I'm on the dark side of the street (not the light side of the street).

We reach the end of another (abridged) week. I am full of anxiety but I do not know why. I mean, there are reasons. I have a headache for one. Don't appreciate that. But there are a myriad of little things, many of them are normal, I guess. The writing contest matinee approaches, the possibility of additional work, the IRS thing, the writing, the research.

I reached back and found that an anniversary is approaching for a particular artistic piece which has not aged well. But I want to share it. Should I fear? So many wonderful people collaborated on it, but I made a couple mistakes. Should I draw attention to it? Probably. Admit your mistakes and move on. Though, it's much easier when they are simply memory-holed. 

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 27:10
Pace: 8:46

God, it feels like years since my last run. Two days, but it feels like years. These have been busy days. I should embrace that. And what about today?

Everything But the Girl Workout Playlist

Lullaby of Clubland (Jay 'Sinister' Sealee Remix)

Come On Home (Extended Mix)

Twin Cities (Wildwood Remix)

One Place (acoustic)

Driving (Masters at Work Racing Mix)

These Early Days (Dave Bascombe Remix)

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 43°
Climate: sun w/light clouds
Mood: all right

Lovely, outdoor run. Wore the jacket, brought gloves which I removed halfway through. Still slight head pain but there is so much to do today -- and so much time to do it! 

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 164 lbs.

Maintain, son. Maintain.

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes

My head’s so clear.

Okay, I did it. An hour-long playlist featuring one track from every single Everything But the Girl LP. That's including from Worldwide.* 

Distance: 3 miles

Duration: 25:53

Everything But the Girl Workout Playlist

Five Fathoms (Kevin Yost Everything & a Groove Mix)
Fascination 

Nothing Left to Lose (Extended Club Mix)

When All's Well

Rollercoaster (King Britt Scuba Remix)

Route: rec center
Temperature: 35°
Climate: partly cloudy
Mood: get it

A few days off become anxious, I have been neglectful, and there is so much to do. I need to re-collect. Last night we were back in town, had dinner with old friends. Tonight my slate is clean, but that also requires planning and preparation.

Make. Clean. Do. Read. Write. These are things I enjoy. Feel good. It will feel alright.

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 165 lbs.

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes

*Two tracks from Temperamental to make it an hour, and nothing from their eponymous American debut because it is mostly identical to their UK debut Eden.

Not running out while my heart's unsteady.

Mini-vacation is Cincinnati. The boy has not one but two gigs this week. Feels like an exercise in enforced relaxation, for which we are immensely fortunate. A couple of nights at the Gaslight Bed & Breakfast, our home away from home, to write, watch TV, listen to jazz and flop around. And run.

Distance: 2 miles

Duration: 18:00
Pace: 9:00

The Best of Everything But the Girl (2025)

Before Today

No Difference

Driving

Each and Every One

Rollercoaster

I love each and every one of these tracks. But are they the best? Which is to say, is there nothing above? I have to quibble. Three tracks from Walking Wounded and one track from Temperamental -- and it's not "Five Fathoms"?

Nothing from Love Not Money? It's okay there isn't anything from Worldwide.

They should have asked me to curate. And perhaps I still may. A playlist called The Very Best of Everything But the Girl.

Route: Gaslight Loop
Temperature: 50°
Climate: sunny & beautiful
Mood: determined

Stretches: yes
Water: yes

Planks: TBA
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: TBA

Actual lyric: "Not running out for a while, my heart's unsteady."

Two steps ahead of everyone.

How odd. By the end of the day on Wednesday, I was feeling poor, like I was getting a cold. I noticed during my run that I felt rather weak. Not weak enough not to run, and maybe that was it. I was using a BPM playlist and perhaps pushing myself harder than I should have been.

I thought I would wake up Thursday completely sick, but that did not happen. I am grateful. I don't want to be sick.

Still, in my torpor I polished off a bag of Peanut M&M's and what was left of a bag of Doritos from Sunday night. Illness as an excuse.  

Distance: 3 miles

Duration: 26:01

I'd really love a brief uptick in the weather, for one more run in the woods. Committing to the rec center so soon is a drag. The fact is, I run faster in the rec center; it's flat, level, no dips or possible places to trip. I sometimes torture myself with images of losing my feet and going forehead-first into an I-beam.

But I can't tell if I'm the asshole or if it is everyone else. I know you are enjoying your time at the gym, but I am sick of people walking four abreast. They know there is a runner on the track, but they just chat and try to pay attention to when I come around but it's not that wide of a track. I come around in less than a minute.

I think they think I should just use the treadmill, but Jesus Christ, so could they.

Route: rec center
Temperature: 38
Climate: overcast & cold
Mood: driven

Best thing about the track is that I pause, briefly, after every mile and have a big healthy drink of water. That’s extremely helpful.

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 165 lbs.

We're failing sugar season. Time to tighten up. But I did make this amazing pizza last night, using the marinara pasta with Romanesco as a topping.

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes

The Best of Everything But the Girl (2025)

Missing (Terry Todd Radio Edit)

Nothing Left to Lose

Tracey in My Room (Lazy Dog Bootleg Vocal Mix)

Walking Wounded (159 BPM)

Single

Corcovado (157 BPM)

This singles collection was released today, November 14, 2025. Most of the tracks I listened to today are from 1994-1996, so there's a lot of guilt and shame in there. My God, what would I have done without Tracey and Ben?

Oh, mama. Running out of luck.

Every other day, for more than one month. This time last year I weighed 173.5 lbs. Consistency. Mindfulness. Obsession. I mean, how else am I supposed to stay fit?

Distance: 3 miles

Duration: 25:17

These have been long days, which is good. I like living life, and life -- for me -- is good. Attempting to visit three different schools today, I found myself traversing several two lane roads, and with time to get coffee. 

Seeking something that is not corporate, I pass a school I did not expect to see, one with which I am familiar, but no my destination. And I remember in a moment there is a small strip mall right across the street, and that mall includes a cute, independent doughnut shop.

Hell, yeah, I got that doughnut.

Route: rec center
Temperature: 45°
Climate: cloudy & cold
Mood: improved

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 161 lbs.

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes

What’s That Lyric?

Barely Legal - The Strokes

"We are holding our own."

Scott & Sarah

The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald

as performed by

Gordon Lightfoot

Tuttle ft. Pool & Geuel

Anna Coogan

Laura Cantrell

Tony Rice

Distance: 3 miles 

Duration: 25:00
Route: rec center
Temperature: 32°
Climate: cold
Mood: concerned

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 160 lbs.

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes

Though I dress for every situation.

Julius Caesar, Act II, scene i

Making plans for an informal play reading tomorrow night, taking in summer furniture, rolling up the new awning for the season.

The season turns, we move indoors. 

Distance: 3 miles

Duration: 25:06

Route: rec center
Temperature: 47°
Climate: dark clouds and breezy
Mood: all right

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 162 lbs.

Planks: TBA
Push-ups: TBA

Sit-Ups: TBA

What's That Lyric?

Situation - Yazoo

You're getting called out because you're running your mouth.

America's Mayor!

Today I clocked as many runs as I made in all of last year. Every other day, this is the way.

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 28:03
Pace: 9:02

Zohran Mamdani Has Run the NYC Marathon Twice. Now, the Mayoral Candidate Might *Actually* Run NYC by Theo Kahler, Runner's World, 10/31/2025

"Before he scored a stunning victory over Andrew Cuomo, the 34-year-old campaigned through the five boroughs—on foot."

Update: Mamdani *will* actually run NYC.

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 41°
Climate: partly cloudy & cool
Mood: getting there

Another lovely fall day. I wear shorts but also a cotton hoodie and gloves. The hoodie is awkward, I tie it close to my face so it doesn't bounce around, I'd wear my jacket but I want to cover my ears and neck.

Anyway, lovely. Falling leaves, strutting geese, the sun rising and feeling strong and capable.

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 160 lbs.

Maintaining. Even with all the candy.

Planks: TBA
Push-ups: TBA

Sit-Ups: TBA

What's That Lyric?

My Kink Is Karma - Chappell Roan 

It must be nice to be a man.

Spooky season has closed. The holidays approach. How do I know this? Because we are in the adjudication process for the writing contest, and I expect that when I get to work that the halls will already have been decked.

Why have I become so obsessed with the holidays? This is not a new phenomenon, but it continues to grow in me, every year. Performing in the show last year was remarkable, it was a fluke thing, one I had not asked for, and yet it happened and I felt marvelous. To be a participant in such a tradition, even for one season.

The memories of holidays past burn brightly, even and maybe particularly the quarantine. I hope we never have to deal with something like that again, though we may. But even then, we had family, warmth, fellowship, communication, love and hope.

I wonder what this season will bring. I hope. I fear.

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 29:32
Pace: 9:31

We're trying to maintain a writing regimen. It has been a while. How consistent can we be? It depends on time. I also need prompts, I think. I need to look for them during the day (makes a note) so that I can let my imagination wander. It's all a bit too sharply focused on what is right in front of me. 

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 40°
Climate: clear & beautiful
Mood: working on it

I was all set to go to the rec center, it was forty degrees out. Then I moved our kid's car into the street and realized it was going to be a beautiful day, and that I wanted to be outside. And I was never so glad.

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 160 lbs.

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: TBA

Lily Allen Playlist

West End Girl - Lily Allen

Human Behaviour -Björk

Pussy Palace - Lily Allen

My Old Ways - Tame Impala

Just Enough - Lily Allen

Dive - Olivia Dean

Fruityloop - Lily Allen

One of the Greats - Florence + The Machine

I feel adrenaline.

Trick-or-treat was a lovely success, there were fewer kids than usual but not by an extreme margin. However, it is disappointing to learn that neighbors on adjoining streets don't share in our attention. One of the folks just around the corner said he got ten children.

I can guess why, there is a concentration of houses with their lights on where we live, the side streets are spaced further apart and appear less occupied, or friendly. Last year, I started making a map of the houses that would have candy, only I'm afraid that might actually just go to further illustrate that point.

Our neighborhood needs to get to know each other again. It's been a long time.

Horde 0122

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 27:23
Pace: 8:50

One more spooky zombie story before I begin leaning into the holidays. And this time, it was pretty exciting!

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 52°
Climate: overcast & cool
Mood: ugh

Spent some time with friends last night, then watched SNL live … did too much, stayed up too late, had a late, late morning, with head pain.

And yet, this run was just what I needed to reset. It’s a perfect fall day for running, I hope that is the case for my running colleagues in New York.

The question … will I, can I join them next year?

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 160 lbs.

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes

What’s That Lyric?

Black Friday (pretty like the sun) - Lost Frequencies ft. Tom Odell