Ballet Manners

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Last night I was fortunate enough to help a friend use a spare ticket to the ballet. I definitely enjoyed the performance, but to the busy girls next to me: Whatever you dropped will still be there at intermission. Save the shuffling of coats, bags and standing up for then. No photography means no photography, especially flash. The light and cute click of your iPhone is distracting to others. And if there is a song you know, it does not mean you all should hum along with it.

runnings
This morning RF and I got out for a 6 mile run. I had hoped to do more, but we had time constraints. Once we were into the run, however, I knew the 6 miles was going to be enough. I’m not sure why, but I was horribly sluggish. Perhaps the 40 degrees was too much for me! I’m going to see if I can get out again tomorrow for some distance.

Purse Space

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I’ve usually carried a very small purse. I don’t have a lot to put in a purse and this way I haven’t been tempted to either. My favorite very small purse, however, is a bit tired. Exhausted might even be the better word. I recently was given a very nice large purse and have started to carry it. I’ve found I actually do have stuff to put in a large purse. The problem is what that stuff is. I now have in this spacious purse a butter knife to pry open the door to the garage with the missing door knob, the seemingly impossible to find light bulb I keep carrying in hopes of suddenly finding a match and a CD from Christmas to remind myself to write a thank you. What did I do before I carried such a spacious purse?

runnings

Brazen Mouse

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There is one ballsy mouse in my building. This evening I was on the phone in my kitchen when the mouse had the audacity to scurry from one end of my kitchen floor to the other right in front of me. I wouldn’t say I’m afraid of mice, but I do startle easily so I unfortunately shrieked in the ear of the person at the other end of the phone. Once I realized what I saw, I was completely annoyed the mouse was so brazen! The poison is set.

runnings
Yesterday I went the furthest I’ve gone on a treadmill. I made seven miles, including a few miles of intervals. My motivation was the breakfast RF and I had instead of running because of the horrible cold. So after a hollandaise-ridden breakfast, I willed myself to make the 7 miles on a treadmill. The distance really wasn’t bad, but I did have a little swelling in my knee last night and today.

Excited

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Today was historic. I can’t not comment, but I don’t have a political eloquence. So I’ll just say I felt Obama’s speech had a perfect mix of respect for the current state of affairs, encouragement for the future, reverence for American history and understanding of a world connection. I’m excited.

I’m also excited that I learned tonight if you sit around long enough after working out and know you’re going to wash your sheets tomorrow, you probably don’t have to take a shower before bed.

runnings

Random Direction

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When I stared blogging I wasn’t completely sure of what to blog about except for sharing my experiences in my running. I originally thought the Random portion of my blog would be something more along the lines of issues or happenings in my city, perceiving this to be more appealing than banal ramblings. Well, that has made for an average of 1.2 posts per week lately and most of it as Runnings. Banal has to be more interesting than no post. And more fun.

So….

Tonight I found strange pleasure in eating a grapefruit at 10pm. This was always just a breakfast food when I was growing up. At breakfast we got a little glass of orange juice during the summer and then either when grapefruit become more affordable or orange juice too expensive, I’m not sure which, we switched to a half of grapefruit. I can’t imagine ever asking for grapefruit at another time of year or time of day. It would have been an insolent request. So with a bit of devious pleasure I dug out my serrated spoon and sliced into a grapefruit at 10pm tonight.

runnings

Remember: Hydrate

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runnings
Apparently I’ve forgotten how to hydrate. My biggest vice since the marathon has been coffee. I haven’t previously cut out coffee when training, but I have at least limited it and have been conscious of my water intake. Lately I’ve forgotten about the water. Saturday RF and I went for about 7 miles and I had slight symptoms of dehydration. I realized I had not even filled my water bottle at work the day before. I may not be at the mileage of training for a marathon, but yesterday shows I still have to pay attention.

Mingus Mill

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Part of my lack of posts lately is that I was on a New Years trip to Atlanta and the Smoky Moutains area of North Carolina. I didn’t know what to expect in the winter but found the hiking to still be beautiful and exhilarating. One of the hikes we did was at Mingus Mill, a water-powered mill built in 1886.

Looking down the millrace



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I have a swollen knee right now that I cannot figure out how it came about. The Sunday after the hill run at my parents I woke up in the middle of the night with an aching left knee. It doesn’t seem like this would have come from running though if it took 3 days after the run to show up. I did refrain from running a few days and the swelling went down but the hiking last week and couple runs I’ve done this week have left my knee feeling rather uncomfortable again.