sunday 13

running home on grove, crossing divis. it's an uncontrolled 4-lane intersection with a crosswalk. i waited a good 30 seconds before a nice man in the lane closest to me slowed to a stop and gave me a shrug/smile/go-ahead. i advanced forward into the first lane and paused. a blue car FLIES past in the second lane...and throws his arms up at me...because clearly i'm in the wrong here. ok, i'll wait. finally, a car slowed to a stop in lane 2, i advanced to the median and paused again. car in lane 3 screeched to a stop, driver started yelling at me with arms in the air (which, with the windows up, is more funny than scary), i'm still standing on the median because i see the car behind the one that stopped is mad about the brake lights and is speeding around lane 3 into lane 4, flying by with a honk and a finger. a car in lane 4 stopped, i ran across, death rays from drivers 3 and 4 burning holes into my back. folks. when you see a car stopped in front of you, at a crosswalk, for seemingly no reason at all, maybe slow down a bit, there could be a pedestrian. or a super cute little blonde girl who's a little delirious with joint aches 11.5 miles into a 13-mile run. please. it's scary out there.

this isn't what it looks like...

fridays are my day off from training. i'm supposed to rest. i don't do well with days off. i set my alarm for an hour later, but i still woke up at 5:00 today. with a brain full of craft/home improvement/garden projects, there was no going back to sleep.
i needed supplies from around the neighborhood for one of my project ideas, plant-type supplies, so i figured this was as good a time as any to go out collecting. poor claire was (as usual) yelling at me, she's been cooped up for a while and could use some fresh air, so i threw her in a canvas bag over my shoulder and we set out. crossing broadway i encountered my first person of the day and considered what i might look like to someone who wasn't in my brain. i was walking to the park, in the dark, with a plastic bag, a shovel, gloves, a head lamp, a hooded sweatshirt, and a cat in a bag over my shoulder.
i got what i needed, and claire is safe and sound back in my apartment. not at all buried in the park on top of russian hill.

and i've decided i just might have to be one of those people who mounts their tv over the fireplace. i'm uneasy with this, i've stood proudly against such a thing. mantles are for art and family photos and secret candy dishes, not for televisions. but i have an idea, it might turn out ok, stay tuned...

sundance!

we were there and it was snowing.




armed with only a cell phone camera, wendy was cool enough to capture the fun.

by the way, i had no ID for the trip (still don't, it MUST be in my apartment somewhere...i think). i traveled using my ebmud employee badge. awesome.

oh my calves

but i didn't need pain killers and my knees were fine! woohoo!
this run was awesome. the first 6.5 miles i was too distracted by beautiful homes and presidio trails to notice i was running, but the stairs back up the bluff trail woke me up for sure. by then i was pretty much just back on my normal running route though, only 4 miles left to go, no whining, just get home and eat some lunch! black beans, avocado, tomato, tortilla chips, hot sauce...perfect.

finally put away christmas decorations.

and in an hour or so dear daniel will be here!!
happy happy day.

scared.

i think it's been too long. i know the big earthquake is coming, i know the hayward fault lets out a good roar every 140 years or so, i know we're overdue. i keep thinking: bring it on. let's get this baby over with so we can stop having news stories every few months freaking people out and reminding them that their earthquake preparedness kits aren't really so prepared (i know mine doesn't even include water, and i'm a flippin water engineer). it will be fun, picking ourselves up, everyone being strong together through a disaster.

but i forgot about the people. i was 8 when loma prieta hit. and though i spent a lot of time in recovery-era new orleans, i didn't personally experience the terror of katrina and the floods. the pictures coming out of haiti are scaring the crap out of me. our buildings are stronger and safer, but that might not mean much facing the hayward 7. i hope everyone's ready, especially the east bay folks. time to go inventory my kit.

dog dreams and training update

been thinking about pups a lot lately.
took a quiz to see what dog breeds might be good for me.
whippet was a 99% match, go figure.
looks like i'm stuck cloning taxi. fine by me.
i was supposed to go 10 miles today, i went 9. i'm trying to go slow and be careful with my knee. good run, but i'll be sore for sure tomorrow.

yay hockey!!

this week i doubled the number of hockey games i've been to in my life. awesome! went with shannon, keath and ry on monday vs the kings (6-2 slaughter), and on saturday with co and clay vs the redwings (4-1 slaughter, wee!). i may be bad luck for the sharks, luckily i'm not really a sharks fan so the games are super fun even when they lose.
and i went to falafel's drive in TWICE. extra awesome.
plus, i saw an enormous chipotle burrito (ew) dancing with two zambonis
and sharky came and sat in our section
and a fun awkward moment
i'm standing alone just before the game, waiting for folks in the bathroom. i dig in my bag and grab my chapstick (the container kind, not a stick), apply, and am about to put the lid on and toss it back in my bag...
strange man (approaching quickly with pinky finger extended): oh thank GOD! you have some!
me: uhhhhhh... (recoiling, guarding my chapstick heartily)
sm: can i have some? (in my face with the pinky)
me: ummmm...
sm: what, is that weird? (pinky...)
me: yes. yes that's definitely weird.
sm: but i really need it! i just washed my hands. please?! (pinky approaching...)
me (feeling entirely cornered, going through my options, maybe i can scrape it out with my finger and give it to him? but i don't want him trying to use my finger to put it on his lips, and i know how horrible it feels when you REALLY need chapstick and just don't have any, and i'm pretty sure they don't sell it anywhere in hp pavillion, and crap what the heck do i do here?): ok...
sm: (pinky dives right on in)

and i'm gross, but i really like this chapstick, so i just scraped off the surface layer and put it back in my bag.

playing catch up - taco party (for ma)

i found old photos on my camera...woopsie.

here's the lady responsible for all the tacos, miss donna

ry and i with dorris, donna's ma

miss sandi
ry faced with a very tough decision
the candy stockpile. dear lord.
one of my holiday crafting projects, this guy rode on the train with me to sacramento and now lives with the bossi clan.

started training this week for the oakland marathon.
i really intend, in week 1, to train properly for this one. it's kind of a nasty course (a lot of uphill in the first 10 miles) and i want to be prepared.
feel free to bug me about it, it will help to feel like someone besides me knows or cares if i slack.
here are the course and elevation maps:
and as it looks today, my "rest" days in training are more like bikram days, i'm going to be pooped. wee! there's still time to sign up for the marathon and shorter distance events, just in case you're interested.