I'm saturated.

So, I have developed another bout of sciatica. Alas. It's on the right side, just above the glute, and goes all the way down through my calf. If I didn't know any better, I'd think that's also why it feels like I pulled a string in my right big toe. Or maybe that is why I feel that. 

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 28:37
Pace: 9:13

"He looked at his friends. He saw these beings who never wearied, unless from sport -- who never sweated, unless for sport -- who were never out of breath, unless from sport. Beings requiring their joyous games in order that their food and drink might agree with them, in order to be able to sleep well and digest easily."

- "Metropolis" by Thea von Harbou

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 62°
Climate: lovely
Mood: good

Lovely day off yesterday. Much personal work accomplished. Return to my desk for the first time in three weeks, all of June. Imagine working.

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 165 lbs. (+2.0)

Okay, working on a period accurate summer mixtape for the year 1988, and by that I mean tracks I was actually listening to at that time -- and recently released. Which begs the question ... should I include a song from Joy Division? A CD collection called Substance (also the title of New Order's greatest hits collection, released the previous fall) dropped in July 1988, exposing myself and countless others to the band.

This is is why, amongst Never Tear Us Apart by INXS and The Killing Moon by Echo and the Bunnymen, it makes sense that Love Will Tear Us Apart is in Donnie Darko.

I think I just answered my own question.

Summer 1988 Mixtape (in progress)

Guns In the Sky (Kick Ass Mix) - INXS

Monkey (Jam & Lewis Remix) - George Michael

Spark (acoustic) - The Church

Fast Car - Tracy Chapman

Suedehead - Morrissey

(Nothing But) Flowers - Talking Heads

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: TBA

At the back of my mind I think I'm winning.

Thank you, Prince Be.

Exercise is happening. Every other morning I get up and do ten minutes, sometimes fifteen. Also, drinking an entire glass of water first thing, wakes you up and clears your system.

Every other other morning, I run.

1992 Playlist
Television, the Drug of the Nation - The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy
Model - Balanescu Quartet
Higher Power - Jonathan Richman
Suck - Nine Inch Nails
Disappointed - Electronic
I'd Die Without You - P.M. Dawn
Steam (Oh, Oh, Let Off Steam Mix) - Peter Gabriel
I Love You Goodbye - Thomas Dolby

When the first mix tape you create for yourself after getting married is in memory of past girlfriends, you need to take a hard look in the mirror.

Distance: 3.65 miles
Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 29°
Climate: cold
Pavement: crusty with snow
Mood: all right

Stretches: yes

Baseline: 178 lbs.
Today: 175 lbs. (-1.0)
Goal: 175 lbs. Achievement Unlocked.

Last night I had popcorn for dinner. That's it. Popcorn and beer.

My holiday's complete!

Stay young. Dine with young people.

So the water things lasted about two days. You just have to think about it too much. Also, though I have not been stretching my back in the morning and after two weeks my lower back is still complaining. The pain has eased off, but yesterday I drove for three and a half hours straight to get to Athens (my family headed down without me Monday morning) and I got out of the car feeling like my injury was fresh, or mostly fresh.

It's Christmas Eve. Run we must.

Temperature:  55°
Distance: 4.25 miles

Glorious, cool day, damp pavement. The city has the detour signs set out next to the bike path, ready to block the way when the river floods. Last night it probably had.

Kael's Monster Mix (side two)
Let's Go To Bed (Extended Mix) - The Cure
Don't Let's Start - They Might Be Giants
Pulling Mussels (From the Shell) - Squeeze
Rock Steady - Sting
Beating of Hearts - XTC
I Got You - Split Enz
Nightclub Jitters - The Replacements
Lady Madonna - The Beatles
Voice Of Harold - R.E.M.
A Japanese Dream (remix) - The Cure

Kael's Monster Mix (side one)

For those completionists among us, Peter Gabriel's Walk Through the Fire belongs after Beating of Hearts, but for some reason did not make it onto the iPod. No matter, this abbreviated side lasted for almost the entire route.

Merry Christmas

I'm in a mood for you, for running away.

Not me.

And bad mistakes ‒ I've made a few. There was a number of colleagues at school who announced they were planning a winter break journey to the Bahamas. This was in 1988, and of those who signed up to this unofficial field trip, there were one or two close enough to call friends. Also, traveling used to give me great anxiety. So I passed.

The fact that I would make close friends on the trip hadn't occurred to me. I spent that winter break at home in Bay Village, cold, alone, contemplating my own demise and just generally regretting every decision had ever made to that point.

However, part of me was in the Bahamas that miserable holiday break ... a mix-tape I had made for myself, which I gave as a present to those who were going. Legend has it they were very happy with my mix-tape, playing these same nineteen songs over and over again. Something else the kids today will never understand. 

Everything third song or so was followed by a brief sound bite from a movie or television program, lines like For God's Sake, Mrs. Robinson! - and - It's all right lads, I always poo before I get up. - and the ominous - (Wife) There's a young man here, he says he wants to use the telephone. (Writer) Well, I suppose you'd better let him in.

But the music was at the fore, of course. I found the original cassette I had made for myself and made this angst-ridden playlist for you.

Kael's Monster Mix (side one)
A Japanese Dream - The Cure
Close (To The Edit) - The Art of Noise
Thinkin' About Your Body - Bobby McFerrin
Sunday Papers - Joe Jackson
Balloon Man * - Robyn Hitchcock
How Soon Is Now - The Smiths
Perfect Kiss - New Order
The Ghost In You - The Psychedelic Furs
Nothing Looks The Same In The Light - Wham!

Temperature: 32°
Distance: 5.15 miles

Christ, was gloriously perfect morning. Crisp, clear and bright. Should have joined the Reindeer Run.