Happy Friday Run

How about a Running Commentary post instead of my usual Lame Post Friday?  For one reason, I ran.  For another reason, the Utica Boilermaker 15K is one week and two days away; it is just about time for this blog to become All Boilermaker All The Time.

It was dreadfully warm at work today.  When I left the building at lunch time to pick up a prescription (at The Medicine Shoppe in Ilion, a great place to do business with), it was even more oppressive outdoors.  Yikes.  But I had only run Sunday and Wednesday this week (don’t judge me).  It would be a really good idea to run.  Rumor had it there would be a terrific storm right about the time I was scheduled to leave work.  Of course I don’t believe everything I hear.  Anyways, if there was thunder and lightning, I could run in place on the mini-tramp while watching my DVD of Nosferatu (regular readers may remember how I am obsessed with that silent vampire movie from 1922).

When I left work, it was raining a nice, gentle rain, which had cooled things off nicely.

“This is great,” I said to the co-worker I walked out with.  “I can totally run in this!”  My plan was made.

First I had a couple of stops to make.  As I got to them, the rain began to pour down in a most torrential fashion.  I was drenched before I entered the first stop.  Of course, due to my odd personality quirk, I laugh at such weather, so it was really no problem getting drenched.  I bet the cashier at the second store that it would stop raining by the time I got home.  And, what do you know, it did. I happily put on my running clothes and got going.

The first thing I noticed was that the lovely coolness I had enjoyed as I left work was gone.  The sun was hot and the humidity was back.  Never mind that, I told myself.  Just run.

I took off down German Street, turning right, because I had turned left on Wednesday’s run.  I headed toward the HARC building, because I wanted to check out the new playground behind it.  They had their grand opening recently, but I have not been there since it was a work in progress.  It seemed to take a long time to get to the end of German Street.  I persevered, dodging around the puddles and trying to ignore the humidity.  I concentrated on running smoothly and taking deep, full breaths.

The playground looks pretty good.  I entered through the archway and started around the blacktop path that surrounds it.  There are a few exercise stations.  Cool!  I’ll have to come back and try them. I’ve been meaning to incorporate different exercises into my workout.

I was able to continue a slow, steady pace without too much discomfort.  I did not reach the “I Can Rock This” stage, but neither was my body crying out for me to for the love of God stop running.  I made it for a full half hour.  Perhaps a longer run, with a few hills, would have been a good idea, especially given the proximity of the Boilermaker.  However, I plan to run again first thing in the morning.   I’ll see how bad-ass of a run I can do then.

After my run, a shower felt great, and a glass of chocolate milk tasted delicious.  Now I have finished my blog post, so that is another chore done.  I think it is time to commence celebrating my weekend.  Maybe I’ll watch Nosferatu.  Happy Friday, everyone.

 

Where’s Gene Wilder When You Need Him?

When in doubt, go for monsters, that’s my motto.  I was so determined to write a real post while on breaks at work today, but once again, it just did not work out.   Being in rather a sad way brain- and spirit-wise (and also pressed for time), I look for pictures.  Having no luck on Facebook, even on my go-to pages, I looked at what we have downloaded on our laptop, hoping my dear husband, Steven, had downloaded something new.  I think this one must have been there a while since it is from one of our favorite movies.

“This is a good boy!”

I feel a little bit like Peter Boyle in this shot:  in need of some TLC.  For the uninitiated (and I feel sorry for any who are), this is Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein, starring the wonderful Gene Wilder and Peter Boyle (plus a number of other wonderful actors).  Dr. Frankenstein is attempting to tame the monster with love.  Does he meet with success?  Ah, that would be telling, and I did not include a spoiler alert.  If you haven’t watched the movie, I advise you to watch it.  If you have watched the movie, watch it again!  It’s fun!

I don’t know, I kind of liked the title Grave Robbers from Outer Space.

This is the other download that caught my eye.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: this is NOT the worse movie ever made!  It holds my interest and entertains.

Well, this is frustrating.  I was looking for a picture of Ed Wood, or of Johnny Depp playing Ed Wood in the movie of that title, to round out my post.  However, my laptop is refusing to download anything.  What the hell, computer? Oh, I suppose it is operator error as usual.  That is the story of my life, Operator Error!  I even made a typo on “Error” just now but corrected it (I hope). We’ll call this a Non-Sequitur Thursday and drive on.

I have to get to rehearsal for The Tempest, you know, that play I’m in with LiFT Theatre Company in Little Falls. Maybe I can write about that tomorrow.

 

 

Or Words to That Effect

I believe I have already used the title, “Crap, I Have to Make a Blog Post!”  I don’t have time to check.  I don’t have time to do much of anything except to type frantically and hope to get at at least 200 words before my ride to rehearsal gets here.

In my defense…  I have no defense (used that as a title, too).   I worked ten hours then went running.  OK, I didn’t do anything else useful.  No writing on breaks at work.  I studied my lines for The Tempest (the rehearsal I’ll be going to), but I can’t say I know them.  I don’t think I can even pretend I know them, and I like to think I’m a pretty good actor.

Be all that as it may (and I suppose it may), I seem to have stopped typing frantically.  Now I am typing slowly.  Then I stopped.  Oh, how dreadful.

I started a new novel recently.  Today is the first day I have not written anything on it. However, it is only 5:22 p.m. according to my laptop (17:22 according to my wrist watch).  I have time.  Shall I tell you anything about the novel?  NO!!!  If I tell you about it, I may not write it.  As it is, I may have already said too much.

And I have just gone over 200 words.  Maybe they were 200 stupid words.  I’m not a genius, I’m just a silly blogger (that is a paraphrase of a line from the movie Soapdish.  Sally Fields says, “I had my reasons.  Maybe they were stupid reasons. Hell, I’m not a genius, I’m just a working actress!”) (the quote might not be exact).

I think my ride is here.   We’ll call today’s bit of nonsense a Wuss-out Wednesday post.

 

 

When in Vermont

I promised you a pretty post in the near future , and here it is.  Full disclosure (there’s no colon on this dumb Tablet!  Grrrrr!) I’m typing on Mt Tablet with the stylus.  It is not easy, but I will persevere.

I LOVE libraries!

This is Martha Canfield Library in Arlington, VT, which has saved my blogging bacon on several occasions.  Who knew you could just sit outside a library and get on the Internet, even when it isn’t open?  Oh, you probably knew.

Of course I prefer to be inside the library.  This is a really nice one, too.  I’ll have to take some inside pictures on a future visit.  In the meantime, here are the pictures I took outside.

Isn’t he handsome?

Naturally I wanted to get a shot of my husband, Steven.  We found this spot had the least glare.  It was quite a sunny day.

I don’t know who Jean Woodman is.

This is embarrassing.  I did not get any shots of the flowers, just the plaque.

Not surprisingly, I don’t know what mountain this is either.

When in Vermont, one sees plenty of mountains.  I guess I could have gotten a few more pictures of them.  In my defense, it is not easy taking pictures with a Tablet on a bright sunny day (cue jokes about how the day was bright but I wasn’t).

One last note (again with the no colon!) I have succeeded in typing in this entire post on my Tablet with the stylus.  Once again, I triumph.

 

Murder on Monday

Don’t get your hopes up;  I haven’t murdered anybody.  However, I have Agatha Christie on the mind today.  Why not muse about murder on Mental Meanderings Monday?  Yes, sometimes I just can’t help myself with the alliteration.  Well, here is a title with no alliteration: Death on the Nile.  It is one of my favorite movies.

I could only find a picture of the book. Sorry.

The movie is really a very good adaptation.  The book has a lot more characters and complications.  It is a little too much for me to compare/contrast right now.

OK, I guess it’s time for me to admit, this is another foolish post.  I can’t help it.  I’m tired, I have a headache, it was a difficult weekend.  No matter.  I shall post what I can and drive on.  I’ve been on the Agatha Christie Facebook page looking for pictures to share.  I fear I have not had much luck.

It was originally published under the title of 10 Little [something politically incorrect].

This is another movie adaptation which takes liberties.  I have seen a few versions of this, as well as acting in on on the Ilion Little Theatre stage.  I like it.

Now I must find one more picture to share, because I like to include three.  Hmmm….

Diana Rigg, Maggie Smith and Denis Quilley.

Pay dirt!  Here is a divine photo from Evil Under the Sun, another very good adaptation.  I will write another post discussing what makes a good adaptation and why I like these.  Today, I’m afraid it is beyond me.  I think I’ll go watch a couple of movies.

 

Not a Pretty Post on Wrist to Forehead Sunday

It is Wrist to Forehead Sunday, indeed.  Although, I must admit, my quality of life is improving as I see these words appearing on my laptop screen:  black on white, readable, yes.

I am sitting on the concrete in front of the Martha Canfield Library.  I have been maneuvering myself around trying to get where the sun will not render my screen unreadable.  Oh, how I long for the comforts of home!  Just kidding.  This is not a bad place to be at all.  It is neither too warm nor too cold to be out of doors, and knowing that I am in such close proximity to many books does my heart good.  Yes, the doors are locked so that I do not have actual access to said books.  I just like knowing that they are there.

As you may have guessed this is another one of my Posts For The Sake of Making a Post posts, which is kind of the same thing as a Why I Can’t Make a Post post, but I just now came up with a different way of saying it.  In fact, I am not going to tell you why I can’t make a post today.  I’m not even going to apologize for not making a good post.  However, I will offer this consolation prize:  I might use my Tablet to take a few pictures of Vermont, so a post in the near future might be pretty.  No promises, but I’ll do my best.

I hope you are all having a lovely weekend.

 

Another Post in Haste

Or posthaste, if you like to use old fashioned words (and I do).  I don’t know if I will have time to make a real post later, so I’m going to write a few words now.  Who knows, if I have a chance to get on the internet later, I may post again.  It isn’t likely, though, knowing me (and I do).

So this will make three silly posts in a row (some would use other adjectives; feel free to embellish), after three “real” posts in a row.  Will this be a pattern?  Nah, I’ll just continue to go with the flow, as always.  Oh, this is simply dreadful.  I begin writing a post, because I want to get it done NOW, and I don’t have a damn thing to say.  How embarrassing!  I would even say mortifying!  Or humiliating!  And I don’t even have a thesaurus handy.

Speaking of thesaurus and words, does anybody know the word that means offended but is stronger?  You know, like “mortified” is stronger than “embarrassed.”  I was trying to think of it the other day and came up blank.  The next day I came up with “outraged,” but that wasn’t quite right either, because you can become outraged at a true injustice not only a perceived slight (incidentally, the thing I was more than offended about was not perceived, it was a slight).  I thought of “mortified,” too, but, as mentioned earlier, that is more embarrassed than offended.  I think I may have thought of another one as well, but that one escapes me.  Hey, I’ve only had one cup of coffee this morning.

Ooh, look at that; I’m over 250 words.  Goody! So what do you think: intro, foolish paragraph, paragraph that might (or might not, I admit) amuse.  I’ll call that a post.  Now I’ll hasten on to the other crap I have to get done.  Happy Saturday, everyone!

 

A Post to Remember (or Not, Whatever)

 

Is this the sequel or the prequel to I Dismember Mama?

I did not think I would post lame today.  I thought I would make a Running Commentary, because I was determined to run, a long run, a hard run, a run to get ready for the Boilermaker!  And I did run a long(ish), difficult run.  So there.  But now I’m feeling tired and discouraged and I just want to make a silly post and get on with my weekend.  At first I thought, “Well, I can’t do the picture thing two days in a row.”  Then I remembered there were a couple of pictures I downloaded yesterday but didn’t use.  Such as the above.  I’m not sure if that is an actual movie or not.  If I was a real blogger, I would look such a thing up on some website that I really ought to know about.  And here we come to the ugly truth about me.

Now there’s a shady tree!

Isn’t this a stylish pic?  I love the tree with the big eye and the zombies in the background.  The woman reminds me a little bit of Andrew Wyeth’s “Christina’s World,”  of which we have a print on the wall.  It is  different angle but a very similar position.  Now that I am sitting here looking at our print the differences become more glaring.  Oh dear, now the right thing to do is to find a picture of “Christina’s World” to share.

I should have just taken a picture of Steven’s print on our wall. Silly me.

While searching for this, I found many take-offs, homages and parodies of the shot, as well as a few pictures of the actual house.  I found it very interesting.  I’ll have to look for a biography of Andrew Wyeth to read.

Another movie for me to seek out. So much cheese, so little time.

I shall end with another picture from the B-Movie Mania Facebook page.  They were having a two-fer Tuesday earlier this week.  I find that rather delicious.  However, today is Friday, the day I post lame.  I hope everyone is having a delightful evening.

 

Where’s My Head At?

OK, so I had three real Mohawk Valley posts this week.  You didn’t think that was going to continue, did you?  I didn’t.  Anyways, today I’m tired and hungry and haven’t gotten all my stuff done yet (not whining, just giving you the picture).  I just went through a couple of pages on Facebook looking for fun pictures I could share.  The pictures may seem unrelated and my commentary disjointed, but, hey, it’s Non-Sequitur Thursday.  Just go with it!

I went first to a page I recently Liked (actually, more than Like, I LOVE) B-Movie Mania.   While scrolling down, seeing all kinds of cool stuff, I noticed the poster to one a great cheesy movie I saw years before I ever wrote about them or even blogged about anything, The Thing with Two Heads.

I always thought it should be called The Guy with Two Heads.

If I ever come across that movie in cable or find it on DVD, I’ll write a blog post about it.  It’s fun!

In my search for more fun pictures, I discovered a new (to me) Facebook page called the  Trash Cinema Collective.  Ooh, do they have a lot of fun stuff!  Where to begin?

It’s one of those movie posters that looks like it could be the cover to a pulp fiction paperback from the ’50’s.

Ah, if only I had see this movie when I was young and straitlaced.  I might have gotten some tips on how to be more popular with the boys.

Another instruction manual from which I may have benefited.

I finish with an actual pulp fiction paperback cover.  I once had a catalog of a company that sold post cards of these covers.  I sent away for some and eventually sent them all to folks who appreciated them. How I wish I still had the catalog and could order more!  Hey, I wonder if they are online?  Is everybody online?  Once again, I show my internet ignorance.

On the brighter side, I see that I am over 300 words.  I call that respectable for a Non-Sequitur Thursday.

 

Last Cup Till Fall

I forgot to write about Coffee with a Cop!  I’ve written about the program before. It takes place on the first Saturday of the month.  A police officer or officers who are on duty but not busy meet with any interested community members. We have coffee and treats, and we talk.  The meetings take place at various locations, such as churches or the library.  On Saturday, June 6, we met at Trinity Lutheran Church, 443 Henry St., Herkimer, with Officer Tiffany Hill and Herkimer Police Chief Michael Jory.

The idea of the meetings is to foster a better relationship between the police and the community. Discussions often cover a variety of topics.  Officer Hill talked about Community Policing, getting to know the people she protects.  Recently she had attended a parade and danced with kids in Meyers Park.  She was at a local school one lunch time and ended up signing autographs (nobody at the meeting was bold enough to ask for one).

She also told us about a foot pursuit where she ran across State Street and caught the guy.  Apparently somebody had leaned out of their apartment window to record it and posted the video on YouTube.  Some of those present had seen it. Oh, I missed a bet.  I should have found it and posted a link.  It was an exciting story.

“My job is so boring,” I grumbled.  Please note:  I don’t really mind; I can live with a little boredom.

We talked a bit about Main Street’s bad reputation, which I feel is not entirely deserved.  As with many such things, there is some truth and some exaggeration involved.  I said I would stubbornly continue to walk and run on Main Street when I felt like it.  Nobody seemed to think this was a bad idea.

I love my adopted hometown of Herkimer, but I know there is room for improvement. I like to think that Coffee with a Cop is a step in the right direction.  The program is taking a break for the summer but will restart in the fall.  I’ll be watching for fliers and scanning the newspapers to see when and where, as I hope others will be, too.