Walking Fast

Stopped by a local high school track last night and walked 3 miles as fast as I could. That turned out to be 41:35, a 13:51 pace. Too much, too soon I think, since I'm tired today. But my final mile was 11:28, which is minutes faster than the running pace for my first marathon. The goal is to let the running happen naturally, but I'm close now. Tonight, I'm going to watch a documentary by Werner Herzog on the late Rev. Gene Scott. He was big here in Southern California during the 1980s and 90s. Quite a character; no other TV preacher quite like him. Herzog never has trouble locating fascinating subjects.

So Long, Frank Frazetta

Artist Frank Frazetta died following a stroke. He was 82. I loved his work, particularly the evocative covers he drew for Warren Publications Creepy and Eerie back in the mid-60s. When paperback Conan the Barbarian tales appeared around the same time, Frazetta's work graced the front. The old National Lampoon hired him once to draw a cover. Inside that issue, Frazetta also drew the cover for a satiric comic on a gay Dracula. Ah, well, adieu, Frank. Best wishes and prayers for the family.

British Politics For Dummies

Whaz'sup in the UK election? This guy knows and can say it lucidly and quick.

h/t: nerimon

Nashville No Big Deal

For some reason the national media seems unmoved by the monsoon-like rains and flooding that clobbered Nashville and the surrounding states. The damage costs are mounting like the national debt, reaching epic proportions. No national media means no celebrities will adopt this tragedy. Perhaps if the locals dipped a pelican in oil?

h/t: 500bennu

How Many Could You Do?

So asks chronicler Obsolete Skills. (Alas, I'm overqualified in many areas.)
h/t: Ace of Spades

Ralking

Another ralk today. Other than sounding like Scooby Doo, the word refers to a hybrid movement of fast walking approaching a run. Maybe in another week or so, I'll break out into a brief run and see how my knee accepts that. I've been loafing, avoiding the rest of my novel. Once I'm going, it'll be fine. So go, me.

Nose Stitches Out

At the doc's again to have the last stitches removed from my nose. I take it for granted that it looks somewhat okay, minus a bit of discoloration. But the nurse told me, in addition to how well its healing, that odd, unpleasant things often happen with skin grafts and that past grafts she's seen look like something that fell off a tray and landed on the patient's snout. Fortunately, mine still looks like a nose.

My wife reminded me yesterday that we started dating 20 years ago this week. I have trouble reconciling being in physical proximity to the same person for that long. I didn't last 20 years with my family, departing for the USMC at 19. In any case, there have been many ups and downs, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer just like our eventual wedding vows. Glad I took them as the adventure continues to unfold.

I consider an almost-run a walk so fast that running is the next step. Using the dirt trails around Griffith Park, I've been practicing walking gradually faster. Today bordered on a run for a few minutes. Now I'll see how my knee feels tomorrow. But it was fun to actually pass someone for the first time in a stinking long while.

So Brave, So Edgy

The breezy, hip courage of Viacom/Comedy Central executives on display.

Animaniacs Farewell Video

Editor extraordinaire Al Britenbach cut this farewell sequence, scored by the master, Richard Stone.

h/t: Daily Motion (Stephanie O'Keeffe) via Tom Ruegger

Lost in Studio City

Rugg recalls Jonathan Harris.

Marathon Bomb Scare

Bomb found near the finish line of the Pittsburgh Marathon. Thankfully, no one hurt. I never had to deal with high explosives on a course, just running out of energy goo. On the walking scene, I haven't been out since last Tuesday - slight soreness in the knee. I may have overdone it, covering 4 miles at a 14:33 pace. Not wise. Longer distances should never be attempted quickly on the first try. I didn't give myself time to grow accustomed to the additional mileage. I keep forgetting that, which is part of the reason I'm walking. Reduced walking, very little gym and no swimming have led my weight to creep up again. I keep sliding back and forth over the same 10 - 15 pounds. My scale is getting sick of me. And I of my scale.

Onion Video: White House Janitorial Staff Dinner

Live Feed: Obama Attends The White House Maintenance Staff Annual Dinner
h/t/: Hot Air

Ashes to Ash...

and the Fuhrer to dust.

My Part in Art

Me and a copy of Maz artwork for a project she's working on.

Nothing Sold Today!

Darn the luck.

'Fresh Ideas' Sold!

The nice editors at Every Day Fiction have decided to publish my story "Fresh Ideas" on their flash fiction website. (Stories under 1k words.) Luckily, 'Ideas' is fiction and so I will avoid needless mortification. 'Ideas' was part of my original Ten-in-Six. A workshop project about an odd man pretending to work at work, it was rejected 3x since September. After the last rejection, I made a small change to the ending that seemed to do the trick.

I'll post when the story is up. Now back to work. My antique computer has slowed to a crawl and will no longer transport me to Google search. I think I need to add more coal to the funnel in back.

Link to Race Time Weather Woes

Alas, the weather had the final word at Emil's most recent marathon.

Puss 'N Fruit

Tom Ruegger sent along this fascinating find from the now-defunct American Pie and Cat Association.

Link to 3D Effects on Screenwriting

That is the question movie-makers are asking.

A Blister!

It's been awhile, but I developed a blister from walking. Now I'll have to use Body Glide on my feet — an act of pure nostalgia.

I've decided to take the great long story I worked on last fall and expand it into a novel of about 200 pages. That means I'm only 130 pages shy. The theme is redemption through suffering, a bit lofty sounding for a story involving a forest monster running around eating people and livestock. But I've been invited by a publisher to submit the finished product which torpedoes my excuse that no one's interested. I'm plotting out the next two sections on 3x5 cards. In the past, tapping out a detailed outline fried my brain, as if I'd already written the book. Room must be left for the subconscious to plot various twists and turns. Hopefully, I'll add final changes around Halloween, a suitable time to submit a (hopefully) scary story.

There. Well. Ha! I've said it. Halloween. Inquire often. Ask me how the story's going. Hold me to it as you would hold a great round fellow to a diet.