A Runner's World

hello..

It's sunday evening....talk about a lazy..relaxed..very chillaxin wkd since saturday morning. I've enjoyed it alot. Friday I attended a movie fundraising party for the New York Marathon for my friend Andrea who is running it this November. We watched Knocked Up...and then I headed into the city with my girl Jennifer...I must admit I met a friend our here whom so far I only had contact via the email and cell..it was soo sweet and short..lol..

Ok soo the remainder of my wkd like I said has been chill and what I probably needed. I slept in..I finished this book "Fortunate Son" and if you have time and are looking for a nice quikk read I really...or very very much suggest this book. I started it Monday and cried the 3 nites I tried to read it and had to put the book down beacuse I seriously was crying my eyes out every other chapter finding it soo damn amazing how a boy at 10 years old experience hell yet able to see soo much beauty in his hell and still enjoy life and take them tradegies like nothing. The story touches the heart sooo much but again Im such a empathetic person but I hope that every reader sheds at least one tear..again "Fortunate Son" chekk it out.

I tried to find the energy to go out Sat nite to a co-werkers birthday party but come 8pm I set my alarm for 9pm and woke up at 1030..ooops, never made it to the city.

Today I got up at 9 started yet another book. Still fresh into chapter 3..but I got up and went running at 11. It was a good run today...I walked over to Liberty State park and ran my 4 mile trekk which treated me well today.

But I realized as the wkd has come and is almost gone..I thought about can you miss being Indian...I mean you can miss having long hair...you can miss your vehicle and a watch you may have lost. But can you miss being black, white, mexican?? I want to say not really..but anyhwo..im not down and out...but am happy because as I thought about wanting to hear my cousins voice and how lil shynelle is doing, how lil man Vic is doing on his bike without the training wheels, thinking is my sister werking twerking it away with her Thesis. So I come home from my run and am laying on the hard wood floor chatting with my roomy..and she said oh hey I pikked up this book...

Miyelo by Viggo Mortenson

She sed she wasnt sure what she thought about it and hadnt really looked at it but it looked nice. I was only going to glance it over and ended up reading it front to bakk, its kinda like a coffee table book..short but with deep thoughts if you let it treat you that way. It contains blurred pictures of indians and views of indian country...beautiful land that used to be untouched by man and it only contained a small intro by Viggo but words by many Lakota leaders and traditionalists about Woudned Knee, the Ghost Dance, and who/what/when was involved and how the Lakota nation has been shaped since then. Their were songs from individuals in Lakota with the English translation. It was what I needed to read; Lakota words that I knew and that were also new to me. Thoughts from the Lakota. I smiled inside.

I also pikked up Runner's World when I got into my apt that was kinda in the mail trash in my 4 plex after my run. I scooped that mag up since it was going to waste and being a so called runner I wanted to know the latest on running! Well I came upstairs..cooled off..read the Miyelo book and was feeling good...I picked up Runners World and started scanning and read the contributors thoughts. The words..."Navajo Nation" caught my eyes..so I turned to page 84 and read the next 8 pages and glanced at the pictures of the typical Indian body..lol..tall..thin..not lanky but whats the word sinewy..and hairless....he is a Navajo man who of course had the skill since he was little..exceled at running in high school and was offerend numerous scholarships but what stopped him at that point in his life...ALCOHOL...aaawwww sigh...indians and their damn alcohol...well nonetheless he overcame that addiction and pikked up running. He is now 31 and is somewhat sponsored by McDonalds and is getting ready for the Olympic Trials..Im hoping to catch him during the NY marathon! I was inspired to run again but knew better after my run already..so i sit here now ready to pikk my book back up...watch the Eagles/Giants game fall asleep and get up and run tomorrow with new inspiration to keep running!

STANK METS

I like and sometimes love my personal space. Yeah i definately like to have at least two inches between me n u..unless u my mom, my niece or nephews or that boy...but GOOOD LAWD! I'll be damned if I dont have moments on the train where my nose screams out...WUT THE HELL IS THAT STANK! I went to my first METS game the other (YEEEEEAH!) and took a few trains to get there...my co-werker Royda and I took the E train by our school to Times Sq and transferred to the 7 up to Shea Stadium....why only after two stops from Times Sq did a older lady squeeze her big ol' butt along with her damn grandson next to meeeee...WHY..WHHHHHHY?!?!? She didnt even have to lift her arm for her staaaank to reach mee....my nose was screaming for fresh flowers...baby lotion....fried food...anything but the smell my nose had to endure for 20 minutes...i seriously looked at my girl and gave her that you got to be kidding meee! Of all the people to sit next to mee a staaaaanky ol' lady who managed to squeeze her grandson in between her damn legs! ISH! Royda killed it though and had me no got us laughing...she yelled..."uh-huh girl...you got to playing if I gonna let that stank play" as she placed her hands in her nice brown prada bag and reached for her deodarant and waved it in the air ever so bluntly..."it's for a use people!!" I wasnt even embarressed - we laughed and had two older men crakkin up with us!!

How do some people let themselves get that STANK and live with it! I get on the train after walking only 2 blocks and think to myself..god please let me smell as fresh as my morning shower! I only pray because my ass i mean..lol..my legs do not kno how to walk nice and slow, my legs are always on walk fast mode, always...thaaaaank you long legs that are in shape!! *LOL*

Nonetheless we made it to Shea Stadium nice and early enuff to buy decent seats for $27. She flirted with the man at the cash register as we got our GRUB on..im not even kidding when I say we got our grub on....I thought...ok ima have to run forever this coming wkd after the food in front of meee...we both got a cheeseburger..our own fries and a POP and decided to share a Nathan's HOT DOG!! talk about FULL!!!! can u believe the dude didnt charge us for 1 cheeseburger and it stil came to $28!!! the METS won by 1 agst the BRAVES!! gooooo METS! it was more than fun after the staaaaaaaank memories left my nose that nite at the game...I have pics but hav yet to upload em' folks...sorry!!

Fall is upon me

Oooh man I realize it's been quite some time since I last posted. As always life takes one away and keep me on my toes. Lots to share....lots to tell. Fall is upon us, summer came and went again...im looking fw to seeing the leaves change..if I find any tree's around here.lol

Summer came and went and I really feel like I didnt get to enjoy it as a teacher should be entitled to. Damn to private schools. I worked away my summer days giving 10 hr days 5 days a week for 7 weeks with the kids..of course I miss alot of them now as I started a new adventure at yet another school...we'll get to that in a minute...

So I finished my 7 weeks - I drove 34 long hours making a few pit stops along way to Rapid City. I left on a saturday morning and drove about 14 hours and ended right outside of Chicago due to a car accident that left me stuck for 2 hours...it was not FUN..trying to sit in my trukk wating patiently for traffic to move...after my few stops..hit my ol stomping grounds of Minneapolis for 16 hours to see my aunty, a few friends..the bridge and tea which afte that small stroll down memory lane, I headed for Soo falls and spent 3 days with my sister and her lil rascals..I enjoyed every minute of it...a BBQ (shouts out to rachel for joining me and my fam)...a movie...a waterpark and simple QT with my niece and nephews. I got to RC wednesday and again didnt venture out much beyond seeing a few friends; a walk through the central states fair with friends and my dad. A road trip with my mom to crow creek to see family and the pow wow and endless card games with family! It was great..it makes me miss home..as always miss home but I know the relaxing cherished moments I spend on my vacation with my family is not static but moments that change if I were aruond 24-7.

Have been back in NJ for about two weeks now and settling into my new teaching job and getting my classroom as ready as we can be for the first day on monday. I am without my trukk which is still a big adjustment..I don't like having to rely on people so much beyond the family..but there have been a few things I've beeded a ride but for the most been catching the crazy lil mini buses and the subway for my outings or simply walking. The walking is doing me good and I like it but I'll be darned if I dont sweat more as I get older! I should just slap on a sports bra and start running..lol...

Working in new york city is good..standing room only on the train..two stops til my destination and then a quikk 15 minute walk to my school. I like to people watch so a few days I've sat and got my watch on before heading home.

There are no india indians at my school..i miss their accents and how they pronounced my name last yr..I might have to walk or occasionally run by my old school and see if I happen to run into any of my families from last year..in hopes I do!

I've read 2 other friends of mines blogs and maaaan..they have given me a wake up call to my age...im 28..but dont feel like im near 30 and am not worried about it really...but I know Im not 21 n that I dont need to go out every wkd but Im stil not at that point that I want to come home and relax alll nite long. I've got to much energy and need to be doing something at all times unless im just that drained. Im not 1 to hit up a club fri and sat religiously yet I still enjoy a happy hour here and there. It's a balance maybe of realizing yes I am getting older and wiiiiiser (aye) but I still like to get together with my friends and feel young still cuz I am. When Im 38..48 maybe I'll say hmm....sleep sounds good at 7pm friday nite!