Working Weekend

So far, I have spent my weekend WORKING.

Not what I enjoy doing on my days off, but with my schedule getting tighter and tighter and with more and more to accomplish, it is a necessary evil.

Yesterday, after an hour and a half walk with Zoe on the trail (lovely!), I plopped myself down in front of my computer and worked on SEVEN job applications. Yup, seven. And to be honest, I'm really excited about some of them. There are two in Colorado, one in Montana, and another in Wyoming - all of which are exciting for different reasons. So it isn't all bad. However, academic job applications are labor intensive and it took me ALL day (with an interruption to eat lunch and an interruption to chat with a friend). WHEW. By 6pm I was exhausted and poured myself the first glass of wine I've had in three weeks! I then called PhD to catch up over a long distance happy hour. It was terrific chatting with her.

This morning, again after a long walk with Zoe (this time at the park), I finally went grocery shopping and was back at the computer paying bills (UGH, I am so broke). Soon, I will get to my grading and then I need to work on my script for tonight's rehearsal.

I have to say, rehearsal, though time consuming, is the high point of my days right now. It feels SO GOOD to be an actor again. I don't even know how to describe it. The play is challenging in good ways to me and I'm really enjoying working with this director. And though I have little interaction with all of the students in the cast, I'm enjoying their work as well. How I WISH I could be a full-time actor!!!! Well . . . should none of my job applications pan out, I'll consider it the Universe's way of telling me to give acting another shot.

Not much else to tell. My house is a mess and I need to do laundry . . . what's the priority? Grading or cleaning?

Tomorrow is another Monday and on top of the usual work I have, I need to get my tires checked and probably buy a couple. Yeah, with all my extra money.

So . . . so much for days OFF. Christmas is coming after all.

I AM A NOW A PARENTHETICAL THOUGHT

Yes, it's true. As of yesterday.

I opened my inbox to find a copy of next fall's teaching schedule. Eager to see what new ways the Wicked Witch of the Midwest could humiliate me, I scrolled down to the bottom of the schedule and saw this:

NTT (my name)

Yup. I have been reduced to parenthesis.

The Wicked Witch has once again, in her passive-aggressive manner, made it clear I will not be back next year.

And to add insult to injury ('cause what else is to be expected?), the schedule makes it IMPOSSIBLE to continue my professional certification in the Alexander Technique. Which is nuts because it was in the position posting when I applied that I be certified or be willing to become certified! It is my guess this was on purpose to make returning less appealing should our School Director override her feelings and offer me another year here (and that's even more unclear especially now that that the cat is out of the bag I'm looking for other work - he asked me outright in a "casual conversation"), and to thwart my artistic growth.

AND, not only do I get no upper level majors classes AGAIN (with the exception of movement), but I am also saddled with four classes AGAIN when the normal teaching load is three. I have only taught a regular load one semester. The Wicked Witch is working hard to help me fail.

SIGH. This place really is a "den of vipers," as the Fight Guy likes to say.

In the meantime, I am still working on job applications. I am struggling to find the time with my current schedule, but hope to crank some out this weekend. I have printed a bunch of new openings this past week and need to focus some attention on doing that.

Of course, a war wages inside of me: do I really want to be a full-time teacher? I am not sure I know that answer. Actually, that's a lie. I know I DON'T want to be a full-time teacher. I WANT to be a full-time ACTOR. Unfortunately, I don't know how to make that happen. I've had enough trouble even being a part-time actor.

So is this the next best thing? I think in some ways it is. Unless every place is as nasty as this one. Who needs this toxicity in their life?

SIGH.

If you have any answers, pass them along . . . parenthetically, of course.

Hot, Humid, and CANCELED

It's hard to believe . . . but yes, the Chicago Marathon was canceled about 3 1/2 hours into the race.

My heart goes out to the runners. All those people who trained so hard who won't have an "official" time.

Still . . . it was BLOODY HOT. And I was just standing there!

I don't quite know how to feel about it. I'm relieved I couldn't run. I have run three marathons in mid-80 degree weather and can sympathize with the masses. And you can't stop at just the air temperature - add in the humidity (something like 74% yesterday) and the 10 or more degree rise in body temperature and you're looking at trying to run 26.2 miles in what feels like over 100 degrees! Ugly. Painful. HELL.

And yet I'm really mad at the race officials. This weather had been predicted for several days. And regardless of what the race director says, there was a real lack or water along the route. Ask any runner who might have expected to finish in 4 or more hours. Coach P said he had no water for the first TWO water stops and then only ever other stop after that! WHAT? How does that happen??? There are a number of marathons who run in high heat regularly. They're prepared for it and they don't have to cancel.

I understand it is normally 20 - 30 degrees cooler this time of year in Chicago. That's no excuse. Any race director needs to be prepared for the worst - in either heat or cold.

As I left the course, I saw a group of spectators taking the water shortage into their own hands: they had purchased countless 10 gallon water jugs at a nearby grocery along with bunch of plastic cups and were handing water out to the runners. I heard this occurred at numerous places along the course. And the fire officials had opened up hydrants and were spraying the runners as they walked or slowly ran by.

Those poor runners!

I was standing at mile 25 and I was there early enough to see the elite runners fly by . . . but even they looked like they were working hard. In my 5 + hours on the course, I saw two runners go down and get medical attention. I was surprised it wasn't more, frankly. Nearly all looked miserable and before long the majority of them were walking. Come to find out it was because they had been informed the race was canceled and they should WALK the rest of the route. It was inspiring to see so many still determined to FINISH. It brought tears to my eyes.

And still so many didn't finish. Over three hundred were hospitalized. And that poor runner who collapsed and died. How awful for the family and friends . . . my heart aches for them.

I know several from Team in Training who were running their FIRST marathon. How disappointing to have your first be canceled! You never get your first back. We had one runner who had hoped to qualify for Boston . . . no way that was going to happen yesterday. I understand he's planning on running Columbus in two weeks to try again.

Still . . . without water I suppose they were smart to cancel.

So, the race has come and gone. The heat is still here (92 predicted today) . . . but expected to be gone tomorrow. Two days too late for 36,000 runners.

SIGH.

Alaska is looking better and better.

THERE IS NO FINISH LINE.

Marathon Weekend

This is the weekend of the Chicago Marathon.

I am sad I won't be running, but in a few hours I'm off to what I hope is my LAST meeting with Dr. W regarding my stress fracture. Keep your fingers crossed.

In spite of not being able to run, I'm heading up to Chicago anyway to cheer on my Teammates and play with my friend, G. I'm taking the train . . . even though I could drive, I decided not to fight the traffic and this way I can sleep or read en route there and back. It should be a nice change from my usual frantic trip up I-55.

Once there, G and I will hit the Expo. It will be the first time I go to an Expo and not pick up a packet, but I'm looking forward to being in the environment anyway. All those runners . . . hopefully it will inspire me to eventually get back in my shoes and running - in spite of the cold and dark (because come November, my only time to run will be around 5 AM). Plus, the Expos are famous for their free samples so I plan to stock up on mini-power bars and the like. And I'm going to get a whistle and make posters for my friends. One of my teammates is hoping to qualify for Boston. He's quick . . . and to be perfectly honest quite pretty. Wish I had been as fast as he is just to spend my Saturday mornings running with him! Yes, of course he's young. It's ME, remember? But I digress . . .

Saturday evening G and I are going to eat out. HUAH! I get to enjoy a meal out of town that isn't a chain. Okay, so I don't really go to the chains here . . . I pretty much don't go out to eat here. So I'm looking forward to a fun evening. I don't imagine G and I will close the town down, however. Normally I would be happy to do that, but we'll have an early morning on Sunday to claim our spot along the route.

Sunday is race day. I plan to park it around mile 25 with other Team In Training folks. G's back has been bugging her and with my leg still healing it is probably best not to race around to different points along the route (what I would do if I were healthy). So we'll go and hang out and watch all the similarly certifiable individuals stagger by with just over a mile to go.

I admit, I'm bummed. But maybe in the end I'll be relieved. It's going to be quite warm - high near 90 degrees - and I'm not a fan of running that distance in that kind of weather. Still, there may be a breeze off the lake so it might not be terrible. Hard to know.

Anyway, that's the plan. I'm getting the hell out of Dodge, even if it's only for 36 hours or so.

Wish the Hula Ladies could be here . . . it would have been fun to party Chicago-style with them.

I'm just holding on to turning those Hula Ladies into Eskimos. :)

And to all those Chicago bound this weekend planning to go the distance - run happy.

THERE IS NO FINISH LINE

Cat Containment Take Two

Why did I bother? Really, what was the point?

Within minutes, Henry was out of his HARNESS and enjoying the wide world of Founders Grove.

I will keep trying . . . but Henry is not only a hunter, he is also a Houdini.

SIGH.

I tried. Perhaps the universe is trying to tell me something. Any ideas on what that might be?