The Road Thus Far

You haven’t heard from me since Wednesday, and even then Wicked Word Wednesday is a scheduled post – I don’t actually stay up to midnight just to hit “publish”. Unlike last week, this lapse wasn’t my fault. From noon Wednesday to 10:00 PM Friday, I was at a teacher’s conference without a stable internet connection.

Seriously, what kind of convention center doesn’t make wifi available to a three-day convention unless one is also staying in the attached hotel? It’s a teacher’s convention, people – and education has moved online. I know you offer wifi to conventions because I looked it up on your website – using my own data, I might add. But for our convention? We were told “No, you don’t have wifi unless you’ve also checked into the hotel.” After three days of this, I’m wondering if this will be a plot point in AHS: Hotel (I won’t be able to see until it comes on Netflix).

Coffe Cup with Bow TieEven the wifi in my actual hotel room was spotty; constant buffering and loading with a required new login every 45 minutes. Oh, and did I mention I only had my mobile? My laptop’s batteries bit the dust, and I’m supposed to receive a new (to me) laptop from my principal on Monday. Of course it would happen after the convention, but at least I won’t have to worry about the whole thing dying in the middle of a class. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for my projector. Oh well, improvements are improvements no matter how small.

I must say that the food was wonderful because it’s the one time of year we get to eat out wherever we want (within reason). Mexican, Chinese, and American all made the list. These foods might be good to the taste buds, but not so good for running a race, which I just did.

Yes, you read that right: I just finished my first official race in two years. I know, for a blog called “Running In My Head” I haven’t talked much about running lately. I run on my own, but had to cut out official races due to finances. Then, a few weeks ago, I got a message from a friend asking if I was interested in running a local 5k – and it was already paid for! I said yes and began training slightly more seriously. I felt good starting out, but three days of sedentary living and high-fat eating took their toll and I fell 8 minutes short of my goal. However, I had a blast running with my friends, meeting new people, and honestly – it was a beautiful fall day for running. I daresay it was the best 5k I’ve ever run (apart from the time, but that’s my fault).

Bridge Run 5k Map Bridge Run 5k Results

I finished 57th overall and 6th in my division (male ages 25-29). I looked at the winning times for my division, and I can totally place – maybe even win – next year. Now that I’ve said so, karma will deflate my hubris.

The reception area was also superb – I had my first Monster energy drink (Banana flavor, Muscle variety) and my first post-race massage. The massage was given by our local Sports Medicine clinic, and I felt great afterwards; in addition to helping my calves, they prescribed yoga. Yes, yoga. We’ll see.

The next few weeks will be busy with school events, so I may not post as much as I’d like. Then NaNoWriMo kicks off, and I’m planning an entire month of scheduled posts. My life is punctuated with long stretches of boredom followed immediately by several weeks of insanity.

 


 

Whatever you’re up to, have fun doing it!

 


 

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Monday Morning Grievance: Schedule, Interrupted

It’s Monday and I haven’t had my coffee.

Monday Morning Grievances Logo 1

Despite keeping up with the blog during hurricane-like weather, I didn’t post anything the last few days.

No Free Write Friday

No Uncensored Saturday

I was going to write about gun control again, but I found myself baited into an online argument against an individual who lacked the skill set necessary for debate. Specifically, the individual lacked basic literacy and reading comprehension skills; at least, that was my conclusion based on his so-called “evidence”. After that, I needed to clear my head so I went and bought a banana pudding milkshake and binge-watched some Netflix.

No Sunday Snapshots

To be fair, you’ve already seen my photographs if you read the blog last Monday.

No Wicked Word Wednesday winner

This will be remedied around noon(ish) today

So, I’m just generally annoyed at my own tendency toward laziness after a somewhat strenuous week and with the prospect of a long weekend ahead of me.

What annoys you?


Have a suggestion for a poem, photograph, or future post?

Drop a note in the prompt box!

Don’t forget to follow me on:

Facebook – where I share news stories, articles from other blogs, and various and sundry miscellany that happens to catch my eye. It’s stuff you won’t see here! Well, mostly.

Instagram – where I show you my Life in Motion and share quotes and such. The widget only shows my last three photographs – don’t you want to see them all?

Twitter – where you can see my thoughts in 140 characters or less. Also, funny retweets.

Don’t Cross the Boundary

If you follow American news, you know a storm battered the Southeast this week. Krystal called it “a hurricane without the hurricane.” Schools shut down and businesses closed early as roads went underwater. On Monday, I took some video and photographs to make this montage:

On returning from my rainy journey, I felt this photograph best fit the “boundary” challenged via the Daily Post:

Orange Barrier Cone

 


 

Have a suggestion for a poem, photograph, or future post?

Drop a note in the prompt box!

 

Don’t forget to follow me on:

Facebook – where I share news stories, articles from other blogs, and various and sundry miscellany that happens to catch my eye. It’s stuff you won’t see here! Well, mostly.

Instagram – where I show you my Life in Motion and share quotes and such. The widget only shows my last three photographs – don’t you want to see them all?

Twitter – where you can see my thoughts in 140 characters or less. Also, funny retweets.

Monday Morning Grievance: Hair

It’s Monday and I haven’t had my coffee.

Monday Morning Grievances Logo 1

I do not like my hair. Let me explain.

The hair on my head is currently long – and I know, it’s entirely my own fault for not going to the barber and having it cut. I’ve gone to the same barber for almost seven years; for 5 years before that, I cut my own hair (Krystal put an end to that once we were married); and I went to the same barber in Pennsylvania for the 18-odd years before that. My long hair itches, it gets in my eyes, and it doesn’t actually look long as it does matted (think ungroomed English sheepdog). It’s worse now, for as much as I love Autumn I detest the seasonal scalp itch it brings with it. Each year I vow not to scratch my head bloody; so far I’ve lost that bet. Maybe this year will be different. Maybe.

Beard Measuring T-ShirtAnd then there’s my facial hair. I love my facial hair and despise shaving, so it all works out. If I could have my way, I’d grow my hair to “Professor” level as seen in the handy guide on the left. However, I do not have my way. Krystal despises beards and – like the hair on my head – my Van Dyke refuses to grow long; instead, it insists on growing like a thick tangle of brambles into a matted, knotted mess. As mush as I love my facial hair, I really dislike eating it. Trichophagia isn’t my cup of  tea coffee.

Did I mention I despise shaving? I hate the feel of razor on skin, I hate the slick feel of the shaving cream, I always leave stubble behind – and not good “dashing” stubble, but oddly placed and spaced “idiot” stubble. Shaving is one of my least favorite personal hygiene activities. Only cuticle trimming is worse – weird, I know, but it’s my dislike so I’m allowed to have it.

 

What annoys you?

 


 

Have a suggestion for a poem, photograph, or future post?

Drop a note in the prompt box!

 

Don’t forget to follow me on:

Facebook – where I share news stories, articles from other blogs, and various and sundry miscellany that happens to catch my eye. It’s stuff you won’t see here! Well, mostly.

Instagram – where I show you my Life in Motion and share quotes and such. The widget only shows my last three photographs – don’t you want to see them all?

Twitter – where you can see my thoughts in 140 characters or less. Also, funny retweets.

Sunday Snapshots

It seems I haven’t seen the sun in a week; maybe because I haven’t. The sky cleared just enough last Sunday to view the Super Blood Moon Eclipse, but perhaps it wasn’t the best idea to read Lovecraft under such a sky – the rain continues to fall, the water continues to rise, and the weatherman predicts more over the next days.

Now, I tried taking pictures of said eclipse, but my iPhone doesn’t take great moon photos – shocking, I know.

So, what else happened this week?
 
Several of my history students presented projects centered on the Thirteen American Colonies; as part of that project, they cooked a meal and dipped candles:

Venison and Potato Stew with Greens and Spiced Cider

Beeswax Candles with Red Dye

 
Then, it was time to celebrate National Coffee Day:

IMG_4136

You wouldn’t know to look at it, but this medium dark roast with two cream and two sugar was FREE!

 
The celebrations continued – despite the rain – with the First Day of October!

For Krystal: Chi Frappuccino

For Me: Salted Carmel Mocha Latte

 
Finally, here’s a random picture of stuff left in my pockets at the end of the day:

IMG_4148
 
Oh, and I didn’t forget about the rain:

 

What did you do this week?


 

Do you have a suggestion for a poem, photograph, or future post?

Drop a note in the prompt box!

 

Don’t forget to follow me on:

Facebook – where I share news stories, articles from other blogs, and various and sundry miscellany that happens to catch my eye. It’s stuff you won’t see here! Well, mostly.

Instagram – where I show you my Life in Motion and share quotes and such. The widget only shows my last three photographs – don’t you want to see them all?

Twitter – where you can see my thoughts in 140 characters or less. Also, funny retweets.

This Rain is Ruining the First Days of Autumn

rain on window screenThe rain comes falls down and the water rises up. It was kind of nice at first: a calm, gentle rain – the kind that beats a calming staccato on tin roofs. One week later, the storm is a bad guest that won’t take the hint. It’s October; it’s supposed to be Autumn. Instead of preparing bonfires, raking leaves, and planning pumpkin carving, we should have built an ark. We should have been able to wander about in the cool fall evenings; instead, the parks are closed and I’ve been sent home early due to flooding. Ah well, a longer weekend to prepare for my classes. Oh, who am I kidding? I’ll binge on Netflix while power eating my way through our supply of “emergency snacks” and browsing the internet. I may even tackle that reading pile. If the rain keeps up, it’s entirely possible we won’t have school Monday. Thank goodness Hurricane Joaquin has made a right turn into the Atlantic – just so long as he doesn’t gain strength and circle back ’round with a vengeance.

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