In California, with NYC Marathon Entry # 11132

Well, it's been over a month since the end of my trip. I spent a week in Boston, a week in New York City, two weeks in Rochester, and now I'm in California.

While home, I got to spend time with my favorite little man Jason - almost a year old now and quite illuminating - my brother, my friends, my mom, my dad.

I drove a 3 wheeler and cut firewood in my brother's backwoods. I rode a chairlift with my mom - scenic fall rides under crisp autumn cotton ball skies.
Walking in the woods with colorful crunchy leaves underfoot. Smiling.
I went wine tasting in the Finger Lakes vineyards.
I played golf with my dad, mowed the front lawn at dusk. I realized that I dearly miss the smell of freshly cut grass, especially in cool temperatures.

I ran. Until it hurt. Then I hopped in the hot tub.


My good friend and boss called a week or two ago, to catch up, and towards the end of our conversation I half-jokingly asked if there were any temporary consulting jobs for me, and she said 'why as a matter of fact there are!'.
Next thing you know my bags are packed and off I go. Leaving on a jetplane. Back back to Cali Cali.
Goodbye family, fall, leaves, freshly cut grass and apple cider. Hello California cubicles.

I'm on familiar streets sitting in familiar seats.

It all happened so fast I barely had time to blink. But it felt right. So here I am.

I haven't written anything since the trip ended because honestly I didn't know what to say. I still don't.

I wrote my friend the other day and this is what I said:

i do still feel like a fish out of water after that
bike trip. it was such an amazing experience, i can't
even put it into words. it makes me want to stare out
the window.
it taught me many things... mostly that you don't need
much to be happy. the things of value - interactions
with people - are free. smiles are free. sunlight in
trees is free. moving your feet in a circle - which
makes other circles go in circles and propel you - is
free. sleeping on the ground? it's free. looking at
the stars and not comprehending the overwhelming
vastness. that is free.

it opened up the world to me in a way that i probably
won't understand for awhile. our society tries to rule
us with the fear of not having enough money, but i'm
tired of living in that shadow. why don't we bask in
the bright sunshiny glory of each other instead?
existing and basking does not cost.
your heart beats whether you pay it or not.
heartbeats, by jose gonzalez. mmmm.

The thing is -- is that as much as I like to decry the evil shadows cast by money and the fact that love don't cost a thing -- I also realize that your heart doesn't beat if you don't eat.

This temporary opportunity provides me a chance to store a few acorns away for winter.

If you're going to live in modern society -- do we have a choice??? -- then you have to play by the rules. There are rules, man! To a certain extent.

To be honest with you, I can't write more. Nothing comes to mind. Well, lots of things do, but nothing that I can put my finger on.
I'm flying back to NYC on Friday, to run 26.2 miles on Sunday. I haven't run in almost 2 weeks. The back of my left knee has been sore - feels sort of like a pulled muscle or hyperextended knee. I thought it best to rest and allow it time to heal, especially because trying to cram training into the last 2 weeks before a marathon is not advised. Advised by the people who actually do this marathon running business.

So I've trained for less than a month. Probably a total of 9 or 10 training runs.
Should be interesting! Being in cycling shape didn't translate to running shape as much as I'd hoped. But when I received my marathon entry # in the mail - # 11132 - I knew I had to run. 11 is my favorite number, plus a bunch of 3s and 2s?! How can you go wrong with that?

Anyway, that's my update. Hope everyone is well. I am discombobulated, but will be with you shortly. This is a test of the emergency broadcast system. This is only a test. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.