I just started Eckhart Tolle's book, The Power of Now. Here is an excerpt which I found clear, concise and also exceedingly useful:

"Sustained conscious attention severs the link between the pain-body and your thought processes and brings about the process of transmutation. It is as if the pain becomes fuel for the flame of your consciousness, which then burns more brightly as a result. This is the esoteric meaning of the ancient art of alchemy: the transmutation of base metal into gold, of suffering into consciousness. The split within is healed, and you become whole again. Your responsibility then is not to create further pain.

Let me summarize the process. Focus attention on the feeling inside you. Know that it is the pain-body. Accept that it is there. Don't think about it-don't let the feeling turn into thinking. Don't judge or analyze. Don't make an identity for yourself out of it. Stay present, and continue to be the observer of what is happening inside you. Become aware not only of the emotional pain but also of the 'the one who observes,'the silent watcher. This is the power of the Now, the power of your own conscious presence. Then see what happens."

-Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now, 1999, pp.40-41

I don't want my facebook account to win out over this site. I need to spend some time re-doing the template. It'll be a learning curve.

I'm still pretty sore from the marathon. I don't think I have any real damage though. I was explaining to one of my residents yesterday that the race for me really begins at the two hour to two and a half hour point. That is when I hit the sixteen to twenty mile mark, roughly, and when I find out whether I can keep that pace. For the second year in a row I have run through that critical juncture on this course. These two races have been my only "good" races. I didn't bonk. Old hands say that a marathon is really two races; the first being the front twenty and the second being the last six-point-two. The whole process is akin to a sort of alchemy. To decide upon such an endevour, then to stick to the training to the point where such a run can be accomplished will change that person. It can even have a ripple effect upon people him or her.

Joe was sort of surprised and pleased that I stuck with the steelheading two years ago even when after two months I had still not caught one of those elusive fish. I replied that "I train for marathons, how useless is that?". Going out to the river at least once a week is not a problem. To marathon-train takes the long view. Now only to translate that thinking to other parts of my life. I have done that sort of thing with my job change. As an aside, I might need to get another supplementary job because I am in money trouble again. I had not wanted to make that move because I was highly unmotivated. The change has helped my spirits. Now, y'all take care.

Here is a fish I got yesterday before work:

I was supposed to have today off, but I was asked whether I would like two more shifts of training, so I agreed. And that is two more shifts in one day. I'll be there from 6:30am to 10:30pm today. I hope it all starts to come more easily. I worked an evening shift on Sunday and that shift went much better. I assume that it will come more easily with practice and experience. That is what I was told. Wish me well.

I got a fish yesterday :)

There, I'm registered for the Seattle Marathon on the Sunday after Thanksgiving.

I now have a Facebook page.

What Doesn't Kill The Far-Right Only Makes Them Crazier. In this article Bob Cesca writes about their intellectual violence. The Votemaster over at Electoral-vote.com has a good run-down of some of the recounts and the future of the Republican Party.

This is my final day of work. More buckets of wet leaves.

Last night, in President elect Barak Obama's victory speech:

"And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world — our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand."

I cannot express how important this is.

The universe is once again telling me something. In one day I have been woken out of a dead sleep, had blood dripped on my stuff in my part of the the fridge and I found out I was missing some things out of there. She must have tossed them when she cleaned out some her old shit. This sort of thing happens to get my attention. It is time to leave. New job, new living space and maybe I'll find that euphamistic running partner I've been lacking.

Speaking of running, I again ran around Lake Sammamish. Part of it was in a very heavy downpour. It was raining cats and dogs. I took five minutes off my time from last Sunday. Woo hoo. I might be securely ready for the marathon at the end of the month. Here's to hoping.

Today's horoscope:

"Take a break from the trail you're on and get off the beaten path, dear Sagittarius. Today is a day to forge ahead with ideas and dreams rather than commitments and answers. Question things and debate the facts. Whatever you do, have fun. This is the perfect day to go out and have fun. All group activities are strongly favored. You can't go wrong with joining up with friends and chatting away about the latest events of your life."

Ok, will do. Gonna run at the Redmond Watershed very soon. I picked up a new rod yesterday and I'll try it out after that. What could be better?

Well, I've gotten another job. I start in a few weeks. I'm going to go over there today to fill out some papers. A large group of my runner friends are now doing the Best of Seattle Tour 18 miler. I'm missing out so after my appointment in Bellevue I'll run around Lake Sammamish alone. I'll bring gatorade and Gu.

The new job is in eldercare. I'll be working at an assisted living community in Bellevue. I've had it with my other job. I've been long due for a change.

It is a really nice day today.

We are off to Victoria today. A bunch of us are running the Royal Victoria Marathon tomorrow. We'll catch the clipper and enjoy the cruise there. Wish me well. Oh, finally caught a chum yesterday.

It is hard to get started writing in here again. I did some running this weekend. Saturday I ran on Cougar Mt. with the club. I did about 12 miles I think. Today I was to meet a few people in Redmond and ended up running around Lake Sammamish with Richard. His fancy watch said we did 22 miles. I think that is enough until Tuesday or so. I need to get my hair cut tomorrow. Abby called me to say she ran a five miler in Greenfield on Saturday. Good job abigail!

Poor fishing lately. I went down to the Green today and I was on the Skykomish on Friday and Saturday. This rain we are having right now will help. Peace.

I can use today's horoscope as a reminder for myself in the future. It reads:

Sagittarius
November 22 - December 20
It isn't always easy to think about how your life is going, dear Sagittarius. Imagine if you were alone in the world, with nothing to hold you back or force you to do one thing or another. At least once a month, consecrate an hour to "visualizing" what your life would be like under these conditions. This will help you figure out what is impeding you today.

I just put the archive link back in the left-hand sidebar. It hasn't been there for a long while. I plan to write more in here, which would amount to writing at all. I'll have to keep my attention on the above horoscope.

I came home as a surprise Wednesday/Thursday. I timed it so I could run in the Old Home Days Mug Race. I didn't do as well as I had hoped. I don't know whether that was due to the margaritas and beer the night before, the jet lag or the relative humidity I am no longer accustomed to. After the race there was the parade. Here are two pictures I tweaked to look like old post cards.

I just took this with my camera phone. I didn't run today but I volunteered at the Seafair Marathon this morning. No fishing either. The rivers are either up from the snow melt (it was near 90 today), or they were full of swimmers and rock throwers. Short work days this next week. Ciao.

Hey, I finally got another one. I understand that fish pictures can get tiresome, but this one was big and it is the first of the season. I got it on my own sherbet jig tipped with shrimp. I'll be able to eat well for more than a week.




This steelhead measured 33 1/2 by 15 1/2 inches. We think it is a really early summer (spring run?) It fought like hell too. Woo hoo.

<* ))))) ><~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Another race tomorrow. This one is the Capital City Marathon. As always I hope that I am ready for it. I ran Sunflower two weeks ago and what encourages me is that I didn't run my tank dry, I finished strong and I wasn't hurting afterward. Two weeks is a relatively short time in between two races like this though. I'll need to leave very early in the morning. I'll get to stop in at Cabela's on the way back.

I ran really well. I came in 22nd overall in the Iron category with a time of 3:06.32. the course is beautiful and the weather was perfect. It has been a cold spring, so the flowers are not out in any numbers yet.

Hi. I'm up in Winthrop, WA for the Sunflower Relay and Iron Event with a few friends from Eastside Runners. Many others will be running in either Eugene this weekend or in Vancouver. This may not make much sense to those of you who don't run, but running these can be addictive. I'll be running in the 21.7 mile Iron category. I was reading through the Sunflower Relay and Iron Runner Briefing and these entries caught my attention:

• The Sunflower course travels over varied terrain, including trails, unpaved roads, bridges, fields and grazing lands. You will also cross small streams, wet terrain and fences. Please pay attention of your footing.

• Portions of the course travel through private property and are accessible to the public only during the Sunflower. When you come upon a closed fence, either step through or open and close the fence after you pass. Respecting these rules will ensure many future Sunflower races—thanks!

• You may encounter grazing animals and other wildlife—don’t be alarmed and keep on running.

• You will be traveling through tick country. Check yourself and your clothing after the race.

This sounds like it'll be fun. Winthrop has public wifi. Woo hoo.