September 18, 2016 DAZED AND CONFUSED

Robot--Lost In Space

Not sure if you remember the old television show--Lost In Space--the Robinson family, Dr. Smith and the Robot who thrashed his arms around spieling "Danger, Danger" or "This does not compute." I am sure THAT I only saw the repeats because I am DEFINITELY NOT THAT OLD--YET. Anyways, there are times that I feel sort of lost in space--or lost in runs to be more specific.  Sometimes when I run, I get lost in thought and forget where I am or where I am supposed to be going. I have also felt this lost feeling during races, especially, if it's a race I have never run--because I don't know the course--and with my commitment phobia--I never have time to check it out beforehand. I have only felt REALLY LOST while running once and it happened during a race that I ran over the summer. The strange thing is ---I have run the race at least 10 times. I'm not sure what happened--a little dehydrated--and all of a sudden-- I felt lost. I didn't know where I was on the course--IT DID NOT COMPUTE-- and for a few minutes, I actually thought that everyone else was going the wrong way-- and I thought to myself--COULD I BE THE ONLY ONE WHO KNOWS THE RIGHT WAY? I actually started to panic and yelled to another runner, "Why is everyone going the wrong way?" He must have thought I was NUTS--and I was for just a few minutes--WELL-- THAT'S STILL UP FOR DEBATE IF YOU ASK SEVERAL PEOPLE. Anyways,  my heart started pounding and my breathing became heavier-- until I finally recognized where I was on the course and continued on.  It was very strange but I'm chalking it up to dehydration--the mind can really play tricks on you. This incident reminded me of the book Still Alice by Lisa Genova -- as I had to talk myself out of thinking I had Alzheimer's for quite a while.
First off--I didn't really want to read this book when it first came out because the main character, Alice Howland, is about my age and loves to run. She has run the same streets for several years and starts to  feels disoriented and lost on her runs--at times she can't even remember where she lives. I was afraid to read this book because the reality is that Alice Howland can be ANYONE. Alzheimer's is not selective. Anyways, I finally caved-- read it and I am really glad that I did. I actually learned a lot about the disease, the workings of the brain and the reality of what it does to a family. We all get forgetful with age, but Alzheimer's is different and Genova captures the terrifying reality of being diagnosed with and living with Alzheimer's well. This is a tragic disease that robs a person--the family, friends, in every way imaginable. You owe it to yourself to read this book as it is an honest look at this debilitating disease. I literally could not put the book down--at about 300 pages--a mere 5K--you will be so engrossed that although the pages fly by quickly, the story will stick with you forever.

September 14, 2016 ONLY THE LONELY

Running can be a lonely endeavour---especially when I am back at work. It's hard to run with my comrades during the week because we have so many commitments after work--laundry, dinner, tutor, chauffeur, caretaker, dog walker--you get the idea. Running alone is important though because these are the runs that force me to run harder--gut it out. There are NO jokes NO silly banter NO occasional walking breaks on these runs--I need to get out there and get it done now--time is ticking. Doesn't that sound stressful--it is sometimes. Although running alone during the week gets lonely, it helps me to appreciate my weekend runs when I get together with my friends for our SORT OF fun runs--it's also much more enjoyable to kill yourself running if you know your comrades are doing the same! Anyways, we can all feel lonely at certain times (except when the college kids keep coming back) but it is a fact of life. We come into this world alone (unless we have a twin)--and we will leave the world alone too. I read this haunting book a few years back (actually I have read it twice)  set in a poor Georgia town in the 1930's whose major theme was loneliness called The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers.

Although McCullers wrote several books, she is best known for her first book, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter which was published in 1940 when she was only 23 years old. The story revolves around the main character, John Singer, a deaf-mute. Singer and his long-time companion Spiros, also a deaf-mute, live together and manage life together because they are able to communicate through sign language. They are actually quite happy with the arrangement because no one else understands them. After Spiros goes insane and is relegated to an asylum, Singer rents a room from a poor family called the Kellys. Here he meets the other memorable characters in this book including Mick Kelly, Dr. Copeland, Biff and Jake. Each character is lonely and longs to escape their life. Each feels a connection to Singer and seeks him out for comfort as they take turns visiting him on a regular basis. They share their innermost secrets with him-- all the while-- never really "seeing" that although Singer is listening to them--he doesn't understand them--and he too feels the same loneliness and isolation but has no way of communicating this to them. The story is beautifully written and the characters  will stay with you forever. At about 360 pages, it is a bit of a commitment--about a 5-6 mile run--but worth every painful step. OH--I almost forgot--the ending is quite a shocker--but I'll leave it at that. Enjoy!

September 12, 2016 AND I'M GETTING OLDER TOO........

I know I have already mentioned that I am vain--but I am not sure you really understand--HOW VAIN I REALLY AM. So I run--for peace of mind first, but also to stay in shape and try--TRY--to maintain my figure--which is getting harder by the year. If I look at food these days, I seem to gain weight. Running also helps with the "all over" carefree tan look too. Just be careful because you can get the "short sleeve tan" going--SO--keep the shirts sleeveless-- and as long as no one see you naked--the illusion works. The tan also helps to maintain that youthful, healthy look that I know I lost long ago--WAIT--I NEED TO GET A TISSUE TO WIPE MY TEARS. One last good thing about running at my age--men still pay attention to runners--no matter how old they are. Put on a hat or visor and no one is the wiser. Hey compliments are hard to come by these days--SO--I take them wherever I can get them. It doesn't matter if the complimenter is drunk, high, young, old or even blind. A compliment is still a compliment, RIGHT?? Anyways, aging is difficult for everyone--ESPECIALLY-- someone like me--who used to be all that--even if it was ONLY in my own mind! SERIOUSLY though,  Nora Ephron and I have a lot in common. She definitely feels my pain and writes about it in her very funny book, I Feel Bad about my Neck and Other Thoughts on Being a Woman.

Ephron has written several books but it is interesting to note that she is equally famous as a screenwriter of such famous movies as Sleepless in Seattle and When Harry Met Sally to name a few.  I Feel Bad about My Neck is a collection of essays on growing older--I love the chapter about "maintenance routines" as a second career--coloring the hair every 5-6 weeks, pedicures, manicures and botox appointments too. Ephron has a dry wit and at times I laughed out loud at her quips. Ephron argues, "The neck is a dead giveaway" --women can hide age well but the neck is the tell tale sign ---hence-- the popularity of the scarf--it takes 10 years off--I, myself,  own at least 50 of these magicians-- they are true miracle workers.  Although Ephron's look at growing older and the issues women face is very funny, it is an honest look at something we will all eventually face. If you enjoy this book, she wrote another book on aging that is also quite funny titled I Remember Nothing--my daily mantra with--WHAT'S YOUR NAME--as my most asked question lately. At less than 160 pages, Ephron's book is no great commitment--a slow jaunt around the block a few times--but guaranteed to make you laugh and then cry if you can relate. NO WORRIES--IT'S NOTHING A FEW SCARVES AND DARK GLASSES CAN'T HIDE. Enjoy!

September 10, 2016 THE DAMAGE DONE

On my running route, I pass by some pretty interesting places-- one of which is the Lighthouse Inn--built in 1902 in the Colonial Revival style as a country home for an oil tycoon named Charles Guthrie.  The house was originally called Meadow Court. This magnificent home was turned into an

Lighthouse Inn

inn in 1927 after Guthrie's death. The Lighthouse Inn has gone through many transformations over the years-- at this point it has been closed for many years and looks like a shell of opulent self. It's really sad, especially, to the locals. I actually had my wedding reception there so it makes me doubly sad. Another historic site I pass while running my regular route is--Monte Cristo Cottage--the summer home of Eugene O'Neill. It is an impressive home--like stepping back in time.  After running by this National Historic Landmark hundreds of times, I finally decided that I needed to learn more about O'Neill and read a few of his plays--what better place to start than with his Pulitzer Prize winning play A Long Day's Journey into Night.

Monte Cristo Cottage

A Long Day's Journey into Night is actually a semi-autobiographical play of four acts set at the Monte Cristo Cottage. The interesting thing about the play is that it takes place in one day--hence the title. It's the story of a dysfunctional family-- The Tyrones--Mary, James and their  two sons--Edmund and Jamie. Each character struggles in some way. Mary has been addicted to morphine for twenty years and feels abandoned by a husband who travels. James struggles with abandonment, money, and alcohol  problems because his father left his own family when he was a boy.  Poor Edmund is afflicted with Tuberculosis, depression and alcoholism while his older brother wastes his time and his father's money  on drink and women. While each family member loves the other, they struggle with their own self-loathing and are unable to solve their own problems or change their behavior  This play is a brutally honest look at how dysfunction, alcoholism and drug dependence have torn this family apart. O'Neill captures quintessential New London beautifully too  as Jamie ambles down Pequot Avenue to catch a trolley downtown through the fog--while foghorns echo in the night. This classic is only 190 pages--a mere 5K--and well worth the read as it is considered one of the best American plays of the 20th century written by the only American playwright to win a Nobel-Prize. Enjoy.

September 7, 2016 SCOOBY DOOBY DOO WHERE ARE YOU??????

I love a great mystery, but had to ask MYSELF........what do mysteries have to do with running??? Well, believe it or not,  I have actually solved many mysteries while out running---what car belongs to what house---where does that good looking guy live--who stole my garbage can--AND PERHAPS THE BEST MYSTERY OF ALL--why is HIS car in HER driveway. Okay,  I'll leave that one to your imagination. Anyways, we are surrounded by simple mysteries everyday--if you pay attention to your surroundings. Running forces me to notice things that other people overlook--it's hard not to see what driveway the car pulled into--it's even harder for me not to follow the good looking man home so I can see where he lives. I know I am a pathetic person but when all you do is run, read and write you are forced to make up mysteries to keep life interesting, right??? Seriously though, I really do love a good mystery and there is no better mystery writer than Agatha Christie.

Christie was a novelist, playwright, poet and short story writer who wrote sixty-six mysteries in her lifetime including one of my favorites The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. This classic of the genre, arguably the "Queen of Crime's" best work, was written in 1927 and set in the village of King's Abbot, England. The story is told in the first person by Dr. James Sheppard, the doctor of the village. The story begins with an apparent suicide which stirs confusion and rumors followed by the murder of the title character two days later. An investigation ensues with Hercule Poirot, the eccentric detective leading the charge. The suspect list is quite large but includes Flora-niece of Ackroyd, Ralph-stepson, Ursula-maid, Mr. Blunt-friend just to name a few. This great whodunit is filled with twists, turns, clues, foreshadowing and RED HERRINGS. Confession---I did not figure out who the killer was until Poirot solved the crime at the end of the story--AND THAT IS WHY IT IS SO GREAT. This is a book that is hard to put down--just when you think you have solved the mystery--you have to think again and re-evaluate all the suspects. It's an easy read--about 300 pages--maybe a four mile run--so dig in and see if you can solve the murder of Roger Ackroyd. Good Luck.

September 5, 2016 RAINDROPS ARE FALLING ON MY HEAD

 Now that I'm back at work, I no longer have the luxury of running every morning----which drives me crazy. I schedule my running week much like people schedule a doctor's appointment,--hence--the reason I ran in the pouring rain on Thursday. Don't get me wrong--I actually don't mind running in the rain THIS time of year. It is refreshing after working all day even though --I REALLY HATE RUNNING AFTER WORK. Anyways, back to the rain. This time of year, the rain feels wonderful--that might sound weird but it's true. YOU SHOULD REALLY TRY IT SOMETIME. That's the great thing about running.  It affords me the opportunity to stand in the rain--navigate giant puddles--and just get soaking wet. It is great fun and makes me feel like a kid again-- temporarily. Running on a rainy day when it's cold outside-- is another story--IT'S AWFUL. I have run two half-marathons in torrential rain and wind in the cold. IT IS NO FUN. The trails were flooded, it was muddy, dangerously slippery and CROWDED--by the end I was shivering and frozen from head to toe. Those are the runs that make me think of hurricanes, tornadoes and other disasters. I have read many books about disasters--I don't know why--must have been in my disaster phase as a reader. One that really stands out in my mind is David McCullough's book The Johnstown Flood because it was a disaster that could have been easily avoided.

First of all, you should know that McCullough is an incredible writer, historian and lecturer.  He has won two Pulitzer Prizes, a National Book Award and the Presidential  Medal of Freedom. In this book,  McCullough tells of one of the most horrific events in our nation's history. Fifteen miles above Johnstown, Pennsylvania, in 1879,  an elite mountain resort was built. The resort was owned by Andrew Carnegie, Henry Frick,  Andrew Mellon and other tycoons from the time period. It was called The South Fork Fishing Club. The club housed beautiful cottages around a  man-made lake held back by the South Fork Dam--originally constructed with much controversy in the 1840's. As new owners of the dam, the club neglected to replace sluice pipes, they lowered the top of the dam, and even set up fish screens over the spillway---a recipe for disaster.  On Memorial Day 1889, a huge storm caused the lake to rise and water eventually poured over the top of the dam. It then gave way and raced 15 miles down the mountain destroying everything in its path. Of the 27,000 people who lived in Johnstown, 2200 were killed. The National Guard was called in to keep order--Clara Barton and the Red Cross spent 5 months helping the townspeople--who lost EVERYTHING --EVEN WORSE THE CLUB NEVER TOOK ANY RESPONSIBILITY.  This is a real page turner of about 300 pages--a mere 4 mile run--about a dismal time in history. Sadly, the more I learn about history though, the more I realize that things haven't changed very much. As a society, we should be learning from the mistakes of the past, so that we can make the world a better place for future generations. Right?

September 1, 2016 YOU'RE MY OBSESSION

I absolutely love books and have been known to say on many occasions that I love books more than most people---NOT ALL--MOST.  Since I am such a fanatic for the written word--it is easy to understand that I also relish talking about writers, books and the characters that reside in my brain. Thankfully, my running buddies tolerate  my sometimes over the top passion for books--on long runs they even let me   hold "unofficial book clubs" where we talk about books, writers and I get to do my favorite thing --introduce new books.  I am kind of like a "book pusher." It's too bad I  can't get a cut for every book  I "sell" to my friends. Seriously though, if I could find a way to make a decent living at it--I  would PUSH books to the masses. I guess the next best thing to being a pusher of books is to work in --or my dream--OWN A BOOKSTORE. I often daydream about my bookstore--a table for Classics--Pulitzer prize winners--up and coming writers--bucket list books--author spotlights--and on and on and on and............OH YEAH--don't forget the coffee, cat and comfy couches too. I would get to do my favorite thing all day--TALK ABOUT BOOKS. My obsession with books has led me to love books about other book lovers--DOESN'T THAT SOUND WEIRD. The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald--about this very subject.
Anyways,  I just finished reading
The main character, a young Swedish woman named Sara Lindquist, is a down and out book-loving oddball with a pen pal in Broken Wheel, Iowa. Sara and her pen pal, Amy,  share books via mail, and write letters to each other about book recommendations.  After Sara loses her job, Amy invites her to Iowa to spend the summer. Against her parents advice, Sara hops on an airplane and finds herself in Broken Wheel--ALONE-- as her pen pal has died--and the funeral guests are leaving Amy's house upon Sara's arrival. The town of Broken Wheel is exactly what it sounds like--a dying town with closed up storefronts--almost a ghost town. Bivald does an excellent job  capturing small town life and the quirky characters who inhabit the dying town. I am sure the characters in her story inhabit small towns across America--they are interesting, funny people dedicated to their broken town. Her descriptions will  almost make you  want to go to Iowa. Anyways, the townsfolk encourage Sara to stay for the summer in Amy's house free of charge. Sara tries to recompense  this skeleton of a community for their kindness by opening a bookstore to share her love of books. I really enjoyed this 400 pager. It is an easy read--about a 5 mile run--that will make you want to go to Iowa. See you at the airport.