Tag Archives: tired

I’m a Monstrous Blogger

OK, so I made Tuesday’s post Wednesday morning then did not make Wednesday’s post either Wednesday evening nor yet Thursday morning.  Does that make this Wednesday’s post or Thursday’s post?  Oh the trials and tribulations of the would-be daily blogger!

I was slow to recover from what was really a minor ailment.  I still don’t feel 100%, but what, I ask, are you going to do?  Or should that be “are ya gonna do?”  No matter,  on with the blog post.

And now here I sit, staring at the blank screen and half listening to Snapped: Killer Couples.  I don’t enjoy this as much as the original Snapped, but sometimes I have to make do with whatever murder and mayhem is available at the time.

Similarly,  sometimes I have to make do with whatever blog post I can produce at the time.  At least I can pep things up with a couple of pictures.  We can call it a Mid-Week Monsters post.

Which is the monster?

Here is Dr. Praetorious in The Bride of Frankenstein.  I apologize for not looking up the actor’s name or even how to spell Praetorious.  Did I mention I am still not feeling well?

Who could be uncheered by Una O’Connor?

I did not have to look up Una O’Connor’s name.  Regarding the caption, “who could be uncheered by” is a quote from Winnie the Pooh.  Either Pooh or Piglet said it regarding a balloon, but I change out the object to fit the situation.  Alert readers may remember me using the expression before.

In his defense, he wasn’t wrong.

I thought I might as well make it three pictures from the same movie.  Maybe if I go to bed early tonight I will feel good enough for a better blog post tomorrow.  But no promises.  After all, it will be Lame Post Friday.

 

Ladies and Lionel on Wuss-out Wednesday

Mid-Week Monsters it is!  I am even more tired then I was on Tired Tuesday!  I’m thinking this is actually going to be Wuss-out Wednesday With Monsters.  These things happen when one tries to be a daily blogger.  At least when one is me.

I could rock that hair do.

Looking at Elsa Lanchester as The Bride of Frankenstein, I begin to question my plan to get a hair cut.  If I kept growing my hair, I bet I could be the Bride for Halloween 2020.  Since Oct. 20 of that year will be my 30th wedding anniversary,  I think that would be a good costume for me.

Great cheesy movie.

Just to continue the female monster theme, here is Wasp Woman.  I wrote a blog post about that one.  I would link back to it, but I cannot recall the title and am too lazy to search for it.

I loves me some Lionel Barrymore.

This is Lionel Barrymore in Devil Doll.  He is in disguise as a woman.  I don’t remember who the miniature woman is.  It is a pretty good flick, not surprisingly,  with the great Lionel Barrymore.

Ooh! Scary!

To conclude with a monstrous female, here is the witchy Mrs, Newliss in Horror Hotel.   I know, I ought to look up the actress’ name.  Oh, what do you want from me on Wuss-out Wednesday?

 

Missing Mojo on Tired Tuesday

I had a vague idea of making a Running Commentary post today.  It was another reason to get myself out the door and moving.  I seem to have lost my running mojo without taking an extended break from it, as I have in the past.  I have run both weekend days every weekend within recent memory, until this past weekend.  Once again I have to ask, What the Hell, me?

Oh let’s be honest, I have lost all kinds of mojo lately: running, writing, housework, theatre… do I have any other kinds of mojo?  Unfortunately I do not see how I can write about my missing mojo without sounding like a whiny baby.  I don’t know why I worry so much about sounding like a whiny baby,  especially since that is what I must sound like more often than I admit.

Where was I? I sat down with my Tablet with all good intentions of making a Running Commentary post.  I guess the road to bad blog posts is paved with good intentions.  So here I am with yet another foolish blog post.

I point out to my vicious inner critic that I did run today, and for further than I thought I would (not a vast amount, but I did demonstrate perseverance) and I did a load of laundry.  And now I have done a blog post of at least 200 words.  Wasn’t I saying earlier this week that I must learn to write despite whatever is wrong with me?  It is true!  Mojo or no, I shall persevere!

 

Can I Rock That Run?

I decided about twelve times today that I would or would not run the Falling Leaves 14K in Utica, NY, on Sunday.  I quite amused one of my co-workers with my dithering.  One problem I had was that I was not feeling well today.  How can I run a 14K when my legs feel like overcooked macaroni, I whined.  Another co-worker told me there was nothing wrong with me and I should run the race.  How would he know?

In any case, I knew it would be a good idea to go running after work.  For one reason, I succumbed to the temptation to eat a candy bar.  Somebody’s kid was selling them to raise money for some school thing.  One must support youth and education, after all.  I know, I could have donated the dollar and left the candy bar.  In fact, I did not eat the first candy bar I purchased but saved it in my lunch box for Steve.  Later on I got another and ate 3/5 of it (it had five little sections).

This is a long introduction to a Running Commentary post,  but that is all right, because the run was really short.  After some difficulty getting dressed (missing bicycle shorts, inadequate sports bras, you know how it goes), I set out with no great hopes of a good run.

Oh, don’t go lecturing me about how we can control our lives if we just think positively.  I have started plenty of runs with sky high hopes that ended up in the metaphorical toilet.  Likewise, I have started out grumpily and had a lovely time.  In this case, all I can say is I did my best.

I never reached the I Can Rock This stage.  However, I kept going for 22 minutes as well as my usual 10 minute cool down walk.  I am thinking this is not the run of a body that is ready for a 14K.  Of course I will feel differently on a weekend morning,  especially if I carb up and don’t tie one on the night before.  But still.  When I have run the Boilermaker 15K, my body has felt better a week before the event.  Could I be getting old? SAY IT AIN’T SO!!!

Before making this post, I went on Facebook and onto the Falling Leaves page.  I have till Thursday to register online.  I could still register Saturday at the Sneaker Store in New Hartford or Sunday in Utica before the race.

Full disclosure: I looked at pictures of the starting line from previous years and wanted to cry.  Can I drive to Genesee Street, find a place to park, figure out where to go, deal with running in a crowd (although it would not take long for the crowd to leave me far behind), etc., etc.?

It is difficult to properly assess my feelings on Tired Tuesday.  Then again, are my feelings the important thing here?  I’m afraid that whatever I decide, I will wish I had gone the other way.  On the brighter side, there is always next year.  In the meantime,  I dither, I dither.

 

Who, Me? Run?

So I went for a run this afternoon, describing the way I move in a most generous fashion. I am still dithering about the Falling Leaves 14K,  and today’s exercise did not further incline me to take the challenge. However, one must take the bad runs to get to the good ones.  I do not despair.

After work I got myself into running clothes and out the door before I had a chance to talk myself out of it.  Earlier I had entertained wild thoughts of running up to Herkimer College.  After all, I am running over an hour on the weekends.  Surely I can handle more of a challenge during the week (I am calling myself Shirley in this context).

A few steps down the sidewalk I thought I was not up to any challenge whatsoever.  I wondered if I was even up to a lousy 20 minute run.  Nevertheless, when I had the chance, I crossed German Street.  This put me on the path to a few different hills. I thought I could manage a hill. A small hill.

I ran up the hill by Valley Health.  As I ran up it, in fact, on the last few times I have run up it, I reflected that it is not an inconsiderable hill. I really must take a walk with my Tablet and take some pictures of these hills.  My readers will either say, “Why, yes, that is a hill,” or “What a wuss!  That’s no hill!”

When I got to the top of the hill, my legs felt like overcooked macaroni!  And I was less than eight minutes into the run!  Crap!  I continued, hoping to avoid any more major upslopes.  There are some really good hills in that area.  I hope to run them again but was not into it today.

As I ran on, eventually my legs started to feel a little better.  I reminded myself of how I sometimes don’t hit the I Can Rock This stage till a good 20 minutes into the run.  I further reminded myself that I have found I can keep running for just about as long as I decide to.

Soon my body was urging me to decide on a SHORT run. I ignored it. My legs felt better or worser by turns, but I persevered and ended up running for 26 minutes.  I did not feel terrific on my cool down walk.  When I took my shower, I wished I had one of those old lady stools so I could sit down.

So, yes, I can be a big baby about these things.  I comfort myself by reflecting that (a) I did so run and (b) I made a blog post about it.  Perhaps I can improve on the run and the blog in the future.

 

Short and Thunky

I had two wonderful long runs this past weekend.  Did I write a Running Commentary post about either one? NO!!!  I had a short, thunky run this afternoon.  Get ready for a short, thunky running commentary post.

The easiest thing to do after working all day is to talk yourself put of running.  However, I did not indulge in such craven behavior today but went straight upstairs to put on running clothes as soon as I got home.  I was going to run my usual weekday run: left on German Street to Caroline, then down Caroline, up Margaret, and down Henry for as long as I can stand it before going up Bellinger to home.  I confess that sometimes I do not get very far down Henry at all.

I really did want to run today,  because Saturday’s and Sunday’s runs had felt SO good.  I thought I had my running mojo back and everything was going to be great.  In fact,  I was not particularly surprised to find out I was wrong about that. What do I think I am, a gazelle?  Of course not. I am an overweight middle-aged lady with creaky bones and a bad attitude.

However, one thing I can do is persevere.  At least for a while.  Right away my run felt thunky.  I felt chunky.  And not very spunky.  Sorry, folks, I just felt like throwing in a couple of rhymes just then.

As I reached Caroline,  I realized I did not want to do the run I had set out to do. Traffic was with me, so I crossed Caroline.  I would run to the end of Caroline, which loops around. I would follow the loop.  Full disclosure:  I did not know how long I would be able to persevere.  I had not set out with a definite goal of how long to run. Naturally I hoped that I would hit the I Can Rock This stage and enjoy a medium or even a long run.  I do not ask myself for miracles.

And I did not get miracles.  I did not even get to rock this.  However, by virtue of making a couple of strategic turns, I managed to run for 22 minutes.  I call that not bad for a Tired Tuesday.  And I am over 350 words.  I call that not bad for a Tired Tuesday post.

 

A Little Tired of Yard Work

My original plan was to go running and make a Running Commentary post.  However, I decided to spend some time on the lawn instead. This means a lot of walking back and forth behind my non-power mower or standing in one place while I push said mower over the same patch several times. I actually did a combination of the two.

So I think I deserve to make a Tired Tuesday post.  Also, I walked around the yard just now and took a couple pictures, so I also have some illustrations for your entertainment.

I had a hard time getting a good angle.

While I was mowing, I noticed a couple of Black-Eyed Susans some distance away from the main patch.  Perhaps I should have taken a wider shot as well, to show how far away they are. Unfortunately,  I am too tired and lazy to go back out into the hot sunshine.  I am currently lounged in the shade on the deck, with my feet up.  Remember, it is Tired Tuesday.

While I was in the lawn, I checked on the plant with little yellow flowers I included on Sunday’s post.  It seems that something has eaten it!

I guess critters gotta eat too.

Here is the before shot.

I also noticed a tiny wild strawberry and took a picture of it, too.

No, .I did not eat it.

I need to do quite a bit more yard work, but that will be for another day. I also need to go running.  And stop procrastinating.  So much to think about on a Tired Tuesday!

 

I Ran, Can I Complain?

It has been a while since I made a Running Commentary post.  This afternoon I ran for the first time in three day.  I have not missed three days in a row for a while.  It was one thing I have felt pleased with myself about recently, that I have been running regularly. Well, when you don’t have to go to work in the morning,  it is easier to run.

I knew it would be more difficult to talk myself into running after work.  I did not even attempt it on Monday.  Tuesday and Wednesday I tried and failed.  Today, I was determined not to lose the progress I have made.

Afternoon running is more difficult for me than morning running.  For one reason, I work on my feet all day.  In addition to being tired, I have that little devil that sits on one shoulder whispering, “You got plenty of exercise today!  Just look at all the walking you did at work!” I resolutely ignored that bastard.

My other problem is that it is hot and sunny in the afternoon.  Some people LOVE hot weather.  I am not one of them.  Today I resolutely ignored myself and got going shortly after work.

And I did not enjoy it.  I appreciated the occasional breeze or patch of shade.  I tried not to mind the sweat dripping down my face, although it did sting when it got in my eyes.  Ouch!  I tried to blot them with my sleeves,  which helped a little.

It was not a long run, but I did it.  Sometimes my stubbornness is my most useful quality.  As I ran up my street at the end of my run, I waved at some neighbors on their porch.  One lady yelled at me that it was too hot for running.

“You are SO RIGHT!” I answered.

I have run in hotter, muggier weather, and I will undoubtedly do so again.  I may write blog posts about it. I do not promise not to complain, but I may write a Lame Post Friday post about what a big baby I am.

 

 

OK, Me, WRITE!

Tired Tuesday follows Monstrous Monday, and we know Cindy is back to work.  Um, I am making this post AFTER work.  I work when I am AT work.  I don’t know why I insist on putting that.  It is extremely unlikely that anybody in management reads my blog, and all my friends are more likely to say, “Yeah right, you work?”

Today was a hot, sticky day.  The word “soupy” springs to mind.  In fact, my husband Steven suggested soup for supper, but I declined.  We had sandwiches.  And that is my stream of consciousness paragraph for the day.

I really thought I would be able to write more once I got back to work (while on BREAK!  We’ve already gone over this, for heaven’s sake!). My job is simple, repetitive and fairly mindless.  While doing my job, I think about what I am going to write.  Then as soon as it is break time, I write!  It’s great!  However, as I have mentioned in many blog posts,  it does not always work.

I remind myself that I have only been back at work for two days.  And my work does involve standing on my feet most of the day and, you know, working. The best thing to do, I tell myself, is to not get discouraged but to try again tomorrow.   Additionally,  I end the conversation with myself before I start counting up how long I have been trying again tomorrow.  Never mind about the past!

What a pep talk.  I may even put down the Tablet and pick up my notebook (the spiral kind with paper; we’ve gone over that, too).

 

Lawn Update on Tired Tuesday

Tired Tuesday it is!  I am sitting on my back deck, extremely grateful when the breeze blows, and hoping to make some semblance of a blog post.  I took a few pictures a minute ago, thinking to do an update on the state of my yard.  Spoiler alert: it isn’t that great.

I loves me my Black-Eyed Susans!

My Black-Eyed Susans finally bloomed, no thanks to me weeding them, which I did not.

I tried to get two good views.

The other day I did do some clearing out by my fence.  Of course I did not take a before picture — who can be bothered by such things when enjoying a rare bout of ambition — but I seem to remember taking a picture of the area for some flowers that had grown there.

Here it is!

You can’t really see the fence.

NOW you can see the fence!

The expression, “I fought the lawn, and the lawn won,” comes to mind.  But to end on a more positive note, our Brown-Eyed Susans are also starting to bloom.

Hey! You can see Steve’s feet!

These just magically appeared a few years ago, and this year there are quite a few of them.

Yay! They’re pretty!

Never mind how crappy the deck is starting to look!

So my lawn is not looking as bad as it could look, despite my colossal lack of effort this year.  Then again, why am I so hard on myself?   I have kept the grass in check, done some work around the edges, pruned the evergreen tree, in short, worked somewhat.  One can almost always do more.

So I can sit on my deck and relax with a minimum of guilt.  It doesn’t do me any good to shoulda-woulda-coulda anyways.  I will just relax myself till the thunder I am hearing gets a little closer.  Happy Tuesday, everyone!