Next Time, Think It Through

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Tonight. Blair and I are on separate couches, watching Modern Family. A commercial comes on and Blair says something.

"Shh," I say. "I'm learning how to erase fine lines and age spots with this product." 

Blair starts singing: ♫ "Maybe it's Maybelline..." ♫

I prop myself up on my elbow and turn to face him. "Really? Out of all the responses available to you when I tell you I'm looking at a commercial to deal with age lines, you want to sing the Maybelline song to me? That's what you're going to go with?" 

"Uh..." said Blair, looking uncomfortable.

"Too late," I said, turning back to the TV. "You, my friend, just made the blog." 

Happy Halloween, indeed. 

 

Trail Running: Just Do It!

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Nike hit gold when they came up with their "Just Do It" slogan. It's hard to imagine a situation where the sage advice doesn't apply. Today, in particular, I was a poster child for the three word ditty.

When I left the house this morning, I packed my trail running shoes in the hopes that Barefoot Josh would want to meet me for a trail run in the afternoon. When I hadn't heard from him and it was raining out, I'd pretty much decided to bag the trail run. I offered rationalizations as I drove home. I'll just do a quick 5 miles at the house. I need to get on the bike, anyway. The trails will be slippery from the rain. Blah, blah, blah. 

Yet somehow, in the back of my mind, I kept hearing "Just do it." I wanted to do a trail run. I brought special shoes because I'd planned to do a trail run. Why was I now doing everything in my power to talk myself out of running a trail? 

Just do it. I turned onto Strawberry Road, switched out my shoes, and headed for Piedmont Trail. Loved every freaking minute of it. Fall colors, mud, roots, stumps, clumps of wet leaves, hills, bridges... glorious, including the two blisters I got because it's been months since I wore my trail running shoes. 

My plan was to spend the summer running trails. Didn't happen. I do best when I have a running partner, someone to hold me accountable for showing up and getting the run done. Not a lot of people I know either like to run trails or have the flexibility in their schedule to hit them when it's light outside (i.e., during "work" hours). But I enjoyed my solo run today. I'm aiming to get another one in later this week on a slightly longer trail. 

If anyone in the area is reading this and wants to run some trails, please e-mail me. 

Meanwhile, I'll be the solo loony runner out on the trails chanting, "Just do it!" as I hoof it up the hills. 

Cheers,

Dena

Breaking News: Cats Shun New Self-Help Bestseller

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Mimi wonders why the book funds weren't spent buying too-nah?Reports are coming in from around the globe that while humans are more than happy to purchase a copy (or multiple copies - hint, hint) of the newly released, Who Moved My Mouse: A Self-Help Book For Cats Who Don't Need Any Help, cats themselves see nothing to get excited about when it comes to the litter-ary masterpiece.

"I feel the same way about this book as I do about nail trims," says Mimi the cat, currently residing with human Nathan Daughtrey who purchased the book for her. "Stupid and unnecessary." 

Fritz plays it cool. What book? I don't see a book.Mimi's roommate Fritz declined comment, but made his feelings known by pausing to groom his private parts as he sauntered past the book.