Drama girl

Did anyone watch the Oscars last night? As a kid, I used to live for them. Yes, I was a bit of a strange child in that I loved awards shows and the Olympics. As a 10-year-old I would record them off of t.v. and watch them over and over again. I remember watching Whoopi Goldberg win an Oscar over and over again, and I remember thinking a tribute to the career of Sophia Loren was pretty cool, and watching that over and over again. Huh? Yeah, I was weird.

I say was, but I still am a little eccentric I think in terms of my fascination for these things. Only a little, though. I watched off and on while folding laundry, looking at the paper, doing the dishes, etc. last night. The love from my childhood isn't quite there anymore...maybe it's something about watching a bunch of people, punctuated by celebrities take themselves and their art so seriously. I saw a commentary today about how 3.5 hours is better spent watching movies than watching people talk about movies. True, very true.

I do think awards shows are nice, however, in that they remind us of art for art's sake, and that's a good thing in a time when art is often sacrificed for more profitable pursuits. Yes, movies are big moneymakers. But as someone said last night in his acceptance speech (was it the guy from "Once?"), keep making art.

I was happy to see Diablo Cody won for "Juno." Derek and I saw this a month or so ago, and it was really nice, in my opinion. I cringed as I typed "nice," because it seems like such a vanilla way to describe something, but it was nice in the truest sense. I'll spare you the storyline since I think it's been told by just about everyone in every sort of medium. It's basic theme of accepting one for who they are and loving them unconditionally is presented in a straightforward and intelligent way that didn't insult the audience's intelligence or butter them up with flashiness or try to be controversial for the sake of stirring things up (and it wasn't controversial, by the way -- in my opinion). Cody seems like someone who tells it like it is, and this echoed through in a very honest screenplay lacking in any sort of pretentiousness.

Is Juno a comedy? Well, it makes me laugh. Is it a drama? Well, some of the situations have an inherent dramatic aspect to them. But it's neither knee-slappingly funny the whole way or a tear-jerker from start to finish. It meshes elements of both and, to me, is a pretty realistic reflection of the flaws, feelings and situations humans have dealt with for a long, long time. A good screenplay communicates something about the human experience that makes you think, and Cody did this by making me think about the basic needs of people, and what it takes to truly be happy. Juno may have been the only Oscar contender last night that I have actually seen, but that's not the only reason why I was rooting for it. Juno's a great movie, hands down, because it's refreshingly honest and relatable while also being surprising and new.

Almost March -- can't wait for spring

Well, it's almost March -- a month I typically look forward to because it usually brings big changes in terms of weather and seasons, which for me are welcomed changes! Usually by the point I'm excited for the warmer weather because I've been running outside in the frigid temps for months. The year's been a bit different as I work my way back from injury and from various setbacks, so my outlook on winter hasn't been quite as harsh simply because I've been spending a lot more time inside than I usually do. Granted, it isn't for the reasons I'd like it to be, but it hasn't been so bad and I don't feel quite as maniacal about the weather when it gets cold l do when I'm running a lot. So I guess that's not so bad.

This year I'm really looking forward to March because we're going to Daytona Beach March 16 through March 21. I can't wait for warm temps, seafood dinners and naps on the beach. And a break from work! I'm hoping that my current pains are brief andthat I can be back on the path to running again very soon so I can truly enjoy Daytona. There's nothing like exploring an area on foot (I prefer running to walking). First item of business to make this happen: rid ourselves of our respective injuries!

Last spring we went to Clearwater Beach, which was just about a dream trip in every aspect. I was training for Boston at the time and was able to continue that on vacation, which actually wasn't a chore thanks to beautiful surroundings and great weather. Our typical days there consisted of waking up, running along the beach, coming back for coffee and breakfast at the hotel, putting on our suits and walking a couple blocks to the beach, and napping/relaxing in the sand for the afternoon. Then, around 4 p.m. or so, we'd head back to the hotel, get cleaned up and go to dinner. We went to this awesome seafood buffet two nights in a row and stuffed our faces on the freshest seafood. It didn't dawn on me why my legs got heavier throughout the trip and I felt more and more fatigued while running, despite all the napping and relaxing, until Derek reminded me of our protein-exclusive meals. Ahhh, yes. Hard to save room for those carbs when you're loving the seafood!

I'm hoping Daytona Beach surpasses the lofty standards and enjoyable experiences of last year's Clearwater trip. I can't wait for it.

Flu Bug...

Your luck is not very good when 3 teachers you teach with and many students you have in class, come down with influenza. It is just a matter of time before you catch it. So guess what...the flu bug has bit and has bit hard.

After spending most of Friday in bed and part of Saturday morning, I am starting to feel a little better. I am surprised by how stiff I feel. I am not sure if it caused because of lying on my back for 20 hours or if it is because of the flu. If I had to bet, am thinking it is a little of both. No matter what the reason is, it is amazing how unmotivated I have become.

Currently, I look outside at the beautiful sunshine, warmer conditions and think about how I should get outside and enjoy it. But, there is no motivation to do anything let alone go outside. Ok,ok, ok….Enough with the complaining, I am not posting this to cast out a line of sympathy. There are many others out there that are feeling the same way I am feeling, if not worse.

So the main reason of posting a blog entry, (besides making time pass faster). Is to explain what a perfect day would be, if I were feeling better. So here it goes…

Morning:
Go for a run along Summit Avenue. Come home for breakfast and have a huge bowl of oatmeal with raisins, bananas, and egg whites accompanied with large amounts of coffee. Enjoy the coffee while reading the paper and let the morning blend together with the early afternoon.

Afternoon:
Go for a walk with Tracy around Phalen Lake and maybe do a little X-country skiing while I am there. Possibly, if there was still time go to the gym for some strength training before dinner.

Night:
Head out for dinner. This would be what I was craving, but I am pretty sure it would be one of two places: Great Waters (American) or Café BoXani (Asian) both in Saint Paul. Then head up to Cheapo and purchase the new Bon Iver album and listen to it while heading to the MOA, because we still have a bunch of free passes to the rides there. Maybe if the mood struck us right, go to the new movie with Jack Black, ­Be Kind Rewind. (I think it looks rather funny). Then head home.

Well that is it, if I could have it my way, that is what I would do. But unfortunately, that wasn’t the cards I was dealt. So I will keep drinking fluids, resting, and passing the time until I feel better. Until then….take care.

Chicago...

Chicago…where it begin? I’ll start with this, what a Great weekend! I had an excellent time and I am pretty confident, I can say the same for Tracy.

In my opinion, if you are looking for a great get away you should definitely go to “the Windy City.” Here is what I recommend you do…Go to a major travel outfitter via the internet. Put in the dates you would like to go, search for both a flight and hotel and I bet you will find some great deals. Tracy and I were able to get a great flight and stay in a hotel one block from Michigan Avenue for…..well lets just say very economical.

Since we did so much it would take some extra work to write up a blog entry that would be short enough to keep the readers attention. As well as, me not take forever and a day to type an entry. So I am going to compile a list of what we did on a daily basis. Enjoy.

Friday…

• Arrive at O’Hare and take the “L” to hotel (Inn of Chicago) arrival 12:45 pm.
• Walk, explore, and run along lakeshore and thru Grant Park. (Checked out the Bean” in Millennium Park)
• Dinner we went out to Kamehachi: Old Town‎ a sushi restaurant wow it was great!

Saturday…

• Awake and run along the lakeshore north to Lincoln Park and back.
• Hustle to Train Depot and catch the Metra train to Harvard to visit relatives. (I really enjoyed it. I was able to see my grandparents, cousin, and say congratulations, face to face, to my aunt for her recovering health.)
• Get back to Chicago. (Wanted to go to the top of the Sears Tower but the wait was too long.)
• Wander…wander….got side tracked by seeing fireworks shot over the Chicago River and Michigan Avenue. Wow!
• After long wait for dinner at several places we left and settled for Armenian food at Sayat Nova East Armenian‎ (located across the street from our hotel.)
• Walk off dinner along Michigan Avenue.

Sunday...

• Wake and run in shorts (it was 43 degrees out!)….Then breakfast at the West Fork Café. (Wow this was great…healthy, clean tasting and filling.)
• Walk off breakfast with no jackets (It warmed up to the upper 40’s). We headed back to “The Bean” for pictures.
• Then wandered over to the Chicago Art Institute. (We were able to see priceless art…Picasso, George Seurat, Monet…)
• On the way back to the hotel we stopped in the Freedom Museum located next to the Chicago Tribune building. (It contained information about your rights of “Freedom of Speech” and some famous court cases that infringed people’s rights.)
• Dinner we headed to the Indian Garden. Great!!
• For a night cap and dessert we headed to the top of the 96th floor of the John Hancock Building.

Monday…

• Run north to Lincoln Park and back.
• Eat a quick breakfast at The Corner Bakery. (Very good)
• Pack up and head to the “L” for a ride back to O’Hare for our flight at 1:15pm.
• The afternoon was seamless we were back home in the house at 4:00. I Couldn’t had asked for it to be any more smooth.

In a nutshell that is it! It was a great weekend. I look forward to a return back to the “Windy City.”

Good Fun.

When Captain Obvious on the radio, mentioned on Sunday morning that it was cold outside, I would have to agree. It was a little on the fridged side. But living in the northern Midwest, it is expected this time of the year. Besides it really didn’t get below zero until Saturday afternoon. So there was plenty of time for comfortable outdoor activities before the “artic front” moved through.
Before the cold blast, Tracy and I attended a dance performance at the Ordway Theater in Saint Paul on Friday night. The Garth Fagan Dance company was performing. This company was directed by Garth Fagan, who was the individual who choreographed the Tony Award winning, Lion King.
Of all the dance companies I have seen, these dancers were the most toned and athletic.
The dancers were moving very rapidly from both sides of the stage and many times pausing center stage while balancing on one leg. Now let me explain….imagine the dancers moving very quickly across the stage then stopping immediately, freezing in mid-air body flexed and balancing (many times) on one leg. I was impressed by their balance, muscle tone, and gracefulness. I am glad that Tracy recommended seeing this company.
Waking up on Saturday morning….I was expected to wake up to the weatherman’s forecast, “...below zero temps and dangerous wind chills…” But I was wrong; It was still in the 20’s. Perfect conditions for a run and time to enjoy the morning, but as the snow started to fall so did the temperature. By mid-afternoon the weatherman was right. So cancel the outdoor plans, we are heading indoors (we didn’t have any, but anyways).
One advantage of living in a bigger city is that there are always plenty of options to do indoors. So that is what we did, we went to one of the biggest indoor structures in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. The MOA, yes the Mall of America.
On the way to the mall, we had made a pit stop for dinner at Café Bonxai. Either of us had been there before and wow! What at find! They serve a pan-Asian cuisine. I got the chicken pai thai and Tracy got the basil veggies with calamari. Of all the Asian restaurants I have visited, this food was made with the freshest ingredients and came out tasting so clean. I highly recommend it and if you go don’t forget to try the spring rolls…
With full stomachs, now it was time to head to the mall. Now I will have to confess the main reason for heading to the MOA was because we had free passes to the amusement park rides. Wow…I had a great time. For being indoor rides they are fun! Tracy was giggling like a little school girl and I was grinning ear to ear. In all we went on six different rides in about 2 hours. All in all, it was fun to get out of the house, walk off dinner, be comfortable indoors, and enjoy some free fun. It was a wonderful date.

Caucus...

On Super Tuesday...Tracy and I went and exercised our rights as American Citzens, we went to a caucus. I am glad that I went. It was at an area high school up the street from the house. We started out planning on driving, but ended up parking back at the house. Then walking up to the school. Reason being....too much traffic and no where to park.
I was surprised by the turn out. I thought that there would be a few hundred attendies. I think it was closer to several thousand. We followed the sea of people and adventually found out (after making several laps around the school....we finally asked someone) what ward we were in and what classroom to vote in.
The actually voting took only a matter of seconds, but the act of getting to that point took better part of an hour. But in my opinion, it was worth it. It was great to see the diversity, different age groups, and lifestyles represented at the caucus on Super Tuesday. Maybe that is one reason it is called Super Tuesday???