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

Haven’t made time to write because I’m either getting home & being a total veg because I’m wiped out from the work day or I’m going out to see friends or maybe even a date or two. Work continues to roll along at a crazy pace. I’ve given myself a big assignment that I’ve not been able to start yet because of other fires that keep popping up. It’s needed, but finding time is a challenge.

Training is almost non-existent at this point. I’m swimming, but with the colder temps I’ve not gotten out to bike in the mornings and I’m unmotivated to haul the trainer back out. It’s not supposed to be this bloody cold in late Smarch in DC, damn it.

Much has also been on my mind about dating and the extent to which one compromises versus standing firm. After BC there are some things I consider to be vital to my well being which are not precisely the norm (Body Electric comes to mind), and I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about those things and how and when to introduce them. With a couple guys I can tell there are distict differences in relationship styles that I don’t think will ultimately be compatible. And how does one express that and not sound cliché?

In many, many ways this past year stunk on ice (the break up and my foot injury being the most notable). As many others are, I’m hoping that 2009 will be a better one for me and for those I know and love.

I’m working on an Uberlist now for 2009. I didn’t do one the past two years, after doing them the 2 or so years prior to that, and I think I miss the structure it imposed upon me, to think about where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do. Having something written just helps, so I’m at it again. Hopefully it’ll be complete by the weekend and I’ll get it up once it’s done.

Until then, have a safe and happy new year.

Sorry for the overly dramatic last post. That’s what comes of posting in the moment, or right after the moment, as the case may be.

Yes, BC and I are no longer together. ‘Twas the culmination of several factors, and I fear the fault here really is mine. No freak out like the last guy I dated, but still, in the end I just wasn’t enough.

Thank you to the friends who reached out, I do appreciate that.

Today has pretty much been spent alternating between numbness and tears, not helped any by a hangover from last night’s Independence Day festivities. I just realized how little sleep I got last night from the time print on the last post – I had thought we’d crashed right after midnight, but it seems we were up a lot later than that. So for tonight some meditations on what has happened, and lots of sleep. This absolutely, positively stinks on ice, and it’s going to hurt for some time to come, and that’s not the overreaction of last night talking, either.

Finished BC’s hat this evening (the one to match the scarf). ‘Twas easier than the scarf, actually. I suspect that was so because it was a smaller project, as well as knowing the rib pattern already from the scarf.

BC’s birthday was today. His sister, her partner and I took him out golfing (the first time I’ve golfed in over 15 years, if not more). 18 holes, and I think I got in my core workouts for the next week or two. Was a lot of fun, actually. One of the back nine had me asking BC if I were playing golf or croquet due to the number of short, flubbed hits, but so be it. Then dinner with the family, gifts & cake, etc. Good time, and he liked the bracelet he got from me (among other things), to match the necklace he got from me last year. Good time.

Saturday was open water swimming practice with our new triathletes, then a bike ride. I ended up helping one of the slower riders, and we stayed together through the whole 40 miles. No one else ended up doing lunch, but by the time we got near the restaurant we were both dying and needed food, in the form of an exquisite watermelon/strawberry soup. Fantastic stuff. Took forever to get through the ride in and around Annapolis, but was fun nonetheless. There was one absolutely wonderful hill where I got up to 43 mph. Loved it!

Lots of sun this weekend, but no burns (thank heavens for 30 spf). Between the jersey, the watch, the golf glove, etc. the patterns are a bit unusual, but that’s par for the course for moi. I’m no sun-worshiper, though I do enjoy being out and about in the summer, especially on the bike.

Went to the podiatrist today because I had a scheduled appointment to get my foot zapped (aka “Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy”) to help with the plantar fasciitis, but in the end I didn’t get zapped. He had given me a 2nd cortisone shot the last time I was there, about two weeks ago, and that seems to have done the trick. Even after the 10k on the 14th, I’ve not had any heel pain, so it appears, six months plus later, that I’ve finally licked this one. Let’s hope so, this was not a fun injury. And I’m tired of sleeping in a night splint.

So, with no need to sit on my ass for the rest of the day recouperating (I took the day off), I went and ran errands.

You know you’re a triathlete (or other endurance athlete) when you go spend $40+ on “nutrition” and none of it is stuff you’d just sit down to eat. Powdered drink mix, shot bloks, gels, etc. All stuff I need and was completely out of it.

Then I ran up to Homo Depot and picked up more paint swatches than you can shake a stick at. BC has offered for forever and a day to help me paint my apartment and I’ve never taken him up on it. So, time to pick out colors before he rescinds the offer. Should be a trip.

I know people aren’t suppose to complain about this, but my pants are starting not to fit. As in, I’m shrinking out of them. And it’s not like I’m not eating, because I most certainly am, yet the increase in activity is changing me. For the better, mind you, but it’s annoying feeling like my pants are either going to fall off, or are staying on but too far cinched in. And it’s even better at work with the blackberry on my hip.

Completed the first 4 week cycle last week with a nice down week. Popping down definitely worked – I felt much better running this morning, though tonight’s swim was a little rough at first (wasn’t feeling balanced when I started). In any case, good stuff today, and nice to see confirmation of the wisdom of the 4 week cycle (three weeks of gradual increases with the fourth a drop back a step to recover).

In non-training stuff, BC and I headed out to a DC United game yesterday with friends. Was lots of fun (they won). Tried taking some pictures, but we were too far up to get any decent ones with my camera. Took tons of pictures on Saturday at the club’s training tri, some good, most mediocre, but it was still fun to take ’em, though I ended up napping a good bit of Saturday afternoon after it.

Looking forward to dinner with Dean tomorrow, haven’t seen him in a bit and it’ll be nice to catch up.

Heard from the parental units tonight, they’re up near the Grand Canyon in Arizona and were about to go out swimming with my niece, whom we’ve taken to referring to as “DP,” or “Disney Princess.” After an initial period they finally sat her down and had an attitude adjustment talk which seems to have helped – she was feeling full of her 11 years at the early part of the summer, so an adjustment was definitely needed. Sounded like she was doing much better, though. Also spoke with my brother earlier today (a rarity – we just don’t talk that often on the phone) and he’s doing well, which is a welcome change from last year.

Anyway, off to bed here so I can get up and bike in the morning. Pickups tomorrow – small bursts of speed surrounded by moderate biking. Speedwork is always fun, so I’m looking forward to it.

You know it must be past time to vacuum the carpet when you get up from doing your post-run stretching and you have the occasional carpet fuzzy stuck to you.

One thing on the weights yesterday was that I forgot I have a 1G iPod shuffle (the kind that looked like a white stick of gum) that I used to use while doing weights (or running on the treadmill). Thing is so old I can’t even find anything but support references to it on the Apple site. Hauled it out this morning to charge and reload with music. Some of the music that was on it (I have it fill randomly from “my top rated”) was stuff that I’d removed from that particular playlist, so was happy to see it gone (mostly stuff I’d listened to far too often). I think I still have my 3G iPod “classic” around the place somewhere, too, though as I recall it won’t hold a charge and will only play when plugged into something that provides power (the result of playing it on a docking station at work for too long).

In other news™, BC texted me this morning to let me know he finally picked up the bicycle he was getting from a friend. The assimilation continues (he said, with an evil cackle).

IM training started this week. It’s been okay so far, but then again, at two days in I should hope it would be okay. Did light weights tonight for the first time in forever and a day. I’m sure I’ll feel it tomorrow, though I didn’t do terribly much, in keeping with the long hiatus. It’s the whole trying to fit in 3 workouts per sport plus weights, plus have time to cook food, work, sleep, and perhaps even have a small social life. When push came to shove, weights went out the window. Going to try and not succumb to that in this cycle.

This past weekend meant two days headed over to the local festival in BC’s home community, which meant two days of festival food. Mmm, grease. The art and what not was fun, though, as was wandering through with his parents, and assorted friends we ran into.

On the gaming front I picked up Halo 3 when I was at home, because I found it on sale for 1/3 off. So far it’s kicking my ass on “normal” mode. I’m sure I’ll get the hang of it eventually, but for the nonce I’m dying a lot. Still haven’t beaten Overlord, though I’m getting toward the end. I started getting a bit better at SSBB while home, and still stink at Mario Kart. That’s about the extent of it, I think – everything else is in abeyance.

I think I’m going to take the red cross CPR/First Aid classes this winter, after the IM. I need the refresher for the first aid portion, and if I ever did learn CPR it’s long forgotten now. Useful skills to have, and requirements for some other things I’m contemplating, but don’t want to discuss quite yet.

Long runs in the evening are teh suck. At least, they are when I haven’t cooked and don’t have food ready and waiting to eat when I’m done. Did six and a half miles, relatively slowly (though the pace picked up as I went along). Heel was not happy with me as I got done, so I’m sitting in the night brace here, making sure I’m stretching the plantar fascia. I had gone to the grocery store yesterday with BC, so had food to prepare, but then there was the preparation part. Finally eaten, but was nigh starving before I ate.

Feel like I need a massage. I hope it’s not BC’s cold coming on, and is just soreness from the run. He stayed over last night and was burning up a good chunk of the night.

Not sure which project I’m going to do next, knitting wise. I think I need to do some samplers to learn a few more skills for the next ones (increasing & decreasing, specifically) before I get started on them.

I’m feeling, hmmm, unengaged at work these days. The Project From Heck is in abeyance, stuck in our front office for noodling, so I’m working on a variety of smaller projects, none of which are terribly interesting or engaging. So I’m just feeling a bit adrift. I’m sure it’ll pass, but it’s damned annoying while it’s there.

I’m a week overdue for my normal haircut, but have an appointment tomorrow evening. So looking forward to that. It’s too shaggy at the moment, so it’s time to get shorn.