Miles & Miles

I've been running every day during the week and taking one day off (this past week it was Saturday). So - on Sunday I did 7.5 miles of trails (PAINFUL!). And then did 3.5 before yoga on Monday. Tuesday was another 3.5 during the day and 3 at night for the Pace Race ... how I hope to my large smurf guardian that the people from the newspaper taking photos did NOT get my photo in there. I was going to run today ... but just couldn't do it. Legs of jelly. So ... I'm taking today off. I'll run the rest of the week - and this weekend I'll probably do 8 to 9 miles ... most likely straight up the ski hill.

I think about miles. I dream about miles. I think ... this 1/2 marathon wont be as bad as I previously thought!

Spring Is In The Air - And Wind

It has been very very very windy here lately. Windy and stormy and yet ... the bulbs are still trying to come up. I can't wait until it gets a bit warmer and spring has moved into summer.

Download Generation

I noticed the other day that I believe I have musical ADD. Being part of the download generation - or would that be the current generation I find myself less of a musical connoisseur than I used to be. Case in point. It used to be that you would hear a good song. It would stick in your head until you couldn't stand it. You would buy the album. Listen to it once, focusing on the song you loved. And then listen to it over and over. With each listen you would find something else you liked. A new song a new riff. And then you would spend time reading the lyrics, reading about the artist, learning about the person that made this wonderful music for you. I still have vinyl albums because of this. They open wide. I can see all the art work.

Now-a-days though ... I hear a song I like. I download it. I may listen to the other songs by that artist that were high downloads, I might even listen to a couple not recommended. But, I hardly ever buy a full album. I can now hear a song and know I own it, know I love it, know that I've downloaded it - but I couldn't tell you who sang it or wrote it.

I feel like part of my musical heart and soul has been lost with this new mp3 download era.

Snacktastic

Found this link with great photos.

Running Running Running

I've decided to run the Jemez Mountain 1/2 marathon coming up in May. Of course I'm not a fan of running on trails and have not trained for a 1/2 in a while. Given that it is like 5 weeks away I need to increase my miles quickly. I went out and did 3.5 in the wind last night ... and am now hoping that by May there is not a breeze to be seen.

The plan is 5 miles this weekend, 7 miles (4/22), 8 miles (4/29), 10.5 miles (5/6), and 11 or 12 on (5/13). Crazy ... maybe ... but what the heck.

Spring Fever!

The bulbs are up, it has been warm ... and now it is back to being cold again. I don't mind it cold - but I wish that the weather would be more conducive to working outside. The lawn was mowed this weekend and some of my garden seeds are coming up (spinach, radishes, peas, cabbage, broccoli). This morning it was overcast again and I love the rain and drizzle .... now if it were just a tad bit warmer for the plants and fruit trees ...... I'd be happy.

Better World

One of the things that my father really pushed on my brother and I was to leave the world a better place after we are gone. He reasoning was nothing major. Nothing huge. Small things. Small things that add up over time. An example would be buying a house and fixing it up. So, that when you are done - it is nicer for the next person. Giving money to a homeless shelter. Volunteering. That type of thing.

Over time, with life and hobbies and everything, it is easy to forget or not make a concerted effort on these things. Now don't get me wrong. I haven't given up taking my canvas bags grocery shopping or buying stuff in fewer packages .... but my focus has been a bit off for a while.

I've started this spring by doing a couple of things. First off, I've been giving more. Giving more things and money. Giving is something that feels good ... but I guess is a bit less direct than I like. So, I started looked at little things in my everyday life. I get PILES (probably 10/day during non-holiday season). Loads and loads. Most of them I never even look at. Some come for both Mike and I. I've started taking one day a week - calling the companies that I'll never order from or I get duplicates from - and canceling the catalogs. I'm more an online shopper than a catalog shopper anyway. And the piles of catalogs mostly get recycled and never read. I'm still scoping out other methods - so if you have any good ideas ... pass them along!