Of Moose And Men
The Best Laid Plans Of Both Often Go Astray

This was a very long weekend. A goodly part of it was spent on the way to, the way from, and in Quakerstown, Pennsylvania to watch my newbie triathletes compete in their first race. The Steelman was a well run, well organized race that had both an olympic and a sprint distance race run at the same time (sprint started 1/2 an hour after the olympic folks). It was a lot of fun cheering them on, seeing them finish their first race, and just generally getting caught up in the race spirit without being in the race myself. I think that’s the first time I’ve been a spectator at a race since 1999 when I went to visit Ironman Canada with RNJTM. Was a lot of fun.

Once I got home, and got showered, I moved things around int he apartment again. The bed placement, even with the air diverters I hunted down, was just not working. The air unit has been blowing over my face when I sleep, which has caused at least one cold, and possibly a second. So I moved the bed around to the opposite wall. It works, though not like I’d prefer to have the room. At least the air thing is now solved so hopefully no more a/c induced colds this year.

Spent an hour tonight doing some yoga practice, something I’ve not done in a while. Did variations of standing poses, getting grounded, feeling how the legs supported the frame, how to adjust the movement of the body to keep centered and balanced. Felt good. Certainly it felt better than sitting online and running my fingers with friends. While I like chatting with folks, I have been spending a little too much time there and not enough working on things like the yoga practice. So it felt good to move the body again. I think perhaps hanging around with hundreds of people, many of whom are incredibly fit, was a motivator. Hmph.

Also starting to play with podcasts. I know, I know, I’m way behind the curve on them, but I typically do not use my iPod except as background noise at work, so listening to radio-type broadcasts where I’d have to pay attention to something isn’t my norm. Nonetheless I hunted down some mandarin-language podcasts through iTunes and will try to listen some more. My mandarin is very rusty, so listening to some currrent talk I think should help arrest and perhaps reverse some of the loss of skill there.

After rearranging the living room, and prior to starting dinner, I had another of those, “OMG, I own all of this” moments looking around at the apartment. It’s funny, both of the major rooms have now been reversed from how they were originally set up when I moved in, and both are probably more functional for the movement. It takes time to get things set up and arranged properly, but it seems like it’s taken longer than usual with my new home. And I haven’t even gone through and done a proper feng shui treatment of it yet, either.

Today was a wet one. I started it with a shower, then an open water swim out on the Chesapeake Bay with the club sometime around 8:30, another shower after that, then some more swimming at the cult co-op pool, then, of course, another shower. Very, very wet.

Came home from the first swim, hung up the wet suit, finally replaced my shower head (soooo nice to have a real shower head now), did cold wash (so no biking today – all my jerseys were dirty, and currently are drying on the rack).

Went and saw “The Devil Wears Prada” this evening with friends. Was quite cute, I enjoyed it. “That’s all.” Fun.

I’ve been reading a new cookbook I bought on Friday and it’s not helping my urges to add more things to the pantry and the kitchen gadget collection. There are items I need to add to the pantry, and will do so this week, but I don’t need (yet) a cast iron skillet. Nor do I need silicone oven mitts. Le sigh. But it’s been fun reading the cookbook. It’s a vegan one, and all the recipes look very accessible. The author is on my LJ friends list, and I remember hearing her trials of testing and what not, so it’s nice to read the actual book (finally) and see how well put together it is.

Off to crash soon, up for a bike ride, possibly, or more cookbook reading. Meeting of the members’ organization at the cult co-op tomorrow, and a bit of drama with that as a board member has caused a bit of a stir by perhaps getting our general manager to walk out on Friday. Moron.

As I sit here, at almost 11 at night, the neighborhood kids are still setting off firecrackers. And for once I’m not feeling fussy about it. I ran this morning, and Wednesdays are my normal rest days, so won’t be getting up for that, so no worries tonight.

Was a lovely holiday. Hot as all hell in the afternoon when I wandered up to party #1 of the day, then the bottom dropped out and while the humidity levels were obnoxious, the termperatures cooled down nicely. The last part of the evening was spent out on the local marina, chatting, having fun, sipping the last of my good bourbon (I’m so glad I had my brother give me a flask for Xmas), and watching the national fireworks show. And we do put on a pretty good fireworks show here in DC. I miss seeing the peace signs that went off in 2002, but I suspect the administration put the stomp down on those.

Run this morning was hot. It’s in full summer mode here in DC, which means I’m going to have to start getting up earlier to run. 9 am is just too warm now, and let’s not speak of the temps at 11 when I ran on Sunday. Ugh.

All in all was a good holiday. Sipping water now before bed, cooling off from being outside a good chunk of the day, and generally happy that I live where I do. Happy Independence Day.

Moose Dreams, from the Washington Post. Link courtesy Brian.

Just when I thought I’d be hearing the neigborhood kids playing with firecrackers all afternoon, nature decided to open up the skies with her own fireworks. Never have I been happier to see a lightning storm arrive.

It’s as if someone made the A&F catalog as it was supposed to be. So, so not safe for work. Man and woman, woman and woman, man and man. Quite fun. And I think I can say that’s the first time I’ve ever watched lesbian pr0n (so that’s what they do…).

Link courtesy Mark

Dear Paranoid Co-Worker,

While we appreciate that you don’t want to touch the toilet seat with your bare ass, the building in which we work is kind enough to supply the room with toilet seat covers for just such a contingency. Your repeated use of hand towels in multiple layers to cover the seat, which almost inevitably leads to clogging of one of the three stalls in the restroom, is rude at best. We, your male co-workers, do not appreciate that you manage, on a regular basis, to take out one of the stalls and prevent the rest of us from using it. The seat covers are perfectly adequate to protecting even the most delicate of assflesh, and are designed to be flushed down the toilet, unlike the hand towels you insist upon using.

If you do not mend your ways and get with the program, we will be forced to administer an appropriate public punishment. A swirlie in the currently blocked toilet seems the most likely course of action.

Sincerely,

Your Annoyed Co-Workers

Depressing news this morning from the Post: D.C. Estimates Up to 25,000 Residents Have H.I.V.

A sobering article, to be sure. I did have one problem with the reporting in the article, however, in an assumption they made:

At the close of 2004, the last year for which complete figures are available, 16,165 AIDS cases had been reported in the city since the epidemic began in 1981. Of those, 9,110 people were still living with the disease — meaning nearly 45 percent had died.

Well, no, while there are likely a good number that have died, this doesn’t take into account people who move away, and given the transient nature of much of this city, that may be a good several percentage points. I realize it makes better copy to say ‘death’ but it’s not entirely accurate.

In any case, it’s good that the city is refocusing on the issue. Increasing the availability, timeliness and likelihood of testing is a good thing. Thank heavens the city finally replaced the management at the Department of Health, as well as the Councilmember who oversees that department. Those two actions alone have made large strides (unreported in this article) towards addressing this chronic epidemic.

Well, three months in it finally happened, I’ve become the grouchy homeowner.

Have fired off a series of emails over the past several hours, starting last night when I asked the cult co-op members’ email list if anyone knew why the pedestrian gates on N street were locked, forcing me to walk over into the driveway (a.k.a. “the River” in last night’s storm). Wouldn’t normally be an issue, but the security mechanism does not yet work and no members have keys (and the gates have been unlocked for months). This was especially annoying because I can see the pedestrian gate on the cul-de-sac at O street from my window, and it’s wide open. Followed up with another email to the building manager this morning with the same questions.

The next was to the building engineer asking if there was something that could be done to allow my balcony to actually drain. It has a drainage channel on the outside edge, and I’ve cleaned a bunch of crud out of it, even poked a chopstick through the end such that I can see it coming out from my bedroom window. No go, water still just stands there. So hopefully he can help with that, as the 1/4″ or so of water standing on the balcony annoys me.

The third was back to the members’ list, asking if I had missed a piece of paper under my door about access to the “members page” off the co-op web site. If there’s a way for us to get electronic communication from the cooperative rather than five gazillion pieces of paper under my door, I’m all for it, but you know, I have to know how to get at the stuff. Supposedly the co-op membership voted last year (?) to move to more electronic communications and stop the paper under the door method of notification. The board, predictably, has stonewalled. It would be nice if they’d realize this is 2006, not 1962, and get with the times. If there are members without computers, or who need paper, fine, let them opt in and get a special printing under their door. Not a problem. But don’t blanket the rest of us with paper we neither need nor want in this day and age.

I suspect the relative lack of sleep hasn’t helped, but the little things do add up.

The cold is progressing in the normal manner. Which is to say last night was my usual sleepless night (I always have one when I get a cold, like clockwork, on day 3 or 4). Thankfully it was over the weekend so I didn’t have to take time off.

Other than killing monsters (yay for Diablo II), it was a very uneventful weekend. Missed two handsome gents who were in town, and the aforementioned parties and dinner. Did run out to the grocery store this evening, just in time for the bottom to drop out right before I checked out. Brought a golf umbrella, but everything from the knees down was soaked right through (and is currently on a drying rack). Used some of the time yesterday to finally get some crap off the kitchen floor and put away, as well as rearranging some of the cabinets so they work better for cooking and eating. I have floor space again in the kitchen, which is a very good thing.

A very good thing because I will be cooking at home more. I looked over ye olde finances and I need to trim some stuff, and dining out/take out is an easy and obvious target. Hence the grocery shopping trip for some stuff to make for lunch this week. Will be healthier anyway, and allow me to stick some more money toward paying down the student loan with the highest interest rate. The cards are gone, so the next target’s in sight. Wish me luck.