I would search everywhere just to hear your call.

Doonesbury, August 3, 1977

Better sleep habits. Reading in bed, not playing games on my phone. Currently, that would be Trudeau & Doonesbury: A Biography: The Cartoonist Who Turned the News Into Art by Joshua Kendall, a recently released biography of the man who might be the single most important influence on my writing.

Distance: 3.2 miles

Duration: 29:16
Pace: 9:08

We are practicing dietary maintenance. I've been taking a packet of ramen to work, it only took me until my late fifties to figure out how to prepare it in the microwave in a manner that is satisfying to me.

Also, getting better noodles at the Asia market. So, I have a controlled portion of filling food which is not terribly high in calories -- like any carry-out meal that exists -- and it's also cheap. Now I need to just get a big package of ramen and keep it in my desk. 

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 60°
Climate: absolutely gorgeous
Mood: good

Songs For My Funeral

Twin Peaks Theme (Instrumental) - Angelo Badalamenti

Tales From the Far Side - Bill Frisell

Afterglow - Genesis

Night and Day - Everything But the Girl

Dog Days Are Over - Florence + The Machine

Beating of Hearts - XTC

Mr. Blue Sky - Electric Light Orchestra

Why "songs for my funeral"? Because they are the best songs ever.

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 167 lbs. (-3.0)

The mornings get cooler. We sit and write and try to remember.

Planks: yes
Push-ups: TBA

Sit-Ups: TBA

Start to run into the trees.

Easy days, working on the synopsis. It's always good for me to have a little project.

I find myself just staring past the birch trees, at the water. Standing, sitting. Like I owe it to someone to be doing that. It's not normal for me, to sit passively like that. Maybe I'm missing something. Maybe I am meditating and don't realize it. I'm certainly not thinking anything.

First Leg

Distance: 2.1 miles

Duration: 19:47
Pace: 9:28

80s Running Alternative Mix
A Forest (Remix Mix) (163 bpm) - The Cure
Idiot Box - Incubus
The Perfect Kiss (Live) - New Order
Fruit Machine (168 bpm) - Ting Tings
Falling to Pieces - Faith No More
Bad Day - R.E.M.
There's a Barbarian in the Back of My Car (166 bpm) - Voice of the Beehive

Route: Martin Point Run 
Temperature: 66°
Climate: overcast & cool
Mood: all right

Last night we all went to the community cabin to play bingo. Entrance to play is that you bring a prize. I brought a dish of blueberry muffins I had baked that morning, and I won a "Property of Shawshank Maine State Prison" T-shirt. Next year I need to remember to bring an Ohio State Reformatory T-shirt to offer.

Stretches: yes
Water: yes

Absolutely gaining weight on this trip. The notches in my belt don't lie. Not much I can, or want to, do about it right now. There has been a great deal of stress eating. But also, portioning my meals ... which have been fried to a significant extent.

It doesn't help that all the local produce has been scraped up and I am wary of the salad. America today is so fucking stupid. 

Planks: TBA
Push-ups: TBA

Sit-Ups: TBA

Stopped to see my brother at the place he is staying, which is conveniently along my route. Saw his wife taking a walk and she asked if I was stopping by for coffee and I whined, "I'm in the middle of a run ..." which is dumb, I'm on vacation and never turn down an invitation for coffee.

Second Leg

Distance: 1.45 miles 

Duration: 13:34
Pace: 9:24

I sense. I feel.

Pride weekend in the CLE. I thought of dropping in, but I have many things to do, many beautiful, creative things, right here at home. That, and the cat always wants to be outside these days. He used to rummage around in the tall grass, now he just wants to laze in the sun. Who can blame him.

Distance: 4.4 miles

Duration: 41:00
Pace: 9:20

Metropolis - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1984)

Love Kills - Freddie Mercury

Here's My Heart - Pat Benatar

Cage of Freedom - Jon Anderson

Blood From a Stone - Cycle V

The Legend of Babel - Giorgio Moroder

Here She Comes - Bonnie Tyler

Destruction - Loverboy

On Your Own - Billy Squier

What's Going On - Adam Ant

Machines - Giorgio Moroder

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 68°
Climate: light fluffy clouds & breezy
Mood: determined

Georgio Moroder's experiment in reviving this classic silent film has dated somewhat, the film is timeless but the songs aren't -- with the exception of his own instrumental themes. Machines is a very important track to me. 

Machines is 1984. It is the future. It is Metropolis. It's iconic. Timeless. 

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 167 lbs. (+4.0)

It's not just that we returned to drinking, those those calories are real. It's the junk food that comes with it and I ate a lot yesterday, a Saturday. I even had a stress dream about driving into a McDonald's (not like, crashing into it, I was driving my car down an aisle) that had a build it yourself burger bar that was utterly disgusting.

It gets worse, after building my burger I accidentally dropped it into a wastebasket and fished it out. That is how bad my subconscious feels about the dinner I had last night.

Planks: yes
Push-ups: TBA

Sit-Ups: TBA

Chase the rainbow's end.

Blew my Connections streak today. I'd like to think I did it on purpose, I mean, I kind of did, because I didn't care. I was ten days short of a year.

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 26:35
Pace: 8:34

Get that? Every day since last May, I have been using part of my brain, fretting I would blow my streak. That's not a game, that's not enjoyable. That is a task.

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 67°
Climate: light fluffy clouds
Mood: good

And it has affected my writing. I write in the morning. Spending the morning puzzling is not writing. It's not anything. I have been reading Barry Joseph's book on Sondheim's puzzling obsession, and the more I read it the more irritated I am. Sondheim spent so much time creating games and puzzles but also writing the great American musical.

165-174 BPM Playlist

Because I Got High - Afroman

You're the Best Thing - Style Council

Bitterblue - Cat Stevens

Boy in Luv - BTS

Past in Present - Feist

Magical Trevor - Mr Weebl

Take on Me - a-ha

Novocaine for the Soul - Eels

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 163 lbs. (+3.0)

It seems so specious, puzzling, you feel as though you are accomplishing something but it's just a diversion. Which is fine if you are also actually creating. He was, I am not. At least, not yet. I have plans. And part of that includes not wasting part of the morning puzzling.

Today, I wrote. And I had ideas. And though I am frustrated, it is a positive step forward.

Planks: TBA
Push-ups: TBA

Sit-Ups: TBA

Nice day, cleaning house, did the pre-show talk. The room was at capacity, good humor, I felt confident. Much better than, say, yesterday. And then a fast run! Like, really fast. Felt confident about that, too.

And last night we attended the game, which began in rain and ended with a Guardians victory! Cleveland!

Hers is a tonic while mine is a gin.

Connections, 4/17/2026
I got this immediately. Is that bad?

Seriously, though. This school year has to end. And I need to stop eating fast food, I need to plan ahead. 

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 28:20
Pace: 9:07

Also? I need to stop doing the NY Times daily puzzles. I am committed to a year-long streak of Connections, and have a month to go. And I got into Wordle, though that one isn't as important to me (though I have a 100+ day streak in that, too).

This means the first thing I do every morning is look at my phone for five to ten minutes. And then I am without any kind of motivation. I used to write first thing, now I puzzle. And I haven't written anything new since I completed the Marbury play a couple months ago. 

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 70°
Climate: overcast & coolish
Mood: not great

Beat the rain by minutes.

2007 Playlist

Ice Cream - New Pony Club

Get Innocuous! (Soulwax Remix) - LCD Soundsystem

Flathead - The Fratellis

Apologize - Timbaland ft. OneRepublic

Don't You Evah - Spoon

Love Will Tear Us Apart (158 BPM) - José González

1973 - James Blunt

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 160 lbs. (-6.0)

Saw Barns Courtney last night at the Grog Shop. And between four in the afternoon and midnight I had far too much to drink. Spent the morning in bed. I have systems. I can be in control. But this week has been a mess. That's not an excuse, merely an explanation.

Great run. My head ached before I went out, it aches now, But while I was outside and running, I felt great. Maybe I should just run fr the rest of the day.

Planks: TBA
Push-ups: TBA

Sit-Ups: TBA

You better move.

We are in weather insanity season. Sixty degrees and rain, thirty degrees and snow, fifty degrees and high winds, twenty degrees and cold. I hate it.

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 27:53
Pace: 8:59

At the same time, I am also tired of running in circles indoors.

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 33°
Climate: sunny & cool
Mood: not bad

1990 Playlist

Enjoy the Silence (Hands & Feet Mix) - Depeche Mode

My Friend Goo - Sonic Youth

U Can't Touch This - MC Hammer

Mama Said Knock You Out (12" Remix) - LL Cool J

From This Moment On - Jimmy Somerville

The Power (12" Version)  - SNAP!

Stretches: yes 
Water: yes
Weight: 160 lbs.

Maintaining. The past two days I have had a lot of restaurant produced foods, from Sushi En, McDonalds, Stone Oven, XYZ, Provence at the CMA. And snacking, a milkshake, Twizzlers. Not good.

But this is why: I have not been cooking. There are few leftovers, which is good, because we have been eating them and not letting them go bad. But I need to make a dinner. Tonight, for example! I will make dinner tonight. It's an at-home day. Lots of writing and housework to do.

Planks: TBA
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes

See you tomorrow. Yes, tomorrow. It's going to be seventy degrees. See?

You can run, you can run. But it will catch up.

Current read.

Mind cloud. I do have things to accomplish. I am on a bit of a brain sabbatical. There is some writing, though. I think this weekend might be good, we'll see. I just convinced myself that I don't actually just write down whatever comes into my head. Except here.

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 28:41
Pace: 9:15

Tuesday evening I started feeling something in the back of my throat, but it wasn't until Wednesday night that it broke out into something debilitating. That night I slept for twelve hours. And yet, by the time I got to urgent care -- today -- nothing. Post nasal drip? What? Anyway, I have a sore throat.

And the weather is nice. 

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 53°
Climate: partly cloudy & cool
Mood: a little drowsy

2011 Playlist

We Will Become Silhouettes - The Shins 

Ritual Union - Little Dragon

Kyoto - Skrillex ft. Sirah

Little Talks - Of Monsters & Men

We Found Love - Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris

Money - The Drums

Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win - Beastie Boys ft. Santigold

Dance Wiv Me - Dizzee Rascal ft. Calvin Harris & Chrom3

In two more runs, I will be halfway through the year runs. And soon we will know if we will be attempting "number five." What's good about the year runs is that I don't have to think about what I am listening to next. If we return to training, that will be something to plan for. 

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 160 lbs.

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes

You have to learn to pace yourself.

For an "easy week" it's pretty full. Conducting the Salesman residency at an exurban high school, attending an in-person staff meeting (a rarity since COVID) and hitting Dark Room. But 80s music is inspiring, so run we must.

Also, we just ended the longest streak of below-freezing days since 1899! But not today.

Distance: 3 miles

Duration: 24:47

"You need despair and anger in order for an authoritarian to rise."
- Heather Cox Richardson

Route: rec center
Temperature: 30°
Climate: cool
Mood: all right?

1982 Playlist

I'm So Excited (Extended Version) - The Pointer Sisters

More Than This - Roxy Music

Pressure - Billy Joel

Jason & the Argonauts - XTC 

Don’t Go - Yazoo

Rio (Night Version) - Duran Duran

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 160 lbs. (-0-)

We are attending a ceremony of life in Poughkeepsie this weekend, I am not certain if I will get a run in. In fact, I'm not sure that I should try. Because these are the times I should relax and not worry about such things. Still, twenty-one consistent runs since the beginning of the new year. Something to be thankful for.

Planks: TBA
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: TBA

Every morning I just hit the ground yawning.

There was this day, maybe the day after the day after new year's 1996, when I called in late to work and my boss said, "Remember, you're not on break anymore," which was a condescending thing to say and entirely appropriate for my relationship with her and sound advice for someone who was my age and at that time.

Joyce was a like a mother to me in many ways, and taught me many, many things. But that also means some of her admonishments stick in my mind the way those from my mother also still do. (Joyce is fine, by the way, this isn't about Joyce.)

Rolling out of the holidays, these days, I hit the ground running, as I have this year and better than most. However, I have been drinking a lot. Much of this has to do with what I have been doing with my evenings which has included a great deal of reading and writing. So, why not? I'm home and safe, the liquor is stocked and I am safely seated on the couch before the fire (ostensibly) writing.

Tea is a beverage, too, though. And water. We're short on seltzer, I need to get on that. The writing (and reading) gets worse as I drink, anyhow.

In 1990, I wrote an entire 300-page book manuscript fueled by Southern Comfort 100 and Camel Lights. It was garbage. 

Distance: 3 miles

Duration: 24:53
Route: rec center
Temperature: 22°
Climate: overcast & cold
Mood: full of scorpions

1994 Playlist

Rollercoaster (King Britt Scuba Remix) - Everything But the Girl

Stay (I Missed You) - Lisa Loeb

Intermittently - Barenaked Ladies

My Name is Jonas - Weezer

I Don’t Understand Anything - Everything But the Girl

Down to This - Soul Coughing

Shoop - Salt-N-Pepa

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 161 lbs. (+1.0)

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: TBA

See you Saturday.

I like the way you move.

Guy Richards Smit

Stress. Stress and insecurity. There is much to do. I prefer that to having nothing to do. I made lists for each of the past four days, with very clear objectives for each day. I got half of it completed. Not true, I got half of each task completed, which is better than all of half of them, if you follow me. Things got started, and needed additional time, information, fortitude, time. 

That is an accomplishment: starting.

My back still hurts.

Distance: 3 miles

Duration: 25:51

Translation: Gosh! Whatever's in those Epstein files must be really, really bad!

Route: rec center
Temperature: 27°
Climate: overcast & cold
Mood: less anxious

Woke this morning with a headache. In spite of that, I was able to write a new scene, which means I am, in fact, in charge of things. Right? That's all it takes. Keep moving forward.

Let's make this the best week ever.

2005 Playlist

Que' Onda Guero - Beck Hansen

Chicken Payback - The Bees

Movement - LCD Soundsystem

The Hand That Feeds - Nine Inch Nails

Don’t Look Back - Télépopmusik ft. Angela McCluskey

I Like the Way You Move (Radio Edit) - Bodyrockers

Robot Rock - Daft Punk

Wilderness - Sleater-Kinney

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 165 lbs. (-0-)

I have had a slight touch of the vertigo since last week, but man. There were no fewer than three individuals today who couldn’t stay in one lane if they were duct taped to someone who could.

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes

Commitment: Run Tuesday morning.

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

This race is all but run.

The weather has finally, truly turned. Depressing headache yesterday, as the clouds came in and the temperature dropped. It's rained for about a day, we're bringing the plants inside, I'm starting to close the windows, the heat is on.

And it is time to hit the rec center.

Distance: 3 miles 

Duration: 25:42

A few years ago, when I was having trouble turning a small idea into a big idea, I started to go on longer and longer runs. The urge was to make a metaphorical idea come true; by tracing a bigger area with my feet, perhaps I could trace a bigger idea with my mind.

-  by Ben Ratliff, "Run the Song"

Route: rec center
Temperature: 45°
Climate: rain
Mood: irritated

Just a few days ago, it was my Noomaversary. Surprised they didn't let me know, but that might run counter to their programming, drawing attention to the passage of time. Or maybe a lot of people quit after one year.

My recreation center membership renews in December. That's how late I signed up, how long I ran in the cold and rain before taking that step. Now, I just need to prepare in the morning, and I go. It's not a big deal.

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 170 lbs. (+10)

How do you jump ten pounds in two days? It was surprising to me, but not too surprising. The fact is, the past two days, yesterday especially, were not "mindful." They were, in fact, ordinary. The headache compounded my desire, I sat in a classroom in Aurora, miserable, taking notes, and thinking how much better life would be with sugar and caffeine. I made a beeline to the nearest Starb*cks and got not only a PSL, my first, and hopefully only of the season, and why not, a slice of banana bread.

That banana bread is 380 calories, all by itself. This was after having had my traditional breakfast.

Lunch was packed, which was good. But it is sugar season and there is candy all over the office, I had one, two, I mean, they're so small, three pieces of candy. Two of them were chocolate.

Last night I was on my own and I made dinner. Leftover mac and cheese, but I did not measure it, and so it was closer to two cups, not just one. In that way I could just empty the container. Why not? And I grazed on pretzel sticks as I air fried sweet potatoes.

Later, watching TV eating dinner and having a beer, I decided not to let the honey mustard I made go to waste and fetched two unmeasured handfuls of pretzel sticks, but also made additional honey mustard to go with it.

Unregulated, unmeasured, unrecorded, unmindful. This describes what used to be a normal day for me. Just, eating whatever.

There is a lot of produce in the fridge, but I could not be bothered to make something good for just me, which is unfortunate. But there you go, ten pounds in two days. A lot of that weight is probably just working its way through me, waiting to get out. But some will remain.

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: TBA

What’s That Lyric?

It’s Not Over (‘Til It’s over and Done) - Bleu McAuley

Standing with our feet on the ground.

Temperatures and precipitation remain pleasant. Every day we can go before having to seek refuge at the recreation center is a good day.

Blogger is trying to do stupid things to blogs now. An "AI" assistant will automatically at "google search links" to your post. Apparently this means making each word in your post searchable. 

What? Why? With a click I can now do a Google search of the words Distance, Duration, Pace, Route ... but why the fuck is that in any way useful?

The manners in which they are trying to incorporate AI into our lives aren't just pointless, they're dull.

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 28:16
Pace: 9:07

Good evening at the Dark Room last night. Had a piece read, a comic vignette. Seemed to go over.

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 55°
Climate: partly cloudy & cool
Mood: all right

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes

Sophisti-Pop Workout Playlist

Me Ship Came In! - Style Council

Walk Out to Winter - Aztec Camera

Pale Shelter (2nd Single Version) - Tears for Fears

Thinking of You - The Colourfield

Imagination - Belouis Some

The King of Wishful Thinking - Go West

Blow the House Down - Living in a Box

Love Resurrection - Alison Moyet

What can I say? It's a mood. A fall mood.

Forest Hill Park Run/Walk

Good morning The pain in my heel has eased off, somewhat. My right wrist/forearm is still not 100 percent. I had a dream last night that I tried to draw a picture of myself as my cartoon character from college, but age-appropriate. I look old now.

My show at BorderLight opens (and, as it happens, closes) in ten days. What will happen? 

Distance: 1.92 miles

Duration: 21:37
Pace: 11:14

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 69°
Climate: nice but humid
Mood: good
Stretches: yes
Water: yes

Weight: 160 lbs.

Soon it's a race, it's a rush and a high.

It is such a joy to discover that a theatre somewhere in the United States is producing one of my plays. Of course, we are producing one much closer to home, and there is much to celebrate in that.

The weather is not unbearable, though we do have air conditioning. What will happen when we do not?

The sleeps have been good, I have been trying not to use assistance in falling asleep these past several nights, and it is mostly successful. On occasion we knock ourselves out, it seemed kind of bleary for a while.

The real issue this weekend is allergies. I use drops, but my eyes were all red yesterday, all day. I have resumed taking OTC allergy meds today, I hope that shows results. 

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 29:21
Pace: 9:28

Roaring Twenties Playlist

Levitating - Dua Lipa

Caution - The Killers

Some Dreams (Extended Version) - Flock of Seagulls

Too Late Now (156 BPM) - Wet Leg

Exhausting Lover - Ben Folds

Sexy Villain - Remi Wolf

Lost Track (162 BPM) - Haim

Just the Once - Metric

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 79°
Climate: sunny & bright
Mood: good
Stretches: yes
Water: yes!

Weight: 160 lbs.

I hate to feel so confined.

The rain subsides ... for the moment. Three-day weekend. So much time! So many opportunities! There's a new piece I want to write, I'll bang out ten pages to bring to Dark Room next month.

The kitten can be a problem, Masha wakes me up, a lot. And waking up a lot is not good for me. The wife and I take turns coming downstairs at four or five to open the side door so she (Masha) can birdwatch, then we fall asleep on the couch.

Last night it was her (my wife's) turn, so I got to sleep in. A rare treat. 

Distance: 6 miles

Duration: 52:52
Pace: 8:48
  

Perfect weather for a longer run.

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 54°
Climate: partly cloudy & cool
Mood: good
Stretches: yes
Water: yes

Weight: 159 lbs.

Created playlists for each set of romantic couples in The Right Room.

Aubrey + Steven Mixtape (1994)

Tempted - Squeeze

I Burn For You - The Police

Possession - Sarah MacLachlan

Sour Times - Portishead

Get Me - Everything But the Girl

Shoop - Salt-N-Pepa

Cuts You Up - Peter Murphy

In the Flesh - Blondie

I Melt With You - Modern English

Constant Craving - k.d. lang

Come to Me - Björk

The Paris Match - Style Council ft. Tracey Thorn

Closer - Nine Inch Nails

I feel the wind.

The weather turns, my head does not know what to make of it. Also, I need to resume writing. The past several weeks have been disorienting. Writing every morning, by hand, lends a consistency, it helps me better understand time. But it has been a strange winter.

It is a Saturday, my first in several weeks (guests, out of town trip) that I spend on my own. It is cloudy and raining but it is also above sixty degrees. Bring on the late 90s techno beats!

Distance: 4 miles

Duration: 36:14
Pace: 9:03

March is the month we break out and run the most.  

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 65°
Climate: overcast w/light breeze
Mood: good
Stretches: yes
Water: yes

Weight:160 lbs.

1997 Playlist

Elektrobank (Dust Brothers Remix) - The Chemical Brothers

Y'All Know - Will Smith

We're In Yr Corner - Cornershop

6 Underground (Nellee Hooper Mix) - Sneaker Pimps

The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly) (160 BPM) - Missy Elliott

Change My Pitch Up - The Prodigy

One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces - Ben Folds Five

Tickertape of the Unconscious - Stereolab

History Repeating (Knee Length Mix) - Propellerheads ft. Shirley Bassey

My job is very boring, I'm an office clerk.

I love this man.

What's next?

Had the third -- and final -- reading of my new script. I don't normally have more than one, but this was a special case. Because I did a major revision of the first version, then changed the names and added a song to the third. So I got to hear that. I wrote a song! The music for a song! That's new.

I'm fifty-six and I'm doing new things. 

Distance: 3.1 miles 

Duration: 28:10
Pace: 9:05

And speaking of new things ...

The big news is that I am now an understudy in A Christmas Carol. Or technically an understudy, but I will be in the show for the rest of the run. This is new. It is a show with which I am very, very familiar, but I have never been a company member, I think everyone involved assumed I must have been, at some point, but I haven't. Still, I was offered the role (roles plural, it's a track a supporting characters) a very short time ago but I am doing the work and I will go on Friday evening.

Twenty-eight performances. My entire holiday season has been changed. Considering my recent feelings of uncertainty, I think this is a very good thing. I am happy. I am very happy.

165 BPM Playlist

Gold Rush - Death Cab for Cutie

Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots - The Flaming Lips

The Boys Are Back in Town - Thin Lizzy

La Grange - ZZ Top

Best Friend - The Beat

Give Me Back My Man - The B-52's

Echo Beach - Martha & the Muffins

Radio Free Europe - R.E.M.

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 44°
Climate: partly cloudy & cool
Mood: all right
Stretches: yes
Water: yes

Pain Reliever: TBD

… for a long time.

An extensive, four-day holiday weekend. Too much time can be as debilitating as too little. I did not run yesterday, no, because I must, must rest between runs. 

My knees hurt when I am on my feet for too long, something which happens more often than I realize. The past two days, my ankles have also been complaining, they will also require special attention.

Distance: 3.1 miles
Duration: 28:22
Pace: 9:09

Seen a lot of movies this weekend, which was not my plan. It's part of my "open nest" plan, however, to catch up on all those movies I have always told myself I should see, but never have. The Coen Brothers' first film, Blood Simple (1984), Jonathan Glazer's Under the Skin (2013), Stanley Kubrick's Paths of Glory (1957), and Vera Drew's The People's Joker (2022).

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 76°
Climate: sunny & beautiful
Mood: determined
Stretches: yes
Water: yes

Best of all, the thing I was most concerned about, was returning to the Ur-text, the script that started it all, Cleveland Centennial! It's been left in a creative limbo and I was recently, perhaps due to the impending collapse of the Republic, motivated to create a final, appropriate, complete rendition of the text. A ninety-minute Living Newspaper, full-stop.

Upper body: 80 reps.

1999 Time Capsule Playlist

Clubbed to Death - Rob Dougan

I Want You To Want Me - Letters To Cleo

Cleveland Rocks - POT USA (get it? pot?)

Run On - Moby

The Rockafeller Skank (Short Version) - Fatboy Slim

Compression - Everything But the Girl

Dear God - Sarah McLachlan

Baseline: 185 lbs.

Weight: 172 lbs. (-4.0)

Goal: 170 lbs.

Breakfast: coffee w/cream

Lunch: sunbutter & jelly sand, chips, strawberry milk, cookie (1)

Happy Hour: mineral water, iced coffee

Treat: Klondike Bar

Dinner: orange beef  broccoli w/fried rice

You gave your body. You gave your best.

Yes, things are awful. Like, they are pretty bad. What would my father have made of this? People keep seeking saviors, eschewing collective action. What can I do? What am I effective at? Writing. I think that's what I need to do. Writing has saved us where brute force has not. And besides, I am not violent by nature.

Distance: 4 miles
Duration: 39:25
Pace: 9:51

I need to take pain reliever more often. It really helps. Also, I need to run more often. Even when I am not having a running day, and therefore a record, I have been (mostly) mindful about consumption. Portions, snack, etc.

We did go to a ballgame yesterday, where I have been enjoying two beers a game (which is a lot) and shared a thing of chicken tenders & fries, but even that wasn't overwhelming.

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 79°
Climate: sunny & hot
Mood: good
Stretches: yes 
Water: yes

Baseline: 185 lbs.

Weight: 176 lbs. (+2.0)

Goal: 170 lbs.

Breakfast: coffee w/cream

Lunch: pizza & salad

Writing Hour: GLBCo. Mexican Lager

Dinner: TBA

What’s That Lyric?

Hello - The Cars