Tag Archives: running commentary

Purple Prose about Purple Clothes

It has been another Saturday where I have not done enough to warrant a Scattered Saturday post, and I have waited too long after my run to make a decent Running Commentary post (my run wasn’t such a much anyways).  Instead I offer another Getting Ready post (which I need to come up with a better name for).  At least I am amused myself by my gyrations in finding something to wear.  Others can point and laugh or roll their eyes in self-satisfied superiority.  Whatever floats your boat. I try not to judge.

Tonight’s Event is Purple in the Park with the Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs in Little Falls, NY.   The aim is to all wear purple to raise awareness of the March of Dimes.  Regular readers may remember that I dressed as a wizard to participate in the March for Babies.  I was not a purple wizard, although I guess I could have been. I briefly considered wearing the purple graduation gown that was my back-up wizard costume to tonight’s event.  Then I decided to dress like a normal person, or as much of a normal person as possible.  After all, I can only work with what the Good Lord gave me.

I wanted to wear a large purple t-shirt with some bright-colored shorts I’ve had for years.  Alas, I could not find one.  That’s what I get for falling behind on my laundry. I knew I had a purple patterned button-down shirt that would work.  Could I find that?  Of course not!  I nervously eyed the clock and wondered if I had enough time to do a load of laundry.  I did not.  In searching for some purple, any purple, I found the button-down shirt.  Yes!  I even went so far as to iron it.

What pants to wear?  The shirt looks better untucked, so baggy shorts would not make me happy.  Spandex would be OK, since the shirt covers my fat butt (don’t judge).  I sent Steven out to my car, where my knee-length grey bicycle shorts were.  Full-disclosure:  they have been in a bag with other work-out clothes in my vehicle for about two weeks now, waiting for me to go to the YMCA after work.  In my defense, many of the days I have not gone to the Y, I have gone running.  Anyways, this is not a fitness post, stop judging my work-out habits or lack thereof.

Naturally I was able to find three purple earrings (I have three ear piercings) (cue jokes about holes in my head).  Yes, they all had to do with wine.  As they say, I gotta be me.  I was delighted to also find purple ankle socks.  I hope my blue little canvas sneakers do not clash too wildly, but it seems to warm for black sneaks and my white ones are too ratty.

For more information on tonight’s event, click on the link above.  If anybody local reads this in time, come on out!  Wear purple if you can; if not, at least you can cheer on the Diamond Dawgs!

 

Non-Sequitur Nosferatu

I just this minute thought of that headline and now I am going to write the post about it.  But first, a picture.

Waaaait a minute! Is he stepping out into the sunlight?

This is the first picture of Nosferatu, the man of the hour, that I came across in my Media Library.  I’m not sure I can explain my obsession with this guy, but I hope my readers enjoy it.  I mean, who doesn’t love a vampire?  Oh, I know, YOU probably don’t (you know who you are).

Who took the panes out of the window! You’ll let all the vampires in!

There is really no excuse for me to have a Non-Sequitur Thursday post.  I went for a run so could have done a Running Commentary.  I went to a wine tasting at Valley Wine and Liquor that would have (and may still) make a dandy post.  Or I could have done a Preview of Coming Attractions on this weekend (including some of the great stuff I am probably going to miss!).  Then again, if I offered an excuse, it would probably be a lame excuse.  We can’t have that; it’s not Lame Post Friday till tomorrow!

A profile. Perhaps not as distinguished as John Barrymore’s, but you can’t have everything.

The beauty part about writing a personal blog is that I don’t really have to answer to anybody.  Of course I hope to entertain my readers, and I think sometimes I do.  But ultimately it is my blog that I do for me, by me, by my rules, which I make up pretty much as I go along.  I forgot where I was going with the paragraph.

I love his coat. I wonder if I could find that in my size.

I think I have one more picture of the undead guy in my Media Library.

Who? Me?

I think this one is my favorite.  He just looks so surprised.  Apparently he was not expecting company for dinner.

 

Snapped, Wine, Who Cares If I’m Lame?

I read on Facebook that it is National Wine Day.  Of course, I believe very little of what I read on the internet. However, I decided to give Facebook the benefit of the doubt and poured myself a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon.  Ooh, do I love Cabernet Sauvignon!  After one sip, I returned to Facebook and typed in a status saying so.

Another thing I read on Facebook was a promo by Oxygen, sharing all these tweets from people saying how their Sundays involve wine and Snapped.  I was naturally inclined to believe this, since that is how many of my Sundays progress.  How pleasant to feel that I am not alone in my tastes!  Then I thought, why should Sunday have all the fun?  Snapped is on Oxygen as I type and sip.  Aaaahhh…. Friday.

Additionally, it is the Friday beginning a three-day weekend for me.  Alas, my dear husband works all three days, as I’m sure others do as well.  Please do not attempt to shame me.  I intend to enjoy my days off with a minimum of guilt.

I am, unfortunately, feeling a trifle guilty about my continued foolish posts.  Lame Post Friday, of course, is my beloved institution, but this has been a bad blogging week for me.  I thought briefly about making another Running Commentary post, since I went running again.  Yay me, running two days in a row! I DESERVE this delicious glass of wine!

In the meantime, one episode of Snapped is getting over and another about to begin.  I prefer to watch and knit over continuing my Lame Friday Post.  For another reason, foolish posts should at least be brief.  Happy Friday, everybody.

 

Not Running Commentary

I was not going to run today.  I was going to mow the lawn.  Since I am unable to start the power mower, this would mean pushing the manual up and down the yard many times.  I thought that would be great exercise. I put a load of laundry in, so I could multi-task.  I put some sunscreen on my arms, found my crazy old lady hat, got myself a bottle of water, and out I went.  This was going to be great!

And I’m sure it would have been.  If only I was strong enough to open the damn garage door!  Now, this door has always been tough to open.  I have usually been able to manage it one heft at a time.  Well, today, I would heft it, then as I was positioning myself for another HEAVE, back down it would come.  Hard!  I mean, it felt as if something was inside the garage actively pushing that door back down on me.  Perhaps I am being fanciful, but I was frankly unable to open that door.

Then I couldn’t even relieve my frustration by slamming the house door as I went back inside, because it is hanging crookedly on its hinges.  The screws loosen up over time.  Tightening them is better done as a two-person job: one to hold the door, one to tighten the screws, and Steven and I never seem to remember to do it when we are both home.  So that I could at least get something done, I grabbed the screwdrivers (I need both Phillips-head and flat) and got the hinges somewhat tightened.  Then I didn’t feel like slamming the door any more.

I sulked around on the computer while the washing machine ran.  I wasn’t just screwing around; I had to contact my theatre friends about Saturday’s endeavor (perhaps you read my blog post about it).  I knew I should try to get something useful done, but I felt too annoyed about the garage door.  It does not take much to knock the ambition right out of me; judge me if you must.  Before I knew it, it was time to put the laundry in the drier.  I took the few things that didn’t go in the drier upstairs to put on the wooden rack.  I figured I might as well take my shower.

So there I was, ready to turn on the shower and feeling pretty useless and pathetic, when I thought, “Oh hell, why don’t I just run?”  So I did.  I thought I would make a Running Commentary blog post.  However, when I sat down at my computer and began to type, this is what came out.  Go figure!  I think I’ll call it a Non-Sequitur Thursday post and drive on.  I hope to see you all tomorrow, when Mohawk Valley Girl says, “Welcome to another Lame Post Friday!”  Or words to that effect.

 

The Ghost of Christmas Post?

“I wear the chain I forged in life!”

I like ghosts as much as I like monsters, so A Christmas Carol is one of my favorite Christmas stories.   My husband Steven and I have 14 versions of it, on DVD and VHS.  I just now counted, and it is possible I missed a couple.  It is also possible we will discover another version to add to the collection.  Steven shared the above photo on Facebook today; alas, we do not own that comic book.

As you may have guessed, this is a Tired Tuesday post.  I tried for a Running Commentary and a Mohawk Valley adventure, but I have the type it in, backspace it out disease. I confess,  I almost gave up.  Then I remembered this picture, and it seems to be helping.  I am over 100 words and still typing.

“Glo-o-o-o-o-oo-o-o-o-o-oo-o-o-o-o-oo-ria!”

I don’t think these are actually characters in the book, but don’t they look Dickensian?  I was once writing a stage version of A Christmas Carol, and I had a group of carolers narrate the story.  I wonder if I could get Ilion Little Theatre or LiFT to put it on, if I finished it.  Well, probably if I started it again and finished it, because I rather doubt I could find what I started.  It was in the 1990’s.

“God bless us, every one!”

I used this picture in a recent post, but I thought it fit in with today’s theme.    I see I am over 200 words, so I will call this a post.  Ooh, I’m tired.  I hope to see you all on Wednesday, when I will strive not to Wuss Out.

 

Tired, But I Ran!

I have been trying to get back into the running habit, with some small amount of success.  I ran two consecutive weekend days, took yesterday off, and managed to run today.  Having written no blog post earlier (I DID write while on break and work AND after I got home, but it was not a blog post, sorry), I will attempt a Running Commentary, even as the little devil on my shoulder (you know, like they used to show on the cartoons, angel on one shoulder, devil on the other?) is whispering, “Tired Tuesday!  Make it another Tired Tuesday! You qualify!  You deserve it!”

Ahem, trying not to be distracted, I continue.  It was chilly and foggy this morning, but this afternoon was one of those when Mother Nature reminds us that it is still summer, even in the Mohawk Valley. I prefer to run in the fall weather.  I told myself that it certainly was not in the 80s, which I have run in, so I should just get out there and do it.  So I did.

Very slowly.

I had gone about three steps when I began to wish I had remembered to stretch before running.  I have gotten out of the habit of stretching before a run.  It is hard enough for me to start running anyways; I figured stretching was just more time for me to talk myself out of it (although full disclosure:  I have never talked myself out of running once the sports bras were on or even out of the drawer).  Additionally:  most sources say you should run in place for a minute and then stretch.  Oh, that is way too much trouble.  I thought, I begin running slowly, that will be my warm up.  And it has worked all right.  However, lately I have been thinking a few little stretches before the run might be a good thing to do.  Only now I am out of the habit.  Oh, the trials and tribulations!

So today I thought, should I pause right now and stretch?  I had just waved at a couple of neighbors sitting on their front porch, so I felt self-conscious.  Then again, they probably would not think anything of it.  Then again, stopping running was what I wanted to do more than anything else just then, so I was afraid of my ability to begin again once stopped.  I kept going.

It was soon apparent that I was not up to a long run.  That was OK, I told myself.  This was a mid-week run.  Twenty minutes was all right.  Just enough to get a little exercise, stay in the running habit.  No problem.  Oh, but it took a long time.  And it was warm.  Every bit of shade I ran through, I appreciated.  Of course I have had much hotter runs, and certainly more humid runs.  I have had runs where my feet, knees and back hurt more, where I have been longer without running, where it has been more difficult to breathe.

In short, I need to count my blessings.  I ended up running for 30 minutes.  This is how long I was running last week.  Sunday I upped the time by the recommended 10 percent to 33 minutes.   Oh, don’t shake your head at me and ask if I couldn’t possibly have lasted three minutes more!  Maybe I could have.  And maybe that three minutes would have tired me out so much that I really would have had a Tired Tuesday post, after NOT getting done the writerly chores I finished before making this post.

I’m going to call that a win.  I hope to see you all on Wuss-out Wednesday, for which I will make no promises.

 

Next Up: Portrait of Dorian Gray

He was really a beautiful man, in addition to be a marvelous actor.

I had thought I might do a Running Commentary post.  I ran in place on the mini-tramp while watching the silent Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde with the inimitable John Barrymore (I adore the Barrymores).  Then I was on Facebook and came across a movie poster I just had to download.  Well, I can’t just download it, can I?  I have to use it.  So this is Non-Sequitur Thursday after all (I thought after yesterday’s schizophrenic post, such a thing would be inappropriate, but I am ever one to go with the flow).  There is a bit of a theme, at least, because I am sharing all old movie posters stolen from Facebook.

What’s a guy like Joseph Cotten doing in a movie like this?

I have never heard of this movie, but what a title!  What a poster!  I should probably get on one of those streaming services (or whatever they are; you know technologically ignorant I am) where I can find all these obscure, old titles.  Oh, the blog posts I could write!

Ooh, a double feature!

I may have seen The Incredible Petrified World.  The title seems familiar, and I’m sure I have seen any number of cheesy movies involving women trapped in underground caverns or some such (you know how little attention I actually pay).  When I get a chance, I’ll look through my DVD collection and see if it’s there.  If so, I’ll have to watch it again and see what I remember.  I’ll let you know.

Oh Bela, how I love you!

I have definitely heard of this one but never seen it.  However, the person that shared it (on one the monster movie pages I follow), said there was a freaky, ambiguous ending.  I must add this of my list of movies to check out.

What I’m wondering now is, do you suppose there are readers who wish I had never learned how to download and share pictures?  A point to ponder on Lame Post Friday.  I hope everybody will continue to tune in.

 

Love that John Quinones

As I drove home from work, I thought to myself, “Windy, isn’t it?”  Naturally I answered, “No, I think it’s Thursday,” followed by, “So am I, let’s get a drink.”  And now I am sipping a Corona while watching 20/20 on OWN.  I used to have the rule to neither do homework nor write while watching television, but now that I am older and it becomes increasingly clear that I am becoming no wiser, I do some things I  never used to do.

Where was I?  I did not get distracted by the television but by typing in a paragraph that I backspaced out.  I hope I am not starting another bout of that disease! I grit my teeth and keep typing.  Then I relax my jaw, because gritting one’s teeth is a bad habit.  I grind mine in my sleep, which is a very bad thing to do, but I can’t seem to help it.  Never mind my teeth, let’s get on with the post.  Did I mention this is Non-Sequitur Thursday?

My blog this week seems to be: pictures, running commentary, pictures, today.  So I ran earlier, thinking I could get away with another Running Commentary.  Which is too bad, because when I was on Facebook earlier, I saw a picture I would LOVE to use in a blog post.  Perhaps another time.  However, the fact is, I am not up to typing in a description of a run.  I will mention that it was longer than Tuesday’s run, that I was delighted that it stopped raining so I could run outdoors, and… OK, I guess that’s all I need to mention.

I did not mention, and WordPress did not remind me, that I recently passed my Blogiversary.  Six years ago, I started Mohawk Valley Girl.  With rare exceptions, I have posted every day.  Isn’t that swell?  I suppose there are those that do not think so, but, well, they can think what they like.  In the meantime, I want to start making more posts about the Mohawk Valley.  Perhaps I could start tomorrow. On the other hand, it will be Lame Post Friday, so I make no promises.  However, I hope you’ll tune in. Happy Thursday, everyone.

 

Not Really Like a Real Writer

I actually started writing a blog post while on break at work today.  It was a Running Commentary about my run on Sunday.  I had written almost half a page and hadn’t even gotten on the road yet when break ended.  While I worked, I thought of a way better lead than what I had.  Cool beans, I thought.  I’m editing and everything, just like a real writer!  At the next break, I skipped a line and started to write the new lead.

No, wait, that wasn’t what I had thought.  No, this is a better way to say it.  No, don’t put it that way….

So I spent the rest of the break solving cryptogram puzzles I cut out of the Telegram.

On the other hand, it is Middle-aged Musing Monday or perhaps Mental Meanderings Monday, in other words, a day I sometimes let myself off the hook.  It occurs to me that I am spending entirely too much time off the hook lately, but I am not sure how to fix the problem.  I keep trying to jump back on the hook and missing.  What an awkward metaphor, anyway, “on the hook.”  What am I, a pirate?

I know, I know:  the answer first, last and always is to just keep writing.  After I publish this nonsense, I shall work on another project.  Then I might even take another crack at that Running Commentary.

Hey, I just remembered something else.  This is a three day week for me, so although it is Monday, it is kind of like Wednesday, because, you know, I only have two more days of work.  Wuss-out Wednesday!  Oh, I know, that doesn’t make it any better.  Just wait till tomorrow, when it’ll be Tuesday and Wednesday AND Thursday!  Sometimes I just have to laugh at myself.

 

Trying to Get Back on Track

My plan for the week had been to write a more detailed post about each Mohawk Valley adventure from my Scattered Saturday.  I was going to be a Good Writer and write on my breaks at work.  Did I really think I was going to do that?  I bet some of you didn’t, you doubters, you!  OK, doubters who were 100 percent correct in this case.  You may congratulate yourselves but don’t get too smug about it, that’s obnoxious.

Where was I?  Ah yes, attempting a blog post about one of my adventures from this past Saturday.  Going in chronological order, I should start with a Running Commentary.  It had actually been my plan to make the Running Commentary before beginning the other adventures, but, well, in my defense, I wrote postcards instead.  People like to get postcards from me.

So I had not been running for a couple of weeks (who’s counting?) (in fact, I cannot exactly count, because I know I ran one time between July 30, when I made my last entry in the Running Journal, and Saturday, but I do not know what day that was) (it does not matter if that is a run-on sentence, because it is a parenthetical comment).  My legs had been aching all week in a most unprecedented fashion.  I did not know what was wrong but suspected it was lack of activity (although I have been working on my feet all day most days, so go figure).  It is so annoying.  My leg ache because I don’t run, and I don’t feel like running because my legs ache.

Just a short run, I told myself.  Maybe a nice walk.  Just move your legs.  I didn’t do it Friday night.  For one reason, we were having people over, and I had to chop vegetables.  I would do it Saturday morning.  I woke up with a headache.  That should not matter; I often have a headache these days.  I could still run.

First I had coffee.  Two cups.  They perked me up considerably.  I got my running gear on and took off, making copious mental notes for the Running Commentary I was sure to write later.

And as you can see, I still have not written it.  The run went pretty OK, I guess.  I ran again on Sunday.  My legs ached less today.  Unfortunately, my head problems remain.  I’m thinking it is the dreaded fall allergies.  My head is spinny and vague (yes, I mean “spinny” and not “spinning,”  I am not vague on that point), and I do not feel capable of writing any more of a blog post.  However, I see I am over 400 words.  400 good words?  Oh, since when have I worried about that?  Let’s just call this a Monday Mental Meanderings and move on.