Lazy, rainy Sunday

There were so many good intentions gone awry today. I had planned to work for a good 3-4 hours... I lasted an hour. The rain put a damper on the gardening plans for the day and it all just went downhill from there.

I did manage to do some cooking; and in a last ditch effort to feel productive, I have gathered together the laundry, packed up a box of books and gathered together many of the items I will be donating to various organizations if I cannot find one to take it all.

Mostly, though, I'm just feeling run down and whiny. I did go to Bombadills this morning for a few hours and did get some writing done, and got several emails written I might not have otherwise. Today is the perfect day to kick back and watch a movie... and I would love to go see either Talk to Me or 10 Questions for the Dalai Lama... both of which are playing today, except that I know that the air conditioning would be more than I could handle. It's low 70s right now, and I'm already a bit chilled... can't image going into another establishment (a quick trip to Kroger for cilantro proved nearly fatal).

Decidedly, the best possible course of action is to sit on my ass in front of the TV the rest of the day and try to at least force liquids down, because aside from my three large cups of coffee at Bombadill's, I've managed to drink 2 whole glasses of water, and that was an effort that resulted in nausea. I guess, I'm afraid that if I sit down and stop moving around for more than 5 minutes and just relax, I will realize that I'm actually not feeling very good at all... and since I really don't like that, it is easier just to run around and find things to do. Though, admittedly, I don't think I can do that much longer either--one way or another, it finds a way to sneak up on you.

On that note, I'm certain a shower will be the corrective cure for what troubles me... indeed, why didn't I think of that earlier?! I'm sure if I had, typing would not have turned into such a painful event right about now.

Ciao...

Irreverent musings on a summer day

Earlier today, while driving, I had a brilliant diatribe for this space... it always happens when driving--I become absolutely a brilliant composer in my head, and by the time I park, take care of everything and have a few minutes... it is GONE. Well, not the fiction--not usually, just my thoughts on life, because they are oft fleeting and typically not worthy of notation; but I'm fairly certain that I probably had the key to something like the fountain of youth and it is forever lost in the dire need to stop off for vegetables and eggs. And if any of you try to tell me that a healthy diet is the key to that fountain... there might be an accident.

Of one thing I can assure you, cats are not the key to living a youthful existence sometimes. Bowie has spent the last several minutes crying like he's dying... and you know why? He is afraid of his reflection in the mirror. I remove him from the bathroom counter and he's back up there, screaming bloody murder. He is a fierce and mighty jungle beast instill fear into the hearts of those in his path, and that includes him.

To counter Bowie, I turned up the speakers on my iPod... yegods, if the neighbors don't already hate me they now have Bon Jovi at arena level decibels. At least I'm not nekkid... at least, not anymore, earlier on the patio might have been another story... and I wouldn't say nekkid as much as I would say topless... there is a subtle difference.

And now, the crisis of dinner... I have stuff to make, I even found some relatively exciting and new recipes; I did go grocery shopping last night and to farmers market this afternoon... but the crisis is not what to make, but IF to make... Lately, I don't want dinner; I'm hungry, but all I really want is copious amounts of Diet Coke or Diet Mountain Dew. I am willing to fore go food for this all driving want. I know it is bad, I know I should cook something healthy and eat and forget the soda, but I am thinking, I will be in the drive thru getting a soda, or at the 7-11 and not eating dinner again tonight. It makes me worry, one of the memories very strong for me is of my grandma--who rarely ate anything beyond a donut and the rest of her day was spent consuming coffee and cigarettes and a pace I've yet to see paralleled. I don't intend on taking up smoking, but I swear, there are some days I would just not eat and would drink coffee or soda all day so I wouldn't have to bother... that is, of course, if you threw in a few jelly candies or a cookie... I'm not a donut girl.

On that note, today is the kinda day that after sitting out on the patio reading a Shape magazine, one should go and wash one's car--and get a soda.

Mahalo.

A change of color

Blonde Energy comes to you a little less pink today--I let the nail tech choose my toe color yesterday, and she opted for silver. It is fabulous. And, in the spirit of some change, I picked up a bottle of Aruba Blue by Essie... not my usual OPI product, but I liked the name of the Essie color better. And isn't that the key to picking a nail polish? And so, now my fingers are blue tipped--and for a change, not because I'm cold.

I did make myself go to DSW after the pedicure, and while I purchased nothing, I realized that not wanting to shoe shop is more a reflection on the utter unoriginality with which the shoes produced en masse represent. It's almost like buying 3 prints for $40 when nothing is as satisfying as the $3.1 million dollar original. The shoes I envision in my head don't exist... and right now they would be the only satisfaction I would recieve... the rest are empty calories.

So a new week has begun, and I am without plans on this very gorgeous sunny day. I'd like to see Oceans 13, but why? It is too nice outside to have to freeze to death in a movie theatre. Same goes with shopping. I've love to go to the mall and find a flirty new sundress, but again, inside is not what I'm shooting for... so I think the day will find me picking up a few items to do some cooking and mostly sitting out on my patio, working on some writing. Perhaps I will venture out for a walk later or even a coffee... but mostly, it is a lazy Sunday with sunshine, and it just seems kinda nice.

Mahalo.

Stephen Colbert Makes My Day

Last night, on The Colbert Report (which I didn't watch until this evening) Leon Botstein, the president of Bard College, was being interviewed when Colbert referred to him as "some kind of super genius." Yeah, baby... "Super Genius"... and I swear, Colbert was so, so close to putting it all together and using "Evil Super Genius" ahhh, so close, so, so close!

Anyway, it was the highlight of this super sucky Tuesday; which isn't saying much, I know, but you take what you can and then, you watch Sex and the City and go to bed... hoping Wednesday is better, and if not entirely better, perhaps not so fucking cold.

On the Road: Catskills

On Wednesday evening, I arrived in Kingston, NY. It was dark and all I really cared about at that point was eating my dinner (I had picked up a white slice) and checking into my hotel... and not in that order. By Thursday morning, I just wanted a nice, quiet little place to have some coffee and breakfast. After driving through Woodstock, I ended up in Kingston at a quaint little diner; the kind that have individual juke boxes on the tables. It was the kind of place that you felt compelled to order the "special" from the menu and if you decided you didn't want the juice that customarily came with it, they deducted it from the price. Of course, I found myself amused by the conversation at the next table: all the natural supplements that they used for their various ailments...

As it turns out, I wasn't feeling that well, and there were thunderstorms called for the area, so the hiking I'd planned on was nixed. I was just fine with that. I spent a good part of the afternoon walking around historic Kingston and then Woodstock. They are artists communities and quite. There was a definate dynamic between "old hippie" in these communities and the new "revolution." First, there was the strikingly thin 16ish girl with more piercings than seemed possible for her tiny frame to hold who got out of a car and gave me a very menacing glare before smiling and complimenting my tank. Then, there was the guy standing barefoot on the side of the road, hitchhiking... from the looks of it, he'd been there since 1969. I have to say, it has been a LONG time since I've seen anyone hitch hike. Generally, it was weird... Woodstock capitalizes on the music festival that beared its name, even though the festival was eventually held in Bethel. Still, it was a nice time.

Thursday evening found me tired, not feeling great still and in bed reading early. It also found me no longer able to handle eating in restuarants, and I stopped by the local grocery to get some cereal, soy milk and strawberries. It was much better! Friday would find me heading home.

On the Road: District of Columbia, pt. 1

These posts are out of order... obviously... I am out of order, so it makes perfect sense. DC was the first leg of the Road Trip vacation. I arrived on Friday, registered for the walk and had a lovely evening dinnering and bar hopping with a friend I've not seen in some time. Given that Saturday and Sunday I was walking, I refrained from drinking anything stronger than Diet Coke. But do note, I very much wanted a beer!!

Turns out that four hours of sleep prior to getting up and walking a marathon is not completely adequate.

The Avon Walk brought in 3100 walkers and 600-700 crew members and volunteers and raised over $7.4 million dollars. Avon Foundation uses the monies raised to help the medically underserved get screenings and treatment for breast cancer. Monies are also donated to research, including a portion of the funds raised in DC going to John Hopkins for vaccination research and development.

The Opening Ceremonies started at 7 am at the Kennedy Center. We were there by 6:30... by 6:45 I had spilled coffee down the front of my white t-shirt. It was a trend that I would continue with for the duration of the walk. By 7:30 the route opened and we headed out, circling the Kennedy Center walking along the Potomac... and from there, I have no idea WHERE we were until about noon time when I hit the Maryland border. Saturday started out very strong... the first 21 miles were done in less than 6 hours. The last 5.2 miles took 2 hours and a lot of breaks. Somewhere around mile 22, I hit the wall. First, I felt it in my shoulders and quickly down into my feet. My legs immediately stiffened up and the arches of my feet ached (indeed, upon getting into camp, they were bruised). I wanted to cry; give up. It had turned cold, rainy and yet, with goosebumps and frozen fingers, I was sweating buckets. I called SK, who assured me I would be able to do it.

I kept going.

When I pulled into the last rest stop before camp, my fellow Ann Arbor-ite was there (she was on crew and is the mother of my Avon Foundation Walker Buddy)... she told me to stretch, rest, drink some Gatorade and try to warm up a little before moving on... there was only 1.7 miles to go. ONLY.

I stretched, had some water and kept going. It was so close. And yet, like 20 previous miles of the walk, nearly all uphill. Just before 4 p.m. I made it into camp... three women grabbed me, hugged me, threw things on my neck, there was a lot of cheering. It's all a blur now. All I knew for sure was that I was desperate for a shower... I could feel the street grime on my skin like sandpaper and had to get my shoes off my swollen feet. Before any of that, though, I had to set up my tent--my tentmate hadn't gotten in yet. I wasn't sure how I was going to manage it, it hurt to bend over at that moment... and then I heard a woman from near the gear trucks ask me--do you need some help with a tent? We called them tent angels... volunteers who came in for the day solely to help put up tents. Three of them descended on the tent and I had my gear bag and person in the tent in minutes... and was able to head over to the shower trucks.

For the unaware... they bring in semi-trucks that have 6-8 shower units in each... the water is hot and really quite lovely for a semi-truck--but after a day of porta-potties, no running water, rain, grime and sweating, it was the most divine thing imaginable. It might be hard to image being grateful for showering in a semi-truck, but you are--trust me.

About 5:30 a teammate and I were sitting at the dining tent table, waiting on other team members to come in when she looked at me and said, Nikki, you are turning purple. Indeed, I was. It seems between the cold and not eating enough during the walk causing my blood sugar to drop, I was no longer pink. But, after putting on another layer of clothes and eating some dinner, I returned to my usual coloring and started to feel more like human.

My team, the Solo Strutters, were made up of people who signed up for the walk alone. By the time of the walk, we had nearly 30 people join the DC walk team (the team spans all cities). Our team was the largest fundraising team with over $110K raised.

Shortly after the last walker got into camp at 8 p.m. when the route closed, many of us were cozied up in our sleeping bags... resting up for day 2.

Wrong--on two counts

First, I was confidently certain that no one would finish the Boston Marathon yesterday in under 2.5 hours.

Second, given the excessively shitty weather hitting Boston, I was convinced that a Kenyan would not win... not being acclimated to such conditions.

Yeah, I was wrong, so very wrong... Robert Cheruiyot took the top men's honor again (and the overall win), and did so in 2:14:13. Slacker, last year he came in nearly 7 minutes less. Seems my confidence in the top US contender was lacking as she fell out due to the "stomach cramps." My theory laying in shambles alongside Deena Kastor's $100K hopes; giving the women win to Russia.

I suppose, if it were that cold, windy and rainy, one would be incented to move faster to be able to be done. Me? I'll just be watching from Starbucks.

Just another Thursday

So, regarding the suspicious car that is parked in the cult parking lot that my office window overlooks... it was still there all day today. Tomorrow, if it is still there, I will capture a photograph. I still could not get my co-workers to cooperate with the investigation. It's sad. Even the police didn't come back today... but there is movement at the compound... suddenly there were other vehicles coming and going today--I bet it has SOMETHING to do with that car. Yep, must be the case.

In other news, for those of you who drive Intrigues, let me make a point of clarification... it is the name of the car, not what you are supposed to create while changing lanes--MAYBE!! Use a blinker--and that goes for non-Intrigue drivers, too.

And since my road rage is not easily diminished today, let me just say if you drive a F150 (or its non-Ford equivalent), that does mean you have the right of way. I may have a Saturn, but I will take you out. I'm ALMOST up to 20 lbs on one set of reps on that bicep curl machine--I'm a force, baby... a FORCE!

Speaking of a force... can I PLEASE have spring? Dude, I don't care if we bypass spring and go directly into summer, but I may well suffer a nervous breakdown if it snows again before December.

And since I cannot seem to get warm, I now need to go make some chai... decaf, of course.

Ever changing forecasts

This morning and into early afternoon, the weather loomed dreary and cold... nothing above 40 all week. By this evening, the weather is now forecast for the end of this week warmer, near 60. It will change again, but it is always peculiar watching things change so drastically in such a short amount of time... much like life generally. Sometimes it seems as if things move so quickly there just isn't the time to notice them... and one day we stop and say how in hell did I get here? And sometimes, we rush through things to enjoy what comes at the end--like to night, I ate my last two strawberries much faster than I really wanted, but there was some cool whip in the bowl, and I wanted to give it to Jakey... the enjoyment watching him have a cool whip treat was worth the forced strawberry consumption. Kitties with cool whip on their whiskers and smiles on their faces sometimes are better than a stomach ache for a few minutes.

Poetry and Shoes

So, I was checking the forecast for the area today, as I’m eagerly waiting the arrival of sandal season… and yes, it is March, but early Daylight Savings Time has skewed my perceptions but I will get back to that momentarily. I came across the following headline to a video on the wildfires at weather.com:

Wildfire flames lick the back doors of homes

Hmm, I’m all for poetic license, but this isn’t poetry—this is a serious fucking fire about to lay waste to the homes of many folks, it is not a kitten pawing on the screen door looking for milk.

That said, the forecast for tomorrow is a high of 64 degrees in the Fahrenheit measure (because we all know that Centigrade sheeyat is Communist and highly suspect), but for my dear Commie friends—that would be about 17 degrees. And what this really means, if achieved, is the opening of sandal season. That is the rule… 60 degrees and sandals are allowed—OFFICIALLY. This in no way impacts my sandal wearing of this previous Saturday; it was in the 50s, I had put a good 18-19 miles on my feet already and they needed to be free. But mostly, I had just forgotten to bring fresh socks with me for when I left the gym, and as such, kept my flip flops on.

Now, I realize that beyond tomorrow, the weather seems a tad cold for sandals, being that there isn’t currently a day forecast to be warmer than say 43 degrees now through the 10-day forecast, but do not let this deter you should you wish to wear sandals. A few suggestions for this time of year in sandal selection, if I may:

1. For simply chilly weather falling below 60 degrees, you may decide to wear boots to the office and change into the sandals. Alternately, if this option does not appeal to your pedicure, park close to doors and walk briskly. Remember it may have been a while since you wore heeled sandals, so stick with the lower heels (1.5-2.5 inches) until you build back up to the 4 inchers.
2. If the forecast calls for a “wintery mix” I might suggest you opt for a shoe that is more of a platform with a thicker heel. This will provide a bit more traction should the sidewalks be a tad more icy than one might like. Of course, the tenets of #1 above still apply here and throughout.
3. Should the weather for the day call for rain, this is simple—you will want to follow the same protocol for rainy weather as you would anytime of the year when wearing a sandal. Given the air temperature, however, I might suggest a wedge—this will provide enough of a platform to keep the toe from flooding (providing the wedge is one with a platform toe, but that is the implied recommendation here) and the wedge itself will provide a safe barrier between your foot and the cold, wet ground.

Now, you may ask… why wouldn’t you wear a wedge in the “wintery mix” scenario…? and it is a good question—for the novice. A wedge does not provide traction, which you can get around in simple rainy weather. For the wintery mix, you will want something with more of a heel to be able to “dig-in.” Heels also, as contrary as it may seem, provide a good deal of traction by their very construction.

Later, a refresher on how to properly purchase sandals, strengthening your feet for the upcoming season, pedicure basics and of course, everyone’s favorite, how to actually walk in sandals.