Word Association for October 5th

I should be in bed, but here I am doing this week's word association instead.

1. Forgetfulness :: What as I going to do?
2. Diagram :: Drawing
3. Inconsiderate :: Rude
4. Relapse :: Addiction
5. Jingling :: Coins
6. Counter :: Space
7. Backspace :: Mistake
8. Flush :: Toilet
9. Awkward :: Silence
10. Thumb :: Drive

One Busy Weekend, One Quieter Weekend

The last weekend of September was pretty busy.

It all started Saturday morning when I met up with my friends Sue Ann, Heidi, and Angelique for brunch.  We met at a Marie Calendar’s and we sat there and chatted for a couple of hours.  Yes, we ate as well, but it was mostly about the chatting.

Then it was home where I spent a couple of hours finishing up the book I was reading.

Which was appropriate since I then went to a dinner and mystery author talk at one of the libraries in town.  The problem was, I was thinking it started half an hour later than it did, but I was able to get in and there was still plenty of food.  There were several authors I enjoy on the panel, and I bought a book from an author I wasn’t familiar with.  It was a fun night.

That Sunday was the season premiere of Once Upon a Time, and my friend Christy was having her annual party.  I headed over a little early and hung out with my friend Luke beforehand.  The party itself was smaller than the last couple of years, but no less fun.  I really look forward to the events each year.

This last weekend was quieter by comparison.  Saturday was ornament debut at Hallmark, so I was up early and at my local Hallmark store.  Then I came home and went for a run.  The rest of the day was spent on reviews, movies, and a little reading.

Sunday was the usual mix of church, ultimate, and hanging out with friends here in town for Once Upon a Time with a bit of reading mixed in.

As I said, a much quieter weekend overall.

Word Association for September 28th

Here's this week's word association.

1. Brace :: Walking
2. Upgrade :: Computer
3. Run :: Walk
4. Construction :: Zone
5. Lazy :: Nap
6. Email :: Write
7. Hide :: Seek
8. Hornet :: Sting
9. Wonder :: Amaze
10. Hesitate :: is Lost

Rest of the Weekend

No, just doing the mud run wasn't enough for my weekend.  I was actually pretty busy last weekend.

For one thing, I didn't come back home after my mud run on Saturday.  Instead I headed to the Burbank/Glendale area and met up my my parents, who were in town for the weekend, and some family friends.  We hung out and visited, had dinner, and then went to Glendale Centre Theatre where another friend joined us to see Anything Goes.  I'd never seen the play before, but I really enjoyed it.  Pretty funny and some very fun song and dance numbers.  I was actually pleasantly surprised that I didn't get too tired to enjoy the day.

Sunday, I spent the day with my parents.  No ultimate, but we did go to church and then back to their trailer to play games.  It was a very fun day.

They swung through town on their way back from a longer trip.  They knew about the mud run before they decided to come, after all, I had signed up for it back in February.  The play and everything there came together after they decided to come, however, which worked out well.

Word Association for September 21st

It's time for some word association, don't you think?

1. Flat :: Apartment
2. Machine :: Made
3. Arthritis :: Painful
4. Forks :: Dinner
5. Task force :: Work
6. Beads :: Decorative
7. Striped :: Bed
8. Dumpster :: Garbage
9. Piggy :: Bank
10. Badge :: Ranger

Survivor Mud Run 2016

Time for a little catch up.

Not much happened the first couple of weeks of the month.  My weekends were quiet, which was nice.  I’ve started my fantasy football league for the season, and I’ve won the first two weeks, which is shocking.  We’ll see how things go as the season progresses.

But Saturday.  Saturday was my last mud run of the year.  I know, already?  But my October runs were either early this year or aren’t happening any more.  And it was back down to Lake Elsinore for the Survivor Mud Run.

I’ve been doing this one for several years, and I’ve slowly been watching the lake level drop.  It had dropped so far this year that they didn’t have us doing anything in the lake – no slide into the lake, no lake walk, and no cleaning off in the lake afterwards.  But that’s not all that was missing – they only had a couple of obstacles that weren’t mud related.  They still had a ton of obstacles, but they were all mud pits.  As in climb in, slog through, climb out.  Now don’t get me wrong, I love mud as much as the next guy doing a mud run.  And they have nice thick mud here, which is always fun.  But it got a bit boring.  I like a little more variety than that.

It was a hot day, too, so the car ride down and back was warm since I don’t have a working AC in my car.  But I finished a great book on CD, so that made it more pleasant.

Gladiator at the Rose Bowl 2016

The last weekend in August, I hit the Gladiator Rock n Run at the Rose Bowl.  I was actually surprised it was this early in the year since it is usually in October.  But I figured with it being that early, I wouldn’t have to worry about being cold at the start.  In fact, I figured I’d have to worry about the heat.

I was wrong.

We actually had a cool front move in, and it was foggy that morning.  I did warm up when I started to run, naturally, but the first time I hit the mud I cooled right off.

But that didn’t keep me from having fun.  The 10K option was back this year, and that’s the one I did.  I always enjoy the back half of the course.  After I’d signed up, a friend wanted to do it with me, and he signed up for the 5K.  I was hoping to try to meet up with him where the two courses come back together.  He started in a later wave, and it wound up working out perfectly.  I waited for about 5 minutes and there he was.

I do feel some of their obstacles are getting too big.  For example, their slant wall was almost vertical, which is very hard to climb with wet and muddy shoes.  Likewise, the ropes get slick and are almost impossible (not that I could climb them anyway, but still).  However, I just skip those obstacles and move on.

Because, the course is still fun over all.  As I said, I love the back 3 miles, so it is worth getting up early to enter the early waves and do that part of it.  I also enjoy getting to be in the Rose Bowl.  I actually did a little training on stairs this year, so my legs weren’t quite as bad as they usually are after we do the stairs there three times.  They were still bad, but not as bad.

It was a fabulous day.  I just can’t quite get over that cool weather, however.  Fall is coming much too quickly for my tastes.

Word Association for August 31

Looks like it's time for this week's word association.

1. Electrical :: Outage
2. Glasses :: Sight
3. Comics :: Laugh
4. Satellite :: TV
5. Tonight :: Show
6. Sweater :: Warm
7. Clipboard :: Survey
8. Unglued :: Mess
9. Plaid :: Scarf
10. Upsetting :: News

An Announcement

I’ve been giving it some serious thought over the last few months, and I have reached a very important decision.  Given the current state of politics in America, I have concluded the only solution is for me to throw my hat into the ring.  Yes, I am running for President of the United States.

And here is my first campaign promise.  I promise to become corrupted by the power.  I will give the biggest and best jobs to my friends.  (Look at that, an honest politician!)

Here is my platform:

In order to increase the job force, work days will be lowered to six hours a day.  This will create the need to hire more people to do the work that is currently being done.  Those extra two hours a day will be used exclusively for reading.  If you do not wish to read, you may continue to work your full eight hour shift.  Those who regularly read mysteries will get an extra half hour off.

The Trixie Belden Mysteries series will be required reading in all third and fourth grade classes.  To help facilitate that, all 39 original books will be reprinted, and new books will be published written by people who love this characters picked by me.

Ultimate Frisbee will be made the official sport of the United States.  All other sports at all levels will be disbanded immediately and those resources used to promote this sport.  Former professional athletes will not be allowed to play professional ultimate.

The first Saturday of every month will be Disney movie day.  Every resident of the United States will watch at least one movie released by Disney Studios or a subsidiary they own.  (This includes Pixar, Lucas Film, and Marvel Studios.)

The 25th of every month will be observed as a partial Christmas day.  While it will not be a holiday, all radio stations will play Christmas music for that day.  Christmas movies will be shown on TV.  No gifts for Christmas are to be exchanged except in December.  However, Christmas decorations are appropriate to be displayed if you so desire.

To help facilitate physical fitness, all those who wish to participate in mud runs will have a one run credit on their taxes each year.

I am still working on the rest of my platform.  Feel free to post suggestions.  Naturally, I reserve the right to accept and claim credit for or reject your suggestions.

Word Association for August 26th

Here you go - this week's word association.

1. Passive :: Aggressive
2. Crumbs :: Bread
3. Grave :: Mistake
4. Believe :: the Truth
5. Stifle :: Creativity
6. Fish :: Water
7. Crunch :: Sit up
8. Bonus :: Points
9. Flat :: Tire
10. Bubbled :: Envelope