Random Thoughts

I love maps. So, the other day when I found out that Google has a nifty satellite component to their maps, I was in heaven (maps.google.com, click on satellite). Nothing quite like finding your house, your high school and major landmarks on a satellite image. Some areas are more granular than others.

After reading way too many Dan Brown books, I've finally moved on to new authors. I just finished a Scott Turow book from our library's browsing collection and am now plowing through John Kennedy Toole's A Confederacy of Dunces. I've heard Toole's work was a worthwhile humorous read. I must admit I was a bit "weirded out" by Ignatius Reilly's "sexual" fantasy in the first chapter. Since then, the book has been more tame.

Running life has been just going along, not necessarily dominating life quite like when I was in the midst of marathon training (although my husband might argue with that). Of course I'm already thinking beyond the fall marathon to next spring when I might just try New Orleans as a follow up race. I've signed up for our local track club's volunteer coaching program to try to get some help with improving my speed so that I can reach my goal in Chickamauga. I just received my initial correspondence from him. I'm not too optimistic about it though. While I'm using a volunteer, I've also started volunteering to assist with folks "in training" for the big local 10K coming up in July. The group met on Saturday morning for a run. Most of the folks "in training" were jog/walk people, who did more walking than jogging. My hope was to be able to run with folks and help them along. I jogged with one woman for about a mile before she had to stop to walk. The up side was getting to meet some other runners who were volunteering. I had a nice jog back to the starting point with another volunteer.

I got my hair cut. This exercise has turned into an annual affair. Now I must wait the requisite month before my hair goes back into a permanent bun for the next year (it's too short now to put into a pony tail). Or maybe at some point I'll finally go to someone other than Crappy Clips and get a real haircut. I'm just way too stubborn and cheap. I succumbed to the haircut after a futile couple of hours wandering around in search of pants that fit. I still can't figure out where the big-waisted small hipped women are. I could fit an extra several inches of me in the waist while the rest of the pants seem to fit. But, I don't plan to spot gain just so I can find pants. Maybe moo moos are in order now....