Internal Chatter

Interesting conversation this morning …

Right Side of My Brain: Get up dude, time to run!

Left Side of My Brain: It’s 5:20AM

RS: I know, let’s go

LS: We were up late, go back to bed

RS: Can’t. We haven’t run all week. Let’s go

LS: Right, we haven’t. Why start now? The week is shot. Roll over.

RS: No, we’re just starting late. Let’s go.

LS: Dude, it’s probably still cold. Go back to bed.

RS: I put our tights by the heater vent, before we went to bed; they’ll be toasty-oasty

[after checking the temp]

LS: It’s ten degrees. Ten!!! … that’s like ten BELOW zero Celsius!!!

RS: Okay, so we don’t have time to run the same miles as degrees … But we can do HALF!!!

LS: It’s still going to be icy out there

RS: A little, but I checked the streets yesterday. If we stay on the left hand side, it’s pretty clear.

LS: When did you do that?

RS: While you were driving home. You really need to look around more

LS: Oh, man!!! It’s still dark!!!

RS: There’s a little bit of dark blue in the East, if you really look for it. It will be much lighter when we’re done. Plus, next week, Daylight Savings starts and it will be really dark again. C’mon, let’s go … Time’s a-wastin’!!!

LS: You’re not taking us back to bed, are you?

RS: Nope!!! It's a great day

LS: *sigh* Okay, start the watch ... I'll do the math. You have fun, enjoy the sights and sounds

RS: I always do!!!





5 miles - 43 minutes; a little bit of ice-cream headache.

Dreams

#1
I took Mariel and Donna to a race somewhere. All three of us were running. It was being held at some kids’ entertainment place [like Nifty Fifty’s maybe (I was there just yesterday, in Sicklerville)] A bunch of my friends were there – some from school [Bingo Bob & his kids] and some from The Bonnie-Verse [John The Parrothead and his daughter]. While Donna and Mare were checking in, Bob’s 1st grader, Mikey, zoomed a remote control car towards the register. I stuck my foot out to stop it, but the car jumped over it like a takeoff ramp and ended up on the T-shirt table. With its wheels spinning, the little car was throwing T-shirts everywhere. The volunteers were NOT pleased.

I got the girls registered and off to their starting place. For some reason, the girls’ race started before the guys’. At this point I said to Donna, “I forgot that I’m running. I didn’t bring my gear.”

“It’s your bag in the car. You have just about enough time to get changed.”

Their gun went off and they started.

I dug around in the bag to find my shirt, shorts, sox and running shoes. Black shirt, navy shorts, white sox and white sneakers with red and yellow trim [very expensive and fast looking] Donna must have borrowed the shoes though, because they were laced funny and not nearly tight enough [Donna’s feet are much smaller than mine, but when she does borrow my sneakers, they are always too loose when I get them back]

Now, between finding my gear, getting changed and struggling with my shoes, Bob said to me, “Dude, you’re half an hour behind; why don’t you just give up?”

“I think I can catch up.”

I don’t remember if I did or not.

#2
My first time back at Bally’s in, like, forever [truthfully, I haven’t been there in a couple of years, but now that my renewal is only $99 for this year, it may be time]

A girl was running on the track, as I was riding the stationary bike. Blonde with a black jog bra and blue capris; she had a tattoo of Texas on her arm. She smiled at me every time she came by. Eventually, she waved for me to join her. I got off the bike and realized that I had no shirt on [the 100 Push-up Challenge has produced some nice results] and that I had hiking boots on.

I went down to the locker room, to find that I had forgotten my running shoes. I cursed my stupidity and returned upstairs to the track to run with her anyway, but she was gone.

Running-ish Dreams are nothing new:

Monday, March 19, 2001

With my back hurting as much as it has been, I am now reduced to just dreaming about good runs. They say that when you are dreaming of running, you are either running to or running from something. I am definitely running to. In my dreams (like the one I had last night) I am very excited about the run. In my dreams, I'm either already moving or getting ready to run and there's a good feeling going on. Oddly, though, I'm usually someplace I've already been.

In my dream last night, I was getting my new shoes on, (very high tech affairs they were) and I took a little jog ... around my old college. I was "lacing them " up on the back step of my old dorm. I could almost remember the layout, too. I'll have to go to their website to see if everything is really where I thought it was, just to see if I remembered correctly. But that is just typical. I have dreams of running in my old neighborhoods in Philly, in Haddonfield.

However, I also have had dreams of places I've invented, in Colorado, San Diego, Providence, the beach in Maryland. Although I consider myself a triathlete, I only sometimes dream of biking or swimming. That's probably because it's been so long for either. I don't have the same anticipation for the next bike ride or swim.

What is it about losing shoes though? I know I need new ones, but haven’t had time to shop for the right ones.

Oh, I forgot to mention the recurring dream where, while doing a triathlon, I can’t find my shoes.

They are in a pile with everyone else’s shoes [one of those “let’s have fun” angles that triathlon directors throw in from time to time]. I meet a cute girl, searching for her sneakers and within seconds we’re smitten with each other.

It’s not long before we’re having sex in a Florida condo stairwell.

Wait a minute … was that a dream?

I'm Getting Close

Some people count 9 of something as "a collection," some say 10.

With the arrival of these lovely items

[Independent Trucks 30th Anniversary + Krooked Skateboards "El Pirata"]:



I am very close to a collection of beer glasses ...

Dirt Rag Magazine "20th Anniversary", Dirt Rag "Voodoo"


"Taste Victory" pint + the "No-Tip Converse Koozie"


"Big Sexxy" - a classy 20 oz'er


"The Kenzinger Cup" [front & back]


... 3 of these from Flying Fish [Cherry Hill, NJ] ...


... and 2 of these [front & back]


[NOTE: Failed attempt at a DFH :60 + Stone Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout > Black & Tan ... I couldn't make the "waterline" WHA!!!]

Notice ... Nothing from DFH, Flying Dog, Brooklyn or Stone ... Clearly more shopping/teasing to be done

On This Date

... And right about this time, ten years ago, we were on our way to the airport for a week in St. Thomas [hoping to beat the Valentine's Day crowds].

Okay, I'll Play Along

... Reluctantly, of course.

I'm sure y'all have seen the deal - Facebook's viral "25 Random Things About Me"

To spare everyone the Karmic commotion of being tagged, and the "should I or shouldn't I?" pondering that comes with any chain letter ... Without further adieu:

1. I was born in St. Louis; birthplace of Vincent Price and TS Eliot
2. I had Scarlet Fever at age four
3. I learned to drive my Grandpop’s fishing boat at age ten, because I was the only one who could be counted on to remain sober enough to dock it
4. My first job was as a paperboy; my second was in a bike shop
5. As a kid I wanted to be a fighter pilot. I applied to the Air Force Academy, but was told my eyesight was not even close to good enough to get in. Grades were fine, though.
6. I spent two weeks on the road following The Dead in High School. I would have been at the tragic Who concert in Cincinnati, if I’d gotten a ride.
7. I’m afraid of heights, but used to go up the Empire State Building and the World Trade Center with my cousin, all the time [he passed away in 1986; Donna never got to meet him]
8. No one in my family has ever seen me surf
9. I lived without a car in Philly for 7 years; after moving back to NJ, I still didn’t drive for 4 more.
10. I’ve lived in my house here in NJ longer than any one place in my whole life. We are the original owners; it is NOT haunted – I kinda wish it was, since I’ve lived in 3 haunted houses [One was a very bad spirit who hung himself in the garage; he would open and close doors, windows and drawers]
11. I’ve broken pretty much everything except my neck, my back and my hip. I think there’s no more than a 6” gap between scars, head to toe.
12. I’ve never eaten Funnel Cake and I have never attempted a Sudoku puzzle.
13. I make up my own words appropriatationally
14. I have all of my Grandpop Walt’s paintings and some of his sketchbooks. I also have some very old books from his library including turn-of-the-century volumes of Alexandre Dumas, Charles Dickens and Mark Twain. There's also a collection of science books from 1910, in which a ton of the "facts" are no longer current.
15. I have never been to DisneyWorld and have no desire to go, myself. Although Grandpa Farrell was great friends with the man I was privileged to call “Uncle Walt” … I have been to DisneyLand, though, and will take the girls to Orlando, eventually
16. I would love to learn to weld. Failing that, I’d like to create in glass. I’d love to build a hot rod, if there weren’t so damn many parts.
17. I have no tattoos, which surprises everyone I know
18. I first pierced my ear myself on December 31, 1978, just before midnight … the next day my Mom said, “Um, okay. If you’re going to wear an earring …” and we spent ½ an hour picking one out [we went with a black diamond]
19. I curse too fucking much
20. When I go to Confession [at least once during Lent and once during Advent], I don’t go to my own parish
21. I am the oldest of four brothers; the tiniest by 4” and 50 lbs. I’m also the only one who doesn’t play golf
22. I love to watch polo. Donna and I spent 3 summers following a team here in South Jersey [Hidden Pond Polo Club] before they folded in 1996. Oddly enough, I pass by that field at least 3 times a week and it’s still a horse farm – not bulldozed and developed, thank goodness.
23. I had a script written and my buddy MTB Mark were set to shoot an audition video for Survivor Australia; but I bailed when I realized I’d have been in OZ for my daughter’s first birthday. To this day, I’ll eat bugs if requested, just to entertain my kid.
24. I did stand-up once and was awful. I auditioned for QVC and was awful at that, too.
25. I prefer electric, but would like to learn to play ukulele and banjo

FWIW: My friend Alexis is exactly 4 times as random as me ... She did 100 Things about herself!!! You're awesome, kid!!!