Audra, Barb, Jen, Denise, Katie, Kate (in line at the massage tent: Marla) 
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Running Cross Country
Ok, so I'm not really running across the country. That might be cool though, eh? Like Forrest Gump. Or that guy Reza? (Does anyone else remember that story about him in Runner's World? I couldn't find it, but I did find his old web site).
Really, I'm only running across in a figurative way. This cool little program tracks my progress by applying actual mileage (from Mar 1 onward) to a fictional route. See:
So as I write this, I am in Nevada, but I should be in the New Zion soon (and this ain't no Matrix reference). Of course, next time you see this, who knows, I might be as far as Brokeback Mountain land.
Really, I'm only running across in a figurative way. This cool little program tracks my progress by applying actual mileage (from Mar 1 onward) to a fictional route. See:
So as I write this, I am in Nevada, but I should be in the New Zion soon (and this ain't no Matrix reference). Of course, next time you see this, who knows, I might be as far as Brokeback Mountain land.
Friday, April 21, 2006
Wait! Hu, Don't Leave Me!
"Oopsy daisy, you're not going to get away from that easy."
"Don't touch me you imbecile."
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
For your listening pleasure
During a recent late-night conversation with friends, we started on the topic of music. I put forth the argument that some albums should be listeded to beginning to end. As was intended. I have long been a proponent of this style of listening.
What about the mix tape? I knew you would say that. Yes, I know all about the mix tape. Those definitely have their time and place:
- road trip
- party
- true love - infatuation-induced drive to be someone else's DJ and thereby win their heart through your excellent and insightful ability to pair The Clash with Nick Drake
and now...
- ipod for the commute
But what if you are just sitting around listening to music? Don't you want to hear the natural progression of the music? The flow as intended by the artist and producer? Maybe I'm just a creature of habit.
Here are some that I can think of that I really don't want to mess with:
Now that I have an iPod, I'm starting to open up a little more to the possibilities of mixing. I would agree that not every album warrants this type of listen.
I'm curious to hear what others think and if they have albums that they have to listen to beginning to end, no shuffle or cherry-picking allowed.
What about the mix tape? I knew you would say that. Yes, I know all about the mix tape. Those definitely have their time and place:
- road trip
- party
- true love - infatuation-induced drive to be someone else's DJ and thereby win their heart through your excellent and insightful ability to pair The Clash with Nick Drake
and now...
- ipod for the commute
But what if you are just sitting around listening to music? Don't you want to hear the natural progression of the music? The flow as intended by the artist and producer? Maybe I'm just a creature of habit.
Here are some that I can think of that I really don't want to mess with:
- Liz Phair's Exile in Guyville (some might argue its inspiration, RS's Exile on Main Street)
- The Arcade Fire's Funeral
- Jeff Buckley's Grace
- Wilco's Summerteeth and A Ghost is Born (actually, pretty much anything Wilco has done, except probably Being There)
- Beck's Midnite Vultures (again, most, but not all Beck)
- Nirvana's Nevermind
- Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
- Radiohead's KidA and Amnesiac
- Cat Power's You Are Free
- Pete Yorn's Music for the Morning After
- Old 97s Fight Songs (interestingly, this is the only one I have to listen to start to finish although I like most of their records)
Now that I have an iPod, I'm starting to open up a little more to the possibilities of mixing. I would agree that not every album warrants this type of listen.
I'm curious to hear what others think and if they have albums that they have to listen to beginning to end, no shuffle or cherry-picking allowed.
One Ball
Ok, so when I say to you One Ball, what do you think of? How about if I told you it was the name of a men's 5K run? You can't believe it can you? And yet, there is no doubt in your mind now, right? But if you're like me, you might think that it is not possible that a 5K to raise money for testicular and prostate cancer could be that cheeky. It's too suggestive, too un-PC, too honest. You're right, because it's not here, it's across the pond:
http://www.oneball.org.uk/
When people ask me if the Brits I work with are stuffy, I never quite properly articulate how not stuffy they are (well, most of them), so I'll just say that is a good example of the type of cheeky humor (or is that humour?) that I appreciate in many of my coworkers and that gives me a good giggle.
http://www.oneball.org.uk/
When people ask me if the Brits I work with are stuffy, I never quite properly articulate how not stuffy they are (well, most of them), so I'll just say that is a good example of the type of cheeky humor (or is that humour?) that I appreciate in many of my coworkers and that gives me a good giggle.
Thursday, April 06, 2006
San Francisco adventure
So I never updated with the rest of the HK stuff. Somehow lost my momentum on that one. It was a good trip, just not long enough to really see as much as I would have liked.
I'm traveling again. This time, just a quick trip to San Francisco for work. I just got back from the most incredible run a little while ago and had to write about it.
Apparently the weather here has been super crappy lately (that's a sorry understatement considering people have been evacuated and roads have collapsed in some places), but the weather today was gorgeous. I got out of work around 5:30 and started my run about 6:10, thinking I could easily get in about 4 miles (2 down the Embarcadero and back) before the sun set at 7:30. In fact that would give me time to do the 4 miles and then get back out to find a place for dinner before it got dark. Well, I made out 2 miles and decided to keep running a little further. Once I was past Fisherman's Wharf and around this little bend, I could see the Golden Gate Bridge and thought I would just run a little further. Then I got further along and saw the dome for the Palace of Fine Arts. I remember going there with David on our honeymoon and just really loving it, so I decided to run a little further to it (it looked closer than it was!). I finally made it to the PoFA, looked around, and took a picture for a group of tourists (apparently I didn't look threatening or fast enough to run off with their fancy camera). Unfortunately there was a lot of construction around the PoFA, but it was still lovely. I then started running back, but this time a little more inland through a cute neighborhood. I can't believe how many really really rich people must live in SF to be able to afford those houses. It's insane. I don't know why I am so shocked, after all, I live in NY where you practically have to be a millionaire to live in so many neighborhoods. I imagined that I once I got back to the Fisherman's Wharf area I would finish the run the same way I started, along the Embarcadero. Instead I decided to cut inland a little (don't know why, but I think the steep hill was calling me). I was planning on running up to the street where my hotel is located (Clay St for anyone familiar with the area) and then just running down Clay back towards the water, which would evertually get me back. But then I saw a sign for Coit Tower. I heard that the view is gorgeous, and the sun was going to be setting soon, so I thought, why not? Up up up the hill. Got up to the top of Telegraph Hill(?)/Coit Tower and looked out for a bit. There were lots of people up there, but not many who had arrived on foot! So, then I made my way back down, towards what *I thought* was going to my hotel. Going down those hills killed my knees! All of the sudden, I am in North Beach. How the heck did I get here? Anyway, luckily, my hotel is near the Transamerica Building, so I was able to just zig zag my way back over to the hotel using that as a landmark. Once I mapped it out, the whole trip turned out to be a little over 8 miles! My navigation was pretty good until the Coit Tower. Oh well. Got back safely. And what fun! Here's a map of my route, including elevation map, which I cannot help but include. Also you can see how the last mile included some *very* unnecessary mileage:
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=106358
I am currently icing my knee as I write this (don't give out on me now!). I can hear the little whistle (tram? trolley?) outside my window. How cute. It's calling me, saying, "come eat some rice o roni", so I better obey.
xoxox,
Audra
I'm traveling again. This time, just a quick trip to San Francisco for work. I just got back from the most incredible run a little while ago and had to write about it.
Apparently the weather here has been super crappy lately (that's a sorry understatement considering people have been evacuated and roads have collapsed in some places), but the weather today was gorgeous. I got out of work around 5:30 and started my run about 6:10, thinking I could easily get in about 4 miles (2 down the Embarcadero and back) before the sun set at 7:30. In fact that would give me time to do the 4 miles and then get back out to find a place for dinner before it got dark. Well, I made out 2 miles and decided to keep running a little further. Once I was past Fisherman's Wharf and around this little bend, I could see the Golden Gate Bridge and thought I would just run a little further. Then I got further along and saw the dome for the Palace of Fine Arts. I remember going there with David on our honeymoon and just really loving it, so I decided to run a little further to it (it looked closer than it was!). I finally made it to the PoFA, looked around, and took a picture for a group of tourists (apparently I didn't look threatening or fast enough to run off with their fancy camera). Unfortunately there was a lot of construction around the PoFA, but it was still lovely. I then started running back, but this time a little more inland through a cute neighborhood. I can't believe how many really really rich people must live in SF to be able to afford those houses. It's insane. I don't know why I am so shocked, after all, I live in NY where you practically have to be a millionaire to live in so many neighborhoods. I imagined that I once I got back to the Fisherman's Wharf area I would finish the run the same way I started, along the Embarcadero. Instead I decided to cut inland a little (don't know why, but I think the steep hill was calling me). I was planning on running up to the street where my hotel is located (Clay St for anyone familiar with the area) and then just running down Clay back towards the water, which would evertually get me back. But then I saw a sign for Coit Tower. I heard that the view is gorgeous, and the sun was going to be setting soon, so I thought, why not? Up up up the hill. Got up to the top of Telegraph Hill(?)/Coit Tower and looked out for a bit. There were lots of people up there, but not many who had arrived on foot! So, then I made my way back down, towards what *I thought* was going to my hotel. Going down those hills killed my knees! All of the sudden, I am in North Beach. How the heck did I get here? Anyway, luckily, my hotel is near the Transamerica Building, so I was able to just zig zag my way back over to the hotel using that as a landmark. Once I mapped it out, the whole trip turned out to be a little over 8 miles! My navigation was pretty good until the Coit Tower. Oh well. Got back safely. And what fun! Here's a map of my route, including elevation map, which I cannot help but include. Also you can see how the last mile included some *very* unnecessary mileage:
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=106358
I am currently icing my knee as I write this (don't give out on me now!). I can hear the little whistle (tram? trolley?) outside my window. How cute. It's calling me, saying, "come eat some rice o roni", so I better obey.
xoxox,
Audra
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