Just another Dinosaur Day at Red Butte Garden

Today Son, Friend and I went to Red Butte Garden to observe the dinosaurs, have a picnic, and run off some of their ya-yas. Mission Accomplished!
I was thinking about my recent cloud post. It's true that Nebraska has good clouds. But there were a few interesting clouds out today. Observe.
Here's a huge white one. It's peeking over the mountain. Note dinosaur head in lower right. Rrrr!

Here's a scary cloud. But basically unthreatening. Basically benign. A Utah cloud. Pretty to look at (for now. no lightening. yet.).

Gary Coleman Watch 2006

A few weeks ago, in a glucose slump, I took Son to Sonic Burger. It was a place we could agree on. I let him come up into the front seat (the car was parked; it's not like I'm Britney) to eat.
As we were eating, and I was lamenting the general lack of Ketchup (Sonic Burger is decidedly anti-Ketchup), I looked up to see a short African-American man driving a blue VW Bug through the drive-through. My first thought was, "That guy's not old enough to drive!" My second thought was "That's Gary Coleman!" He had pulled his car forward in the drive-through and was having an animated conversation with the teenage boy who had brought him his food. The boy walked away. The young blonde sitting next to Gary rubbed the back of his neck while he gestured wildly and generally gave off an angry vibe. It was busy at Sonic Burger, so Gary was forced to sit in his car with the blonde rubbing his neck, while the two teenage boys who seemed to be running the joint dashed about attending to the other customers. Five or ten minutes later, the teenage boy returned to Gary's window holding what can only be described as an astounding amount of ketchup packets in one hand. He shoved these through Gary's window. Gary gesticulated and shouted. The teenage boy walked away. Gary pulled forward to the garbage can and inserted an unidentifiable object into it. He drove away.
I was about 75% sure it was Gary Coleman until I told Otter Butt this story. She said she recently heard that he had moved to Provo. So now I'm about 95% sure.
Welcome to the Promised Land, Gary!

Running: Why?

The other night while talking with my Younger Sister, I was trying to explain the mysterious allure of running. "I hate running!" she said. "I used to hate it," I answered. "And now I don't love it, I'm not even sure I like it, but I don't dislike it."
What is this dysfunctional and yet healthy relationship I have with running? Why can't I love it?
I'm not quite sure, but while I was running on Wednesday, I did think of some reasons why I run. I do it, but I don't always enjoy it. Do you see my dilemma? Not all of the reasons are directly related to running, by the way.

1. Because of the anxious, nervy, (pre-drug?) rush I get while lacing up my shoes.
2. Because I can buy any song (any!) on I-Tunes, load it on my I-Pod and be listening to it, while I run, just moments later.
3. Because making Running Playlists makes running that much more fun.
4. Because of the 1-2-3 punch of my three new songs! ("My Whole Life" Bif Naked;"Soul Meets Body" Death Cab for Cutie; "Pretty Vegas" the new INXS. In that order).
5. Because "Que Ondo Guero" is fun to run to. (Thanks to Sleepy E for Beck! I love Beck!)
6. Because running gives me another excuse to buy stuff (new mesh hat: $16; three pair of cushy, cool-max running socks: $23; having new running gear: Priceless).
7. Because when I finally reach the dark strip of shade on the North side of Liberty Park, I feel an almost pure sense of gratitude.
8. Because of the smell of lilacs on McClelland.
9. Because my resting heart rate is 66.
10. Because, having run, I feel I can do and eat almost anything without guilt.
11. Because.

Nebraska: A Photo Essay

Here is what is Nebraska has over Utah: clouds. And weather. Weather is a big deal in Nebraska. Here are some photo examples of the lovely clouds spotted during my recent trip to Nebraska. Glad to be back.





 

My (so-called) Fantasy Life

I turned my grades in! I finished a textbook review! I wrote comments on my students' portfolios! I took the glass recycling to the glass recycling place! I remembered to put out the garbage last night!

I am just proving to myself that I can, in fact, manage without Middlebrow.
He called and emailed, by the way, to let me know he is still alive (wheew!) and that Moscow was crazy and that he was tired and he misses us. And by us, I'm sure he means all of you, out there, in the blogging universe.

In other news, I'm kicking some Fantasy Idol ass. I've picked all the losers for the last four weeks. If only my real life were as easy as Fantasy Idol. But there's still no way I'm going to win that trip to LA. Which is too bad, because I'm sure Chris would like to meet me.

Son and I are off to Nebraska to visit his friend (same age) and my friend, who just had twins. I plan on holding the twins, and doing nothing for a week. Sounds like the perfect way to cap off the semester.