Run-a-bout!

Cool Comic Book Colloquialisms

2012-02-01T05:13:00.000-05:00

From The Sixth Gun #16 by Cullen Bunn, Brian Hurtt and Bill Crabtree.

During class, after saying something intentionally goofy or silly, I'll follow up what was said with the phrase "Just funning!" sort of like a cooler take on "Just kidding!" The phrase "Just kidding!", is employed to tip people off to the fact that the statement prior was not true. People often tell small lies to trick each other, and then say "Just kidding!" to reveal the trick. The phrase is often used by both children and the immature alike. Not commonly used in formal communication, it (and colloquialisms like it) are fairly common in casual speech.

"Just funning" somehow found its way into my lexicon and I had not given it much thought, that is until my students started spitting it back to me and I realized that perhaps I had gone to that colloquial well too frequently. Interestingly enough, the phrase also turned up in last week's pile of new comic books. As evidenced from the panels above from the most recent issue of Oni Press' spectacular Western-occult comic book series The Sixth Gun, depending on its delivery, the phrase can seem a pretty insincere apology for a "goof" to the recipient. (In the panels above the deliverer of that particular line had much more nefarious intent though!)

Though defined formally as the intransitive form of the verb "fun," meaning to engage in banter or play, funning seems most often used as a caveat to something intending to be hurtful by an individual not wanting to take responsibility for what preceded. This would make it kind of the back end answer to the Southern colloquialism "Bless his heart..." a phrase almost always seems to be followed by a comment intended for negative effect.

"Bless his heart, that has got to be the lamest blog post I've read in a long time... just funning!"

The "Mountain Dew" Mystery Exposed!

2012-01-30T21:21:00.000-05:00

Last evening while correcting papers I was listening to my Bluegrass Station on Pandora and a tune performed by Roger Sprung, Hal Wylie and The Progressive Bluegrassers came on. Though I had not heard the song previously, upon hearing the chorus, synapses began crackling and dots started connecting and a few random thoughts came into focus. The song entitled "Mountain Dew" made me think immediately of the sugary sweet soda beverage favored by many of my students.

Some key lyrics were later found on the Scoutsongs.com Virtual Songbook:

They call it that good old mountan dew,
And them that refuse it are few.
I'll hush up my mug if you'll fill up my jug,
With that good old mountain dew.

Why in the world would the carbonated beverage share the same name as this old bluegrass classic (performed in the clip above by The Stanley Brothers)?

After listening intently to the song a second time, I recalled a recent visit to the local supermarket during which time I had taken note of a soft drink display of recently released "throwback" cans. I further recollected that on the Mountain Dew throwback packaging was depicted what can best be described as a "hillbilly" holding a "moonshine" jug. As is often the case, Wikipedia filled in the gaps.

Come to find out that the name "mountain dew," first trademarked by Ally and Barney Hartman in the 1940s, was coined from a colloquial term for moonshine whiskey. That is why early bottles and signage carried the reference forward by showing a cartoon-stylized mountaineer or or, as I saw it, hillbilly. In recent years, the marketing has changed significantly to attract a younger, and presumably more spendthrift, demographic.

Now, what was previously deemed unhip (the hillbilly logo), is ironically cool again by virtue of his (its?) being old. In an age of affection for all things nostalgic, images, products and just plain "things" that are dubbed "throwbacks" (the same lingo applied to the reissue of out-of-date sports jerseys), are once again desireable--in a way, everything old really is new again.

Well, that and apparently there is not much of a market for non-alcoholic moonshine among most older mountain folk.

Click If Intrigued By Posts About Comic Books!

2012-01-22T08:29:00.000-05:00

The comic opens with not just action, but also literary terminology!

While beginning to read a comic book miniseries I picked up on a lark this past Wednesday, I was surprised to be greeted by the panel above very early on in the story. A science fiction series, Dark Matter #1, published by Dark Horse, actually hit the stands a few weeks ago, but initially somehow missed my notice. There was a single copy left on the recent releases table as I stopped by the store today to pick up a new long-box and, always looking for quality scenic fiction, I decided to pick it up.

Published 1/11/12.

While the story, authored by two veterans of all three Stargate television series, was a marginally interesting take on the space sleep amnesia trope, I was happy to see the teachable moment provided by series of panels above--even if the teachable moment might be diffused slightly given that those (middle and high school aged students) might be missed as they are rarely the intended audience for comic books... especially these short non-caped offerings. That doesn't mean I can't trumpet its value on the net!

Though one of the more "minor" literary terms, at least as defined by a number of online literary resource guides, an axiom is nonetheless a valuable one to at least be marginally familiar with. In an apparent acknowledgment on the part of the authors that most folks would not be familiar with what an axiom is, they made the decision to overtly provide the answer to the question in the panel itself, "... a fundamental truth that informs their every decision."

In simple terms, an axiom can also be defined as "an obvious maxim" though that particular definition is slightly unsatisfactory as it requires a little additional clarification. If a maxim is "a saying drawn from life, which shows concisely either what happens or ought to happen in life, for example: 'Every beginning is difficult.'" (from Rhetorica ad Herennium), then an axiom is such a saying that is obvious in its truth. Axioms may also be defined a principles that are not questioned, or more simply put (care of Dictionary.com), "self-evident truth that requires no proof; a universally accepted principle or rule."

But, while a definition for the term "axiom" is easily found online, the word "kodan"? Not so much, in fact all I could come across was an inference of a kodan being a narrative device used as part of the Japanese oral tradition... a suitable source for a (likely) manga influenced work of science fiction, especially given that in a previous panel (unseen in the above image) it is attributed to "the Senkarren high priests of Helios..." a science fictiony name if I've ever read one!

How to Share Previously-Loved Books?

2012-01-15T12:02:00.000-05:00

There's more where these came from...

At one point I reflected upon the spiritual and environmental impacts of my comic book collection, a period of time during which I severely reduced the number of books I was collecting (it's tough to completely eliminate a hobby I've been involved in for nearly thirty years!). Recently as I was returning the holiday decorations to their assigned location in the back corner of our attic crawlspace, it occurred to me that the bookshelves which line the more finished portion of the attic are chock full of books.

This was not, of course, a completely new revelation, just one I had not given much thought to. While the purchase of books may be wasteful in and of itself, especially in the age of public libraries adequately stocked with mainstream fair, since my college days I have been something of a book buyer, rather than renter. An occasional renter, via any number of local (and not so local) branches of our excellent public library system, I still occassionally purchase a book or two, especially if the desired selection is not likely to be on the New York Times Best Seller list, and therefore, not as likely to be found on library shelves. (East Hill Farm by Gordon Ball being only the most recent example.)

Every year or two (and it must be that time of year again) I consider alleviating myself of the tomes I've collected over the past 20+ years. When this urge strikes me I'll bring a cardboard box into the attic and begin leafing through the books in an effort to identify those I am willing to part with. This is not an easy task. This book will bring back memories of walking the railroad track to the Liftbridge Book Store in Brockport, New York, and that slim volume will bring back memories of late night shift work at the now defunct Lawyer's Co-op factory. Memories are tough to part with, especially as they become more distant.But, truth is, I don't need many of these books anymore. They are now more representative of my greed and wastefulness than any intellectual development.

That doesn't mean I just want to throw them away either.

Being that many are older and paperback, they are really not wanted by many of the traditional avenues for donating such things. Even the Rochester Regional Library Council (RRLC), in their online info about book donations want only "book(s)... in reasonably good condition and have a retail value of $10.00 or more. No paperback books or Reader's Digest books please." (There bold, not mine.)While I recognize there are other donation avenues that are a little less selective, such as the Volunteers of America (I like to look through their stack to--it sure is interesting how many copies of Rush Limbaugh's books one sees there), I would rather have a sense that these books are loved, or at least appreciated as much as I have loved and appreciated them.

My wife has also suggested selling them on Ebay, a sensible idea, but I admit to lacking the motivation to get the learn how (though how difficult could it be?), to follow-through with that idea. Silly as it sounds, I guess I would prefer to give them away to someone who wants them and would choose to pass them on when they've finished with them.

Naturally, as a public school English teacher, I've also considered bringing them to my classroom or donating them to the school library, but this idea has potentials pitfalls, too. Not that some of the books are racy or profane, I would venture to guess that more than a few would be deemed "inappropriate" (who can forget the Chuck Palahniuk scandal a few years back). Which is not to say I haven't handed on books to young minds eager for reading entertainment in the past, especially when I taught in an urban middle school and my own children outgrew age-appropriate books such as Goosebumps. In some ways, donating to school may be potentially the most problematic solution, which is unfortunate. The same concern as the VOA option also exists: these books ~~might~~ likely will stay on the shelf unread for years until being thoughtlessly discarded any way.

Somehow (with VOA being the last resort), I want to find a meaningful way to divest mysefl of some of these books, and whiel I have one or two ideas still perculating, I'm open to anty suggestiosn you migth have!

Comics Don't Lie: Reading IS Power!

2012-01-13T17:39:00.002-05:00

Pay attention in school kids, as the skills acquired could prove life-saving!

With apologies to the good people at comic-book aficionadowebsite iFanboy, I've "borrowed" their idea for use in considering the comicsI picked up at the comic book store this past week: highlighting cool panels. The criteria for "coolness" on my blog however has more to do with their relationship to a common theme than with how visually stunning they are (or even how much I like the source from which I culled them).

The two panels both reinforce an important theme (whether intended or not)to the most recent issues of both comics: the power of reading.Based on what I've read in both stories, reading (like all power) may still be used for good or evil.

The panel above, from IDW Publishing's H.P. Lovecraft's The Dunwich Horror #4, a modernization of the original Lovecraft story, depicts the use of reading by the protagonist to save the world. The message here: under the right circumstances, the power to read can be utilized to maintain an inter dimensional portal intended to suck "evil" out of our plane of existence. Unfortunately for my plane of existence, these panels are among the most compelling things about this four-issue miniseries. Even worse is my own "I-can't-quit-you" approach to purchasing a series run once I've begun it. Though it seems to me unnecessary, I love to support the idea of Lovecraft's work being somehow recast in a modern setting (done to a much greater effect in the film version of Stephen King's The Mist), this series just didn't hook me as much as I had hoped it would.

I's all fun and games until bad guys start getting ripped in half...

This preceding panel is part of the issue 4 reveal of the source of the protagonist's powers. The Strange of Talent of Luther Strode is about a nerdy teenager who, anonymously receives a book addressed to him via snail mail which promises him the strength of Hercules--of course, by reading the book he does in fact acquire "powers"... the problem for those who oppose him however is that apparently one of Hercules' (and Luther's) powers is to tear people in half in very bloody fashion. The conflicting message inherent in this miniseries, published by Image Comics with story by Justin Jordan and art by Tradd Moore, is that reading can make you physically powerful... especially if said reading material is mysteriously sent to you by a secret order of destructive social elite hellbent on murdering those they deem undeserving. This series has somehow become very popular among fanboys, and while I will (again) see it through to its completion two issues from now, I'm not sure one of Luther's strange talents is staying power.

While this week's haul from the new release table is mildly disappointing (there were a couple "okay" titles), it was interesting to pick up on the thematic similarities between two relatively dissimilar titles. In the final analysis, I would strongly suggest a nice novella by John Steinbeck or Edith Wharton as more sensible (and beneficial) alternative, and as a stronger evidence of the power of reading.

Hi-Yo Silver... to the Comic Shop!

2012-01-06T06:28:00.000-05:00

Though the selling point cover is usually the one to the left by Alex Ross, I have grown fond of
the stylings of Francesco Francavilla.

This week's trip the comic shop provided for quite a haul, including the much anticipated (by me, anyway) return of a recently re-visioned "golden oldie," The Lone Ranger. From 2006-2010, Dynamite Entertainment released a 25 issue origin story entitle The Lone Ranger by the creative team of cover artist John Cassaday and writer Brett Matthews, as well as a number of different penciller/inkers. Concurrently a four issue mini-series, The Lone Ranger and Tonto, was released, followed by (actually the first two issues came out before the original series ended) a "sort-of" team-up series, The Lone Ranger: Death of Zorro. After this flurry of titles, the Lone Ranger had appeared to once again have ridden of into the sunset...

Suddenly, last November, I new title, The Lone Ranger, Volume 2, from Dynamite found its way to the upcoming releases section and finally, this week, arrived at comic stores. So was the wait worth it? Well, it is a decidedly different type of story than the original Dynamite series as the primary characters of the Ranger and Tonto have now moved beyond the origin building the first series did so well. This first issue was much more of a self-contained story written by Ande Parks, similar to the old Ranger television serials. The title of the story however, tagged with the "Part One" subtitle, suggests that it is part of a larger story which one would expect will more fully reveal itself in the following issues.

The great news is that Ranger is back and, unlike some other Dynamite releases, the interior art by Esteve Polls, is as solid as the over art. Word is that this is just the first arc of what is intended as on ongoing series, and with Matt Wagner's Zorro epic set to conclude with the release of Zorro Rides Again! issue 12, this title is positioned to satiate the Western appetites of comic book readers currently filled by both Zorro and, albeit a little less wholesomely--but wildly entertaining, DC Comics, All-Star Western starring Jonah Hex.

Piecing Together The Hallway Haiku Project

2012-01-03T17:43:00.000-05:00

While it has been a few weeks since I first posted regarding the Hallway Haiku Project my English 11 classes and I had been involved in, I have not forgotten about them. To their credit, as you'll read, neither have the students. Prior to our ten day Winter Recess, which ended today, the classes and I had continued honing our "products," ultimately selecting a "final four" of sorts: the four haiku from a total of roughly 240 generated by the classes, which represented (given specific criteria) what we had hoped to communicate to the school as a whole

As anyone who is involved in the democratic process on any level will attest, the "winner" is not always the "best," and with this in mind, prior to the break we took the activity to the next level, from both the linguistic to the visual, and from the group to the personal. I hoped to give them a chance to work with both the final four, like the one to the left ("Life is a puzzle,/pieces not always fitting,/ sometimes that's better."), as well as one of their own haiku which had not been selected to move on in our "Haiku Survivor" contest, but to them had a kernel of merit worth revisiting.

The task was as follows: each student was assigned one of the four (4) hallway haiku that had made the cut based on individual group (hello, oxymoron!) consensus. With the haiku as a part of the visual, students then had to use either Microsoft Publisher or Word, to draft a visual representation to go along with the assigned haiku. The result would be a hallway sign of sorts, communicating on both linguistic and visual levels. Students were told that the visuals, or signs, should be easily interpreted.

The follow-up activity was to then revise (if necessary) one of their haiku and do the same for that.In the case of both the finalists and their own haiku I invited students to play with punctuation use (dashes, commas, periods) to see if they could tweak the meaning of lines by doing so.

The results were even better than expected on both fronts. The graphics developed by the students represented a wide range of interpretations and it was interesting to see what each brought to the visual table when considering a common series of words, in this case a haiku. As one could fairly expect, there were common motifs or symbols employed, especially when the haiku itself suggested one (such as the puzzle to the upper left). It was also nice to see the ownership not only the works produced collaboratively with an unnamed poet, but with the pieces they were given the opportunity to revisit.

This morning in class, one student inquired as to whether or not we would be returning to the hallway haiku project now that break had concluded, and actually get to hang some of the haiku up in the hallway. As I told her, that is the next step...

What Comics Taught TEACH Me: Characterization

2012-01-01T10:45:00.003-05:00

Hrm... from Frankenstein Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #3.

Not surprisingly, consideration of a certain comic book cousin to a famous literary monster offers some great examples of useful literary terms. (some of whcih are underlined herein)...

Once again, my penchant for comic books has shaken loose some unreflected upon learning I received from avid reading as a youth--much of the development of characters in literature is done through the author's use of diction, syntax and other verbal tropes in crafting the dialogue spoken by the character, or stated another way, what characters "say" and how they deliver their dialogue offers the reader can offer additional insight into their character taken as a whole. This is much more obvious in books and short stories presented form the first person perspective as we are reading the character's thoughts in (presumably) their voice, not the author's.

From the first issue.

In the English-teaching business, we call the use of these strategies and tropes, characterization. This point was further brought home to me this weekend as I caught up with a fantastic new book which was recently released as part of DC Comics "The New 52" initiative, Frankenstein Agent of S.H.A.D.E.Though I've just recently jumped on board, I've noticed, after reading the first four issues in rapid succession, an interesting piece of characterization that the writer, (and one of my new favorite comic book creators) Jeff Lemire (Sweet Tooth and Animal Man, too), in collaboration with artist Alberto Ponticelli, has been using with a number of characters, most notably, the books lead protagonist, Frankenstein (yes, a hero based on that "monster"). A more sophisticated way to talk about these facets of writing is to consider the tropes (devices and conventions that a writer can reasonably rely on as being present in the audience members' minds and expectations) employed by the creative crew.

Frankenstein consistently uses guttural "phrases" or sounds such as "Hrrm" seemingly as a vocal cue prior to delivering dialogue (well-read graphic novel fans will recall a similar strategy was employed by Alan Moore in writing Rorschach in Watchmen). The effect is to suggest a contemplative monster who thinks, the noise being a verbal cue of consideration, before speaking--even if what he says seems to show little concern for the feelings of others.

It is also interesting that Frankenstein's word balloons (think "structure" in the context of novels and short stories) are intentionally different than those of the other characters (in fact Lady Frankenstein, too, has a different colored and textured word balloon for her dialogue), a difference which also suggests something about his tone and "sound." "Jagged", rather than rounded, and green instead of white, Frankenstein's voice is much more guttural and raspy than those around him. The "Hrrm..." also helps to reinforce this. (At this point it might be appropriate to acknowledge the great work of the book's letterer, Pat Brosseau.) Together these also produce a cacophonous (loud, noisy, harsh) quality to Frankenstein's voice.

From issue #4, take note boys--even Frank knows girls appreciate manners!

Not to be left out, good ole' diction, or word choice, is also successfully used to lend an air of the "archaic" to Frankenstein's voice. The repeated use of "M'lady" by the lead when speaking to female characters (including both his ex-wife and a possible new romantic interest) suggest (as one other character notes) the more gentlemanly nature of the creature... in certain situations.

As you can read, I could probably go on all day as each idea I have about how this excellent book exemplifies the use of great writing tropes and strategies, but it would be far better for you to pick up the book and check it out fro yourself. If you're curious about a more English-classy type consideration of this and other mediums, a very informative web source for more information is TV Tropes. It offers some very accessible definitions and examples from the world of broadcast media (and comic books, too) that is applicable across other mediums.

Resolution One

2011-12-31T07:31:00.000-05:00

res·o·lu·tion [rez-uh-loo-shuhn] (noun) the act of resolving or determining upon an action or course of action, method, procedure, etc.

It's that time of year (uh... the end, that is), and in addition to celebrating (followed by a period of decompressing from) the December holidays, folks are coming up with lists of favorites and New Year's resolutions. I, too, am jumping in with both feet as far as the whole resolution-thing goes. Like most I have both a few things I hope to accomplish throughout 2012--or even for the first few months of the new calendar year--and many more things I should do to be a better "fill-in-the-role-here." The simplest way for me to break down my resolutions so as to not end up with a gigantic to-do list is to break it into two or three parts, each intended to focus on and develop a seemingly different facet of myself--but in truth all contributing to my holistic well being. First up, a little something for my mind...

Finally found a place to post a pic of our Christmas Tree.

This morning as I was trolling through the National Public Radio website (a boundless source of inspiration, I might add), I came across the article A Poem A Day: Portable, Peaceful And Perfect by Alan Heathcock While Mr. Heathcock's resolution to "manage a minute or two for the words," is an excellent one, I'm just extending it a tiny bit further by setting forth my intention to write a poem a day.Let me clarify a little: by "a poem a day" I do NOT mean something on the scale of Dante's Inferno, but something more manageable like a smaller form (think haiku, senyru or tanka) each day. Also, "writing" seems too final a term for my tastes, so I'm more likely to be drafting or crafting a poem each day--this process in and of itself could take anywhere from 10 to 60 minutes. So there it is, Resolution 1: "I will write one poem a day."

But, things change.. While Resolution 1 is intended to help sharpen my thinking (brain), it might also help me in some other areas as well. This idea was further reinforced by an interview I recently came across on Tricycle.com, Haiku Mind: An Interview With Clark Strand. In this interview, Strand equates the practice of writing haiku to meditation, "But haiku is very, very simple. In the same way that you make yourself very simple by following the breath. You clear your mind, let go of everything else. In the same way, writing haiku takes you right to the heart of the moment," evening defining it as a practice unto itself. Though I have at different point committed to varying degrees of meditative sitting, I like the idea (which is not really all that new) of using seemingly common activities and engaging them in a way that is at once meaningless and meaningful. So what was initially intended as a means of sharpening my thinking (mind) might also be of value in calming by spirit, a discipline that is always worth polishing.

After considering Strand's interview, I've slightly modified my resolution. The new and improved Resolution 1 is: "I will embrace the practice of crafting one poem a day." In the interest of getting into it, here is the haiku I wrote yesterday (whcih was actually "today" when I starte ddrafting this post:

Bags stuffed with write-offs:
relieved floor boards sigh, freed from
weight of useless things.

Now only 365 days to go!

Walking Down Board Game Lane

2011-12-30T10:07:00.003-05:00

Au revoir, Jumanji, Sorry and three different iterations of Scrabble...

Now that it's once again nearly the turn of the calendar year, I have begun my traditional exercise in rounding up of stuff to donate.

The first "collection" dealt with yesterday was sifting through the significant assortment of board games that have settled on a dusty shelf in our attic. The overwhelming majority of these ~~are~~ were my children's when they were younger, though some have been passed down from other relatives who thought the kids might enjoy them when they themselves were thinning "stuff" prior to household moves.

Now that our "kids" are seventeen, they have moved on from cardboard playing surfaces with molded plastic thing-a-ma-bobs, and while it saddens me to see so many games relegated to the donation pile, this melancholy walk down memory lane is a necessary trip as I conclude the process of neatly tucking each box into a large black plastic bag (or two or three) for transport to the Volunteers of America. I have especially fond memories of playing Jumanji and Small Soldiers, two games which were only purchased as a direct result of motion picture cross-promotion, and both that, as of this day, I still have zero idea as to how to actually play. But, they remain favorites because my son and I spent so much time moving the character totems around the room playing and imagining with them--something which makes letting them go even more challenging.

But, the hope in donating these once meaningful things is the same each year: hopefully they will find their way to homes or communtiy centers where someone else will enjoy them as much as we (breifly, it seems) did.

Getting Ready to Count... Birds!

2011-12-29T14:06:00.000-05:00

Ye' old cylindrical suet feeder with pepper-enhanced eats for the birds, NOT (hopefully) for the squirrels!

While running errands this morning, I had a sudden hankering to fill up the two bird feeders we have had in our backyard for a number of years now. This is a responsibility I have been slacking in since school began inn September. During the summer, I am much more diligent in keeping them stocked, especially as I spend more time in the backyard and, just by being there, have the opportunity to sit and enjoy watching the birds who will (occasionally) congregate there.

I miss taking the time to sit in the yard and checking out what my aviary neighbors are up to. I'm not very snooty about the types of birds I watch, in fact, if anything, I enjoy watching the standard backyard fair--American Robins, grackles, and Cardinals, (which is not to suggest that my heart does not leap just a little when a Downy woodpecker comes a callin'!) My wife calls me a fan of "ubiquitous birds."

During my short wait in line at the birding supply store, I noticed a flyer (to the left) for the upcoming 15th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count running from February 17 thru 20. The GBBC is a joint project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the Audubon Society. Specifically, "it is an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across the continent. Anyone can participate, from beginning bird watchers to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes on one day, or you can count for as long as you like each day of the event..." Unfortunately, last year I missed the opportunity to participate, so this year I am planning on submitting my information so that the birds in our yard can be "counted." (Here's to hoping that some birds drop by or better yet, I'm around when they do!)

The process of officially participating is pretty straightforward, you simply need to to register online at The Great Backyard Bird Count website--the challenging part is following through on accurately couting and reporting your findings.

A more traditional cylindrical feeder with even more traditional feed--wild bird style with a pinch of anti-squirrel pepper stuff!

Flashback to 2007: Snow and a Snyder Poem

2011-12-27T06:53:00.000-05:00

Just prior to the start of our Winter Recess last Friday, many students (and some staff) were bemoaning the fact that we would (and did) have a "White Christmas." For anyone else with that itch to scratch, what follows is a post from December 7, 2007, that includes photos from our first substantial snowfall of that year...

"The Snow on Saddle Mountain" by Gary Snyder

The only thing that can be relied on
is the snow on Kurakake Mountain.
fields and woods
thawing, freezing, and thawing,
totally untrustworthy.
it's true, a great fuzzy windstorm
like yeast up there today, still
the only faint source of hope
is the snow on Kurakake mountain.

Embrassez votre été invincible!

What Comics Taught TEACH Me: Big Words

2011-12-26T07:35:00.000-05:00

During this past semester, I have been consciously working with my eleventh grade students on vocabulary acquisition and utilization. Because the act of only memorization sophisticated vocabulary is not enough to insure that such terms will make there way into one's working vocabulary--one must know how to use a word in their own writing to truly demonstrate its acquisition.

Vocabulary in action!

Often when I assign a list of terms to be watched for in the context of a whole class selection, such as The Scarlet Letter, I'll note for the students that "many of these terms are still in common use... maybe not with you're current acquaintances, but with those with whom you will become acquainted as educated adults." Occasionally with some words like "countenance" and "ameliorate" this comment is met with expressions of disbelief.

I feel a sense of validation when I myself come across a term that students think is "weird" or "archaic" in use in the context of recreational media. The recreational "media" I interact with most frequently is the world of comic books, a world I would attribute with much of my own teenage vocabulary acquisition. As a middle school student myself, often I would read a comic and come across a word like "nullifier" and, curious as to what it meant, look either it, or its root word, up in the dictionary until a could find a definition that made sense. (Though Stan Lee had a way of making-up pseudo-scientific phrases--"the ultimate nullifier"--there was usually something of truth or value to be gleaned from thinking it through. The "ultimate nullifier" was capable of rendering Galactus inoperative, or nullify his powers, so he feared its use.)

It's amazing what you can learn from reading comic books! Though I now read fewer mainstream superhero books than I did 30(!) years ago when I discovered (in reprints) the ultimate nullifier, I still enjoy coming across the writer's use of sophisticated words. Now, given the minimal use of expository boxes in traditional comics, this primarily occurs if there is any high level vocabulary used in the dialogue of "educated" characters like Mr. Fantastic of the Fantastic Four, still one of my favorite characters.

All these years, and issues, I am glad to report that occasionally the writer's who bring his adventures to life still send me to the dictionary for definitions...

Twelve Days of Holiday Movies: Day 2

2011-12-24T07:00:00.000-05:00

So, as often happens, I fell a just a touch behind in posting my Twelve Days of Holiday Movies, but here I am on the morning of Christmas Eve with one or two cards up my sleeve,once gain seeking to expand the scope of what "counts" as a holiday movie. While the original Mighty Joe Young (1949), and King Kong for that matter, will always be Thanksgiving movies for me, and The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) is must-see viewing for Lent, today's film, and in particular the closing credits, is must see Christmas watch.

Wayne Wang's Smoke (1995) is one film I rewatch during the Christmas season every year since I first saw it. Though not a family film (it's Rated R for language), Smoke is an ensemble piece starring Harvey Keitel, William Hurt, Harold Perrineau, Stockard Channing, and Forrest Whitaker, among others. A quirky film, its themes include the many faces of redemption, the power of family and the quiet power of compassion.If you see it at the rental store, or on Netflix, don’t be put off by the goofy American edition DVD case (seen here) which promotes this film as a slapsticky comedy with aristocratic-appearing celebrity cigar smokers. While there are some humorous moments, and many cigars are "smoked," this film and its characters have much more going on below the surface. The slipcase developed for release in Japanese(?) markets (pictured to the right) offers a more evocative image: this is a moving multi-character piece.

I’m not exactly sure how it is I first got turned on to this film, almost ten years ago now, but after having purchased a VHS copy of it in a supermarket one day on my way to work (at one point VHS movies could be had for two bucks when store were converting their rental choices to DVD), I watch this film each year at just around this time. Taken as a whole, Smoke is not easily pigeon-holed as a “holiday film” (which is a good thing), but the values it eschews do seem to hit home, especially at this time of year.

The final five minutes, though, are more overtly holiday-themed which helps to make it a more “obvious” holiday suggestion. Originally published as "Auggie Wren's Christmas Story" (available here) the final moments of the film show what is told earlier in the film. The set-up is this: two of the primary characters, Auggie and Paul, are having lunch. Paul is a writer who needs to submit an essay to the New York Times for its holiday edition and he looks to Auggie (the cigar store owner whose own story is intertwined with those of the other characters) for a suggestion. The emotional impact of Auggie’s story is further punctuated by the Tom Wait’s song, "You Dream," which accompanies it.

Great stuff, and just one of many evocative scenes from an excellent film.

Weekly Reading: December 14

2011-12-19T15:54:00.000-05:00

Can you spot the secret independent mainstream titles?

Well, I did it again! For the second consecutive week, I've only just today gotten around to mentioning my weekly funny book reading; this time two days before the next week's purchases! I can only claim that I have been busy with holiday shopping and indoor track meets... oh, and that other past time of mine, teaching. At any rate this was another week in which I inexplicably started collecting not one, but TWO new titles. Though one, Sweet Tooth, is already 20+ issues into its run, the other Animal Man, was part of the New 52 DC Universe re-boot and issue 4 was just recently published. Despite how much I loathe coming late to the party (mostly because I prefer reading books in their intended chronological order so I have the full narrative going into new issues), I couldn't resist Sweet Tooth, I book I'd thumbed through many times since issue 1 but just kept failing to commit to.

This week's total purchases included:

Animal Man #1-4 (DC)
Sweet Tooth #24-28 (Vertigo)
American Vampire #21 (Vertigo)
Uncanny X-Force #18 (Marvel)
Zorro Rodes Again! #6 (Dynamite)

Both Sweet Tooth and Animal Man are written by (formerly) independent comic book writer-artist Jeff Lemire. I first took notice of Jeff's stark visuals when he pencilled an issue of Jonah Hex earlier this year (at this point Sweet Tooth was already a modest "hit," and he had been brought into the stable of DC/Vertigo creators). While Lemire writes Animal Man, he plays both the writer and artist roles with Sweet Tooth, His writing/drawing style is clean and heady offering action and subtle food for thought. The personal challenge ahead for me is culling the back issue longboxes for the other issues so that I can get caught up on the compelling story of Sweet Tooth's eponymously nicknamed protagonist Gus, the antlered hero of this post-apocalyptic world...

Hallway Haiku Project: Process & Model

2011-12-18T14:17:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago on Facebook my "friend" Scott Simon of NPR posted a story about his interview with activist/artist John Morse entitled Haiku Traffic Signs Bring Poetry To NYC Streets. Fascinated by the combination of poetry and visual representation, I set about developing a series of relatively quick activities I could work through with my Advanced Placement students. The intent was to have the activities culminate in the development of Hallway Haiku signs that could (depending on the quality of the final product) be posted throughout our school building--or at he very least the classroom.

First students were asked to write in their Writing journals about issues of importance to high school students and to suggest advice to be shared with peers in addressing these issues. This was followed by a quick consideration of the elements of classic haiku through the reading and analysis of traditional examples of the form written by form luminaries like Basho.

The following class, we took both activities and synthesized them into the writing of re-purposed haiku (really more of a senyru as the kigo, or seasonal word was unnecessary) intended to both evoke an image and to communicate a message or idea of value to the student's peers (high schoolers). This resulted in roughly 240 individual haiku (four by each of the sixty students).

The next two classes we dedicated time for peer reviewing and consensus building the 240 down to five. These will next be assigned to students for both revision (some punctuation placement may yield different meanings) and development of accompanying visuals. I still think some better options have been passed up via our student group consensus building, so I may allow a way for previously "rejected" finalists to find their way back in (sort of a poetry Redemption Island).

This morning I spent a little time (okay, really about an hour), revising a previously submitted, and ultimately rejected, draft with the purpose of using it to make a sample sign for sharing in class on Tuesday. The original hallway haiku was as follows: Urgent pencil strokes/tap-tap-tap of lead like rain,/still thoughts pool. This was actually an "exemplar" that had made it through but did NOT meet the 5-7-5 criteria, and so I set about revising it to meet the traditional form. I also realized that there really isn't lead in pencils anymore, so I sought to take that into consideration while playing with the language. A short time later I came up with: Shhh! Urgent pencils/move, tappety-tap of tips/like rain—still thoughts pool. I'm a fan of onomatopoeia and alliteration so figured "what the hey."While students will have Microsoft Publisher at their disposal at school, I was limited to Microsoft Word and online free clip art to make my model, posted to the left.

This week, we will proceed to the next phase and see what develops...

12 Days of Holiday Movies: Day 8

2011-12-18T05:00:00.000-05:00

Not all of the most personally memorable holiday movies are "movies," but rather television specials that are best viewed during a particular celebratory season.

As a child, my mother did her best to promote reading as a pleasurable past time. I remember as a very young child in the early Seventies being given a copy of Reader's Digest with the short story "The Selfish Giant" by Oscar Wilde. The magazine was somehow also a promotion for a Christmas television special which would be airing on television. My brother and I both read the story and eagerly awaited the television show, which did not disappoint. I'm sure we didn't "get" the message, though we loved the visuals, music and story. The Selfish Giant aired on television in 1972 with groovy music provided by British acapella ensemble The King's Singers.

I've found myself thinking of "The Selfish Giant" quite a bit recently--how he began very cold and separate from the rest of his community, how the love of the children made him realize his error and how despite changing his ways, the little boy who had first stirred the emotions in him remained elusive, that is, until the end.

How many of us go through a hardening of the heart when things seem too hard to bare... or share.

Though the movie may be too difficult, or too expensive, to purchase, there is always the Youtube'd segments like the one above, or the original Oscar Wilde story available here, enjoy either, or both...

12 Days of Holiday Movies: Day 9

2011-12-17T07:28:00.000-05:00

This morning when I woke up, it was still dark out and, as I suspected would happen based on my drive home from the track meet at a little past midnight, the first measurable snow of the holiday season had fallen. Though it was only what amounted to a half inch or so, there it was softly glowing under the street lights. The first snowfall of winter, or more to the point, the apparent magic of it, often brings me back to a particular short story by Irish writer James Joyce from his collection The Dubliners, and by extension to the 1987 film adaptation of the same story by John Huston, James Joyce's The Dead.

The year 1987 was my first as a college undergraduate, and, like many, home from my first semester in December, I felt a sense of invincibility and wonder. I had left home for the first time for an extended period of time, and had been experiencing my first taste of "adulthood." This of course is code for being able to make all the dumb mistakes that first year college students do, and being able to quickly dismiss them as "no big deal" with little comprehension of what things really meant.

While on break, my brother and I went to a small local art house to see The Dead. I was armed with one World Literature course (and the powerful understanding of the literary term "epiphany"), so, of course, I was an expert in artsy fartsy books and movies. So away we went. For all I really knew the time, The Dead could very well have been a Victorian era zombie movie, but what I experienced that evening (and much more powerfully so in later viewings) was a moving meditation on insecurity, nostalgia and love.

IMDB describes the film thusly: "Gabriel Conroy and wife Greta attend a Christmas dinner with friends at the home of his spinster aunts, an evening which results in an epiphany for both of them," and despite the seemingly dry set-up its the actors and director Huston who turn the subject matter into compelling viewing. The lead actors, Angelica Huston (Greta Conroy) and Donal McCann (Gabriel Conroy) bring to life the two "literate" characters with performances that are both celebratory (the dinner party) and meloncholy ( Michael Furey's ultimately final romantic gesture). This is also one of those rare films for which a trailer preview is unavailable for sharing via on Youtube, embedding having been "disabled upon request," but it can be seen here: http://www.videodetective.com/movies/trailers/the-dead-trailer/698.

Those ready for a moving holiday film experience will not be dissappointed. For myself, rewatching the film over the years, its themes naturally grow more meaningful to me, just as the feelings at Christams time become grow more complex with each passing year...

12 Days of Holiday Movies: Day 10

2011-12-16T05:12:00.002-05:00

In an effort to find some way to get "into the spirit" of the holiday season. I would like to suggest twelve films which, for this viewer, capture on film some aspect of the holiday season. In the best of all possible worlds I'd have had this brainstorm with a full twelve days leading up to December 25 remaining, but, as usual, I didn't so am picking up with Day 10... don't tell anyone, okay?First up--P.J. Hogan's Peter Pan (2003).

Though clearly attempting to cash in on the success of the first Harry Potter film, even the film's "P" logo is reminiscent of Harry's, I've always found this Peter Pan to be an enjoyable presentation of the source material. Despite sharing many of the story beats and design elements common to most filmed Peter Pans, including those used in Disney's much more well-known version, the chemistry between the three lead live action performers (Jason Isaacs as Hook, Rachel Hurd-Wood as Wendy and Jeremy Sumpter as Peter) elevates the film. The result is a fine Peter Pan experience.

Perhaps the reason I would consider this something of a holiday movie in the first place is that when it was originally released, I saw it with my son and daughter. At the time they were "Disney kids", who had also subjected me to numerous repeated viewings via worn VHS tape of Spielberg's inferior Hook. For us, this was a shared experience that, though they may have forgotten as they have grown, always reminds me of sweeter days. Truth is, it is not all that unusual to seek those movies that take us back, if not to our own youth, to that of our children? For many, this returning to innocence or youth, much like Peter and Wendy, is an integral part of what the holiday season is about...

Weekly Reading: December 7

2011-12-11T09:21:00.001-05:00

Wheee--such a colorful array of covers this week!

A little behind in posting this week, but it's not for lack of items to discuss.

This week's trip to the comic shop netted quite a haul, and much of it unexpected. Recently;y some of the smaller publishers, such as BOOM! and Dynamite, have priced the first issues of new series at a very inexpensive $1. One would assume that his is in an effort to have collectors try something that is not simply a reboot or revamp. Personally, these are often hit-or-miss (I'm looking at you Spaceman) but at a cost of one dollar, when the average price is between three and four, I'm willing to give anything a shot. This week's low-cost intro issues included both something old, Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist, and something new (though set in the past), Valen the Outcast. Another new title which came out this week, Dead or Alive, on the other hand, while also put out by a small publisher, Red 5 Comics, carried a more standard price tag of $2.99. I had actually intended on buying DoA as I am a sucker for zombie-Old-West mash-ups.

Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist #1 (Dynamite) Sci-Fi
Dead of Alive #1 (Red 5 Comics) Western/Horror
iZombie #20 (Vertigo/DC) Horror/Romance/Action
Swamp Thing #4 (DC) Horror/Superhero
Reed Gunther #6 (Image) All ages/Western
HP Lovecraft's The Dunwich Horror #3 (IDW) Horror
OMAC #4 (DC) Superhero
Valen the Outcast #1 (BOOM!) Action
Betrayal of The Planet of the Apes #2 (BOOM!) Action/Sci-Fi
The Strange Talent of Luther Strode #3 (Image) Modern Superhero

After finishing my initial read through of the newer titles, I can't see myself adding wither Flash or Valen to my pull list. While flash did have a nice nostalgic feel to it, this was mostly attained through the use of lines of dialogue ("Klytus... I'm bored.") and characters from the 1980 Dino De Laurentiis produced Flash Gordon movie of my childhood, the use of these elements did seem a little lazy. I had hoped for a slightly news pin on the material--well something newer and fresher that the Ming the merciless/Adolf Hitler angle. Valen the Outcast, a Conan-inspired sword and sorcery tale, appears to have slightly more potential upside, including much much more consistent artwork, so I may return to it after a few issues to see if there has been some character developments that make it worthy of my hard earned cash.

Fortunately, even with those slight disappointments (they were only a buck apiece), I do have more OMAC and Gunther hijinks to wile my day away with...

Sharp As A Pillow

2011-12-09T18:10:00.001-05:00

Idiom: an expression, word, or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is comprehended in regard to a common use of that expression that is separate from the literal meaning or definition of the words of which it is made.

The longer I teach the more a realize how lost the art of wordplay, such as idiom recognition and use, has become. Occasionally during a lesson, I'll crack wise with one slightly tweaked idiom or another, such as "You are as sharp as a pillow," an obvious play on the more common (and inherently complimentary) "sharp as a tack." In almost every case it is greeted with a smile, only rarely following a pause so that the recipient may better understand what is being implied (translation: "that wasn't very smart!").

This morning when one student asked for permission to use the bathroom, I attempted to formulate a similar ironic play on the saying "be back in two-shakes of a lamb's tail." While the original expression is intended to suggest doing something quickly, fully aware that it is rare to have a high school student leave and return from the restroom quickly, I attempted to pull together an appropriate idiom, one intended to imply that he would likely be back only after a lo-o-o-ng trip to the potty. It was at that time that I drew a blank about what kind of animal (other than man) has no tail.

It was at this time that I stifled my initial impulse to say something and signed the hall pass. I also made a note to check on the Internet when I made it home after school to see if I could conclude my idiom. The goal would be to find a tailless "animal" that was common enough to be accessible to my teenage charges.

As is often the case, it was I who was guilty of being "sharp as a pillow."

After a quickie search I was embarrassed to find that the answer was right in front of me the whole time. In fact (depending on your feelings about evolution) it was me. Or you. Primates do not have tails: gorillas, chimpanzees, and orangutans. It is one thing that defines them and us as humans are part of the primate family. Armed with this knowledge I am now fully armed with the following should the situation (which it most surely will) arises for its use again: "Be sure to be back in two shakes of an ape's tail."

Recalling The Best of All Possible Worlds!

2011-12-02T18:12:00.000-05:00

As an undergraduate student in my first semester in college, I had little understanding of the far reaching impact even the most random of breadth component courses ~~could~~ would have on my life. In restropect, and given the twenty(!) years that have since passed, I can reflect on my wonderful good fortune of having taken Introduction to World Literature.

This afternoon as I was sitting in my classroom doing some reading and listening to the local public radio station, the song "The Best of All Possible Worlds" from the Broadway production of Candide came on, and I was again reminded of that class. Taught by the kindly Peter Marchant, Intro to World Lit introduced me to so much I might otherwise had never been exposed to: Mishima, ballroom dancing, Dostoevsky and Voltaire; which is why I've posted the video above.

It is with great frequency that I preface any number of comments in class with a sing-songy "In the best of all possible worlds..." in an attempt to mimic the tune from the song, part of Leonard Bernstein composed operetta in two parts based on Voltaire's Candide. An important (though sarcastically supported) component of which is maintaining an optimistic outlook in the face of life's trials and tribulations. I recall being so taken with the story, and especially, I suppose, the small piece of music shared in class (held in the basement of old Hartwell Hall) that I walked to the record store in town to purchase the music on LP.

It was wonderful to hear the old song again, and not just filtered through the years since having listened to the record many moons ago--in the best of all possible worlds it is now available on CD (still not that modern but at least more hip than cassette tapes)...

Weekly Reading: November 30

2011-12-01T19:55:00.001-05:00

Short stack this week.

As the number of mega-publisher (DC & Marvel) comics I collect dwindles (and will continue to with the cancellations of Alpha Flight and Ghost Rider), the (relatively) smaller publications have increased, most notably those put out by Image. Only a few short months ago my Image purchases were limited to All-ages Western Reed Gunther, but has recently expanded to include titles from both the company's horror (Severed) and superhero (Mudman) offerings. I've also continued to sample from past titles, which though no longer being published, fill a genre niche I occasionally like to scratch.

This week's haul includes:

Kid Colt #1 (Marvel, 2009) Western... Duh!
Severed #4 (Image) Horror
FF #12 (Marvel) Superhero
Ghost Rider #6 (marvel) Superhero
Mudman #1 (Image) Superhero
Loveless #1-2 (DC, 2005) Western

Once again, a slow week at ye' ol' comic shop for new releases creates the opporuntity for a follow-up trip to the longbox of forgotten Western comics. This week I pulled a 2009 one-shot featuring Kid Colt, a character I have inadvertently started following through a number of different iterations, including the recently begun mini-series Six Guns. I also picked up the first two issues of Brian Azzarello and Narcelo Frusin's Loveless. Admittedly this was because I initially thought it may feature super-cool diminutive Wild Wild West villain, Doctor Miguelito Loveless. On initial inspection there appears to be no little people featured therein, but I picked them up on a lark hoping for a good beginning.

Beyond No Shave November--Full Hillbilly?

2011-12-01T12:10:00.000-05:00

The No-Shave Beard about a week prior to December 1.

Now that the calendar has turned to December, and "No Shave November" is in the rear view mirror, the time once again comes to make the decision as to whether to shave this past month's growth or to just let it go. Those of my students (well, the few who have enough facial hair to truly warrant shaving) who have participated this past month showed up to school this morning with their scruff shorn and countenances suitably baby faced. Though the initial "shock" of shaving today would have been neat, I know that it wouldn't be long before I'd regret it and "return headlong" (apologies to Cocteau) to a state of beardedness.

The more I think about it, No Shave November may have been just a timely excuse to not bother shaving. When asked whether or not I would be shaving I had one or two responses in hand, "I'm goin' full hillbilly and not shaving for the rest of the year!" or "I don't let the Man dictate my appearance!" Truth is, I do afford my wife that authority, but now that it has grown in, and therefore is less prickly, she has been less verbal about her displeasure with the wild state of my hairy chin.

The added benefit is that as I have found myself stirring at 3:30 a.m. to go for a run, the beard does offer me some cover from the dropping temperatures--and in the not-too-distant future, the snow and rain... so for now (well, for this evening anyway) it stays firmly planted on my pie-hole.

Red Dead Allusion

2011-11-27T06:37:00.000-05:00

The world of literature and video games meet again...

Just as I can't help but commenting when literary references turn up in the comic books I read, I'm also a little giddy when the same happens in other areas of personal interest. One of my guilty pleasures in life is occasionally (though not nearly as much as my son might have you believe) playing video games on our X-Box 360 system. Given my uber-nerd credentials, the games I do entertain myself with usually fall into either the "Superhero" or "Western" genres. The game which I have spent the most time with since it's release in June of 2010 is the third person shooter Red Dead Redemption.

As one plays the online interactive for longer periods of time, and becomes more proficient, certain characters, mounts and titles become available. A title is just what it sounds like, a short nickname which appears just above your gamer tag. These are selected by the player and most fall into one of at least three categories: snarky (Yellowbelly), Western film-based (The Good or Unforgiven) or historically appropriate (Frontiersmen or Gristle heel).

While playing this morning, I happened to unlock a unique title, one which, when considering the task necessary for completion in order to earn it, makes so much sense... even more so if you did the reading assigned you during high school English class. Though it was not the first time I had noticed it in the menu of title options, when it came up again, and I had a camera handy, I thought it worth mentioning it: "Lord of the Flies".

A player earns the ability to use the title "Lord of the Flies" by hunting and killing one of the many "mythic" (translation: ancient and preternaturally large) animals, one for each of the main animals hunted throughout the game. If you read William Golding's classic novel Lord of the Flies in high school, you'll recall that in the book, the Lord of the Flies is the name given to the Wild-Pig-head-on a-stick-swarming-with-flies that "speaks" to Simon, one of the shipwrecked boys. The Lord of the Flies gamer title is opened when you kill Gordo the Boar.

It's worth noting that, beyond the literary analysis of the novel, the name "Lord of the Flies" is a literal English translation of Beelzebub, a demonic figure that is often considered synonymous with Satan--I'm hell-on-a-horse while playing this game so it works for me on two levels (kind of like an allusion): both as an English teacher and a dummy with a gamer tag on X-Box Live!

Weekly Reading: November 23

2011-11-25T08:37:00.001-05:00

Something of a small holiday week for new releases, though this week's whopping $7.99(!) Fantastic Four #600 (the first issue in almost a year having been replaced by Future Foundation) saw the inevitable return of Johnny "The Human Torch" Storm from the ranks of ~~dearly~~ briefly departed superheroes. Given not much was on the new releases table, I picked through a long box of cover priced back issues marked "War + Western." Therein I came across two issues of a five issue mini-series drawn by the legendary John Severin. There's nothing like some unexpected Western goodness to spice up the long Turkey Day weekend!

Here are the goodies I stuffed my bag with this week:

Fantastic Four #600 (Marvel) Superhero
Desperadoes: Quiet of the Grave #3 & #4 (Homage) Western/Fantasy
Alpha Flight #6 (Marvel) Superhero
All-Star Western #3 (DC) Western
I, Vampire #3 (DC) Superhero/Horror
The Sixth Gun #17 (Oni Press) Western/Fantasy
Streets of Glory #6 (Avatar) Western

In addition to the new-old Western I discovered in the long box, I also purchased the last issue of the Streets of Glory mini that I had begun buying weekly--it too had been released a few years ago (2008), only to be discovered when I saw the trade paperback for sale on the new releases table. No fan of trades, I began slowly but surely collecting the six individual issues--really great old-timey Western stuff with a dose of realistic action thrown in for good measure, a sort of comic book version of Unforgiven.

Next week promises to be another small week (for me anyway), so who knows what secrets the stacks of unloved books and secret longbox stashes will reveal?

A Return to the Old (Training Log) Ways

2011-11-25T06:53:00.000-05:00

"Three-fourths of philosophy and literature is the talk of people trying to convince themselves that they really like the cage they were tricked into entering.”~Gary Snyder

After about three months of not discussing any of my own running here (at on a blog that was initiated as a training blog), I thought I'd mention the fact that I am still running. Following my fairly successful (I finished, didn't I?) participation in early September's Rochester Half Marathon, I haven't been training for anything inparticular, though I have been periodically putting on the running shoes and putting in a few miles here and there.

What I have not been doing is recording these sporadic training runs online.

Ye Ole Training Book.

What I have been doing, however, is keeping track of these runs in the old fashioned way: using a paper log book and pencil.Many years ago, when I first began considering the possibility of running, at first, a half and then, later, a full marathon, I realized the necessity of tracking my training. This was prior to the advent of easy online logging, so I did what recreational athletes had been doing for years: writing down miles and thoughts in one of the many freebie training logs provided by running stores.

After having completed two log books which were given to me as swag for one race or another, I transitioned into maintaining an online diary of sorts. This process was further simplified with the eventual of online logs such as Daily Mile, which calculated pace and calories burned automatically. Though I have always avoided Garmins and software based Nike products, I did "enjoy" the ease of logging in, tapping in numbers and watching the mileage increase.But, as the ease with which I could punch numbers and the number of "friends" I could assume were following my efforts improve (or occasionally diminish), my personal investment in the real work waned.

Somewhere along the line, I felt sense of disconnect from the process due to the technological ease of recording, processing, and presumably sharing, information.So now, while I still have a Daily Mile account (though I haven't looked at it in a few months), and continue to use USATF's mapping site to calculate the ground I've covered (still no Garmin, but a totally functional $15 dollar digital watch from Target), I have returned to the log book.

Already, I am feeling a personal sense of commitment simply through the act of placing pen to paper... oddly, the practice of placing things on paper in a kinesthetic manner gives me a greater sense of commitment to the information, goals and performances.Though I get the irony of my discussing and posting this on a blog, I somehow feel as though I have loosened the door to the cage of convenience which computer and electronics had become for my personal training.

Ghosts of Turkey Trots Past

2011-11-24T06:59:00.001-05:00

Scrolling through my Facebook page, it is great to read that so many of my "friends" or "friends of friends" will be lacing up their shoes and heading out to any number of small suburbs to run with family and friends on this cool and damp Thanksgiving morning. It is a proud tradition that I fondly recall having been part of in the past, and on occasions such as this, miss...

Webster Turkey Trot, November 2007.

For the first time in almost six years, I will not be running in at least one of the many local "turkey trots," or road races, held throughout my community over the holiday weekend. There was a time not too long ago that I would register for and run in nearly every race scheduled during the holiday season, or at the very least, rotate my participation in the "big" races--run the Webster Turkey Trot one year and the Race for Grace the next, and so on. Sitting here this morning, psychologically preparing myself to head out for a solo short run, I realize that I kind-of-sort-of miss it. Turkey trots, you see, are kind of like the Easter Mass of the running world.

For many folks, the Thanksgiving Day run will be the only road race they enter all year. Much of this has to do with the purpose of the day and the event: giving thanks for family and friends (as well as one's health). The point of the run for many is not to run especially well, or even to win, but rather to be out with family members and friends on the morning just prior to gorging themselves with turkey and pie. Of all race days, it is the one were folks are less inclined to check the results for their times and more likely to do so to check the names of old friends they thought they recognized in the pack or new friends they met at the finish.

As you return home from your own turkey trot this morning, or like I begin preliminarily planning your participation in one next year--just a little hungrier and happier than when you left the house--consider the great friends you just finished running with and think about who you may invite to spend the morning with you and hundreds (or thousands) of your new friends next year.

'Nuff Read: Once a Runner

2011-11-19T08:03:00.000-05:00

Me, Finger Lakes Trail 50k, July 2009.

Occasionally I am reminded of quotes or excerpts from previously enjoyed books which are so well crafted that they stay in my memory and speak for themselves (except, of course, for my need to frame its presence on this blog). Last week a student of mine had inquired as to whether or not I had ever read Once a Runner by John L. Parker. As a recreational athlete, high school track coach and English teacher, I was proud that he had even heard of, let alone read, the book. The novel is chock full of well turned descriptve nuggets, such as:

"We can blaze! Become legends in our own time, strike fear in the heart of mediocre talent everywhere! We can scald dogs, put records out of reach! Make the stands gasp as we blow into an unearthly kick from three hundred yards out! We can become God's own messengers delivering the dreaded scrolls! We can race dark Satan himself till he wheezes fiery cinders down the back straightaway! They'll speak our names in hushed tones,'Those guys are animals' they'll say! We can lay it on the line, bust a gut, show them a clean pair of heels. We can sprint the turn on a spring breeze and feel the winter leave our feet!"

Once a Runner was first published in 1978 and following a limited print run, became a "cult classic" among running enthusiasts. (Somehow in 2007, I was able to purchase a copy online for the very reasonable price of $15.00!) It was recently reprinted in 2009 when Parker publishes a sequel, Again to Carthage. (A book I have yet taken advantage of the opportunity to read.)

Even now, years after my best racing years are behind me (and I wasn't really "racing" all that much or very well)--it is hard not to put the shoes on and head for a jog around the block while re-reading the excerpt above... which is just what I think I'll do.

Weekly Reading: November 16

2011-11-18T06:25:00.000-05:00

Another high quality weekly group shot... with some extra glaring flash spots for added ambiance!

This week it really hit me that my weekly pull list is now nearly devoid of traditional superhero comic books. It could just be that this particular week happens to lack square jawed protagonists and alien threats, but it is clear that the majority of the books I collect now consist of cowboys, neo-dark super-powered "regular" people, and things that go bump in the night.

There is probably some deep analysis of my current state of mind that could take place around my need to tap into the pulp mythos of America, or a search for grounded fantasy... or it could be that most "traditional" superhero comics just aren't fun or original anymore.

Hawken #1 (IDW) Western/Fantasy
The Strange Talent of Luther Strode #1 (Image) Neo-Hero
Zorro Rides Again #5 (Dynamite) Western
Six Guns #2 (Marvel) Action/Western
House of Night #1 (Dark Horse Comics) Supernatural/Thriller
iZombie #19 (Vertigo) Supernatural/Action
Streets of Glory #4 (Avatar) Western
Planet of the Apes #8 (BOOM!) Science-fiction/Action
The Devil Is Due In Dreary #1 (Ardden) Action/Western

It's really a contradiction of ideas--while I would greatly enjoy reading old-school adventures of "fun" heroes, I've replaced them with tortured cowpokes and modern-day revisionist Westerns.

The Power of Positive Parental Texting?

2011-11-15T08:56:00.000-05:00

During the final day of classes last June, I took a walk through the cafeteria, this time lingering longer than usual in order to wish well to some of my (at the time) current students who would be returning next fall after a presumably safe and restful summer, and to bid "adieu" those former students I had previously had the privilege to teach who would be graduating a week later,

As I was sitting at one table kibitzing with a group of seniors, one of them reached for his loudly vibrating cell phone. When I inquired as to who the sender was, he matter-of-factly shared that it was from his friend's father, and that the text contained an inspirational quote.

I thought it interesting that the text had come not from his own father but from that of his friend, who was sitting beside him and who had simultaneously (though without the fanfare of a buzzing cellphone) received the same text. They then took turns explaining how when they were younger (the boys had grown up in the same neighborhood and had been friends for many years), one boy's father would share a saying or quote each morning as they waited to catch the school bus. It seemed that after a period of time, it had become something of a tradition. Older now, the boys no longer ride the bus to school, but the supportive and positive quotes keep coming.

Though Dad was no longer in a position to verbally wish the boys well each day, he continued, in a way, to send them off to school with an affirmative saying. At some point over the past few years, Dad had begun texting a positive thought each day, a practice which had apparently continued right up until the last day of the boys' high school experience.

It struck, though not for the first time, what I fine bunch of lads these were--certainly, not "perfect," but hard working, occasionally goofy, caring and worthy of respect--"regular" teens. I then began to wonder what role, if any, receiving these daily positive and/or inspirational messages each day, at last in the case of some of the boys, from someone other than a parent (from whom unconditional love is to be expected on some level) had had on their character.

I am often reminded of this slice 'o life when I arrive early in the morning at school before having had the opportunity to touch base with my son, and, hoping that he, too, has a great day of school, I send him a quick text... of course, sometimes he beats me to the punch.

Weekly Reading: November 9

2011-11-10T06:57:00.000-05:00

A light week for those titles I collect, so I tried some new titles just for kicks.

This week's trip to Comics Etc. was one during which I took advantage of the lack of titles I've collected long term (Fantastic Four, Jonah Hex aka All-Star Western, etc.) to continue my recent habit of sampling titles from smaller publishers, or which have received online reviews that peaked my curiosity. Quite a range of titles this week, though the horror/western angle continues to loom large.

Sadly, I first began collecting comic books (like many) because of the escapist fantasies available in the traditional superhero titles, but following the descent into "dark and gloomy" heroes over the past 10-15 years (thanks, Wolverine and Batman), they don't seem so "heroic" anymore. Though quite a few of the titles listed below are "Horror" or "Action," they are marketed as such and therefore, do not conflict with my own "Superhero" comic sensibilities. (Admittedly, Ghost Rider and even Uncanny X-Force walk a thin line.) As a result, while I DO enjoy a smattering of "dark" hero titles, most of my reading interests, and dollars, have moved onto other things.

The Intrepid Escape Goat: The Curse of the Buddha's Thumb (Th3rd World Studios)--Children's/Action
H.P. Lovecraft's The Dunwich Horror (IDW) Horror
Ghost Rider (Marvel) Superhero
Uncanny X-Force (Marvel) Superhero
Key of Z (BOOM!) Horror
The Legend of Oz: The Wicked West (Big Dog Ink) Action/Western
The Goon (Dark Horse Comics) Mature/Action
Streets of Glory (Avatar) Western

I still have some reading to catch up on from last week--there's a whole "process" involved from pull box to bagging and backboarding--but with the longer Veteran's Day weekend, and less grading than usual to accomplish, I may just catch-up!

Whooooo Remembers Woodsy Owl?

2011-11-09T15:22:00.000-05:00

I do... but today in school it became obvious that I may be the only one.

While discussing "jargon" (oral language as opposed to the proper grammar of the written word--hopefully!) with the my students during class today, the old expression from my youth "Give a hoot--don't pollute!" popped into my head and immediately out of my mouth.

I felt reasonably sure that among the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts that someone, anyone, might remember the magical character who used those words to rally kids to the cause of reducing pollution... and my query was met with dazed looks...

During the passing time between classes I took a quick survey of my (sigh--younger) colleagues, none of whom remember those emphatic HOOTS!Apparently Woodsy Owl is no longer the hip icon of the United States Forest Service that I once envisioned him as being. Just as times change and things get updated, even Woodsy has seen his motto evolve from hooting about garbage to the more far reaching "Lend a hand — care for the land!"

Though now relegated to the sub-pages of the children's section of the US Forest Service's address on the information superhighway, I'll choose to remember Woodsy as "a whimsical fellow" who's "got his heart set on motivating kids to form healthy, lasting relationships with nature."

KEEP ON HOOTIN' ON, WOODSY!

Big Sky Recollections: 8/14/08

2011-11-08T04:41:00.000-05:00

The view directly outside my brother-in law's back door in Cheyenne, Wyoming, circa 2008.

Digging through old blog post drafts seeking inspiration, I came across these pictures which were originally uploaded to Blogger a little over three years ago following one of our trips west to visit my brother-in-law. He and his wife live in Cheyenne, Wyoming, an area best described as "the middle of nowhere." We have not been back to Cheyenne in a few years, opting last year to visit him in Aspen, Colorado instead. Some days, I find myself missing Wyoming.There is something calming (humblin?) about the big sky; it seems a very different space from the one I inhabit daily in upstate New York.

This is me at on of the Curt Gowdy national Parks off of Happy Jack Road.

The view just down the road from his house.

Some might say there is nothing to do in Wyoming.... I would usually just go out and walk...

... and then walk some more.

2011 Pull-the-Plug Regatta Recap

2011-11-06T18:39:00.001-05:00

Scenic Pittsford, New York, site of the 2011 Pull the Plug Regatta (11/6/11).

The final regatta of the fall season was held today on the Erie Canal--a body of water which in a few weeks will be drained as the locks are dropped, the "plug" effectively being "pulled." But before the shopping carts and discarded bottles could rise from the bottom of the canal there were races to be run! The Pull the Plug, organized by Pittsford Crew, is always an extremely pleasant way to close the fall season, and we were once again fortunate this year, to have wonderful autumnal weather in which to watch the races. This would be the final weekend of "timed races," wherein the spectating is challenging (especially for those like myself with a low crew-IQ) as you have to watch bow numbers carefully to gauge what places (and therefore medals) are in play as they pass by.

The boats of the Varsity 8+ (A) make their way down the Erie Canal.

The McQuaid Men's Varsity 8+ (A) in the final race of the day.

For the first time this fall, my stepson's team, McQuaid Jesuit, had a full slate of A and B "fours" (four rowers and a coxswain) and "eights" (eight rowers and a coxswain) set to compete. As is usually the case with these close-to-home meets, I spectated for long enough to see him row, went home to grade papers and returned for the second race some three hours later. The Men's Varsity 4+ (A), a race that I failed to take pictures of, was the first for him of the day, and it turned out to be the high point for the team as they medalled by placing second. This was a significant feat, especially given the competition at the regatta. Despite a valiant effort, the Varsity 8+ (A), seen above, finished fourth in a tough field, failing to medal.

Quiet has returned to the Erie Canal... until next year!

With the fall crew season complete, and the swimming (my stepson Gregory) and Indoor Track and Field (my son, Jack, and I) seasons on the horizon, I look forward to the Spring when we'll do it all again... but with the even more exciting head-to-head races!

Weekly Reading: November 2

2011-11-06T08:31:00.000-05:00

The gaudy haul from this week's trip to Comics Etc.

One of my life's many pleasures is stopping by the comic store I've frequented on and off for almost 20+ year's of my time on earth. Each week, the number of books I purchase fluctuates, and occasionally, as was the case this week, I supplement new issues, with back issues, either to fill out a run of a title or because I come across a writer or artist I enjoy and seek out past titles/issues they've worked on.

This past Wednesday was a fairly substantial one for me (and the image above does not include the comic I purchased for my stepson):

American Vampire #20 (DC Comics) Horror/Western
Streets of Glory #2 (Avatar) Western
Uncanny X-Men #1 (Marvel) Super-hero
Betrayal of the Planet of the Apes #1 (BOOM!) Action
Peanuts #0 (KaBOOM!) Kids
OMAC #3 (DC Comics) Super-hero
Swamp Thing #3 (DC Comics) Horror/Super-hero
Rachel Rising #3 (Abstract Studio) Horror
The Strange Talent of Luther Strode #2 (Image) Super-hero
Six Guns (Marvel) Action
The Goon #36 (Dark Horse Comics) Action/Horror
Helldorado #1 (APE Entertainment) Western/Horror

I would once again like to thank DC Comics for their "New 52" reboot which has allowed me to dump most of the titles they publish in favor of independent titles and unique offerings I might have otherwise been unable to afford--though who knows how long until they reboot the reboot...

Closing Time: Backyard Garden

2011-11-03T07:56:00.000-04:00

Last Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m.

Last weekend was the start of fall clean-up and the Scott Ranch. Though our thoroughly "adequate" harvest of tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers came later in the season than we had hoped, the garden was not a complete failure this year. I suspect that the variety of tomato that we planted was not as hardy as in year's past, as they did not seem to last as long once they had been plucked from the vine.

Last Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m.

Despite our having kept a small garden for the past six(!) years, each summer is like starting ll over again, as we'll try new things, each with varying degrees of success. We were not too adventurous this year, but we also lacked much f the time and energy necessary to really manage anything beyond the traditional hearty plants.

Wordsworth Wisdom

2011-10-30T14:19:00.000-04:00

Mendon Ponds Park, 30 October 2011.

This morning, with my wife and stepson in Sataroga Springs for the Head of the Fish regatta and my son at his mother's, I set out for a walk through Mendon Ponds Park. Though I came across nothing too extraordinary, there was quite a bit to see. But, that's the key, isn't it, to find the extraordinary in the ordinary?

Upon reviewing the pictures on the pc at home, the one above reminded me of the old William Wordsworth poem, "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud":

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed---and gazed---but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

I Rhetor, You Vampire Comic

2011-10-27T18:38:00.002-04:00

The final splash page of "I, Vampire" #1 features a two for one deal on epigrams!

Despite my initial reservations about the recent "reboot" to the DC Universe of comic books, I have enjoyed the freedom of dropping the traditional DC titles I had been collecting for years (Green Lantern titles, mostly) in favor of some newer, more unique titles, such as I, Vampire. Though based on a previously existing vampire character, I am digging this new, updated iteration so far. Given the literary origins for most things vampire-y (Bram Stoker, anyone?), it only makes sense that the first issues of this series should offer an opportunity for me to post about the use of a literary device and reference in one of my favorite mediums.

In one of my English classes, we recently discussed the use of epigrams (a brief, clever, and usually memorable statement) or quotes, as an effective way to open essays and book chapters especially as a means of establishing a tone or focus. Clearly, writer Joshua Hale Fialkov and artist Andrea Sorrentino know something about establishing mood. In the case of I, Vampire, the two epigrams (one by the oft-quoted Sun Tzu and the second from Robert Browning) are actually utilized to leave a tonal exclamation mark on the 20+ pages of events that preceded them... and check out the issue at your local shop to get the full impact and scale of the quotes in context!

Cthulhu Theater: In the Mouth of Madness (1995)

2011-10-26T04:51:00.000-04:00

While many enjoy their horror in one of the more mainstream sub-genres (zombies, vampires, and torture), I continue to be a sucker for tentacled-loving-cult-elder-gods movies in the spirit of H.P. Lovecraft's popular fiction. Though Lovecraft's unique vision has yet to have been fully realized in any big budget straight adaptations of his own work, the Lovecraft influence is all over a number of "horror movies," some with an explicit connection to his source material, and others with simply a visual nod to his creature designs and Cthulhu mythos. The intent of this (and future) "Cthulu Theater" posts is to briefly visit and review some of these films.

This first movie is one I had long sought out at my local video stores and libraries with no success. Thanks to the magic of Netflix, I finally came across it this past weekend, though whether I'm glad to have done so or not is yet to be determined..

Directed by "legendary" horror film maker John Carpeter, from a script by Michael De Luca, the R-Rated In the Mouth of Madness (1995) is a love letter of sorts to all things Lovecraft. Starring (though I had never really thought of it until I lined-up these titles side-by-side) genre regular Sam Neill (Omen III: The Final Conflict, Jurassic Parks 1 and 3, Daybreakers, Event Horizon) stars as John Trent who, employing just the first of many common Lovecraft tropes, tells his story almost entirely in flashback from a sanitarium. Trent is a detective who is hired to locate, in what was I'm sure intended to be clever satire, famed horror writer ~~Stephen King~~ Sutter Cane (Jürgen Prochnow), who has mysteriously dissappeared with his most recent novel--one (as the tag line assures us repeatedly) that is guaranteed to "drive the readers mad." It is the return of this novel, written start to finish in a single draft by typewriter, and the uncovering of Cane's "disappearance," that provides the narrative thurst of the film.

This impetus is primarily set-up for what follows, a series of set pieces that lead us, and Trent, to a small New England town (very much like Innsmouth in Lovecraft's "world") where he comes face-to-face with most of the problems you'd expect him to in a film intent on aping Lovecraft: mutated townspeople, time-space contiuum snafus, cult churches and low-budget elder-gods. In fact, if you've read any of the source material, you'll likely see far in advance the conclusion this film is lumbering toward. If you are unfamiliar with H.P. Lovecraft's writing, you can look forward to a film that is as much a tribute to the late 1980s (I know it was released in 1995, but as directed by Carpenter there is a definite old-old school vibe here) as it is Lovecraft. Most of the horror elements thar make it into the film are simple "jump scares", and the practical Cthulhu character-effects, when they do eventually make an appearance--sort of--are poorly executed. There are some vaguley uncomfortable very early-genre body horror moments (extremely tame by today's standards), but too few instances of real dread, anticipation or terror. The attempt at a psychological element, and thus making it a "smart" horror film--which it really ain't--seems forced and overly clever.

Online, this movie is beloved as "the best horrot movie ever" and "a return to form by the director," but this viewer doesn't quite understand the praise, except to suspect that there is such an absence of this type of fil out there that even this is acceptable as "good." Mildly entertaining? Yes. A neat glimpse at late 80's horror? Yes. Scary enough to drive you mad? Nope. As mentioned earlier, though I had looked for this film to watch for a number of years, I ultimately found myself disappointed. Much like Trent's character arc in the film, my journey to eventually finding the movie proved to be more entertaining than reaching the destination.

Haiku in the Machine

2011-10-23T10:24:00.001-04:00

Accepting the convenience of modern technology, the author succumbs to the use of his cellphone to "write."

This past Thursday at practice, while the girls team was completing their dynamic stretching/form drills, I was struck by an image. While the image itself was not "earth shattering," I thought enough of it to write it down. Normally, I carry a small spiral bound notebook in my breast pocket, or in the front of my hoodie, for just such occasions, but on that day I left it at home on my desk. Reaching my hand in my pocket, I realized that I had my cell phone. It was then that it occurred to me (as it has to 10 gazillion other folks already) that there might be a notepad function on the fun that I could use and--wallah!--there was.

Though it was just a very rough draft, and something that though I reworked it for about 30 minutes on the word-processor when I returned home after practice (and eventually posted in a from closer to it's orgginal one on my Twitter feed to the right of this post), I had conflicting feelings about the process. The experience of using my cellphone to do this was both satisfying (quick, easy, no worry about poor handwriting) and sad, mostly because I had been a proponent of not losing the skill of using "manual" tech in favor of easy electronic ones.

I suppose you can now count me among those hypocritical psuedo-luddites who both decry modern technology while simultaneously embracing the parts of it that ease their own lives.

Catching Up with the Lake Riley Heron

2011-10-21T20:07:00.000-04:00

The Lake Riley Heron surveying his abode (10/16/11).

Last Saturday before going to get coffee, I walked up to Cobbs Hill to stretch my legs and came across the Lake Riley Heron basking in the shard of sunlight on a 4'x4' concrete pad about seven feet from shore. I had not seem him in quite a while, despite seeing herons in many other areas in the greater Rochester area (water retention ponds beside the expressway, along the banks of the Genesee River and so on), he had been absent from the park in recent weeks... at least as best I could determine.

I suppose this could be the same bird I photographed in mid-summer, an idea which is only anecdotal supported by my belief that this bird is longer, more full-bodied and, well, just "older" looking than the younger model seen at Cobbs Hill in July. In a weird sort of anthropomorphism, I suppose this bird is like a neighborhood kids senior citizens are vaguely aware of growing up and out of their parents house over the course of a lifetime. Only the heron's lifetime is much shorter and I am glad to see him (them?0 not moving out, just yet.

Thundering Hoofbeats: Meek's Cutoff (2011)

2011-10-10T15:56:00.002-04:00

This past weekend's I took advantage of a little down time to catch up on one of the more recent "Westerns" that had been on my radar, Meek's Cutoff (2011). Seen in limited release earlier this summer, Meek's Cutoff starts Michelle Williams (Oscar-nominated for Brokeback Mountain), Bruce Greenwood and a number of character actors, including Cowboys v. Aliens' Paul Dano, you'd likely recognize as having seen before. This film could best be described as a revisionist western as it takes a slow, methodical, realistic look at the lives of two families who are traveling the Oregon Trail west guided by Steven Meek, portrayed here by Greenwood.

I have been a fan of Greenwood's since first seeing him many moons ago in Atom Egoyan's Exoctica (1994) and The Sweet Hereafter (1997). As Meek, Greenwood plays the archetypal male frontiersman complete with long beard, gravelly voice, rough attire and oozing a European disdain for all things Native--especially all things not already tamed by American settlers. If there is a "villain" in this film, it is Meek, but as in many modern westerns, the lines between good and evil, right and wrong, are very grey, and are at the very least, situational.

The choices Meek makes may appear on the surface (and certainly by modern sensibilities) "mean", given the character's historical context, are easily defendable. Additionally, that modern trope of "native v. visitor," makes its expected appearance as the group faces internal strife over the treatment of a lone Native American (Rod Rondeaux) interloper. "The Cayuse" (as the character is called in the credits) may or may not be the savior of the group as they wander along the Oregon Trail guided by Meek's who himself seems to be uncertain as to just where he is going.

Likely the most frustrating aspect of the film, especially to those anticipating a traditional western, is the lack of payoff provided by the script. Without giving away too much, it is enough to say that when the film ends, it ends... out of nowhere and with no clear resolution to the primary narrative drive of the story. That is not to suggest Meek's Cutoff is unwatchable. Quite the contrary, it is a beautifully filmed with tremendous vistas and (one can only assume) very realistic stark depictions of the conditions, both environmental and interpersonal, experienced by those who challenged the Oregon Trail in the interest of pursuing a better life.

In the end, I found Meek's Cutoff to be a sparse, deeply meditative, but ultimately unfulfilling observation of the westward ho!" American experience. Not without artistic merit, I'm sorry to report that as a film entertainment, it was something of a chore.

Rochester River Romance 2011

2011-10-09T16:49:00.001-04:00

The McQuaid A Eight pushing through the finish!

Weather: Sunny, 74°F, 53% Humidity, Wind: WSW @ 7 mph; feels like 74°F.
Route: To the Genesee Waterways Boat House in Genesee Valley Park & back.

Once again , the weather for the regatta my stepson's school was rowing in was excellent. This is the third Rochester River Romance Regatta I have been to and each year it is always a pleasure to see the leaves beginning to change and the fall weather come blowing into town. While there was little fall weather to be had, the leaves were changing and the rowing was hot and heavy. As an added bonus, it also created an excuse for me to get out and about on my bicycle, somehting I have not taken the opportunity to do of late. I have neglected my training (running) as well, due primarily to a head cold I think I have finally beaten, so a leisurely paced bike ride (at a distance of about 4.5 miles each way) to the regatta was the order of the day.

Stopping on the Riverway Trail.

I can't resist stopping for a photo of a surprise heron.

Rochester from the Ford Street Bridge.

The McQuaid A Eight at the dock prepping their boat.

Heading to the start about 6 kilometers away.

Once again the walkway bridge is chock full o' fans.

The Genessee Waterway Center is the hub of pre-post race activity.

On thier way to the first medal, bronze, of the season.

Be here now!

Fairport Lift Bridge Regatta: 9/25/11

2011-09-26T09:56:00.000-04:00

The McQuaid Varsity Four launches from the dock.

Yesterday morning (and early afternoon) was spent in large part watching my stepson crew team compete at the Fairport Lift Bridge Regatta in the nearby suburb of Fairport, New York. It was the team's first competition of the fall season and though things did not turn out as they had hoped (anything but gold is not enough), there was a strong sense of comrade and community in the hospitality tent, and a strong sense that the team will continue to improve... oh, and the weather was perfect, too!

The McQuaid Hospitality Tent as viewed from the Main Street Bridge in Fairport, NY.

The calm before the storm of many four boats making their way down-canal toward the finish at the lift bridge in the center of Faiport.

The McQuaid Varsity A storming the finish.

Run: 5.3 miles in :41.33 min. @ 7:50 a.m.

2011-09-24T08:48:00.000-04:00

Weather: Cloudy, 60°F, 88% Humidity, Wind: WSW @ 7 mph; feels like 60°F.
Route: Into the City & Out.
Pace: 7:50 min/mile
Effort: 5 of 5
How did I feel? Good!

One week removed from having completed my first road race in a year and, having almost fully recovered, I am asking myself, "What's next?" I'm the kind of "runner" who works much better with a goal in mind whether it be finishing a 5k or surviving an ultra. This morning represents the first real activity since the race, other than jogging courses from sight point to sight point during my student-athlete's recent x-c meet, and I'm thinking that once I get back into the swing of "training," some event or race will reveal itself as being worthy of the early morning hours I'd need to invest to successfully complete it.

This morning's run into Rochester theough the South Wedge and out down East Avenue was a beautiful one... with Fall here, I am reafiirmed in my belief that autmun it is by far my favorite running season.

Be here now!

Rochester Half Marathon

2011-09-18T11:40:00.000-04:00

Run: 13.1 miles in 1:42.00 min. @ 7:45 a.m.
Weather: Sunny, 45°F, 89% Humidity, Winds: Calm; feels like 45°F.
Route: Half Marathon Course.
Pace: 7:47 min/mile
Effort: 5 of 5
How did I feel? Super!

Re-Race Ramblings: For the first time in exactly twelve months, I wake up this morning and my pre-race routine is pretty much the same as its been for the four years previous that I was running races (5ks to ultras): bowl of oatmeal, cup o' joe, check out the weather forecast, prep check, shower up, get dressed and head on out. Today's destination is only 5 minutes by car (and not much linger by foot), so there is little need to leave too early. This timing chip this year is built into the number so no need to wait in line for the ankle strap on variety. The weather should be near perfect and only a lingering ache in my knees (something I've been trying to work against psychologically for two days now) gives me pause that my goal of finish under two hours will not be met.

Post-Race Reflections: I was very happy that my son decided to give up his Sunday morning and accompany me to the race, and it was also great to reconnect with some friends from the running community that I had not seen since I stopped running races locally (actually, at all).

In the end, I reached my target of finishing in under two hours, by quite a bit and was on,y off my time from last year (a period of my life when I was significantly more "trained up" by five minutes. I was also extremely proud of two of the girls I have coached in track and taught for many years who not only finished the race but did so in under two hours too! What a tremendous morning and what a great opportunity to celebrate it with friends and family.

Be here now!

National Back Issue Month, Day 17

2011-09-17T15:19:00.000-04:00

Issue 2, October 2008.

The recent cool, fall-like weather seems a perfect fit for European pulp heroes such as Conan-creator Robert E. Howard's Solomon Kane, especially as envisioned in Dark Horse Comics series of miniseries, the first of which was published in 2008. Issue two (pictured above) takes place in Germany, and finds the Puritan devil hunter Solomon Kane embroiled in a mystery involving wolves, occult sacrifices and "The Castle of the Devil."As s often the case with Kane adventures, things are rarely as they seem--as evidenced by the skull with three eye-sockets...

Though only published sporadically in brief runs of three to six issues apiece, Howard's Solomon Kane character is still being occasionally brought to life by Dark Horse, but never so evocatively as in this first miniseries.

Run: 2 miles @ 10:00 a.m.

2011-09-17T15:15:00.001-04:00

Weather: Mostly Cloudy 50°F, 94% Humidity, Wind: SW @ 4 mph; feels like 50°F.
Route: Center Park in Fairport.

Yesterday after work I picked up my race packet (and swag bag) for Sunday's Rochester Half Marathon. As usual, I felt awkward among the athletic looking and tan crowd that was also picking up their things for that race (in addition to the full and relay marathons). I have done a pretty solid job these last few days detoxing of bad foods and eating (mostly) energy foods. Likely a psychosomatic issue, my knees have been particularly achy, but I am confident when Sunday rolls around, I'll be fine.

This morning's "run" with the team was more of a reassuring effort than anything, the distance and rigor not being a concern (though I did picl up[ the pace at points), but just having the opportunity to get out and about in advance of tomorrow. Once again, the weather was perfect and I'm hoping for more of the same (cool, cloudy and calm winds) tomorrow.

Be here now!

Ghost Rider and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

2011-09-16T04:59:00.000-04:00

Yes, that is the Ghost Rider's former human host Johnny Blaze, and yes,
he is riding his motorcycle with a dude on the back of his bike.

Ghost Rider, No. 3

While I have not been a long time collector of the Ghost Rider title from Marvel Comics, the most recent volume, featuring the first time a female human host for the Spirit of Vengeance, piqued my interest, so I have been picking the story up for that last few months. When the most recent issue hit the stands yesterday, I was pleasantly surprised to see one the the new additions to the cast, a zombie-type (I think) minor character, reference Robert M. Pirsig's "inspirational classic" Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Such a reference seems fitting (and if the first one ever, a long time coming), especially given the motorcycle motif that has been a part of Ghost Rider lore for well over twenty years now.

MaintenanceI must confess that thought I've long owned a copy of Pirsig's novel, I have never being able to make my way even half way through it. While I am probably the target audience for such a book, I have always found it (the first twenty or so pages anyway) to be a little heavy handed and melodramatic. Eventually, I'll pick it up and give it a go again, and maybe this time, guided by my recollection of an indirect zombie endorsement, find my way to getting through it with a clear mind.

Run: 4.4 miles in :36.01 min. @ 4:00 a.m.

2011-09-15T05:03:00.001-04:00

Weather: Ligth Rain, 52°F, 88% Humidity, Wind: NNW @ 6 mph; feels like 52°F.
Route: A short loop around my neighborhood.
Pace: 8:11 min/mile
Effort: 5 of 5
How did I feel? Super!

Other than last Sunday's long run, and doing quite a bit of standing around and sprinting in sandals to coach during cross-country meets/practice, this week has been one of mentally preparing and fueling up for this weekend's half-marathon. After reading the most recent issue of Runner's World (the one with the article about training yourself to get up early to run) I thought it might be a grand idea to wake up extra early this morning to stretch out my legs with a few miles before heading to work. While I had read the weather forecast calling for rain, this has been a consistent forecast the past few days with nary a drop to show for it.

This morning I awoke to a rainstorm, and decide that I would "suck it up" and head out regardless.I'm thankful I did...
Be here now!

Run: 10.4 miles in 1:26.07 min. @ 7:00 a.m.

2011-09-11T08:53:00.000-04:00

Weather: Mostly Cloudy, 54°F, 96% Humidity, Wind: SSW @ 3 mph; feels like 54°F.
Route: A short loop intentionally including a section of the Rochester 1/2 Marathon course.
Pace: 8:16 min/mile
Effort: 4 of 5
How did I feel? Great!

Ready or not, a week from this morning at 7:30 a.m., I will be lining up with a few thousand friends to run the Rochester Half Marathon. As I figured might happen, this past week has been primairly a "non-training" one (with school finally back in full swing), and though I will likely not best my time from last year (which was much better than it had a right to be) I am (fairly) confident that I will finish the race outside the bottom 45%--my goal for the endeavor. The purpose in running today was less to actually sharpen my preparation and more about just getting out and putting in some easy lsd miles to convince myself that "I can!"

One observation: those, inlcuding myself, participating next Sunday will be extremely fortunate if the weather conditions are as perfect next week as they were this morning!

Be here now!

National Back Issue Month, Day 10

2011-09-10T06:11:00.000-04:00

In 1994, Topps Comics produced a four issue miniseries, The Lone Ranger and Tonto, written by Joe R. Lansdale and drawn by Timothy Truman, the cover for the first issue of whcih is presented above. Though the recently (thank goodness) aborted movie update that was to star Johnny Depp as Tonto, received quite a bit of press due to planned changes to the iconic Tonto character, this series (as well as the recently concluded one published by Dyanmite) that was the first to attemtp to add some additional depth to the Jay Silverheels characterization.

One of the major changes in the Topps series was the characterization of Tonto, who was then shown to be a very witty, outspoken and sarcastic character even willing to punch the Lone Ranger during a heated argument and commenting on his past pop-culture depictions with the words, "Of course, quimo sabe. Maybe when we talked I should use that 'me Tonto' stuff, way they write about me in the dime novels. You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

I came to this particular series on the back issue racks only after reading the Dynamite one, and was initially turned off by a cover that, despite being drawn my legendary Hex and Scout artist Timothy Turman, depicted a Ranger whose features seemed off for me aesthetically. The interior art and script, however, are solid and make the entire series worth picking up on the cheap.

Run: 1.8 miles in :15.05 min. @ 4:10 a.m.

2011-09-08T05:02:00.004-04:00

Weather: Cloudy, 63°F, 89% Humidity, Wind: ESE @ 9 mph; feels like 63°F.
Route: A short loop intentionally including a section of the Rochester 1/2 Marathon course.
Pace: 8:22 min/mile
Effort: 3 of 5
How did I feel? Blah/Sick.

It's 3:45 a.m. and classes start today at the school where I teach and (later in the day) coach. I'll need to leave my home this morning at 5:40 a.m. to take my son to his mother's for his own second day of classes before heading the opposite direction to get to school an hour before students arrive--not out of some "contractual obligation," but part of the structured regiment of my daily practice that I like to do (a choice I make). I have missed my last two days of "training" for a myriad of reasons, the most significant being my desire upon returning home after cross-country practice each of the last two evenings at 5:15 p.m. to simply relax. These are the challenges that many people face in fitting distance training into a busy work-family-coaching schedule and I am still (after 5+ years) trying to fit my own running into my school year schedule successfully.

One additional wrinkle I should have been able to predict, but failed to anticipate, was that about a mile into my run this morning, my stomach became upset (I should have known this as I had some cereal with milk last night--something which has had an increasingly negative impact on my digestive system), so I needed to turn back pronto.... fortunately I did make it home,but by the time I could have gone back out it was too late to do so--it looks like I may try to piece together more miles tonight, but I am not confident of that happening.

On a positive note, when I did run, I felt great and saw a bunny :)

Be here now!

National Back Issue Month, Day 6

2011-09-06T19:06:00.000-04:00

Yes, the battle teased on the cover is as sweet as it's made to look!
Like many Marvel fanboys of the mid-1980's, I was a John Byrne super-fan--at least as much as my allowance would allow me to be, which is to say that I could scrape together enough cash for both his Fantastic Four run and the original volume of Alpha Flight that (like FF) he both wrote and illustrated. I had never been much of a fan of Byrne's Uncanny X-men run (written by Chris Clairmont), and though this was a spin-off of sorts, my affection for FF and appreciation Byrne's art was enough to draw me in. Alpha Flight seemed very exotic to 1983 me, primarily because, unlike every other superhero in my comic universe, they were from a country other than the United States; their adventures took place in the mysterious neighbor to the north--CANADA!

Issue 6 exemplifies a few elements of Alpha Flight that made it a favorite of mine. In this issue the heroine Snowbird battles a mystical creature with clear ties to the Canadian landscape that Snowbird protects in her heroic guise. Whether the totemic flourioshes were based on any actual mythology was of little consequence to me as the creature's name--Kolomoq--and the 5 1/2 page white-out battle "depicted" therein--panels with only dialogue and captions--were cool enough!

National Back Issue Month, Day 5

2011-09-05T06:45:00.000-04:00

Wow--1978 was a loooong time ago!
It is fair to suggest that there is a day, week or month to recognize or acknowledge just about everything under the sun: facial hair, food stuffs, odd sports and not-so-national pasts times.

September just happens to be National Back Issue Month, a celebration I only became aware of thanks to the FB posts of a fellow frequenter of the same local comic store as I (actually, he started the month long activity to reinforce and remind collectors of the love of older comics in the face of DC Comics' September reboot of their entire line-up). In the spirit of silly celebratory calender caveats, I will also be "celebrating" National Back Issue Month daily by sharing comics from my back issue long boxes and explaining (briefly) the issues significance to me. And no, you haven't missed Days 1 though 4, it's just that I've only just now gotten around to starting this series of posts albeit four days late.

Issue 200 of Fantastic Four was the starting point for what would become my (to this point) life long love affair with Marvel's First Family. While the next issue, 201 (featuring the robotic villainy of Quasimodo!), was my first actual comic book purchase, issue 200 was the first "back issue" I bought... roughly a month after it came out, but a "back issue" nonetheless. The story, "When Titans Clash!" was script by Marv Wolfman and featured art by Keith Pollard (breakdowns) and Joe Sinnott (finishes). The amazing cover was done by none other than Jack "The King" Kirby and Joe Sinnott.

Published in 1978, when I was nine years old, the epic "fight to the finish" between Doctor Doom and Mister Fantastic had everything I wanted from comic books: action, adventure, and escapism. Leafing back through the pages the story (which at its heart is about the FF assisting in overthrowing Doom's government in the interest of "nation building") and characetrization (Doom's anger at having his own son--clone--destroyed) perhaps not surprisingly has much more depth and resonance than what is published in the current issues.

Run: 9 miles in 1:18.33 min. @ 5:25 a.m.

2011-09-04T07:05:00.001-04:00

Weather: Fair, 72°F, 91% Humidity, Wind: SW @ 5 mph; feels like 72°F.
Route: A long loop including small sections of the Rochester 1/2 Marathon course.
Pace: 8:43 min/mile
Effort: 4 of 5
How did I feel? Better!

Following another relatively sweltering night of semi-restless sleep I woke up early today for my weekly long-ish run, something I wanted to accomplish before attending my son's cross-country team's pancake breakfast fundraiser at Applebee's in a few hours--mission accomplish, though I would have liked to have gone slightly further, the nine miles I did manage to comfortably churn out did give me the confidence I was looking for to know I will be able go futher in the future.
Be here now!

Run: 5.7 miles in :48.20 min. @ 5:45 a.m.

2011-09-03T07:04:00.001-04:00

Weather: Fair, 72°F, 92% Humidity, Wind: WSW @ 7 mph; feels like 72°F.
Route: A short loop intentionally including a section of the Rochester 1/2 Marathon course.
Pace: 8:28 min/mile
Effort: 4 of 5
How did I feel? Blah.

Having a tight schedule this morning, and a reunion of sorts with an old friend last night, my optimism around getting my distance run in this morning before cross-country practice at 9:00 was waining just a little. On the positive side, the weather forecast for 5:30 a.m.is profoundly different than the icons on the Weather Channel website for the remainder of the day, so this morning seems to be the best chance to get the miles in.... in the final analysis, there is only one word for this morning's run: brutal.

Despite knowing that drinking alcohol at all makes my knees ache the following day, I had two small glasses of wine last night with dinner (though to my credit I rotated with H20, which I drank quite a bit of) and with the full understanding that fried foods sit in my stomach, I had a fish fry. It was worth it to have a nice dinner with friends, but I paid for it this morning. I felt heavy and achy, and sensibly (I think) reduced on the fly my intended 10 miles to a marginally more manageable five miles.

With tomorrow morning being my son's cross-country pancake breakfast fundraiser, I may have to further hold off on my longer run until Monday morning--the last day of summer before haviong to reort to school Tuesday morning.
Be here now!

Of Mice and X-Men

2011-09-01T22:50:00.000-04:00

Click for better viewing--page 2 of Uncanny X-Force No. 14, October 2011.
In this week's issue of Marvel Comics' Uncanny X-Force series, written by Rick Remender and drawn by Jerome Opena, I was pleased to come across the panel above in which the character Dark Beast (the evil doppelganger of our world's Hank "Beast" McCoy--a loooong story) quotes a few lines from the Robert Burns poem "To A Mouse". Not only does Remender feed Dark beast some choice Burns' lines, but also gives the equally literary Archangel (our universe's Warren "Angel" Worthington who is now evil--an even longer story) to offer a mutant twist to Steinbeck's use of some select words as the title for his novel Of Mice and Men.

While it is not infrequent for me to come across these sorts of literary allusions, I always feel a sense of vindication as to their literary worthiness when I do.I look forward to sharing this with my high school students when we read the novel this school year, although I realize that 90% of them have no idea who X-Force is other than to naturally associate it with the vastly inferior movie versions of the same characters.

A New Lake Riley Heron Rises!

2011-08-31T16:19:00.000-04:00

He's ba-a-a-a-ck--well, at any rate there is a new heron in town!
It has been a few months since I last observed any "heron activity," at the small man-made lake at Cobbs Hill, but when, this afternoon while entering the on ramp to the expressway going East, I noticed some distinctive movement in the cattails, I thought he (she?) may have returned. After returning home a half hour later, I grabbed my camera and headed back to the park, hoping that the heron had not left--and if not for some good fortune and lucky spotting I may have headed home empty handed and with the impression that I was just imaging things.

As is apparent by the image below, the new hero was attempting to avoid detection, and did so in interesting fashion, by blending in with the reeds. His long neck (especially when looking skyward) easily blended into the background.

Can you see me now?
Once he steps from the reeds and into the water (and I walk from my car for a closer look) the heron comes into view. This one is a younger bird than the one I saw earlier this summer, as evidenced by his slender build and darker coloring. A Canadian goose was kind enough to step into a photo to offer some scale.

Oh, there you are!
I ended up spending about 20 minutes at the park and snapping quite a few pictures, many of which (as usual) were not that compelling. I was, however, happy to capture the heron lolling about the "lake" occasionally ~~interacting~~ ignoring the other residents before flying to the other end of the pond.

Run: 4.4 miles in :35.37 @ 5:30 a.m

2011-08-31T06:37:00.000-04:00

Weather: Mostly Cloudy, 58°F, 90% Humidity, Wind: SW @ 6 mph; feels like 58°F.
Route: Broad Loop Around Cobbs Hill
Pace: 8:05 min/mile
Effort: 4 of 5
How did I feel? Good.

Another perfect morning for running. Once again, kept my mileage down a little with the understanding that I'll put at least two more in later this morning with the team at Parma Park in Hilton.

Be here now!

Run: 3.2 miles in :24.27 @ 6:00 a.m

2011-08-30T06:51:00.000-04:00

Weather: Clear, 55°F, 93% Humidity, Wind: SW @ 7 mph; feels like 55°F.
Route: East Ave Wegmans Loop
Pace: 7:38 min/mile
Effort: 5 of 5
How did I feel? Good.

Picked up the pace this morning and went a little shorter than normal for a Tuesday. Later this morning, I will be busing out to Center Park in Fairport with the Girls XC team I coach, so I am confident that I will add an additional mile or two of trails later this morning.

Two days ago I was seriously (and confidently) considering signing up at the last minute to run in the local half-marathon which is coming up in two weeks.

Coming off the high I felt after running 11+ on Sunday, I figured I could possibly better my time from last year (1:39), but after running "the math," I would be lucky t finish in 2 hours flat. Perhaps this is my opportunity to sign up , run my best, and accept that I am not the same runner I was five years ago, let alone last year--when I trained for a longer period of time.

Be here now!

Thunderin' Hoofbeats: The Hired Hand (1971)

2011-08-29T06:55:00.004-04:00

Another film for which no formal trailer can be "Youtubed"--but fortunately this scene from early on in the film, and one that establishes the set-up for what follows--is somehow online.
Netflix continues to be an excellent resource for all sorts of Westerns I had not previously heard of, my most recent find being Peter Fonda's directorial debut (and follow-up to his iconic turn as "Captain America" in Dennis Hopper's Easy Rider (1969)), The Hired Hand. It is probably not surprising that this film retains many of the stylistic flourishes that were at first so unique in Easy Rider, such as the overlapping fade-in transitions, languid, poetic montages, and the way in that the camera slowly follows character interactions--all in sharp contrast to modern film making's sped up shaky cams and "tell me now" storytelling.

From the opening establishing scene, a part of which can be seem above, a somber tone is set. Our two protagonists, Harry Collings (played by Fonda) and Arch Harris (character actor Warren Oates, probably best remember for his performance at Sgt. Hulka in Stripes) are making plans (along with a younger traveling companion) to head to California. Suddenly, Harry decides to change course and stop in on the wife he left behind many years ago to travel with Arch.

Along the way, as often happens in Westerns, the three stop in a rough, town for a drink and run into some tough customers. After exacting some painful revenge on a group of locals for the death of their friend, Arch and Harry skip town, but it is clear that their actions will have repercussions later on, and it is this external conflict that drives much of the narrative.

In The Hired Hand, however, it is the internal conflicts of the three main characters, especially after the two reach Harry's old homestead and the character of Hannah Collings (played by Verna bloom) is introduced. Still angered by Harry's withdrawal from her (and their daughter's) life, Hannah allows Harry to stay, but not in the house, in the barn working as the hired hand of the film's title. Arch, ever the loyal partner, stays with Harry in order to help his partner repair this damaged relationship.

Of the things that do make The Hired Hand recommended viewing, it is Warren Oates performance that is the foremost. As played by Oates, Arch is the only character that is provided with the opportunity, by virtue of his sincere and honest humor, and as seen through his clear affection for others, to develop beyond the somber, sad realities depicted here.

Helped greatly by Bruce Langhonre's haunting score and cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond's picturesque vistas, The Hired Hand (1971) works best for me as a character study, albeit one with with some good ol' fashioned gun play thrown in for good measure, and chiefly as an early American bromance of sorts--much like Easy Rider, a film it falls short of matching.

Run: 4.9 miles in :38.31 @ 5:30 p.m

2011-08-28T18:24:00.000-04:00

Weather: Mostly Cloudy, 66°F, 61% Humidity, Wind: NNW @ 17 mph, gusting to 20 mph; feels like 66°F.
Route: Roundabout to McQuaid and Home
Pace: 7:51 min/mile
Effort: 5 of 5
How did I feel? Good.

Laced up and unleashed my new Brooks Beast running shoes only to be willingly humbled by gusts of wind--there is nothing quite like a fall-like run!

Be here now!

Run: 11.4 miles in 1:37.42 @ 6:15 a.m

2011-08-27T09:13:00.001-04:00

Au revoir, my beastly friends... I look forward to seeing you on the trails!
Weather: Fog/Mostly Cloudy, 59°F/63°F, 94% Humidity, Wind: WSW @ 5 mph; feels like 59°F/63°F.
Route: Monroe-Edgewood-Erie Canal-Genesee River Loop.
Pace: 8:34 min/mile
Effort: 4 of 5
How did I feel? Good.

Anticipating a long, slow distance run (lsd) today, and looking to avoid the pitfalls that resulted in a "fast," shorter (8 miles) run last weekend, I ate a little more heartily and rested more fully yesterday to prepare for a more successful morning. Of course, despite the physical challenges encountered last weekend, in retrospect, it may have been my lack of mental toughness that did me in more than my physical preparedness. But, that was last week, and this week is another opportunity to follow through with a properly paced lsd,,a run which will also serve as an appropriate send-off to my current pair of Brooks Beast Trainers :)

Things went much better this morning, and despite my adjusting my course midway through (in an effort to avoid running into the rising sun--I'd not worn my sunglasses due to fog early on) I unintentionally exceed my mileage goal today by about a mile-and-a-half. I am a little flummoxed by my pace which I had thought was easier, but was still short of my goal of 9:00 minute miles. By bringing some gel I definitely addressed the loss of energy that kept me from finishing the run last week and attempted to use discipline in not over exceeding my mileage, choosing to walk the last mile home rather than over do it.

Be here now!

Run: 6.5 miles in :54.40 @ 5:30 a.m

2011-08-24T06:53:00.000-04:00

Weather: Mostly Cloudy, 61°F, 76% Humidity, Wind: SSW @ 5 mph; feels like 61°F.
Route: University-Monroe-Winton-Highland Loop.
Pace: 8:24 min/mile
Effort: 5 of 5
How did I feel? Good.

Wonderfully, temperate morning with a slight breeze and billowy, purple clouds on the horizon.

Be here now!

Run: 3.4 miles in :28.03 @ 4:45 p.m

2011-08-23T18:33:00.000-04:00

Weather: Partly Cloudy, 77°F, 95% Humidity, Wind: WSW @ 12 mph, gusting up to 21 mph; feels like 77°F.
Route: Short section on the Erie Canal Trailway.
Pace: 8:15 min/mile
Effort: 3 of 5
How did I feel? Good.

Despite doing a little running this morning at practice, I took advantage of my own son's practice later in the day to run for 30 minutes on the Erie Canal path. When I was running longer distances, I would spend quite a bit of time going up and down the Erie canal and Genesee River paths. It was nice to get on the section between Ayrault and Perinton Park for a short time this afternoon and I look forward to retuning back, hopefully sooner rather than later.

Be here now!

Run: Approximately 3 miles @ 9:50 a.m.

2011-08-23T13:55:00.001-04:00

The trails at the Mendon Ponds West course.

Weather: Fair, 65°F, 42% Humidity, Wind: WNW @ 9 mph; feels like 65°F.
Route: Mendon Ponds West

Third day of practice and our first together (the girls and I) running one of the courses on which they will be competing this coming season. The past two practices have been at both our home track and our home course, so today it was nice to get out on the trails along with the team. Though the distances were kind of sectioned up (I often fell back to assist newer runners who were less familiar with the course... or running), it was rewarding to be working with the team and to get back out on the trails myself.

Be here now!

Complete Runs: Jonah Hex, Vol. 2

2011-08-21T10:44:00.000-04:00

If you've payed even the slightest bit of attention to the news this past summer, especially the USA Today newspaper, you probably heard that the DC Comic "universe" will be undergoing a "reboot" this coming September. (Even my wife mentioned having read about this!) One of the supposed boons to the comic book industry will be the re-numbering of all existing titles at number 1--a move intended to increase sales--the notion being that more potential collectors (the desired demographic being the 21 and under crowd) will jump on board as it will be perceived as a new beginning stripped of decades of comic book continuity.

For old school comic book collectors, this move is more than likely seen as the sales gimmick it is intended to be, the largest impact being the insertion of a new volume tab into our long boxes to maintain a semblance of chronological order. Another result will the drawing to conclusion of what had previously been "long runs" of numerous titles that will now magically become a "full or complete run."

In the past 10+ years, runs have ended with a greater degree of regularity as number ones continue to pop up whenever a bump is need... at least that's how it has looked to me. What DC is attempting to a complete reboot (do over) where every comic title they publish starts again--including those which to this point had had nearly nothing to do with the world of Superman, Batman and Winder Woman.

One title that I collect for which this is the case is the most recent volume of the Western bounty hunter Jonah Hex, an anti-hero who (despite having been the focus of last summer's eponymous box-office bomb) has been fairly successful, especially given the book's Western-theme.

Though previously not thought of as part of the main line DC comic book "universe," Hex will be brought into the fold (sort of) in a new incarnation of the character (that will fortunately still be written by the team of by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti) that will move away from single issue stories with little narrative connectivity and into--wait for it--the Gotham City of the "Old West." Given the popularity (i.e. $ale$) of most things associated with the Bat, this was probably inevitable.

But this post is a quick farewell to Hex in the old Old West... or the one that ended with issue 70 in August (the cover to the right). Up until a few weeks ago, I had been unable to complete my full run of this volume thanks to a couple tricky, rare issues that I had been unable to track down locally. Fortunately, mycomicshop.com provided me a way to fill in the gaps in a ridiculously low cost manner. Now the run of seventy issues, starting back 2006, is finally complete and stored away neatly bagged and backboarded in a short box for future revisiting.

Now I can eagerly await the next genesis of Jonah Hex, which despite my reservations of it moving away from single issue stories to a more serialized story telling tact, does at least promises the addition of other classic DC Western characters that have only occasionally popped up in supporting roles in Jonah Hex. Thankfully the creative team which made the last 70 issues so enjoyable (and highly rereadable), Gray and Palmiotti, will also be returning to the fold to continue writing Hex's new adventures beginning with issue 1 of DC's All-Star Western in September.

Run: 6.3 miles in :54.28 min. @ 7:00 a.m.

2011-08-21T09:52:00.001-04:00

This morning I ran past the former site of one old high school hangout, Midtown Plaza... which has been recently replaced by a slowly developing crater in the center of the city.

Weather: Rain Shower, 66°F, 95% Humidity, Wind: NNW @ 6 mph; feels like 66°F.
Route: Downtown Rochester and Points South.
Pace: 8:38 min/mile
Effort: 4 of 5
How did I feel? Good.

A pleasant drizzly morning run. Though I consciously tried to address the need to go more slowly, my pace was roughly the same as yesterday... maybe that is my slow pace, but could it also possibly be my fast pace, too?

I overdressed slightly this morning and had to shed a thin sweatshirt at about mile three. I quickly pulled the sweathshirt over my head and stuffed it into one of those free newspaper boxes that are common in suburban supermarkest and city street corners. I swung by later to retrieve it as it is one of my favorite old race freebies due to the ee cummings poem quote on the back...

Be here now!

Run: 7.9 miles in 1:08.06 min. @ 7:15 a.m.

2011-08-20T08:44:00.000-04:00

Weather: Fair, 62°F, 95% Humidity, Wind: WSW @ 3 mph; feels like 62°F.
Route: University-Landing-Penfield-East-Elmwood Loop
Pace: 8:37 min/mile
Effort: 3 of 5
How did I feel? Alright.

Though not quite the LONG slow distance run I had hoped to accomplish today, as I fell about two miles short of my intended daily mileage, it as once again a step int he right direction. A few suggestions for next time (tomorrow?), when attempting a lsd, try to actually establish a s-l-o-w pace and bring along some gel or Gatorade rather than simply H2O. While there was a time in the not-too-distant-past where a sip of water every few miles was enough, but in its current state, this engine needs more fuel :)

Be here now!

The Elbow Rule & "Running" Comic Books

2011-08-18T07:07:00.001-04:00

One "rule" of the English language that I made up (but, really, it's not rocket science so maybe I'm sure someone somewhere had the same idea) is one that I refer to as "The Elbow Rule." I use The Elbow Rule to illustrate for students the importance of context to giving some words there denoted meaning, especially those terms that have multiple definitions, which are implied by their use.

The word "elbow" is one such word. For example, if you are a cook, an "elbow" can be a reference to a type of pasta noodle, while at the same time, for those studying physiology, the same term is used to denote a joint. Likewise, a plumber would see an elbow as a pipe bend... and so on. It's also important to consider the part of speech the word s being used as, as the verb "elbow" is obviously different than the noun.

Exactly what you'd expect to find in the attic office of a
42 year-old professional educator.
Now for a completely different kind of "run".... a comic book one! In comic book collecting terms, a "run" can be loosely defined as a continuous or sustained publication of a specific title. For the completist, such as myself, to acquire or collect a complete, or full, run is a pretty cool thing. It can also prove challenging (not to mention expensive!) if one is a little late to the party with a particular title and doesn't begin a collection until after it has been published for a period of time and found a degree of niche success.

In the past (pre-Internet) this could be insanely difficult. Though a little more costly, in most cases, if it can be done affordably, I still prefer to buy back issues from the local comic shop that I have been frequenting for almost 20(!) years now. Sometimes, especially with those titles published by smaller "independent" presses, it can be very tricky coming across issues that are from a small printing.

Over the past few months I have found myself completing full runs of a number of titles and, in my ongoing quest to find things to write about, I figured I would offer a glimpse into some of my recently completed runs. While some are rather short (8-10 issues), others are more extensive (70 issues).

Though the anticipation is likely killing you, you'll have to come back later to see just what titles have (at least for this month--in the world of comic books, nothing is terminal) run their course...

Run: 4.3 miles in 34:46 min. @ 5:35 a.m.

2011-08-18T06:42:00.000-04:00

Weather: Mostly Cloudy, 64°F, 83% Humidity, Wind: SW @ 7 mph; feels like 64°F.
Route: Monroe-Elmwood-Goodman Loop
Pace: 8:05 min/mile
Effort: 4 of 5
How did I feel? Good.

Having finished my third consecutive day of running for the first time in over a year, I am feeling pretty solid about where I am--though there is still room for improvement though!

Be here now!

Bookshelf:What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

2011-08-17T06:23:00.001-04:00

No matter how mundane an action may appear, keep at it long enough and it becomes contemplative, even meditative act.~Murakami

Last week as I was wandering the stacks at the local book store, I came across Haruki Murakami's slim memoir What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, a book that I had briefly borrowed from the library last summer and, at the time, had difficulty getting involved with enough to see it through the first few pages. What a difference a year makes! The book is a compilation of reflections and anecdotes, with a touch of autobiography mixed in, by life-long runner and accomplished writer Murakami. Throughout the collection, the author explores the personal significance of his two passions, writing and running, on the quality of his life as a whole.

At 180 pages, the language is accessible to the seasoned and unschooled amateur runner (and writer) alike. Murakami moves briskly through the anecdotes and advice he himself uses to both motivate and prepare himself for the 2005 New York City Marathon. While this is not Murakami's first marathon (he proudly shares his personal goal to continue doing one per year for as long as he can--a practice he has maintained for most of the last 20 years), there is a hint of melancholy as he comes to terms with the quality of his competitive performances as he faces the realities of aging.

Though I thoroughly, and expediently, enjoyed What I Talk About..., I am uncertain how much of a draw this piece would be for those for whom extreme physical challenges hold little allure. While not a "how to" book, Murakami's book is definitely a "why" one, a concise personal meditation on stoking the fires of personal passions.

Run: 5.5 miles in 45:13 min. @ 5:10 a.m.

2011-08-17T06:21:00.000-04:00

Weather: Clear, 63°F, 89% Humidity, Wind: WSW @ 4 mph; feels like 63°F.
Route: East-Clover-Highland Loop
Pace: 8:13 min/mile
Effort: 4 of 5
How did I feel? Great!

My semi-regular routine is becoming more, well, routine. Rolled out of bed, had a cup of joe, stretched, walked five minutes to warm-up and was off--all while feeling pretty gosh darn great!

Be here now!

Run: 3.8 miles in 30:08 min. @ 5:30 a.m.

2011-08-16T06:15:00.000-04:00

Weather: Mostly Cloudy, 66°F, 90% Humidity, Wind: NW @ 5 mph; feels like 66°F.
Route: Winton Loop
Pace: 7:55 min/mile
Effort: 5 of 5
How did I feel? Good.

Woke up at 3:00 a.m. with end of summer school responsibilities swimming in my head, wrote blog posts about coaching and comic books for 2+ hours before breaking away to run... lots accomplished, just nothing to do with "work"--c'est la vie!

Post-run I really thought I had really worked hard to pick up my pace, but unfortunately, the time said otherwise. On the plus side, I did put a full-effort run in so, no worries for tomorrow!

Be here now!

Scoutin' Routes: Mendon Ponds West

2011-08-16T04:19:00.000-04:00

It has been a ~~few~~ many weeks since I last took the opportunity to scout out any of the routes (the first being Basil Marella Park--our "home course")that the Girls Cross-Country team will be racing on this year, but this afternoon after summer school, I made my way to Mendon Ponds Park. Though I have run many races ranging in distances from 32 (ultra marathon) to 3.1 (5k) at Mendon, and watched my daughter, son and students run races there, too, I had not previously taken first hand walk of the course myself, until today that is. Today I walked one of two high school courses at Mendon Ponds, the Mendon West Course (click map to right to enlarge). Both the course map and verbal directions were plucked form the Monroe County Cross Country website.

The best way to use this walk through is to enlarge the verbal directions posted to the left and follow along with the pictures below. Of course, you'll have to visualize the flags and cones, but despite getting turned around at the "hills," I stayed true to the directions... if not comment below and I'll update accordingly.

Any course at hilly Mendon Ponds is apt to be more challenging than Basil and the West course certainly offers more hills and turns. It would seem to play to a variety of individual runner's strengths: something for those who excel at inclines and a very little something for downhill runners. The course also covers a range of surfaces: packed dirt, small stone, paved roads, grass, and a few tree roots thrown in for good measure. (Of course, surface quality is a huge variable in cross-country as the potential for rain or--brrrr!--snow is always present.)With designations like "Cardiac" and "Coronary" Hill (s), I was expecting something slightly more rigorous, but then again these are high school (and middle school) student-athletes and perhaps the "Directions for course set-up" (posted to the left and right) I used to guide me along the trails may have been tinged with a wee bit of sarcasm.

Above are the directions for the remainder of the course images.

If you happen to spot a miscue or misstep, please feel free to let me know! After a summer of "captain's practices," team practices officially start this coming Friday, and I am looking forward to setting off on my first season as the Varsity Girls Cross-Country coach!

Run: 4.1 miles in 31:24 min. @ 6:15 p.m.

2011-08-14T19:41:00.000-04:00

Weather: Light Rain, 66°F, 87% Humidity, Wind: ENE @ 9 mph; feels like 66°F.
Route: Culver-Park-Probert-University-Oxford-Goodman-Harvard Loop
Pace: 7:39 min/mile
Effort: 5 of 5
How did I feel? Great!

The thought this morning when I woke up early to write rather than to run was that I would take the opportunity to run later in the afternoon. This was for two reasons: first, it would increase the recovery time between my back-to-back runs (yesterday morning at 7:00 a.m.-ish and today at 6:00 p.m.-ish), and secondly, I would be able to wear the new sunglasses I purchased at Medved yesterday afternoon. I had been without a pair for a while (not that I had been training anyway) and dislike running in the sunlight except when I have some eye protection from the sun--which is not to say I haven't done so before (a lot actually), but it's just an issue of comfort.

Based on the weather right now, it would seem that I'm batting .500, which in baseball terms is off the charts great, but I definitely don't need to be concerned about the sun... it has fortunately been pouring out most of the afternoon, so I'm dodging puddles and road spray rather than sunbeams during my short run this evening.

Be here now!

Bookshelf Memories of Summers Past

2011-08-14T16:24:00.000-04:00

Sometimes books find us when we need them; I recall summers past through the books that revealed themselves to me at the time...

Last summer ended up being very much about a book I did not come across until it was almost over Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry. As it turned out, the novel traveled with my wife and I to Aspen, Colorado, and kept me company on the long drive from Aspen to Denver when our plane couldn't leave due to turbulence and we hurriedly took a cramped van five hours straight with six others to Denver only to miss our flight. The series of mishaps caused me to miss the first day of school (fortunately missing only teachers' meetings and not the first day of classes with students) for the first time in my 18 year career and my first with a new boss. In retrospect, what I learned from a Gus and Woodrow in the pages of that paperback has been infinitely more lasting (and valuable) than what I missed at that first day of meetings.

Two summers ago, when I was (once again) embarking on a journey to improve my limited (and truthfully, just plain boring) cooking skills by adding some vegetarian diets to the mix, I heard, of all celebrities, "Batgirl" (Alicia Silverstone) on NPR discussing her recently published cookbook, The Kind Life. Despite my initial inclination to adjust the radio dial and dismiss both Batgirl and the book, there was a sincerity in her voice as she spoke about her kitchen methodology and intent to promote "kind" eating that connected with me. Though my ability to cook has never really developed, I remember with fondness trying to cut vegetables this way or that, and scouring the supermarket and co-op shelves for (to me) exotic spices and ingredients, and even proudly being able to tic-off with post-it notes the recipes I did manage to edibly complete.

The summer of my divorce many moons ago from my first wife was about the original Dune series by Frank Herbert. Though I had grown up on Star Wars and Battlestar Galactica, other than reading 2010: Odyssey Two by Arthur C. Clark as a teen, I'd never been a fan of the sci-fi genre in its written form, excluding, of course, those outer-space elements present in within my literary genre of choice, the comic book. Those summer months were something of a downer, and a colleague of mine at the time brought in a box containing the entire original six novel series that she had been unable to sell back to Barnes and Noble for what she felt was a reasonable price. The second-hand book seller's loss was my gain as I spent a large portion of my down time that summer escaping to Arrakis across thousands of years with Duncan Idaho in tow, as I was reminded that "I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer... I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.".

These books and others have served as gateway selections, opening my on reading to genres and authors that I might not otherwise have taken the initiative to explore on my own. In most cases it is a matter of receiving an unexpected gift of a book that someone else had a sense would speak to you when you had no thought that it would. Or, walking into a local bookstore or library with the intent of picking up one book, and a short time later leaving with another title which seemingly fell off the shelf into your sight line, and ultimately, onto the checkout counter.

For some, like myself, bookshelves are tactile journals of our past, whose titles and words serve to remind of our past and speak to our continuing development into who it is we are...

Run: 8.1 miles in 68:25 min. @ 6:55 a.m.

2011-08-13T08:26:00.001-04:00

Weather: Mostly Cloudy, 60°F, 84% Humidity, Wind: SSW @ 5 mph; feels like 60°F.
Route: Culver-Monroe-Elmwood-East-University-Oxford-Goodman-Monroe Loop
Pace: 8:26 min/mile
Effort: 5 of 5
How did I feel? Great!

My first "long" run since last fall's Rochester Half Marathon and I felt as though I'd earned a good, positive run since starting with a walk-run-walk plan the first week of July. I feel as though I am getting my legs back under me and enjoying the practice even more this second (or third or fourth?) time around.

Be here now!

Veggie Baby Pictures!

2011-08-11T17:38:00.001-04:00

My yardwork companion, Gracie (with eggplant), ever vigilant in sneaking into both the garden and the picture.

Took advantage of a rare cool day to inspect the garden and was very pleased to see actual "fruit on the vines!" It seems as though its been a long wait this year, but things seem to be developing quickly. I further tribute to my need to accrue silly hobbies, I took it upon myself to snap some "baby pictures," (though some of them--like Mr. Green Bell Pepper--are well on their way to soon being plucked. It occurs to me that these pictures represent a perfect storm of sorts--my poor gardening and photography skills merged into a single tribute to a Forrest Gump-like ability to wander into beautiful things--enjoy!

There is something beautiful about a vegetable that grows and doesn't look like the plastic ones they sell at stores.

If we're fortunate we'll grow enough of these to last until chili season in the fall.

Cucumbers--these bad boys have already found their way into a few salads.

Run: 5.7 miles in 46:47 min. @ 5:10 am

2011-08-11T06:26:00.000-04:00

Weather: Clear, 55°F, 87% Humidity, Wind: WSW @ 3 mph; feels like 55°F.
Route: Culver-Highland-Clover-Elmwood-Monroe Loop
Pace: 8:12 min/mile
Effort: 4 of 5
How did I feel? Good.

Taking a significant jump in mileage this morning, while maintaining relatively the same pace (in the 8:20 per mile range) felt pretty great! The temperature (55°F) was perfectly conducive to gutting out a (for me at this stage of my current training) long-ish run, and one that , upon completion, actually felt very good! It's got me thinking maybe I can do a little more this weekend by selecting one of the two days as an even longer, more slowly paced run...

Run: 4.1 miles in 33:16 min. @ 5:10 am

2011-08-10T06:13:00.001-04:00

Weather: Partly Cloudy, 65°F, 95% Humidity, Wind: SW @ 6 mph; feels like 65°F.
Route: Culver-Monroe-Winton-East Loop
Pace: 8:06 min/mile
Effort: 4 of 5
How did I feel? Good.

I took an unplanned day "off" yesterday, as I was simply not "feeling it" in the morning despite the fat hat I got so far as out the door and down the block yesterday morning at 5:00 am. This morning, it wasn't motivation but desperation that eventually got me on the streets. As work gets busier (summer school is quickly drawing to a close) my ability to set aside my responsibilities in the interest of pursuing whatever it is I am running for becomes more and more difficult.

While this morning's run went well, I was once again reminded of the necessity of finding a better time (really the only free time at home I have is after 8:00 pm) to train during the school year... as I came up the drive at nearly 6:00 am I realized that on most school days I'm already well into the 15 minute drive to work each morning. By the time practices end, and I get home to have dinner, it is usually almost 6:30 pm...

An Impromptu Summer Census of Rabbits

2011-08-08T20:33:00.000-04:00

4:00 p.m. just off the sidewalk near the WHEC Channel 10 offices on Monroe Avenue.
During the course of this past summer, I have spent many an early morning and mid-afternoon walking around our city for no other reason than to be out and about. On frequent occasions during my walks I have invariably come across a small rabbit or two. Some are clearly "bunnies" being small in size and fluffier than one would imagine, while others are more "rabbitty": longer, leaner and more likely to dart into the bushes. While I'm sure there have always been rabbits scurrying about my neighborhood, it wasn't until this summer that I noticed them so frequently, and in plain view.

I was just thinking to myself yesterday, though, that it had been a few days since my last having come across one. That changed this afternoon when, while making my way up Monroe Avenue to check out "The Crater" which no lies where Midtown Plaza once was, that just outside the WHEC 10 news offices (and across the street from Spot Cafe'), I happened upon the medium-sized rabbit blurrily pictured above relaxing in the shade.

The time of day, late in the afternoon, struck me as unusual, as did the fact that he (she?) was sitting in plain view seemingly watching the street unaware of my presence, or more reasonably, just simply ignoring it. The rabbit did not start to run, or even shake, as I fumbled for the small digital camera I usually carry with me while out (for just these sort of occasions).

This is just one of dozens such pictures I've taken, many of which I haven't posted because, at some point, they all look the same. And so my impromptu photographic census of city rabbits I come across continues...

Farmers Market Morning

2011-08-07T11:33:00.001-04:00

Just as day two of the annual Park Avenue... er, excuse me, Chevrolet Park Avenue Festival is gearing up to begin in our neighborhood, my wife and I set off in the opposite direction this morning, electing to instead go to the Brighton Farmers Market held just outside our urban community at the Brighton High School.

Though we are fortunate to have a number of farmers' markets held throughout the week at conveniently located spots (churches, coffee shops, etc.), it seems that Sunday morning is one of the few days a week when we can actually get to one. Given my recent efforts to improve upon my diet, each weekend trip to the market has become one during which I pick up two staples of my work-week diet: Small World Bakery's cinnamon granola with raisins and large organic free-range eggs from a variety of different local vendors depending on the Sunday.

Occasionally, we'll also pick up herbs for the garden (basil being a common acquisition), as well as standard upstate new york fruits and vegetables, and we have yet to come home empty bagged.

Run: 4 miles in 33:12 min. @ 7:10 am

2011-08-07T08:35:00.000-04:00

Weather: Light Rain, 70°F, 93% Humidity, Wind: CALM; feels like 70°F.
Route: Westminster-Oxford-East-Winton-Highland Loop
Pace: 8:18 min/mile
Effort: 5 of 5
How did I feel? Okay.

In the interest of breaking the string of 3.1 miles in 25 minutes, I decide before leaving the house this morning to go four miles, whether it takes my 25 minutes or 65 minutes. Tomorrow (Monday) is a planned rest day, and following that, the training schedule calls for my first three day series of runs. This will put me back where I ended, as it will be the beginning of establish a Sunday-Tuesday-Wednesday-Saturday schedule of runs. The distances will, of course be much lower (I'm not seeing any 20 mile long runs on the horizon for a while), but at least clear progress will be evident...

...and it was, sort of. After 25 minutes I had travelled my (now, regrettably, standard) 3.1-ish miles, but today I continued on for an additional 8 minutes, ultimately running just a hair short of 4 miles (3.97). Following this coming week's 5 days of 25 minutes (a change to five days of training weekly rather than the four I have been engaged in for the last five weeks) I am considering returning to the FIRST 1/2 marathon plan which is predicated on 5 training days weekly of varying paces and lengths.

As always, the challenge will continue to be finding the time to train during school and as I'll be coaching girls cross-country this fall (with "official" practices scheduled to begin mid-August) it will be difficult... but I could complain about what's tough to do or I can go about finding a way to do these things if they are important to me :)

Run: 3.1 miles in 25 min. @ 7:20 am

2011-08-06T14:28:00.002-04:00

Weather: Cloudy, 70°F, 86% Humidity, Wind: CALM; feels like 70°F.
Route: To Highland and Back
Pace: 7:59 min/mile
Effort: 5 of 5
How did I feel? Alright!

Last night my family and I went to see the new Planet of the Apes movie, an occasion at which I hat (for the first time in a while) a medium popcorn, without butter, with my wife. The previous evening, for the first time in about six weeks, I had a glass of wine before ere tiring for the evening. I mention these incidentals only to suggest possible reason why, this morning, before going for a run, both of my knees were very achy for the first time in many moons.

Once again, given the twenty-five minutes expected of me in my training plan, I covered nearly the exact same distance (3.1 miles) for the third consecutive run. This morning before leaving the house I mapped out a rough course on the USATF website in an effort to insure I ran at least a slight bit further, if for no other reason, than that I needed to break that distance for psychological reasons. Unbelievably, despite this additional planning, I was still consistently consistent. Tomorrow I have the same plan, but feel that I must either a) go longer and slower of b) go at a brisker pace... for both physical and motivational reasons I do not want to remain stuck in this rut.

Run: 3.1 miles in 25 min. @ 5:10 am

2011-08-04T14:27:00.002-04:00

Weather: Partly Cloudy, 65°F, 94% Humidity, Wind: From NE @ 6 mph; feels like 65°F.
Route: To Highland and Back
Pace: 8:09 min/mile
Effort: 4 of 5
How did I feel? Alright!

Nearly the exact same distance over the course of my scheduled 25 minute run as was travelled on Tuesday. While I'm glad to have made it, the result does leave me feeling as though I have somehow underachieved. Once again, I also miscalculated my distance out, so my cool down return walk ballooned from the planned 5 minutes to a lengthy 20 minutes. It was, however, a nice damp morning during which to walk, so I didn't mind the extra thinking time the extension afforded me.

American Sentences

2011-08-03T14:26:00.001-04:00

Returning to a previously (albeit briefly) explored poetic form, the American sentence. A sort of Western haiku sentence, adhering to the seventeen syllable prescription, but relying more on a modern aesthetic. Here are two I recently crafted over the past two days:

Stalled care engine speaks in clicks: "Keep on turnin' that key, I got all day."

My dentist questions the patient next door, "Do you know who Blackbeard was?"

Run: 3.1 miles in 25 min. @ 5:20 am

2011-08-02T14:25:00.003-04:00

Weather: Partly Cloudy, 60°F, 85% Humidity, Wind: From WSW @ 5 mph; feels like 60°F.
Route: Harvard-Oxford-University-Culver-Humboldt
Pace: 8:28 min/mile
Effort: 4 of 5
How did I feel? Alright!

Started out a little slowly this morning, as my legs were feeling "tired," but the quality of my run improved as I went along. As is often the case, the pace "felt" faster than it eventually clock-in as, but the activity as a whole (including 5 minute warm-up and 15 minute cool down walks) was another positive step in the right direction.

Haiga

2011-08-01T14:25:00.001-04:00

Orange dawn sky
nurtures young vegetables
within its golden sheet.

Movie Review: Being There (1979)

2011-07-31T14:24:00.003-04:00

If having Netflix has taught me anything, it's that there really is nothing good on television. We don't have "cable," per se, though we do have the basic package of ten channels just so we can see the local news and "regular" television. Last week when I was struggling to find something worth placing in my queue for home delivery, I happened upon Being There (1979). (While I would consider myself a fan of late Sixties-Seventies American movies, sometimes my ability to recall films worth watching is lacking.)

Though I was only ten when this came out in theaters, I do vaguely remember my parents looking forward to seeing it when it eventually made its way to HBO about a year later. Peter Sellers' Inspector Clouseau movies were always playing at our home, but I had little interest in watching what appeared to be a "big peoples" movie. I am glad I came back to it now that I am a just a tad "bigger" myself.

Directed by Hal Ashy, Being There stars Peter Sellers as Chance the gardener, who mistakenly becomes re-branded during the film as Chauncey Gardiner. Seventies movie regular Jack Warden plays the current POTUS and Shirley MacLaine is the wife of the elderly millionaire (Oscar Winner for Best Supporting Actor that year, Melvyn Douglas) who unwittingly brings Chauncey to international acclaim. Both Sellers and MacLaine give haunting, yet hopeful, performances, supported by a solid cast of supporting actors all doing very good work.

Following the death of his employer, the illiterate and dim-witted Chance, whose only education and contact with the outside world for the entirety of his life has been what he has learned through incessantly watching television, finds himself with no home, job or family. Given his naivete, this situation bothers him not in the least.

Following a series of unusual circumstances, Chance, now dubbed Chauncey Gardiner, finds himself living with Ben (Douglas) and Eve (MacLaine) Rand. Because of his plain spoken approach to life (in truth it is all he is capable of ) and sweet disposition, Chance find himself acting as a confidante to the President of the United States (Warden).

This film also has two things I did not see coming: First, Shirley MacLaine is a wonderful actress capable of being fragile, sexy and sad. My only memories of MacLaine on screen are movies like Steel Magnolias and I had not expected this from her. Secondly, the last seen is one of the most thought provoking (and open to interpretation) WTF scenes I can recall.

The bottom line? If you enjoyed Forrest Gump, and enjoy solid satire, you could do MUCH worse than taking a chance on Being There.

Walk-Run-Walk: 4.7 miles @ 6:45 a.m.

2011-07-31T14:23:00.003-04:00

Plan: 5 minute walk, 25 minute jog, 5 min. walk
Actual time: 50:00 min.
Cumulative Pace: 10:38 min/mile
Run Pace: 3.2 miles in 25 min., pace of 7:54 per mile
Weather: Fair, 64°F, 85% Humidity, Winds: SW @ 6 mph; feels like 64°F.

This morning I increased the "Run" to twenty-five minutes non-stop, the first time I have run this far without stopping in a quite a while. I actually felt pretty strong, though there is clearly plenty of room for improvement. Given that the increased duration of the run, perhaps I should be labeling these workouts as simply "Run" rather than the (overly?) specific "Walk-Run-Walk"? Does putting it out there as "running" for 25 minutes sound "better" that walking and running for 50?

Walk-Run-Walk: 3.5 miles @7:00 a.m.

2011-07-30T16:50:00.000-04:00

Plan: 5 minute walk, 20 minute jog, 5 min. walk
Actual time: 34:25 min.
Cumulative Pace: 9:49 min/mile
Run Pace: 2.6 miles in 20 min, pace of 7:38 per mile
Weather: Partly Cloudy, 63°F, 91% Humidity, Winds: WNW @ 14 mph, gusting up to 28 mph; feels like 63°F.

Walk-Run-Walk (5 min.-20 min.-5 min.+): I made a conscious effort to push myself a little harder with my pace during the "run," and by trying to cover a route that included a number of elevated surfaces... not quite "hills," but a sensible move toward more challenging routes as my conditioning improves. Though my running split (2.6 miles in 20 min. resulting in a miel pace of 7:38) was nearly identical to what I ran two days ago, the rigor of the course was higher so despite the times being equal, I believe that the quality of the workout was more challenging.

Tomorrow, the duration jumps to 25 minutes, which, while I am looking forward to, am prepared for the probable "learning curve" relative to pace and focus which is likely to occur.

New Adventures in Composting, Part 1

2011-07-30T14:22:00.000-04:00

One thing I set out to accomplish this summer was to setup a second composting pit in our backyard, primarily for "wet waste," while transitioning away from our initial pit which would continue to hold overflow dry (or leaf) waste. For the past four(!) years, we have been using the pit pictured to the right, that my son and I constructed with metal posts and fencing.

Given the significant amount of leaves that find there way into our yard each fall (as seen here, it has worked well to consistently generate good compost for use in our gardens the past few years. Previously, this is also where we would deposit kitchen waste such as eggshells, fruit/vegetable skins and rinds, and compostable coffee filters, among other things. Located behind our small shed, it is tucked away behind a tree, mostly out of view... except if you live in the house backing up to the right back corner of the yard.

Thanks to fencing, tree branches and a wild vine, to this point it has not been an issue. But, last summer a young couple moved in and after removing some of the obstructive vegetation, it became semi-visible to anyone sitting in their dining room. It's not as though they came and complained (in fact, other than offering to fix the fence, they've said nothing) but my wife and I could tell that this was the case given the pit's proximity and height. This would especially be this case in winter during which time the whole area would be snow covered, except for the freshly deposited compostable materials dropped in the clean white snow every few days.

Last winter, my wife and I committed to exploring an alternate method of composting that would put the neighbors so "out." Initially, I liked the idea of the plastic tumblers that were (are?) briefly in vogue for urban composters. These, however, seemed to lack a solid construct at a sensible price. After some deliberation, my wife researched, found and bought the little beauty to the right online, a solid plastic composting bin, requiring only minimal (easy enough for me!) assembly, and best of all it has a cover and blends in nicely with our garden.

But, as with all new things, the use of the plastic cube composter raised some additional questions of it's own...

Walk-Run-Walk: 3.5 miles @7:00 a.m.

2011-07-30T14:21:00.001-04:00

Plan: 5 minute walk, 20 minute jog, 5 min. walk
Actual time: 34:25 min.
Cumulative Pace: 9:49 min/mile
Run Pace: 2.6 miles in 20 min, pace of 7:38 per mile
Weather: Partly Cloudy, 63°F, 91% Humidity, Winds: WNW @ 14 mph, gusting up to 28 mph; feels like 63°F.

Walk-Run-Walk (5 min.-20 min.-5 min.+): I made a conscious effort to push myself a little harder with my pace during the "run," and by trying to cover a route that included a number of elevated surfaces... not quite "hills," but a sensible move toward more challenging routes as my conditioning improves. Though my running split (2.6 miles in 20 min. resulting in a mile pace of 7:38) was nearly identical to what I ran two days ago, the rigor of the course was higher so despite the times being equal, I believe that the quality of the workout was more challenging.

Tomorrow, the duration jumps to 25 minutes, which, while I am looking forward to, am prepared for the probable "learning curve" relative to pace and focus which is likely to occur.

Haiga

2011-07-29T16:49:00.003-04:00

Lush clouds rain kisses down--
parched petals and leaves
drinking deeply at last!

Walk-Run-Walk: 4.4 miles @ 5:15 a.m.

2011-07-28T16:49:00.001-04:00

Plan: 5 minute walk, 20 minute jog, 5 min. walk
Actual time: 48:50 min.
Cumulative Pace: 11:05 min/mile
Run Pace: 2.6 miles in 20 min, pace of 7:38 per mile
Weather: Cloudy, 66°F, 81% Humidity, Winds: SSE @ 5 mph; feels like 66°F.

Yesterday was a scheduled rest day and though I almost went off script and went out for a run anyway, I did eventually err on the side of caution (and discipline), deciding that it was more prudent in the long run to focus my energies elsewhere and adhere to the plan as written. This seemed to have contributed to a slight improvement over the previous day's workout. This morning's cumulative "workout," a walk-run-walk, covered 4.4 miles in almost 49 minutes with a pace of 11:05 per mile. The running portion of the workout was a reasonably paced 2.6 miles in twenty minutes, a pace of 7:38 per mile.

Walk-Run-Walk: 3.3 miles @ 5:05 a.m.

2011-07-26T16:48:00.000-04:00

Plan: 5 minute walk, 20 minute jog, 5 min. walk
Actual time: 31:42 min.
Cumulative Pace: 9:36 min/mile
Run Pace: Run--2.4 miles in 20 min, pace of :08.20 per mile
Weather: Fair, 61°F, 87% Humidity, Winds: SW @ 5 mph; feels like 61°F.
Struggling with a recently developed head cold, I had hoped a day of relative inactivity would alleviate the discomfort, but that was not to be the case. Regardless, I downed a cup of joe and headed out for a walk-run-walk this morning hoping for the best. Things went well, though my "run" pace was slower than Sunday's, but as I reflect on it Sunday's pace seemed fast so the truth is likely somewhere in the middle. Despite being slightly under the weather, I felt positive about the end result.

Walk-Run-Walk: 4.1 miles @ 7:35 a.m.

2011-07-24T16:57:00.000-04:00

Great to see the veggies with real rainwater on them care of last night's rainstorm!

Plan: 5 minute walk, 20 minute jog, 5 min. walk
Actual time: 41:27 min.
Cumulative Pace: 10:06 min/mile
Weather: Cloudy, 73°F, 82% Humidity, Winds: ENE @ 12 mph; feels like 73°F.

Though I cumulatively walk-run-walked 4.1 miles in 0:41.27 (pace 10:06 min/mile), the breakdown was much more heartening: 2.9 miles "jogging" in 0:20.00 (pace 6:54 min/mile), and 1.2 miles walking in 0:21.27(pace 17:52 min/mile), half before and half following the run. The necessity of a mantra and focus is clearer than ever given that my cardio level is not where I'd like it to be yet. I felt today was another step in the right direction!