With the time change it's now dark when I get home, which makes going out for a run after work a lot harder.  I suppose I can run in the morning, but that would mean sacrificing sleep.  But I'm thinking that I do need to switch something up.  Tonight I was running and realizing that it's pretty dark when streetlights are out (or dim).  I was preoccupied with thoughts of stepping in dog poop or tripping over  uneven pavement. 

The people I saw out were mostly dog walkers.   I was about 3/4 into my run when I heard a loud "Hey!" which startled me for a half second.  A friend was also out running, which gave me some measure of comfort knowing that 1) it wasn't a crazy person and 2) I wasn't the only one attempting a run in the dark.  "It's cold," he said.  Yes, I didn't even mention the cold either. 

So with winter coming, along with colder weather and shorter days, I decided to sign up for a full marathon (in March).  I have been scared to commit to a full, but I think it's appropriate to follow-up on the one I ran five years ago.  Here I go again! 

Yesterday I ran into a friend I hadn't seen in awhile.  "Thirty seconds...summarize your life in the last few years," he said.  Quite a tall order.  Luckily he had specific questions that got me to my thirty seconds (and then some). 

I think the key to these interactions is figuring out what people want to hear, or care about.  When I returned to work after a three-year absence, I had a lot of these type of conversations.  "You haven't changed at all!" was a common remark.  A compliment - I think? 

A brilliant thought!  People should just read my blog! But oh wait.  I think I'm supposed to be documenting my life on Facebook, where everyone gets their news about everyone else.  At least, I sure do.

I admit to a type of forgetfulness that sees me faltering during times in which I probably shouldn't (having perhaps been through something similar before).  Though I think the present situation always begs for faith anew, there is sometimes what I call an indulgence.  We read of Peter in one instant walking on water and in the next being rescued from sinking. That rescue is what I call an indulgence.  It is my demand for faith made sight, even though it counters the very definition of belief in the unseen.  It is my insecurities being yielded to.  

I'd like to say I am most grateful for indulgences.

The other night my sister announced at the dinner table that "too many people dump on her."  Without missing a beat my mother replied, "Tell them to take it back!" This from a social worker who gets dumped on for a living.

I love sharing sound bites from my mom.  After moving out of my home a couple of months ago, my mom said that she wanted to convert my old bedroom into a "holy room."  "A what?" I replied.

I'm glad that she never ceases being mom to us (though, this is a point of contention when you're not a child anymore).  The last piece of advice she gave me the other night was to be strong at work.  She told me the same thing when I left for the motherland, only adding the courageous part as well.  Though I sometimes have to dismiss some things that come out of my mom's mouth, I do perk up when I know she's really trying to speak to my heart.  Thanks, mom.

I'm back. Thank you, chipmunkgeek, for the inquiry - I left the blogsphere but temporarily...

Today I ran the US Half Marathon. This was my first race in SF since high school, and the first half that I've trained for by myself. I feel invigorated to have finished the race, and in a time slightly under what I expected. Next time I want to train for a sub-2(hrs)! The US Half is way less sexy than the Nike Women's marathon a couple of weeks ago. No firemen passing out Tiffany's necklaces at the finish line. But I love that it goes under the radar. There's hardly any fanfare, or fans for that matter. It's pretty a pretty hard core participant base (I was getting passed up a lot). I certainly couldn't keep up with the alvonator pace, but managed my own groove, even with the hills.

I felt really good the whole race. I reminded myself to conserve energy, and to run my own race (no matter how tempted I was to go faster). I was further helped by the absolutely stunning scenery. My Sunday you could say was spent in an entirely different worshipful way.

Tiger and friends are here this week playing golf in my backyard. Though it's created some traffic snarls in the area, today it was of help to me to have the distraction of trying to peek through the fence of Harding Park to catch a glimpse of the tournament en route to finishing my 11+ mile run.

The President's Cup has another unlikely fan - my grandma. Tonight we watched highlights on the Golf Channel, and the whole time she thought we were watching live. She kept exclaiming that she was very "gun jeung," each time she saw the camera pan to the ball rolling towards the hole. I didn't have the heart to tell her it wasn't live as she would let out a "wah" each time the ball (predictably) found its way into the hole. Again, if it makes her happy, it makes me happy :)

I reread a chapter from a book I read over a year ago and it forced me to look up from my seat on MUNI today and sit on its revelation. Good stuff. I like when I come across gems from the past. I wish I could quote the whole thing here, but it's too long, and would bear too much explanation on why it speaks so clearly to me at this point in my life. I can tell you though that it was about living life rightly, and a classic longing and discipline that characterizes one who flourishes. It spoke of knowing the "drag of sloth and doubt" and the joy of spiritual exercise. "She needs to be persistent through striving and failure and growth in order to become a free and joyful contributor to shalom."

Sometimes we desperately need words to nourish our soul - and when someone can correctly explain truth, it's a good thing.

What to do when your student adds you on Facebook? I've been lucky in that only 2 students have ever tried to add me. The first time it happened I decided that I would add the student, but block him from seeing photos and wall posts. I think that's a good compromise. I can't believe that my students are actually that interested to add me to their F/B account - either that or they just desperately want to up their "friend" count.

Sometimes I can't underestimate what students are thinking, though. Like my first student who added me - he ended up dropping out towards the end of the semester, but before doing so, proclaimed that I was one of the best teachers he's ever had and thanked me for believing in him as a student. I really didn't think he cared at all. I'm preaching to myself here, because just about this time of the semester, I need a little pick-me-up.

I ran into the online director of the fashion department on the street today and the first thing she said to me was that my "ears must be burning." I think it might have been more of my cheeks, actually. That's the second time she's said that to me, and each time, I don't know what to say back to her.

I'm not the best with idioms. I'm convinced there are sharp cookies, and that someone can definitely be off their whacker. It could be when the ceiling hits the fan or when the rubber meets the cement. I try to speak in plain English as often as I can, just so I am as clear as windex.

This morning I walked out the door and noticed there was what appeared to be an abandoned shopping cart outside with random junk in it. Not having enough time to investigate (had to catch my train), I called my sister and let her know to be on the alert as she left the house.

I had forgotten about the shopping cart until I returned home this evening to find it still there, with its contents partially spilled out. This upset me. I'm not sure if I was just expecting it to go away by itself, but I was peeved that someone decided to abandon their junk on my property. I decided that I couldn't deal with the eyesore so I grabbed the gardening gloves and with a face, picked up the junk off the sidewalk and threw it back in the cart. Amongst the junk were random articles of clothing, inflatable mattresses, snail shells, and dirt (I kid you not). I pushed the cart off the sidewalk and parked it down the street (off of any private property).

I don't like dealing with other people's mess. I thought about this today and immediately caught myself. What of the mess I've made, and of He who knew no sin who became sin for me? That gets me, and after today, a little more so.