A Sort of Disturbing Exhibit

It probably isn't designed to be that way but it is.  PostSecret: The Power of a Postcard is an exhibit of post cards on which people write their darkest hidden secrets, sent to an address somewhere in Maryland. There are a lot of heartbreaking ones to read about lost or unrequited love, miserable relationships, disappointed parents and children. 

Prepping for my oral exam

Not with a dentist, but with a panel of my professors. I need  to answer nine questions posed to me on topics from the courses I took. The exam is an hour so that averages about seven minutes per answer. I need to clarify whether it is a monologue of me blathering for the entire time or a dialogue where they will ask me more questions or challenge some of my statements. Previous classmates have assured me that i will do fine but still I have been doing lots of reading. I know that I can be very inarticulate and inexpressive so I will need to be well-prepared. Presuming I pass, I will get my degree in January. Maybe I will have the grduation party I never had when I finall finished my bachelors at 29 years old.

After a drive through central PA

Also known as Pennsyl- tucky. Not surprising but still.

But just in case

Hotel rooms in Boston

It is amazing how expensive hotels rooms in Boston have become. I need one for an upcoming business trip and all of the old stand-byes are either sold out or well over $500 per night, which with hotel taxes means more like $575. The Westin Copley is $607. The Taj, formerly the Ritz Carlton across from the Public Gardens is a relative bargain at $579. The new Ritz is $807. Even Air BnB is not much of a bargain. Most of the desirable places are over $300. I think I will be relegated to staying in the suburbs and commuting in-- not a very attractive proposition-- since travel policy is quite stingy.

My New favorite Toy

Loopy is a great time waster when I am traveling. It lets me create little music compositions with just my vocals.  I also practice guitar solos as a chord progression loops over and over. What a bargain for $3.99!

As much as I dislike Billy Joel, here he is demoing Loopy with Jimmy Fallon.



 

Can a Friday get much worse?

I thought I'd start the day off right with a yoga class at 6:30 am. Things were going well until the sun salutation. While bringing my left leg back to plank, I slammed my big toe in the my yoga mat. The pain was instant but I was able to finish the class. I iced it throughout the day but by evening it resembled a small purple plum from the bruising and swelling. Bad enough, right. Then I had a good show with my band at a winery   but I somehow misplaced my wallet when we were packing up. So I needed to cancel all of my cards and get a new driver's license. Of course, a Friday could have gotten much, much worse, but this was a pretty bad one. Toe is recovering fine and new cards are on their way.

UPDATE 8/24/16 : I found my wallet in my car in the only place I didn't thoroughly search. And better yet, there was still $80 in it.

Training for my 13th half marathon

I just put together my training plan for the Rock and Roll Half Marathon in Philly on 9/18. It will be my 8th time running that one and my 13th in total. With any luck, I will still be doing them in 10 years when I will move up to yet another age category. My goal has been to run at a pace which would qualify me for the Boston Marathon but I am realizing that unless I hire a running coach, that will probably never happen. (The other factor is that now Boston only takes marathon results, not half.) It's just a fact that, as I age,  I am slowing down. I ran a 10K on July 4th under very good conditions - flat course, low humidity, mid-70s, lots of shade. My goal was to run it in less than 50 minutes. I thought I was pushing myself more than normal but still did it in 51:40. That was faster than last year which was hot and humid but still somewhat disappointing. On the bright side, I was 6th of 46 runners in my age group so still respectable. The fastest in my age group was among the fastest runners in the whole race. If I had done 49:50, I'd have been 4th so not that much of a difference really. I'd still like to do another marathon but only if it's a destination one, like Paris, Dublin or Lisbon. If I am going to spend all of the time training, it should be worth it. All three of those are open marathons so no need to qualify. But, for right now, it's #13 in Philly.