Month End Report

As big a task as it seems there's nothing death defying or world changing about NaBloPoMo. From some angles it can seem like a lot of work for an insignificant result. It feels good, though, and I'm always glad I've done it. This year it was like getting back into a groove that I missed very much.

It seemed fitting to end the month with a little something along the same lines. It's a super duper short video of the new "trick" that I've been teaching Bu. It may not seem like much but it represents a connection I've managed to make with this goofy animal and, perhaps, the first step toward something larger.

Thanks for sticking with me while I take these small steps forward.

First!

Today I had my annual post-Thanksgiving Open House of Gluttony. It was a fantastic day filled with firsts. First time the roasting pan was clean before the first guest arrived. The first time the tablecloth was in the hamper the same day as the party. The first time attendance of a number of guests. The dishwasher is chugging along. There is only one dish soaking and it honestly needs soaking I didn't just leave it in the sink "soaking" because I couldn't face another dish (I had so much awesome help). There's plenty of food and yet there's also a little space left in the fridge. The whole event feels like a miracle.

On the day of one of the early open houses Emily saw the clean, slipcovered couch and struck a pose in the center of it. She looked so fabulous I made that picture a tradition. I might have let the tradition go when she died but on Eddie's first Open House Day he jumped up in exactly the same spot and struck exactly the same pose. Today's pose isn't exactly the same but I think it follows the spirit of the tradition if not the letter of it. I'm a sucker for continuity.

Hope your day had some miracles, too.

Truly Grateful

Queen Bee and I started our day at the dog park. We met up with Michelle and braved a cold wind. Ed has real trouble with the cold. He gets cold easily and there just aren't enough coats to fix it...at least not coats that he won't also pee all over. It turns out that Michelle had also not dressed quite warmly enough (I don't know if it would be possible to dress warmly enough). She decided to kill, or warm, two birds with one stone and stuff my dog into her coat. She first did this a couple of Halloweens ago when we had a hell of a snow storm and things were incredibly chilly. Ed seems to love it.

This, my friends, is what Thanksgiving love looks like. I'm grateful for it in all its many forms.

Pretty Sure

I'm pretty sure this marks the first NaBloPoMo since maybe the first one where I've genuinely almost forgotten to post. I just sat down after a day of fun, fellowship, and food to check Facebook before I rested my eyes for a moment and suddenly I realized. Yikes!

Yup. This is all you're getting today. It was a lot of fun, fellowship, and so much food.

Hope you had the good stuff, too!

This Is For That

This is to tell you that for my NaBloPoMo count today I actually wrote over a Kizz & Tell.

The usual disclaimers continue to hold true. If you're uncomfortable reading about my body or about me in general as it relates to sex then it's your responsibility not to click through. Be nice to both of us when you make your choice, deal?

SmAmazing

I'm new to the podcast world. As with most things I've arrived at this place kicking, screaming, with my fingers stuck in my ears, yelling LALALALALALALA as loud as I can. Until, in the brief silence as I drew breath, I listened and realized there was something I wanted here. My recent obsession is with Plus One, a show on Kevin Smith's Smodcast Network. I am new enough that I have avoided running my mouth here to let you know how perfect is this technology...that you have already been enjoying for many a year now.

Today, though, I'm listening to an episode of Plus One that I simply must share. Quick background, Plus One is Smith and his wife, Jen Schwalbach talking about science, weather, and their lives. Since I'm deep in the back catalog I'm hearing about what they were doing during the release period for Smith's 2011 horror movie, Red State, which was inspired by the deplorable Westboro Baptist Church. Smith decided to release the movie without the help of a studio and part of his marketing plan was to screen it in towns across the country and have a live Q&A to go along with it before a wide release into regular cinemas. At a Q&A in Kansas City, MO two former members of the WBC, relatives of King Daddy Asshole Fred Phelps, were in attendance and they wound up doing a portion of the Q&A with Smith. In this episode of Plus One (#15 The Phabulous Phelps Phamily Phuntime Hour) they share that Q&A.

It's fantastic. To hear these two young people, Josh and Libby, talk about coming into their own and deciding that all they had been taught about not just life but eternity was wrong enough that they needed to leave is beautiful. It's also a little painful and weird but in a way that reminds you that they're human. We're all human. All we can do is keep learning and keep trying to do better.

Logistically, you can fast forward to the Q&A part if you like. In the intro the normal marital bickering escalated to a point that flipped my own personal Only Child of Divorced Parents switch decisively so if you're sensitive to that you can skip right over it. However, stick around for the wrap up because the things that Schwalbach and Smith have to say about the experience of meeting these young people and seeing how they were treated by a huge group of Smith's fans is important. Like, important enough that I'm refusing to spoil it here by explaining.

I know, I know, I'll be having a housewarming for my place in the 21st Century in a couple of weeks. I just have to finish a review of the rotary dial phone first. But seriously, listen to this podcast, you'll learn stuff.

Poetic

This is the final Sunday of NaBloPoMo and I haven't done a poetry prayer entry yet. I won't be doing one today either. This series of photos is, perhaps, my favorite series in all the time I've been documenting the NYC Marathon. I think it is sort of poetic.

And then she was gone.

Beware the Assumption

The walk home from the greenmarket was slow going today since I had done some Thanksgiving shopping. Butternut squashes and gallons of cider are heavy, you guys. Coming up to one cross street I felt someone come up behind me. I thought it was just a passerby but there was no passing. Just when I started to feel twitchy about it I heard a low chuckle. Creepy! As a self preservation measure I told myself he must be talking on the phone. Yet there were no words. Until...

"Got on a coat and pants."

Yes, yes he does. And he's still too cold.

Taking Bets

So.......I am not much of a housekeeper. (Surprise! Not so much.) Of late I've managed to keep things relatively clean but not especially organized or uncluttered. This would be fine except that a week from today I'm having a party in this space. It would be nice to have some surfaces available for folks to rest their drinks on.

I've got most of the day tomorrow and all day on Sunday not counting necessary naps. Arguably I also have Monday evening after work. Queen Bee arrives Tuesday night. Place your bets. Do you think I can get the joint party-ready by bedtime on Monday so I can sit around in my PJs eating ice cream with my friend once she gets here?

I'm not sure what the safer wager is.

Oh Stuff, I Find You

I link to stuff as a service, partly to you but mostly to my memory. I hope we both benefit.

I assume that, whichever side you're on, you're as sick of the debate about drug testing welfare recipients as I am. However, a politician who voted for drug testing people who receive government assistance has been busted for cocaine possession. He can bite my heiney.

The word "heiney" always makes me think of Shirley Feeney, of Laverne & Shirley fame.

SPOILER ALERT FOR SCANDAL. SKIP THE NEXT ITEM IF YOU WATCH THE SHOW.

Feministing writers did a discussion post about Mellie's rape in last week's episode and it's interesting. For the most part they hold out hope for the show's creators to elevate this choice to something worthy of a real life human being but they aren't sure yet. In so doing they outline a shit-ton of ways that rape is presented to us in fiction that we take for granted. Really good read.

I grew up in a time where Grace Jones simply appeared in things. Whatever she was cast as we were led to believe that she was really just GRACE JONES in all caps all the time. It seems that she still is and that is just as marvelous as it ever was.

I had no idea until this week that Mario Batali had a political bone in his body. I knew he valued wonderful food and that he supported a local botanical garden and that was about it. Also, the orange crocs, I knew about those. While I was watching the Lady Parts Justice telethon on Monday they announced that he would match donations for a portion of the evening. That seemed cool. Apparently he also took those views to Twitter this week. Who wants a Batali cookbook for Christmas?

A champagne vending machine exists. I feel like it had to have been invented by someone who wants to marry me.

On Tuesday I went to hear a former college classmate and dear friend, Ken Nintzel, talk about his art installation at BAM. It was wonderful and he was great and I'm even more entranced by the exhibit than I was before. This photo of him answering a question is pure delight.

I have to admit here that I'm a hypocrite. People are always telling me that I should be in my New Year card photos and then it comes time to make them and I forget to put myself in. I'm sorry. Someone remind me in October of next year, please. In the meantime, if you think you're going to get away with that shit just because I do think again! Here are some great reasons for sending photo cards and for you being in them. Do as I promise to do next year, ok?

There are many things in this gift guide that I want. Not all of them but many of them.

A lot of the time when people make comedy out of real life it makes me too uncomfortable to find it funny. This is not one of those times. Pro-tip: Just because we can live our private lives in public doesn't mean we should. (Note that I'm not including the video that some guy made where he tells his girlfriend that he's cheating as a prank. Spoiler: It doesn't turn out well for either of them.)

Hey, you guys? I'm going to sing on the internet. I decided to join Neil's Eighth Annual Blogger Christmahanukwanzaakah Online Holiday Concert. You can, too!

Our Suebob wrote a piece recently that explores how and why education might fail a lot of people. The system of it, that is. It's from her own experiences. I found it particularly riveting because my experience of the same system was so different from hers. I was not a kid who was actively seeking out learning in other places, even though I did a lot of learning outside the classroom. It's an important thing for us all to read, I think.

Ok, that's enough. I need to go off and write some other things. I feel pounds lighter having shared all this information, though.

Photo Challenge: SELECT

If this blog post blows up when you open it please accept my most sincere apologies. Life has just been like this for a couple of days. It'll pass, right? Right?!

On to the pretty, pretty pictures! (Scroll down for the new prompt.)

I'm grateful to Our Bethany for offering this one up because the weather is bitter and I needed a reminder of those hot, berry-sticky days of summer.

Surely Our Janet knows that now I want to stuff all of these into my mouth. I wouldn't even use the tongs.

I wonder if Our Lisa was singing selections from Mary Poppins while she did this.

All the fish are fresher where Our Alisun lives now.

You will not be surprised to learn that I'm willing to use all the powers at my disposal to charm a child, even the power of the ill-advised selfie.

The next challenge period will cover Thanksgiving, Chanukah, and the first headlong rush toward Christmas. That's a lot of responsibility for one little challenge. Let's go simple. TOGETHER is the prompt.

Please enter by 9am Tuesday December 3rd for posting on December 4th. Tag your photos with PHOTO CHALLENGE and TOGETHER. Check out the wonderful work in our Flickr Pool for inspiration. Also, let me know if you have any questions. The new appropriate email for that is Kizzbeth117 at gmail dot com.

I Do Care

There's a book called Nobody Cares What You Had For Lunch. It was early in the bubble of books from the blogosphere. Maggie Mason wrote it and it contains inspiration for blogging, things that are, presumably, more interesting than one's lunch.

Here's the thing, though, I'm really excited about my lunch this week! I had a hankering for meatloaf so I just made it. Real meatloaf with ground beef instead of ground turkey and I accidentally overdid it on the condiments I mixed in which makes it basically dessert meatloaf, which I love. I've serving it over mashed taters, both white and sweet, and honey roasted carrots. It's relatively clean eating without being especially good for me but it tastes divine!

What about you? What are you having for lunch? You can tell me because I care. Today I really do.

*Picture is not of my lunch. It's too good to wait and take pics of.

Jerry Lewis for Labia

Lizz Winstead, Sarah Silverman, and a vadge full of their friends are doing a telethon to raise money for women in Texas who need abortions. It is happening right now and will go on until 10 tonight. There is a whole lot of funny going on. My favorite joke so far came from Winstead when she talked about people who say, "I don't want to pay for your birth control." She said, "The weird thing is they don't want to pay anything for my birth control and I would pay any amount for theirs!"

Truth.

Watch if can. More importantly donate. Choice is vital and when you take away women's bodily autonomy you're violating our civil rights. You cannot be anti-choice and pro-woman, they do not fit in the same, you'll pardon the expression, box.

Pass the word. Pass the laws. Pass your credit card number.

Clear eyes. Full hearts. Can choose.

*Full disclosure, the live feed is a little choppy, they're in a basement, they want all the money to go to the women who need it not to overhead. Stick with it. It's worth it.

Not Often

It's not often that I just don't know what to say. Today's one of those days, though. I got a lot done. Cooking, cleaning, snuggling with the pets. I even conditioned my hair with coconut oil. It's soft like baby's hair now! Oh, and I learned how to unknit a row of knitting. It's called tinking because...well, I won't give it away. Nothing special for a Sunday. I've been waiting for a nothing special Sunday for a long time now. Glad to have this one. Hope you had  good one, too, whatever kind you wanted.

Plans Best Made

I had a lot of plans for today. And then things turned out differently. I'm putting this picture here to remind me what follow through looks like.

Eat This

After working very hard at doing something that made me violently angry I treated myself to this. Turkey meatball slider with cranberry horseradish sauce by @MightyBallsNYC. It was even better than I expected. I deserved two.

Used To Be

A couple of months ago #ThrowbackThursday came on someone's birthday so I posted an old picture I had to Facebook. I got hooked. I love looking at old pics and showing them to the people who were in them. So every Thursday it's a little treat to myself to scroll through my scanned photos and find something to share.

This is from the middle to late nineties probably. I was a dance teacher. It wasn't my only job but it was my highest priority. In the spring semester we usually had our classes perform at a couple of local street fairs and this was one of them.

As I said on Facebook today, this somewhat casual looking scene used to be an important part of my job. My life and my job do not look like that anymore. I'm working toward changing that. This weekend part of my on the job training looked like sitting at a stranger's kitchen table with pieces of liver laid out in front of me and a barking dog across the room. I'm excited about that picture. I am retroactively excited about this picture. I am not at all sure how I feel about the way things change.

But then, I never am.

This Kid

I only met this kid a few years ago when she came to join Lilybainne's family. Of course I liked her right away. She's outgoing, sunny, thoughtful, and intelligent, what's not to like? It takes some time to get to know someone, though, and with the way my blogging has been changing I haven't written extensively about her...yet.

For the past two years KL and Lilybainne have come to see the PUPkin and cheer Eddie on. It's a treat to have people outside of the regular neighborhood crowd support us and I'm really grateful they make the trek. This year I spoke to them briefly before I headed to the stage to get ready but had to go too quickly. I get pre-show jitters, you guys.

The sound guys had a glitch and we were a little late starting. Then suddenly it was fixed and Kath wanted me to start NOW so I asked her where the cards were. The cards, you see, have the names and numbers of each contestant on them and I can't announce anyone without that information. Kath told me they were at the registration table, of course, and told me to get them. I had barely gotten two steps up the grand staircase toward registration when Kath's voice boomed out over the speakers, "Hey you guys, I don't know where our emcee went but we need to get started!" Instantly my plan needed to change.

I waded three more steps into the crowed until I could lock eyes with KL standing at the top of the first flight with her mom and a friend. "Hey!" I yelled, "I need you to go up to the registration table, up there," I pointed like I was working a Greek amphitheater, "tell them that Kizzy said to give you the cards and then bring the cards down to me, please? OK?"

This effusive storyteller of a kid looked me straight in the eye and nodded firmly twice then took off like a rocket. I bounded back on stage and reclaimed the mic from Kath.

I had barely gotten through our list of sponsors when KL appeared in front of me like a vision. No hovering on the edge of the stage asking others for permission to complete her assigned task. No dawdling on her way up or down. No hesitation or convolution to her at all. She handed me the cards, I thanked her, and she melted into the audience again like an extremely helpful apparition.

She's got a great way about her, this kid. She's got confidence but not arrogance. She's intensely creative and wildly generous. I wouldn't call her fearless, I mean, she's not crazy, but she is brave. She is a joy to be around and she took a huge weight off of me on a day when I was feeling unsure of myself. There was no way to thank her enough there on stage or afterwards in the crush of clean up. There probably isn't a way to thank her enough here, either, but I want to try.

I want you to know how great these kids I know are. They impress me at every turn and in ways I don't expect. I am endlessly grateful to have them around and wish I remembered to tell them more often. (New Year's resolution?)

If you see this kid on the street please know that you are having a brush with greatness...and act accordingly.

Against the Norm

Where I live we dog people pride ourselves on our martyrdom to our pets. Dogs need exercise and you can't just open the door and let them run around Brooklyn on their own. Dog groups have even used it in a couple of legal cases. We remind angry anti-dog folks that the very fact of our being around helps to make places safer because we're out and about every day watching what goes on in our neighborhoods. When we're at the top of our game we're out for long stretches in the most extreme weather. Was it so cold they said it couldn't snow but it did anyway? Well, we were out there for three hours! Even though I hate the cold I often feel that if I don't keep up with the hard core folks that I'm being judged.

Enter Eddie.

Ed is not especially fond of rain. He hates the cold. He's so small that extreme heat is hard on him because he not only gets the sun from above he gets reflected heat from the ground below. He's a delicate flower and over the past year I've been learned how I need to adjust my thinking and pay attention to what he needs.

For example today:

It's supposed to be in the 30s and snowing any minute. When I woke up the ground was wet but I couldn't tell if it was raining. My phone said it was 52F and the TV said it was 40F. I resigned myself that I ought to go to the park but I'd play it by ear. Bundled the dog up in 2 coats, carried him down to the sidewalk, and let him loose. It was, in fact, raining but it was closer to the higher temp. The dog was so unimpressed. He made it very clear that we should not go to the park, we should go in the exact opposite direction, just around the block. When we got to the entrance halfway around he decided to go in. I forced him to go all the way around in hopes of properly emptying him out but he was in no way unclear about the fact that we needed to go inside ASAP. Rain! Cold! Two coats! Unacceptable!

Usually we leave about 6:25 and get home between 7:00 and 7:25. We were home before 6:45. Now we're playing fetch and snuggling on the couch.

I feel spoiled.

*Photo taken in the lobby on our way in taken in a brief pause in his frantic rubbing against the walls to dry himself off.

For These Kids

Have you thanked a veteran today? I am privileged to spend time in the dog park with a veteran almost every day. I am thankful to my brain for remembering to express my appreciation for her service this morning since we see each other before sunrise and I'm not at my best then. After a short talk about her experiences we, at her request, talked about other things. It was the right thing to mention the day, though, I'm sure of it.

Thank you to all the veterans who have fought to make it possible for the kids in this picture to find it perfectly normal to be the best of friends. I am sorry you had to fight.

Connections

I used to have a neighbor who drank a bit. She often wandered the campus in sweatpants and mesh shirts with saggy tank tops underneath. Occasionally she'd forget the tank top.

This evening I had been cooking in my tiny kitchen with the window closed and no fan on (makes it hard to hear the TV show on the iPad) so by the time I needed to take the garbage out I was down to my flannel pants with martinis on them and the tank top I'd been wearing under a sweater earlier. It is not my finest garment. There is sagging and bagging. As I threw the bolt on the door to keep myself from being locked out I had the strongest feeling that I was turning into my former neighbor.

Right after that I had such an amazing pang of missing Misti. It's her birthday today, you see, and sitting around in our saggy PJs drinking a little too much and laughing at ourselves is something we're really good at. We should be doing that today. She's had her fancy celebrations with other friends and today should be all about goofiness and (mildly) bad decisions.

Sorry I'm not there with you, my friend. Accidentally flash someone for me, willya? I love you.

Round Up!

I hit the like button in my feed reader, the favorite button on Twitter and I save things in open tabs like it's my job. My browser is so cluttered I feel slightly insane. Time to share here.

First off, better late than never, did you know that there are Pumpkin Carols? We're so singing those next year!

Something more timely is this list of 50 ways to get more bacon into your Thanksgiving!

I want to make sure that everyone knows that there's a lot of bad stuff happening to keep people from voting. Here's a good article to start with about how women are being kept from voting. Just don't think that it's only happening in TX!

Speaking of bacon, I found this list of questionable food swaps interesting. I knew about some of them but not all!

I always get sucked in by the ingenious life hacks. I never actually do them but I fantasize about it a lot. That TV console dog bed has been a dream of mine for ages.

Did you know you can take a typing test online? I don't know why you'd want to either but as soon as I found out about it I was compelled.

I am charmed and delighted by these fairy tale photos.

Our judicial and prison system is broken. Food trucks are often seen as hipster, privileged bullshit. One woman is walking the intersection of these facts. I love her work!

Site called Difference Between is a fabulous reference! (Says the woman who conflated two crazy men killed by grizzlies.)

You guys? Wearing a thong is a health risk. Let's be careful down there.

I knew you could make cake or a brownie in a mug. Here's a whole collection of them! Oh happy day!

This week's feminist GIF is priceless.

Could not agree more about this quote.

Are you in NYC? Want to come to this thing with me? It's about my friend, Ken Nintzel's art and the installation is gorgeous.

An infuriating chart showing how the anti-choice agenda is being funded in the US.

For more infuriating goodness there is this post about one family's experience of the NJ mall shooting.

OK, one last thing. BlogHer is going to be in San Jose, CA this year. There are only a limited number of tickets available. They have put out their call for ideas! Surely you have ideas. 

Siss Boom Bah!

I'm a little behind the times here but it doesn't make the news any less momentous. This week Listen To Your Mother announced the 2014 season! We will be in 32 cities this year and here is where you can read up on all of them.

"What is this we of which you speak?" I hear you asking.

Well, if you read that list closely you'll see that I'm part of the team for NYC's show. I'm thrilled to be part of this movement for a second year and I can't wait to see who comes out to audition for us.

Speaking of auditions, there are a lot of new places hosting shows this year. For instance, New England folks, Boston finally has a show! So, whether you and I are part of the same show or not I  hope you'll support a show in your area by auditioning, sponsoring, attending, or what you will.

If you're looking for inspiration you should take a dip in the LTYM YouTube channel. There is much there to be amazed by.

Hurray for 32 cities! Bring it on, storytellers!

*Photo by me of MaryBeth Coudal during a rehearsal for the 2013 show.

Different Approaches

In case you hadn't noticed I want to point out that I'm sort of combining NaBloPoMo with NaPhoPoMo. It's not a perfect system, like yesterday it was part of the Photo Challenge but I still posted a photo! I've got tons of marathon photos waiting to be processed but I'm ready for that because last night I finished with the last of the Halloween ones.

I love this shot because it illustrates the very different approaches to adversity taken by two dogs who otherwise seem to be so bonded that they might share a brain. Here you see Ed sitting in the back staring at the camera willing me to just take the damn picture and release him. In the face of something distasteful he slowly shuts down systems until someone notices and rescues him. (Anyone who knew me as a child might note the similarities in our approach and I wouldn't be able to deny it.) Bu on the other hand is not one to take his punches lying down. He's constantly bobbing and weaving and throwing down behaviors in a desperate quest to hit upon the one thing that will convince us to end the madness. (If anyone knows his people well...let's just sum it up by saying that they're generally the proactive types.) I did get a couple of shots where Bu was still but I have more that are like this one.

I like it. It's honest and I honestly love this goofballs.

*Bucephalus is sporting the costume sent to him by PetSmart after our giveaway....I sent photos and explained his size but this is what happened. We made it work.

Photo Challenge: PRO/CON

I guess this was a hard one for everyone. It was hard for me, I didn't enter until this weekend! Fun, though.

Especially since it was difficult please show your appreciation to those who joined in. Then scroll down for the prompt so you can join next time!

I couldn't resist this one last vestige of Halloween. This man wears this costume and plays his cello as entrance music for the event at the Cathedral every year. It's glorious and makes for the most amazing photo op, too.

This kid of Our Lisa's is doing a terrible impression of a CONvict at Alcatraz. He's too sweet, right?

I have to be honest, I'm not sure how this photo of Our Bethany's fits into the prompt but I love it too much not to include it even though she submitted other choices. Does someone else have an interpretation?

I am a sucker for an old photograph and this one that Our Janet preserved hits me right in my nostalgia bone. It's called The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking. I'm sure there's a long story behind it and I can't wait to hear it!

OK, I know this one is weird but bear with me. I was thinking about voting since the day I prepped this post was election day and the prompt that came to me was SELECT. I think we can make something of this, don't you?

Please enter by 9am Tuesday November 19th for posting on November 20th. Tag your photos with PHOTO CHALLENGE and SELECT. Check out the wonderful work in our Flickr Pool for inspiration. Also, let me know if you have any questions. The new appropriate email for that is Kizzbeth117 at gmail dot com.

Cash the Check

I'm posting this, in some measure, to remind myself to cash the check from the job. This is what I looked like at the Halloween event at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. They paid me to spook people and I love when that happens!

*My friend, Heather, took this pic of me between shows. 

Put Me In, Coach

Guest blogger today. There were a lot of runners in yesterday's NYC Marathon wearing blue ribbons to honor the people who endured the bombing of this year's Boston Marathon. JRH was inspired to write about her feelings on the subject and asked if she could share them and the link to donate to her next marathon here. Well, hell yeah! Here she is:

I was part of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute’s Boston Marathon Challenge team in 2012.  I’d love to say I “Ran Boston” that year, but I played it safe in the near 90 degree heat and walked all but maybe 6 miles of it.  It was still an amazing experience.

I ran for Alyssa, a childhood friend -- wife, mom of two, and runner herself -- who was battling cancer.  We shared a birthday, April 14^th.  In 2012, it fell two days before the marathon.  She passed away two days after the marathon that same year.

I was accepted to the DFMC team last year, but declined to register, a little overwhelmed by the financial, emotional, and physical commitment of it all.  If I had run, I would have been somewhere at mile 19 or 20 when the bombs when off.  I am not sure if my husband would have made it to the finish yet, after cheering me on somewhere along the course.  Or if my parents would have decided to take my 7 year old to Boston to see me finish.

I know the entire running community and most of New England took the events of last April personally, but those were *my* runners out there on the course and at the finish when the bombs when off.  The charity runners.  The probably couldn’t dream of qualifying for Boston but run in reverence of what it stands for runners.  The this might be the only time we do this runners.  *I* took it personally.  I wasn’t directly affected that day, so my energy hasn’t been spent recovering or grieving.  I’ve spent my energy plotting revenge.  I want to be out there on April 21, 2014 – again for Alyssa, for the patients of Dana Farber, for those who were affected last April, and for myself.  I am not sure what the bombing suspects were hoping to accomplish that day, but they didn’t succeed in stopping us, and I want to be there to prove it.

Put me in coach, I’m ready to play.

Thank you for any support to honor a loved one, kick cancer’s ass, or enact revenge at www.runDFMC.org/2014/julieh

One of Them

This afternoon MAB said that today is the best day of the year to be a New Yorker. I've thought about it a lot and I think he may be right. In terms of all five boroughs coming together annually on the same day for the same purpose Marathon Day is kind of the best.

We somehow managed to miss the one runner we were there for but we screamed our lungs out for everyone we did see and we know that the one we missed did well. I blew a vuvuzela for the first time and I loved it. Music Child counted over 100 people in Italia jerseys. I saw Elvis.

It was a great day. The best.

Not Exactly Gloating

And yet...I'm pretty excited about the World Series Champs.

NaBloPoMo?

I don't know.

So.....

Here's a big dog in a tiny costume.

Just in case.