When I'm breathless I'll run 'til I drop. Hey.

Sitting by the fire, or in warmer weather, on one of our porches, to write uninterrupted or, more recently, to read, is a morning ritual that provides me peace and clarity of mind.

This is where I take my first cup of coffee and, more recently, a tall glass of water. This is how I choose to begin my day, and those are generally the best mornings.

Distance: 3 miles

Duration: 27:44
Pace: 8:57

The working week began with a Macbeth workshop at JCU, and concluded with a Macbeth workshop at Ideastream. And last night the wife and I decided, hey! Why not go see the show?

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 60°
Climate: overcast, mercury falling
Mood: okay

Man. I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.

1979 Playlist

Working My Way Back to You/Forgive Me, Girl - The Spinners

Dance This Mess Around (Party Mix) - The B-52's

Too Hot - Kool & The Gang

They Don't Know - Kirsty MacColl

Down in the Park  - Tubeway Army ft. Gary Numan

Hold On - Ian Gomm

London's Burning - The Clash

Fool In the Rain - Led Zeppelin

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 161 lbs. (-0-)

Yesterday we celebrated Calvin, visited Riverside, made every thing look nice and festive. The brick, which we planed by the front step some time ago, has been neglected. I couldn't find it for a moment, it was under a half-inch of soil. But I cleared, cleaned, and colored it up.

Between those celebrations and our Saturday evening date, there was no time for a run, but hey. I guess I banked that last weekend. Good for me!

Planks: TBA
Push-ups: TBA

Sit-Ups: TBA

See you Tuesday.

I hit the ground running.

Oh, great. Another cold. What the actual. I have to say, parking the buses in sub-freezing temps does take a physical toll, but seriously? Anyway, runny nose, high feeling in my chest -- though that's actually the Sudafed. Been taking a lot of Sudafed this season

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 27:54
Pace: 8:59

Brisk run, enjoyable. I didn't wat to do it, I feel now like I might regret it. But I enjoyed the run itself very much.

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 46°
Climate: partly cloudy & cool
Mood: illing

1999 Playlist

Lullaby of Clubland (Jay 'Sinister' Sealee Remix) - Everything But the Girl

All Star - Smashmouth

Livin' la Vida Loca - Ricky Martin

Steal My Sunshine - Len

And One (on One) - Lilys

Push Upstairs - Underworld

Fast As You Can - Fiona Apple

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

Planks: TBA
Push-ups: TBA

Sit-Ups: yes

See you Saturday?

You came like a comet.

So, we have been doing the every other day thing for more than a year. Pretty incredible. I am proud of me.

There are things that I have had on my schedule for months which have been brought to a kind of conclusion. The reunion. The commission. I should feel a sense of relief, and in a way, I do.

I'm also really tired. So is the wife. I guess this is what life is now. Maybe it always has been.

Distance: 3 miles

Duration: 26:04
Route: rec center
Temperature: 25°
Climate: snowy
Mood: okay!

2019 Playlist

(We Don't Need) This Fascist Groove Thang (151 bpm) - LCD Soundsystem

I Feel Love - Sam Smith

Wars - Of Monsters and Men

No One's Easy to Love (167 bpm) - Sharon Van Etten

Boys - Lizzo

Don’t Start Now - Dua Lipa

The Whole of the Moon - Kirin J Callinan

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 162 lbs. (-3.0)

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes

I begin to run.

She likes to get on things.

Here's the thing about the New Cat. Last fall we began our foster parenthood for a tortoiseshell kitty named Diwali, when the boy's boyfriend went to college. 

I was concerned about this, because when we brought Masha into our house in late 2024, it almost killed Tiger. Maybe Masha had nothing to do with it, but she wouldn't leave the old man alone and he started becoming very ill, indeed. He recovered, but I was worried another kitty would outright murder him.

The wife theorized that a new, younger cat would occupy Masha, and they would both leave Tiger alone. And she was right! That is pretty much what has happened. 

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 28:29
Pace: 9:11

However, I now love Diwali and am also even more concerned about her leaving when the boy's boyfriend moves off-campus and can assume possession of his cat.

In the meantime, Diwali likes to sleep on top of me. When I sleep on my side, she gets on my hips, or my thigh or my knees. I would think this would be uncomfortable for her, but its not. And it's sweet. Except it also means having a weight on my legs for hours at a time, which can be uncomfortable, even painful.

When I am in training, my knees can hurt a lot, and my thighs, or my back. I can only imagine how dreadful this would become with this cat sleeping on them.

But I love her.

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 69°
Climate: warm & windy
Mood: fragile

1970 Playlist

Liar - Three Dog Night

Ball of Confusion (That's What the World is Today) - The Temptations

25 or 6 to 4 - Chicago

Mother Sky - CAN

No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature - The Guess Who

Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again) - Sly & the Family Stone

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 165 lbs. (+5.0)

So, the scale says I gained five pounds, which makes sense. I feel like I have gained five pounds, I woke with my belly full. This is what I am talking about. There's been a lot. There just needs to be fewer.

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes

The wife and I have just been tired and not up to speed, for weeks. The sore throat is back. Because I'm dehydrated. Even though I have been drinking water. My legs felt heavy, that's been a while. Good run, though.

See you Tuesday.

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?

I hope this works out. Cardio.

I don't know if I have ever recorded this, but it is a remarkable phenomenon which has occurred many, many times at the very beginning of an outdoor run, but is forgotten by the time it has concluded.

It only happens out of doors, if it is particularly windy. A single tear will fall from my left eye. One tear, just once, and always and only from my left eye. Why is this?

Finally remembered to make note. Took long enough. Anyway, back to the gym.

Distance: 3 miles

Duration: 27:08

Feeling particularly unmotivated this morning. Prefer to sit by the fire and do puzzles. I now believe puzzles to be the opiate of the masses. Sondheim was a master puzzler, but that was the way his mind worked. If he wasn't being clever he wasn't alive.

That's true of me, too. But I haven't written a Sweeney Todd yet.

Route: rec center
Temperature: 30°
Climate: cold 
Mood: uninspired 

2010 Playlist

One Day - Kings Go Forth

Too Dramatic - Ra Ra Riot

Rocketeer - Far East Movement ft. whoever

Pow Pow - LCD Soundsystem

Journal of Ardency - Class Actress

Holiday - Vampire Weekend

Cold War - Janelle Monáe

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 160 lbs.

The weather was nice, now it's not. That brings me down. The bash is behind me, so there's a letdown there. And I do have a number of things to do, right now, which is making me tense but it really shouldn't, they aren't bad things. They are just ... responsibilities.

Also? The year 2010 reminds me of being a poor artist and a weak father.

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: TBA

Our tummy is getting flatter. We are no longer processing calories, we are transforming them. I'm talking about us here. The royal me.

I'm catching up with myself.

There is something amazing about running on a spring day. When the air is perfect and the sidewalks are clear. It makes me feel so much stronger (not sure if that is the right word) and confident, and it feels so much better than when it is too cold, or running indoors.

The temps will dip again in a week. I'd love to not have to go to the gym for a while. 

Distance: 3.1 miles 

Duration: 27:38
Pace: 8:54

Getting that hour back, lost by Daylight Saving Time is particularly difficult this year. That it coincided with the gala did not help. Sunday was useless. Today isn't much better.

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 66°
Climate: overcast & ideal
Mood: on the case

But this run made it much, much better.

1980 Playlist

Living Through Another Cuba - XTC

Lawn Chairs - Our Daughter's Wedding

Another Journey By Train - The Cure

Born Under Punches - Talking Heads

Telegram Sam - Bauhaus

Funkytown (Extended Version) - Lipps Inc.

Freedom of Choice - Devo

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 160 lbs. 

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes