70

I've walked every day for the last seventy days, regardless of weather or what city I'm in. Today, I'm in the Portland area where it's raining. I've brought my rain/cold weather walking clothes, the sum of which is more than the rest of the clothes I packed for a single overnight. It includes spandex pants (to wear under jeans), a light-weight sweat-wicking high-tech undershirt, a ditto (see preceding description) jacket, a hooded rain coat, waterproof pants (for over my jeans), gloves, and my Jack Daniels Field Tester baseball cap. This is serious business.

Alas, however, I forgot my shoes. I did not travel barefoot but wore only my shoes for ordinary walking. I left behind the shoes for purposeful walking, or walking for a purpose. Not on purpose, mind you, I just forgot them.

And so, I did not walk to the local mall in the rain to get my after-walk treat of a scoop of ice cream. Too bad, too, as I had already decided I would have Jamoca, an exotic departure from my usual order. Sigh. Instead, I was forced (for the sake of my suede non-walking shoes and the feet inside them) to use the elliptical trainer in the hotel's workout room. Pedestrian, non-walking.

It was much harder than simple walking. And since it wasn't walking, my non-walking shoes and their occupants fared just fine. And now, back in my room, I'm considering standing out on the balcony in my rain gear just to justify having brought it. Maybe I can order ice cream from room service since, after all, I probably expended more calories not walking than if I had.

Non-walking counts as walking today, since I'm making up the rules, making today Day 71.

Impostor

Watch Me

The best people-watching in the world has to be at any American Mall. Frankly, it reinforces the notion that anyone can find true love. Maybe not at the mall but look around and what do you see? Sometimes, that which is most unattractive about us - overweight, sloppy, and spending money we don't have. And yet, these same people are walking hand in hand with someone. If you felt lonely on Valentines Day, know that you are not alone and take a trip to the mall. There, you will find hope for love although I doubt love, itself.

I walked at the mall this morning to avoid the snow. I'm outside Portland and had packed rain gear but no boots. As I looked outside my hotel window at the giant white flakes, Accuweather was reporting rain. Maybe they should drop the first two syllables from their name as I perceive that as false advertising. I think everyone is already comfortable with the idea that Weather is never more than a guess anyway and it's far more accurate to just look out the window.

The Vancouver Mall has everything. It has the usual anchor stores: Macy's, Nordstrom, Sears, JC Penny. It also has a tattoo parlor, a boxing club, and a place where you can get a contractors license. It has a number of coffee shops (where I am enjoying my post-walk latte) and an ice cream shop (where I had a scoop of chocolate chip mint after yesterday's walk). Here you can find skinny jeans for plus-sized women (I'm not really sure how that would work) and information on an upcoming Ultra Short Film Festival. (Perhaps the festival in its entirety lasts five minutes.) It's interesting to note that a scoop of ice cream is two dollars less than a cup of coffee anymore. I'm thinking my daily cup could be replaced by a daily scoop.

I see mall workers preparing to open their shops. One worker was camped in the doorway of a shop waiting to be let in like a high-end homeless person. Of course, there are people here who appear to be truly homeless, taking aadvantage of a warm, inviting place. There are people here who are physically and mentally handicapped in addition to the economically challenged. One young man, dressed entirely in black, sat alone on a bench holding a single long-stemmed rose, two days after Valentines Day. Maybe he was waiting for his one true love. Here, at an American Mall.

We No Speak Americano

50 Days and Counting

An update is here.

Duck, Duck, Goose

Going and Gone

Good News

Today is National Pie Day (which of course is not to be confused with pi day). Too bad I didn't know that before I baked a pan of brownies. Turns out I have a couple of crusts in the freezer. (I never make it from scratch.) I also have pecans and Karo syrup.

I'm thinking the brownies will freeze well.

Catching Up

It's been a busy week between grandparenting and, you know my real job. Today I'm hanging out at the mall and avoiding the rain. Today also marks the 32nd consecutive day of walking. For the most part I've been able to do my walking outside which is how I prefer to do it even if it is raining. I took advantage of a ride going my way and ended up at the mall with all the senior citizens who walk the circuit before the shops open. I walked forty minutes while listening to most of a podcast regarding tax law changes.

It's not as dull as it sounds. I got a call from my brother who arrived in WA this morning. I am at this moment about an hour and a half from where he is. Cool.

I am taking a post walk coffee and muffin break contemplating when I'll get to see him while posting this entry and managing my various electronics. For power management purposes I listened to the tax podcast and am posting from the iPod rather than the phone since. I dont have access to my charger. The phone is on standby ready to receive texts, email and, of course, phone calls. Very geeky.

I have my rain gear in my backpack so after a quick check at Macy's for any sales that are too good to reasonably ignore, I'll don my gear and head back home on foot.

The only other news to report is that two spaces are not required after a period and that "rule" is, in fact, wrong. This information rocked my world so I checked three reliable sources (including the Chicago Manual of Style) to verify this is true. It is true but I can't help it. This will be a difficult habit to break. And I can starts sentences with "and" and end them with "with." To what is this world coming?

Librarian of the Year

Entertainment | Seattle's Nancy Pearl named 'Librarian of the Year' | Seattle Times Newspaper

Her blog is here.

Her action figure doll is here. Really.

Crushed

Taken with my phone, edited with picnik in Picasa.

Electronic Nightmare

It's not like when I was a kid: Rip open the package, start playing. Now my toys come with manuals and online user guides. For crying out loud, my freakin' shoes came with a DVD. wuwt?

Good news: I've upgraded my camera. Twice. I got a new phone and a new camera. The phone is an HTC EVO that has, among other things, an 8mp camera. For those of you who have been viewing my photos, I want to point out that's 2.5 times more than my old camera. On my phone. I think this bears repeating because it blows my mind. My phone takes better pictures than my camera. (Okay, maybe not literally but you get the idea. Get this, information for my old camera can be found on the Olympus website under archived products.)

The new camera is a Nikon Coolpix S8100 (in red, to boot). This camera captures images at a whopping 12.1 mp. That's almost four times as many megapixels as what I've been getting. I know, I know. It's not all about the megapixels. But it's a ginormous step in the right direction.

I've already posted a couple of photos from the phone and I had intended to post some from the new camera from my walk this morning but I was forced into formatting the memory card after I had taken a few photos so they got wiped out. Too bad because it was such a beautiful day today and I got some nice shots.

Bad news: I spent half the day fiddling with all these gadgets. Syncing, downloading, uploading, ripping, charging, troubleshooting, and a reboot in a pear tree. There are wires everywhere as each devise claims an outlet or a USB port. To make matters worse, my Olympus and my iPod Touch are throwing such tizzy fits that I don't know if I should give them more attention or a Time Out.

Meanwhile, there's still laundry and whatnot, and I have to go back to work after two long holiday weekends. And if that wasn't enough, I think I'm out of cookies.

Mrs. Stroller?

My last name gets misspelled and mispronounced all the time but this is the first time I've seen this.

Frozen Ice Drops On Boat Cover*

Went to the marina today to check on the boat. Although temperatures are below freezing, there is no wind and plenty of sunshine. I contemplated taking the boat out for a New Year's Eve cruise and wanted to make sure she was ready. However, when I advised the Captain of the Double Jack, he said Are you crazy?

I made sure the electricity was on and the lines were okay. (The level of the lake changes. It's two feet lower in the Winter and ours is not a floating dock.)

While I was verifying the information on the change in water level, I came across this site about submerged wreckage in Lake Washington. Pretty cool stuff and some interesting pictures, mostly of submerged aircraft.

*Not our boat cover, btw.

Seattle's zoo loses a sloth bear to liver cancer

Local News | Seattle's zoo loses a sloth bear to liver cancer | Seattle Times Newspaper

The bear died during a health examination to evaluate symptoms of lethargy... . "When keepers noticed a sudden, drastic decrease in the bear's activity, we immediately scheduled a health examination... ."

What constitutes a drastic decrease in activity in a sloth?

Coulda been the booze.

NYE

I went for the most beautiful walk this morning (and washed it down with two leftover cookies afterward, the last of which shall not remain uneaten if I have anything to say about it). My weather widget advised it was an atypical 21 degrees but with the proper clothing and a mindset that oxygen isn't strictly necessary, I ventured out.

Absolutely worth it.

Brrr

From Drop Box

A little chilly on my walk this morning. Taken with my phone's camera (HTC EVO).

Notice

Due to technical difficulties I will not be working today. I've tried signing in. Really, I have. But I keep getting kicked out or blocked from signing in and so now I'm giving up.

Blogger and Facebook are working fine.

Clairvoyant Dream

The other night I had a dream that my stepson showed up at my house at 7:49 am - 41 minutes before I was expecting him.

The next morning, he showed up at 7:48 am. That really happened.

Next, I'll try dreaming about winning the lottery.

Important Distinctions

From Ron's Log in Desert Hot Springs.