Ah Technology

Many years ago, I was phased out of a job I enjoyed because of computerization. A few years after that, I returned to school for a Master's degree and walked out of there with a job: computerizing administrative systems for the University of Colorado Boulder - a job I held for close to 30 years. Oh the irony. But being much more of a people person than a "techie", I always tried to keep the human factor top of mind and, personally, stayed rather arms length from the latest and greatest of technology's tricks and glitz. Why use a machine when you can do math in your head? Why ask Alexa to turn out the lights when the light switch is right in front of you? Why convert from a flip phone to a smart phone when you just want a phone? (I actually finally switched this past spring when all of our work went remote and folks needed me to be able to check email and get out on the web from wherever and whenever.) All that said, this past week offers up glowing examples of the benefits of technology and how it has been a savior through this pandemic.

All week: the ability to work. The joy of face-to-face interaction with our co-workers is certainly missing, but at least the work is getting done.

Pre-COVID: Some of the gang -
ready to tackle anything & everything!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Post COVID: empty office

Post COVID: our lonely sloth

Wednesday: When our kids were young, Patti and I would run together every Saturday. (On the occasion of her 50th birthday, I wrote a little story about the power of a running friendship - "You Can't Fax a Friendship" - that included the factoid that, at that point in time, we had run 4959.2 miles together. That's a lot of miles, conversation, laughter, and life!) In recent years, our runs together have dwindled due to various reasons but we've gotten together for tea a few times a year. Until this past year. To remedy this, on Wednesday we had a zoom tea. Not quite the same but, as Kendall commented afterward, there sure was a lot of laughing coming out of the computer room!

Patti and I - finishing the 1985 Honolulu marathon.
Her youngest & my eldest were not quite one year old.
We were definitely running for fun.

Thursday: Sasha's birthday! And as I was running and Kendall was doing laundry and Paul was doing whatever people who teach math do, we got pinged from Portland and we all hopped onto a birthday Google meetup with Sasha. Again, not quite the same - no birthday hugs to pass around - but oh so fun to laugh and chat and join in on Sasha's birthday celebration!

Surprising me in Petoskey
as I finished my run from Boulder

Two days old and already we were captivated by each other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday: Every Friday for the past several months, my cousin John and his wife and Kendall and I have had a cocktail hour (Michigan time) zoom call. And for a year when we can't be going out and about partying and visiting and adventuring, we sure do find a lot to talk about. John and I have been great friends our whole lives; a pandemic is not going to stop us now!

Up North, playing in the sand in 1954

John knocked on my front door early in the morning of my 60th birthday.
He had flown in from D.C. to surprise me for my 60k birthday run adventure.
The best present ever!

Up North, still playing in the sand - 2019

 

 

So, ja, technology can be way overdone but it has its place and I am oh so thankful we have a way to connect with friends and family and bring a bit of sunshine into our days.

BrrrrrUtiful!

 'Twas all of 11 degrees when I set out this morning - but I was oh so glad I was out there. It was a magical foggy frosty feast for the eyes. The beauty of it all warmed me right up from the inside out.

Frost and fog to start the run

Snow peaks through the fog

And the fog clears...

A stellar start to the day...

Switching it up a bit

Having run my repertoire of routes many hundreds of times from home - and with very few opportunities to explore new and exciting running venues over the past 10 months - conjuring up enthusiasm to run Route ABC hundreds-and-one more times has become a bit of a challenge. But today I had a radical idea! Why not take my multi-path big loop and turn it on its head and run it clockwise rather than counter clockwise?! It would be a first! 

So off I went and, instead of running South Boulder Creek - Bobolink - Centennial - Bear Creek, I ran Bear Creek - Centennial - Bobolink - South Boulder Creek. Amazing! Along the way I was treated to river cows lapping up ice water, brightly colored tree balls, elusive barn cats, and exploding creek crystals. 

Most importantly, I gained a fresh perspective in familiar environs. Highly recommended!

Four-legged running buddy

 Nine years ago today, Mister Five-Month-Old Taz went on his first "real" run with me - a whole 23 minutes' worth!

And we have had many running escapades since!

Soon showing who's boss on the run:
Faster pj! Faster!

 

Attempts at snow boot runs (failed)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mountain runs

 

Snow runs - weeeehawwww!

Lake Michigan runs: the all-time fave!

 

And he was my intrepid running buddy along many of the trails of my 50-state trail quest:

Iowa: Pioneer Trail
Covered wagons and cattle dogs!

Indiana: Erie Lackawanna Trail
& a really nifty water fountain

Illinois: Rock Island Trail

Pennsylvania: Allegheny River Trail

Ohio: Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail

South Dakota: Mickelson Trail

North Dakota: White Cloud Trail

Rhode Island:
Blackstone River Valley Trail

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Jersey: Paulinskill Valley Trail

Maine: Acadia National Park trails

New Hampshire: Ammonoosuc Rail Trail

Arizona: Tawa Trail

New York: Red Sandstone Trail

Colorado: Fraser River Trail (& state #50!)

But today, nothing too exotic - just one of Taz's favorite running venues: lots of trails, smells, off-leash time - and a Very Fine Cattle Dog.

A New Day

 Moving forward...

Sometimes the sun don't shine

I typically try to convey a very positive attitude in my blog posts. In fact, one of my guiding lights when I set out on my Big Run (the impetus for starting this blog) was the never wavering belief that I was, indeed, going to run from Boulder to Petoskey...there was no doubt. But today, positivity is in short supply.

Within one 24-hour period this past week, two friends passed away - both from cancer or complications from cancer.  Then today I learned that, after yesterday's assessment interview (and months of preparations and working through various forms of bureaucracy), my brother's request to move into assisted living at the senior apartment complex where he has been living the last several years was turned down. I firmly believe that the interview was much more a reflection of the effects of 10 months of pandemic-mandated isolation than of his capabilities. But, somehow we will need to keep moving forward.

When I finish writing this post I will go out for a run. I am so lucky to have that option and I know it and count my blessings with every footfall as my mind begins to clear and my troubles lift a bit.

In the meantime, a few photos to perhaps lighten the mood...

First, a memory from my run to Michigan. I started the run from our house then swung by my old office where, to my great delight, the gang had gathered out front cheering and waving signs and playing the CU Fight Song on kazoos. One of the friends who passed away last week (Mikey as I affectionately called him) is front and center blasting away on his kazoo.  He never failed to make me smile.

More recently, as I ran more for soul-healing this past week than for any hard-core training purposes, the environs cooperated with both calming and delightful sights.

• On one run, just a few miles (and a couple of universes) apart, two very different creatures brought a smile:

I say his patch looks like a maple leaf.
What do y'all think? (add your ideas to comments below)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

•  Geese offered up a couple of thoughts to ponder on during another run. One: how do they keep those feet warm? Two: shall I add "goose herder" to my resume?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• While running, I was reminded to always always appreciate my surroundings. Here I had a peek at a peak.

 

•  And, of course, long runs never fail to offer the best medicine for whatever ails me. This past weekend: 
• so many trails to choose from; 
• a spot of greenery in the midst of our dry January;
• cows claiming the trail - and giving me an unexpected chance at a bit of true cross-country running;
• and, to cap the run, a glorious view of the town I currently call home.