Tag Archives: tired

Still Tuesday, Still Tired

I am having a Tired Tuesday and may be able to make my blog post before it is over.  At least, it may be Wednesday already according to my WordPress timestamp; it is still Tuesday according to, I don’t know, reality?  That’s too all-encompassing.  Let’s say Herkimer, NY time.

Can you do “He loves me, he loves me not” with these?

I throw in a picture to pep things up.  These were my Black-Eyed Susans last August.  I noticed some Brown-Eyed Susans blooming near my back steps yesterday and meant to take a picture.  It is too dark now, but maybe tomorrow.  I spent a couple of ambitious days doing yard work week before last then petered out.  I do not despair of getting back out there, although any real yard and garden plans will have to wait till 2026.

Oh, OK, I’ll try again.

I mentioned this quote in a letter to my sister Diane earlier. It is from the movie Galaxy Quest in case you didn’t know. I think I was lamenting my difficulty writing, but it may have been my difficulty cleaning.  I don’t suppose it is too late, even at my age, to improve at these things.

Substitute my cell phone for the candle.

 

They do say tomorrow is another day.  Of course they also say same shit, different day. I can’t worry about these things now.  I have made some semblance of a blog post.  Now I will try for some semblance of sleep.

 

Not Too Far, Not Too Fast, BUT…

This morning I ran for the first time in two weeks.  Yay, me!  I had first spent far too much time in bed (symptom of depression) and thought I would take a walk.  I felt too tired to do even that but was willing to give it a try.  Then I decided to try running instead.  It worked!

I had told myself I only had to run for 20 minutes.  That is my usual time when I go to re-start running once again.  I thought perhaps I would manage to go a little further, but starting with a shorter goal helps get me moving.  For the first few blocks, I though I could probably manage 20.  There is a 5K in October I want to do, so I spent a good part of the run figuring how far I should run in order to be ready for that.

This is the one!

Phew!  I have an illustration!  I had been unsuccessfully looking for a picture of one of the streets I ran on.  Perhaps I will go for a walk later with my phone and store up photos for future Running Commentary posts.

My first mile was slow, and I did not complete a second mile.  However, by the end of my run I had reached the I Love Running! stage.  I don’t always hit that stage, although I usually get as far as I Can Rock This.  I wonder if there are scientific terms for these stages.  I managed to keep it up for 26 minutes, which puts me well on track (so to speak) to be in 5K shape by October.

The East Herkimer Fire Department 5K will be run Saturday, Oct. 11, starting at the Department, 193 Main Rd., East Herkimer, NY.  For more information, you can visit their Facebook page.

 

Mid-Slack on Saturday

Yesterday I averred that a bad post was better than no post at all.  I hope that is still the case, because my aim is to make a fast post right now and then get on with my day.  Last night I went to see MacBeth at the Theatre at WoodsHill in Sauquoit.  I did not get home till after 11:30, which is way past my bed time.  More disappointingly, I did not take any pictures, because I could have made a good blog post about it.  I may yet do so, without illustrations.  I used to make blog posts without illustrations all the time.  Now I feel wrong if I do not include a picture.  They do pep up the post.

Fun in the sun!

I add a picture to prove my point.  This is my niece Jenna with my parents at a family gathering a couple of years ago.  I am going to a family gathering later today, which is one reason I am so flustered now.  Will I remember to bring everything?  Will I put on sufficient sunscreen?  The latter concern could have lasting repercussions.  I have had some painful sunburns in my day.

I should put my feet up, yes?

I looked for a picture of me at my leisure, to remind myself to chill out already.  Those sandals have broken, and my current pedicure is overgrown, but I may be able to take a similar picture later.  I hope a glass of wine will be included.  Sadly, my husband, part of whose sweatpantsed leg shows, will not.  Perhaps he will be there in spirit.  In any case, I hope to have a fun day.  At least I have made some semblance of a blog post.

 

Who Doesn’t Love a Post Rehearsal Post?

Last night I got home from rehearsal very tired, poured myself a martini (gin, dirty, four olives, if you want the visual) and thought to do a Post-Rehearsal Post.  I even transferred three pictures from my old smart phone (which I previously explained is my character’s prop) for the purpose.  Alas, to no avail.  I was just too tired.  But here I am Friday morning, determined to remedy the omission.  Once again, the play I am in is Four Old Broads on the High Seas at Players of Utica.

Tah-dah!

This is three of the four Broads boarding the ship (I am, as you may remember, the fourth).  I have some other shots that would be good if only I knew how to crop a photo.

Is it me or are the shadows on my chin little weird?

I never have been able to take a decent selfie.  This is me and the Captain, after I have pointed out to him that I am a “real beauty queen.”  Yes, that is my own personal tiara.  I take this selfie every night, but it rarely turns out usable.

Who doesn’t love Dolly?

Who doesn’t love a porter in drag?  Steven/Miss Tequila Mockingbird is one of the most delightful characters in the play.  Really, the whole cast is delightful to work with, as is the crew.  I am having a marvelous time; it is well worth being tired!

Once again, Four Old Broads on the High Seas will be presented at Players of Utica, 1108 State St., Utica, NY, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, July 25 through 27, 7:30 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.  For more information call 315-7247624.

 

A Run-on Blog Post?

Sunday I started a blog post about running but got bogged down and discouraged.  I sensibly saved the draft and share it now, with some editing and additions.

I ran yesterday , hoping to make a Running Commentary post before I went ahead with the rest of my day, but the day crowded in and, well, here I am Sunday morning.  However, it is quite appropriate for me to blog about running as today is Boilermaker Sunday in Utica, NY, a big deal around here and elsewhere.  In case you didn’t know, it is a premier 15K which a great portion of the community turns out to support.  I have run it in the past (perhaps you read some of my blog posts about it).  This morning I have been looking at Facebook posts from the Boilermaker and WKTV News and thinking, “Damn, I could be there.”  But so it is any year I do not run the Boilermaker.

In point of fact, as I ran this morning I was happy I had not signed up to run the Boilermaker 15K (I always specify 15K, because there is also a 5K in which I have absolutely no desire to participate).  It is EXTREMELY humid out!  I could hardly breathe!  Additionally, my legs were doing their best impression of overcooked elbow macaroni (which some find delicious in baked macaroni and cheese, but is not so good to run on) (maybe a run-on sentence) (but I digress).

Why do they always look less steep in pictures?

This is one of the hills I ran up Saturday.  I went on to run up to Herkimer College the back way.  It is less steep than the front way but longer.  I surprised myself by making it.  However, it was fairly painful, so I made up my mind that I would not run the Falling Leaves 14K Road Race in Utica in September, which features a lot of hills.  I have always wanted to run it, and it seemed within reach this year.  And then suddenly it didn’t.  What the hell, me?

Running, a drill sergeant in Army basic training taught me, is largely a matter of distracting yourself from how much it sucks.   One of the things I do to distract myself is to figure in my head how long I will be running each week if I increase my time by ten percent (recommended by many running experts).  And I figure how long it might take me to run 5K, 14K, or 15K or whatever.  Sometimes I go backwards from the date of the run to now.  Suddenly my figuring seemed hopelessly optimistic.

As Saturday wore on, I thought perhaps I had been hasty in my decision.  After all, the registration price for Falling Leaves did not go up till midnight Sunday.  If I had a great run Sunday, I would reconsider.  I suppose it will come as a surprise to no one that Sunday’s run was no great.  Never mind.  There are 5Ks that are within my grasp!

Like this one!

Looking to the future:  I ran into a friend who did run the Boilermaker 15K, and we made plans to run it together next year!  At least, we will start together and try to meet up again at the end.  He runs much faster than I do.  Further blog posts as events warrant.

 

It Is Summer, Isn’t It?

I went for a run this morning, going as soon as I got out of bed in hopes of beating the heat and humidity.  I was successful, eventually running two miles in hopes of making a Two-Mile Tuesday blog post.  In that I was less than successful, as I sit here late (for me) Tuesday night and no blog post done yet.

In my defense, I was writing an article for Sentinel Media then trying to learn my lines for a play I am in (Preview of Coming Attractions).  I managed to go to the grocery store, where once again  I did not purchase enough food. On the brighter side, I refrained from purchasing cookies or ice cream (believe me,  I was tempted!), making my weight loss goals slightly more attainable.

She’s set to enjoy the summer heat!

I was looking for a picture of the Wicked Witch of the West saying, “I’m ME-E-ELTING!” but decided to share a more cheerful shot instead.  This is my skeleton Bonita with her friend Bonaparte.  My late, dearly missed husband, Steven, had dressed her for summer.  He purposely let the tag show on the headband, going for a Minnie Pearl kind of thing (look it up or ask somebody old if you don’t know).

I guess this is shaping up to be a Tired Tuesday post.  I shall blame it on the heat and humidity, and as always, try for a better post tomorrow.

 

Post Pride Stride Post

Well I am home from running the Pride Stride 5K in Little Falls, NY. In all, I feel I did not acquit myself too badly.  Of course, as regular readers know, what I do is called running only by the most generous definition of the term. Then again, I think it is good to be generous.

Who couldn’t be proud of this outfit?

As usual the most stressful part was getting there.  I got out of bed betimes, had coffee, made sure I ate with plenty of time for my nutritious breakfast to digest.  The second most stressful part was waiting for the race to start, especially when my carefully planned nutritious breakfast began to unsettle my stomach.  Luckily that passed.  I had some delightful conversations with the other runners prior to starting.  I was only disappointed there were not more of them.  I commiserated with one of the organizers about this.

Once we got started, the stressful part was worrying if I would get lost, especially when almost everybody went WAY ahead of me.  I managed to keep two runners in sight: a guy in a pink unicorn outfit (wish I had a picture of that!) and a lady with a better rainbow skirt than mine. I was a little worried about losing them till after the half-way point.  I managed to catch up and, miracle of miracles passed them!  I think the fellow in the unicorn outfit was finding it awkward to run.  It was one of those blow-up kind of suits.

I had to turn around a few times and ask them, “Which way?”  Then the pace car came back and led me to the finish line.  I finished strong! At least for me.  I cheered for everyone coming in behind me.  I couldn’t believe there WERE people behind me!  Unfortunately, race endorphins do not last long.  I drove home subject to a case of Post Race Letdown.

This is actually a photo I was saving for Waste Not Want Not Wednesday.

Who me, drown my sorrows?  Actually, I may have a glass of wine with friends later, but I do not plan to tie one on.  I took the above picture, because I liked the Art Deco bottle.  I share it now, because I have not found another opportunity to use it.  Incidentally, my post race letdown is passing and I am wondering with what I should challenge myself next.  Will it make a good blog post?  If so, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

Too Lame Or Not Too Lame?

It is the day before the Pride Stride 5K in Little Falls, NY, and this blog never became All Pride Stride 5K All The Time.  I have obsessed a little about it in my head, of course.  You’ll have that.  For today, I can talk a little about the run and my preparations for it, but mostly I am making a Lame Post Friday post.  For one reason, I am tired.  I do not know why I am so tired.  I have not done much today.

I took a run.  I decided to go just about half of a 5K.  It went pretty well.  My body did not protest too much.

That just made me flash on “Methinks thou dost protest too much.”  Is that the right quote?  Isn’t it, “Methinks the lady doth protest too much.”  My Complete Works of Shakespeare is under the coffee table (what? where’s yours?).  I wonder if I can find the quote.  It’s from Hamlet, as theatre geeks recognized at once.

Random picture while I see if I can find the quote.

I found it!!!  The Queen says, talking about the play Hamlet has devised, “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.”  I’m glad we got that cleared up.

But is it a mundane post?

This is the picture I flashed on when I first detoured into Hamlet.  The so-called random picture is Weird Al Yankovic and friends as monks in Galavant, a wonderful, tragically short-lived musical TV series.  It actually does relate, because I played a monk in my first Shakespeare play with LiFT, Little Falls Theatre Company, Much Ado About Nothing.

So I haven’t talked too much about the 5K, have I?  No matter.  It would only make me more nervous.

 

Even Blogging Is Getting Harder!

What a wasted week I am having!  Tuesday I ran two miles, thinking I could make a Two-Mile Tuesday post.  I had pictures on my phone, which I transferred to my Media Library, thinking to do a Waste Not Want Not Wednesday post.  I spent at least some time each of those days staring at the blank Add Post page on my WordPress site.  Alas, to no avail. In fact, I experienced great resistance to logging on today, Thursday.  By the way, I ran three miles, wanting to have another Three-Mile Thursday, like I did last week.

I swear it was steeper when I was on it.

This is one of the hills I ran up on my run this morning.  It doesn’t look very impressive, does it?  I ran up a steeper hill next, which I do not have a picture of.  That hill continued up to Herkimer College, by some dorms in what I call the Kick Butt way to the college, because there are like three steep hills with flat(ish) spaces between.  Ahem, I did not run up to the college.  I made it up one stretch of steep then turned around and ran back down.  Later I ran up a couple more uphills.  I tell you, they do not get any easier.

Random picture, just to show something cheery before I start whining.

I learned to run in the Army, and I loved it, because it seemed that I just magically got better at it.  All I had to do was do it.  It was awesome!  Since the army, I have stopped and re-started running many times, usually because weather or work schedules made it difficult and I am notoriously lazy.  Each time I restarted, I found I was able to build myself back up to where I had left off with little or no problem.  I will admit that at no time have I ever run particularly fast.  Still, I was able to run the Boilermaker 15K several times (not in a row).

Until this year.  I decided early on not to try for the Boilermaker, but I am signed up to run the Pride Stride 5K in Little Falls, NY on June 14.  Why oh why, do my legs feel like overcooked macaroni?

Me before the Pride Stride in 2021.

Don’t mind my Old Age Existential Angst.  I really do not mind being your friendly neighborhood crazy old lady.  I only get a little disconcerted when my body behaves in what I consider a perverse, contrary fashion.  For example, if I am running on a regular basis, I feel I ought to be able TO run on a regular basis, and none of this complaining from my legs and lungs that, “We’re not going to maaaaake it!” (said in a pathetically whiny tone).  Or at least a little less complaining.

In the meantime, I see I have done plenty of complaining in this blog post, and it has run longer than my usual posts.  Considering I missed two days of posting, I think that that is not bad.  Once again, I thank you for tuning in.

 

No Mo’ No Mow!

I guess it is time to start Lawn Order posts again.  Strange that I never made that a category or at least a tag; it is one of my favorite puns, right up there with, “I fought the lawn, and the lawn won” (I know you sang it; I did).  Full disclosure:  I am going to illustrate this with pictures from my Media Library, because it is really not worth taking pictures of what I accomplished.  Did I win out over the lawn, you are perhaps asking?  I am going to say I did.  At least I acquitted myself well in this skirmish, with some help.

The grass was more grown in.

There was a lot more and longer grass in my front and back yards than in this picture, because I had not mowed yet this year.  Eric Gage of WKTV Weather said it was No Mow May.  At first I thought he said, “No Mo’ May” and we were skipping right to June, but he meant we should let things grow for the sake of pollinators.  I suppose this is all very well for people who are able to start their power mowers.  For those of us who use a non-power mower as a back-up, waiting till almost halfway through the month was not a good plan.

Yesterday (Tuesday) I hauled out the power mower and tried to start it to no avail.  I took the non-power job and tried that.  Oh dear.  I am not a young woman, and I never was a very strong woman.  I gave it up.  I tried again today, this time bringing a little more determination to the endeavor.  Again, there was no starting the power mower.  I took a deep breath and went to work with the other one.  Let me tell you, determination will only get you so far.  I almost gave up three or four times but encouraged myself by what I had accomplished so far.  In point of fact, it did not really look that good: more grass was flattened than cut, but sometimes I have to take what I can get.

Then I heard the blessed sound of somebody else’s power mower.  It was a neighbor across the street who had once offered his help in shoveling snow.  I pulled my mower across the street and asked his help.  A couple of tries and success!  I was on my way!  I got the front done!  I got the back done!  I’m afraid I mowed down some flowers, but you’ll have that. I can always plant new ones if the others don’t come back.

Preview of Coming Attractions.

I did not mow down any daisies.  They are not blooming yet in any case.  After shutting the mower off, I came back out front with some clippers to take care of some really ugly things that keep growing there (I’ll take a picture if they grow back).  My neighbor was sweeping cut grass from his sidewalk.  He asked if it had worked.  I called back that I had finished and thanked him fervently.

“Glad to help out!” he said.

I tried to sweep my cuttings too, but by then I was so tired and sweaty, I did not do a very good job.  I came in and took a second shower and dressed in my second cute outfit of the day (or do I flatter myself). I felt utterly incapable of making a blog post, but I said to myself, “Well, just try.”  I think that worked out almost as well as the lawn, but again, perhaps I flatter myself.