My Holidays commence two weeks from tomorrow!

Hey All -

2019 proved to be a good, exciting, and stressful year. I am hoping to have more of the good and exciting in 2020 and less of the stress.

I am going to a concert tomorrow and another concert Tuesday evening. I purchased the tickets in October and November and, as is typical this year, forgot the dates until I looked at my email. The tickets being in broad site on my refrigerator apparently did not include sticking them in places, where I wouldn't forget.

For 2020, I hope to do more of the following:

Music - continuing cello and perhaps adding in on another low-key music related activity.

Concerts - these never fail to excite me and to scare away the not fun/black moods. So, I am leaning towards attending one a month or every other month, if I find ones of interest and I can afford it!

Travel - I have not done much traveling outside of races or conferences. I want to change this and do more of it for fun! The trip to Italy in March will definitely be fun.

Exercise - I want to continue getting back into exercise, even if it means running once a week. If I can train and enjoy a race, great, but I am ok not adding more to my plate.

Crafting/House projects - I made strides in these areas, but I hope to finish some in-progress projects and also do some new things.

I am also debating the future and name of this blog. Between now and December 31st, when I return from the holidays, I will make a decision.

If I don't see you, travel safely and have a fantastic holiday season.

6+ Mile Run (gasp), Two Concerts, and more!

Hey All,

I completed my first run - over 6 miles - for the first time this year. It was not efficient and, yes, I did have the, "oh what was I thinking," reaction a few times, but it was fun. So far - the recovery is going well and my body is not throwing major fits. This is the classic reaction after I do anything over 3 miles, especially if I have not been running/training consistently. Maybe rock climbing and/or the Milwaukee adventures assisted in getting me to this point? I am not sure, but I am happy. 

Thanksgiving is Thursday - where on earth has time gone?! I will be hosting and likely not posting until something time next week. The big football game is a the Saturday after Thanksgiving. It also happens to be the celebration of Christmas with the extended family. Don't try to make sense out of it - it does make getting everyone together easier, though, and minimizes the holiday commuting from one house to the next.

I went to see the Dvorak Cello Concerto on Friday night and I listened to the Michigan Pop's concert on Saturday. My cousin plays the double bass, which I could not see particularly well, but I thoroughly enjoyed both performances. I have no problem at all attending such events on my own - Movies, on the other hand, are completely different. I would rather view those at home, covered in a blanket, knitting/crafty project handy, and of course a beverage. Right now, I am attempting to rehydrate, because I did a lousy job of it yesterday.

Where this finds you (at home, working - ok I did some of it this weekend - sorry, etc.), I hope you have a fantastic week and, if like me you must work some of it, keep smiling.

Happy Sunday!

What A Fall, Rock Climbing, Unhappy Cellos

Hi All,

As of yesterday at 4 pm EST, I finished working with the brand new medical students during the scheduled sessions. As they number 178 and I met one-on-one or small groups (15 at most, 10 is preferable) for 15 minutes in August-September and 30 minutes in October-November. If you calculate the time spent, it is the equivalent of a full work week and then some. Yes, it did take time and, no, not all the students were happy to be present. Overall, they seemed to benefit and I think, despite the time commitment involved, it makes much more sense than how I conducted sessions.

I still cannot quite believe it is done - now they are completing the assessement, which took 3 months (yes - you read that correctly) to get Institutional Review Board Approval. Is it frustrating? Yes - others tell me this should not be the case for getting an exempt study approved. For a different exempt study, it took me another three months for approval. I joined this Institutional Review Board for two reasons, which I told them upfront:

• I want to do a better job of submitting my own proposals, which should lead to faster approvals, and I want to be better able to advise others, who are submitting proposals.
• Researchers should not be put off by submitting such proposals, but they will be if they cannot allocate the appropriate amount of time to complete such proposals. And they will also not be thrilled, if they have to constantly call the office to understand and make the comments suggested by reviewers.

With this entire process taking 6 months (3 months per proposal) and likely another month to approve a change (amendment) to a previously approved project, I have been asking around and no one else has had these issues. So I am not only delayed in what I hoped to accomplish but I am livid. So I will 

be working with faculty to get the office to lecture specifically on the issues facing Library Faculty. If they don’t do what I consider to be a decent job, I will be asking lots of questions until I get clarity about the situation or I will ask for someone else to present. This is unacceptable and I told them my colleagues will do just about anything to avoid the process and meet the requirements for promotion and tenure. 

If it is not abundantly clear, I am a compliant person and I do not relish confrontations. If I can avoid one, I do. It takes an awful lot to get me riled and losing my temper. My siblings and my parents, to a lesser degree, are apt to lose their tempers far more quickly than I do. If/when I do lose it, it usually terrifies my family and/or they applaud and watch with glee, because it is so unusual. Right now, I am so livid it is just rather ridiculous. This will pass and I will make my peace with it. My ire will go away, but I will not forget. I will do my best to not repeat these mistakes. If you know a compliant person, I highly suggest not irritating them, because they are really good at fighting back effectively and are aware of all the loopholes to take when riled.

Last weekend, I tried Rock Climbing. I learned the basics on how to repel and belay (come off a cliff/wall after climbing and how to safely assist a climber coming off the cliff/wall). There, I attempted bouldering (climbing a wall without a harness). My brother was correct - it is not as fun. Then, I used the automatic belaying system (also not as fun) and attempted to climb a few times - I got about 3-5 feet off the ground, but I could not figure out where to go from that point. If I ever go again, I will take a truly beginners class and I will likely retake the repelling/belaying course.

Meanwhile, I went to two different areas in Detroit in the past two weeks. I did “ok” for the most part, besides going to the wrong parking lot and then trying to enter the wrong way (oops). I enjoyed myself both times, but I am ok not visiting Detroit again anytime soon. I much prefer Ann Arbor!

My cello is so not happy with the changing weather. Strings have decided they would prefer to not be in tune - sigh - that is just not fun. Then, despite covering it in a blanket, every string went crazy after being in a car. I nearly took it into the building, where I was having the class (tiny room, really warm), and I am still not sure it would have improved the situation. I arrived at my lesson with four very loose strings and got a lecture on cello care. I have now ordered a hygrometer to monitor the humidity and a way to keep the case (and cello) at the property humidity inside the case. I decided to get one of each, after conferring with my Mom, for her birthday.

Next weekend, I will get to hear a cello concert on Friday Night and Pops volunteer orchestra on Saturday. It will be a music filled weekend and I cannot wait.  I may even purchase “select” tickets for next year.

Happy Thursday!

Fall Foliage, Two Functional Cellos, Time Changes, and Flu Shots

Hey All!

The fall foliage train ride last weekend was delightful, although it was a bit steam on the return trip, because everyone thought it would be cold! I did a bit of knitting and I lost sleep watching the World Series Finals between the Houston Astros and my former home team the Washington Nationals. After living in a city for the better part of 7 years, Washington DC feels like home, but I am thrilled to have space away from the center of politics.

This week, I had a short week, which meant for some long days and yes I did watch the final World Series game. The Nats won - hurrah! My college football team beat one of my alma maters and I had a good cello lesson on Thursday.

Friday - I cancelled all my plans for the next two weeks and got my flu shot. I, predictably, react to all flu shots. The exception was 2017, when I got 3 cases of pneumonia in 9 months (November, January, June). I have decided planning for a low key weekend and getting the shot as late in the day makes the most sense.

Saturday - I did lots of leaf raking (2.5 hours, sore ache due to not stretching and little used muscles), finished planting bulbs, donated some items, and learned that my second cello is good to go! So now I get the opportunity (and challenge) of keeping two cellos happy and also making sure I can easily transition between them, when I eventually transition away from the cello I started learning to play in late July.  Some suggested that it might fun and different to get back into violin as I continue with cello. It is something to consider.

Sunday - I did some work and got in a short run/walk, which was fun. I had not gotten any running or much exercise in a week and oh did I need it.

This week will be long but, if I continue to feel up to it, I have weekend plan to try something I have been hoping to do for about 2 years.

Happy Sunday, All!

Gratitude and Running with Joy!

Hi There,

A few days ago, I actually published the link to a post I wrote a few weeks ago. Yep - that sums up how things are going around here these days, but life is good.

The Milwaukee conference jumpstarted a semi-regular return to exercise. I am not yet where I desire to be, but I am moving in the right direction. I got home last night and it was rainy. I changed into clothes, put on a slicker, and headed out. In retrospect, reflective gear and/or a headlamp would have been smart to have with me, but that's ok. I ran with joy and now my goal is to always run with joy, even if I mess up the eating and the results are not what I anticipated.

Phase 2 is going well with the students - yes, we are still figuring out how to make it all smoother for next year. This is life.

I stopped taking Benadryl last Monday and I started feeling better almost immediately. I was on time or early to all of my meetings and I confirmed that the poison ivy oil is gone from the clothes. Now I just have to decide what to do with the bad Poison Ivy area. Removing it myself is out-of-the question as I can still see the poision ivy spots on my body.

Overnight I advanced to 45-60 minute cello practices. Granted - I sometimes daily practices do not happen, but I am still enjoying it. I am working on incorporating dynamics and not getting Rosin (this helps make the bow grip the string) on my clothing. The sound is better and now I have to continue practicing optics and efficiency with my bow and finger movements.

2019 continues to be one interesting thing after another, but I learning - after many good chats - to accept what I can control (my reaction to things) and to remove myself or tightly reign in reactions that are not appropriate. It is something that will take time, of course, but it is nice to see some progress.

Fall is here. I have new containers for Oscar, who is my Spider Plant, and I am up to four new little plants. I am not yet sure when I will transplant them or if I will gift them to people. In my new planting area and the back, I am putting in more crocus bulbs and I am adding Tulips - so fun! I got them for a good price and so, if they do not work, I am not sweating it.

Tuesday Morning is dangerous place to go and check out these photos, if you do not believe me!


Happy Tuesday!

Finding my Why, 4 Characteristics, Milwaukee, and Happy Weekend

Hello, All!

My professional conferences are done and oh were they fun, stressful, and yet enlightening. I learned a lot and I am putting it all to use, before the next one appears.

Backing up to two weeks ago, when I started my mental training class, and I was asked to identify three characteristics:

Energetic:  I have a lot of energy and sometimes this scares or intimidates others. Tip - Expect that I will have more energy. If I admit that I am tired, you know that I really am.

Curiosity:  Why is my favorite question. Most people grow out of it. I never did. This might be one reason I love research, because I get to spend time answering some of those questions.

Enthusiastic: I can get excited about most things. If I cannot get excited or if the idea holds no appeal, I usually drop it and then decide, if my mind changes about it, to investigate it more. My first reaction is usually spot-on though.

Flare for Drama:  This is something that I initially tried to ignore and deny. I make faces - most of the time unintentionally - and I am not great at memorizing, which really means I should not have taken the acting class. I did and I learned how to manage interviews. It is not bad to have a Flare for Drama, if I manage it appropriately.

After my last half marathon in late October of last year, I started to struggle with my why when it came to running. I began having this battle in my problem with work/professionally within months of earning my graduate degree.

Running Why(s):

• I return pumped with adrenaline and ready to tackle the world.
• I enjoy it - provided I can stop and take a picture without causing anyone harm.
• I do not enjoy racing right now - I may never enjoy it again. If I get excited, I will do it or I might just be a runner, who chooses not to race.

Professional Why(s):

• My students, faculty, and staff energize, excite, and, yes, sometimes they aggravate me. I still have a better day, when they appear in my office or get in touch via email.
• Research - it improves how I do my job and I love it.

Milwaukee was lovely and I would happily return for another visit. The Harley Davidson Museum was funny and I would be just fine never ever sitting on another motorcyle.

I am whipped and so I am delaying cello until next week. I would only be frustrated and tired, which does not make for a fun lesson.

Happy "Almost" Weekend!

Starting the week on a good note - Happy Monday and Birthday Traditions

Hey All,

I am still in shock about how tough and long last week happened to be. It ended on a good note with a cello lesson, even if it got off to an interesting start with my teacher on one floor and me on another.

Over the weekend, I finished the planting area. It is not particularly photogenic, yet, and I might very well add some additional mulch. I just have to think about it a bit more.  Some how, a week ago Saturday, I got a very bad case of poison ivy that was not diagnosed until Friday. So I am doing my best not to itch, keep it clean, and hope not everyone notices it. It is bad enough that I will likely still be recovering at a conference in a few weeks. I can only hope the weather will be cool and then I can justify long sleeves for everything but workouts.

Speaking of which, I did a short workout tonight. I did a bit on my exercise bike and most of it on my armless elliptical. It felt really good - short, slow, but good. I am beginning to think I need to place posts about starting something on Mondays and getting lots of sleep to make things happen. Tomorrow I will likely drag a bit, but that is life.

We have a tradition in our family of getting in touch on birthdays. I usually choose to spend mine away from where I live with my immediate. Another tradition is to sing. So, today I recorded my current rendition of Happy Birthday for a family member. It was not perfect and it took 12 recordings, before I considered it acceptable. At least I know how to improve for the next birthday!

A week from Thursday, I will head out with colleagues to Milwaukee. It will be my first visit to that fair city and we are driving to Muskegon, Michigan, and then taking a ferry to/from Milwaukee. It makes the most sense and, because we have 3 people and one car, the price is cheaper than flying, driving, or taking the train. I love boats and oh am I excited.

Happy Monday, All! I hope you are able to have a smooth week!

10 Things Playing Cello and Promotion Systems Have Taught Me

Hi All,

It was a whirlwind of a weekend, but oh was attending my first trio performance delightful! I have no regrets..ok, so reacting badly to Icelandic yoghurt is something I could handle not repeating in the future. Thankfully, I had most of my stuff put together and submitted for the deadline, before two people took one look at me and said, "You look really sick and you need to go home - now." So I did on mid-afternoon on Monday and, although I was 90% back to normal on Tuesday, my strength completely returned to day.

So here are 10 things promotion and tenure systems and playing cello have taught me. I did not list this below, but it does fit with playing any large instrument. Never ever turn down an offer to open the door for you, when carrying a cello! Instead, thank the person profusely, smile, and get through the door as expediently and safely as you can!. These are not provided in any particular order.

10. Rejections hurt. This could be a poster or paper submission to present at a conference. This could be a manuscript or book proposal submission. It could be the end of a friendship or relationship. It could be an unjust accusation. Bottom line - they all hurt. Try not to dwell on them overly long. Glean what you can and move forward, folks! Some have suggested 24-48 hours of wallow time. I am not sure how much wallow time works for you (or me), but the point is to acknowledge the pain but do not let is stall you into complete inactivity.

9. Practice, Practice, Practice - It cannot be overstated! I say this to faculty member, who get frustrated when the answer does not immediately appear. My cello teacher says this to me, when I get annoyed at how my finger refuse to cooperate. Or my bad habits of weeks 1 and 2 resurface in week 8. If you want to be proficient at anything, you must practice.

8. Everything happens for a reason, even if you never learn what the reason happens to be. Today, I heard that a program I created, recruited, and moderated for the past two years will re-enter the "submission" stage for the annual conference I attend most years. It's not that the program is bad or e even unsuccessful. The conference planners think it is a good idea to review all submissions. So - as recruitment ramps up - I am going to keep this in mind so that I can work with future leaders to build on the 2020 successes and, we hope, keep the program going in 2021.

7. Find people who support but challenge you. I am fortunate to have a professional mentor, who knows the system, and also feels comfortable challenging my ideas and aspirations. By challenging my ideas, this person encourages me to rethink how I allocate my time at all levels (department, college, university, local, regional, national). It assists me in trying new activities, which could further my professional development. I do very well with a hands-off, experienced, but opinionated mentor. I have enough energy, even when my reserves are running low, to keep up a good appearance. I frequently lack the confidence and experience about when to jump ship. It is at times like this, when I ask these advisers, who know me and the situation, to provide input.

6. Bug bites hurt. Right now, my go-to method for getting rid of bug bites is not working. Being me, I looked up any potential issue this reaction could be. Sometimes, my profession is not a good thing. I will give it until Friday morning, most likely, before I call the doctor to get some ideas. I have not had such a serious reaction for 2 years and I would rather not have a severely swollen arm before I deal with it.

5. Callouses show dedication. I am continually amazed by how quickly I develop callouses on my fingers from playing cello. Yes, I developed them from violin, but they feel quite different from cello. I am finally developing fourth finger (pinkie) callouses! Right now, they are not appearing as I think they should and so I will refocus my efforts on correct finger placement and technique. Still - developing a callous is better than not having a callous at all.

4. I am placing a moratorium on races. I last raced in June. I really reacted badly post-race. Then, in preparing for a different race, I did a speed workout and again reacted badly. In mid August, I was once again running consistently. Between busy, long, and stressful weeks - I have not done any running in about 8 weeks and I did not run or even walk a 5k for which I was registered last weekend. I am officially placing a moratorium on singing up for races, until I get really excited. Then, I have to be able to have consistent training - including speed workouts and runs over 4 miles -after which I do not feel horrible for an extended period of time. This could mean I do not re-up my membership to running groups, but I am not making that decision just yet.

3. I love landscaping and yard work. I have been spending more time attempting to do some things with my yard. Not all my attempts have yielded what I hoped, but I am loving it, especially when I gave myself permission to focus on it and not also try to build-in a consistent running schedule (see 4 for details). I am building different kinds of muscles. I am learning just how annoying tree roots can be. I also learned that I am not as allergic to tiny bee looking insect as I was in my early years. Then again - I appear to be really allergic to this bug/spider bite (see 6 for details).

2. Place your time and effort where it counts. I had a giant deadline on Monday. So giant - in fact - that I put many things on hold and I spent hours the past two weekends and on many weekday evenings putting things in order. Despite being more organized this year, I changed up my schedule enough that I had to put in time during the non-work hours. I prioritized deadlines that discussed scholarly activities, dealt with patient care (how to treat a patient, move forward with a research project, etc). I did not focus as much time on entering how many customer requests I handle on a daily and monthly basis. I did focus on getting and giving the best presentations I could to faculty, staff, and students. I also focused on projects, which I knew would bring faculty, staff, and students to the library. I am aware that I will likely take some heat for this. I have the data to support my decisions. My biggest goal for 2019-2020 is to focus my efforts on what will help me develop as a professional but also make me happy.

1. I am delaying when I go up for promotion. At various times I have whined, grumbled, bemoaned, dreaded, and even believed I would not get promotion or tenure (This is a status, which is hard to get, that provide a level of stability in Academia). I have published, presented, and taught enough that I will be successful for promotion and tenure. January-last Thursday, I was debating. Do I go up early and see if that will improve my interactions with colleagues? Do I wait, because then I will have been here a full five years? I discussed it with my mentor and I decided to wait and declare my intention to go-up in March 2021. This gives me time to take and enjoy a trip to Italy in March 2020. It means that I can get more experience with conducting various types of research and I can get another article or two written- up and (I hope) published. I can make a compelling case, when I ask for external reviewers to support my application for promotion and tenure. It was hard to reach this decision, but I trust my mentor and I did feel a sense of relief, once I we reached the decision.

Happy Wednesday all - I hope you are doing well. Next time, I will try to have an exciting picture to share.

Catching up Pre Labor Day, Post Labor Day, and Mosquito Fodder (aka Me)

Hello, All!

The last few weeks have been incredibly busy, but they have been equally rewarding. Below are some bullet points with highlights:

• Of the 175 new students, I have met with all but 45 in the last few weeks and most of the 45 have scheduled appointments with me. I think this new session is working - yes, it is required, but they get to choose the time and it is only 15 minutes. I hope the 30 minute session goes equally well!

• I am reviewing and submitting the revisions and proofs for my upcoming article. It should be out around September 15th or so. I have some people, who were instrumental in making it happy or who keep up with my research, and I will share copies with them. If you want one, let me know.

• The next giant deadline is September 16th. Between now and then, I will be busy but also finding fun in playing cello, trying new things, and finishing up projects.

• Fall is here and I am so excited! It is by far my favorite season, which is followed by winter, and then Spring. Summer is not so much fun, because it is so hot! I am thrilled to live in a four season part of the world.

• I took an extended Labor Day Holiday and started adjusting my schedule, again, two weeks ago. I think this last schedule will work, even if it involves scrambling a bit more on early meeting days.

Labor Day was amazing - good food, great company, and fantastic conversations. Yes, the driving was a bit more than I usually do, but it was totally worth it. I returned refreshed and ready to tackle things.

Meanwhile, I worked on my flower bed on Saturday and I made great progress. I also discovered that tree roots are problematic but I am taking it in stride. Tonight, using my running headlamp, in finished all but the last 2-2.5 feet and became mosquito fodder in the process. I have so many bites that I will be wearing sleeves and sweaters in hopes of escaping notice by the students, faculty, and staff I will see tomorrow. Once the planter is done, I will post pictures to instagram (@runningwithallergies).

Besides that, I am looking forward to a trio concert this weekend and I am excited to get back  into regular posting. I am either running or run/walking a 5k this weekend. It benefits a student group and, three years ago, it is the first race I completed, after moving to the area and starting my current job. Oh how time does fly!

Happy Tuesday, All! 

Changing Schedules, Parking Lots, and the Excitement Continues

Hi All,

Saturday, instead of running the 5 mile race, I slept a lot and did not get out of PJs all day. Does this seem a bit surprising given all that had gone well? Perhaps - my body really wants 9 hours of sleep and it protests loudly, after a short period of time, if it does not get them. I did a bit more on Sunday, but I was pretty lazy last weekend.

I decided to start changing my schedule again effective today. It will take a bit longer to accomplish, but this one seems to be working better already. Why am I so schedule based? Truth be told - I really prefer unscheduled weekends, but the schedule assists with managing the chronic disease. I did have another energy drop, but I am still doing far better than I was even two months ago. So when I have no desire to run or I get fed up with how little I have gotten done, this is what I remember.

Tomorrow, the remaining students return to both campuses for Orientation and to begin the new semester. This means the lovely and wide open parking lot will become a nightmare shortly 8:15 am every morning. It also means that you can circle up to an hour with no luck, if parking after that time period, and arriving to the lot around 10 am. So I plan to begin parking in the public lot and taking the tunnels to my office or walking outside, if the weather permits, because that bugs me less than going around in circles. I never said it made sense, but this is me, folks!

I learned, lasts Thursday evening, that my article was accepted for publication. After making the few required edits, I resubmitted it on Friday. I expect that it will be available shortly after Labor Day. Although it was not the most exciting of projects, it should assist in the accreditation report and visit scheduled for the college I support in April 2020.

I taking a long Labor Day weekend and oh am I excited. So - yes - expect the post that week to be on a Wednesday or Thursday. Cello continues to be fun and challenging. I am supposed to see if I can find the similarities between running and non-cello hobbies. I have my work cut out for me, but it keeps me smiling. I also rediscovered how rusty my base clef knowledge happens to be. So I need to brush up on that!

Happy Tuesday.

Circumstances can make you or break you; Change in Plan for Saturday; Happy First Week of Classes!

Hi All,

Today I gave a bit of a gutsy presentation. In some ways, I am a bit of a chicken professionally. You might not think this, because I usually have multiple projects going and I am full of ideas. When it comes to a tough issue, I try to deal with it but also not alienate people. By tackling both reproducibility and the unreliable aspects of impact factor (a common way to evaluate the quality of journals), I was sticking my neck out this morning. Thankfully, the attendees were respectful and they asked good questions. I am not sure what, if anything, will change, but at least they have an idea of what I think. And I might go down in history as the App librarian. So be it.  Some circumstances can either make you or break you and I know that, if I had not experienced the stress of tenure, I could not have done this presentation as effectively today.

I decided to do just the 5 miler on Saturday. I could have continued with my original plan, but I would have been pushing my limits. So I backed down and, depending on how it goes, I may start looking at half marathon races. Having guests in town was really fun, but oh am I tired and off schedule. That's ok.

The first week of classes is almost over and so far my revamped program for meeting with students is going well. I hope it continues to go smoothly as I have 173 students to meet between now and September 20th!

My apologies for the tardy write-up and, yes, I will recount the good, bad, and the ugly of what happens on Saturday.

Happy Thursday (almost Friday) all!

Monday, Monday, I might be crazy; Dayton Tragedy, Return of Students

Hi All,

I think I might be starting a Monday trend of blogging. For whatever reason, most Saturdays I end up doing lot of things and then crashing (literally as in yesterday) on Sunday. So if you here from me on Mondays, this would be why. It is rather nice to start the week with a recap of what happened (or didn't) the previous week.

On Friday, I signed up for a race in Jackson, Michigan. It is "Running of the Vines," and it is coordinated by the group, who puts on "Run Woodstock" each year. The crazy part is that I signed up to do both the 5k and 5 miler back-to-back. I can easily fit the time requirement for the 5k, which I plan to use as my warm-up, and then I will survive and maybe push the 5 miler pace a bit. Yes, I could be a bit crazy, but the prizes are wine, chocolate, cheese, and cider. Um, doesn't that sound fun to you? Or perhaps this is another crazy Margaret idea. We shall see. Recap to come post race and, when I hope to still be walking/running normally, on 19 August 2019.

And I hit my highest mileage in months last week, when I ran every other day (Saturday-Friday). I proceeded to crash on Saturday and I ended up napping a bit on Sunday. My electric company did not listen to my numerous calls an so I had to pay the whopper of a bill. It was 78 in my house on Sunday and maybe I will use that as my excuse for napping. I was also whipped, but that would be due to pushing the new schedule/how late can I stay up and maintain it boundaries. Oh well...I am adjusting to the new schedule and it really does work better, when I just stay up instead of going back to sleep and then getting up again a few hours later. That might be part of why I felt lousy Saturday and napped on Sunday.

I am in shock - still - about the Dayton shooting. Dayton is primarily south and a little west of where I live, but it feels close. Someone, who I dated for almost a year, is from that area and I "sort of know" someone else, who is safe. I feel awful about the shooting and I can only hope it is a wake-up call for the legislators. Something needs to change, because such tragedies are occurring far more than they should, which in my opinion should be never. I respect trained officials, who know firearm safety and need to protection for the positions they hold, but I have issues with an ordinary citizen owning a firearm for safety. I understand the Second Amendent and the right to own arms, but I still think we could and should be doing a better job.

Onto a more fun topic, the students begin returning today and Orientation kicks off on Wednesday. The next 8-10 weeks are going to be busy but oh so fun. I love the students, even when I begin to feel like I am dinosaur, but that's life. I have a dinosaur slide and I might just use it, when I facilitate my sessions this Fall.

Happy Monday - Stay Safe and, if you have loved ones in Dayton, know that they are in my thoughts.

USATF Results, Day 3 of the New Schedule, and the Electric Bill (no photos, sorry!)

Hey All,

I don't know about you, but I was watching the USA Track and Field (USAs) Results (ok via Twitter, Instagram, online browsing) Thursday-this morning. Some highlights:

Benjamin Bruce competed for the 17th time in the USAs!

Kellyn Taylor made the podium for the 10k, which completely debunks the myth that Marathon Runners are slow and lack turnover speed.

Stephanie Bruce ramped up the 10k opening pace and then finished 4th in the 10k and 9th in the 5k. I just love watching the Hoka One One and especially the Hoke One One NAZ Elite runners compete - they give it everything in all the races, even if the distance is short!

If you need inspiration, watch the final kick (sprint) Molly Huddle uses to win the 10k.

Emma Coburn (steeplechase), Track Jenny (Jenny Simpson) - 1500 meters, Colleen Quigley - wow are these ladies talented and they will all be representing the US in Doha.

Congrats to all the coaches and athletes for competing in the USAs!

In non professional running news - I actually made it out for two runs (Saturday, this morning) and did 6 strides after each run. Am I slow? Yep. Is my running pain free right now? Yep. I also was put on 12 month recall to see the doctor, unless I am in dire pain, which is the best news I have gotten in a few months. I also had to admit that my pain tolerance is high. OOPs - I think that is part of being a runner, right?! Yes, dealing with a chronic illness is full of ups-and-downs, but a 12 month instead of a monthly recall is huge. I am also adjusting to a new schedule (day 3) and so far it is working, I think. I am just not thinking about holidays, conferences, or planned travel, when the schedule will not be feasible. It is just one of those things.

And I am going to throttle the electric company. My bill quadrupled and it is the highest bill I had since April 2017, when I purchased the house. It surpasses the installation of the heating/cooling system and, quite frankly, keeping the temperature on two floors at 76 degrees or even 78 should not trigger this cost. Watch out, electric company, I am coming for you.

Beyond that, life is moving along and I have another cello lesson with a different teacher tonight. I hope it goes well!

Happy Monday, All!