Run DMZ

Everyone right now has spring fever. Those who’ve been cloistered by weather and circumstances are champing at the bit to get back out there. Me too. The early morning walks that anchor my days are starting to come up short on results. The homeschooling is grating on my nerves, mainly because it’s dawning on all of us parents that we’re doing the work of numerous paid professionals on top of our own. And, of course, our means of earning a living become more precarious as the economic fallout continues.  Many municipalities continue shuttering or postponing major events where physical distancing is a major concern.  Our extended family took the cancellation of Comic-Con particularly hard. And people are  breaking out , being egged on to do stupid shit. Meantime, major sports leagues are looking at broadcasting games with no live audiences. Athletes feed off those crowds, so this should be interesting. This thaw is not going to be the boon some peo...

In the 332 books I’ve read and recorded on Goodreads since 2007, only twice have I given a book a 1 out of 5 stars. Usually, if a book is that bad, I just stop reading and move on. But on two occasions I felt compelled to offer a different point of view from the prevailing opinion. One was upon reading the best-selling  The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying  by Marie Kondo. I read the tiny book, took in the clothes-folding instructions and rolled my eyes at her personal story. I honestly thought the woman was a wee bit touched, what with talking to towels and crying over unkempt shampoo bottles. I also thought the KonMari Method was better suited for the smaller, minimalist homes of her native Japan than most larger U.S. dwellings. (Her book happened to hit about the same time as the tiny house movement and after we underwent a major downsizing .)   Then Kondo’s show hit Netflix this month and I decided to watch an episode. Which turned into five more b...

The creator of this short film about a marathon runner from Tennessee asked if I'd check it out and blog about it. I like it. I like the way it's shot. I like the guy who is profiled. He doesn't do anything fancy or special or endorse a certain diet or lifestyle. He just likes to run, and apparently very fast. Thanks, Page. Great work. (What's not so great is broken code that won't allow me to embed the video. I tried and tried and couldn't get it to work, so I'm just including a link to the documentary instead.)

No rest for the weary, but also no rest from the relentless election coverage from around the world. If you haven't already, I highly recommend you spend an hour (58 minutes, including credits) and watch the documentary " Please Vote for Me ." It follows three candidates for class monitor in a Chinese third-grade class, and it's incredibly eye-opening. While I'm on the topic of films, I saw a really touching one this past weekend called " The Intouchables ." It's based on a true story, and like "Please Vote for Me" it is subtitled. I know that bothers some (but not as much as dubbing, right?). But both are worth the extra effort.

There are plenty of posts about running barefoot, but what if you're a woman who wants to run topless and in a big race that isn't Bay to Breakers ? A comedian shares her experience on an NPR program. Audio is about 5 minutes long. Have a listen.

I love this picture. I took it last night when my grandmother didn't know I still was holding my camera. We were at a movie premiere and I asked her to "dress for La Jolla," so she pulled on one of my old sweaters and declared herself and her white capris in compliance. She also didn't eat much dinner but later devoured two full plates of free cheese, quiche and fruit tarts like no one ever feeds her. The movie was a documentary called "Over 90 and Loving It" about 12 incredible senior citizens who are holding up extremely well and doing things that defy their ages, which range from 90 to 105. It's airing around this time on PBS television stations nationwide. Four from the film were on hand for an audience Q&A, including a 96-year-old record-holder in just about every track & field event. He was a hoot. One woman, who obtained her master's degree at 98, couldn't make it because she's now an associate professor and didn't want to ...

I've already discussed my favorite races from this year . Here are the books, movies, plays, songs, and an essay/blog post that stood out for me. And unlike Oprah, no one paid me to endorse them. Which is why none of you will be going home with a copy, let alone a new car. Favorite Book: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks A really impactful work of non-fiction that deftly weaves together many important issues in what at first blush appears to be a medical science story. But it's much, much more. Favorite Movie: Inside Job I love documentaries and this one really left an impression on me. It visually and powerfully shows what led to the global financial crisis of 2007 and why we still are suffering so. Warning: You'll leave even more depressed than when the movie began once you realize we don't have the type of representative government outlined in our high school history books. Honorable Mention: 127 Hours I love Danny Boyle movies, including this one. It also changed...

I’m going to guess that as you read this you are also doing something else, like watching TV, listening to music, texting a friend or toggling between computer screens. Am I right? And I bet you call it multitasking because, in practice, you are doing more than one thing at once. But I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately, and the thing is, unless you are fully focused on reading this post in a distraction-free environment, you aren’t really doing two things at once (listening, watching, reading, writing, etc.). You are trying to make your brain shift between tasks, and if you are like 97% of people , you are not doing it well. Ever since watching the Frontline program Digital Nation last winter, I’ve become fascinated with how our brains react to the enormous amount of data we now must try to absorb daily. In that PBS program, scientists discussed an experiment with Stanford University and M.I.T. students who claimed to be masters at multitasking. But the majority of them, presumabl...

One of last year’s most-awarded documentaries is The Cove , now out on DVD. It exposes –- through great effort, I might add –- a Japanese village that has been slaughtering tens of thousands of dolphins unsold to amusement parks like our own SeaWorld. I should warn you: it is not for the faint of heart. But see it, you should, especially if you enjoy eating fish or sushi. Like all good documentaries, it contains calls to action . One thing we can all do is more broadly consider the impact our own eating habits have on the rest of the world and make small adjustments to slow down demand and help prevent devastation of our natural resources. Continue to eat fish; afterall, there’s plenty of evidence that non-contaminated seafood is good for you. But be careful what you buy from grocers or order in restaurants, and how often. The Monterey Bay Aquarium provides pocket-sized pamphlets on recommended sea creatures to eat , based on where you live. It also tells you which to avoid to aid cons...

Were I to grade myself on my Lenten prohibition on gossip, my midterm report card would bear a C-. And only because I’m in a generous mood. At least I’m discovering more about myself while learning less about others. I’ve been working through this workbook that Mindy recommended when I complained about my weight. It’s certainly helping me understand why I eat when I do and what I do. Hormones and heredity also are huge factors, but my mother and motherhood are getting a free pass this time around. Yesterday I watched the documentary King Corn . I’d read (and loved!) the book that served as its inspiration, The Omnivore’s Dilemma . For those unfamiliar with either, changes in U.S. agricultural policy 40 years ago encouraged farmers to grow more food, particularly low-cost, high-yield corn that then brought down food prices in general. This not only allowed Americans to buy more food on the cheap, but it also created great corn surpluses. Some of the excess began to be converted into a...

There's a new documentary in the making about everyday athletes . The kind who read and contribute to this blog, for instance. Here's a link to the trailer for Athlete . (After being unable to post the video itself on this site. Sorry.) It's well worth the 2-plus minutes out of your day.