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                                                       Pat Irish in Portland, Maine 2011

Late November

This time of the year is just the beginning of the Winter Season. It has been cold there was even a coating of snow the other day. Now I get ready for the Holiday Season. This will be a busy one.

Things

Just trying to get things organized. Tie up the loose ends and straighten things out. The usual things really.

Gray Tuesday

It is cold outside and it is suppose to snow today. The weather forecast calls for a couple of inches. Not sure if I'll run this morning. I feel tired and I'll work tonight. No sun for the sunrise.

10 Weeks

That's how it will be for me to wait for my trip to The Netherlands. I'll have to brush up on my Dutch. I know phrases and can understand it a bit. I couldn't do any of that the last time I was there. That was 11 years ago. I do want to try and converse in the language. It's amazing to speak in a dialogue that is foreign to me but others understand. All part of an education in life.

Sunday

Done with work today and I'm off tomorrow. Seen a bunch of family & friends during the long Thanksgiving Weekend. I'm really lucky that way. It felt like a holiday.

Real Friends

Just woke up and I'm hoping to get a run this morning. All I need now is some motivation. I'm planning on getting together with a couple of friends of mine who I've know since I was a kid. You know you have real friends when many years go by and you're still in contact with the same people. That's true integrity and it is the measure I use to judge others. They set the standard and others have to follow. I'm fortunate to have them in my life.

Just Missed Out

Now that is just after midnight, I just missed out on leaving a blog entry for Friday. Oh well, all I did was run 7 miles and worked 9 hours. My usual day. Goodnight.

Thanksgiving

When I woke up this morning I forgot it was Thanksgiving. I work today unlike most of the people in the United States. After I'm done I'll get together tonight with my family for food & conversation. That's what I'm thankful for.

Amsterdam

I'm taking a trip to Amsterdam, NL in February. I love that city! It's been quite some time since I've been there. The van Gogh Museum is open and if Ajax is playing football at home during the time I'm there, then I might see a game. I got a good deal on airfare & hotel so I couldn't pass it up. I need to do some traveling.

Black Tuesday

If it's Thanksgiving Week then I know I'm busy. I'll be working right up through the weekend. I'm in the 24/7 business so there are no days off. Especially if it's a holiday.

Find It

I"m looking for my motivation to go and run today. It is cold outside and I just want to stay warm. I'll head out at some point though. Would like to get some creative things done. I like playing my new bass and might plug it in hear how it sounds through my amp. Drawing is also on the agenda. Colors & shapes are the order of the day.

At The Hotel

I worked at the hotel today and it was the first time in many weeks where it wasn't so busy. The Hurricane had a lot to do with things being crazy there. This is a holiday week coming up and we're not sold out almost every night. I didn't mind the break at all.

Going To Try

If I get out there and run 9 miles this morning, then that will make it 30 miles of running this week. It would also be the 4th day in a row that I've gone out and run. I just wok up and finished breakfast so I still feel really tired. The morning is cold & sunny.

The Cold

I can feel how cold it is outside just by the bedroom I'm sleeping in. It looks dry & sunny today so I hope to get a run in. I'll be working later today. Busy is on the schedule.

New Bass

I went out and bought a bass guitar today. It's a Peavey International Series Milestone IV and it's one of the least expensive bass guitars out there. It's used and I bought it for $100. My Fender Jazz will still be my primary gig bass, but this one will be a good practice bass. If I go out to the Open Mic in the future, it would be fun to play the Peavey out live. I'm glad I got it.

The Bottom Line

I get paid on Thursdays and since I look at myself like a company, this is a good day for the bottom line. Bills have to be paid and other things are spent. That's how it is with our economic system.

Made The Run

For the first time in almost a week, I went out and ran today. It felt good to do so. The head cold dominated me so much. I just had to give my body a break and get healthier. I did 7 miles and not at too slow of a pace given it's been several days. I'll try and get out there tomorrow.

Awake

Just woke up  and had some breakfast. I feel like I'm almost over this head cold. The sun is out and the skies are blue. Chances are good that I'll put my running shoes on get some miles under my feet.

New Day

I'm going to bed. Goodnight.

2013

There are going to be big changes for me next year. I don't have to be a soothsayer to predict that. The chances are really good that I will be living in a different location. That just has to happen. This will mean I'll we working at a different place. These are events that I can control. Other things will happen that will be out of my control. Just have to keep moving on.

Tired

Slept in after working last night. Getting up at 7:30 AM is late for me. I'm still fighting the effects of this head cold. My throat hasn't been sore but my nose is still stuffy or runny. Now my lips are all chapped up. I think this bug is moving out of my system.

Work

I'll be going to the hotel this afternoon. Even with my cold, I'm able to get through the day. Not so sure when I'll get out there and do a training run. This head cold really shuts me down. I need to rest when I can. It's off to work I go.

What A Mess

Since I have a migraine headache from last night, this cold I have is just wiping me out. I'm sure it isn't the flu because I don't have body aches. It's all in my head. A couple of years ago I did get a flu shot and had a bad allergic reaction to it, so I go shot free. No matter what, it wouldn't have stopped this head cold from happening. The throat isn't as sore as a couple of days ago. My nose is either stuffy or runny. Where is the guillotine of head cold relief?

Stuffy

My nose is stuffy now. This is what happens to me when I get sick. It's all I can think about. I did work today and had enough energy to get through the shift. I was busy too. I'm not sneezing like yesterday and my throat isn't as sore. I'm just all stuffed up right now. It really cut into my exercising.

Really Sick

This is a really bad head cold I have. My nose is either stuffy or runny and my throat is dry or sore. The rest of my body feels O.K. but since I've been bedridden it just zaps the energy right out of me. I seem to get this common cold every year around this time and it takes about a week to get rid of. I know when I'm sick.

No Training Run

The only thing running today is my nose.

Head Cold

With a sore throat and a stuffy nose, I feel lousy. This head cold has the best of me. Last night's sleep was difficult. My throat was so painful it was difficult to swallow. As of right now, it's my nose that's stuffed up. So much for a run this morning.

Blue Sky World

After a couple weeks of dreary weather, the sun is out and the skies are blue. I will go out and run this morning even though I feel a cold coming on. My nose is stuffed and my throat is sore. If I felt too sick I wouldn't do it. But I haven't run the past couple of days and I do fee healthy enough to go out there. The question is whether I'll go out there tomorrow and run. I'll worry about that in 24 hours.

That Time Of Night

Just finished work and if I'm typing something on my blog then that means it won't be long before I'm in bed. Have a good night.

Hotel

Going into work at the hotel this afternoon. Haven't been there for a couple of days. I expect refugees from the storm will still be there. The snow from yesterday causes real problems for those without power. They might have been able to stay warm but this adds to the brutality. It's been 10 days since Hurricane Sandy hit. It feels like it's been weeks this whole thing has been going on.

Just Like Winter

The leaves are off the trees and the snow is on the ground. Had to go out clean off my car and shovel the ground. It looks & feels like Winter.

Snow

I see snow flakes falling from the sky. I miss Summer already. I need to move to the Equator. Find me a palm tree and I'm happy. I'll complain for the next 6 months about the cold.

Another Storm

It's cloudy & cold outside with inclement weather on the way. I've run the last couple of days and will take the day off from putting miles under my feet. I'll be recording music this afternoon. Let there be song to fill the air.

Election Day

As I mentioned in my last post, I'll be voting later on today. There will be a few other things to vote on this year besides the Presidential Race. There's the incumbent Democratic Senator who I'll cast my ballot for and other local officials. I'm predicting that Barrack Obama will be renominated As President of the United States. Not because I'm voting for him, but because much of the polling seems to indicate he's out in front. Yet we here in America have what's called the Electoral College where you can get the most votes and still not win the election. As far as I'm concern, it's an outdated system. It needs to be One Person - One Vote. The possibilities of one of the candidates winning the popular vote but losing the electoral college is very real this year. I know if that happens to Mitt Romney the Republicans will scream bloody murder. Remember 2000 Right Wingers.

Liberal

I'll be voting tomorrow for the same Presidential ticket as I did 4 years ago. I am a registered Democrat since the age of 18. You can call me a liberal so say goodnight to the liberal.

One Week Ago

Super Storm Sandy showed up a week ago and left it's mark. In many ways I got off easy because the electricity went out for only 3 hours. Some people are still in the dark. I haven't seen long lines at the pump since I was a kid. My car does have a full tank of gas since I filled up before the storm and would top it off when there was regular service. Another storm is predicted to be approaching and I can only hope isn't too bad.

In The Sun

Nice to have a sunny morning to run 9 miles. It's been dreadful weather wise. I didn't move very fast but as least put some miles under my feet. It will be a busy night at the hotel I'm sure.

Cancelled

The New York City Marathon was cancelled yesterday. This should have been done a few days ago when it was apparent the damage done by Hurricane Sandy was so great. Things could have gotten ugly if the race went on. Outrage was building and I believe nothing short of a riot could have taken place. Cancelling the New York City Marathon was the right thing to do. It shouldn't have taken so long.

More Clouds

It has been cloudy around these parts for over a week now. Even before Hurricane Sandy showed up the weather was damp & overcast. I do see some blue skies outside my window and it is supposed to be sunny this weekend. The storm continues to reek havoc in this area with long lines at gas stations. I filled up before this all this started to happen but we'll have to see what the weekend brings.

Sleep

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Refugees

I thought that the whole Super Storm Sandy thing might be gone like the bad weather that was around here. But I work at a hotel and people from all over the New York Metropolitan area are desperately looking for rooms. So many people still don't have electricity. Even people from as far south as New Jersey and far east as Connecticut need places to stay. They are like refugees who are displaced. I also heard that the New York City Marathon is going on as scheduled. I've run it the last 2 years but I didn't qualify for it this year. With everything happening I feel better off not be there this weekend. The Northeast United States is still a mess.