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.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Thursday, October 25, 2007
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, 2007
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=
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, 2007
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.
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.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
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
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
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
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.
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
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, 2007
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...
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, 2007
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.
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, 2007
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.
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.
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