Things need to be different.
Author: Justin
Smart Travel: Metro
Most city metro systems are pretty awesome. I even took the Blue Line to MSP. But the TC are nowhere near some cities (which is fine because it’s not nearly as big and doesn’t have awesome historic sites, Le Tour Eiffel).
However, there is one absolutely necessary thing needed when using and light rail.
I use hand sanitizer whenever I’m leaving a rail station, once I’m done touching things.
Now I’m not the most germaphobic person, but think how gross that is:
Everybody holds that pole; not everybody washes their hands; and everybody isn’t prefect and rubs their eye, picks their teeth, or whatever.
Oh So French (probably part one of many)
I’m in a cafe, and I dropped my fork.
I put it on the table crooked:
The waiter, after taking an order right behind me, nonchalantly and probably out of habit, just quickly straightened the fork and flipped it upright. He didn’t even slow down his very fast pace. It was very French.
On the other hand, he was patient when I ordered in French.
Also, I ordered a fresh squeezed lemon juice. It was lemon juice half filling a glass, and a glass of sugar packs and a bottle of water to make lemonade to taste.
Je s’ adore!
Paris Trip: Written on the plane ride
I’m taking off from MSP. I’m flying on an Airbus A330.
I’m super excited because this is my third international flight up front.
I’m actually super stoked about my trip to Paris! I’ve been thinking about it for a while, but I decided to go last Sunday.
I say actually because I don’t seem like it. But I’m planning on running around like a crazy person, which is my MO when I travel solo.
I’m not entirely sure what I’ll be doing, but I have my Nikkon. I plan on uploading pictures to FB each night. We’ll see how that goes.
Foreign communication is best using Skype. Paris is 7 hours ahead, which means good times to talk are between 10:00 and 13:00 CST.
I think they’re about to break out the wine, so I should go.
When I’m sipping fine wine at the restaurant on the Eiffel tower, know that I am looking west and thinking of you.
Waiting For The Perfect Time
I’ve needed a vacation for a while. I’ve been waiting for the perfect time, the time when work, client, financial, and familiar obligations all are at a minimum. A time that was perfect for my plans.
I’ve come to realize that there is never a perfect time. Or rather, the perfect time is now. Sometimes we have plans that seem like they would work perfect, but they just don’t. It’s after one realizes that life is whizzing by that one just gives it a go.
A trip to Paris right now may not be at the perfect time, but I’d rather go to Paris at a time that isn’t perfect than not go at all. I’m still going to have the fun and experiences of going to Paris! I can deal with any client or financial responsibilities when I get back.
Aimer la vie!
Lasting Leafs
I like to have salads. I don’t always bring lunch as often as I’d like or don’t feel like bringing a salad in the morning. I buy salad with the intention of using it.
Now there’s a problem with biting lettuce as a single guy: it only lasts a week before it liquidifies. That’s what I call when spinach goes bad. It just gets all wet and stinky. Other lettuce turns brown.
When I bought a bag of spinach, I thought it was odd: they come with moisture already in the bag.
You can judge whether or not that is evil corporate America forcing some planned spoilage or if it’s just what happens when spinach is in a bag with no air.
I figured the moisture probably causes earlier spoilage, so I decided to try a little experiment – dry it out.
Get a new towel, lay out the leafs, and gently pad it until you feel like it’s good.
Then separate it into individual containers. This is also nice because you have one per day and you can grab and go. If you have other grab and go items, they may pair with your salad (like chicken or berries).
Overall, this has been a new process with which I’ve been happy.
Running Oddities
Many of you know I run most days. Most of you know that I usually run around my neighborhood.
What you may not know, is that I never run with music. Music headphones were just something I would have to screw with before getting out, so I just don’t anymore.
The result is that I notice my environment. And I have fun with my environment. I’ll give you a couple examples of what I mean.
One odd thing that I do, is whenever I’m running, and there’s a dog that barks at me, I usually meow at it. You’d be surprised how often that actually shuts the dog up for a bit.
I’m sure I’ll meet my end when on a run and a dog I taunt gets loose.
Another thing I usually do is when kids draw a hopscotch, I usually do it. It’s silly, I know, but I do it. I’ve only been seen by anyone else once, and if course I still did it. He just laughed and exclaimed, “you gotta!”
Even though running during the day is so much more hot, you can’t see those things at night.
But those are my running oddities.
Random Trust
I decided to go to Kräftskiva! last weekend. I basically went because my calendar was open, plus it was at the Bachelor Farmer, a new restaurant that I’ve been wanting to visit.
I certainly didn’t go for the crayfish boil (I don’t like lobster, so I didn’t spend $18 to have that either). It was a pretty awesome concert, and it was a summer event, and I’ve been trying to do more than just work this summer.
It was interesting. I was standing on an elevated walkway (called ‘the top of the stairs’, but there was standing room to watch the show). Up there, I met a lass named Megan. We were talking for probably ten minutes or so. She was meeting her friends there.
We were talking to each other, and the beer came up. I mentioned how she could get $1 off the beer if she had a metal souvenir cup. She had one, plus a plastic cup.
Well, I was going to hold the spot for her, and apparently guard the plastic cup (I’m not really sure why), and she was going to get me a beer. Well I gave her my metal souvenir, for which I paid $15, so she could save a dollar.
As I was standing there, guarding a plastic blue cup, I started wondering, “did I just get conned out of my $15 cup?”
On the other hand, it was only a $15 cup. I just thought how random it was, and I felt silly, guarding a plastic cup, waiting for the person I just met to bring me a beer……
When Megan returned with my beer, I felt like it was silly to have worried. She agreed.
I’ll note, I wasn’t over trusting, either, because she was a young lady. She was married, and I’ve really stepped away from my well-known, over-zealous tendencies, give or take.
I think it was the environment. It was a great, positive place! Very cool local music, too.
Running: Mid-season Check-in
Since the running season is about half-over, I thought I’d make a little post about some gains I’ve had.
Well, I can breathe. This is good, and I’m glad my surgery worked. It only cost ten shortdays in the hospital and 2 months of being super defensive about my throat. BUT I CAN BREATHE WHEN I RUN.
My breathing has improved, too, in a pretty short time. This means that my casual pace has gotten faster.
Speaking of pace, my pace is finally back to my pre-accident pace of 6 mph (that’s been my advertised pace for 9 years. Which it was sometimes, but who knows?). Now I’ll try to improve that. I’d say I knocked about 40 seconds to a minute and a half from my pace.
It’s not always 10:00, though. Only when it’s not terribly hot or early.
Also, I figured out a loop by my house that is 3.2 miles or so. Pretty cool. I’ll tell more about running forms later. This post is just a Sunday Random.
Weekend Mornings
Weekend mornings are unique, and we’re given a simple choice two days each week:
Should I catch up on my sleep, or should I catch up on everything else?
Normally, we all go for the latter. I try to split my weekend between the two. Sleep is very important because we all have those good jobs that are annoying because our bosses expect near-perfect performance all the time. That means we have to be well rested to stay smart.
It’s true, you could just get the proper amount of sleep during the week, but we all know that doesn’t work. We have deadlines, maybe a kid was not allowing for sleep, or maybe a girl stayed over/talked on the phone too late. These are all valid reasons (yes, the last one is valid because 1) us men can’t control women, and 2) the whole point of work is to have means to enjoy life, so it’s fine as long as it doesn’t affect your performance).
I usually split up my two mornings. So I tend to have late Friday nights and early Saturday mornings.
I focus on mornings because after lunch, you get busy with plans, so mornings are really the only time that’s your own. Unless you have kids, then you get your time in 20 years.
I go out Friday nights. Saturdays are good for doing some work, running errands, and all that exciting stuff.
Sunday mornings are spent sleeping in and just relaxing. You make and eat a good breakfast. Sunday mornings are your time to do what you want. You can work outside, read a little, or just lounge around in bed.
