I'm watching "Where Do Children Play?" a PBS documentary by michigantelevision.org  Pretty amazing.  Raises immediate questions about child culture in America - the loss of a connection to nature, lack of understanding of the sacredness of life - understanding and acceptance of where food comes from, a sense of stillness and peace, development of play within a community, experimentation and risk, friendliness with error,  creativity.

The program shows 3 different styles of living, urban, suburban and in nature.  Surprisingly (or maybe not to you) the suburban children are at most risk for the aformentioned consequences.

Most of the chapter books I read to the children are set between 30 and 60 years ago.  The child culture in those books are about community and free play.  The adventure and learning that comes from each scenario is somewhat heartbreaking juxtaposed with the children in front of me who may never see such adventure.  Instead they will be shuttled from one activity to the next, sitting in a car with the windows rolled up.

I know its summer, but can we have a parent meeting on the importance of play?

In the spirit of my dear friend rinabeana  who nightly posts poetry for all to enjoy, this post is just a poem that is fitting for my current life situation. I remember this poem from high school creative writing class; the reoccurring verse at the end of the first and third stanza has always stuck with me. To me the voice is explanatory rather than accusatory...almost like a young child earnestly explaining their game to befuddled parent. And all I can think while I type this is "I should be doing..." Ah well.

Not Waving But Drowning
by Stevie Smith

Nobody heard him, the dead man,
But still he lay moaning:
I was much further out than you thought
And not waving but drowning.

Poor chap, he always loved larking
And now he's dead
It must have been too cold for him his heart gave way,
They said.

Oh, no no no, it was too cold always
(Still the dead one lay moaning)
I was much too far out all my life
And not waving but drowning.

Tomorrow is race day...I am nervous and excited! On Monday I expect to be completely laid up so I will post my run adventure.

new words I've learned today:
Twerd - Twilight nerd I assume
Failight- play on words of Fail and Twilight; the term HP fans/Twilight haters use to talk about the current book/film phenomenom

I am neither a Twerd or a Failight phrase user.  I like new words.

Check out my new mcawesome iconesque pic of Alice



( I foresee a good run )

This was my first year to do the adventurous wait in line at midnight to get into BestBuy at 5am to get a new lap top deally whopper! My icon obsession can now commence. Although I think I am too verbose to be very successful, practice makes perfect right? So here is my very first icon:

It's time to announce...I am going to run the Austin Marathon on Feb. 15.  I get a nervous little drop in my stomach whenever I think about it.  I still truly don't believe my body was built for long distance running -  I get quite a kick out of little 30 second sprints that make me feel like I'm running down the hill to the playground in 4th grade - but jogging slowly on purpose seems kind of pointless.  Why am I doing then? 
1. Because I can...or I think I can.
2. I joined Team in Training to raise money for the LLS - there is no way I'd even consider doing this without the emotional connection I have with my TNT friends, the LLS mission to find a cure for blood cancers and belief that my coaches will be there for me no matter what
3. After I do it, it will always be something I've done....like, my first concert was to see Paul McCartney, I rode the Texas Giant (when I was 12), I went to Ireland by myself, I ran a marathon...nice eh?
So, don't be bummed that I'm never around Friday nights because I go to sleep early for my Sat morning run, and don't get upset when I tell you I can't afford to eat out cause I'm saving up for new running shoes, and don't judge when I download The Jonas Brothers because they are good to run to...my lifestyle has changed and you've got to recognize!

TOPs
these are my faves that have stood the test of time, ones I come back to over and over...except the tv series whichare all relatively new loves

Today was our 9 mile run.  We were in west Austin off of Balcones Woods.  The route was almost out and back with a few little extra roads to make it exactly 9 miles and to take us to Mt. Bonnell....yes we ran---- scratch that-------we walked up Mt Bonnel!  It was an awesome slightly cool spring morning and the trees and house were magnificent to view.  From one hill we could see all over Austin and the tops of the trees with the river snaking through was gorgeous (the house in front of it was a strange concrete modern block).  For the last 2 weeks I've broken apart from Heather to try going back to the 2/1 split hoping that would increase my distance (last week it proved wonderful on our Town Lake/Congress 8 mile trek).  This week I forgot my watch, didn't have my ipod and realized if I wanted to do any pacing at all I would have to try to stick with Heather for a bit, she is doing 3/1 splits and sometimes goes over on the running (martyr!)  I kept up really well!  Heather's pace has quickened which matches my longer stride.  And for some reason my body is not resisting running anymore.  I was able to fully recover during each walk portion of our strides...until...mile 6 which was when Mt. Bonnell made its grand appearance.  My recoveries stopped being so profitable and I was able to just use Heather as my carrot--keeping her in view until the last mile when my legs completely quit.  This was absolutely marvelous...the first time my aches stopped my run rather than my cardiovascular system.  I am in complete amazement.  This run made me a runner!

I've always talked about it...I live little more than a mile away from Jazzercise.  Now that its light outside later...I am going to walk there tonight.  I'll let you know how it goes.  I am becoming such a bad ass.