my Cabo Half Marathon on January 19. We are running a 10k tomorrow and then 13 miles on Saturday the 29th - I'm already stressing about that.

Something rather unusual happened to me the other day. A bit of background....lately I keep hearing these stories of people who ditched big, corpo careers to follow their passion. I'm not sure if these stories are finding me or if I'm just more attuned to them, but it feels a bit like someone is trying to tell me something. So on Tuesday morning I'm on a flight to Atlanta, and as we're about to land the woman next to me says, "I could be wrong but there's an energy about you that says you're in pharmaceutical sales." I said, "Well, I am in a type of sales but it's not selling pharmaceuticals." I then told her a bit about my job, and asked her what she does. She said, I swear, "I help people figure out what they are supposed to be doing with their lives and then get in a position to make it happen." Can you believe that??? Turns out she's in business for herself as a "life coach" of sorts, helping people make the transition from a job they hate to one they love. She's doing extremely well for herself and seemed so content and friendly. If that's not a huge neon sign telling me to get my shit together and figure out what I want to do with my life, I don't know what is. Funny thing was, not only was I supposed to be on a flight the night before that I decided to reschedule, but she was supposed to be sitting in the row behind me. Fate is a funny thing. Stay tuned.

Thursday, December 6

Today I am in Atlanta. I am really hoping we're down to our last 10 days here. Here are some things overheard recently in casual work conversation:

"Yes, and if you were right, I'd agree with you."

"It's always good to pretend you're listening to someone."

Pearls, people! Pearls!

Home tomorrow. I am going to a benefit concert for Barack Obama where THE MAN himself will be present. I can't wait!

Ran 10 miles last Saturday. About half way through it started to snow, and for the last 3 miles I was pelted with sleet. I am a winter warrior, indeed. I had a 9 mile run with my brother in law the weekend of Thanksgiving that ranks in my Top 10 Best Runs of All-Time. I also broke my personal 5k record on Thanksgiving Day. Wow - I feel like Wonder Woman right now! Aiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaah!

Friday, November 23

Today I am in New Market, Maryland at my sister's house. We had Thanksgiving dinner here last night, and the guests included my parents and their spouses....which may not seem all that monumental, but for a kid with divorced parents it's pretty monumental indeed. This was the first Thanksgiving in 20 years where my sister and I could be in one place and have everyone come to US. It was nice!

I am starting to come to terms with the fact that I've been pretty blah over the last few months (that's code for "I'm kind of depressed but don't want my friends and family to be concerned so I won't say 'depressed'). I simply don't care anymore about what I'm doing and I need to do something else. The thing that makes me feel better about it is that I know this feeling is owed to job-related burnout, which means it's a very treatable situation. I want to go back to school, or start a business, or run for office, or, or, or...well, I'm not sure what I want to do but I feel very energized about finding it. Stay tuned for more exciting developments in this regard.

November 19, 2007

Today I am in Chicago and this blog is in desperate need of a new entry! My mom was here for my birthday weekend last week, which was very nice. We had a delicious dinner and then went to a quilt show ... what could be better?! I also got a new rug for the living room and think I have finally broken my bad rug luck.

Am leaving tomorrow for Thanksgiving with the family.

Wow, I really have nothing to say.

Thursday, November 1

Today I am in Atlanta. Happy Anniversary, Dad and Rita! You are finally 21 years old and can drink legally.

I am in the Delta Crown Room awaiting my flight home. There is a guy across from me sitting in what Delta calls "The Quiet Zone." It's a grouping of several comfy chairs and in the middle there's a large sign that says "Quiet Area" and has a picture of a cell phone with a line through it. This guy is sitting back in his chair talking louder than I have ever heard someone talk on a cell phone before, the irony of which is totally lost on him because he has no idea the sign is there (even though he had to walk around it to get to his chair). Have I mentioned recently how much I love traveling for my job?

Tuesday, October 30

Today I was in Chicago and right now I am in Atlanta. I had one of the best runs of my life today - one of those days where almost from the first step, I felt like I was being pushed (pulled?) along. It was a beautiful day, 60s and clear, blue sky - one of those days where you are so thankful to have two strong legs and an able respiratory system so you can be out there running along.

Oh, and I'm not going to India. Hallelujah.

Thursday, October 25

Today I am in Endicott, NY and I don't think we need to say anything else about that.

Friday, October 19

Today I am in Chicago. We're in that weird Chicago fall freakweather stage where it's all blue sky sunny gorgeous at 8am and by 8:15 it's cloudy and raining.

I registered today for a half marathon to be held on January 19, 2008 in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The race website (http://www.maratonloscabos.com/general_en.htm) says it's "a beautiful route all the way between the seashore and the dessert." Ah, if only I had a sweet tooth. I'm really looking forward to the race because 1) the endorphin blast I felt after my last half marathon (and continued to feel until...well, I'm still feeling it) makes me understand perfectly why people get addicted to exercise and 2) this will be my 2nd half marathon "destination race." I'm signing up with my sometime running group, Chicago Endurance Sports. I have enrolled in a few training sessions with them in the past couple of years that I haven't really kept up with but this time I will. Now it's in print; I have to do it. The thing that makes a little uneasy about the race is mention of a course that goes "up to Cabo del Sol, then returning to Cabo San Lucas." Chicago is the flattest running town of all time and even the slightest rolling hill has me gasping, so I'm hoping the "up" is more metaphoric than literal.

I'm listening to John Mayer's Continuum at the moment. He is such a talented musician but listening to him still feels like a guilty pleasure. Maybe if he stopped dating bimbos I could admit to more people that I think he's really good. I was reading through the liner notes on the album and praying "Please, John, please don't have included Jessica Simpson in your thank you list." Whew. He also has a really funny blog on his website (http://www.johnmayer.com/blog) and some even funnier clips of him and Buddy Guy playing together at Buddy's club in Chicago on July 4th this year. Check 'em out - they are high-larious. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5M-Oxk1rVY and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfNEtwhr6gA&mode=related&search=

Monday, October 15

Today I am in Atlanta. I was at home for 2 weeks so it was really hard to get up this morning and go to the airport. Nothing too exciting to report, so I've decided to use today's post to begin listing my least favorite people I encounter when traveling:

Just In Time Guy: this traveler comes on board just before the doors close. He always has two carry-on bags, and proceeds to walk down the aisle opening each bin only to find that there isn't anymore space. He then has to bring his bag all the way back to the front so it can be checked. It's only then that he starts to look for his seat, which is inevitably in the back of the plane. If he's like today's "Just In Time Guy," he sports a shiny baseball jacket just like the one I wore in 7th grade.

Instant Message chat with my friend Jessica

I've decided to start posting transcripts of my instant message conversations with various friends. To me, they are hilarious. Here's one from today:

Betsy - the weirdest thing happened
Jessica - what?
Betsy - I was putting stuff in my gym bag today and I found a slip of paper in the pocket with a guy's name and phone number (not in my handwriting) - it had to have been put there intentionally but I have NO idea when - last time I used that bag was at a yoga class over the weekend, but before then it had been ages
Jessica - no way
Betsy - I'm dying to go to yoga again on Sunday and see if anyone's making eyes at me!
Jessica - how odd and flattering and odd
Betsy - I know
Betsy - and odd
Betsy - haha
Jessica- one would sort of expect the guy to approach you directly not sneak a note into your bag
Jessica - flattering
Jessica -but odd
Jessica - will you call it?
Betsy -I don't think so - what would I say? "Hi, uh, this is Betsy, and uh, I think you, uh, left your phone number in my gym bag like a stalker?"
Jessica -laughing
Jessica -out
Jessica -loud
Betsy - haha
Jessica -oh dear
Jessica -well , it's something!
Betsy - there were a couple of cuties in my yoga class but I think this would have been left by someone in the class preceding mine
Betsy - you aren't kidding!
Jessica -you should ask at the next class
Jessica - "hey, did one of you guys leave your name and number in my bag last week?"
Betsy - haha
Jessica - laughing
Betsy - I'll just announce it at the beginning of class
Jessica - exactly
Betsy - or better yet, ask my teacher to announce it
Jessica - good plan

A Tribute to Morgan the Labrador

Morgies, I miss you already.
I miss your snappy jaw that said,
"Mogran want food."
I miss your tail-wag-turning-into-whole-body-wag that made you oh, such a labrador.
And you were, and we loved you for it.
I will forever remember the day I found you
In your little pound puppy cage.
The luckiest day for both of us, it was your karmic jackpot.
The shelter woman saying....
"She jumps, she barks, she chews, she nudges...basicially, she's a Labrador."
And you were, and we loved you for it.

Wednesday, October 10

Today I am in Chicago. It has turned very cool here and is, for the first time, really starting to feel like fall. I love this weather - it makes me want to cook soup. It's hard to believe it was over 90 degrees on Sunday. Sue and I did our usual spectating routine at the now-infamous Chicago Marathon this past Sunday - I didn't personally see anyone keel over but it was obvious that a lot of people were hurting. Usually in a race like that you have the elite runners through first and then a pack of unknown-but-still-very-fast runners. On Sunday, you could barely distinguish the latter from the recreational runners because they were all reduced to walkers by Mile 20. Helicopters were buzzing overhead, emergency vehicles whizzing by - it was bizarro. How in the world this city expects to host an Olympic Games, I have no idea....

The Washington Post ran a great article today on Marin Alsop, the somewhat new conductor of the Baltimore Symphony. She conducted the Colorado Springs Symphony when I lived there. She says she knew she wanted to be a conductor after seeing Leonard Bernstein at age 9. Can you imagine knowing what you wanted to do from the age of 9, and then actually doing it?? Here's the link to the article - it's worth the read: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/09/AR2007100902144_2.html?hpid=sec-artsliving

Saturday, October 6

Today I am in Chicago. I saw "Into the Wild" today. It left me with a bittersweet feeling. In some ways it validated an instinct I've had for a long time, that there is something out there that I can't name but that makes me feel like I have to wander. I guess that's why I've moved by myself a couple of times....I'm looking for my life. I really related to Chirs McCandless....not that I want to ditch it all and go into the Alaskan wilderness, but I can relate to that feeling of not wanting what everyone else thinks is the definition of success. Most people my age are married and have kids. That's the path, I suppose - how we define ourselves as responsible adults in most societies. So it's hard sometimes to figure out if you are a responsible adult if you don't have or want those things. I mean, I lead a team of people at work, I have pets, I'm a homeowner....yet compared to people who are younger than me with kids and a spouse, I feel like a little kid.

There's this passage in "Eat, Pray, Love" where she talks about the community - the relatability - that marriage gives you. You are adult when you get married. You are responsible. When you have kids, you are even more of an adult and even more responsible. So to deliberately step off that path is a scary thing - in our society, it makes you less relatable, somehow less of an adult, especially when you face up to the fact that you chose not to have those things. I could have stayed married and had kids - lots of people do - but I knew that there was some other path I was meant to be on that didn't involve faking my happiness in the name of familiarity. Now, all I have to do is figure out what the hell it is...

Wednesday, October 3

Today I am in Chicago. It's a gorgeous day here, which is a good thing because the Cubs' opening playoff game is tonight and I'd hate for lots of drunken Northside fans to be stumbling around in the cold or rain. Oh, and while I'm at it...Go, Indians!

Last night on The Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert referred to Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA) as "a poor man's Ted Kennedy." HA! I'm still laughing over that one. In other political news, I'm convinced that Rudy Giuliani is doomed and will drop out of the race - either over a marital discretion or an ill-timed shoplifting incident involving his wacko wife, Judith "Don't Call Me Judi or I'll Kick You in the Teeth" Nathan.

Monday, October 1

Today I am in Chicago. It's really nice to be at home on a Monday after not being at home on a Monday for a while. I'm having some trouble getting my energy back after my trip to London. I guess it's to be expected, but I'm so used to just doing what I need to do in whatever timezone I'm in that it surprises me to find myself dragging.

The editorial in this month's Vanity Fair poses an interesting question: what if George Bush's seeming stupidity was actually a calculated plan to achieve more for this country than any president our history? What if his rolling back of years of environmental legislation was a tough love plan to make us take better care of our water, sea, and air? And even better... "I'll tank Social Security and lending practices so people are forced to invest more in banks and stocks! I'll destory confidence in the US healthcare system so you will have to exercise and eat better!" And, the most provactive suggestion, what if the war in Iraq was actually a pre-arranged pact with al Qaeda to provide a marketing campaign for future members as long as they didn't attack us again on US soil? It's an interesting idea....and one that could make some sense if I thought GWB had more between his ears than, well, just really big ears. You can read the full editorial at http://www.vanityfair.com/magazine/2007/10/graydon200710.

Saturday, September 29

Today I am in London. I am flying home to Chicago today and as of now, don't have to be anywhere next week. Amazing. I know that will change.

I woke up around 9am today and thought, "hmm....should I go for a run? should I go the Tate Museum? so many choices!" But the best choice of all is the one that I took, which was to lounge in bed watching TV, take a leisurely shower, and sit here geeking it out on the computer. I can spend hours doing nothing like nobody's business. I think in some ways I use my job as an excuse for not being more active...I work 80 hours a week and travel around like crazy, so I should be able to sit around on a Saturday and do nothing, dammit. (Right??)

I'm going to India in about a month and I'm kind of nervous about it. It sounds awful. I was talking to a colleague of mine who has been there and he said when you are on the plane home, the flight attendants come through with these "misters" that emit puffs of some industrial strength germ killer/disinfectant throughout the whole plane. Wow, with stories like that who wouldn't be dying to go.... One thing that's making me a bit more excited about it is that I'll stop through London on my way home to hang with Wayne - he just received his entry clearance to work in the UK and is moving to London at the end of October.

I'm shocked that it's the end of September. At what point in your life do you stop feeling like time is flying by??

Friday, September 28

Today I am in London. It has been a very busy 3 days and I can't believe I'm going home tomorrow. I slept about 5 minutes on the way over so I was super tired but actualy managed to get some good sleep the first night and got into a normal routine pretty fast. It's chilly here - about 20 degrees cooler than when I left NY. It's mostly been work but tonight I did go to dinner with one of the client folks. We went to The Grill Room at the Savoy Hotel - it's now run by Gordon Ramsay of TV's Hell's Kitchen. I don't watch the show, but I hear it's mostly scenes of Ramsay yelling at people and making them feel like little pieces of poop. The food was pretty good, so he must be doing something right. We went out as a team last night - about 20 of us including my colleagues and the client team. Had Moroccan food and about 20, 000 glasses of champagne. This morning (and most of the afternoon) was, to say the least, extremely painful - the only consolation is that everybody felt the same way so we were pretty sympathetic to one another and were able to get through the day.

Happy belated Anniversary to my mom and Gary! 21 years - wow! Who rocks the house? Mom and Gary rock the house! Woo hoo!

Monday, September 24

Today I am in Paramus, NJ (Exit 165 on the Garden State Parkway, for those of you who keep track of these things). I just found out today that I got a nice bonus for a deal that I worked earlier this year and for which I thought I was getting zero bonus. So....now I'm trying to decide what to do with my windfall - right now all I have on the list is to buy the cats some gold-plated catnip and donate a substantial portion to Rep. Larry Craig's Exodus enrollment - God's tapping his heels for you, Congressman! Any other thoughts?

Thursday, September 20

Today I am in Paramus, NJ. Earlier I was in Atlanta, and tomorrow I'm going home - yay! I really miss my kitty cats at the moment. My cat sitter's blog keeps mentioning how happy the cats seem to be when she visits, and it makes me sad to think of them sitting there by themselves the rest of the time. :(

I completely forgot to wish my sister and brother-in-law a happy anniversary! Woo hoo! Go, Rachel! Go, Randy! Twelve years on the 17th! Yeeeeeeeeeah, baby! Woo hoo!

My friend Adria is going to be on the season premiere of Cold Case this Sunday night. She has this cool promo thing where you can view all of the TV work she has done. Go to: http://www.speedreels.com/talent/atennor/atennor.html

Well, I guess I'd better get to bed so I can have some sleep tonight. I have to be back in NJ Sunday night and then it's off to Ye Jolly Olde England for a few days! Sigh.....I would think this was all very glamorous if I didn't know the truth....

Monday, September 17

Today I am in Chicago but I'm leaving for Atlanta later this afternoon. We had gorgeous weather over the weekend - for the first time, it felt like the beginnings of fall. I've always loved this time of year - my favorite two days of the year are the first cool day where you have to wear a jacket and the first warm day where you can go without one.

I made some major home purchases over the weekend, including a dining room set. I spent way more money on it than I planned, but what the hell.... I also bought two leather ottomans (with storage inside - essential for condo living) that I am using as a coffee table of sorts but that can also be used as additional seating. I'm extremely happy with them because they are exactly what I wanted.

I went for a great 5-6 mile run over the weekend. I hadn't run since the half marathon so it was nice to get back out there and feel good. I had a much different recovery experience with this race - I was really sore the day after the race (going down stairs - ouch!) but that was about it. I kept thinking the 2nd day would be worse but it never happened. I would really like to do another half marathon before the end of the year and then do a race in Cabo San Lucas that my Chicago running group is planning for the end of January. I felt so good about last week's race even days after - I'm riding this high of endorphins that I still don't think has ended. What a wonderful feeling.

I watched the Emmys last night but was so annoyed when Alec Baldwin, Edie Falco, and James Gandolfini didn't win that I turned it off. The thing that really annoys me about the Best Actor - Drama award is that all of JG's competition play essentially the same character in every episode - cocky doctor/lawyer/intelligence agent who realizes at some point that other people may actually have something worthwhile to say, and then resumes being cocky doctor/lawyer/intelligence agent. Tony Soprano, especially the way JG played him, was never the same guy - he would lash out when you didn't expect it, react calmly when you thought he would blow....all the reasons that show was great are all of the reasons that JG should have won. And to me, it was minor vindication that the show itself won. Sigh.

Today I ran my third half-marathon

Today was a great day. I finished the Chicago Half Marathon in 2:36:18. Not a spectacular time, but it was such a special experience because up until about Mile 5 I wasn't sure I was going to even run it. I was unprepared for the distance (my longest training run was 10 miles), it was hot and extremely sunny (great weather to be a spectator, NOT great weather to be a runner), and I had about 30 seconds of sleep last night (probably due to anxiety about how unprepared I was for the race). But....I did it. Around the aforementioned Mile 5, I started thinking, as I often do during long runs, of my stepbrother Bruce. September 5 was the 5th anniversary of his death, and since he died I've often thought of him when I need a little extra inspiration. Quite simply, it's important for me to run because he can't. Nothing magical happened - it wasn't like I saw him standing in the crowd or anything - but I did feel close to him today and it really helped me get through the tougher miles (which, after Mile 7, were pretty much all of them). I wound up walking about 2 miles out of the 13.1, and I feel no shame in having done so because it was so important to me to just finish. While I was running, I also realized that in a few days time it will be the 2nd annivesary of my divorce. I thought about how far I have come in that time - to where I own a home all by myself, am truly financially independent for the first time in my life, and am RUNNING HALF MARATHONS! It was an emotional day thinking about Bruce, and also about my own journey - and I feel extremely lucky that I got to play it out over 13.1 miles of Chicago streets that left me feeling so strong, proud, and thankful.

Tuesday, September 4

Today I am in Atlanta. I am officially extremely bored with my job. You know you need a new job when you find yourself getting angry in a contract negotiation - not because the client has asked you to accept some term or condition that is completely ridiculous, but because you can't understand why anyone would ever care about this stuff.

I wish I was home with my cats.

Friday, August 31

Today I am in Chicago. It was such a gorgeous day here - mid 70s and nothing but sunshine. The whole weekend is supposed to be the same. I'm really excited because my friend Leanne from Australia is coming into town - I met her last summer in Melbourne and she and her fiance have since moved to NY so they are coming to check out da Chi for Labor Day. We're going on the Chicago Architecture Foundation cruise tomorrow, which is one of my very favorite things to do in Chicago when the weather is nice. I've been on this tour about 4 times and it's never the same. Be sure to check it out if you are in town.

I am in Chicago this weekend and then back to Atlanta next week. Then.....drum roll.....it's the big half marathon weekend! I am thoroughly unprepared and am banking on the fact that I've done this before to get me through. Hopefully it won't be 100 degrees (or 30, which is a possibility, too). You can see my results at http://www.chicagohalfmarathon.com/ on September 9.

Wednesday, August 29

Today I am in Atlanta. Nothing much new to report except that it rained here today, which seemed to be cause for great celebration among the locals. My allergies certainly rejoiced, as I have been coughing since yesterday in a harsh and phlegm-ish manner unbefitting a refined woman such as myself.

I finished reading "Eat, Pray, Love" over the weekend and can say without a doubt that I haven't read a book in a while that had such an impact on me. It's the memoir of a woman who decides to heal from a broken marriage and a broken post-marriage relationship by traveling to Italy, India, and Indonesia (Bali really, but that's not as aliterate). I'll have to post some of the more meaningful quotes here, but overall the book made a lot of sense to me and has me thinking that I need to take a similar journey. I think I've lived the last 2 years of my life like the 5 years before it didn't even happen. There are moments when I admire my stoicism, but there comes a point where stoicism meets stubborness that it detaches you from reality a bit. In other words, you become so used to the concept of "I can take it" that you can't or don't acknowledge emotions - either yours or others. I guess most people call that being numb.

Sunday, August 26

Today I am in Chicago. It has finally stopped raining here. The storms we had on Thursday were unlike anything I have ever seen - the sky turned as black as night but there was this creepy underlayer of yellowish sky...it was really spooky. As it happened I was working in the suburbs that day, and we all had to move to the interior of the building due to a tornado warning. It brought back fond memories of retreating to the basement of our house in Holland, Michigan with my mom and sister during a similar storm in the 70s - I remember feeling like we were on an adventure. The American Midwest in summer....a hotbed of potentially lethal meteorological phenomena....

Later today I am flying to Long Island, and then on to Atlanta. I have a feeling the next several months are going to be really busy...

Tuesday, August 21

Today I am in Chicago. Yesterday I found out that I don't have to be anywhere else this week! Amazing! The last few weeks have been kind of rough with traveling so this was a welcome reprieve. The kittens are looking at me strangely, as though I've interrupted their social schedule. Or maybe they just want naps. Hard to say.

In my LAX delay-induced blogapalooza the other day, I mentioned that I saw my friend Adria Tennor after 18 years. 18 years, people!! She gave me a DVD of her one woman show, "Strip Search," which I watched tonight. She was amazing in it - playing characters ranging from her parents, many ex-boyfriends, and a not-too-hard-to-spot composite character that has to be based, in part, on one of our high school teachers. And she dances. On a pole. In stripper shoes. It's almost impossible for me to even contemplate the thoughts that might lead to a time when I would ever consider doing something that ballsy and she's doing it. Mwah, Adria! The best part for me was getting to catch up her life over the past many years, and also see what an awesome actress she is (still).

I ran 10 miles on Sunday. Ouch.

10:17 PM: Philip Seymour Hoffman just walked into the American first class lounge.

I really want to take a picture of him with my camera phone but I'm afraid he'll see me and freak out and they won't ever let me back in this place (and I'm already here under somewhat suspect credentials, so I can afford no breaches of etiquette).

This night keep getting better.

In case you're not sure who Philip Seymour Hoffman is, he's this guy:

August 18, 2007 - again

Right now I am at LAX. I was supposed to fly back to Chicago at 2:30pm but due to some "system glitch" (as explained to me by the gate agent) I should never have been booked on that flight because it was already oversold. They couldn't get me on, nor could they get me on either the 3:50 or 5;15pm flights. I am now booked on a flight that leaves LA at 11:20pm and arrives Chicago at 5:55am. Because of my inability to sleep on planes, taking the red eye home will screw me up for days. As such, I am feeling very sorry for myself at the moment. The one shred of good news is that I was able to "negotiate" my way into the American Airlines First Class lounge, so although I have to sit here for another 6 hours I at least get to drink champagne and sit in a comfy chair while doing it. The last time I was in this same lounge I was heading to Australia for the last time - what a different feeling that was. It fills me with a lot of nostalgia because of I was dating someone I was traveling with....and it made sitting in this lounge and being on that flight a lot more fun that how I feel right now. :)

Saturday, August 18

Today I am in Glendale, CA. I had a meeting in Burbank yesterday. I haven't been in LA in a while....but it doesn't seem to have changed much. Mountains, check. Ocean, check. Traffic and smog and tons of sunshine, check, check, check. I am glad to be flying home today; I'm not sure if it's the distance or the time zone, but being on the West Coast always makes me feel a little farther away from home than usual.

The best part of my trip was seeing my old friend, Adria Tennor. She's an actress here and is doing really well. I haven't seen her in 18 years and it was amazing to find that in many ways we're the same people we were in junior high. We had an awesome dinner at Pizzeria Mozza (a new venture between Mario Batali and Nancy Silverton from La Brea Bakery) and it was just wonderful to catch up with Adria. Goes to show you that good friends, even in 8th grade, are sometimes good friends for reasons that don't include the coolness of your clothes.

Sunday, August 12

Today I am in Gaithersburg, MD. My dad turned 65 today and so my sister, niece, and I spent the day with him and Rita. It was really nice to actually celebrate a family member's birthday in person for once in a long while!

Kate is really turning into a young lady (though "lady" is a generous term for a girl who still lifts her skirt up every now and then). There are times when she reminds me *so* much of myself....especially now that she's all into playing songs and dancing while we all play captive audience. "Lay-tees and gentlemen," she would say, "pronouncing the next song....'Apple Bean!'"

I will be in Chicago through midweek next week and then off to Burbank for a client meeting - and where I will also get the chance to see my old friend Adria Tennor who I haven't seen in 18 years!!! She's an actress living in LA....further proof that I have many friends who have stuck with their passions and made it work. Perhaps I could learn something from this....

It was a really great weekend at home and can't believe it's over already.

Tuesday, August 7

Today I am in Paramus, NJ. It's hot and humid and I'm flying tonight out of Newark Airport, which yesterday earned the prize for Most Airport Delays in June 2007. I'll be home tomorrow and then Rochester, NY on Thursday and home with the family over the weekend. Since Randy is out of town, I have proposed to Rachel that we have a girls only slumber party over the weekend.

So...I've been mulling over my choice on the Democratic nominee. I was really leaning towards Obama, but I think I'm going to support Hillary Clinton. I don't take this choice lightly, but I think that having Bill Clinton that close to the presidency would be a very good thing for our country. Plus, I really like the way that Hillary Clinton has handled herself over the last month or so and think that Obama's inexperience in foreign affairs is starting to show.

More Vancouver photos

New home accessories (oh, and an excuse to post more kitten photos)

I got a gorgeous new rug for my bedroom - it's handwoven in Pakistan using vegetable-dyed wool. The kittens seem to like it okay, don't you think?

John Henry is a Star!

I can't stop talking about this pitbull named John Henry who was on "Larry King Live" last week, and now you can see why. I knew this kid was a star!

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=14387496

Saturday, August 4

Today I am back at home in Chicago. Whew! Kittens weren't quite sure who I was when I got home but we quickly re-established my role in the family. They are now happily sleeping within a few feet of me (or inches, in Dewey's case).

I finally downloaded my Vancouver photos - here are few goodies:

Here's Wayne and I having dinner on Saturday....Wayne's expression is owing to the fabulousness of our tasting menu dinner.

A post-dinner glass of champagne....or maybe this was pre-dinner....or sometime the day before.....

Here is a photo from our trip up Indian Arm:

Wednesday, August 1

Today I am in Atlanta. Wow - I can't believe it's August already! I just found out that I have to be in NY on Friday, so I think that means 2 countries and 5 states in 5 days: a new Betsy record.



It's hot and humid (or "close," as my old friend Sean Lawton used to say) here in Atlanta. The weather in Vancouver was gorgeous - sunny and in the 70s. Wayne and I took a cruise up Indian Arm on Saturday (north of Vancouver and only accessible by boat and seaplane). We arrived about 10 minutes late (in typical Betsy and Wayne fashion) and thought for sure they would have left without us - but no! They waited, and we were really embarassed as we were led to our reserved table among all of the other people who had bothered to show up on time. Embarassment aside, I'm really glad we went and will post some photos when I return home at the end of the week.



We had two fabulous dinners - one that was part fresh shellfish, part fresh sushi, and part red meat. Yum, yum, and YUM! The next night we had a tasting menu at Cin Cin, an Italian restaurant not far from our hotel. It came complete with wine pairings and was one of the best dining experiences I have ever had. I was concerned before we left that we wouldn't be able to spend the $1500 allocated for the trip as part of my award - it turned out to be nooooo problem. Here's a photo of us on Friday night (notice my superfantastic v-neck sunburn...I was planning to go on an 8-mile run and wound up running more like 12 because I got lost....).

Tuesday, July 31

Tonight I am in Atlanta - this morning it was Charlotte. I'm really tired today so won't say much except that I'm really looking forward to being back at home at the end of the week! Will update later with the rest of the report - and photos from Vancouver.

Rawlings ended their endorsement deal with Michael Vick today. I was really glad that Nike decided to end their deal with him, too; I am generally a Nike fan because of their focus on women's running, but I really couldn't see myself spending money on their products if they didn't take make a strong statement about Michael Vick.

Tomorrow I'm in Atlanta, then maybe NJ on Thursday and Binghamton, NY on Friday.

Thursday, July 26

Today I am in Vancouver. I won this trip over a year ago but I wasn't able to go until now. There are a bunch of other work people here whom I will do my best to avoid. My bestest friend Wayne arrives tomorrow and will be here for the weekend - I haven't seen him in a while and he's likely to be moving to London before year's end so I'm really looking forward to having this time here with him.

My flight was late getting out of Chicago (tremendous surprise to all....) and the Vancouver airport was VERY busy with tourists making connections to cruise ships. On the brighter side, the weather is picture perfect - about 72 and sunny. I booked a "day at the spa" for this afternoon, so I spent 4 hours getting massaged, pedicured, manicured, and having my pores assessed and critiqued. The aesthetician actually said that I had very clear pores - maybe there IS something to that ridiculously overpriced skim regimen I've been using!

While I was pedicuring I watched "Larry King Live," where the topic was dogfighting. The episode was very well done (and Larry's on vacation....coincidence?). They had several guests (including the HSUS' John Goodwin, who gave a great interview thanks, I'm sure, in total to my sister's brilliant managing of the HSUS spokespeople) but the star of the show was an American Pit Bull named John Henry who was there as the sidekick to celebrity dog trainer Tamar Geller. I swear this dog was paid to look cute and lovable - he kept putting his head down on the desk until someone got him a pillow. If the HSUS and ASPCA ever wanted a poster child for an anti-dogfighting campaign, he's your man. Dog. Whatever. He was awesome.

Speaking of animals (you KNEW a blog entry couldn't go by without discussion of my little kittens!!), here is the entry from Dewey and Jasmine's blog today. Yes, my cats blog.

"These two were such great kitties today! Dewey was right at the door to say hello, and Jasmine came closely behind him. They were full of purrs and seemed very excited to see company. I made sure to give them their special foods, although they didn't go for them right away. I also spent some time brushing Dewey and tried to convince Jasmine to chase her little mouse, but she was more interested in being petted. These guys were so great, I look forward to my visit tomorrow. Cheers!"

If you'd like to follow "The Sometimes Madcap But Mostly Madnap Adventures of Dewey and Jasmine," go to http://www.chicagocatnannies.com/ and click on "How's My Kitty?" There are (supposed to be) postings every day I'm out of town. Today there's also an entry for a cat named Chairman Meow.

More from Vancouver tomorrow!

And no photo-posting spree would be complete without....

...more Dewey and Jasmine! The kitties are fast asleep at the moment, but here are some shots I took recently.



Jasmine looks very exotic in this one.....


This is how you'll find Dewey most mornings.

Puerto Rico photos from April 2007

PR mountains

This is the view from my hotel room.

Family pheowteows

Here are some pictures taken when I was home for Mother's Day.

Monday, July 23

Today I'm at home in Chicago. After traveling just about every week for the last 2 years, it's been really nice to have a "normal" schedule where I'm at home at least part of the week. That could all change soon, however, because we're supposed to hear about the next steps on a project I've been working in Atlanta - if the client decides to move forward then I could be spending a lot more time down there. I had to get a new cat sitter because Laura, my previous cat nanny, learned she's having twins so she and her husband are moving to the suburbs. The new cat sitter seems to be fine, and includes in her services a "How's My Kitty?" blog. I figure if the cats have a blog, I should have a blog. Apparently there isn't much anymore that separates us from the animals....

I watched the new Bill Maher special on HBO last night. It must have been filmed over the weekend because it referenced Bush's colonoscopy. The line was something about doctors checking to see if Bush had his head up his ass. Much to everyone's surprise, they didn't find it.

Oh, joy -someone's car alarm is going off. Why do people bother with car alarms anymore? Does anyone pay even attention when they go off, except to think "who's the jagoff who accidentally set off his car alarm??"

And on that note, back to work!

More photos of guess who.....

Here, Jasmine tries to convince Dewey to let her join him in the centerpiece. He wasn't interested in accomodating her.









Dewey likes the new buffet - the reddish tones suit his grey coat quite well. Dewey is always dressed appropriately, which I guess happens when you only ever have one, spectacular outfit to wear. It just occurred to me that having this blog may turn me into The Crazy Cat Lady.





Today both kittens came to sit on my lap. This rarely happens, because Jasmine usually won't participate. She prefers to get pets on her own terms. Fortunately today for Dewey and me, she decided we were worthy of a cuddle.

Britain's Prince Charles gives wife sheep for birthday: report

Charles has given Camilla 2 rare sheep for her 60th birthday. When Rachel and I were kids we had two goldfish named Charles and Diana. The end of that story is that Diana ate Charles, which serves him right for giving his new wife some sheep.

My mother's response to my blog

Tomorrow, George Bush is having a colonoscopy and Dick Cheney is in charge. So, tomorrow has officially been declared Asshole Saturday. I'm sure you'll think of some way to celebrate.

Love, Mom

Betsy comment: Pretty much says it all about why I am the way I am.

Friday, July 20

I've decided to create a blog to keep in touch with family and friends during my travels. I think this will be pretty no-frills, but who knows? Might wind up being fancy. I also have fantasies of somehow being witty and engaging enough in this that I'll be discovered as The Next Literary Genius and be whisked away to turn my clever posts into a book.

Today I am at home in Chicago with my kitty cats. Cat-haters beware: there will be a LOT of cat discussion in my posts, especially those that I write from home. Not only are the cats a big focus of my time at home, but they do something note- and/or photo-worthy about every 5 seconds (see above).

It's cooled off a bit here in Chicago, and I'm starting to mentally gear myself up for a longish run this afternoon. I'm running the Chicago Half Marathon on September 9 and haven't kept up with my distance runs. Bad Betsy. The race website is http://www.chicagohalfmarathon.com/, for anyone who wants to sign up and run it with me. (Randy, this means YOU!)

I was in DC last weekend for an all-too-brief stint. Got to see all of the parents, and took my 7-year old niece, Kate, shopping for her birthday. She did really great, but got a little indecisive in the toy section - not because she didn't know what she wanted, but because she apparently already owns every toy that Target sells. We got two sets of jammies (one, a nightgown with cute little cats on it), an outfit, the "Ella Enchanted" DVD, a Bratz girl and another critter for The Littlest Pet Shop. I'll be back in DC the weekend of August 12, the date upon which a certain Pancik patriarch will be celebrating a certain milestone-ish birthday.

While I was at home, I also got to see my old SVHS friend Renee Rabben in "Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper," a rock opera that is based on, well, Jack the Ripper. It was pretty campy but very entertaining. Renee still has such a superb voice, and has been seen in a number of local musicals recently. It's cool that I have friends who haven't abandoned their true loves! (As opposed to yours truly, but we'll just consider it an extended hiatus.)

I'm at home in Chicago next week until Thursday, and am then off to Vancouver for a long weekend with my dear friend, Wayne, to take advantage of a leadership award that I won a year ago. Basically, the award involves a free trip to Vancouver and a nice chunk of change to blow on spa treatments, decadent dinners, and many, many cocktails (unless the nice chunk of change is actually in Canadian dollars, in which case we're screwed).

By the way, this Michael Vick thing is really on my mind today. A special shout out to my sister and all of her Humane Society of the United States colleagues who have worked and continue to work extremely hard on this case - as I told Rachel yesterday, her little sister is proud. If you'd like to read the HSUS' reporting on the investigation, go to http://www.hsus.org/.

One of the things I'm hoping to use this blog for is to share pictures. For my inaugural post, I've attached a photo taken today of Dewey enjoying the dining table centerpiece.