Let it all out

Truly the longest summer ... in a very long time. (For the record, the summer of 1994 started in May and ended in November, but that is a long story for another time.)

There is too much to do and never enough time. We have these kids doing so much. I would fear the overprogramming thing ... only most of their neighborhood friends have been on vacation for a month. If we sent them outside to play, they would only sunburn and beat each other to death.

We go to the pool a lot, to cool down. Big pool summer. Both of my kids have learned to swim this year! The girl, suddenly, went from fear of putting her face underwater to moving, head-down, like a fish. And face-up, like a seal. The boy may not actually travel much distance, but he throws himself horizontal, face-down, and thrashes like hell for ten seconds at a time, going about a yard. I am so proud of both of them.

The pool is very different here and now than it was in my youth. I can only assume things got out of hand during the past. No radios, no music, no splashing, no dunking, no piggybacks. "What do they do?" Sarah-the-Caregiver asked before taking them there yesterday.

Marco Polo, of course.

My knees hurt when I left this morning. I can never run on the weekend, you might notice, so it has to be at 6 or 6.30 on a weekday. Eighty degrees! Not supposed to let off until at least Sunday. But anyway, my knees. Felt great for weeks, suddenly, my knees. Both knees. Ran anyway. Need to soak before the kids get up.

Too late.

The Reflex (Club Mix) Genius Playlist
The Reflex (Club Mix) - Duran Duran
Save a Prayer - Duran Duran
Do You Really Want to Hurt Me - Culture Club
Shout - Tears For Fears
Who Can It Be Now? - Men At Work
Hold Me Now - The Thompson Twins

Distance: 3.25 miles
Temperature: 81º
Weather: hella sweaty
Weight: 161.5 lbs.

You're going as fast as you can after your daydream

This summer is crushing my body and soul. Air conditioning at my various research locales is drying me out, making me ache, the humidity makes me swell up and slow me down. We are over-programmed, too many hours a day spent working, then playing with the kids at preassigned events, planned well in advance, and paid for. And look, I'm even gaining weight.

I was looking forward to the hiatus, but it isn't a hiatus it is working away from work, and now all I want is to get back into the office where things are organized and articulate and then a week away with no obligations to anyone but me. And the family. And the extended family.

It's not even eight, and I am defeated.

Fireflies Genius Mix
Fireflies - Owl City
Fences - Phoenix
Under Control - Parachute
Let's Dance To Joy Division - The Wombats
Big Girl (You Are Beautiful) - MIKA
The Show - Lenka
Lisztomania - Phoenix
Pony (It's OK) - Erin McCarley

Most of today's selections brought to you for free from iTunes. Thank you.

Distance: 3.25 miles
Temperature: 73º
Weather: muggy
Weight: 162.5 lbs.

And the words in the script seem to fit 'cept we have some surprise

So much time in and then out of air conditioning. My neck aches, my back aches - and now the front of my neck, my jaw is tense and pained.

The constant hot, humid weather, late nights and early mornings, I have little desire to run, much less to move. Last night I had dreams, about unrequited loves, and about dead people.

Today I will write. Write and write and write. At least, that's the plan.

Homosapien Genius Mix
Homosapien (12" Mix) - Pete Shelley
Turning Japanese - The Vampors
TV Party - Black Flag
Everyday Is Halloween - Ministry
Someday, Someway (153 bpm) - Marshall Crenshaw
Helpless - Sugar

Distance: 3.25 miles
Temperature: 74º
Weather: hot
Weight: 161.5 lbs.

Harvey Pekar

Distance: 3.25 miles
Temperature: 79º

... then you think again.

Following a tearful session with a new therapist, it is traditional to eat the larger part of a family size bag of Doritos on the drive back home.

Isn't it?



Distance: 3.25 miles
Temperature: 72º
Weather: very sweaty
Weight: 160 lbs.

Sound Of Silver Genius Mix
Sound Of Silver - LCD Soundsystem
Girl and the Sea - The Presets
FM (Tensnake Remix) - Junior Boys
Let's Make Love and Listen to Death from Above (Calvin Harris Remix) - CSS
Herculean - The Good, The Bad And The Queen

Nothing really matters very much

Last night's facebook feed:

PAUL If I'm lucky I will run 6-8 miles tomorrow...
PENGO Advice: Go to bed. Get up early.

Welcome back to summer. It has been in the 90s for several days - it was in the 90s in New York the weekend before and I was delighted to come home to 70 degree temps. These days however, woo.

Will be spending the day in air conditioned discomfort at the Cleveland Public Library. It troubles me that I have to bring a change of clothes to the library.

When in New York, I pick up the habit of always having a water bottle in my hand, and refilling it at every available water station - water fountains, sinks in any passing bathroom. That did me very well, and I was wearing pants. It is a habit I should have here, and I find difficult to keep.

Distance: 3.25 miles
Temperature: 75º
Weather: nice ... for now.
Weight: 157 lbs.

Dragonette Genius Mix
Pick Up the Phone - Dragonette
Phil - The Bird & The Bee
Heads Will Roll - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Take Me To The Riot - Stars
One Day - The Juan MacLean
Paris Is Burning (Paris s'enflamme) - Ladyhawke
Cousins - Vampire Weekend
Armour Love - La Roux
I Get Around - Dragonette

Cleveland Public Theatre Announces 10-11 Season

I Hate This and And Then You Die in repertory by David Hansen
Directed by Alison Garrigan
Storefront Studio
April 7 - 23

David Hansen performs his two award winning solo shows in rep. One is an exploration of personal loss and recovery, while the other is about obsession and victory. Both shows were developed in CPT's Big [Box] and have gone on to successful runs at the New York Fringe.

CPT's Entire 2010-11 Season

Very excited about this. The script needs some work, there are revisions which are obvious and have already been made. The character is less sympathetic - less apologetic, I have tried to just let him be, and the let him off the hook fewer times.

It was 80 minutes, and I need to get it down to 60. Costume changes are out, I will be wearing a black running suit for the entire show. That cuts five minutes out of the show right there, seriously.

I wonder how it will come off, paired with I Hate This. Worried that may piss some people off. It's a risk.

Good morning, Mr. President. Happy Independence Day. Took a run through the Lakeview Cemetery this morning. "The Chauffer" came on as I headed for Rockefeller's monument, and I found myself sprinting up the hill, and dashing through tombstones. Very odd.

Stopped to gaze at the John Hay monument. Now that is a guardian angel. It is my favorite statue in the park, bar none. Beautiful, majestic, forceful, peaceful. Ancient, too, stone cracking at its base.

Rio Remix Run
New Religion (Carnival Version)
Hold Back The Rain (Remix)
Rio (Carnival Version)
Last Chance On The Stairway
The Chauffeur (165 bpm)
My Own Way (Night Version)
Lonely In Your Nightmare
Hungry Like The Wolf (Night Version)
Save A Prayer

Distance: 5.5 miles
Temperature: 65º
Weather: sweaty
Weight: 157 lbs.

Coming soon ...

Can run 20 miles through the streets of New York, no problem. Three miles in the Heights, and my knees are shouting at me.

Europa & the Pirate Twins Genius Mix
Europa and the Pirate Twins - Thomas Dolby
Friend or Foe - Adam Ant
Birds Fly (Whisper To A Scream) - The icicle Works
Whammy Kiss (158 bpm) - The B-52s
King For A Day (12" Version) - XTC
Peekaboo! - Devo

Distance: 3.25 miles
Temperature: 58º
Weather: nice
Weight: 157 lbs.