Should Be My Last Post In May...

Well slap my behind and call me Smurfette -- it's June.

It doesn't seem real. I mean... it's June? Already? Wasn't it just 20 below with snow, snow, snow everywhere and darkness not only on the edge of town but in town, around town... and everywhere for like 20 hours a day?

Talk about turning a corner and having the event beat you over the head with a watermelon. June? Man...

It might be June but I got one last run in in May so that's, in the immortal words of Peter Griffin -- Freakin' Sweet.

Work sucked my ass, nope, not just my butt, my ass. It's so lovely, just lovely indeed, when my 12 hour shift is about to come to end at 9 p.m. ... and a call comes in for a multi-vehicle accident out on the Richardson [Highway] down near North Pole. Seriously? An extra hour at work? Fine. There's really no space to truly complain at the time and complaining now is pointless... besides, it's my job, it's what I get paid to do, it's not something to take nonchalantly, ever.

Finally that mess was cleaned up and my ambulance could return from the hospital to be readied for an overnight crew. Just about a 13 hour work day -- done.

That made me more anxious than ever to get my running shoes on to RUN, FORREST, RUN. Soon as I pulled into my driveway I could see my dogger sleepin behind the fence and one of his usual routines was put into action: get up, come inside through his dog door, see me who'd just walked in the front door, and be let outside to the Front Land, a place he didn't go that that often anymore. New territory, New smells, No fenced in border restricting him. He doesn't wander far but for some reason, the front is like birthday cake on Christmas (and not making one on Christmas night for a birthday the next day... I mean eating it down, shoving it in your face, Glory Hallelujah, IT'S CAKE!!!! And what could be better than birthday cake on Christmas?!)

So Cassidy the Wonder Samoyed roamed around for a few while I got ready for my run. When he had had enough, inside I let him and we exchanged hellos and how ya doin's. A few cookies (biscuits) later and he was happily satisfied for awhile.

Out the door I was, to the end of the road and onto the trail, time to run, time for exercise. At about 10:30 on a Saturday Night? It's light out now 24 hours a day -- sure, 10:30, 2 in the morning, what's the diff?

Good run and then often I get back, shower, sit, check email, type, post it up... tonight, well, last night, it was shower, sleep, Goodnight Irene.

Holy moly, I was wiped out. I guess it was just a nap, though -- about 3 hours before waking up just before 2 this morning. Now I'm awake and ready to go!

About 54° it was, at 10:30-11pm

Saturday Night After Work Run: 21 min 10 sec

+9 sec

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Run Time May: 4 hours 46 minutes April: 3 hours 51 minutes <-failed to pass March March: 3 hours 57 minutes

Looooonnnnng day at work and judging from how I crashed real hard right after my shower, I was just dead. But I was determined to run and I got it done -- one more run in June accomplished. After I hit the 4-hour mark for the month, I kind of slacked. I could've stopped altogether but I got back out there, just not every other day like I had been doing most of the month. But in the last 2 hours of May, I got 21 more minutes in. Good deal.

Twasn't an easy run, though. I started out just fine, felt good through the first half or so. After that I wanted to quit. I wasn't going to unless I truly felt a physical need to but that rarely arises. Mosty it's mental. Running SUCKS but the effects make it worth it. Just kept checking, as always, how everything was functioning. Had enough energy to not fall on my face? Check. Pains in knees? Negative. Cardiovascular system working sufficiently? Check. Over and over, plus the mind battling the thoughts of Quit, It Doesn't Matter. Quit, Enjoy Donuts More. Quit, Running Is Stupid. Quit and Procrastinate and Run Later, Tomorrow, Next Week.

No, biotche! Run Now! I hate the word hate but I hate having to battle the thoughts of Quit. They occur sometimes. Tonight big time. Oh well. I beat 'em, I made it, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna be okay to run again in a couple days from now. Hell, I could probably run the night after, probably right now a few hours later... but a good day or two of rest is ALWAYS welcomed. Three days... four days... bad. Can really start to build, oh so easily it can build into a days and days and even a week and that is no good! That's taking steps backwards. Only wanna move forward!

Running tunes came from the album of the day...
	Lucinda Williams West 2007
Are You Alright? Mama You Sweet Learning How To Live Fancy Funeral Unsuffer Me Everything Has Changed Come On Where Is My Love? Rescue What If Wrap My Head Around That Words West

This was my first time ever hearing Lucinda Williams. Never even a single song before. From Lake Charles, Louisiana by way of Fayetteville, Arkansas, is she country? Not entirely. In fact in some ways not at all.

Americana, Contemporary Folk,
Alternative Country-Rock, Alternative-Folk ... says Allmusic. Okay. That's cool, I can dig that stuff just fine, in fact, so often I'd rather listen to artists in those categories than those that make mainstream radio. She's still got some twang in her voice and I bet had she had it on her mind, she could have gone to Nashville. Fortunately she did not. But unfortunately (I think) she did eventually go to Los Angeles. Oi. I like LaLaLand just fine... but as an artist I wouldn't go there. Anyway, that's just me. I'm not a singer, songwriter, musician. HA! Far from it. I used to be a filmmaker but decided that's not a lifestyle I want.... wow, any-frickin'-way...

Not that I really care what "professional" music reviewers have to say about about music but someone in Vanity Fair said of this album, Lucinda's first in 4 years:

Lucinda Williams has made the record of a lifetime – part Hank Williams, part Bob Dylan, part Keith Richards circa Exile on Main St. ...

Okay. And here's Lucinda herself says about this album:

The songs deal with a chapter in my life and they definitely tell a story. It's probably been the most prolific time in my life as a writer. I'd been through so many changes—my mother's death and a very tumultuous relationship that ended badly—so obviously there's a lot of pain and struggling, but it ends with a look towards the future.

I wouldn't say the material here is powerful, at least not to me. Maybe to some people. What it is is beautiful. Her voice is phenomenal and her songs have a very reflective feel to them. The words don't necessarily move me but the music does. Nothing here rocks, it's all rather mellow so it's not gonna make you get up and dance or motivate you to move around and clean your house. Still, a tremendous album!

find a dload @ DeaconBlues1103CW

Video Time
"Come On" live at KB, Malmö, Sweden