The adventure begins.  I slept zero minutes last night. I kept thinking of things to pack, things left undone, and other pointless worries.  Just Breathe!
     (I also missed my dog)

“You know you are truly alive when you’re living among lions.” -Karen Blixen

 “I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.”

-Eric Roth, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

“When you see someone putting on his Big Boots, you can be pretty sure that an Adventure is going to happen.”

-A.A. Milnie

     Leaving on an adventure tomorrow.  Wish me well. 😓  Packing my big boots. 

“How deep is a frog pond? Knee-deep, knee-deep!”

Too much?

Be kind

"Life is life's greatest gift. Guard the life of another creature as you would your own because it is your own. On life's scale of values, the smallest is no less precious to the creature who owns it than the largest." - Lloyd Biggle, Jr.


     The sun is shining again and it will be a beautiful day.

     I am sharing this from a friend,whose doctors put her on a whole food plant based diet last year after her cancer diagnosis.  Yay Kaiser Permanente docs.

     No snow all winter, but in April??? What the heck!  It is mid-afternoon and is snowing harder than before.  It'll be a homemade soup night tonight.  My poor dog is not getting the exercise she deserves.
     Why did we ever bother planting lilacs, crab-apples, and blooming pear trees.  The snow destroys their blooms every single year.
     But it does look pretty.

Snowy day....again....trying to sparkle.

be a frog

Try to be like the turtle--at ease in your own shell.----Bill Copeland

     I've always loved the idea of the turtle as totem or spirit animal. 

Symbolic Meaning of the Turtle. When it comes to animal symbolism, turtle is a great example of persistence, determination, endurance and more. By very design, the turtle is a survivor. It has the ability to protect itself against harsh predators.

(Although evil Mitch McTurtle is ruining the goodness of the turtle symbolism for me)

     It is pretty out.....pretty cold and pretty wet.  I am going back to bed. I am thankful, though, that we got a bit of moisture.   Happy weekend.

"Vote for our lives"

     Yesterday, on the eve of the 19th anniversary of the Columbine HS shooting, I attended a most moving event....a vigil/rally/voter registration to remember victims of gun violence, especially school shootings. There were 20 students from the Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS in Parkland, Fl. in attendance.  Survivors from the Arapaho HS shooting (4 years ago), the Aurora theater shootings 6 years ago, as well as from Columbine were remembered. Not mentioned  but not forgotten was the Platte Canyon HS hostage crisis and school shooting in Conifer, CO which took place 12 years ago.  All of this has occurred in our city.
     There were 4 youth from Pittsburgh from the social justice movement, Youth Power Collective, speaking for those who die from gun deaths outside of school and from police brutality.
     These youth leaders are eloquent, composed and reasonable.  Activism has been thrust upon them by tragedy and they are taking up the mantle.  They plead for unity, peace, and being careful who you vote for!  Please understand just who it is you are voting for.
     The most moving speech, for me, was from a Columbine teacher who survived that day.  She still teaches in the same classroom.  They have active school shooter drills regularly now, and they occur when she is in the same room as she was 19 years ago. She is small, 5'2", and says that if she was armed, it would not be difficult for her to be disarmed by larger students.  Additionally, both Rachel Scott (victim), and  Dylan Klebold (shooter), were her students and she cared for them both.  Would she have been able to shoot Dylan? She doesn't know, but doesn't think it is reasonable to ask teachers to shoot their students.
     There were clergy present, representing all faiths....Judaism, Islam, all denominations of Christianity, and the Buddhist Monastery in nearby Morrison, CO.  The take-away from their talks was for peace, unity, and that we are family. Every person (and in my mind, every creature) has the right to be safe. I don't think that is asking too much.
     This event took place in Clement Park, near Columbine HS and the Columbine Memorial.  It was a gorgeous peaceful evening as the winds died down, and we looked across the lake at the sun setting behind the mountains while listening to the music of the band Fray.
     It has been 19 years.  Enough.  I hope this Parkland event is the tipping point and that these wonderful youth will become the leadership we so desperately need. 
     Do your research and vote according to your conscience.
   

     Today I'm sharing a very well-written article which, on the surface, is about a jogger finding a dead body, but is additionally about spiritual health, mental health, and compassion.  It is well worth the time to read whether or not you are a runner.

https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a19843617/i-found-a-dead-body-on-my-morning-runits-something-you-cant-run-away-from/

     Here are pictures from today's Boston Marathon.  This last one, picture 15 of 15, is so awesome it may bring you to tears!
https://www.runnersworld.com/races-places/g19828116/scenes-2018-boston-marathon/?slide=15


     Update:  here is more on 85 year old Katherine Beiers, if you are interested.  I am truly in awe and couldn't keep up with her if I tried.
http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2018/04/16/85-year-old-santa-cruz-runner-makes-boston-marathon-history/

     I am watching the Boston Marathon on a FB bootleg site as all the regular sites require a cable sign-in.  There is torrential rain, high winds, and cold.  These athletes are so inspirational!

     Awesome race!

Inspiring running quotes for the upcoming Boston Marathon on Monday:

http://running.competitor.com/2018/04/boston-marathon-2018/quotes-for-racing_170120
(My favorite:  I have met my hero and she is me!)

How to watch the Boston Marathon tomorrow.....I'll be watching. 
https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a19717080/how-to-watch-boston-marathon/

Except for the wine, this happens to me too often!

     

70% of the world's population is ditching meat

     There is hope, yet, for our children and our planet.
“Consumers are making choices to protect the planet and ensure the humane treatment of animals. They want to know the story of where their protein comes from and want to feel good about what they eat. That includes nutrition, animal welfare, food safety and overall environmental footprint.”
https://www.livekindly.co/70-of-the-worlds-population-is-ditching-meat-says-new-report/

“If I cannot move heaven, I will raise hell.” ― Virgil

“The greatest wealth is health” 
― Virgil

“Let us go singing as far as we go: the road will be less tedious.” 
― Virgil

“No day shall erase you from the memory of time”
― Virgil

and perhaps it will be pleasing to have remembered these things one day”
― Virgil, Eclogues. Georgics. Aeneid: Books 1-6

(I get caught up in quotes, in case you hadn't noticed.  I like these, especially "raising hell.")

My favorite allergy song is Blowin' in the Wind by Peter Pollen Mary.

This is new. Mountain bikers beware!

     It apparently came from way up there.

     Prairie dogs and deer, oh my.  Charleigh loved being out today, and it felt like spring!

LOL!

Things to remember to get out the door today.....it never gets easier.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“To me, there is no age. Age is something other people put on you.” – Dag Aabye, subject of the documentary “Never Die Easy”

Not a great photo, but proof I finished!

Exercise and happiness....a study from U. of Michigan

     As you would guess, exercise does indeed make people happier.  Have a happy week.

http://ns.umich.edu/new/releases/25551-study-get-moving-to-get-happier

Note

see 4-6-18 for today's post about Platte River Half.  system glitch won't post it to today's date.


See:
"Thankfully, persistence is a great substitute for talent."-------Steve Martin

Cold morning

I wasn't sure how to share this short vid.  Hope it comes through. I'm in gray.

https://www.facebook.com/BoulderRunningCompanyLittleton/videos/10155392152685205/

Interesting read

     I just finished skimming "The Longevity Diet" by Dr. Valter Longo, the award-winning director of the Longevity Institute, USC.  His research on aging holds much promise.  His book discusses nutritional and exercise tools to help live long and die healthy, and includes his suggested fasting-mimicking diet. This info might be something you want to add to your health arsenal.
     (I had to skim the book as it is due back at the library today)

     There are a lot of great interviews with Dr. Valter Longo on YouTube, which are easier than reading the book, if you'd rather.

Yay!

Four cities in Brazil have pledged to transition all of the meals served at its public school cafeterias to 100 percent plant-based by the end of 2019, with the mission of reducing the cities' environmental footprint (especially water consumption), aiding local produce farmers and fostering humane and healthy eating habits for students.

https://www.ecowatch.com/brazil-schools-plant-based-meals-2553155526.html

There is no such thing as just a dog, or just an animal.

"Thankfully, persistence is a great substitute for talent."-------Steve Martin

Note for some reason, this keeps posting on 4-6-18, although it took place and I am posting on 4-8-18, sorry.  Must be some type of system glitch.
4 AM, Why am I doing this, again?  Platte River Half-Marathon day.

New shoes to try out, check.  (just so so, may have to buy and try another brand, feet got sore)

4 AM breakfast, 1 pkt instant oatmeal and 1 coffee, check.  (No GI issues, YAY, but ran totally out of energy by mile 11, may have to double up next time, 150 calories not enough)

5 AM walked dog a mile.

7 AM took lightrail from my station to Littleton.  This is the Littleton lightrail stop.  So cool.  Ran into friends I only see annually at this race and had a nice chat.  The start line is always so intimidating.  Everyone else is so young and thin and muscular and runnerish.  Then there's me. 

8 AM ran 13.1 miles into a  strong headwind the entire distance!  Ran out of energy at mile 11.  Finished in 3 hours, my slowest half in years.

11 AM One fantastic Breckenridge Brewery beer, a veg burger and a cookie at Buckhorn Exchange Restaurant, then lightrail home, and looking a little the worse for wear.  But I did it.

                                                 You didn't come this far to only come this far.

I'll see how the professional race photos turn out and how expensive they are before I buy and share.
Have a great weekend.

     They are all female, otherwise they'd be uncles.

Losing money may lose your life

http://sportsgeezer.com/2018/losing-money-can-cost-you-your-life/

YOLO

“The car is our wheelchair…” – ‘Testify,’ Rage Against The Machine

     I love interesting lyrics!

FOMO

     I had to look up this acronym in the urban dictionary today.  It means "Fear of Missing Out."  How astute. I may actually remember this one.  I have to look up "fleek" and "bae" every time I read them.

     YOLO is a good one, too.

“What is a soul? It's like electricity - we don't really know what it is, but it's a force that can light a room.” -- Ray Charles

     Did you watch "Jesus Christ Superstar" live on NBC on Sunday?  I've seen it on the internet since, and it was fantastic.  It is available on several sites for free.  I had forgotten just how much I enjoyed it back in the '70s.  I highly recommend it.
     Here is one link.  It is also on HULU.
https://www.broadwayworld.com/videoplay/VIDEO-Watch-the-Full-Broadcast-of-JESUS-CHRIST-SUPERSTAR-LIVE-20180402

“We are an impossibility in an impossible universe.”

― Ray Bradbury