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

My training is competing with my social life, and for now the social life is winning. And I’m okay with that.

Been out several nights this week, with tonight no exception. Had dinner with MG last night, and managed to run into Bug randomly on the Metro on the way home. Tonight it’s a wine bar to help a friend celebrate a new job/promotion. Fun stuff, and I’m glad for the chances to get out & about.

As I posted earlier I finished up the latest hat I was working on, thanks to a ton of waiting time at my hair salon. My stylist is on her usual month-plus summer vacation to head home to Indonesia, so I had whoever was there. Apart from clippering my hair too high (I look like a 12 y/o whose mom took him to the barber shop & said, “don’t give him a high & tight,” so the barber didn’t. barely), he was also double booked, so I was quite late meeting MG for dinner.

Work was a lot more productive today than it has been of late. A couple of looming deadlines helped, but so has the getting out & letting loose.

Finished the 2nd hat this evening. I’d gotten a ton done on it yesterday while I waited for forever for my hair appointment (long story). So I wrapped up the last few rows this evening, and finished it off.

Finished up the beer cozy this evening. Had started it up, finally, on Friday. Took 4 or so starts before I finally got the hang of the increases on the double pointed needles. On the advice of the woman at my LYS, I didn’t knit it terribly tightly. Should have done it a tad tighter, and should’ve stretched it out before measuring it – it’s a little bit loose, and larger than it should be. That said, I’m not displeased with the effort.

Headed off to the New Jersey State Triathlon this weekend to see my newbies in their first race. It’s been a good program this year, and a great group of participants. The trash talking on the club forum has been hysterical to read, and I hope they carry it over into the main forum as well – we could use more friendly competition there.

I’ll be doing what I did last year – taking lots of pictures. This time I have extra batteries, so I shouldn’t run out of juice before it’s over. Looking forward to race day, and also looking forward to the end of the heavy volunteer duties (until next year).

Not personal, but political apathy. I live in the District of Columbia, and while we do not have a vote in Congress (the branch of the Federal government under whose jurisdiction we fall), we do have a vote for President, with three votes in the electoral college, thanks to the twenty third amendment to the US constitution.

However, the District voter base is approximately 8,953% registered Democrats, so the vote is assured to Sen. Obama, regardless of which way I might choose to vote. And that makes it hard to get worked up/excited about the election, since my particular vote isn’t going to affect the outcome in the least. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll still get out and vote, but it’s difficult to force myself to care much about the election news I stumble across during the day when my vote doesn’t really matter here.

Started training again this morning, after a two week mostly-break. Was hot as all get-out, but got through it. My next race is in 4 weeks, in Luray Virginia (pronounced “LOO-ray,” not “luh-ray” as you might think), another olympic race, so I have to get prepped for that. Remind me not to take an exercise break after my next breakup, it’s not worth it, even if I am feeling blue.

In other news regarding the breakup, I seem to have gotten some of my tolerance back. Not that this is necessarily a good thing, but it is nice not being completely worthless after having drinks.

I’ve finally managed to break out of some of the isolation I’ve had especially in this two week period, but also to a degree since having moved down to southwest. I’m trying to be more active about getting myself out of the apartment and around folks, and spent a good part of the weekend doing just that. And that’s been fun. I’m not quite sure how I’m going to work in training for all three sports in the tri, but I’ll muddle through somehow. In the meantime, I’m enjoying getting out of the house more, and look forward to more of this.

As has been the case the previous times I’ve been on DC jury duty, I didn’t even get called back to a panel to get rejected, just sat in the lounge and eventually was let go. Not that I imagine I’d ever actually be allowed to serve – young, white gay male attorney. Yeah, not so much wanted by parties on juries.

Did get a couple inches done on the next hat I’m knitting. Had a couple people ask about it, that was it. May have found an entertainment center I like, too (dropped into apartment zero after they released us). Then it was home to nap. And that’s been about it today. At least work doesn’t have to lose me another day this week – the blackberry was going nuts all day.

I completely forgot I have jury duty today, until I got home from seeing Hellboy II with Steve. UGH. Thank heavens for the work Blackberry so I could email the folks I had meetings with to let them know why I wouldn’t be there. But, damn, what a pain.

Keep your fingers crossed that my usual luck on sitting them out is still in effect.

Running a little slow this morning. Last night was one of those “my brain will not shut off” kind of nights, with melatonin and exhaustion finally kicking in around 3-something. It wasn’t all a bad thing – the brain was going over some conversations I’ve had over the course of the weekend, and thinking a lot on what it is I want to be doing with myself, and with other people.

I did miss going out to take photos of the training tri this morning with the club, but I’m headed out to brunch at a friend’s house in a little bit, then a potluck birthday thing this evening over in Virginia with one of my body electric buddies.

I did decide that I’m not going to do the IM this fall. It’s not to say that I won’t ever do one, but it’s not the right time, and I think I signed up for it for the wrong reasons. I still have two races I’m currently signed up for, and I can find one or two more for the fall here locally. And perhaps this year I won’t end the season completely burnt out and unmotivated to do off-season fitness maintenance.

I also think I’m going to attend the local Celebrate the Body Erotic course in November. I need the refresher, and I’d like to go back to an earlier plan of mine, to attend one of the week-long intensives next summer. I also need the renewal of my ties to this particular community. I’ve been disengaged from the energies I need for long enough now, it’s time to get them back.

Visited the LYS this afternoon. I think I have the beginnings of an addiction.