Turkey Day

I know I've been quiet here the last few days.  It's been a hectic run-up to Thanksgiving.

Speaking of running, I wanted to fit in one more race this year if I could, and it so happened that there was a 4-mile race today in Fort Wayne, which is relatively close to where my parents live.  I got up way to early on a holiday and ran with perhaps close to 3500 folks this brisk morning. 

Some dressed for the occasion, meaning Thanksgiving-related outfits or hats were donned.  (I saw one person in a turkey suit and another in a chicken outfit.)  There was even a real, live turkey available for photo ops, which you see above in all its blurry, smart phone photo glory.  That turkey was remarkably calm, especially when considering the number of people around it in the gymnasium's lobby.

The hilly route was mostly in a cemetery and enough of a challenge on this gray, foggy morning.  I felt like mostly good throughout the run and kept what I felt like was a good pace, although I'm sure it dropped off around the middle.

I was hoping to crack 44 or 45 minutes, but I finished the course in 46:46.  (Hey, I beat around 1500 participants.)  Having looked more closely at the results and the course, I see that it was a bit more than four miles long, so my 4-mile time was 45:56.  I feel pretty good about that.

I had my dad drive me to the race, and I was glad that he got to see me finish.  I don't think anyone else in my family has run in a race like this, so it meant something to me to be able to show the result of what I've been working hard to do to get in shape.  While I still have a ways to go, I can take satisfaction after a run like this one that I'm doing OK.

And while I didn't pig out at lunch, this made it easier to justify eating a little extra for Thanksgiving lunch.   

Thanksgiving

I got up early and drove west for four hours to reach my parents' home on this foggy Thanksgiving. The trip was an easy one, with the only intrigue being mild concern over what may be a leaky tire and my boredom emerging about halfway into the drive. I'm thankful that that was what passed for drama, and I'm thankful that it was time to eat within a half hour of when I pulled into the driveway.

This Thanksgiving I feel like I should be extra grateful even though, or because, it has been a tough year. Sure, I can gripe about the car accident and the lingering injury or the workplace drama, but at least from how things appear, it's all worked out in the end. The accident may have freed me from a car that had the potential for being a money pit. The whiplash that seemed like it wouldn't go away ultimately led me to realize that I ought to get some other health issues checked out, which proved to be nothing serious. I'm certainly not thankful for the hell of the uncertainty around work, but that trying time may lead to some answers that have been needed there for awhile. Whatever the case, I still have a job, and it doesn't look like it's in the imminent danger that it seemed like it might be in for a month or two.

So I'm thankful I've survived what has felt like a difficult year, and I'm thankful for the bright spots in it that I surely can't ignore. I reconnected with an old friend, enjoyed a week-long, out-of-state family vacation, received a new nephew, saw a lot of great live music, attended baseball games in four cities with my dad, went to my first Reds playoff game, traveled to places I wouldn't have expected visiting when the year started, and learned some new technology that has made my job easier.

I'm thankful for my health, even if I've felt less than 100% for most of the year. I could have been in much worse shape after that car accident than I was. I'm thankful for the security in my life, perhaps even moreso after reasonably believing for a bit that it was threatened. I'm thankful that for as beat up as I feel I've been, I'm still in a relatively good situation. I can dwell on what I'm dissatisfied with or wallow in my unhappiness, but all in all, I'm fortunate to have what I have. I'm thankful that I'm able to see that.

Break

I've had plenty to keep me busy at work these past two days, but the relative quiet around the building is unmistakable. We're in finals week, so it's natural that fewer people, both faculty and students, are in and about. It's liable to be a ghost town there on Wednesday. I certainly don't intend to stick around the office all day.

Rather than join the throngs on the road tomorrow, I'll be heading to my parents' on Thanksgiving morning. I don't really desire driving the two and four lane roads in rural Ohio and Indiana on one of the year's busiest travel days in the dark, and I sort of need the time to get ready for the trip home. It's been go, go, go as the quarter has wound down, so being a little leisurely before departing feels necessary.

I'm not dreading going home for the holiday. To the contrary, I'm looking forward to getting away for a few days. This has been a very stressful three months work-wise, and I felt less than good for much of it. Thankfully, things seem to have righted themselves as far as the work situation is concerned. (Of course, now I'm trying to shake the vestiges of some bug.) So a few nights away--I'm hoping to avoid the Sunday night mess and return Monday morning--should be the medicine I need, especially since who knows the adventure that will be this Christmas.

So, safe travels to you and yours. I plan to enjoy the extended holiday weekend. Maybe some knitting will fit in there, finally.

Thanksgiving

Four hours on the road, lunch, nap, Wii bowling, card playing, and televised sports...that's been today's whirlwind Thanksgiving. There's plenty more to be thankful for, but for today I think it will suffice. Hope you had a good holiday too.

One big holiday

I'll get to the thanksgiving from a broader perspective in a moment, but I would be remiss in not starting with being thankful for getting to my parents' home in one piece today. I got up early, was making decent time, and wasn't encountering much traffic. About 45 miles into the drive I thought it felt like the car's cruise control was slowing down and speeding up some, but I paid it no mind as I was going through some some small inclines and declines in the road.

Shortly thereafter I saw that my speed was a good five miles per hour over where I'd set the cruise control. I tapped the brakes or turned it off--I don't remember which I did first--but the car wasn't slowing down. It was like something out of a bad thriller in which modern technology is a thing to be feared. I could stomp on the brake pedal, but once I took my foot off, the car rocketed forward back to the higher speed. Mind you, this was with cruise control off.

It took some effort to bring the car to a stop, but I managed to regain control. I exited, parked at a closed restaurant, and turned the car off in hopes that the computer or whatever that was acting up would reset. I didn't know what else I would do if I couldn't control the speed.

After five or ten minutes I restarted the car, tested it in the parking lot, and resumed my drive westward. Cruise control was not used again for fear of the car wanting to zoom away with me mostly helpless to stop it.

The rest of the drive went mostly without incident. There was the twenty-mile stretch when I was stuck on a two lane road behind the semi pictured above while the person behind me tailgated, gesticulated, and nearly drove off the road into the ditch. (She probably drifted left of center too.) In the end I got here without the car exercising a mind of its own or someone ramming into me, so it's all good.

As for what I'm thankful for, the basics are always a good place to start. I'm in good health. As much as I complain about the cost of health care, I'm grateful that I have insurance to cover for what I've needed to use. I paid more than I think is reasonable, but I realize I'm lucky to have what I have.

I'm thankful for having a job I like and which is more stable and settled than it was a year ago. I'm thankful for family and friends who are there to support me. I'm thankful for zeroing out my debt this year.

Recent but normal maintenance costs and the story at the top of this entry aside, I'm thankful for a reliable vehicle. It runs well and has never required major repair work outside of the usual upkeep needed over time.

I'm thankful for a home where I can relax without the noise of neighbors and where I feel safe.

I suppose I could go on and on, but I'm getting tired at this time of the night. I think I've covered the big stuff. I hope you've had a happy and relaxing Thanksgiving.

Pre-Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving isn't until a week from now, but I feel like I need to get a jump on it in the sense that I should acknowledge some of what I'm grateful for.

This has been kind of a rough week. Part of it stemmed from my concern over an inflamed bump on the back of my neck at the hairline that appeared last week, if not a little before then. I tend to assume the worst, although it took me until Tuesday to decide that I needed to call a dermatologist to get it checked out. (Basically it came down to the pain being too much, especially if I happened to lay on the trouble spot.)

The first place I called said they couldn't get any new patients in for three months. The next dermatology office could do better and scheduled an appointment in a month. I wasn't thrilled, but it was better than nothing. Luckily, they called me when a cancellation made an opening, and I went in today to have my worst fears confirmed or allayed. (I preferred the latter outcome.)

It turns out that I had a sebaceous cyst, which the doctor drained and removed and then bandaged me up so that I kind of looked like I'd been shot in the neck. The procedure wasn't painless, and that area remains a little sore. Still, I am extremely relieved that it wasn't anything serious and will gladly put up with the temporary discomfort. So I'm thankful for good health and fears that have been wiped away.

I'm also thankful for the peace of mind that comes with judging that my front brake pads and rotors needed replaced. (Yes, it was an expensive day.) Sure, I'd rather not have had to shell out for car maintenance, but last time I needed this, I didn't realize it until the brakes were completely gone.

To end on a frivolous note, I'm thankful that I know enough of what I'm doing that I was able to frog three rows on the Holding Hands, Feeding Ducks scarf. I don't knit in fear of making mistakes, but I try to be ultra-vigilant that I don't. Perfectionism runs in the family, but I also worry that I won't be able to undo my errors. I've been stumped by p2tog, so doing several p3tog stitches spooked me. I did it, though. The scarf is fixed, and I feel like I might legitimately have a clue about this knitting thing.

Happy Thanksgiving

On this day when we give thanks, I take time to consider the things I am grateful for. Significant or not, it doesn't matter.

-The standards: family, friends, good health, a job I enjoy (despite the numerous aggravations with it this past year). It's easy to take these things for granted--and easy to put them on a list such as this--but the fact that I can do so means I'm more fortunate than many.

-My new apartment. Longtime readers know how stressed out I was at my old place. Moving to a new home is one of the best things I've done all year. Having somewhere to relax can not be overvalued enough. Living in a different part of the area has also led to some exploring, which has been fun to do.

-Greenberg Turkey. Rather than mess with preparing a bird, this was on our table today. There won't be any trouble getting rid of what's left over of this terrific smoked turkey.

-$10 Huntington green seats at the Blue Jackets games. I made a minor splurge on a six game package, mainly to lock up tickets for the higher demand match-ups. My heart, though, is with these cheap seats, one of the best deals in professional sports. Sure, purchasing them may require standing in line for thirty to forty-five minutes, but these are good seats at a fraction of the cost that most are spending to get in the doors.

-The North Market. So many wonderful local food options under one roof and a great place to knit.

-Four new books by three of my favorite authors in one year. I still haven't read the new books by Douglas Coupland and Nick Hornby and two new novels by Michael Chabon, but it's nice to know what I have to look forward to when I find the time to crack those spines.

-My laptop computer and wireless internet access. It's changed how I work and write, probably for good and ill. (I have it on practically all the time when I'm home.)

-Awards season. December will be stupid busy with screenings, but the films are supposed to be better than at any other time of the year. Plus, with my love of mail, what more could I ask for than the excitement that comes from arriving home to discover packages in my mailbox and delivery notices on my door? Each day can be like Christmas with the "for your consideration" DVDs and CDs that show up.

-A good cup of coffee. I don't need it to get me revved up for the day; however, for someone like me, who has to ease into the morning, it is a small pleasure that can smooth the rough edges.

-Knitting. I've learned and gained so much more from this craft than just a skill with needles and yarn. It's helped me realize a lot about myself and build friendships I treasure. Sometimes life throws you surprises. I'm glad I caught this one.

-My readers. I write for myself, and I also write for you. Often I don't know how you got here and why you return. Is there really anything that compelling in what I scrawl every day? Regardless, it means a lot to me that my readers find some value in all of this and share in the dialogue via comments and e-mail. Thank you for taking an interest in me and inspiring and encouraging me. Happy Thanksgiving.