Well it's Wednesday and that can only mean another installment of Wednesday's Words of Wisdom. I know you're excited to learn what you can be doing better as a contributing member of society. Well today it's not going to be a long one, but this one is basic and important. Some of you might have some kind of objection for religious reasons, or some other kind of bullshit, but relax and just hear me out.
When someone around you sneezes, say "God bless you" or "bless you" or even the playful "Gesundheit" for crying out loud. It's not about believing in the superstition that your heart stops, or your soul is thrust from your body, or any other possible explanation for why we say it. It's about acknowledging that it happened. It's about being a courteous human being and saying, "hey, I noticed you just sneezed. God bless you." It's the same as when you pass someone in a hallway, or an aisle somewhere, and give a nice friendly greeting. What does that pompous asshole do? Just keeps walking like you don't exist and didn't say hello. What the hell is wrong with people today?
If I hear someone sneeze, even from a room away, I will say bless you loud enough for them to hear. It's comforting for them to know that someone recognized they exist and just sneezed. If someone in your office or workplace yelled out "Hey does anyone realize I'm alive?" Wouldn't you at least acknowledge them? Even if you just yelled back, "Hey douche bag, get a life!" At least they would know someone heard them. A sneeze is the same thing.
I sneeze at work sometimes and nobody says a word. So I sit there and think; there is no way they didn't hear that, why didn't anyone say God bless you? Who the fuck do they think they are to just sit there and ignore me like the bum at 7-11 giving Hand-jobs for Ham Sandwiches? I bet he at least gets a follow up, "what kind of spread you got on that bread?" Maybe you think I'm the crazy one that just needs to be validated or something. Well all I know is, I feel a lot better when someone says bless you after I sneeze. And like the kid in class that isn't afraid to ask the question everyone else is thinking, I'm putting it out there. If everyone would acknowledge a sneeze with some kind of response, the world would be a happier place. You know it, and I know it.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Gun Control vs Parent Control
HOUSTON — Houston school district officials say a kindergartner who brought a loaded gun to a school, injuring himself and two others when it fired after falling from his pocket, could face disciplinary action including being sent to an alternative school for up to 180 days.
District spokesman Norm Uhl says no punishment has been decided.
Houston Independent School District Assistant Police Chief Robert Mock says one bullet was fired about 11 a.m. Tuesday in the Ross Elementary School cafeteria, spraying the fragments at the students.
Houston police spokesman Victor Senties says it is too early in the investigation to tell if any charges will be filed. Police aren't discussing their probe.
District spokesman Jason Spencer says the three children suffered foot injuries
We need Parent Control. You should have to take a series of tests before you can reproduce. If you fail, you are sterilized. Yea, it seems extreme. You know what else would be extreme? If the responsible Americans carrying firearms had to give them up. You know why that would be a terrible idea? If having a gun breaks the law; ethical, well behaved people won't have the ability to protect themselves. Criminals are going to break the law, that's why they are called criminals. So they will always have guns. The only thing a more strict Gun Control law would do is take the ability to protect yourself away from honest, responsible, red-blooded Americans.
Its stories like the one above that gets the argument started and the wrong points of this article are focused on. Why was this kid able to get his hands on a gun? Why was the gun loaded when he found it? I doubt a little boy in kindergarten is going to be able to load up a firearm. Why wasn't the gun in a safe? Where were his parents when he was getting ready for school? How do you not notice your son is carrying a loaded gun in his pants!? Those questions won't be answered, or even asked. The focus will be that he had a gun and could have killed someone. A stricter gun control law would have prevented this. WRONG! I'm going to guess that the level of irresponsibility associated with this kid's parents is off the charts. This child was going to bring something into school that could kill someone no matter what gun laws were being enforced.
It's the parents that need to be controlled. There are countless things that happen in this country that could have been prevented if the parents of the offenders did their job. Rap music and violent video games are being blamed for what some of these kids do these days. Really? How about bad parenting? Why is that no one wants to look at the real problem here?
How do we fix the problem Pat? I'll give you my solutions. Be prepared, they won't be covered in sugar. First, mandatory gun safety classes for every American! Yes, I said EVERY American. Second, mandatory parenting classes for EVERY PARENT! And I know what you're thinking. How are you going to get every parent to take a class? You file your taxes every year? Well you have to have to take this class every year too! I'm not naive either, so I understand that we will never get every single parent to take this class, and that there will be loopholes that will be taken advantage of. However, it will significantly increase the amount of better parents and safer kids. That's just the facts!
So how about we stop blaming guns for stupid behavior and step up and take some responsibility! If you don't think that's a good idea, you are entitled to your opinion no matter how wrong it is. I'll be sure to look for you in the back alley somewhere stuffing your face with Ham Sandwiches!
Monday, April 18, 2011
First Round of Golf
I was up early this morning. I didn't care what those birds were chirping about outside, I only had one thing on my mind. GOLF. It was Sunday morning and I had the perfect afternoon set up. A half priced round of 18 and anywhere from 6 to 12 beers. It doesn't get much better on a Sunday. I'm a firm believer in looking the part, so I dressed up in my nicest golfing gear and waited for my ride to pick me up. I was waiting on none other than DC Dennis the Accountant. Whose nickname was given to him for obvious reasons by me, and remains one of the best nicknames ever given to anyone for any reason. He couldn't get here soon enough. I was getting pretty amped up for this. He finally arrived and we loaded up his SUV with everything we'd need. Golf clubs, golf shoes, and golf beers.
On the way there we decide to get some food from "a deli" and without getting into all the reasons I hate that deli I'll just say it took 45 minutes to get a hoagie. Then it was off to the course early to hit a bucket of balls and get some practice green time in. Yes, even after waiting 45 minutes for our sandwiches we got there early enough for all the warm-up activities. I wasn't the only one excited about today. The bucket of balls went as expected. A few over here, a few over there. And how about that, a few straight. I wasn't concerned. The putting practice went very well. I have a good feel for my putter and was rolling them right up where I wanted. Let's get to the action.
After the harder than needed explanation on how the two-for-one coupon worked, we were on our way. We had a competitive foursome on the first tee and it was shaping up to be a great day for all. "I'll go first guys." "You know what, I'll even hit driver. I can't see how this would be a bad idea." What upsets me is that I know better. Driver should never come out of my bag until at least the 5th or 6th hole. What was I thinking? Anyway, I put the tee in the ground and placed my Nike MOJO ball on top with optimism. I stepped back and started my routine. I start behind the ball to visualize the shot, take a practice swing, visualize again, then I square up and swing. It all starts out the way I pictured it the night before. I visualize a gorgeous shot, starting out a little right of the fairway and curving slightly back towards the center of the short stuff. I step up and think, "here it goes, just like you've been practicing in the living room for the past 4 months."
The backswing is as smooth as the second hand of a Rolex watch. I reach the peak and prepare to send this ball right to the middle of the fairway. *PING* NOOOO! Come back! Shit! That wasn't what I had pictured a few seconds ago. A wicked slice starting at the right side of the fairway and landing about 25 feet in the rough on the left side. Oh yea, there was some serious action on that ball. I think I'll be able to find it and I'll just have to make a great second shot. I'll try not to get too worked up over it, it's early. So after some careful combing of the grass I find my ball, just on the wrong side of a wooden fence along the road. It's no big deal; I'll take my drop and make the best of it.
So I drop 2 and prepare to hit 3 towards the green. The same routine behind the ball, and I step up to try and salvage hole 1. My second swing starts out just as smooth as the first. The outcome is a little different however. The ball doesn't slice left, it just starts out left and rockets down rough about 35 yards short of the green. Perfect! I wish there was a sarcastic font so you could understand how not perfect that shot was.
So I pull out my sand wedge. "Nice and smooth, keep your head down, make good contact." SHIT! Thinned it! It landed on the green, but it was coming in so hot it skipped right off and settled about 10 yards past the hole in the thick stuff. I manage to get it on the green in 5 with a reasonable 24 footer for double bogey. Nope, it's just not my hole. I end up with a 7, a triple bogey to start off my day, my season, the rest of my life. A frustration runs through my veins like Kenyon's in a marathon. I try to calm myself down before the second hole. Woooosssaaaaaaa, yea that shit doesn't work. Gooossssssfrrraaaabaaaaaaa, nope that doesn't help either. How about a beer? Ahhhhh, that's better.
So it's on to the second hole and a chance at redemption. I don't want to get into a hole by hole recollection of my day but I'll tell you it started with two 7's and more beer. I ended up finishing the front nine with a 53, which I was okay with for the first 9. It was a little off my goal pace, but it was under my acceptable pace. So let's stay on track and try to shave a couple strokes off the back 9.
Every now and then you hit that perfect shot, the one that keeps you coming back. Well I guess today wasn't every now and then. Don't get me wrong, I hit some good shots. After I put my driver to bed for the day and hit my 3 wood, the B-52 Bomber, off the tee I was playing from the fairway more times than not. Never that perfect one though. You know the hit I'm talking about. One of those shots you watch in awe the whole way and think to yourself, if I could do that every time I'd be getting paid for this. So like I said, I didn't hit one of those shots today. The back nine was not as generous as the front was. And if you recall, the front wasn't that generous at all. So the beers were flowing like the mighty Mississippi.
To sum things up, I shot a 108. I didn't keep the scorecard, if that was your question. However, a wise man once told me, "A bad day on the golf course is better than a good day at work." Ain't that the truth?!
We all went out for a little post-round grub and you guessed it, we had more two-for-one coupons. So as the last gulp of beer went down I started to recap the day. Slice, thin, flub, chunk, divot. These were all words that dominated the recount of the round, but dammit it was good to be out there swinging the sticks. Since I set the bar so low, or high, depending on how you look at it, I have nothing but optimism for my next outing. All I need to do is make sure I have more coupons; it gets pretty expensive to golf in Virginia. I might need to give Hand-jobs for Ham Sandwiches, and then open a Ham Sandwich stand. Maybe I should wear my golf glove.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Hiding a Hangover
Yesterday was opening day of the Spring Kickball Season! We all meet up by the Washington Monument every Thursday and play kickball. There are two parts to the league. First, you play kickball, and have a kickball championship at the end of the season. We also play Flip-cup. You play flip-cup against the team you just played kickball against and again there is a championship at the end of the season. Well, like any opening day, it got pretty serious last night. By serious I mean that shots were taken, beers were crushed, and lives were changed forever.
So how do you hide your hangover?
When I wake up in the morning, I rarely hit the snooze button. I'm what some people call a morning person. I like to get up in the AM and get the day started. Today was a different story. I hit the snooze button 3 times. That's not a big deal for some of you, maybe you do that every morning. So imagine a morning where you hit the snooze button 9 times. Not because you wanted to, because you had to. It was that kind of morning for me.
I felt like I was hit by a bus, picked up and hit again by an 18-wheeler. Let's just say my morning shower was a bit longer than usual. That doesn't change the fact that I have to go to work today though. Now I don't work in a corporate office, or some fancy building I need to get dressed up for. But I still have co-workers and a boss.
The ride to work was pretty normal. I decided to stop at the yellow lights I came to. I'm in no rush today. I was still trying to get my shit together enough not to barf on the receptionist when I walked in the door. Fridays are always a slow day, nobody shows up till 9:45 or so. I'll hit up 7-11 to get some electrolytes and start the re-hydrating process. I roll up right around 9:30, I'm very punctual even when I'm hungover. Luckily the door is open, I go in and start to get my desk set up. "Deep breaths, here comes the boss." I say the usual morning greeting while trying not to show how bad my head is pounding. He responds, I don't think he can tell. I have to keep my distance though. I know I showered, but my pores are probably seeping Jameson and tequila right now. The thought of whiskey has my stomach doing a gymnastics floor exercise, and sticking every landing! I'm not too worried about my co-workers knowing I'm hungover. I'm sure they already see me as the older guy who drinks and curses in his free time. Fuck em! What do they know? As long as I keep to myself and keep my breakfast down I think I'll be just fine. So far, so good. Wow the Sun is awfully bright this morning.
My headache hasn't gone away yet and I'm already through my first bottle of Gatorade G2. I'm watching my calorie intake. I don't think anyone has noticed yet, unless they just aren't saying anything. I'll just stay focused on my computer and make sure it looks like I'm getting my work done. These hours just can't go fast enough. All I can think of is my couch, and crashing on it as soon as I get home. That's what keeping me going right now. My eyelids are getting heavier and heavier, and every time I burp I hate Irish Whiskey. I'm going to take my time at lunch and clock out promptly at 5:30. I'm hungover!
I can only hope that my Thursday drinking won't get me fired. I can only imagine how hungover I'll be after my 3rd or 4th Ham Sandwich when I'm unemployed, if you know what I mean.
So how do you hide your hangover?
When I wake up in the morning, I rarely hit the snooze button. I'm what some people call a morning person. I like to get up in the AM and get the day started. Today was a different story. I hit the snooze button 3 times. That's not a big deal for some of you, maybe you do that every morning. So imagine a morning where you hit the snooze button 9 times. Not because you wanted to, because you had to. It was that kind of morning for me.
I felt like I was hit by a bus, picked up and hit again by an 18-wheeler. Let's just say my morning shower was a bit longer than usual. That doesn't change the fact that I have to go to work today though. Now I don't work in a corporate office, or some fancy building I need to get dressed up for. But I still have co-workers and a boss.
The ride to work was pretty normal. I decided to stop at the yellow lights I came to. I'm in no rush today. I was still trying to get my shit together enough not to barf on the receptionist when I walked in the door. Fridays are always a slow day, nobody shows up till 9:45 or so. I'll hit up 7-11 to get some electrolytes and start the re-hydrating process. I roll up right around 9:30, I'm very punctual even when I'm hungover. Luckily the door is open, I go in and start to get my desk set up. "Deep breaths, here comes the boss." I say the usual morning greeting while trying not to show how bad my head is pounding. He responds, I don't think he can tell. I have to keep my distance though. I know I showered, but my pores are probably seeping Jameson and tequila right now. The thought of whiskey has my stomach doing a gymnastics floor exercise, and sticking every landing! I'm not too worried about my co-workers knowing I'm hungover. I'm sure they already see me as the older guy who drinks and curses in his free time. Fuck em! What do they know? As long as I keep to myself and keep my breakfast down I think I'll be just fine. So far, so good. Wow the Sun is awfully bright this morning.
My headache hasn't gone away yet and I'm already through my first bottle of Gatorade G2. I'm watching my calorie intake. I don't think anyone has noticed yet, unless they just aren't saying anything. I'll just stay focused on my computer and make sure it looks like I'm getting my work done. These hours just can't go fast enough. All I can think of is my couch, and crashing on it as soon as I get home. That's what keeping me going right now. My eyelids are getting heavier and heavier, and every time I burp I hate Irish Whiskey. I'm going to take my time at lunch and clock out promptly at 5:30. I'm hungover!
I can only hope that my Thursday drinking won't get me fired. I can only imagine how hungover I'll be after my 3rd or 4th Ham Sandwich when I'm unemployed, if you know what I mean.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
You Can't Avoid Boyd!
Parents Need to Tighten Up
Attendance for major league baseball games is down so far this year. Most will point out this is due to our current economic situation. With more people struggling to find work, it is probably not the best time to spend discretionary income to go catch a ballgame when you watch the same game in HD from your couch. Other potential factors are poor performance of their team (I’m looking at you Indians and Pirates fans) and the early cold/wet weather we’ve been experiencing. However, a lot of people are saying unruly drunken fan behavior is another deterrent. Parents feel that their kids should not go to baseball games due to the poor example being set by drunken fans. I say the parents need to get off their asses and do some parenting.
Most people drink at sporting events (legally or illegally). This should not be news to anyone. There is a reason why most bars around sports venues have game day drink specials and the floors of stadiums are littered with empty airplane bottles. People are entitled to enjoy a cocktail or six responsibly. While it does not entitle them to call Jayson Werth a cocksucker for striking out with the bases loaded, it will happen. Drunk people do dumb things, no matter how stupid or ugly they are. I am not defending them. However, it exists and parents shouldn’t be so naïve about it. It is up to the parent to teach their child appropriate behavior and the difference between right and wrong. There is a reason why most sporting venues have family friendly sections, where alcohol is prohibited. Parents may legitimately gripe about drunken behavior if a brawl breaks out at Chuck E Cheese and/or someone calls the mouse a cunt because their pizza is cold.
I believe a child should be at least ten years old to attend a sporting event (maybe older depending on the child.) A child is going to be distracted by everything that is going around as most children have never been surrounded by tens of thousands of people before. Constant vendors walking by, scoreboard graphics and sounds going off every ten seconds, thousands of different people conversing/screaming. It is a lot for a child to take in, even before the drunken antics of others sets in. While a ten year old shouldn’t be subjected to seeing two people fight in the stands, the child should be developed enough to know that is wrong. I attended my first baseball game when I was seven. Luckily, I was pretty focused on the baseball itself and not distracted by the other factors. However, my dad would still point out any unruly behavior around us and why it was wrong. Why did he do this? Because he got off his ass and did some parenting.
I already know most of you will question how effective the parenting was on me as I have been known to abuse alcohol at games before. Sure, I’ve screamed at Carlos Beltran and held him personally responsible for 9/11 (probably not true, but still possible) and other proud moments as such. It is not the fault of my dad. I blame my scumbag friends and attending the 4th best party school according to a 1994 Playboy study for my alcohol dependencies.
-Written by Marcus Boyd
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Wednesday's Words Of Wisdom
This is another installment of Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom. This week is all about driving. Now I could write a book and a half documenting all the things people do that give me road rage, but I won’t do that to you. I’ll just pick one or two things and focus on them for now.
Whenever you are making a left turn, please for the love of god, do it from the LEFT SIDE of the lane! That way, people behind you have the opportunity to go around. There is no reason they should have to wait while you make the turn. There is also no reason that you have to make that turn from the center, or even worse, the right side of the lane. Just shimmy on over to the yellow line and make your turn. This has to be one of the easiest things you can do while driving a car. I can’t even count the times I was behind someone that made a left hand turn from the center or right side of the lane. Leaving me NO room to go around them. Now, I have to wait for the traffic on the other side to break before I can continue my trip. Why? I wasn't turning. It makes me want to follow them to wherever they're going and beat them into a coma with a tennis racket. I mean I have one in my trunk and haven't played tennis in years.
I know what some of you are thinking. “Is this really a big deal?” Maybe not, but if everyone would do it, the driving world would be a much happier place.
You've been there right? You're following someone down a winding road or even a straight highway and you see their blinker go on. "Thank god this moron is turning, I can't stand driving this slow." Not so fast! Said moron decides not to move over at all. Now there you are, cursing your face off, waiting for slow-poke to finally make the turn so you can scream at him/her (most likely her) out the window. If you're like me anyway. And I don't care what you say, most of the driving errors that are committed out there are either by females or Asians. Or female Asians, AHHHHHHH Look Out! Let's face it, they just can't drive.
So please read this and if you get offended or this situation hasn't come while you were driving, IT'S YOU! MOVE OVER! It will lengthen the lifespan of all those around you, and it's very simple.
Whenever you are making a left turn, please for the love of god, do it from the LEFT SIDE of the lane! That way, people behind you have the opportunity to go around. There is no reason they should have to wait while you make the turn. There is also no reason that you have to make that turn from the center, or even worse, the right side of the lane. Just shimmy on over to the yellow line and make your turn. This has to be one of the easiest things you can do while driving a car. I can’t even count the times I was behind someone that made a left hand turn from the center or right side of the lane. Leaving me NO room to go around them. Now, I have to wait for the traffic on the other side to break before I can continue my trip. Why? I wasn't turning. It makes me want to follow them to wherever they're going and beat them into a coma with a tennis racket. I mean I have one in my trunk and haven't played tennis in years.
I know what some of you are thinking. “Is this really a big deal?” Maybe not, but if everyone would do it, the driving world would be a much happier place.
You've been there right? You're following someone down a winding road or even a straight highway and you see their blinker go on. "Thank god this moron is turning, I can't stand driving this slow." Not so fast! Said moron decides not to move over at all. Now there you are, cursing your face off, waiting for slow-poke to finally make the turn so you can scream at him/her (most likely her) out the window. If you're like me anyway. And I don't care what you say, most of the driving errors that are committed out there are either by females or Asians. Or female Asians, AHHHHHHH Look Out! Let's face it, they just can't drive.
So please read this and if you get offended or this situation hasn't come while you were driving, IT'S YOU! MOVE OVER! It will lengthen the lifespan of all those around you, and it's very simple.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
The Morning Run
Even through my closed bedroom windows I can hear the birds chirping loud and clear. As I roll over and look at my alarm clock I realize I still have 6 minutes till the buzzer sounds. I think I'll wait. One bird out there just doesn't agree with my plan. "Stop repeating yourself!" I say as if he can hear me, or understand. Either way he isn't listening. As I lay there just waiting for the alarm to go off and lift the metaphorical gate surrounding my bed allowing me to get up, I try to think of how good it's going to feel to be running early in the morning again.
Last time I was up and running before work it was still very dark outside. Work started a lot sooner overseas. I start to flash back to the morning routine. Getting dressed in the dark so I wouldn't wake my roommate. Putting the same shorts on over my spandex, the same shirt and my reflective belt. I also wore two knee braces at the time. The large one for my left knee, that's where the real pain was. The small one for the right, just in case. I put on my new Nike running shoes, then it was outside to start stretching. My headphones go in and I hit play on my running play-list. Technically I wasn't supposed to wear headphones while running outside, but at 0430 I'll take my chances. The course I choose to run over there was very flat and it was awfully dry outside. Two things I could count on were dry air and flat surfaces. The final distance would be right around 3.5 miles. That was a good distance for the morning, to get the blood pumping and the calories burning. I'd love to be back in that shape again. It begins today.
The routine this morning is a bit different. Not really a routine at all, I just started. I don't have to worry about waking anyone up so I get dressed with the light on and Sports Center on the TV. Interestingly enough I still put only one pair of running shorts over my spandex. They're not my army shorts, but they are always the same ones. I get to pick my shirt this morning and decide to go with a white Nike shirt. No knee braces nowadays. After getting the right shoes all the knee pain went away. Crazy how important running shoes are when you do it often enough. I lace up my even newer Nike running shoes and outside I go. Same MP3 player, same running play-list. It could use an update but the songs still keep a good rhythm. Same stretching routine. Hamstrings, quads, calves and upper body. Now it's off to the races.
It's very humid this morning. I hope the rain holds off till I finish. As my run starts I pass all the morning traffic on Great Falls St, imagining what they're thinking puts a smile on my face. The ups and downs of the neighborhood keep my legs and lungs guessing. "Just keep a good pace" I continue to tell myself up the hills. "Now open up your stride and go with it" on the way down. The development I turn into is remarkable peaceful compared to the bumper to bumper traffic I just passed. The trees are blossoming and petals cover sections of the sidewalk. Kids are walking to the bus stops while their parents are getting ready to leave for work. I'm in my own little world as my strides echo in the background of my music. Whatever is going on around me is taken in by my eyes but never really processed. It's just me and the road today.
"Keep your breathing in check" I tell myself as I start to get a little winded. In-in-in, out-out-out. That's better. Now I get into a groove where I feel I can run forever. A calmness washes over me. The different smells of the morning are fighting for attention in my nose. The freshly laid sod and grass seed takes over as I pass a house making some lawn improvements. Briefly I think about my lawn. Just briefly though. My mind is concentrating on the countless steps I have until the end of my run. There is a small part of me that doesn't want it to end. While I'm running there isn't a care in the world. When it's over I have to go back to reality. Back to work. Back to the bills. Somehow if I could keep running everything would go away. As I round the last corner, up the final hill towards my house, I realize it's almost over. I have a feeling of relief as I approach the 4 mile mark. I also have a feeling of disappointment.
I walk back and forth on the lawn I was thinking of earlier as I catch my breath. I check my run-keeper to see my pace and calories burned. Not bad. I start to stretch just as I did before the run. Hamstrings, quads, calves and upper body. The rain starts to fall as I wrap up my last stretch, almost like it was waiting for me to finish. I head inside for some water and relaxation. Not for long though, now that I'm done I have to start my other morning routine. This one I am familiar with.
Last time I was up and running before work it was still very dark outside. Work started a lot sooner overseas. I start to flash back to the morning routine. Getting dressed in the dark so I wouldn't wake my roommate. Putting the same shorts on over my spandex, the same shirt and my reflective belt. I also wore two knee braces at the time. The large one for my left knee, that's where the real pain was. The small one for the right, just in case. I put on my new Nike running shoes, then it was outside to start stretching. My headphones go in and I hit play on my running play-list. Technically I wasn't supposed to wear headphones while running outside, but at 0430 I'll take my chances. The course I choose to run over there was very flat and it was awfully dry outside. Two things I could count on were dry air and flat surfaces. The final distance would be right around 3.5 miles. That was a good distance for the morning, to get the blood pumping and the calories burning. I'd love to be back in that shape again. It begins today.
The routine this morning is a bit different. Not really a routine at all, I just started. I don't have to worry about waking anyone up so I get dressed with the light on and Sports Center on the TV. Interestingly enough I still put only one pair of running shorts over my spandex. They're not my army shorts, but they are always the same ones. I get to pick my shirt this morning and decide to go with a white Nike shirt. No knee braces nowadays. After getting the right shoes all the knee pain went away. Crazy how important running shoes are when you do it often enough. I lace up my even newer Nike running shoes and outside I go. Same MP3 player, same running play-list. It could use an update but the songs still keep a good rhythm. Same stretching routine. Hamstrings, quads, calves and upper body. Now it's off to the races.
It's very humid this morning. I hope the rain holds off till I finish. As my run starts I pass all the morning traffic on Great Falls St, imagining what they're thinking puts a smile on my face. The ups and downs of the neighborhood keep my legs and lungs guessing. "Just keep a good pace" I continue to tell myself up the hills. "Now open up your stride and go with it" on the way down. The development I turn into is remarkable peaceful compared to the bumper to bumper traffic I just passed. The trees are blossoming and petals cover sections of the sidewalk. Kids are walking to the bus stops while their parents are getting ready to leave for work. I'm in my own little world as my strides echo in the background of my music. Whatever is going on around me is taken in by my eyes but never really processed. It's just me and the road today.
"Keep your breathing in check" I tell myself as I start to get a little winded. In-in-in, out-out-out. That's better. Now I get into a groove where I feel I can run forever. A calmness washes over me. The different smells of the morning are fighting for attention in my nose. The freshly laid sod and grass seed takes over as I pass a house making some lawn improvements. Briefly I think about my lawn. Just briefly though. My mind is concentrating on the countless steps I have until the end of my run. There is a small part of me that doesn't want it to end. While I'm running there isn't a care in the world. When it's over I have to go back to reality. Back to work. Back to the bills. Somehow if I could keep running everything would go away. As I round the last corner, up the final hill towards my house, I realize it's almost over. I have a feeling of relief as I approach the 4 mile mark. I also have a feeling of disappointment.
I walk back and forth on the lawn I was thinking of earlier as I catch my breath. I check my run-keeper to see my pace and calories burned. Not bad. I start to stretch just as I did before the run. Hamstrings, quads, calves and upper body. The rain starts to fall as I wrap up my last stretch, almost like it was waiting for me to finish. I head inside for some water and relaxation. Not for long though, now that I'm done I have to start my other morning routine. This one I am familiar with.
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