A Smudge On The Collective Unconscious

Race Report: 01.22.2012 Rose Bowl Half Marathon

2012-01-24T23:30:00.000-08:00

Time: 1:52:16
Pace: 8:35/mile

No PR was set this weekend, but I didn't really expect to. The Rose Bowl Half Marathon, while familiar territory for me since I run the course every weekend, isn't a race to PR in. The trails are too rocky and if you're as clumsy as me, you can risk spraining your ankle pretty badly. I had a small slip once, but I also almost got taken out a couple of times by other runners who lost their footing. There are also spots where you have to walk because it gets too crowded and there's very little space to maneuver. My goal was to run 1:50, but after not running for a week, I lowered my expectation to under two hours, so I'm happy with my 1:52.

I was a little surprised that I felt good most of the way. As usual the first five miles were the toughest. I was OK the first couple of miles but my legs started feeling fatigued early on. Then, just as quickly, I felt fine. I couldn't speed up too much around miles 7 through 9, but I started picking up the speed around mile 10 until the end. Overall, though, my pace was pretty consistent. The first mile was 9:05 then followed that with an 8:14 second mile. My slowest mile was a 9:55 for mile 8. That was due to the goat trail, which I mostly ran but had to walk because of traffic going up. This was the point where I also encountered the overall winner as he ran down the hill ever so quickly. I'm amazed by people who can run down that hill. I slip every time I try to move fast on it. My best miles were the last two, aided by a slight downhill to the finish. Mile 12 was a 7:34 and mile 13 was 7:31. That's a good way to finish, but unfortunately I did get passed right at the finish line by a woman who sprinted by me just as I was about to cross. Show off.

As for my next race, I had hopes that I may PR there, but the way my running has been going lately it's beginning to look unlikely. Work has been incredibly busy and I haven't been able to go out to run. This week isn't looking any better. Who knows though? I did OK on this race, so maybe I'll surprise myself with the next one.

The Week in Running

2012-01-16T21:25:00.000-08:00

What a terrible of week of running! The thing I feared would happen did happen as I didn't run once from Monday through Friday, unless you count the brief, two-minute attempt on a rickety treadmill at the gym. Monday I actually got dressed to run but just wasn't feeling it and came up with a terrible excuse not to do so. I told myself I'd get up early Tuesday but did not. Tuesday night wasn't an option since I was going to see "Fela!" at the Ahmanson. Wednesday night I attempted to run at the gym in Koreatown which has equipment that is at least 20 years old yet the gym is always packed. I managed to get on a treadmill fairly quickly but it was a treadmill that probably should be taken out back and put out of its misery. The tread was rubbing agains the machine and squeaked like crazy. I probably would have put up with it a little longer if not for the fact that the treadmill was stuck on an incline and would not go down. The treadmill was fit for a slow walk not a run. I just gave up. Rather than waiting for another, likely equally crappy, treadmill, I just went home. Thursday was another night on the town. FJ and I went to see a terrific concert by M83 at Club Nokia.

Thankfully I salvaged the week with two great long runs this weekend. Sonia, Rob, and I ran 13.1 miles on Saturday followed by a 10 miler the very next day. 23.1 miles in two days. It's a decrease from the 31 miles the previous week, but considering where I was I'd take it.

This week also isn't looking promising. Work is incredibly busy and I'm getting stressed. I'm hoping to get runs in to help alleviate the stress, but we'll see how productive I am. I'd like to at least get two or three runs before the half marathon on Sunday. I have no big expectations for that race since it's a difficult course, but I'd still like to finish under 2 hours, hopefully closer to 1:50.

So to recap, the goals for this week are two or three runs. I'm thinking I'll head to the gym in downtown to do some speedwork on the treadmill especially if work keeps me in the office until late (like tonight).

Happy running!

Punishment

2012-01-10T10:49:00.001-08:00

Last night I got home at 8pm and promised myself that I would go for a six mile run. I got dressed and put my watch on, when I noticed that it kept saying the memory was full. I thought the Garmins automatically deleted old records when space is needed. It even said so on the instruction manual. I had to have my watch or else it wouldn't count, right? I fiddled around with the watch until I finally figured out how to delete a few runs manually. This took but a few minutes but by the end of it, even though I was already dressed, I just didn't feel like running. In return I promised that I would run before work at 6:30am. I even upped the stakes by promising to donate $20 to a charity should I fail to do so.

Of course, I did not run this morning. My alarm went off, and I knew I would not get up.

This happens all too often. Even as I was negotiating with myself last night I knew I was just being lazy--it's too late to run, it's too cold, it's too dark, I'll do it tomorrow, my leg hurts. All excuses. The watch thing was an obvious excuse. I could have run without it as I did the other night and all the time before I bought the Garmin. Instead I used its malfunction as a reason to postpone and ultimately cancel my run

In any event, my only other likely window for running is tomorrow night. I could try and force myself to run in the morning, but weekday mornings are typically no-go's for me. So after a good start to the year last week, I'm taking a step back this week.

Anyone have any charities to suggest that would like my $20?

The Week in Running

2012-01-09T07:17:00.000-08:00

It wasn't a bad start to the new year. I ran a total of 31.84 miles this first week including a couple of ten milers. Saturday's 10 miler was particularly good. It started off badly when I had to stop a mile and a half into the run due to a coughing fit. I couldn't seem to take a deep breath. This is a recurring problem for me. I feel like an old guy with a lot of phlegm for the first few miles during my morning runs. My pace was about 10:00 for the first four miles, but I brought that down with a fast second half, finishing at about a 9:15 pace. In fact, I clocked in my tenth mile in 7:45.

Last night's run, though, was shorter but I just felt sluggish through all of it. Still, I was glad I overcame my tendency for laziness and got the run in. I'm planning to run again tonight and I hope it's a lot better. I need to get this run in tonight because it's going to be a busy week. I'm sure work will be crazy but I also have a couple of fun events. I'm seeing "Fela" at the Ahmanson on Tuesday night and then on Thursday I'm seeing M83 with FJ. It's possible that I may not get another run in this week! Hopefully that won't be the case. The Rose Bowl Half Marathon is in a couple of weeks and I need to stay in shape since that won't be an easy one.

Announcing 12 for '12 and 2011 in Review

2012-01-04T07:22:00.000-08:00

To motivate myself in 2012 to keep running I've decided to commit myself to running twelve races in 2012--12 for '12--catchy, huh? The rules are simple: one race (half marathon or greater) a month. Davey broached the idea one night and I think he's committed too. Right now I'm booked for the first three months. I have the Rose Bowl Half Marathon in a couple of weeks, the Inaugural Pasadena Rock N' Roll Half Marathon next month, and the L.A. Marathon in March. The rest of the year is still open, but I did apply for a spot in the New York City Marathon in November. I'll probably stick a lot of cheaper, local races since this could cost me a pretty penny if I tackle too many big, out-of-town races.

It's sort of an experiment, too, really. I know the idea is to run fewer races and train more, but lately I find myself lazy about running unless there's something I'm training for. Not to brag, but I think I've taken running half marathons and marathons for granted since I know I can do them. For the LA Marathon in 2011 I started training in January. It's turning out the same this year. At least if I commit myself to a race a month I will (hopefully) consistently run. Maybe it will mean I'll finally lose the weight I've been trying to lose for so long. Nutrition should really be a part of my training, but I love to eat too much. I'll tackle that some other time.

As for 2011, it was a slow year. As mentioned I ran the Los Angeles Marathon. It was a memorable one to be sure with the crazy weather. I still managed to run a respectable time of 3:53 but a new PR has eluded me once again. That's a continuing goal this year. 3:45! I also ran the Los Angeles Rock N' Roll Half Marathon this year with little to no training and it showed in my finish time of 1:50. I also ran another Ragnar Relay this year, and that was a blast. As much work as it is and as uncomfortable riding around a van for a day may be, these Ragnar races are just fun. I'm thinking I may take a break from relay races this year, but I'm not making any promises. If someone plans it all out and all I have to do is show up, then count me in.

To start off the year, here's a picture of me and some of my regular running gang who help inspire me to wake up early on Saturday/Sunday mornings. We ran the Rose Parade route early on Monday morning and--as usual--had a great time.

Raul's Finite Playlist: November 2011

2011-11-30T23:57:00.000-08:00

RAUL'S FINITE PLAYLIST: NOVEMBER 2011

I actually got my playlist together very early this month, yet I dawdled in posting it. It's a great playlist, if I say so myself. It opens with the latest rousing song from Florence and the Machine. Florence is proof that it isn't what you say that matters but how you say it. The lyrics in "Shake It Out" are a bit clunky but Florence's full-throated singing glosses that over and delivers the inspiration.

The next two songs are a look at being young. The first, "We Are Young" by Fun. featuring Janelle Monae, is in the present tense, while "When I Was Young" by Nada Surf is in the past. I like the contrast between the two. One is exuberant while the other is bittersweet.

Alabama Shakes, Gary Clark, Jr., and the Black Keys deliver the bluesy heart of this playlist. I love these three songs and they are the ones that make me daydream that I'm a blues singer playing these mean guitar riffs.

Lana Del Rey is freaky to look at. Her lips must have their own zip code. Then there is the question of whether she's a manufactured indie act, but that really doesn't matter so much to me. A song like "Video Games" is immediately alluring, and I liked the song upon hearing without realizing that it was the Lana Del Rey I had read so much about. So, yeah, I impartially fell in love with the song.

Real Estate and Phantogram are probably going to get bigger in the next year. "Green Aisles" is my favorite song from Real Estate's album, "Days." Their sound is chill and relaxed but it's never boring. "Green Aisles" is simple but it's loaded with longing and wistfulness. It's gorgeous. Phantogram's "Don't Move" is just fun. I dare you to not move along with it.

Mayer Hawthorne is a purveyor of white soul, and the first time I heard "The Walk" I thought it was an old classic soul tune I had heard before. It's a great kiss-off song. Funny, fun, and feisty. I decided to follow up "The Walk" with a soul cult classic, Darondo's "Didn't I."

To close out the list, I threw in the FIeld's hypnotic "Then It's White." It may sound like a dull, repetitive song but there is a progression in it that makes it a mesmerizing listen.

Incase Update

2011-11-19T07:23:00.000-08:00

The ordeal is over! I received a new case yesterday and there's nothing wrong with it. It's new, it has all the requisite parts. I think what they sent me before was a used/returned item. It had a lot of scratches as if it was dropped, probably causing the bottom part to break off. I imagine that someone decided to take advantage of the system. Their case broke, they bought a new one, took the new one, and then returned their purchase except they placed their old, broken one in the box. At the warehouse they picked up this returned one and sent it to me. I'm probably not too far off on my story.

The upside of this whole thing is that each time they sent me a shipment, they also shipped a package of screen protectors. I bought one originally because it was only $10 when it's normally $20. Well, they wound up sending me three packets. Maybe I should sell one online and keep one as backup.

In any event, my iPhone is now encased, or is that Incased?

Grrrr...But Not Really

2011-11-17T10:08:00.000-08:00

I bought my iPhone 4S the day it came out, so I've had it for a month. I'm fairly happy with it and it has come in handy. I haven't downloaded Angry Birds yet, which makes me think I'm not using it to its full capability.

This post, though, isn't about the iPhone. It's about the case I ordered for it the same night I bought it. In short, the phone still does not have a case.

Let's go back. I paid $20 for a $40 coupon from Groupon or Living Social, I forget, towards an Incase product in anticipation of the iPhone I knew I would get. I like their design and wanted the best for my very expensive phone. As I mentioned, I ordered it the same night I got my phone. I expected it to arrive within a week.

A week later, a package arrived, it weighed practically nothing. I opened it expecting to find my case and the screen protector, but alas, it was only the screen protector and some crumpled up paper. But I'm a patient man, so I figured it would arrive soon.

The week ended and no package. I wait a couple more days the following week and still no case. I finally call Incase and spoke to a representative who was very nice. He couldn't really tell me with certainty that the case was even shipped but he told me he would ship one out again immediately. If the first one that may or may not have been sent comes to me, he said I could keep that too. Great, I thought. Two cases for practically nothing.

I wait another week. No case. I call again and speak to the same guy, Frank. Again he was nice, if a little evasive about whether he shipped the promised case or not. I asked him if he had a tracking number so I can see where it is in UPS's system but he couldn't give me one, which makes me think that he didn't. I really should have been madder, but I'm not a very angry person and Frank was very nice and apologetic so I just couldn't find it in me to be angry.

So I wait again. Sure enough a package arrived on Tuesday. Hooray! I open it and let out a laugh. Inside was another screen protector. No case. How could they mess this up again? As it turned out they didn't. I get an e-mail from UPS indicating that another package was arriving the next day.

I get home yesterday and find the package at my doorstep. This long ordeal was finally coming to an end! I open the package and find the promised case. As I'm opening it I debated whether I should call Frank again the next day and tell him that I finally got my case. We would laugh and all would be good.

That was when I noticed something was wrong. The case was supposed to come with a stand so you can sit the iPhone sideways and watch whatever video you want to watch. Should I complain about that? It's unlikely I would use that stand anyway. I was leaning towards letting it go, but then I noticed a bigger problem. The case was broken. Half of the front bottom portion was missing. I slumped in my chair and laughed again. It's comical how much trouble I had to go through just to get this case.

Well, I called Incase today hoping to speak to Frank so I can give him a piece of my mind. He must have sensed I would call because he didn't pick up. Instead it was a lady named Linda. I explained to her what happened and she couldn't have been nicer about it. She said she would ship another one right away, so hopefully everything will be fine with this one.

I still wondered whether I should have expressed greater anger at the situation. A month I've waited and I'm still caseless. Maybe if it goes into a second month I would definitely be more upset. Or will I?

Race Report: 10.30.2011 Los Angeles Rock N Roll Half Marathon

2011-11-03T22:37:00.001-07:00

Chip Time: 1:50:12
Pace: 8:25/mile

The Los Angeles Rock N Roll Half Marathon didn't turn out as badly as I was worried it would. It's far from my fastest marathon at 1:50:12. I should have pushed a little harder to get in under 1:50. Last year's time was five minutes faster at 1:45:23 but that was a different course. The lack of training really did me in, and it didn't help that I had gotten sick a week before. I had a couple of coughing fits during the race, but really the biggest issue was not getting the mileage before the race that I should have. By the 10K point my legs were feeling fatigued. I thought I might have gone out too fast, but considering I maintained the pace throughout probably means that it was just right. SInce I was in corral 2 I didn't have too many issues with having to swerve around people and I managed to run the first mile in 8:30 flat. In fact, I was consistently at 8:30 or under during the race. My slowest mile was mile 7 at an 8:36 pace. I can't remember anything unusual about that portion, but the reason for that being the slowest mile was probably due to a brief water/walk break. I thought the slowest one would have been mile 9 and its uphill climb up 6th Street bridge, but it doesn't appear that the bridge slowed me down too much. Mile 9 was accomplished in 8:19 and mile 10 was 8:32.

The race was mostly uneventful. The weather was fine until the end when it quickly warmed up. Thankfully the high rises of downtown provided much shade and the heat didn't trouble me. In the portion through Little Tokyo and towards Boyle Heights, though, there wasn't shade to be had, so the heat was a little more troublesome there. All in all it was a decent race. I didn't hurt too badly and I was able to finish. I doubt I'll run this race again next year, though. I don't like the new course. It's boring and not as fun as the old one that ran through Griffith Park, Silver Lake, Echo Park until finishing in downtown. Besides, it's been there, done that. Hopefully when I run the Pasadena Rock N Roll Half Marathon in February I will have trained better and be able to challenge my PR of 1:41 from four years ago.

As for the rest of the month, October was a slacker month for running. Including the half marathon, I only managed 84.1 miles for the month. Not good. The longest distance was the half marathon. I'm becoming a broken record, but I need to train more!

Raul's Finite Playlist: October 2011

2011-10-27T16:46:00.001-07:00

LINK: Raul's Finite Playlist - October 2011

Two of the best movies I'll probably see this year are "Weekend" and "Drive," and both have excellent, evocative soundtracks, songs from which appear on this month's playlist. John Grant's "Marz" runs over the end credits of "Weekend," punctuating a heartbreaking romance with its melancholy piano melody. Similarly, "A Real Hero" by College featuring Electric Youth caps off the moody, stylish, and surprisingly tender action of "Drive." Its chorus pretty much sums up the development of the film's lead, the unnamed Driver, played brilliantlyl by Ryan Gosling, as he finds himself to be "a real human being and a real hero." I'm hoping "A Real Hero" is eligible for Oscar consideration because it deserves to win.

The rest of the October list leans towards the moody. Maybe I was just in that sort of mood this month. I decided to open the list with two of the more upbeat tracks, Mates of State's "Palomino" and Fool's Gold's "Wild Window." Mates of State are back with a strong album and "Palomino" is a slight departure from their sound. It sounds a little more ragged than we expect to hear from the Mates but it is still catchy, proving once again my theory that any song with a "woohoo" chorus can't go wrong. "Wild Windows" is also a burst of cheerful pop from a band I've just started listening to. Their album, "Leave No Trace," sounds a bit to me like a west coast version of Vampire Weekend, with hints of world music but less cheeky.

Speaking of Vampire Weekend, Rostam Batmanglij, the gay, Persian member of the group, has several side projects. As ROSTAM, he has unfurled a languourous, beguiling song called "Wood," which features Eastern musical influences. It's quite a soothing song, perfect for relaxing in the grass.

Soothing can also be used to describe Feist's music. Her new album just came out and it is excellent. It's more of the same from her, but it doesn't get old. I think the fact that she remains true to her aesthetic is admirable. There is no song as delightful as "1234" on "Metals" but each song is as lovely as anything Feist has done. I really had a hard time singling out a song to pick from the album, but I eventually settled on "Graveyard" if only for the chorus of kids (another you-can't-go-wrong-with pop trick).

I've been listening to a lot of "Morning Becomes Eclectic" ever since I started this new job, so it's no surprise that it has had quite an influence on my musical tastes as of late. Blind Pilot, Jessica Lea Mayfield, James Vincent McMorrow, and Grouplove are all heard frequently on the show. Blind Pilot has a sound that at first seems indistinguishable from other indie pop acts, but songs like "We are the Tide" have an understated charm that makes them stick. Jessica Lea Mayfield, too, fits an MBE mold, quirky, pretty vocals, carried throughout pretty songs. "Blue Skies Again" is a highlight from her album. Grouplove is a local band and as their name suggests there is a free love vibe to them. They are apparently a good live band and their debut album is quite good. I eventually settled on "Tongue-Tied" to include in the list, but for a while I was going to go with "Naked Kids," but then even after that I thought of changing it to "Colours." In other words, they have a solid collection of songs. I've only heard "If I Had a Boat" from James Vincent McMorrow, so I can't comment on his full album, but I like this song. He's a soulful, singer-songwriter.

Fiona Apple hasn't really been heard from in a while, but I just got a Buddy Holly tribute album that features Fiona Apple's simple but perfect cover of Holly's "Everyday." I wonder if she's got anything new being cooked up?

To close out the list, I included two instrumental tracks from Andrew Bird from his score to the film "Norman." I haven't seen the film, but the soundtrack gets my thumbs up. Not only does it have Andrew Bird's music but it also has tracks from Chad VanGaalen and Wolf Parade. Bird is an excellent composer and I think he would do well scoring more films. His music, even without vocals, have tremendous emotionality that isn't that easy to pull off. The tracks I chose from the soundtrack are "The Bridge" and "Hospital."

The Month in Running

2011-10-02T22:38:00.000-07:00

I mentioned in my last "The Month in Running" post that September was off to a bad start. As it turned out, it was a good running month. Fueled by Ragnar, I wound up running 103 miles. If it were not for the running gods conspiring against me in the last week, September would have even surpassed March in total miles ran.

My longest run was an 11.11 mile run appropriately enough on 9/11. I also had a 10 miler last week. But if you count my Ragnar runs as one, that would have been 20+ miles over the course of a day. My shortest run was 3.86 in Ktown. I ran from home up to Rossmore and back. All together, I ran 16 times in September.

September also marked the beginning of the Garmin era as my new watch arrived. I was motivated to run in order to use the watch, which in turn motivates me to run faster. It's a neat piece of equipment, and I'm enjoying seeing the details of my run--my pace, where I slowed down, where I was fast, elevation change, We'll see how long the novelty lasts. I'll play around some more with the Garmin and see about putting the charts on the blog.

Overall, I felt good progress in my runs during the September. I think I may have even lost a couple of pounds. I hope to carry it through October, which is off to a good start so far as I have run on its first two days. Hopefully I'm not jinxing it.

Raul's Finite Playlist: September 2011

2011-09-30T00:14:00.000-07:00

LINK: Raul's Finite Playlist: September 2011

September has sure flown. I feel like I say that every month, but it's true. Time flies!

For this month's playlist, I seem to have resorted to old favorites. The Antlers, Magnetic Fields, Active Child, and Sufjan Stevens are making return appearances on the playlist. If not for a little self-restraint a couple of these artists would be on the list every month. The Antlers show up again with "I Don't Want Love," another gorgeous track from their newest album, Burst Apart. The Magnetic Fields return with "Grand Canyon" from 69 Love Songs. It's one of several songs from that collection that just makes me sigh with its powerful simplicity as they convey the unbridgeable chasm that develops when love goes away. "But I'm just me, I'm only me," Stephin Merritt begs to heartbreaking effect.

Gorgeous in a different way, Active Child appears again on the list with "Hanging On," one of the highlights from You Are All I See. To top it off, I threw in an intimate epic from Sufjan Stevens, "All Delighted People" from the EP of the same name.

Now on to the virgins! Anna Calvi has a full-throated voice and "Desire" reminds me a little of Kate Bush, but that's true of other female artists of late. Influences are influences and musicians are full of them. Royal Bangs, for example, sound a little like Wolf Parade in "Dim Chamber," but I love Wolf Parade so I'm a happy camper.

Another new band is Motopony with their brief, jazzy "King of Diamonds." Wilco is back in fine form with The Whole Love and "Dawned on Me" is one of the standout tracks. Its gently cascading chorus is quite appealing. Also coming back strong is Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. The one-time band-of-the-moment has receded to a lower profile, but it's good to hear them still making terrific songs like "Same Mistake. The Drums also show up on the list with their latest catchy song, the cheery "Book of Revelation," which isn't all that cheery of a topic.

To top it all off, I threw in a couple of cover tunes. I love covers. It's hard to believe that prior to this month I had not included a Bon Iver song, but now they show up with a pretty version of Peter Gabriel's "Come Talk to Me." The Shins contribute a peppy version of Squeeze's "Goodbye Girl."

Overall this month's list leans towards the melancholy. None of the songs are what I would consider depressing, but then again my scale is a little off. I'd say this month's list favors a wistful beauty rather than party anthems. Frankly, I'd rather be at a party playing Sufjan instead of one blasting out hip hop.

Until October… oh, crap, that's in a couple of days!

Ragnar Napa Valley: In Vino Very Fast

2011-09-22T15:11:00.000-07:00

Another year, another Ragnar relay. This time we ran amidst the lovely surroundings of Northern California, working our way from San Francisco to Calistoga. One would think that doing this three years in a row would be enough, but I'm eagerly looking forward to running another relay. It's an absolutely fun, miserable adventure that you have to experience firsthand to really appreciate. On the way back from Napa there was discussion in our van about maybe doing an out-of-state race. We'll try for Hood to Coast, but there was also talk about something in the Northwest or even New England. We'll see what happens.

As for the race itself, I wound up taking one of the 20 mile leg(s) for no other reason than the fact that I've been running fairly consistently and had no injury. Any other time that wouldn't be a qualification, but it was enough. I acquitted myself well. My first leg was my longest at 7.8 miles and made tough by a big hill halfway through. It was scenic, though. It started in what was possibly the mosty idllyic-looking location, complete with a white church and a gorgeous background of brown hills and oak trees. Davey told me the other night that Skywalker Ranch was only a few miles away. The first half included a scenic view of a reservoir. I also encountered three deer bounding across the road. I didn't ask them why they crossed. I started off well but immediately got passed by a very fast runner. That always sucks. Then another runner, faster than the first, zoomed by me. Damn you! I maintained a strong 8 minute pace up until the hill. I slowed down a bit as I made the ascent. I could hear footsteps behind me but the runner didn't seem ready to pass me. I kept thinking to myself that he should just pass me and get it over with. Finally he did when my cummerbund fell off.

Oh, I forgot to mention that our teamn name, My Big Fat Ragnar Wedding, a remnant of a plan by Scotty, who organized the last two Ragnars, to run as three teams under a wedding theme. Scotty had to drop out and the other two teams never materialized, but our team held strong, left with a team name we weren't too enthusiastic about. We made the best of it, though, propelled by a couple of energetic teammates who gathered together costumes for the runners complete with veils, bow ties, garters, and the aforementioned cummerbund. We even decorated our van for the first time! My concern with the name was that people were going to ask us who was getting married, but the questions never materialized. People just seemed to buy the fact that we're a wedding-themed team. Next time, though, we're going with a better name.

Back to my first leg, as soon as I got over the hill I fell back to a good pace. I kept my eye on the faster runners that had just passed me and made a plan to not let them get too far ahead. Thanks to a slight downhill finish, I averaged about an 8:15 pace for the 7.8 miles.

My second leg took place in the dead of night. I think I started it at 2am on a dark country road. The leg was 6.2 miles and probably my easiest thanks to a flat route and nice cool temperatures. Even though I started in what felt like a dark, country road, I was soon in the middle of suburbia. The rest of the run was along a commercial thoroughfare and through some residential streets. Since it was dark anyway I didn't care that it wasn't scenic. The leg was mostly uneventful. The same fast runner who had passed me in the previous leg passed me again. Drats! However, I did pass a total of six runners but only got passed by that fast runner and another runner later on. My pace was a bit over 8 minutes per mile, which worried me that I was exhausting myself with one more long leg the next day to go.

While I wasn't completely out of gas, my third leg was definitely a slog. It was 6.8 miles straight down Silverado Trail. Within a mile a side stitch developed and bugged me the rest of the way. It didn't help that it had warmed up and had to deal with rolling hills. I held on as best I can but it felt like I was just walking. Early on two runners running side by side passed me. A short while later a zooming guy draped in what looked like the Brazilian flag flew by me. I kept seeing runners in front of me who looked slow enough to catch, so I focused on them. I passed one, then another, but then got passed by someone else. By the end of the leg I had an eventful run where I passed five runners but got passed by six. This was a tough run where I just had to suck it up and keep moving. I kept checking my newly acquired Garmin to see how far I had gone--4 miles left! 3.5 miles! 2 miles! Surprisingly, even though I felt like I was barely moving, I was actually keeping up a good pace. Granted it was all over the map. At some points I was at 8:00/mile then I'm up to 9:15/mile. I did take two walk breaks, but I think at the finish my average pace was around 8:30/mile. It definitely didn't feel like I was running at times. I caught a second wind near the end when I realilzed that my agony would soon be over. I should probably also credit the two giant apple fritters Donna bought me as a birthday present. I would nosh on a big chunk throughout the day, especially before my legs. I'm sure the sugar rush powered me through some difficult moments.

As a team we finished the 186 miles in just over 27 hours. Official results aren't up yet, so we'll see, but I don't think this garnered us any special awards. We ran last year's course in about the same time and that one was over 200 miles.

Surprisingly I wasn't too sore from the experience. I was tired and smelly and probably couldn't run another leg if my life depended on it. When we got to our hotel in Santa Rosa I showered and promptly took a nap. I really couldn't string together a meaningful amount of sleep in a cramped van. The nap helped and the team celebrated with beer and greasy food at Third Street Aleworks. We were hoping for Russian River Brewery but there was no way we could fit in there.

Ragnar is really an event I should dislike for reasons other than the actual event of running a long distance relay. It's a very corporate event, lots of promotional items, and many of the participants I would probably find obnoxious in the normal course of life for being douchey and frat boyish (albeit frat boys with incredibly nice physiques). Yet I always have a good time. The participants are generally friendly and easy-going and friendly rivalries develop. It's a big event, but at its core is the team of running friends you have chosen to spend over a day riding in an increasingly malodorous van. You laugh, you goof around, you cheer each other on, and you eat, eat, eat. By relay's end you don't want to leave the van and you're filled with such positive vibes that it's a shock to have to return to your normal life. I'm sure there's a life lesson in there somewhere, but even if there isn't, Ragnar--or any other relay--is at the very least a fun, silly adventure. Fun is something we could use more of in life.

More pictures on my Flickr page.

The Month in Running

2011-09-01T23:22:00.000-07:00

August turned out to be a not-so-bad running month. I didn't hit the targeted 100 miles for the month (87 miles), but it was still more than I thought I would run. My longest run of the month was only 10 miles. Work and health issues kept me sidelined more than I would like, but I also felt that this month found me finding a good balance between time and running. Towards the end of the month my runs have been better, so I'm hoping that means I'm making progress. I need to start doing longer miles too, especially with the half marathon coming up next month and a long 9 mile leg at Ragnar. Yikes, Ragnar is in two weeks!

Unfortunately, September isn't off to a good start. I intended to run today but got home too late and felt too hungry to run. I'll try to make up for it this weekend.

Raul's Finite Playlist: August 2011

2011-08-28T15:30:00.000-07:00

Raul's Finite Playlist: August 2011

There isn't an all-encompassing theme to my playlists apart from the fact that these are all songs I like and find myself listening to a lot during the month. Most of the songs are new releases or new finds, but there are also old favorites. This month a few of the songs are from acts I saw live. It was a rare month where I saw not one, not two, but three concerts--all within a week! I'm still recovering. Old 97's and Josh Ritter are longtime favorites of mine and they played a show at the Wiltern. "Nineteen" was the first song I recall hearing from Old 97's way back in the late 90's. That's actually a late intro to the band as they had released three albums prior to "Fight Songs," which were arguably their best work.

I first heard Josh Ritter performing a live set on KCRW's "Morning Becomes Eclectic" in 2003. I fell in love with his poetic bent and rushed out to buy "Hello Starling." He has since released three consistently brilliant albums. That he hasn't broken through big time is a shame. He's an infectious performer. FJ noted at the Wiltern show that he exudes pure joy while performing, something that is strangely absent in a lot of bands/artists. "Change of Time" is from his most recent album, "So Runs the World Away," and can also be heard on an NFL Network commercial that has been airing recently.

I also won tickets to Death Cab for Cutie and Frightened Rabbits this month. I'm lucky, I guess. Both bands are--to describe them in one word--sincere, but not in the off-putting way. Both are too melodic and too talented to be denigrated for being sincere. They wear their hearts on their sleeves but also make beautiful, catchy music. "The Sound of Settling" is from "Transatlanticism," Death Cab's 2003 album, which they used to close out their set. Frightened Rabbits played an impressive opening set. Their songs all tend to soar, which makes for an uplifting and inspiring experience. They didn't perform "The Twist," but here it is anyway.

For new favorites, the list is led by the Belle Brigade's "Losers." The Belle Brigade is an extremely appealing brother-sister duo. Their free show at Pasadena's Levitt Pavilion was a delight in spite of the stomach virus Barbara Gruska was dealing with. Gardens & Villa opened for Generationals in July and impressed me with their sound. The flute figures prominently in their music but that's no mere gimmick. There's a free love vibe to their sound and in "Orange Blossom" it presents itself with a sexy-time groove and vaguely sexual and ridiculous sounding come-ons as "Think of me as a swarm of bees/Buzzing around your leaves/To pollenate means ecstasy." You get the idea?

Dirty Gold's "California Sunrise" is perfect California summertime listening. I don't know much about the band, but I'm definitely curious to hear more. Same goes for Ben Howard's "Old Pine," which seems to be about the joys of summertime camping with good friends.

The morning benders' terrific cover of the Strokes' "Last Night" is their contribution to the song-by-song tribute by Stereogum of the Strokes' seminal debut, "Is This It?". Owen Pallett contributes to the album titled "STROKED: A Tribute to 'Is This It'" along with other bands. It's a free download, so check it out on the Stereogum website.

I've had Seapony's album for a while now but haven't had the time to fuly listen to it, but then "What You See" came on while my iPod was on shuffle and I fell in love with it.

The playlist is rounded off by two old favorites, the Rapture and My Morning Jacket, who both have new albums. "How Deep Is Your Love" isn't vintage the Rapture but it is still undeniably catchy and "Wonderful (The Way I Feel)" is a beautful song about mortality as only My Morning Jacket can do.

Enjoy the playlist!

Raul's Finite Playlist: May 2011

2011-05-31T23:25:00.000-07:00

01 "You Are A Tourist - Death Cab for Cutie

02 "The Wilhelm Scream" - James Blake
03 "Changing" - The Airborne Toxic Event

04 "Goin' Home" - Dan Auerbach
05 "Hockey Teeth" - Bahamas

06 "Powa" - Tune-Yards
07 "No Names" - Mutual Benefit
08 "Movin' Away" - My Morning Jacket
09 "Steal Your Heart" - Augustana

10 "Just a Growin'" - Young Man
11 "Putting the Dog to Sleep" - The Antlers
12 "Peace on the Rise" - Chad VanGaalen

Raul's Finite Playlist: April 2011

2011-04-27T00:04:00.000-07:00

01 "Good Day" - Tally Hall

02 "Sydney (I'll Come Running)" - Brett Dennen

03 "Down in the Valley" - The Head and the Heart

04 "Helplessness Blues" - Fleet Foxes

05 "Rewrite" - Paul Simon

06 "Everything, All at Once" - Correatown

07 "Home" - Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

08 "ÜBerlin" - R.E.M.

09 "Tiny Man" - The Dears

10 "Civilian" - Wye Oak

11 "She's So High" - Tal Bachman

12 "Legend of a Cowgirl" - Imani Coppola

The More the Merrier

2011-04-04T01:17:00.000-07:00

I can definitely vouch for this article's argument in favor of exercising socially. I probably would not have run all these marathons had I not trained with a group. They keep me honest and knowing that my friends are out there waiting for me gives me a sense of obligation.

My Sandwich Lady Misses Me

2011-04-01T16:40:00.001-07:00

Egg Salad Sandwich, originally uploaded by savemejebus.

I love J&J Sandwich in downtown. I think they make a terrific egg salad sandwich. I try not to order it too often, so it has been a while since I've gotten lunch there. Today, though, I craved an egg salad sandwich. When I got there the nice Korean lady who owns the shop smiled at me and said, "Long time no see." She missed me! Of course the cynical side of me thought that she probably says that to everyone and is trying to guilt me into ordering more often. Still, it made my day.

There's something about the sandwich shops I visit here in downtown. The owner of the appropriately named Sandwich Shop knows my name even though I only order once in a blue moon. There is really something nice about going where the proprietor knows your name.

Raul's Finite Playlist: March 2011

2011-03-30T22:46:00.000-07:00

01 "Rolling in the Deep (Adele Cover)" - John Legend

02 "You Are A Runner and I Am My Father's Son" - Wolf Parade

03 "The Cave" - Mumford & Sons

04 "Rum and Coca-Cola" - Wanda Jackson

05 "Get Some" - Lykke Li

06 "Dry the Rain" - The Beta Band

07 "L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N." - Noah and the Whale

08 "Open Arms" - Elbow

09 "Black Night" - The Dodos

10 "Singing in My Sleep" - Semisonic

11 "Right Hand Man" - Joan Osborne

12 "Someone Like You" - Adele

Additional Notes from the 2011 LA Marathon

2011-03-23T23:33:00.000-07:00

As a fan of trivia, I really dig how RunPix breaks down your race. Some of the details are a huge ego boost. My favorite notes:

-in the last 4.5 miles, I passed 395 people but was only passed by 27 runners. Yeah, take that!
-I was in the top 20% of all men and in my division. That could improve, but still good to know I was faster than 4 out of 5 guys.
-My average speed was 6.8 mph. I'll set a goal of doing 7.0 mph next time.
-I was still in West Hollywood when the winner crossed the finish line.

Also, here are some pics from the race. The rain really makes it look dramatic. The raincoat I'm wearing is part of my fall collection inspired by bags of dead leaves I saw on someone's front lawn. Isn't it slimming?

Race Report: 03.20.2011 Los Angeles Marathon

2011-03-21T16:40:00.000-07:00

Time: 3:52:37
Average Pace: 8:52/mile

Marathon #12 is done! Still no new PR, but this was my fastest Los Angeles Marathon yet, beating my previous time from 2007 by exactly two minutes. This was also my second fastest time ever. It's almost a minute faster than my Seattle time but still three minutes off my personal best in San Diego in 2007.

I guess the best word to desribe my running the last four years is consistent. My marathon finish times have been within ten minutes of each other, with San Francisco's 4:03 marking my low point since 2007. Not a bad thing. It totally reflects my training the last few years, which has consisted of "maintaining" my fitness. I basically get the miles in that I need to finish the race in four hours. I keep telling myself that I need to do more speed workouts, though. Do I do it? No. I do need to push myself a little more, but I just don't feel motivated. If only I can get faster without trying.

This year's race went as well as it could. The rain really didn't bother me too much. Once you're wet you learn not to dwell on it. I still would have preferred no rain, but what can you do? At least it didn't rain while we were waiting for the race to start.

Looking back on the race I probably should have pushed a little harder because I had juice left at the finish. Looking at my splits above, I was, well, consistent. They took down some of the mile markers due to the wind, so I missed the splits from miles 11-14. I maintained a consistent pace, not running too fast nor running too slow. Usually I slow down the last few miles, but I kept my pace all the way to the end, which again tells me that I could have gone harder earlier. Towards the end my breathing was fine even if my legs were tired. In fact, my fastest mile was the final 1.2 miles, which I ran in an 8:06 pace. Perhaps fittingly, my slowest mile was the first one. Not a bad way to go.

I probably played it too conservatively. I was worried that with the weather that I would cramp up early if I pushed the pace too early. I also took too many water breaks because I was worried about dehydrating. With the rain and the cold, it makes it tougher to figure out if you're becoming dehydrated, so I played it safe and made sure I had enough to drink. Those extra stops probably cost me a couple of minutes.

In the end, though, I can't really complain. I had a great race and felt good the entire time. I enjoyed running in the rain and it warmed my heart to see so many people cheering out in the rain. Running a marathon really does give you hope for your fellow human being. If only people can be as supportive and positive as they are during a race as they are in everyday life, the world would be a better place.

I'm going to end with a short note on this year's logistics. That half mile walk after the finish line to the festival was horrible. It's bad enough to walk that far, even though it probably helped prevent my legs from locking up, but with the weather the way it was, it really made it a miserable experience. Worse was the gear pick up. Last year this was a catastrophe. This year was no different. It looked like the organizers at least took pains to be more organized with the bags rather than just throwing them indiscriminately into a truck as they did last year. But it was obvious when I dropped off my bags in the morning that they needed more pods to house the bags. I'm guessing some volunteers didn't show up because of the weather. There was only one ever-patient volunteer at my pod for the pick-up. Luckily, I found my bag rather quickly. I heard others took much longer.

With that said, though, I want to note how amazing the volunteers were. It's tough enough to run in the rain and the cold, but I think it's much tougher to stand out there for hours. Kudos to the volunteers! And while the finish-line festival was a muddy mess too, the warming buses were an excellent call. Ultimately, the L.A. Marathon did more right than it did wrong. Maybe by next year everything will be perfect.

Raul's Finite Playlist: February 2011

2011-02-14T19:20:00.000-08:00

01 "Pumped Up Kicks" - Foster the People

02 "The Power and the Glory" - White Lies

03 "Ringing in My Ear" - Adem

04 "Ruin My Day" - Jon Brion

05 "Unhappy Anniversary" - Loudon Wainwright III

(That's not Loudon in the video, though)

06 "So Many Ways" - Mates of State

07 "16 Days" - Whiskeytown

08 "Looking for a Girl" - Teddy Thompson

09 "Cupid" - Sam Cooke

10 "Poison & Wine" - The Civil Wars

11 "God Only Knows" - The Beach Boys

12 "Walking Far From Home" - Iron and Wine

Raul's Finite Playlist: January 2011

2011-01-20T23:09:00.000-08:00

The theme of the month is "pretty."

01 "Lille" - Lisa Hannigan

02 "It's Been a Year" - Greg Laswell

03 "My Blue Tears" - Teddy Thompson

04 "Swim Until You Can't See Land" - Frightened Rabbit

05 "Made in the Dark" - Hot Chip

06 "Becoming a Jackal" - Villagers

07 "Piano Song" - Meiko

08 "Lay Your Head Down" - Keren Ann

09 "Stick With Me Baby" - Robert Plant and Alison Krauss

10 "You and Me" - Penny and the Quarters

11 "The Trapeze Swinger" - Iron & Wine

Raul's Finite Playlist: December 2010

2010-12-30T11:35:00.001-08:00

It's the end of the year! I thought about compiling a ten-best albums list, but whenever I do it just feels arbitrary. Rather than do that, I decided to put together a long list representing individual songs and albums that I loved.

"Everlasting Light" - The Black Keys
A great way to start a terrific album.

"She Was a Vision" - Active Child
Lovely and haunting. It must be the harp.

"Crazy for You" - Best Coast
Fun, poppy, and totally sounds like the best coast.

"Terrible Love" - The National
My favorite song from what could be my favorite album of the year. They were also terrific the two times I saw them live this year. They keep getting better.

"Yulia" - Wolf Parade
Wolf Parade bounced back from a disappointing second album with a pretty good one in Expo 86. "Yulia" was the highlight.

"Hurricane J" - The Hold Steady
Another solid song from a solid band.

"Diplomat's Son" - Vampire Weekend
Vampire Weekend came back strong with their second album. Lots of great, catchy songs, but "Diplomat's Son" is tops.

"Barbra Streisand" - Duck Sauce
I don't like to dance, but this song makes me want to.

"Infinity Guitars" - Sleigh Bells
My kind of cheer squad.

"Power" - Kanye West
Everyone else has him on their list, why can't I?

"Round and Round" - Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti
Ariel Pink's lo-fi songs have a certain charm, but the studio sheen of this song really does bring out the best in Ariel Pink's sound.

"Trust" - Generationals
Generationals' LP Con Law came out in 2009, so I couldn't count them for 2010, but this song from their 2010 EP is equally as infectious as anything from the album. Their sound makes me happy.

"Better Times" - Beach House
A great song for meditative moments.

"You Are Not Alone" - Mavis Staples
It's hard to ever feel alone after hearing this beautiful song from Mavis Staples and Jeff Tweedy.

"I Can Change" - LCD Soundsystem
Another superb album from LCD Soundsystem that includes this heartfelt highlight.

"King of Spain" - The Tallest Man on Earth
This Dylan soundalike also captures Dylan's sly wit, and he's cheeky enough to even make a Dylan reference in the song.

"Christchurch Woman" - Justin Townes Earle
Justin Townes Earle delivers on the promise of his earlier albums. Harlem River Blues is terrific.

"Laredo" - Band of Horses
Band of Horses offer nothing particularly new or different from the roots rock sound they have mastered in their previous two albums, but when they consistently deliver catchy and indelible songs like "Laredo," it's difficult to fault them for doing something consistently well.

"Flare Gun" - Owen Pallett
Owen Pallett's songs sometimes feel partly developed. You sense a great idea in there that hasn't been completely developed. Heartland finds Pallett (giving up the Final Fantasy moniker) growing as a songwriter. He's still not transcendently good, but in his best moments--as in this song--you look forward to what's to come.

"The Suburbs" - Arcade Fire
Arcade Fire delivers another sweeping set of songs. Thanks, Canada!

"Animal Arithmetic" - Jonsi
This song makes me want to run as fast as I can. In fact, many of the songs on Jonsi's solo album will do that to you.

Age of Adz - Sufjan Stevens
Anyone who feels lost by Sufjan Stevens's new album need only start with this song to find their way. It's quintessential Sufjan--epic yet intimate--but with spacy, electronic flourishes. It's my favorite song of the year and the whole album dukes it out with The National for album of the year honors. Coincidentally, Sufjan and The National are artistic collaborators.

Raul's Finite Playlist: November 2010

2010-11-26T13:31:00.000-08:00

01 "Dance Dance Dance" - Lykke Li

02 "Chains Chains Chains" - Elvis Perkins in Dearland

03 "Lights Out" - Santigold

04 "Living Life" - Eels

05 "Too Much" - Sufjan Stevens

06 "A House is Not a Home" - Field Music

07 "Eat That Up, It's Good For You" - Two Door Cinema Club

08 "More Than This" - Charlie Hunter featuring Norah Jones

09 "Heartbreaker" - Girls

10 "Somebody to Love Me" - Mark Ronson and the Business Intl. feat. Boy George

11 "All the Umbrellas in London" - The Magnetic Fields

12 "Perpetuum Mobile" - Penguin Cafe Orchestra

Great L.A. Walk 2010: Wilshire Blvd.

2010-11-23T00:21:00.000-08:00

For the fourth straight year I did Franklin Avenue's Great Los Angeles Walk. This time Mike decided to do Wilshire again, the very first street he did five years ago. I was glad since I wasn't a part of that original walk.

As usual I had a great time. Even at 16 miles I was less exhausted than I was compared even with last year's slightly shorter route. I think weather had a lot to do with it. The threat of rain barely materialized. It was limited to a few short bursts of shower in the morning, and it then cleared up the rest of the day. What could have been a soggy day turned into a cool and refreshing walk, breathing in rain-cleaned air.

The only downside to doing Wilshire, though, was my familiarity with the street. Even though this was the first time I've walked the street end to end, I have probably walked the entire lengthy cumulatively throughout the last few years. There were really no big surprises. I knew the street much too well.

Still, there were a few nice touches such as the message put up by the Wiltern Theatre welcoming the Great(er) L.A. Walk 2010. I also enjoyed the company. Kevin and Tyrell are excellent walking companions, and for the first time since Pico we actually finished with the main group and got to pose in the group photo at the end. A celebratory mojito at Border Grill was the perfect way to end the evening. I did get a blister from the walk, but it hasn't been too painful. I even did the GLU hike the next day.

So, until next year! I suggested to Mike that we do a Gold Line hike from Pasadena to East LA. Let's see what he decides for next year.

Here are some more pics from the hike. More pics can be seen on my Flickr page.

Raul's Finite Playlist: October 2010

2010-10-28T23:15:00.000-07:00

01 "Barbra Streisand" - Duck Sauce

02 "Temptation" - New Order

03 "I Feel Like Going Home" - Yo La Tengo

04 "Harlem River Blues" - Justin Townes Earle

05 "Sleep Alone" - Bat for Lashes

06 "The Cold Swedish Winter" - Jens Lekman

07 "I'm Not Living in the Real World" - Belle and Sebastian

08 "Age of Adz" - Sufjan Stevens

09 "Evaporar" - Little Joy

10 "Don't Give Up On Me" - Solomon Burke

11 "Tighten Up" - Black Keys

12 "Land of Living Skies Part 2: The Living Skies" - Besnard Snakes

Race Report: 10.24.2010 Inaugural Los Angeles Rock n Roll Half Marathon

2010-10-28T00:43:00.000-07:00

I didn't turn in a personal best at the Los Angeles Rock n Roll Half Marathon, but I'm happy with my performance nonetheless. I hadn't trained enough, and the course was tougher than I remembered. There were a couple of demanding hills including a cruel one at mile 10 that had me feeling lightheaded as I ran up it. So for all that, it was a good race. It's the fastest half marathon in a couple of years and my third or fourth fastest ever.

With the downhill start I took off at a fast clip, running the first two miles around 7:50/mile. The fast start also prevented my legs from fully warming up and soon my calves were feeling stiff and seemed to not want to loosen up. I feared that it would remain stiff and even cramp up before I even reach mile 10. Thankfully, after 7 miles the calves loosened up. By then, though, I had settled on my 8:00/mile pace and stuck to it.

Apart from the tight calves I had no other issues the rest of the race. I did feel the lack of training as my attack of the hills had less vigor and I was huffing and puffing most of the run. It would have been great to finish under 1:45, but I'm just happy that I finished.

The race itself was very well organized. The Rock n Roll organizers really know what they're doing. I hope the LA Marathon folks took some notes. The shuttles were fast and efficient, and the gear check station, with the aid of UPS, were quick and easy. I will definitely do this again. I can' believe I haven't done CIty of Angels the last few years. Hopefully this will be the start of a streak.

To My Health

2010-10-18T01:37:00.001-07:00

My quest to become the paragon of fitness is failing. Then again, I never had a chance at succeeding, but even by my own lowly standards I'm a failure.

Back in July, after running and feeling bonked out after the San Francisco Marathon, I resolved to rededicate myself to running and improve my speed. I had three months until my next race, the Los Angeles Rock n' Roll Half Marathon, so I had plenty of time to train and improve. How did I do?

Lousy.

I still ran, but there was no significant improvement in the quality of my runs. I just ran and didn't work on strength or speed. I essentially maintained my fitness. Sadly, I can't even say that--a week away from the half marathon--that I'm in as good a shape as I was a month ago. I'm going to go into this race really in bad shape. I was running about three times a week until I came down with a cold a couple of weeks ago and a busy schedule coupled with laziness on my part kept me from running. Feeling guilty, I forced myself to run over 10 miles on Saturday morning, the first time I've reached double figures since the marathon in July. I did it, but it didn't feel good and I wonder how it will be this weekend. I have no doubt I can finish the run. It just won't feel good.

As for my run yesterday, it actually went OK. I was tired by about mile 8, but I finished at just over a 9-minute/mile pace. Ideally for the half I would like to be closer to 8 min/mile. I doubt I will be able to maintain that pace in the shape I'm in, but the course is a fast one, so that will help.

This morning I got in a hike with Kevin and Dan up Sandstone Peak in the Santa Monica Mountains--over 7 miles--in the rain to boot. For the rest of the week leading up to Sunday's race, I'm hoping to run at least three more times. That shouldn't be a problem. I can run Monday, Wednesday and Thursday then rest until Sunday morning.

After this race I promise to work harder!

Perfect 10

2010-10-12T00:45:00.000-07:00

How awesome was Arcade Fire at the Shrine Auditorium on Thursday? They were amazing--in every sense of the word. To think I almost didn't go see them! I was going to get tickets when they went on sale, but then I balked. First it was the price, $45+. I hate paying more than $20 for a show, but I had to admit that Arcade Fire now belong to the masses. Demand is high, and I must pay the price. What really kept me from getting tickets, though, was that I didn't have anyone to go with. I figured I could find someone to go later on, and that I should just get tickets anyway. But what if I can't find anyone, then I'd be stuck with a pretty expensive ticket. In the end, I told myself that seeing them enthrall a sold-out crowd at the Hollywood Bowl was enough. I've experienced the Arcade Fire and I can go without seeing them this time around.

Thankfully, a couple of weeks ago, I found out that a friend had an extra ticket, so I snatched the opportunity. I don't know why I even doubted that I wouldn't be able to find someone to go. It's freakin' Arcade Fire! Their shows are a religious experience, rousing and sublime. I won't go into details about the setlist, but they played a fairly even spread of songs from Funeral, Neon Bible, and The Suburbs. The best numbers continue to be from Funeral, though, but songs like "We Used to Wait" and "No Cars Go" are going to be staples in future shows.

The show was on Thursday, but it heralded a pretty enjoyable weekend. I saw "Waiting for 'Superman'" on Friday and then "Let Me In" on Saturday. Both are very good films, "Superman" more for fostering debate about education and "Let Me In" for beautifully adapting "Let the Right One In" and maintaining its spirit and even adding more to the story. Had I not seen "Let the Right One In" I probably would have been more enamored with "Let Me In." It's just difficult not to compare the two when they're so similar in tone and spirit.

The weekend culminated with the beautiful and fun wedding of Dan and Alice. I put on a suit for the first time in a couple of years and had a great time hanging out with the TNT crew. I danced a little and dusted off my Roger Rabbit, the only dance move I really know, apart from the Running Man, but everyone knows how to do that. Weddings are a lot of work, and Alice did a great job of putting hers together. It was lovely, tasteful and fun. I wish I had eaten more cake, though.

Congrats, Alice and Dan!

52 Films in 52 Weeks: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

2010-10-03T23:26:00.000-07:00

I'm doing terribly at this endeavor. With less than three months left in the year, I have only watched five of the 52 films on my list. Tonight I managed to cross Mr. Smith Goes to Washington off the list. This was a film I have always wanted to see--a deeply beloved classic. TCM aired it this weekend and I sat myself down to watch.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is exactly what I expected it to be, an entertaining and empowering piece of political schmaltz. Mr. Smith is too good to be true, and obviously someone as decent and innocent as he will never get elected in today's world. This is a film that would never work in today's very cynical days, but I think even the darkest cynic can not help but be moved to action by Mr. Smith's display of heroic filibustering in the film. If only there was at least one Mr. Smith in today's Congress. I think Mr. Smith Goes to Washington ought to be required annual viewing for members of Congress so that they can realign their priorities.

In technical terms, though, there's not much to discuss about Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. There's nothing groundbreaking about it. What its classic status rests on is its simple but heartwarming story and the power and appeal of the performances by Jimmy Stewart and Jean Arthur. Few people can pull of what Stewart does here, turning a rather dull, innocent of a character into someone appealing. Mr. Smith is almost too good, but Stewart makes us believe that such a person can exist and even be interesting. Stewart's performance takes off when he begins to discover that his fellow senators are not the well-meaning politicians he thought they were. The sense of betrayal and disappointment Stewart communicates through his eyes is heartbreaking.

My favorite performance, though, is Harry Carey's wry portrayal of the President of the Senate. With his bemused smile Carey creates a character who is pragmatic but not so broken that he fails to see the decency and strength of purpose displayed by Mr. Smith. The enjoyment he gets out of seeing the young senator filibuster and prove everyone wrong is one of the film's biggest delights.

Raul's Finite Playlist: September 2010

2010-09-30T20:34:00.000-07:00

01 "We Used to Wait" - Arcade Fire

02 "I Need Some Fine Wine And You, You Need to Be Nicer" - The Cardigans

03 "Fuck You" - Cee-Lo Green

04 "Ready for the Floor" - Hot Chip

05 "Dog Days Are Over" - Florence + the Machine

06 "Lovers in Japan" - Coldplay

07 "Hang With Me" - Robyn

08 "These Words" - Natasha Bedingfield

09 "I'm in Your Church at Night" - Active Child

10 "You Don't Know Me" - Ben Folds feat. Regina Spektor

11 "When I'm With You" - Best Coast

12 "Runaway" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

This is what I ate #8: Cobb Salad

2010-09-21T13:58:00.000-07:00

I've been on a Cobb salad kick lately. I don't eat it every day, but when I inevitably crave one it's the Cobb salad that I fall back on. I'm generally not a big salad eater for the reason that I'm hungry soon after eating one. It just doesn't satisfy me. Cobb salads, though, are heartier, and I think that's why I favor them.

As way of history, the Cobb salad was invented by the Brown Derby, a location of which used to stand a few blocks from my apartment. The legend follows:

from Aurthur Schwartz of the food maven

"One night in 1937, Bob Cobb, then owner of The Brown Derby, prowled hungrily in his restaurant's kitchen for a snack. Opening the huge refrigerator, he pulled out this and that: a head of lettuce, an avocado, some romaine, watercress, tomatoes, some cold breast of chicken, a hard-boiled egg, chives, cheese and some old-fashioned French dressing. He started chopping. Added some crisp bacon -- swiped from a busy chef.

"The Cobb salad was born. It was so good, Sid Grauman (Grauman's Chinese Theatre), who was with Cobb that midnight, asked the next day for a 'Cobb Salad.' It was so good that it was put on the menu.

"Cobb's midnight invention became an overnight sensation with Derby customers, people like movie mogul Jack Warner, who regularly dispatched his chauffeur to pick up a carton of the mouth-watering salad."

I'm not enough of an expert to say which place has the best Cobb salad, but the one I had at the Nickel Diner recently was very good. Today I'm having Mendocino Farms' take on the Cobb. It's not a traditional Cobb salad in its ingredients (turkey instead of chicken, no hard-boiled eggs) and its presentation (too messy), but it makes up for it with great, fresh ingredients. I miss the eggs, but otherwise this is quite a delicious salad--and surprisingly, I'm feeling full.

"Blow out your candles, Laura…"

2010-09-04T00:14:00.000-07:00

Thanks to a ticket giveaway on KCRW's Facebook page, I got to see the production of "The Glass Menagerie" currently playing at the Mark Taper Forum in downtown. After a quick delicious Friday Happy Hour dinner at Spitz in Little Tokyo, Jane and I headed over to the Music Center for an evening of classic theater. What a great production. "The Glass Menagerie" is my favorite Tennessee Williams play, but I haven't read it since high school. After seeing tonight's performance I'm eager to find my old textbook and give it another spin. It's the first time I've seen the play performed, and the experience is revelatory. Reading a play the only voice that you hear is your own, but seeing it performed, you are treated to a multitude of perspectives--the actors, the director, even the guy around you who feels free to make comments during the performance.

In my mind I've always imagined Amanda as being a haughtily out-of-touch, but Judith Ivey portrays her as almost a ridiculous, silly woman who is trapped in the past. Wearing an old dress that I'm sure at one time enhanced her youth and beauty, she instead looks rather comical, like Bette Davis in "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" It's both funny and sad. Ivey gives an amazing performance. What could easily be a detestable, annoying character is instead rendered heartbreaking and sad. We see all our mothers in Amanda, one who would drive us insance if only we didn't love her so.

Keira Keeley as Laura is almost too fragile, but if she were less so the ending wouldn't be so powerful. Fragile she may be, but there is also a hint of resilience in her performance. Keeley's Laura may linger in corners but she has tremendous strength enduring the tribulations of her life.

As Tom, Patch Darragh is far from how I imagine Tom being, but Darragh sold me with his performance. I always saw Tom as an ordinary guy full of bravado, but Darragh portrays him as a little bit fey and downright mean. He's not a guy who merely wants adventure, but one who truly despises his life. In his performance, Darragh emphasizes that the bigger tragedy isn't that Tom abandoned his family, but rather that after having escaped his obligations, the responsibilities that weighed upon him, Tom is still nowhere. He's no better off.

I almost forgot to mention Ben McKenzie, star of "The OC" and "Southland," as Jim the Gentleman Caller. He is surprisingly good. Having really seen him only in "The OC," "Southland" and "Junebug" where he played variations on the stoic, dour type, it was refreshing to see him so physically and verbally loose. He did a great job as Jim, playing the all-American type who hasn't quite lived up to his potential but isn't giving up. He has some clumsy stage moments, especially early on in his interchange with Laura, but once he settles in the interaction between the two of them is lovely and affecting. He accomplishes the role's requirement of representing the ever-hoped for future, and even when he has to let Laura down you appreciate his straightforwardness and the ability to--at least for a moment--awaken Laura. McKenzie just seems a tad too young to be playing a guy on the verge of cresting that hill and will soon be considered over-the-hill, but he does a very good job of embodying Jim's enthusiasm and downright decency. McKenzie holds his own with the other three actors who have just about perfected their characters.

Again, this is a terrific production. Highly recommended.

Something Cool

2010-09-01T02:22:00.000-07:00

The music video for Arcade Fire's "We Used to Wait" is unlike any other video before. For one thing, it's interactive, and for another it utilizes Google Earth in spectacular and emotional ways. Check it out for yourself and make your own video.

Here's the video I made.

Raul's Finite Playlist: August 2010

2010-08-29T22:54:00.000-07:00

01 "Mr. Pitiful" - Matt Costa

02 "Closer to Love" - Mat Kearney

03 "Unless It's Kicks" - Okkervil River

04 "Love Reign O'er Me" - Bettye LaVette

05 "Eyes" - Rogue Wave

06 "Heartbeats" - The Knife

07 "Young Bride" - Midlake

08 "Terrible Vision" - Rhett Miller

09 "I Lost It" - Lucinda Williams

10 "What She Likes" - Evan and Jaron

11 "So Many Ways" - Mates of State

12 "Whose Authority" - Nada Surf

Hike a Little More

2010-08-11T23:54:00.000-07:00

This past weekend's hike up to the summit of Mt. Baldy must have lit a fire in me. I just have an urge to do more hikes--right this moment. I started looking up other tough but fun hikes around the area and checking out Modern HIker's thoughts on the best hikes in southern California. If you haven't, check out how cool Google Earth is. This is Mt. Baldy on Google Earth.

To the top of my list zoomed Mt. Baden-Powell. The only drawback to that hike is that it requires a 50 mile drive on a mountain road. That's not so bad, though.

This weekend Kevin and I will tackle a hike I've wanted to do in a long while: the Bridge to Nowhere in Azusa. This one isn't too hard; it's just long. It should be a lot of fun, though. Eventually I'll work myself up to tackling Mt. Whitney or Mt. Shasta. I'll need some gear, though. Shopping spree!

Hiking and Running

2010-08-09T17:25:00.001-07:00

I've been mostly inactive the last couple of weeks. Since the marathon I have run once. This weekend must have been a shock to my body then as I took it on a rigorous 10 mile round trip hike up to the summit of Mt. Baldy and back down again. Six hours of climbing and resisting the pull of gravity as we navigated the steep mountainside on the way down. It was a fun but strenuous hike but well worth the effort. It wore me out so much that I crashed at 10 pm. Granted, though, that I woke up before 5 am to set off on the hike.

The next day my legs were somewhat sore, but I woke up early any way and met up with the gang for a run at the Rose Bowl. 7 miles. We took it easy in the first half, but in the second half we stopped taking walk breaks and in the last half mile we were sprinting. I started my sprint too early and couldn't maintain the pace towards the finish. I had passed Rob and Rachel but they eventually passed me again before we crossed the finish line. I should do that more often, though, if I really want to build up my speed.

After all that activity, the soreness caught up with me last night and I started to feel it more in my calves, hamstrings and butt. It's a nice soreness. Tonight I'm hoping to get in a short run, but we'll see how I feel after trivia.

Pics from the hike:

Vacation's Over

2010-08-01T23:52:00.000-07:00

For the last week since the marathon I have been on a weeklong running vacation. I actually hadn't planned on taking a hiatus, but as an excuse for my unwillingness to run on Thursday, I decided that I was taking the week off. It's not a bad idea. I earned the right to not run for a week. The only pang of guilt occurred when I thought about the fact that I barely ran the last couple of weeks anyway, but that is neither here nor there.

Today I ran for the first time--just four miles to the Hollywood Farmers' Market. I started a little later than I would have liked and by then what haze there was had burned off. It wasn't too hot, though. I tried running a fast pace but I was out of breath quickly and had to walk a bit after a couple of miles. The route was also uphill on Rossmore from 4th all the way to Sunset. It wasn't the best run, but it's good I forced myself to run even though I was desperately trying to think of an excuse out of doing so.

After my disappointing run in San Francisco, I decided I need to get a little more serious about training. Lately I've been in the habit of "maintaining" rather than "improving." I've contented myself with running the same pace for the last year and haven't forced myself to improve. It's really laziness on my part and also an aversion to discomfort. Well, it's time for me to get uncomfortable.

As part of this change in attitude, I've decided to set an immediate goal for myself for my next race, which will be the Los Angeles Rock N Roll Half Marathon in October. For that race, my goal will be to run a personal best under 1:40. This should be doable since my best half marathon was 1:41. I'll only have to shave a couple of minutes. I'll just need to get myself in the same shape I was when I ran that time in San Jose almost three years ago.

Other minor goals: 1) get a watch 2) renew my gym membership 3) run at least three times on weekdays.

One last thing, here are the only good pictures of me from the marathon this past weekend:

Raul's Finite Playlist: July 2010

2010-07-30T01:09:00.000-07:00

For my road trip to San Francisco last weekend, I put together a mostly mellow--some up-tempo songs found their way in--mix of music for the drive and also to get me relaxed for my run. Unlike most people who like fast-paced music to get them revved up to run, I like listening to soothing sounds before a run. I feel it helps me relax and keeps my heart rate from racing too fast. This mix has gotten a lot of play the last week. Some of the songs have worn out their welcome somewhat, but mostly I've been enjoying listening to this mix.

01 "Trouble" - Cat Stevens
02 "The Way I Am" - Bonnie "Prince" Billy
03 "Lover's Spit" - Broken Social Scene
04 "One of These Days" - Owen
05 "I Never Want to Go Home" - The Whigs
06 "Curs in the Weeds" - Horse Feathers
07 "October" - Broken Bells
08 "You! Me! Dancing!" - Los Campesinos
09 "You'll Go Far" - Jenn Grant
10 "The Man Who Would Speak True" - Blitzen Trapper
11 "I Know There's An Answer" - The Beach Boys
12 "That It Moves" - Greg Laswell
13 "Careless Love" - Camera Obscura
14 "Heartbeat Radio" - Sondre Lerche
15 "Wicked Blood" - Sea Wolf
16 "Sentimental Life" - Nik Freitas

Race Report: 07.25.2010 San Francisco Marathon

2010-07-27T20:45:00.000-07:00

Time: 4:03:52
Pace: 9:19/mile

Boy, that was a tough one. At least I had a great time hanging with the running crew and eating my heart out in San Francisco.

Going into the San Francisco Marathon this weekend, I had visions of kicking ass and setting a personal best. That went out the window by the halfway point when my legs started giving up on me, but I still hoped I would finish under four hours. By mile 18 I was just praying I wouldn't embarrass myself. Thankfully, I didn't. Even though by the end I felt like I was running slow enough to finish well over four hours, I managed to make it to the finish in 4:03:52. I guess it's some measure of success that I'm disappointed by a 4:03 marathon. It's a time I'm sure many other runners would be happy to have.

This marks my slowest marathon since the 2008 San Antonio Rock n' Roll Marathon where I ran slightly faster by a minute. Looking back at the results there, I think the same problem befell me in San Francisco--too many hills. It's not so much the big hills but the quantity of hills that was the factor. After entering Golden Gate Park at the halfway point, my legs started feeling weak. I fell behind Katie and Rob rather quickly, which bums me out. I wish I could have finished with them. At that point, though, I really had to run my own race. I was just going to slow them down, and I had to focus on getting through the next 13 miles somehow. I can't remember ever cramping in so many different places in my legs. The cramping never got severe where my legs locked up, but it did make moving my legs a struggle.

The frustrating thing about my legs letting me down was that I felt great otherwise. I wasn't out of breath and I felt like I had trained well enough to finish strong, but my legs though felt like calling it an early day. That it happened so early in the race also was frustrating because it affected me psychologically. I got annoyed with Golden Gate Park and what felt to me like endless loops. At one point I was sure I was running a loop I had already done. I also hated that I could hear where the half marathon was finishing, which I knew I would pass on the way out, but first I had to run a few loops within loops. I'm sure most of the other runners loved running through such a beautiful park, but I just couldn't wait to get out of there.

I recovered a little when I got onto Haight. I think I prefer running on city streets during a marathon over trees and nature. It's great during a training run, but I'm more entertained by city streets. In any event, I intended to forego as many walk breaks as I could and just plow ahead. I was doing well until about mile 22 when my stride turned into more of a shuffle. As evidenced by my pace, I slowed down from a 9:04/mile pace at the 20 mile mark to my final pace of 9:19/mile at the finish. That means I was probably running over 10 minutes per mile from mile 20 on. Not good.

All in all, I would rank San Francisco as the toughest course I have run. It definitely got the better of me, and for that reason I feel compelled to come back, if not next year then the following year. I intend to beat this course and post a time worth bragging about. To do so I'll have to take my training more seriously than I have in the last year.

One last thing about the race, the organizers really did a great job. Everything ran smoothly and I saw no major issues that I would correct. I'm not a fan of running those loops through Golden Gate Park, but I think others disagree with me. I also want to commend the organizers on neat little touches that help make this post-race period just as much fun. For one, the medal they give for the marathon can double as a coaster. Smart! I also love the video they provide on the website of everyone's finish. Although I'm mostly obscured by a tall runner in my video, I still got a laugh at seeing how quickly I transitioned from running to walking as soon as I crossed the finish line. I guess I'm serious about not running one more step at the finish.

As for San Francisco itself, it's the first time that I actually saw what others love about the city. The previous times I've been there, I've found it a nice city but not worth falling in love with. That's probably due to the fact that I have mostly visited the touristy areas in downtown. Staying with Liza in the Mission District, though, I really enjoyed the relaxed feel of the neighborhood, which also had a bounty of great shops and such. I wished I could have walked through the area more, but with the marathon I really had to avoid being on my feet so much. I think I did too much walking as it was and might have played a part in how quickly my legs fatigued. I'm still not convinced that San Francisco is as great as others make it out to be, but I finally started seeing the reason why people think highly of it--and the reason can be found away from downtown. Next time I visit the city I will definitely spend more time exploring other neighborhoods of the city.

When It Don't Come Easy

2010-07-20T00:52:00.000-07:00

I guess my body didn't really want to run tonight.

There are times when running is more of an effort, but most of the time I can just plow ahead and get over it. Soon enough I'm feeling fine or at least well enough to finish the run. Tonight wasn't one of those nights. I felt it in the very first step.

It wasn't that anything hurt. My legs felt fine. Instead it was as if my whole body was throwing a tantrum and was refusing to cooperate. It was sitting this run out and I was going to have to force myself to finish. I ran a more casual pace but even then I had to take some walk breaks just to gather myself and summon some saved up energy to finish. If it wasn't for the fact that the marathon is this weekend I probably would have sat tonight out, but instead I went for a late evening 6 mile run (10pm). I probably won't have an opportunity to run again until Thursday, so I felt like I needed to get a good long run in tonight. I hope that the issue is just that I'm tired from my run yesterday. More likely, though, is that it was just one of those nights. The body says no. I got through it, though, so that counts for something.

As I mentioned the race is this weekend and I'm excited. Not about the race so much but about being in San Francisco and sorta getting away for the weekend. It looks like all my meals are pretty much planned with some good eats. I guess it's a good thing I'll be burning 3,000 calories on Sunday.

Lastly, tonight I played trivia at Casey's all by my lonesome and I almost won! I came in second, beating out teams who had as many as six people. Had I been more confident and used the "Double or Nothing" option at least one more time, I probably would have won. Instead I played it a little conservatively in the first two rounds even though as it turned out I was right on all those answers. The host likes to draw attention to these things, so I had to suffer through looks--albeit impressed stares--as I claimed my second place prize. For the free drink round, each team had to send a member up (which meant I had to go up) and we played an elimination round where we each took turns naming universities and which division they were in (ex. UCLA/Pac-10). I surely thought I would lose this round--and I did--but I was surprised to find myself one of the last two. I was only confident about Pac 10 and Big 10 teams, so I decided that I would only name Pac 10 teams. Surprisingly it worked. Others were probably showing off and named teams from different divisions. I got eliminated because I repeated a school someone had already said. I didn't realize it had been said before. I doubt I would have won anyway since the other guy seemed to know the make-up of all the divisions. Still, I did better than I expected in that round, but it also marked the first time I have lost the Free Drink round.

More trivia on Wednesday as we play the third week of the tournament qualifying at Sardo's. It's not looking good for us, though. Competition at Sardo's is stiff and the winning teams have been scoring at least 120 points. For us to have any chance we would have to win the next two weeks. It's possible but unlikely.

12 Miles

2010-07-14T01:43:00.000-07:00

Tits. I have tits--and my knee aches.

Let's get the facts out of the way. I ran 12.2 miles in less than 2 hours. Since Rob and Katie couldn't run any way, I just stuck close to home and ran a slightly different course. From my house I ran to Olympic and headed west. I turned north on Fairfax and then headed back east on Sunset. Fairfax is all uphill. Rather than turn on La Brea, I continued on Sunset to Vine and took that back to Beverly, made a quick turn towards Larchmont and ran south to 3rd where I picked up my usual route on 4th Street back to my house.

It was a good run. Getting motivated to actually get up and put on my shoes was the toughest part, but the promise of food was enough to kick my ass into gear. When I woke up, though, I had a slight twinge above my right knee cap. It wasn't painful, but it was bothersome. I ran and it didn't bother me. When I got back, though, I noticed that the ache was back. Still, it didn't hurt badly. I went about my day and on Monday I didn't feel any thing.

Tuesday morning, though, I woke up and it was back. Aaargh! I ran on it tonight and again it didn't bother me, but afterwards I felt it more. It seemed to get worse after sitting around eating dinner in Thai Town. I walked trying not to put too much stress on the right leg. The ache lessened once I was moving, but it's still there. I just hope it's not the recurrence of my phantom knee pain--and I hope it doesn't affect my marathon, which is already next weekend!

As for my tits, I do have them. I've known for a while that I have them. When I run I check my reflection often to see how badly my chest and belly are heaving. I've noticed in some pictures the jelly-like consistency of my chest when the photographer catches me at just the right moment. I'd like to think that I just have overly developed pectoral muscles, but that isn't the case. Yes, there is muscle there but there is also fat, and the combination of the two makes for a chest that heaves like the sea during a hurricane.

I thought that I was the only one that really noticed how bouncy my tits are, but during my run I finally got confirmation. I can't quote exactly what he said, but as I passed a stoned-looking guy on the sidewalk, I distinctly heard him say "titties" and I vaguely heard him say, "It looks like he's got titties." Again, the only word I heard clearly was "titties," but I am sure that he was referring to me. I have tits and other people notice! I wondered why runners often stare at me when I run by. Now I know that it must be my man tits that are catching their attention.

After hearing the guy's comment I kept cupping my tits to see how badly they were undulating as I run. They don't feel as if they're bouncing too much, but seeing my reflection clearly shows strong heaving. I really ought to strap these things down.

In any event, there's not much I can do. I've had tits for most of my life, and I doubt they'll go away soon or easily. I would have to lose that last 10-15 pounds I've been trying to shed for 10 years now. Of course it doesn't help that after running as much as I do, I stuff my mouth silly with food. On Sunday, post 12 miler i joined the family for lunch at Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles where I gorged myself on Scoe's #1 - 2 big waffles and a quarter chicken. I could have finished the whole thing, but shame caused me to leave a quarter of my waffles on my plate.

Oh, tits. I guess we'll be together until the end of time.

A Fourth of July Weekend

2010-07-06T00:19:00.000-07:00

Katie, Rob and I completed our 20 miler tonight, and it went well--much better than the 18 miler, and it even went better than the 12 miler last week. We were shooting for a marathon pace during last week's run but missed it and finished with a pace over 9 minutes. Our pace for the 20 miler? 9:04. We ran faster for 20 miles than we did last week for 12.

While I usually run during the evening hours, it's rare for me to do a long run in the afternoon, let alone 20 miles. Due to Rob's holiday travels, though, Monday afternoon was the only time all three of us could run. We figured starting out later in the afternoon might be slightly cooler. Yeah, right. The run's beginning was slightly disheartening. While it wasn't excessively hot, it was still warm and kind of humid. I was sweating profusely in just the first three miles--wearing black was a bad idea. I finished my sports bottle full of Gatorade in the first three miles--a bottle I was planning to last me 10 miles. Quite an inauspicious start to a very long run. What shade there was, though, made a huge difference.

We ran 2 laps around the Rose Bowl to start and then headed north in our usual route. The heat was still troublesome, and while I thought I was maintaining a fast pace, I kept falling behind Rob and Katie. Realizing now that we were actually running fast, I understand why my "fast" pace just wasn't fast enough. We were planning to run as far up the forest trail as we could, but on the way up we encountered a sign saying the trail ahead was closed. That didn't stop us, though, and we kept running. We reached the wood bridge I excitedly proclaimed that we were halfway done. Then it happened. I once again rolled my ankle. I rolled my ankle twice during the 18 miler. This time I not only rolled my ankle but tripped and fell. I didn't roll my ankle badly nor was I hurt by my fall apart from a small scrape on a knee. While on the ground, though, I felt like I couldn't get up. Katie and Rob helped me up and brushed off the dirt on my back. As they were doing so, a forest ranger pulled up and told us the trail was closed in as nice a way as possible. Rather than risk a ticket, we turned around and headed south.

Thankfully, it started to cool down by this time, or at least the shaded regions got larger. While I felt better, I still kept lagging behind Katie and Rob. I think it was partly me holding back so I had something for the tough, late miles, but I also slowed down to avoid rolling my ankle again in the rocky terrain along the arroyo. I was as much as a minute behind the two of them. Eventually I caught up as we turned around near South Pasadena. I ran ahead thinking that they will catch up, and they did. In the end, though, I guess I saved up more energy or I just got a second wind, but I finished ahead of Rob and Katie ad the end. All in all it was a great run and it helped that it got cooler towards the end. Now we taper. Only 12 miles next week.

The 20 miler was a great way to cap a terrific and busy holiday weekend. A recap:

Saturday
-Ran 8 miles to break in my new shoes prior to running with them for the 20 miler.
-Helped Chaps move into his new apartment.
-Went on a bike ride on the Whittier Greenway Trail, a 4.6 mile bike/pedestrian trail converted from an abandoned railroad right-of-way.

-Met up with Liza and Alice for dinner at Wurstkuche, which was then followed by drinks at Royal Clayton's, which was then followed by bread pudding AND chipotle fries at Pete's.

Sunday
-Laundry
-Hamburgers with family in West Covina. While there I watched a "Deadliest Catch" marathon. Geez, gripping stuff that show.

Monday
-Slept until 11 am. It was great!
-Watched Toy Story 3. Yup, I choked up at the end. Terrific movie.
-Ran 20 miles (see above).
-Grocery shopping.
-Cooked steak and mashed sweet potatoes for dinner.

Thanks to the long weekend, though, I feel well-rested and mostly ready to face the next four days.

Raul's Finite Playlist: June 2010

2010-06-28T01:10:00.000-07:00

01 "Rill Rill" - Sleigh Bells
02 "Babyfather - Sade
03 "Xavia" - The Submarines
04 "Don't Let the Sun Go Down" - The Living Sisters
05 "In California" - Joanna Newsom
06 "Boracay" - The Little Ones
07 "Pieces" - Villagers
08 "Hurricane J" - The Hold Steady
09 "Yulia" - Wolf Parade
10 "Lewis Takes Action" - Owen Pallett
11 "VCR" - The xx
12 "Go Do" - Jonsi
13 "Shine a Light" - The Rolling Stones

A Musical Life

2010-06-23T02:12:00.000-07:00

I saw South Pacific at the Ahmanson tonight, and once again I find myself thinking how great it would be if real life was a musical where everyone just breaks out into song-and-dance. If that were the case I would greet every new morning by bursting out into this number from Singin' in the Rain, arguably the greatest movie musical of all time.

06.20.2010 - 18 Miles

2010-06-20T23:40:00.000-07:00

Perhaps I shouldn't be surprised how rough this morning's 18 miler was. My 18 mile runs have historically been tough runs, and this was no different. I expected that the warm temperatures would make for a tough run. The heat became a factor late in the run, but to be honest, it really wasn't that hot. I've run in hotter temperatures, but the fact that I was running on fumes and expended most of my energy early in the run made the heat seem more stifling than it actually was.

The crew today consisted of Rob, Katie and Linda. Linda ran 12.5 miles with us, which was probably 4 miles more than she had planned on doing. We ran up north first, intending to turn around after 4.5 miles. When we found that we could go farther now that the trails have opened up, we did so. It was rocky footing, though, and where it wasn't rocky it was sandy. The terrain has definitely changed since the fires and the subsequent floods during the winter. Some of the trail got washed out and now they are in the process of restoring them.

One catalyst for why we wanted to go farther up Angeles National Forest was the shade and pleasant weather there. We all knew that we weren't going to be so fortunate later on when we're out in the sun. For the shade alone we were willing to go through the trouble of running on rocky terrain. We ran to Elmer--my first time since before the fires--and kept going, another 1.5 miles or so. It was tough, though. The trails were washed away and we had to cross the stream several times. What trail there was was sandy and rocky. We used up a lot of energy running here, or at least I did. I'm not the most agile person, so I had to be extra careful running on uneven terrain--not to mention keeping an eye for possible snakes! I probably was too careful, though, which led to rolling my right ankle twice. Once would have been fine, but the second was too much. I finished the run fine, but afterwards my lower leg has been a wee bit sore. I'm not limping and it's not sprained, just a little overworked.

It was such an effort to keep running past Elmer and into the campgrounds that our pace slowed to over 11 minutes per mile. Figuring out where to cross the streams took a lot of time. When we finally turned around, when it was obvious that the trail wasn't going to get any easier or simpler, we were able to run back at a faster pace. We took a circuitous route to get up, but running back was a more direct route. In fact, we shaved a quarter mile running back than we did running up.

As I expected, though, the latter half of the run--the remaining 5.5 miles south--was a tough one. As rugged as the terrain was up in the mountains, it was at least cool and shady. The sun quickly sapped my energy in that last part. I was whining--a lot. I tried keeping up with Katie and Rob, but it was no use. I ran my own pace behind them and tried to keep my spirits up. My single goal was to not fall too far behind. I was about a minute behind, but at least I could still see them. I'm not sure what our finish time was, and I really don't care. I was just glad to get 18 miles under my belt. When we got back to Lot K we just sat in the shade for a good half hour. Katie had the foresight to pack a cooler and we enjoyed some cold water and Gatorade.

The good thing about tough runs is that it makes you appreciate the effort more. I had a rough time, but I'm proud that I plowed ahead even though it felt like crap. I kept running. Also, as bad as the run was, it was also enjoyable. Certainly the scenery of running in the forest was something I've missed. We also encountered a couple of attractive guys. One was a fireman camping with a buddy by the stream. Definitely a nice thing to see deep into a run. The second was a guy who seemed like he was riding in from a movie set. He was on a horse and rode towards us and gave us a movie star smile as he passed. Katie and I were tempted to run back and get another look.

After the run, Katie and I grabbed breakfast at Le Pain Quotidien. It was a fortunate melding of the minds as I had been craving their praline butter during the run. We then met up with Nate and checked out the Chalk Festival at Paseo Colorado. Had I not been so tired I would have stayed a little longer and taken in the car show and other entertainment. Still, I saw the impressive art work being done. My favorite was this depiction of the movie "Up" which prompted me to watch the movie again tonight.

I had planned to hang out in West Covina in the afternoon, but I was so tired that I changed my mind and headed home instead to shower and take a nap. I was so exhausted. Next week we're planning to run 8 or 10 miles but at our desired marathon pace of 8:30-ish. It's a shorter run, but the pace will make up for it. This week I'm hoping to get in three runs, but I'd be lucky if I get two.

Race Report: 06.13.2010 Pride Run

2010-06-16T00:23:00.000-07:00

My first 5K and 10K in two years didn't turn out too badly at all. I met my goal of completing both in a total time under 1 hour, 10 minutes. Final results haven't been posted yet, but preliminarily I finished the 5K in 21:53 and the 10K in 47:53. That compares favorably to my best times. I was a minute or so off from my PR in both the 5K and 10K. Truthfully I probably could have pushed myself a little more, but I'm a wimp when it comes to suffering and discomfort. If only there was a way to run fast and not feel like dying.

The course was altered slightly. Rather than starting in Robertson by the Abbey, the race started on Sweetzer and headed west on Santa Monica Blvd. to Doheny. There we turned around and ran east up to Crescent Heights and then turned back one more time to the finish line by Sweetzer. One lap was a 5K. Even though it's essentially the same course, I liked this one better because it started with a nice downhill and scattered the hills throughout. The climb towards the end up to Crescent Heights was tough, but at least there was the reward of running down that same hill soon after making it to the top.

Running the 5K and 10K made me wish I was doing more speed training. I think speed work would have helped shave a minute or so off my times. It's still not too late to incorporate speed work to prepare for the San Francisco Marathon next month, but the hard part will be summoning the will to dedicate myself to the effort.

Losing weight would also help tremendously. Nothing like running with dozens of very fit guys to make me feel like a fat ass. Next year I'll be in better shape, and I will run the 5K and 10K with blazing time...or else!

16.5 Miles

2010-06-06T00:28:00.000-07:00

Marathon training is progressing. Now that I'm officially registered I can't slack off any more. Today I was up at 6:15 am to meet up with Scotty in Brentwood for a 16+ mile run.

Since Katie and Rob couldn't run with us any way, we decided not to run at the Rose Bowl. Instead, we opted for a nice, cool beach run. It was a nice change of pace. I love running at the Rose Bowl but a change of scenery is very welcome now and then, and since it was forecast to be a hot day, we would avoid the heat by the beach. And we did. It was cool and overcast during the entire run. The different setting and the nice weather definitely helped make for a great run. It also helped running with someone like Scotty for whom my pace is a piece of cake. A good pace for me is an easy jog for him.

Scotty and I met up by Barrington and ran down San Vicente to Ocean (3+ miles). We then ran down Ocean to the pier (2 miles) and took to the bike path along the beach and ran north to Will Rogers State Beach (3 miles). We turned around where the bike path ends at around Temescal Canyon Road. Our time for the 16.5 miles was 2:24 (about an 8:45 minute/mile pace), which does not include a couple of bathroom breaks. I felt good for the most part until we were on our way back and ran up the pier. After that my side stitch just had the best of me and I had to take a few walk breaks. I really need to work on my core.

Some of the highlights (or lowlights):

- Taking a potty break at a beach restroom where there were no doors on the stalls and my lone companion was a creepy looking man in the next stall.

- Running by the UCLA cheer squad, yelling "Go Bruins!" and getting no response. They also looked too cheerful considering John Wooden had just passed away.

- My failed attempt at jumping over a foot-high wood plank on the sidewalk. I'll never make it as a hurdler. In my defense, it was 14 miles into the run.

-French toast and coffee at Amandine post-run.

I've Got the Runs

2010-06-04T00:53:00.000-07:00

I'm signed up, the money is spent. Now I'm committed to running the West Hollywood Pride Run next weekend and the San Francisco Marathon on July 25. Is it strange that i'm more concerned about the Pride Run than the marathon? I once again signed up for the "Ultra" - the 5K AND the 10K. I figure it was only $5 more to do another race--more running for my money. Last time I took it easy but it was still a tough run. I ran a combined time of 1:15, which is good, but it placed me near the bottom of the group of runners who did the Ultra. I'm hoping this year I'll finish around 1:10. However, considering I haven't run a 5K or a 10K race since the Pride Run in 2008, I'm not sure how strong my sprinting abilities are now. With a week left I doubt adding speed training will help me. If nothing, it will be a fun race.

Raul's Finite Playlist: May 2010

2010-05-31T11:13:00.000-07:00

01 "Art House Director" - Broken Social Scene
02 "Drunk Girls" - LCD Soundsystem
03 "Never So Big" - David Byrne and Fatboy Slim featuring Sia
04 "Blue Beard" - Band of Horses
05 "I and Love and You" - The Avett Brothers
06 "Lantern" - Josh Ritter
07 "Bloodbuzz Ohio" - The National
08 "Silver Soul" - Beach House
09 "A Bite Out of My Bed" - The New Pornographers
10 "Spit on a Stranger" - Pavement
11 "Natural Disaster" - Andrew Bird
12 "You're Going Back" - The Tallest Man on Earth

Next Race?

2010-05-24T00:43:00.000-07:00

It has been two months since the L.A. Marathon and I still don't have plans for my next big race. I'm signed up for the Los Angeles Rock N Roll Half Marathon in October but it would be good to also do another full marathon before the end of the year. More and more likely I'll sign up for the San Francisco Marathon in July since Katie, Rob, Gionne and now Scotty are doing it. Nothing like a bunch of friends to make a marathon fun. San Francisco will make for a good weekend getaway, too. I haven't signed up yet, but I probably will.

Today Katie, Rob, Scotty and I ran over 14 miles. It's a big jump for me. If you don't count the three legs of Ragnar, I haven't done more than eight miles since the marathon in March. I was a little worried that it was too big a jump, but it turned out to be a very good run. My legs are a little more sore than usual, but I'll live. I think my legs were already sore from the long, rocky beach hike at Palos Verdes yesterday. I also had a busy evening the night before, so I should just be happy that I even got my ass off of bed to go run. If I didn't have Katie and the guys waiting for me I would have probably gone back to bed.

All in all it was a good weekend. Busy but very fun.

On a blood buzz. Yes, I am.

2010-05-22T11:25:00.000-07:00

It's wonderful to be able to walk five minutes to a concert venue as I did last night to see the National at the Wiltern. I ate a great meal, hung out at home, read, and just before 10, I walked out of my door and caught a great show.

I hadn't been to a concert in a while. I think my last concert was Chad VanGaalen a year ago. That's quite a comedown from 2007 when I was going to a show, at times, twice a week. Lately I've found that I don't have the energy to stand in a crowded room for hours, and I've also fallen behind on my music listening. However, 2010 is turning out to be a year when old favorites of mine are releasing records. In addition to the National, the last few weeks saw releases from New Pornographers, Broken Social Scene, Josh Ritter, Band of Horses, Beach House, Vampire Weekend--and coming up is a new LCD Soundsystem record and maybe Arcade Fire. It feels like 2007 all over again!

As for last night's show--the National's first of their current tour--it was terrific. The National has gotten huge and are no longer the band that had to play second fiddle to Clap Your Hands Say Yeah on a show the National was headlining. High Violet, the terrific new album, debuted at number three on Billboard charts. When I saw them back then at the Troubadour, they weren't the hyped band that Clap Your Hands Say Yeah was, but they displayed an energy and intensity that was galvanizing. At times Matt Berninger's antics seemed more like an affectation, but on the whole it was a rousing experience. Berninger has toned down his mannerisms--some--to allow the drama inherent in the National's best songs to come through. With a voice like one too many drunken, sleepless nights, Berninger is an enthralling interpreter. His voice is tough yet vulnerable, alluring yet cautious, strong yet messy, and with every new album the National has found a way to put his expressive voice to better use.

Boxer and High Violet have fewer all-out rock songs than Alligator. The National have gotten moodier but that's not a bad thing. Last night's show did a great job of pacing the show, slowly building the drama. They opened with "Mistaken for Strangers" and "Afraid of Everyone" and then rocked out a little more with "Bloodbuzz Ohio" then brought it back down to earth again. The engineering was off in the beginning. Berninger's voice was too loud and drowned the music, but the right balance was found soon.

The National reached great heights several times in the show. "Apartment Story," "Terrible Love," "Secret Meeting," "Fake Empire," "Abel," "England" and a few others were standouts. The show never dragged, and even when Berninger affected a rock star moment by crowd surfing while singing "Mr. November" during the encore, the effect was kind of charming. They will be performing a second show at the Wiltern tonight, and if it's not sold out I highly recommend that you check them out.

If not, check out this clip of "Terrible Love" from a concert that aired live on YouTube last week. Yes, that's my husband, Sufjan Stevens, singing background vocals. *sigh*

This is what I ate #7

2010-05-08T00:47:00.001-07:00

Ox Tail Risotto, originally uploaded by savemejebus.

Honestly, look at that picture and tell me that isn't the sexiest thing that has appeared in this blog--other than a picture of me, of course. That there is an ox tail risotto from Mo-Chica, the Peruvian restaurant in Mercado la Paloma. I may have found my choice for my last meal in the off chance I'm about to be executed.

This was my second trip to Mo-Chica. The last time was with Marisela, but we were disappointed that they were out of ceviche, the dish Jonathan Gold and others rave about. That was two months ago. My experience then was very good, but perhaps I expected too much. I wasn't disappointed but I thought the food would be even better than it was. I know, high expectations.

I got it in my head to go to the First Fridays concert at the Natural History Museum. The Tallest Man on Earth, a new favorite of mine, and Gamble House--among the members is a neighbor of FJ's I met at one of his parties--were playing. I had to eat dinner anyway, so I hatched a plan to check out Mo-Chica again before the show.

Thankfully they had the ceviche tonight. And it was terrific. I liked that it wasn't overwhelmed by acid and the chunks of fish were meaty. It's definitely a good dish.

I had arrived at Mo-Chica not hungry, but knowing me, I knew I would still everything that was presented to me. For the entree I debated a long while between getting the special of the day, a cods served with peas, or something meatier. I noticed that the big menu above the counter had an entree that wasn't in the paper menu given to me--an ox tail risotto. Kare Kare is one of my favorite Filipino dishes and the thought of ox tail made me long for a taste. I'd give this dish a try and see how it compares to one of my Mom's best dishes.

I hate to say it, but this ox tail was phenomenal. Hopefully I will never have to be in the position to choose between this dish and my Mom's kare kare. Feelings will get hurt. The ox tail risotto is the most satisfying dish I've had in long while.

The ox tail was braised so well. I'm sure they cooked it for hours and miraculously did not lose the flavor. The meat literally rolled off the bone, clean and easy. With kare kare sometimes I have had to use my teeth to get every last bit of meat off the bone. No such problem here. And the meat was soft and buttery. It really did melt in my mouth. The barley risotto was a nice complement. I expected this dish to be heavy but instead the effect was light yet satisfying. I can't wait to order this again.

To wash it all down, I ordered a cebada, a barley tea with ginger and herbs.

So satisfied and pleased was I with my meal that I wasn't even disappointed when I got to the Natural History Museum and found out that the concert was sold out. Instead I shrugged and went off still craving more ox tail.

Mo-Chica is advertising a tasting menu on May 27. I may have to see what that is about.

Raul's Finite Playlist: April 2010

2010-04-30T22:48:00.000-07:00

Here are the prominent songs of April. For some reason, "Kim & Jessie" is getting a lot of play this month. I love the creepiness of the line, "Somebody lurks in the shadows."

01 "Kim & Jessie" - M83
02 "Ruin My Day" - Jon Brion
03 "Psycho Killer" - Bruce Nash
04 "Your Head is on Fire" - Broken Bells
05 "All the World (I Tell Myself) - Correatown
06 "Echo Train" - Chad VanGaalen
07 "Camera Talk" - Local Natives
08 "Does He Love You?" - Rilo Kiley
09 "Fistful of Love" - Antony and the Johnsons
10 "I Can't Go For That" - The Bird and the Bee
11 "I Learned the Hard Way" - Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
12 "Sweet Disposition" - The Temper Trap

Ragnar 2010

2010-04-27T00:05:00.000-07:00

Last year's Ragnar Relay was the running highlight of 2009--just a whole lot of fun--and this year's version is no exception. Longer than last year's race--200.6 miles--and no cancelled legs, our team, Prefontaineous Combustion, ran a great race. Official times haven't been posted yet but we finished at around 28 hours, roughly an 8:37/mile pace. It's just amazing to think that between the twelve of us on the team, we ran for 28 hours straight for 200 miles and made it from Ventura to Dana Point.

Ragnar isn't for everyone. Having to stay up all night, running, smelly, stuck in a van with your increasingly smelly friends for over a day is an ordeal. But for the right person it's also a great deal of fun. I guess I'm that kind of person. It's a huge effort to run this race, but I'd more than happy to do it again next year.

I had the honor of running the very first leg. I was worried because the night before I was feeling so lousy with a cold and fever. I'd hate to run feeling so lousy. Thankfully, the big bowl of tom yum goong I downed on Thursday may have helped. I woke up Friday morning and felt better--still congested but less sickly. Still, I wasn't 100%. However, I knew that when I run with a congested nose, it inevitably clears up. Sure enough, dressed in a skimpy tank top and short shorts from American Apparel, I was able to run my first 8 miles without feeling like I was sick. I hadn't run for a week and even that wasn't an issue.

My first leg was the same exact leg I had run the prior year. I didn't realize it until I got to Ventura and remembered the course. As such, I had a bit of an advantage in knowing what to expect. It's an easy enough course--flat and fairly scenic--so I don't know if experience is a huge advantage, though. I ran the first leg in a pace just under 8 minutes per mile, which made me happy.

After a bit of rest, I ran my second leg just before 9pm in Woodland Hills. This was another 8 miler but also flat. Most of the run was along the Orange Line bike trail which made it an easy, relaxed run. I was a little surprised how loose my legs felt, as if I hadn't even run earlier in the day. My only problem was a case of post-nasal drip that annoyed me. It tickled the back of my throat and so I had to find ways to relieve the irritation. It wasn't a huge issue, though. I was also able to find a couple of runners who were running a strong pace and used them as pacers. I finished the second leg at just under 8 minutes/mile again. I guess that's just my cruising pace.

The third leg was in beautiful Wilmington at dawn: an easy 2.6 miles. I liked that as a reward for running two long legs, I was getting an easy short run as my last leg. However, if I had to ran the three runs, I would place this as my least favorite. I was stiff the whole way and was just worn out. Having just woken up 20 minutes before running, my legs were stiff and sore. I really should have stretched them out a little. I had nothing in the tank except the knowledge that if I kept running I will finish and I won't have to run again the rest of the day. That got me through it. I'm not sure what my pace was for this run since I didn't see what time I started. I'm guessing I ran a 7:40ish pace, so I probably finished at just under 20 minutes.

After that I donned my pajamas and cheered on my teammates as they finished their runs. I even joined Van 2 for their last leg and took some pictures. All my pictures are up on my Flickr page.

Until next year!

This is what I ate #6

2010-04-11T23:48:00.001-07:00

Roasted Beets and Burrata Crostini, originally uploaded by savemejebus.

I bought burrata at the Hollywood farmers market this morning and I made these crostinis with roasted beets. It was excellent. I could have eaten another plate.

52 Films in 52 Weeks: Chinatown

2010-04-10T19:19:00.000-07:00

From the beginning I doubted I would complete the "52 Films in 52 Weeks" challenge, but I'm still shocked how soon and how far I fell behind. "Chinatown" is only my third film and we're already 14 weeks into the year. I'm 11 weeks behind! I guess that's not insurmountable, but it would require me to double up movies some weeks. What makes it tough is that there are movies I also want to watch outside of this series. Currently I have Arnaud Desplechin's "A Christmas Tale" from Netflix. Netflix's streaming movies is proving to be an indispensable tool.

As I mentioned, my third film in this series is Roman Polanski's "Chinatown." I have long wanted to see this movie both for its classic status and--as I consider myself a Los Angeles booster--its depiction of the City of Angels. I'm happy to report that, like "Casablanca," it lives up to its reputation.

Jack Nicholson makes Jake Gittes a fascinating, well-rounded character. Gittes is jaded, cynical, manipulative, and tempermental, but he also proves to incredibly sympathetic and vulnerable. The look on Gittes's face at the film's conclusion as everything goes to heck is devastating. I guess this is the big surprise to me, how much depth there is to Gittes. I expected him to be a classic hard-boiled private investigator, but this was a nice surprise to find such a complex figure navigating us through the story.

The story itself is lurid but not in a sensational way. It seems to be a straightforward P.I. story at first--a woman hires Gittes to follow her husband who suspects of cheating on her--but then the layers are peeled and we are soon following a story that touches on political corruption, murder, and incest. Polanski grounds the film, though, so that as the story unfolds its dark, troubling secrets, the effect isn't something sensational or graphic. Instead the viewer feels the impact on these characters. It's lurid not for entertainment's sake but because life is full of dark, unseemly realities.

For its depiction of L.A., the filmmakers' experience in the city is clearly evident. From the neighborhoods and streets they mention specifically to the history of the city, Los Angeles is an essential component of the film. "Chinatown" does play to the L.A. stereotype of being an "artificial" city, a city that probably shouldn't exist let alone be the sprawling metropolis that it has become, but I think it also goes beyond that. "Chinatown" doesn't call into question Los Angeles's existence, but instead it brings to light the fact that underlying the city's growth and all the civic conveniences that have come about is a culture of corruption and greed. A price was paid for our comforts and as much as it can be smoothed over and hidden, it can't be undone. In this way it parallels the story of Faye Dunaway's character. Evelyn has lived a privileged life, but she paid for it in many ways. Like her, we are beholden to figures like her father, Noah Cross, for what they have provided us but we also are paying for their sins. There's nothing we can do about it now to correct it, so we are left to acknowledge the dirty truth and go on about with our lives.

"Chinatown" is a terrific film, and it ends with a perfect, albeit troubling line, a nihilistic shrug of sorts: "Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown."

Buff-y

2010-04-09T01:20:00.000-07:00

I have this goal of attaining a "summer beach bod." It's actually been a goal for many years now but I have yet to accomplish it. Will this be the year? If I keep eating the way I do I doubt I ever will. Maybe for a day, and then I'll snap a picture of it to capture the moment then I can let myself go to waste again.

So far I've lost some weight, but I don't know how much. I haven't weighed myself. Judging from the decreased size of my man boobs I'm guessing it's about five pounds. Running is helping with the weight loss but I would need to really monitor what I eat to be successful. How can I do that, though, when there's so much good food to eat?

Tonight I checked out the Flying Pig Truck after work. The Art Walk attracts a whole caravan of food trucks, so when I got out of work I checked out which ones were there. A lot of them were unfamiliar to me or their food offerings just didn't appeal to me. I was about to give up hope and headed back to the parking garage when I saw the Flying Pig Truck parking. I had read good things about their fare, so I checked out the line and figured I'd wait for a bit. The line wasn't too long, and the Flying Pig started taking orders very soon. I was thinking of getting the braised pork belly bun but I feared that it would be too greasy. I was feeling guilty enough as it was, so instead I settled for the tamarind duck taco, which in my mind was healthier, along with crab balls. Now that I think about it, I probably would have been better off getting the pork belly.

The verdict? Both items were amazingly good. The tamarind duck taco was sweet at first but had a nice spicy kick at the end. I'm not a duck expert, but I thought it tasted great. The crab balls were quite good, too. It's a compliment to say that I could really taste the crab. They paired it with a sweet chili dipping sauce, but it really didn't need it. I could have had a couple more of those duck tacos, but I was good. I had a taste and it was good. I'll save the other menu items for next time.

While at the Flying Pig Truck I ran into one of my Flickr contacts, the uber-talented Joits. We had never met and only knew each other from the pictures we post on Flickr, which actually is pretty revealing. It's not often you get to meet an internet friend, so it was great to meet and talk to him for a bit. The internet really is a great tool for opening up the world.

Afterwards, feeling guilty from the food, which also included a vegan potato salad and half a peanut butter and banana sandwich from earlier, I went for a run. Rather than do my usual 6, I super-sized it to 8.75 miles. It was a lousy run. I just never got in a rhythm and felt sluggish the whole way. It was like I had only one gear and I went through the whole run on that one gear. I managed to drag myself through the run, so at least I can say I ran 8.75 miles. It sucked, but it was completed.

The weekend now beckons and Saturday there will be more eating. Dim sum in the morning and sausages and beer later in the evening. How am I ever going to be buff?

This is what I ate #5

2010-04-04T00:57:00.001-07:00

Salmon with Roasted Potatoes, originally uploaded by savemejebus.

Dinner and a movie. I finally watched "Chinatown." Great movie. Dinner could have been better. I oversalted the potatoes and the salmon was slightly overcooked. Oh well.

8 Miles

2010-04-03T14:21:00.000-07:00

Suddenly it's spring! Running around the Rose Bowl this morning, we were treated to wildflowers at bloom, mostly mustard flowers (I think), but there were also a few California poppies. Even the freeways were at bloom. I saw some purple wildflowers along the 134 and more mustard flowers along the 710. They seemed to be at their peak, so I can only imagine what the deserts look like right now. As pretty as they are, though, my allergies have been acting up all week. I guess I can put up with it for the sake of beauty.

The Rose Bowl is also experiencing a bit of spring awakening. Pasadena has seen fit to repave the road around the Rose Bowl and repaint and reconfigure (slightly) the running paths. The running path around the Bowl will be widened to 13 feet and the "Wrong Way" signs no one really followed (including me) will be taken down. Posts will also be installed to separate the running path from bicycle and vehicular traffic. I can't wait to see it all completed. Running on the newly paved road felt good on my weary legs. Good job, Pasadena!

As for the run, it went well. For the first time in a long time, we ventured past the white bridge beyond JPL. We couldn't go farther than the ranger station, though, because of erosion. Well, we could have, but we didn't want to have to hike down what amounts to a miniature canyon. I really only wanted to do 6 miles, so I was ready to turn around anyway.

What I've taken to calling my "shin issues" is still there. I'm still not sure why it went away while I was running the marathon, but since then it's still lingering. It's not painful. It's just something I feel, a tightness of sorts, and a tenderness when I touch the spot. I've been monitoring it but it's not getting worse and it's not hindering my mobility, so I'm following the advice of this New York Times article regarding doctors and exercise injuries. You don't really need a doctor to tell you that rest will help with an injury. I probably should rest and ice the leg more, but I'm terrible at doing that. With that said, if my leg snaps I sure as hell will see a doctor.

To reward myself for the longer run, I stopped by Fosselman's and got a scoop of their taro (ube) ice cream. I must say that it's better than the ube ice cream made by Magnolia in the Philippines. The taro flavor really comes through and the ice cream has the right creamy texture. Next time I'm picking up a whole pint to eat at home.

April Fools

2010-04-01T01:51:00.000-07:00

Happy April Fools Day courtesy of Rufus Wainwright. Check out the familiar L.A. locations like Shakespeare Bridge in Los Feliz.

A March Weekend

2010-03-29T00:50:00.000-07:00

The picture above is Sturtevant Falls, the destination of this weekend's GLU hike. It was a great hike, scenic and shady, which was nice since it was a little warm this weekend. It also provided enough challenge--stream crossings--to make it adventurous. All together, we hiked 6.5 miles above Sierra Madre. Afterwards, we had a satisfying Mediterranean lunch at the Patio in Arcadia. I had the lamb chops, which were OK, but I really liked the halloum that I ordered as an appetizer. I probably should have just had that and some other appetizer.

By the time I got home I only had about an hour to rest before I had to head out to Long Beach. Preeti had invited me to check out the Earth Hour festivities she was putting together on the Queen Mary. She promised drinks and appetizers, so I couldn't turn that down. The trip to Long Beach, though, took too long. The Blue Line is only running every thirty minutes. I waited about fifteen minutes in a crowded, smelly car (thanks to a homeless guy) before it departed, but at least I had a seat. I worried that when I got to the Transit Mall I'd have to wait a while for a Passport shuttle, but one arrived just as I got there. Still, it was a two hour door-to-door trip.

The Earth Hour event was small but cool. The Queen Mary turned off all unnecessary lights for an hour and invited community groups to provide information about conservation. A local cycling group was there to demonstrate the amount of energy required to power one incandescent light bulb versus five fluorescent bulbs. The cyclists took turns riding stationary bikes that provided energy to light the bulbs. I was hoping to hang out with Preeti throughout the night, but since she was working, she was running around a lot. I explored the ship while I was there.

I left the Queen Mary at 10pm, and I was tired. I wasn't going to make it to Akbar for Alexander's celebration. I would not have made it to Akbar until after midnight, and since I was very tired I doubt I could stay very long even if I did go. So I went directly home instead and got a good night's sleep. I slept in until about 10 am on Sunday.

Sunday was relatively quiet. The goal was to clean my apartment, and I partially succeeded. I finally unpacked my suitcase, discarded junk mail and old magazines, swept the floor, and cleaned the bathroom. I was hoping I could tackle the kitchen too. Instead I opted for making dinner, which I'm glad I did. I love risotto, and a brief discussion of risotto during the hike made me crave it. I decided to make a beet risotto, and it turned out great.

I also went for my first run since last week's marathon, a six-miler. For the last week I've been allowing myself to be lazy--I just ran a marathon--but the afterglow of that feat is now diminishing and it's time for me to get back in the habit. And it wasn't a moment too soon. This run was a struggle. My leg muscles were very tight, especially my calves. I thought it would go away eventually, but the tightness stayed the entire six miles. One week of no running and I'm already out of shape!

Also, to wrap up the Los Angeles Marathon, I noticed a great feature on the race's website that breaks down statistics of the runner's run. It tells you your pace along various points and compares you to other runners. My favorite statistic is the note about the last 4.5 miles of the run. It says I passed 587 runners in the last 4.5 miles and only got passed by 30. I love that! 587 runners! Even though I had slowed down some at that point, I was still faster than 587 runners who were initially ahead of me. Not to brag, but that fact makes me feel happy.

I was also able to capture some pictures from the marathon of me running. I look good!

Raul's Finite Playlist: March 2010

2010-03-25T00:29:00.000-07:00

01 "Your Ex-Lover is Dead" - Stars
02 "The Sweetest Thing" - Camera Obscura
03 "Stillness is the Move" - Dirty Projectors
04 "Kettering" - The Antlers
05 "Lisztomania" - Phoenix
06 "Choices" - Bettye LaVette
07 "Chanson Triste" - Carla Bruni
08 "Q&A" - Office
09 "All I Wanna Do" - Jamie Lidell
10 "Don't Watch Me Dancing" - Little Joy
11 "Sequestered in Memphis" - The Hold Steady
12 "Heroin" - The Velvet Underground

Race Report: 03.21.2010 Los Angeles Marathon

2010-03-23T00:29:00.000-07:00

Time: 3:57:01
Pace: 9:02/mile
Overall: 2286/22299
Gender: 1811/13189
Division: 288/1678

My tenth marathon is over and done with. Fittingly, the Los Angeles Marathon--the one that started it all way back in 2005--marked the event. It was my fifth L.A. Marathon, and thanks to a great new course it was the best yet even if it wasn't my fastest. I'm hoping the organizers can keep this course from here on in because it's just about perfect--scenic, diverse, challenging, fun, and never boring. As great as the course was, though, the event had some glaring flaws that hopefully will be corrected next year. I'll get to those in the recap.

I set my alarm for 2:30 a.m. on Sunday so that I could make myself a bacon and egg breakfast. I didn't physically get up, though, until 15 minutes later, but cooking the bacon and eggs didn't take long. I thought twice about eating bacon and eggs (and rice), but I was really craving it. I worried that I've never had a meal like it before a race and I wasn't sure how it would sit in my stomach. My craving, though, prevailed, but I compromised by cooking only two slices of bacon and one egg, a small serving of rice, and a cup of coffee. It was very satisfying. Whenever possible, I may just have bacon and eggs all the time before a marathon. Afterwards I showered, put on my gear, and I was out the door by 3:45 a.m.

I had made up my mind to take the bus to Santa Monica in order to catch the shuttle from there to Dodger Stadium. Sunday morning, though, I had a brief doubts about the plan. What if I get mugged waiting for the line 20 bus? That would have been an ignominious way to start the race. Luckily, I wasn't mugged. In fact, the 20 was pretty crowded at 4 in the morning, and since there was no traffic, the bus zoomed along and I was in Santa Monica in half an hour, way before my scheduled 5:30 a.m. shuttle. That wasn't a problem, though. I just hopped on board the shuttle and I was whisked off to Dodger Stadium. I was at Dodger Stadium by 5:30, two hours before the race was scheduled to start. So I did the only thing I could do: I went to the port-a-potty and took a much-needed piss then found a place to sit and wait out the time while listening to some slow tunes.

Although there was no line at the port-a-potties when I got there, I could tell that the organizers didn't get enough of them to serve the 25,000 runners who have been hydrating all weekend long. This could be a disaster, I thought. I was sort of right. The lines were long, but when people need to piss, they'll find a place. I saw a lot of people clambering up the hillsides around Chavez Ravine for some privacy or simply going behind a dumpster. Some barely found any privacy but just took a piss anyway.

The two hours actually passed quickly, and even though it was a mild morning and forecasts were for a warm day, I got chilly waiting out there. So rather than check in my gear early, I just held on to it until just before the race was supposed to start so I could stow the extra shirts I brought. When I checked in the gear, I sensed another disaster in the making. The volunteer tagged my bag as they ought to, but when it was handed off to someone else to be placed in the truck, it was arbitrarily tossed into the truck--a truck whose number assignment was for runners with numbers 9001-12000 on their bibs, so potentially 3,000 bags will be stowed in that truck. Tossing a bag into a truck is not a system for handling 3,000 bags. Uh oh.

I didn't worry about my bag at the time, though. I had a race to run, so I headed off to the start line and realized that it was basically one big corral. The race was already late in starting. It was scheduled to start at 7:25 a.m. but they made an announcement that the non-elite runners probably won't be starting until 7:45 or so. As the wheelchair competitors started and saw where they were headed, I saw another problem. The first mile is a lap around Dodger Stadium, so the route swirls around the stadium. The organizers, however, had the amazing foresight to place the few port-a-potties they did order just outside of this swirl, which meant that if you were using the port-a-potties, you would have to cut across the course to get to the start line. Anyone who has been involved in at least one marathon would know that runners will use port-a-potties up to the last minute. Some even use it even after the gun has gone off. It's one of the luxuries of chip timing. Now, I don't know why the organizers didn't see the problem in this. Did they think everyone would stop using the port-a-potties before the race started?

Unfortunately, I became one of the victims when I decided that I needed to use the restroom and hoped that I could beat the start of the main group and get back to the start line with no problem. I didn't beat the start. As I walked out to go back to the start, an onslaught of runners was just coming around like a giant stampede. To cross would mean I'd get trampled. I considered just joining them and skipping the start line, but that would mean my time may not count. So, I walked away from the start line and jumped in with the runners who already started and slowly made my way to the left so I could get into the start. I succeeded, but I wondered how the others who were also stranded managed.

Since my watch strap broke a while back, I decided to run watchless for the first time at a race. I'm usually a slave to my watch during a race, dutifully marking each split, calculating my pace, and estimating my finish time. I will adjust my speed based on my splits. Without a watch, though, I'd have to base it on how I was feeling and the time provided at each mile marker. I'm good enough in math that I can probably do a quick calculation without it. To my shock, though, there was no clock at the start line, which meant I had no idea how many minutes after the gun went off I was actually starting. Not only was there no clock at the start, I didn't see one for miles one nor two. When I finally saw one at mile 3, it read around 45 minutes, which either meant I started about fifteen minutes after the gun or I was running really slow, which would not have been surprising because of the crowd at the start which required me to do some weaving and even occasionally stop in my tracks. I assumed, though, that I had started 15 minutes behind and tried to pick up my pace.

I didn't feel great in the beginning. My right shin had been tender for the last week or so, and I could feel it in the early runs. Not running much the last week also made my legs feel heavy and sluggish. I prepared myself for the possibility that I may have to drop out if my shin became a problem. I have yet to drop out of a race and I hoped I wouldn't have to now. But then, as I was climbing the steep hill on 1st leading up to Grand in downtown, my inner thighs began to cramp up. It was only three miles into the race and I was already cramping? This is going to be a lousy race, I thought to myself. Yet I kept going. I would just have to see how far I can go. By then the relatively mild morning was feeling like a warm, humid day. I usually don't take a Gu until mile 8 but I told myself I'll take one around mile 6. Better safe than sorry.

Even though I was having a lousy run so far, I did enjoy running through Echo Park and Silver Lake. However, I was disappointed by the lack of hipster support for the race. I was hoping the area would be teeming. Then again, it was still early on Sunday. I did find a few hanging out at the usual areas, enjoying their coffee at Cafe Tropical and Intelligentsia. The crowd grew thicker, though, as we entered Los Feliz and East Hollywood, which was a convenient spot to cheer because of the Vermont/Sunset Red Line station. I took a Gu at this point, and I think it made a huge difference in how I felt and gave me a nice jolt.

As I entered Thai Town, I was feeling better. I didn't feel my shin any more and felt more upbeat about my prospects. My time calculations also showed that I was speeding up, which helped boost my confidence. I saw Prame from GLU as I ran through Thai Town and said hi. After that, I found more people I knew. Manny and Mary Lou were right in front of the Hollywood/Vine station, but I almost missed them and they me. I knew Jane would be at La Brea and Sunset, and sure enough she was. She took the picture of me above as I ran towards her. I'm probably saying, "JANE!" in the picture. I'm always grateful for friends who come out to cheer. They wait and wait only to see someone they know for a few seconds and soon they're off. Cheering is really a lot of just waiting but it is also fun to cheer on strangers and to take in the scenery. Still, getting up early on a Sunday morning and braving the crowds is a lot of work, and it means a lot to see a friendly face in the crowd, especially when you're feeling not so fresh. I didn't expect to see Katie at mile 21, for example. It took me a second to realize it was her I was so delirious, but she helped pep me up in that difficult part of the race. So did Sonia, who ran with me for a few minutes.

Miles 10-16 from Hollywood through West Hollywood and Beverly Hills were my best miles. I felt great and thought I was running a great race. I was basically running the whole thing without taking walk breaks like I usually do. The only time I would walk was to drink. As soon as I had finished drinking I would run again. Even if this wasn't my fastest marathon, I can mark it as the first marathon I ran (almost) completely through. Running through West Hollywood was great, and I wondered how the Christian runners, the ones with Bible verses written on their jerseys, will react as they run through a gauntlet of men dressed as nuns handing them water and not to mention the go-go dancers.

At Century City, with a gradual hill making things tougher, I began to tire. Not as bad as I would have thought earlier, but the race was starting to become tough. Still, I maintained my pace. The worst section was the mile through the Veterans Administration grounds. My legs just felt heavy and it seemed warmer there than at any point in the race. The sun was breaking through the marine layer and there was no shade to be had in the grounds. I was grateful, though, that they didn't make us run up the difficult hill on Federal to get to Brentwood. Instead we had the more gradual hills through the V.A. but even those were tough.

Having run on San Vicente before, I knew not to expect it to be easy. The first part was a gradual incline and then only after you peak do you get that wonderful downhill portion all the way to Santa Monica. I still had to get through the uphill portion. Somewhere on mile 21, though, I made the mistake of grabbing an oversized pretzel that someone was offering to runners. I had been taking just about everything spectators were offering me, mainly oranges and banana, with the hope that it would keep the cramping at bay. It seemed to work. No cramping, just hints that they were coming. However, that pretzel became a small problem. It's not the spectator's fault. At that point in the race, eating something so thick and starchy probably wasn't a good idea. The pretzel soaked up the saliva in my mouth and I couldn't swallow it. The mushy pretzel just sat in the pockets of my cheeks. I needed water. I couldn't even spit it out! As you would expect, when you want something you can't find it. It seemed like ages before I came across a water station. Thankfully I didn't choke on the pretzel and I was able to spit it out.

Mile 24 through the end was downhill and it felt great. The view of the ocean was a great sight telling me that I was almost done. The cooler temperatures and thicker marine layer also helped as I got a second wind and began picking up my pace a little the last two miles. When I turned on Ocean Ave. I could see the finish line in the distance and throngs of people lining both sides. So beautiful. This was one reason why I love running the L.A. Marathon, seeing the community out there cheering on strangers and just being supportive. The crowds were thick everywhere, even areas where I thought residents would be unsupportive of the new course. The people seemed to embrace it and it's such great motivation to be cheered on as you're struggling for one last push.

I crossed the finish line with the clock reading 4:12. My estimated 15 minute lag time turned out to be right. My chip time was 3:57:01. This was my fourth fastest marathon and the fifth time I finished under four hours. I passed Andy at mile 24, but he wasn't too far behind me at the finish. I waited for him and I ran into David too, who ran his first marathon. He posted a great time for his first and beat me by 43 seconds. I almost caught up to him!

All in all, I enjoyed the race. The course was beautiful. Too bad it was marred by the flaws I already mentioned. However, the worst part was the debacle that was bag claim. As I suspected, it became a big mess. The volunteers couldn't find bags right away and it seemed as if the bags were just thrown into the truck haphazardly. The runners were annoyed and the volunteers were becoming stressed. I had to wait at least half an hour to find my bag. It was aggravating. The worst part was that I had asked Andy and his girlfriend, Lisa, for a ride home, so they had to wait for me as I tried to find my bag. Bag check had never been a problem for me before. Hopefully this will be addressed next year.

If the organizers can keep this course, I don't see why the L.A. Marathon can't be a world class race, one that people everywhere would flock to run. It really serves as a great running tour of Los Angeles. You see all the tourist sights in one day, and you witness the diversity of the city. From downtown to Echo Park to Silver Lake to Hollywood to West Hollywood to Beverly Hills to the Westside to Santa Monica--the course was a great snapshot of the area.

For my post-marathon meal, a conversation about burgers with Andy got me hankering for one. After a nap, I persuaded Jane to join me for burgers and beer at Umami. I capped it off with a shake from Milk.

Then I slept some more.

Last Weekend

2010-03-20T10:56:00.000-07:00

I couldn't have picked worse weather for my first trip to New York. I'm actually surprised that my flight wasn't cancelled or delayed. We landed almost on time, which is great especially after hearing about the ordeal passengers on a Virgin America flight had to endure. The only scary part was landing. It seemed we descended ever so slowly and experienced a lot of turbulence. It was scarier when we actually broke through the clouds and I saw that we were about to land yet the plane was still banking left and right. Sitting next to the wing also didn't help allay my concerns; I'm always amazed how those wings never snap off. Ultimately, we landed safely--or, rather, we plopped down safely much to the delight of all the passengers.

Thanks to the weather I think I got a realistic New York experience. I was going to take the NJ Transit train to Penn Station but was told that the trains weren't running because of lack of power. I had to take a bus, which actually delighted me. I get to go through the Lincoln Tunnel! Along with airplane wings not snapping off, tunnels are another source of fascination, especially when they run beneath bodies of water. Imagine all that water just above your head--it's incredible!

The bus ride wasn't long at all. The train probably would have taken just as long. I got off at the Port Authority Bus Terminal where I could catch the A, C, or E train. At the time it wasn't raining. I bought a weeklong pass since it cost almost as much as buying three individual day passes. When I got to the platform an E train was waiting for me. Lucky me, I thought. I got in and waited. The train just sat there. After a few minutes an indecipherable announcement was made but I understood enough of it to hear that the train wasn't going anywhere. I had to lug my luggage back up the stairs and snake my way through a crowded tunnel, up and down some stairs, to get to the Times Square station to catch the NRQW, which were actually better since it would dump me closer to our hotel. I didn't wait long, but the train was, of course, crowded, which made me wish I didn't have my bags with me. When I got off at my stop, the weather had gotten worse. It was pouring and it was windy. I could have handled the rain, but the wind was too much. It kept messing up my umbrella and just blew water everywhere. The hotel was only a couple of blocks away but having to walk in the wind and the rain made it seem so much farther.

Alice's hotel room was tiny, which I guess was to be expected in New York. She and her friend, Jessica, were getting ready to head out to dinner. I just decided I would stay in my wet clothes since I was likely to get soaked again on the way to the restaurant. In fact, the weather got even worse. It rained harder and it got windier. The restaurant was a tiny establishment with not much waiting room space. We had to squeeze ourselves in the tiny, tented entrance. To avoid having to squeeze between people, Amy, another friend of Alice's, and I stood on a bench and waited. We waited about another hour. The place was tiny, like a small room, and it was crowded. Thankfully my meal was great. We finished at around midnight and we walked down Houston before catching a cab back to our hotel and then we walked around some more and checked out an underground club. I was proud of myself for staying out so late. I hadn't slept much the night before and had traveled all day, yet I wasn't too tired.

We turned in at about 3 in the morning and slept in a little. Jane, whose flight was cancelled, had to catch a red eye and was set to land at 6:30 a.m. However, even that flight got delayed and she didn't land until after 9. When she got to the hotel we headed off to get some dim sum. We were in Chinatown, after all. The dim sum was good, but nothing I couldn't get in L.A. The rest of the afternoon we mainly shopped in SoHo. I hadn't planned on shopping, but I actually did buy quite a few things. No tax! I particularly loved UNIQLO. It's now my favorite store. I got a few shirts, which were very inexpensive. I wanted to check out their jeans but was overwhelmed by the crowds and the lines to try stuff on. I hoped to maybe come back another day but we didn't. We grabbed pizza later in the day at Lombardi's and some delicious rice pudding at Rice to Riches in Little Italy.

In a way, we shopped longer than I would have liked. Alice and I did get to walk around TriBeCa a little and saw the Ghostbusters firehouse. We then took a train up to Washington Square Park and walked around a little until it started pouring again. I wish I got a chance to walk around the area more. I wanted to see hipsters! Then again, I probably should have gone to Brooklyn for that. Dinner was supposed to be Italian but by the time we headed out a lot of the places were closing down. So we went to another recommended pizza place and was a little disappointed by the food.

The next day was the longest day, which was also the best day. Jane and I were out from 9 in the morning until almost 2 in the morning. We started off with breakfast at Balthazar in SoHo. It was a little pretentious but the food was decent. We then walked over to Bowery so I can get a picture of the new New Museum building. Along the way we came across a pile of umbrellas and, of course, we had to get a picture of it. In fact, all weekend it became my habit to take pictures of all the dead umbrellas I came across. Do people just dump their broken umbrellas where they are?

After the New Museum we took a train to City Hall so we can walk on the Brooklyn Bridge. I would have liked to walk across the whole thing but we only got halfway. It was just too cold and windy and we had a lot of other things we needed to do. I had a list for the day and not surprisingly we didn't do all of them.

Next after the Brooklyn Bridge was the Museum of Modern Art. Alice was given free passes, which was a godsend. Jane and I didn't have to wait in a long line. We wound up staying at MoMA longer than scheduled because there was so much to see. I really liked it but as usual I got tired and raced through some of the galleries. The Tim Burton exhibition was crowded but interesting. There was also an exhibition of Marina Abramovic's performance art--naked people galore! I loved seeing the Jackson Pollock pieces. We stayed so long at MoMA that both Jane and I complained of feeling cramps in our calves.

We were starved afterwards and we were behind schedule. We headed out and grabbed lunch at Grand Central Station so we can kill two birds with one stone: eat a good New York lunch and take pictures of the station. I went with a gyro and Jane got a chicken plate. I think the lunch did the trick because we were both rejuvenated and no longer felt the weariness in our legs. After taking pictures of Grand Central we hopped back on a train to the Upper East Side to walk around and take pictures of the Guggenheim Museum and then walk through Central Park. It was drizzling a little and definitely cold. Central Park was muddy but we walked through the middle section, around the reservoir and along the Great Lawn and cut across to the Upper West Side. We were going to hit up the American Museum of Natural History next but by that time it was near closing time. We still went in and spent about a half hour. We decided to come back the next day.

At 6 we were supposed to meet up with Jane's brother-in-law's brother. I don't know if that makes him a stepbrother-in-law. We met him for Happy Hour at a sushi place in Midtown not too far from the theater where Jane and I were going to see "Next to Normal." My friend Corey was also able to meet us there and we enjoyed some drinks. The sushi, though, was terrible. I'm sure there are better places in New York.

We then walked over to the Booth Theatre, an old theater built in the early 1900's, to see "Next to Normal." It was a great, powerful show. Jane was crying through most of it, and I could hear sniffling throughout the crowd. I definitely recommend it. After the show Alice met up with us and we grabbed another slice of pizza and walked around Times Square and checked out the sights around there. It was late, so everything was closed. But we walked by Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick's Cathedral, and the Empire State Building. The best vantage point to see the Empire State Building is really from a few blocks away. Standing next to it, it didn't seem all that tall. It's not until it's in the context of the buildings around it that you realize how tall it is. We also walked through Koreatown but it really pales in comparison to L.A. Our Koreatown beats their Koreatown!

The next day Jane and I still had a few things that we wanted to get to do, and we had most of the day to do so. Jane wanted to go shopping and I wanted to check out Chelsea and the High Line. Unfortunately we got a late start and had to rush through things. We grabbed bagels at H&H Bagels and walked over to the Museum of Natural History. We again had to rush through it because we needed to get back to the hotel by 1pm to check out. We were hoping to get some shopping in before then but really didn't have time. After check out we went to get lunch in Chelsea. We went to a place recommended by Amy, a place called Elmo. My chicken fried chicken was good and some of the waiters were pleasant to look at. It was after lunch that Alice, Jane and I separated. They had to head back to catch their flight at JFK. I had a couple of hours until I had to leave so I walked around Chelsea a little. I really wanted to see the High Line but my guide book misdirected me. It marked its undeveloped terminus at 31st Street as "the High Line" but the part I wanted to see was all the way down on 14th Street. Realizing the goof, I hopped on a train to 14th Street and had about 45 minutes to walk around. I was really hoping I would have time to just soak up the sun like the other beautiful people there. After two days of rain and gray that last day was actually gorgeous. However, I only had time to walk up and down and take some pictures. It's definitely a great use of space and already a popular attraction. Los Angeles needs to consider doing something similar with unused public areas.

Finally I had to head back to the hotel, grab my bags and catch the NJ Transit back to Newark. It was all very convenient, but by the time I headed to New Jersey it was rush hour. I had to squeeze through people in suit to catch the train.

I wish I had an extra day to do some of the other things I wanted to do. I really wanted to see and walk around Brooklyn, and I didn't even get to check out Greenwich Village or Columbia University. They will have to wait until my next trip. Actually, I just realized now that I didn't even think about seeing the Statue of Liberty. What a bad tourist am I, not to mention a bad American? It was an excellent trip nonetheless. Next time I'll try to go on a nice spring or fall weekend.

Another Marathon in One Week!

2010-03-13T03:40:00.000-08:00

Tonight I ran my last long-ish run until the marathon--a little over eight miles. It went well except for when thinking about food early in the run made me totally hungry. I thought about stopping by Bob's Doughnuts at the Farmers Market to pick up an apple fritter, but I didn't have any cash on me, just a credit card. Believe me, had I cash on me I would have made that pit stop.

I was able to get my mind off of food enough to finish the run with little trouble. My right shin is still tender, but hopefully the lack of running in the next few days will help it a little. It doesn't give me any problems running but it is tender to the touch. I'll have to get it checked out if it doesn't go away.

Since it was late by the time I finished, I grabbed a breakfast for dinner at the newly opened Novel Cafe. The food was decent, but I think the place could afford to be cozier. If it were, it would be a great spot to read a book and hang. So far it seems to cater to a primarily Korean clientele, which surprises me even though it is Koreatown after all. I thought it might attract the growing number of hipsters living in the area, but maybe in a few weeks they'll come out of the woodwork.

With about a week left until the marathon, I thought back to how I felt at this time during my first marathon. Then I was so nervous. I was terrified and excited at the same time. Now, though, this is almost routine. I don't get nervous as I used to, maybe only a few hours before, and it's no longer as daunting as I once imagined. The marathon is still hard, but having run a few now, I've demystified it. It's a challenge but one I can handle. Hopefully I haven't jinxed myself.

Helvetica

2010-03-12T07:09:00.000-08:00

I wish Blogger gave Helvetica as an option so I can write this review of Gary Hustwit's documentary, Helvetica, using that typeface. I'm surprised it's not an option since it is so ubiquitous, and it is Helvetica's omnipresence that Hustwit dissects in this documentary. Helvetica is everywhere even if you don't realize that the typeface you're looking at is Helvetica--American Airlines, Crate & Barrel, American Apparel, Target, Staples, and countless more--all use Helvetica. The film charts Helvetica's fifty year history, from a Swiss font and a favorite typeface of Modernist designers to its rejection by Post-Modernists to its modern day resurgence as designers reinterpret the uses of the font.

To do so, Hustwit interviews quite a few designers, who I assume are legends in the field, and they discuss their relationship to Helvetica. Some embrace it as a versatile font that suggests sober efficiency when used one way and cool stylishness when used another. Think of its usage on IRS tax forms and subway signs and then compare it to, say, an American Apparel ad or some art poster. Others, though, mostly designers who came of age during the Vietnam era, view Helvetica as a "corporate" font, a typeface devoid of identity and meaning. They point to the fact that corporations overwhelmingly use Helvetica as proof that it's fascist and needs to be overthrown. One designer only half-jokingly correlates the use of Helvetica to sponsoring the Vietnam War. Then Helvetica comes roaring back as designers find ways to give it new connotations and uses. And with more self-taught designers, it has again become ubiquitous. The thesis of the film is that Helvetica may well be the perfect font. It is simple, clean, and versatile. Even those who hate it do so because of its usefulness.

Helvetica is a very enlightening film and it's fascinating to realize that things we barely give any thought to really convey a lot, that the visual medium is so strong, prevalent and effective that a quick glance is enough to send us a message. Signs, signs, everywhere a sign! The film stretches itself to be a movie, though, and at times its editing style borrows too much from the essence of its subject--too cool and placid. Still, it's an interesting topic and I can't wait for the sequel. Times New Roman? Comic Sans?

Kings and Queen

2010-03-09T00:19:00.000-08:00

After two months in my possession I finally got around to watching Arnaud Desplechin's "Kings and Queen." Finally! Was it worth the wait? Yes, but its rewards are something the viewer has to work to earn.

There is usually a point while watching a highly acclaimed foreign film that I have to remind myself that I'm supposed to like the movie. "This is good," I tell myself, "you have to like it." More often than not I do like the movie, but other times I'm just bewildered and made to feel like I somehow missed the point stupid American that I am. This internal dialogue occurred early on during the two-and-a-half hour running time of "Kings and Queen." What exactly was the point of these two parallel stories? We have Nora's story, a seemingly glamorous and luminous woman, who discovers that her father is dying, and we have Ismael, Nora's ex, who is confined against his will in a psychiatric hospital. Nora's story is all pathos, while Ismael's is madcap. We assume that Nora is our heroine, whose fortunes we are meant to care about, while Ismael is the character we find entertaining but ultimately dismiss as trifling. Eventually we'll see the two confront each other and we expect Nora to be triumphant.

Desplechin, though, is far too sophisticated for something so banal and predictable. Halfway through the film, he coyly pulls the rug from beneath the viewer's feet. He does so quietly but powerfully. We discover things about the characters that make us question their morality and sense of obligation. As the film goes on, we realize that Nora isn't the put-together, empathetic character we might have presumed and Ismael has more depth than we gave him credit for. "Kings and Queen" isn't a story about the conflicts between these two but rather we view their plights in parallel. Nora and Ismael's fortunes don't rise and fall in unison. Instead they move towards opposite poles. We soon view Nora as selfish, an egotist prone to using the men in her life for her gain, and that includes taking advantage of her father's affection for her. The film does not depict Nora as evil or corrupt, merely that she is a woman with moral flaws beneath her seemingly perfect existence. Ismael's development moves him toward a deeper understanding of relationships, family, and what it means to need people in your life. Nora marries a rich but dull man she clearly doesn't love out of convenience, while Ismael erratically pursues happiness. Desplechin doesn't judge who's right or who's wrong, only that this is how it is. Life is full of compromises because sometimes that is the only way it can be made bearable.

At two and a half hours, "Kings and Queen" is too long. It moves deliberately and takes its time to develop its characters and their motivations, and in the end, it works in giving us hot-blooded, real characters and situations. The characters played by Emmanuelle Devos and Mathieu Amalric are complex creations. They don't play types; they inhabit real people. Although "Kings and Queen" may be a chore to watch at times, it is also a fascinating film, beautiful and complex. I liked it.

Sunday = Funday

2010-03-08T08:27:00.001-08:00

Shrimp Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms, originally uploaded by savemejebus.

To paraphrase an Of Montreal song, everyday should be like Sunday, yesterday in particular. Not that there was anything especially spectacular about it, but the day just felt complete.

I started with a 14 mile run with the gang at the Rose Bowl. The weather was perfect--clean, fresh air and spectacular views of snow-covered mountains. Afterwards, I grabbed coffee from Jones and picked up ingredients from Whole Foods for the risotto (see picture above) I was going to make as my Oscar dinner. I'm shocked to discover that Whole Foods doesn't sell shrimp with heads on. For shame! I needed the heads to make a broth. Luckily I live right by a Korean market that does sell whole shrimp--and it was on sale for $2.90/pound.

Before heading home I stopped by FJ's to get some new music. Man, that guy has quite a collection. I'll need to come by again and get some of his 1,000 cover songs.

By the time I left FJ's house it was too late to make myself a breakfast or lunch, so I just stopped by Heirloom in South Pasadena and got an open-faced egg salad sandwich. When I got home the Oscar preshow was starting.

I began making the broth for the risotto just before the Oscars started and it perfumed my apartment with the smell of shrimp broth, which is a good thing. Out of the context of being with my family, it reminded me of growing up and my Mom cooking dinner.

Cooking risotto takes some time, but it's not difficult to make. The ingredients are few and simple to prepare. I think I prefer making things that take a while to make. Like a lot things I prefer pacing myself instead of rushing. I can prep the next ingredient while the others are simmering. If only I always had a couple of hours to cook, and when you're starving, taking two hours to cook something is out of the question. The risotto turned out great. The fresh shrimp broth really makes a difference. I paired it with the pan-fried bell peppers I liked so much last week so that I had a truly Venetian meal.

As for the Oscars themselves, there were some suprises. Unfortunately, they were bad ones. Precious for adapted screenplay? And as much as I like Sandra Bullock as an actress and person, she was easily the least of the five nominated performances. She now has the distinction of winning a Razzie and an Oscar in the same year--the worst and the best.

The show was one of the worst ones I recall seeing in the 20 years I've been watching the Oscars. The hosts, though, were terrific. Steve Martin has been my favorite Oscar host, and I hope he comes back again. However, for a show that ran long, there were no memorable moments, but there were a lot of awkward segments. I like John Hughes but he does not warrant an extended tribute. All in all, I was underwhelmed.

To close out the evening I decided to watch Kings and Queen, a DVD I've had from Netflix for almost two months now. But after an hour, the activities of the day and just the lack of sleep the last couple of weeks caught up with me and I started falling asleep. I turned the movie off and turned in. It was the earliest I've gone to bed in some time. It was great, and I woke up today feeling refreshed. Actually it took me some time to realize that it's Monday.

Another work week coming up and a fun weekend next week.

Oscar Predictions

2010-03-07T14:39:00.000-08:00

With just a few hours until the start, here are my last minute Oscar predictions. I always plan on posting these sooner, but I always fail. This year's race has been very predictable, but who knows, maybe the Academy will throw some surprises. The closest race is in actress where Sandra Bullock and Meryl Streep duke it out. I'm hoping Streep wins. One surprise that I won't be shocked by would be if "The Blind Side" wins. With ten nominees and a new voting system in place for best picture, it's quite possible that "The Blind Side" may sneak in for the win. I hope not!

Picture
Will: The Hurt Locker
Should: Up in the Air

Director
Will: Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
Should: Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker

Actor
Will: Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
Should: George Clooney, Up in the Air

Actress
Will: Meryl Streep, Julie and Julia
Should: Gabourey Sidibe, Precious

Supporting Actor
Will: Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds
Should: Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds

Supporting Actress
Will: Mo'Nique, Precious
Should: Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air

Original Screenplay
Will: Inglourious Basterds
Should: A Serious Man

Adapted Screenplay
Will: Up in the Air
Should: Up in the Air

Documentary Feature
Will: The Cove
Should: The Cove

Foreign Film
Will: A Prophet
Should: N/A - Haven't seen any

Animated Feature
Will: Up
Should: Fantastic Mr. Fox

Cinematography
Will: The Hurt Locker
Should: Inglourious Basterds

Art Direction
Will: Avatar
Should: Avatar

Costume Design
Will: The Young Victoria
Should: N/A - haven't seen any

Film Editing
Will: The Hurt Locker
Should: The Hurt Locker

Sound Mixing
Will: Avatar
Should: Avatar

Sound Editing
Will: Avatar
Should: Avatar

Original Score
Will: Up
Should: Up

Original Song
Will: "The Weary Kind" from Crazy Heart
Should: "The Weary Kind"

Make-Up
Will: Star Trek
Should: Eh, only saw Star Trek

Visual Effects
Will: Avatar
Should: Avatar

This is what I ate #4

2010-03-06T00:08:00.001-08:00

causa del dia, originally uploaded by savemejebus.

Marisela and I met up at Mo-chica for dinner and some girl talk. I was hoping to cross off another item from Jonathan Gold's "99 Things to Eat in Los Angeles Before You Die" list, but sadly they were out of ceviche. I'll have to come back another time.

In place of the ceviche I ordered the causa del dia, which today was filled with spicy albacore. This was great. It's a very generous serving, and just about filled me up.

For our entree I went with the arroz con mariscos. It was fine but not the spectacular treat the causa was. Mari had the fish special, an Atlantic cod served on a quinoa risotto. What I had of it was quite good, and Mari seemed to like it a lot since she finished the whole thing--except for the skin. Apparently Mari doesn't like fish skin, which I found out when she recoiled after seeing me pop the entire thing in my mouth. She had to ask me if I was done chewing it so she can look at me again.

A Trip

2010-03-05T01:53:00.000-08:00

I'm going to New York! Next weekend!

I had not gotten approval from work yet yesterday, but today I got it. No takebacks! I actually got my ticket yesterday before I got the vacation approved, so that was a bit of a risk, but now I'm excited to go. I have to do some research on places to eat, of course, and some prep work on public transportation, but I'm really just looking forward to walking around the city, checking out the scenery and taking loads of pictures. I hope it's not too cold.

Since I'm sure to be eating a ton next weekend, I better be good about eating and running this week. Unfortunately I'm off to a bad start today. I got home from work and just felt too tired to run. Oh well.

What They Said

2010-03-03T23:45:00.000-08:00

These days I seem to think a lot about the things that I forgot to do
And all the times I had the chance to

Talking to you girl is like long division

Life is sad
Life is a bust
All ya can do is do what you must.
You do what you must do and ya do it well

The book of love is long and boring
No one can lift the damn thing

It's a sunny September
The colours are bright here
And the birds sing of beautiful places
While you are just ringing in my ear

and that's not all
ooh-ooh, there will be snacks there will
there will be snacks, there will be snacks.

All these people drinking lover's spit
They sit around and clean their face with it

And we'll collect the moments one by one
I guess that's how the future's done

And I thought you were the moon in the sky,
but it turned out you were just a streetlight.

My chosen one,
Why look at me?
Why wake me up
After bad dreams?
Why lie beside me?
Why lovely eyes?
Why lovely sides?
Why you?

Oh no, God damn
I missed the last tram
I killed the party again
God damn, God damn

All the other girls here are stars-you are the Northern Lights.
They try to shine in through your curtains-you're too close and too bright.

I don't know why I'm a one man guy
Or why I'm a one man show
But these three cubic feet of bone and blood and meat are all I love and know

Are you heavy enough to make me stay
I feel like I might blow away

I'm so tired
And I wish I was the moon tonight

And your mom would stick a fork right into daddy's shoulder
And dad would throw the garbage all across the floor
As we would lay and learn what each other's bodies were for

God speed all the bakers at dawn may they all cut their thumbs,
And bleed into their buns 'till they melt away.

Aches

2010-03-03T00:08:00.000-08:00

The 20 miler on Sunday didn't beat me up too badly. The soreness was minimal, so it didn't keep me from running yesterday and today. I only ran four miles yesterday and tonight's run to the GLU meeting was 5.2 miles.

These weeks of running, though, is starting to take a toll on me. My right shin has been a little tender lately. It doesn't bother me and it's not painful, but I do feel some tenderness when I touch it. It doesn't help that I run on sidewalks most of the time. They just have no give, so my legs just get pounded. All I can really do right now is just monitor that it doesn't start to hurt and maybe rest a little and ice the area. This shouldn't keep me from running the race in three weeks.

I've also had a sore left shoulder the last couple of days. The hypochondriac in me tells me that I'm having a heart attack. I've even imagined myself collapsing at work, dying from a massive heart attack. All that running for nothing! The most likely culprit for the soreness is the hours of bad ergonomics sitting in front of a computer. If only someone could yank my arm really hard I think that would make it feel better. My shoulder just needs a good popping--or a massage.

This is what I ate #3

2010-03-01T23:04:00.001-08:00

Peperonata in saor, originally uploaded by savemejebus.

This slow-cooked, pan-fried bell pepper and onion dish is so simple yet so good. Finished off with some balsamic vinegar and I had a delightful dish.

I paired the peperonata with a tabouleh salad. Still haven't perfected the ratio of the ingredients in a tabouleh salad, but I'll get there.

20 Miles!

2010-02-28T23:35:00.000-08:00

Linda and I had a successful 20 miler. Apart from the expected weariness and a bothersome side stitch, no big problems arose during our run. Running 20 miles is never easy, but this definitely ranks as one of the better ones.

Since the trails were closed just above JPL, Linda and I ran a lap around the Rose Bowl first, which worked out beautifully since Katie and FJ were going for a run at 8am. By the time Linda and I completed the lap, FJ and Katie had just gotten there and were ready to go. We ran together for three miles before FJ and Katie turned back.

The second half of our run was to South Pasadena. We ran down Mission to Fair Oaks in South Pasadena before turning around. Unfortunately, we miscalculated when we should turn back. It wasn't until later that I realized that we turned back too soon, which meant we were going to be about 8/10 of a mile short of 20 miles. I broke the news to Linda and we opted to tack on the remainder at the end. Linda was feeling much better than I was, so she ran ahead. I thought she was going to turn around after .4 miles, but instead she kept going until she had made up the difference. Had I known that I could have psyched myself up. In the end, though, it all worked out. We ran 20 and then some by running back to our car.

I'm hoping that the weather will cooperate the next few weekends. This marks the taper period, but it's still important that I get those long miles in. Unfortunately it is forecast to rain next weekend.

So, the dreaded 20 miler turned out to be not too bad. We ran it in 3:09.

Rabbit Night

2010-02-27T23:40:00.001-08:00

Braised Rabbit in a Bed of Beans, originally uploaded by savemejebus.

Ostensibly, I gave up eating red meat for Lent. Then I got the invitation from Rob and Theresa to come over for dinner and get a taste of Rob's braised rabbit that he bragged about when we had rabbit stew at Lucky Baldwin's. So what to do? Well, rabbit meat really isn't red, is it?

Rob's rabbit (from a Jamie Oliver cookbook) was as delicious as he claimed. It's wonderful comfort food. Rob didn't stop there, though, he tops himself by giving us a coffee cardamom pots de creme for dessert. A pots de creme is like a flan or creme brulee without the caramelized top. It was so delicious. What's not to like about a coffee dessert? I wanted to lick the ramekin clean and maybe ask for another. Thank goodness I'm running in the morning.

This is turning into a food blog

2010-02-27T16:27:00.001-08:00

Penne with pesto, tomatoes and mozzarella, originally uploaded by savemejebus.

My first attempt at making pesto. I used a hand blender, so the pesto turned out creamier and less pleasing to the eye. It still tasted fine, though. Perhaps I used one clove of garlic too much. Next time I'll use my mortar or maybe invest in a food processor. I mixed it with whole wheat penne, chopped grape tomatoes and mozzarella. Easy as pie.

This is what I ate #2

2010-02-27T00:41:00.001-08:00

Seared Tuna Salad, originally uploaded by savemejebus.

Friday, 26 February 2010
Seared tuna salad from Starry Kitchen.

This is what I ate

2010-02-27T00:31:00.001-08:00

Egg Salad Sandwich, originally uploaded by savemejebus.

Thursday, 25 February 2010
An extremely satisfying egg salad sandwich from JJ Sandwich Shop.

"I love what you do for me, Toyota!"

2010-02-26T00:16:00.000-08:00

I've been waiting to hear when Toyota will announce another recall. If they do, I'm pretty sure it will be over hubcaps.

My 2003 Corolla recently lost one of its hubcaps. I don't know when or where it happened, but I noticed it was missing last weekend. I took a walk around my neighborhood to see if it was just lying around where I've parked, but it was nowhere to be seen. Papa Smurf now looks like he's missing a tooth-or is it a toenail?

Since then I seem to notice that a lot of Corollas are missing hubcaps. Just a quick walk through my neighborhood revealed other Corollas missing one, two, three, even all four hubcaps. Is someone taking Corolla hubcaps? I doubt it. Those things are cheap and flimsy, and mine are terribly scuffed. I looked up on the interweb how much it would cost to replace my hubcap, and at $45 it's not worth it. Sorry, Papa Smurf, I think you'll be fine without one of your hubcaps.

My quick internet research also revealed that I'm not the only one who has noticed that a lot of Corollas are missing their hubcaps. Is it an epidemic? If mine flew out while I was zooming down the freeway, I hope I didn't kill anyone with it.

On the topic of Papa Smurf, I can't believe he will be turning 7 in April. I still think of him as a new car, but the missing hubcap and the odometer tells me he's not. He definitely runs like a new car, and I hope he continues to do so for years to come. Now that he's completely paid for, I'm planning to drive him until he dies. If I can help it, he'll die doing what he loves best--driving through miles of open road. Hopefully there will be a convenient transportation option nearby when it does happen and I hope it doesn't happen for many more years.

I really do like my car for its simplicity. It's reliable, it gets good gas mileage, it has A/C, it has a CD player, what else do I need? And for being such a "disposable" car, I like that I don't worry much about every nick and scratch. I ought to treat Papa Smurf better--heaven knows he needs a good cleaning inside and out--but the thing I like about him is that I can disregard how badly I treat him. I never worry much over him. Living in Koreatown and having to park out in the street, it's a convenience I'm happy to have.

I'll admit that as much as I appreciate having a Corolla now, there have been times when I wished I had a "nicer" car. Soon after getting Papa Smurf, a friend joked that I was going the wrong way with my cars. By going from a Camry back down to a Corolla, I was taking a step backward. I shrugged it off, but for a while it made me self-conscious. My friends were all driving progressively better cars and here I was tooling around in a Corolla--the same model I had in high school and college. The self-consciousness soon passed, though, because in all honesty, I really don't care much about cars. I don't need the fancy features and too many buttons just confuse me. I like a car I can mistreat. I love to drive, and as long as a car can get me where I want to go in as inexpensive a manner as possible, I'm all for it. I'd even go as far to say that when the time comes to replace Papa Smurf, I wouldn't hesitate to do so with another Corolla--recalls be damned.

Papa Smurf has nothing to worry about with me. I no longer have a wandering eye, but I do from time to time check out younger versions of himself, but it does not mean I'm eager to replace him. We still have that long-postponed cross country drive to do. Only till death (his, hopefully) do we part.

A younger Papa Smurf in the rain.

The Last Station

2010-02-22T17:28:00.001-08:00

Since my last post was already incredibly long, I didn't include the final thing I did this weekend: watch The Last Station. Here's my brief take on it.

The Last Station is a pedestrian, mostly unremarkable production that is distinguished by terrific performances, especially Helen Mirren as Countess Sofia, a conniving woman prone to hysterics who nonetheless wins over the audience's sympathies. Mirren gives the film real heat. The scenes between her Sofia and Christopher Plummer's Leo Tolstoy really make the movie. Here is a couple, married for a long time, both passionate, who--when they are not driving each other to madness--are madly in love. The film is really a story about love that has persisted. Most stories are about newfound love or the discovery of love, but The Last Station focuses on love as a bond through the years. In Mirren and Plummer's portrayals, we see an old couple who have seen way too much and know all there is to know about love. There are no effusive words about love exchanged between the Countess and Tolstoy, but when the two of them literally crow at each other in the film's best scene, there is no denying the film's appeal.

The love story completely trumps the film's other intrigue, the battle between Sofia and Vladimir Chertkov, played by a weasely Paul Giamatti, over Tolstoy's copyrights. Sofia wants to keep it in the family, while Chertkov wants it ostensibly for the benefit of the people or, more likely, himself. This story is never as interesting as the domestic interplay between Tolstoy and Sofia. The parallel love story between James McAvoy's character and a fellow Tolstoyan also pale in comparison. If not for Mirren and Plummer, The Last Station would simply be an ordinary, run-of-the-mill Masterpiece Theatre production with a big name cast.

Grade: B-

This Weekend

2010-02-22T09:47:00.000-08:00

The following took place between Friday night, February 19, and Sunday night, February 21:

Ack! Bar?
As expected, I worked late on Friday night to prepare for the weekend's Gospel Brunch. I think after two years of handling the event's guest list and seating I'm ready to become an event planner. I actually enjoy it; it's almost like a puzzle. You take a seating chart, a list of names, and knowing the guests' various needs and egos, you seat them appropriately. This year's guest list was smaller, which in seating helped a lot. Doing the seating plan didn't take too long. What took a long time was that I handwrote everyone's names on envelopes and placed the tickets inside. This part was enjoyable too, if only I had more time to do it. I was getting a kick out of writing everyone's names as neatly as possible, but when I looked at the clock and hundreds of names to get to, I had to rush a little more. Still, those first few envelopes were exquisite.

When I finally headed home, it was raining. Kevin had invited me to hang out at Akbar and I had agreed, but coming home after a long day at work, all I wanted to do was make dinner and turn in, especially since I was going to run 18 miles in the morning (more on that later). But I reminded myself that it's better to be out with friends rather than at home, so I figured I'd spend a couple of hours at Akbar and get the last train back home. I wound up staying later than planned, but Paul gave me a ride home and I was in bed by 2 am for my 6:45 am wake-up time.

13 is the New 18
Prior to leaving for Akbar on Friday night, I shot my running buddy, Linda, an e-mail. It was raining and I wrote to tell her that if there was rain in the morning, I was going to stay in bed. I prayed there would be rain.

When I woke up, it was sunny and beautiful. I debated cancelling anyway since I was tired not just from the lack of sleep the night before but for the last week. But I forced myself to run. I scavenged some pretzels and cookies as breakfast since I was really hungry and would need the energy for the run. When I got to the Rose Bowl I told Linda how badly I wanted it to rain. Apparently she did too. We were both not feeling up for the run, but guilt and a sense of obligation to each other forced us out there. We compromised. We won't run 18 miles but will try for 13 instead. One thing I've been told as a runner is to listen to your body. My body was telling me that it was tired. Linda and I ran our 13 miles but it wasn't a great run. We might have both managed to do more, but I think we would have felt awful doing so.

Birthday #1
One benefit of running a shorter distance was that it afforded me time to go home and shower for Astrid's birthday lunch. Had we done 18 miles I would have been forced to just change clothes in my car and hope no one smells me--or I could have asked Astrid if I could shower at her place before heading to the restaurant.

The lunch was at Cafe Massilia, a French restaurant in Monrovia. It was a cute place and the Yelp reviews were good. The lunch and breakfast menu consisted of things that any regular schmo like me would stereotypically expect of the French--crepes, quiche, and...hamburgers?

I saw that they had escargot and the last time I had it was my last night in Paris, and since the Yelp reviews complimented the dish, I figured I'd order it. It turned out to be overwhelmingly garlicky, which luckily I like. The snails were served out of their shells and baked in garlic and butter. Really it was like eating a tapenade of garlic. I ate the snails and garlic oil on bread and it was a satisfying meal. I was hoping the snails would still be in their shell since part of the fun of eating them is fishing out the little buggers.

I also had a tomato and roasted bell pepper soup, which was fine. Everyone enjoyed their food, I think, if only for the company.

Birthday #2
I was thoroughly in need of a nap by the end of lunch. I headed straight home and took one and then woke up to finish some last minute things for work. Then I got dressed again and picked up Kevin to go to Stuart's karaoke birthday extravaganza in Eagle Rock. We also swung by the Coffee Table for dinner since I was famished.

The evening was a lot of fun even if I didn't get up on stage to sing and even if it took hours for Stuart to take his turn. When he did, though, he and his friend Lauren blew the roof off the bowling alley with a fun rendition of "Love Shack." It was fun just singing along at the back of the bar. It was also great to see the GLU guys. I left earlier than everyone else since I had to work in the morning, but I definitely got my fill of fun for the day.

Hallelujah, it's over!
The 12th annual Gospel Brunch was a success, as far as I can tell. Things seemed to go off without much of a hitch. We'll see if the money starts pouring in.

Set-up and preparation went smoother this year because there was no early show. We had plenty of time to set up and get the tables ready. Even at check-in there were little to no snafus. It was a success!

More pictures from the busy weekend can be found on my Flickr page.

Now another work week looms. Next weekend should be lighter than this past weekend, with the biggest thing being an 18 or 20 miler. I'll probably also make a trip to West Covina to see the family.

Yes, I survived the weekend!

Raul's Finite Playlist: February 2010

2010-02-19T01:00:00.000-08:00

One outcome of breaking up is that I've been listening to music a lot more the last few days than I have in a long time. It seems like I'd rather be listening to music during this time than anything else, and as a result I may have discovered a correlation between my music-listening habit and my level of happiness. A couple of years ago I was devouring music, practically getting a new album every week. At the time I just thought I was a big music fan, but in fact I was probably also just lonely and music was a great escape. When I was happy I didn't need an escape, so I listened to less music. It's probably not a strong correlation. Being busy also played a part to my reduced music-listening, not to mention the fact that it's an exhausting endeavor. There's so much new music out there that it would be a full-time job to keep up.

To put this renewed interest in music to good use, I thought I'd borrow a feature from Franklin Avenue and put together a monthly music playlist. First off is a list I actually assembled a few weeks ago but only got around to burning into a CD recently for a road trip to Las Vegas. It's mostly new-ish songs mixed with a few older favorites. Somehow, either by coincidence or force, this playlist does the trick at a time like this.

February 2010
01. "Black and Milds" - Cataldo
02. "Let's Pretend We're Bunny Rabbits" - The Magnetic Fields
03. "Lust for Life" - Girls
04. "Sister" - Vetiver
05. "Blood" - The Middle East
06. "Hi-Fi Goon" - Throw Me the Statue
07. "Cousins" - Vampire Weekend
08. "I Can't Talk About It" - El Perro Del Mar
09. "Daniel" - Bat for Lashes
10. "Nobody Could Change Your Mind" - Generationals
11. "Walking on a Dream" - Empire of the Sun
12. "Blood Bank" - Bon Iver
13. "All is Love" - Karen O and the Kids
14. "To Kingdom Come" - Passion Pit
15. "When We Swam" - Thao with the Get Down Stay Down
16. "Idiot Heart" - Sunset Rubdown
17. "Fables" - The Dodos
18. "Kick Drum Heart" - Avett Brothers
19. "Put Me In Your Play" - Ferraby Lionheart
20. "Paper Planes" - M.I.A.

This is why I'm Fat Tuesday

2010-02-17T00:59:00.001-08:00

Chocolate Brioche Bread Pudding, originally uploaded by savemejebus.

Jane and I took advantage of our $50 Groupon for Taste on Melrose and celebrated Fat Tuesday by stuffing ourselves. I had the pork chop and Jane had the ahi tuna. Both were quite good, as was the chocolate brioche bread pudding. We have another Groupon for Taste, but we may wait until after Lent to use it. This was an excellent Fat Tuesday dinner.

President's Day

2010-02-16T07:14:00.000-08:00

The long weekend is over, and I survived it. It wasn't too bad, I must say. Now if only I can get through this busy week of work.

Yesterday, Presidents' Day, I spent in Pasadena. I hopped on the Gold Line and joined Jane in her lunchtime bike workout around the Rose Bowl. It was her first bike workout in a while, so she wasn't 100%, but we managed a couple of laps (6 miles) before calling it quits. I did another 3/4 of a lap after we parted so that I could build up some momentum to climb the hill leading out of the Rose Bowl. I then grabbed lunch at Chipotle and hung out at Peet's where I finally finished "The Road." It was a very moving novel and exceedingly bleak. I started Dave Eggers's "What is the What," but only got through the first chapter before I had to head out. It seems like it will be another harrowing but good read. I really ought to read something lighter.

I swung by Run With Us and picked up a couple pairs of running socks, a shirt, and a handful of Gu. My running gear has been getting worn out, holes everywhere, so this was a long overdue trip. Afterwards, I biked back to the Rose Bowl to meet up with Katie, Rob, Theresa, and Andy for a fun five miler at sunset. I thought I would have some time to lay out in the sun before the run but all I could manage was about five minutes before I had to get my running clothes on.

By the time we started running my legs were pretty tired from biking, but I figured I can survive five or six miles. It turned out to be a very good and rather easy run. In fact I was feeling so good towards the end that I just sped up and ran a little bit ahead of everyone. I love that feeling when running doesn't feel like such an effort, when your legs seem to move on their own accord and the rest of you is just along for the ride. At the end I wasn't even breathing heavily. The sun was setting and it made for dreamy lighting around the arroyo before it got too dark to see. Katie, Rob, Theresa and I grabbed dinner at Lucky Baldwin's where three of us had the rabbit stew. It tasted bland at first, but a little dash of salt and I was devouring the whole thing, sponging up every last bit with the bread and fries that came with it. Not surprisingly, when I finally got home I was exhausted. I had plans to cook last night but I just changed my clothes, checked my e-mail and plopped down in bed and fell right to sleep. Pasadena is a great place to ride a bike. Lots of quaint, pretty streets and not too traffic-heavy. I must have ridden 11 or 12 miles altogether and ran 5 miles.

16 Miles with a very special appearance by Shia Labeouf

2010-02-14T14:19:00.000-08:00

Perhaps I should have checked the calendar. I thought that my planned 20 miler in two weeks will perfectly land three weeks before the race, but in talking with Linda today, I realized I was mistaken. Next weekend marks three weeks left until the marathon. The 20 miler should be next week. Yikes!

Even if I do 18 miles next week I think I'll be okay. I've done enough races and I'm sufficiently trained to complete a marathon. I doubt I'll be setting any personal bests, though, but I think I should still manage to finish. Linda and I decided to shoot for 18 miles next Saturday, and if we're feeling fine, we may add on a couple more miles. However, if I'm feeling anything like I was today, that might prove to be tough.

Today's run was a down-up-down experience. Katie and Rob ran with us for the early miles. Katie left after 7.5 miles and Rob joined us for a couple more miles before turning around. For most of the first seven miles I felt very sluggish. I had no particular problems but I just felt slow and off. We were going to run a little past JPL but we were astounded to discover that the recent rains have washed out a road leading up the Angeles National Forest trail right by JPL. I can barely remember what the bridge looked like. I imagine the small, quiet stream that normally runs under it must have been a raging torrent that day. There were tree trunks on the road and lots of debris. The road was passable but there were signs posted prohibiting entry and there was a Forest Ranger truck parked down the road, so we just turned around and headed south.

We took a little break back by our cars to drop off Katie. Rob offered us some gum drops and I think it worked wonders. I ran a great stretch for the next four miles, barely taking any walk breaks. I may have paid for it in the backstretch, though, because I lost fuel coming back. I wasn't breathing well and had to slow my pace a bit. The warmer temperature and the sun beating down on me played a part. However, that four miles towards South Pasadena was a terrific stretch. I was in a groove and felt like I could keep running for a long time. Runner's high! Too bad it didn't last.

Needless to day I did make it back. The worst stretch was the mile along the arroyo from the horse stalls in South Pasadena to the La Loma Road bridge. I felt a little better after catching my breath but I ran a little slower and focused on my breathing. There were still some hazards along the way. A black dog ran right into me and almost tripped me up. Then there was a rather large Viking on the trail.

At the end, though, I was given a little reward. As I shuffled to the finish line a scruffy, shirtless guy was walking towards me. He wasn't overly buff but had some nice definition. He looked natural, which I liked. It took me a while to realize that it was Shia Laboeuf. He smiled and slurred what sounded like a hello. I'm not a big fan, but I can't deny that he's a good-looking kid. Really, it was a nice way to end a tough run, but next time I'd prefer Paul Rudd.

A Long Day Becomes a Long Weekend

2010-02-13T03:48:00.000-08:00

It has been a long day. I came into work earlier than I normally do, but early for me is just the usual time for most workers, so I'm not even going to mention the actual time. I had some work I needed to get done, so my boss asked me to come in. However, I thought that by coming early I'd get to also go home early. It didn't quite work that way. We were rushing to get the program book for our upcoming event ready and sent to the printers and due to some last minute additions, we didn't finalize until almost 7 tonight. So much for going home early.

When I got home I only had time to change and then head on out to Jane's birthday shindig in Hollywood. I walked to the Metro but wound up missing the train by a minute, which was stupid of me since there was already a Rapid bus waiting at the corner that I could have hopped on earlier. So I waited another 12 minutes for the next train. When I got to the Wilshire/Vermont station, the North Hollywood train I was going to transfer on was just departing. So I had to wait twenty minutes. With plenty of time to kill I decided to do the "legal" thing and tap my TAP card at the reader. I rode the longest escalator up to the top by just standing. I had 20 minutes to kill. When I got to where the TAP readers should be I discovered they were not there. Metro had installed new turnstiles, so now the readers are even farther away--up another flight of stairs towards the entrance. What a hassle. Since they were installing new turnstiles and readers anyway I don't know why they didn't install more convenient readers right by the staircases between the two platforms. It's just silly. Ultimately I made it to the Well before 9, but the trip an hour because of the bad transfers.

The celebration was a lot of fun even if the food at the Well was very bland. I had vegetable potstickers, which were not enough to satisfy my hunger, so I ordered hummus with pita bread. The hummus lacked flavor. I still ate most of it, though, because I'm that kind of guy. The prices are low, so that's something good. We wound up staying much longer than anticipated, but I had a great time. There were also a lot of cute guys for us to check out, including Jane's cute French triathlon coach. Afterwards we walked a few feet away to the Waffle for some late night breakfast.

Now it's 4 am and I'm still up. I thought for sure that I'd be tired by midnight but I'm actually wired. I'm sure, though, f I close my eyes now I'll fall asleep with no problem In fact, my eyes are already getting heavy.

Tonight was the start of a long weekend for me. Tomorrow I'll be home for my Dad's birthday. My sister says he wants steak, so that's where we'll take him. I also have a mountain of laundry that needs washing. Sunday is a bit vague for now. I hope to run 16 miles on Sunday morning and maybe take up an offer to check out the Scottish Festival at the Queen Mary. Sunday evening will be with friends. Monday will be a day off but my only preliminary plan is to go with Nate, Christine and Jane to the Rose Bowl and ride around for a bit. If not, I also have a lot cleaning that needs to be done. This weekend will be an effort of of keeping busy to distract the mind from everything...a note about this post: I actually started falling asleep while writing it and when I read the last paragraph there were all kinds of gibberish in it. One moment I was writing about riding with Nate, et al. and the next I was writing something about going for the gold. Good thing I had enough coherence to save the post and finish it this morning. And now it is done.

A Trivial Victory

2010-02-11T01:47:00.000-08:00

Pochi Pochi won again at trivia! We've been on a roll these last few months. I can't remember the last time we finished lower than second. Tonight we won in a dominant fashion by scoring 117 points, outdistancing the second place team by 20 points. As usual, the sports questions were the ones that gave us trouble. There were a few history questions tonight and even a flower question, which we miraculously got right. A friend of Clint's joined us tonight, but I think we may have overwhelmed her with our testosterone.

Since I didn't run last night I promised myself I would run tonight. Rather than order my usual Guinness at Casey's, I went with a lighter beer, a Hoegaarden. A pint of Guinness renders me almost too lethargic for any activity. It just sits in my stomach and I feel like I've eaten a bowl of rice. So I lived up to my promise and ran six miles, my normal route. It wasn't a great run. I felt a little bloated and, as I have been all week, I was distracted and couldn't focus on my breathing and pace. Still it's an accomplishment just to get out there and run. I'm planning to run again tomorrow night, a slightly longer run perhaps. Maybe I'll pick an eating establishment as my destination and reward.

"A stranger's just a friend you haven't met"

2010-02-10T01:33:00.000-08:00

That was an unexpectedly pleasant evening.

Enjoying the wine tasting at Vinoteque with Marisela and Jane was a given. What I didn't expect was that we would wind up hours later at a stranger's apartment drinking wine and eating pizza. Mari, Jane and I wound up sharing a table at Vinoteque with three other people, two women and a guy, all very friendly and funny. We got along rather well, conversation was flowing and laughter all around, and perhaps the wine had something to do with it, but at the end of the wine tasting they invited us to the guy's apartment to keep the party going. The wine tasting offered a few appetizing bites but we were all still hungry, so we agreed to pick up a pizza and hang out. Never mind that we all had work the next day.

Had I been by myself I would have surely turned down the invitation. It all would have seemed strange to me. But I was there with Jane and Mari, and the other folks seemed nice enough and we were hungry, so we agreed to come. The girls were Filipino too, for what it's worth. Besides, Mari and I both have been dealing with things and needed to spend a few hours not wallowing in our problems, so the last place we wanted to be was at home alone feeling bad for ourselves. The invitation was really an offer for us to relax and enjoy ourselves for the evening. And we did. Our hosts couldn't have been more fun. We watched YouTube videos and talked about our cheapskate immigrant parents. We had some laughs at the expense of the lone heterosexual male for totally missing my announcement that I wasn't on the same team as he. He kept asking if I was dating Jane or Mari, as if the grossed out looks on our faces wasn't enough of a clue.

Jane invited the group to her birthday in Hollywood this Friday. They all seemed up for it, but we'll see if they really show up. If they were bluffing about their invitation to us tonight, we totally called them out on it. Now it's their turn to call us out. It was just a fun evening. Heck, it would have been fun even had we not met these folks. An evening with friends is no small good thing. It's a great big one. Thank goodness for wonderful friends.

I guess the lesson is still to not go home with strangers. But if you're with friends and the strangers seem nice enough and fun and are offering you food and drink, then it's OK.

9.8 Miles

2010-02-08T22:31:00.001-08:00

After pigging out all weekend in Las Vegas, I desperately needed to burn off some calories. Serendipity 3 was great, but with chicken and bacon waffles and a frozen hot chocolate in my system, I probably consumed enough fat and sugar to last me a week. I was thinking I'd be good for a run when I got back last night, but all I wanted to do when I did get home was to put on my pj's and watch a movie.

So tonight I went for a long run. 9.8 miles. I ran from my place and ran west on Wilshire, headed north on Fairfax, turned east at Melrose and south on La Brea before heading back to my place by running east on Fourth Street. Having not run since Thursday, I was well-rested and had a pretty good run. I felt good for most of the run save for a little tightness in my left hamstring and slightly rolling my ankle running down Fourth Street. I blame that on the darkness and the terrible condition of the street at Hauser. Luckily no harm done.

With about six weeks left until the marathon I really need to be stricter about my training. This week I'll hopefully run a couple more times culminating in a 16 miler this weekend.

52 Films in 52 Weeks: You Can't Take It With You

2010-02-08T01:30:00.001-08:00

Sadly, I've already fallen behind on my mission of watching 52 Oscar movies in 52 weeks. I'd say I'm about three weeks behind. I actually watched "You Can't Take It With You" a couple of weeks ago but never got around to posting my thoughts on it. In short, it's an entertaining movie that hasn't aged well--it was enjoyable and had very charming performances from the entire cast. What I enjoyed most was seeing Lionel Barrymore in essentially the polar opposite role he took on in "It's a Wonderful Life." Here he doesn't care about money, and in the later film that's all he cares about--and both films had the same message: no man is failure who has friends.

"You Can't Take It With You" is too slight and trifling, but worst of all, it drags and just didn't seem to want to end. It could have taken a more sprightly pace. However, if anyone's interested in remaking a best picture winner today, they should start with this one. I think it can be updated easily and effectively.

It makes me wonder how this year's Oscar nominees will fare years from now. Speaking of Oscars, I've somehow managed the feat of having seen all ten best picture nominees, practically all of them in theaters by paying real dollars! "The Blind Side" was the only one I saw via a borrowed screener. I've also seen a couple of others via screener. "The Lovely Bones" was a sad failure. I haven't read the book, but it seemed that Peter Jackson was too faithful and reverential. The "in-between" sequences were just too much, and by film's end I was rolling my eyes. Very disappointing.

Tonight I watched "A Single Man." I quite liked it, if a bit over-stylized. Still, its a very evocative and effective story of a gay man mourning the death of his longtime partner. This is an impressive debut from Tom Ford, focused and assured. The big surprise is how well he plumbs the depths of sadness and sorrow beyond just a shallow depiction. I guess it was a bit unfair of me to expect that Tom Ford would be unable to fashion something as substantial as this. It's a stylish and stylized film, yes, but it also has emotional heft beneath the film's gorgeous visuals. The film does wallow in its poetic depiction of sorrow a little too much. The film wears grief like a plush robe and never takes it off even for a moment. It could have used a change in emotional wardrobe now and then.

The performances are terrific. Colin Firth embodies grief and heartbreak beautifully and it's always a delight to see Julianne Moore. Nicholas Hoult is weirdly beguiling as an aggressively seductive student. He doesn't seem to be seducing Firth's character as much as he is pouncing on him, but Hoult and Firth have some nice moments near the end upon which the film's climax crucially depends. Matthew Goode was the one that impressed me the most. In the role of the dead lover, Goode has a character that in most films like it would essentially be hollow and beatific, but in his few scenes, Goode imbues the character with beauty and warmth. The film's best scenes involve Goode. First as he and Firth lounge at home reading, and second, the flashback to their meeting--the film's best moment. In these scenes we come to fathom the depth of George's grief. He has not only lost a lover but also the source of life's bliss and, to quote W.H. Auden, nothing now can ever come to any good. "A Single Man" really struck a chord, not just as a gay man. I think its story of loss and grief is universal and one that anyone can empathize.

I'm still doing a terrible job of updating this blog. Suffice it to say, I've actually run more than my posts the last few weeks suggest, but it's also true that I really ought to be running more. Due to a turn of events, though, I probably will have more time for both running and blogging now, and as I've been doing a lot of thinking lately it will probably be good for me to do both. We shall wait and see how well I do.

52 Films in 52 Weeks: Casablanca

2010-01-03T11:21:00.000-08:00

I frequent a pop culture discussion board and some of the participants have been doing a project called "52 Films in 52 Weeks" the last few years. The idea is to list 52 movies to watch during the year. Some list films they've been meaning to watch but never got around, some list films by decade or by year, some by director. I've never participated before, so this will be my first year. For my theme I am going with best picture winners I haven't seen or barely remember watching. That only took me to 45 movies, though, so I chose seven wild card movies, classic best picture nominees. I kicked off the series last night by watching Casablanca, which I owned. I picked it up at Virgin Records' clearance sale as it was about to shut down. I've had it for a year and just never got around to watching it.

With a lot of things--movies, books, albums--that have stellar reputations, approaching them can be a bit of a disappointment. Catcher in the Rye, for example, just couldn't match the breathless adoration people had for it. It probably didn't help that I read it after college, way past the ideal age for the novel to matter. Casablanca is an undisputed classic. As Roger Ebert says, no one has said one critical thing about it. It's a film even those who hate black and white movies fall in love with. Frankly, he's right.

Casablanca lives up to its reputation. The dialogue crackles, the performances are perfect, and the story captivates. It's unabashedly romantic but moreso because it's more complex, suggesting that love isn't just about getting the girl in the end, that sometimes letting her go is an even more truer expression of love. The film's love triangle between Humphrey Bogart's Rick, Ingrid Bergman's Ilsa, and Paul Henreid's Victor works because it is not uneven. Where most film love triangles are of the scalene variety, Casablanca's is refreshingly equilateral. Victor is a noble and worthy combatant for Ilsa's heart. The film tilts in favor of Rick and Ilsa on the passion meter, but it also wisely avoids painting Victor as unworthy of Ilsa's affection. If anything, we might wonder if Ilsa is worthy of Victor's love. Isn't it also interesting that the film seems to advocate for polyamory? The film does not judge Ilsa at all and justifies her love for two men at the same time. When was the last time you saw a movie that depicted polyamory as valid?

Watching Casablanca was a great way to kick off the series. I doubt, though, that they will all be as good. In fact I'm dreading quite a few of them. I've heard nothing good about Cecil B. DeMille's Greatest Show on Earth. One down, 51 more to go. Imagine, if all goes well, in a year I can say that I've seen almost all the best picture winners (I may miss some due to availability).

2009: The Year in Running

2010-01-02T14:07:00.000-08:00

2009 wasn't the most eventful year in running for me, but it was still enjoyable. I think it was the year when running became a hobby and not so much a focused exercise. In a way I began to take running for granted. My workouts became less frequent and I was easily persuaded to skip runs, which sadly manifested into an expanded waistline. Part of the problem was that I didn't renew my gym membership. When I used to go to the gym I would go right after work. I'd do weights and run. Now I go home straightaway, which makes it so easy to get lazy. There's something about being at home that makes me just want to slink into a chair and not move. It may be home, sweet home, but to me it's also the place you go to get fat.

In 2009 I only ran one marathon: the Inaugural Seattle Rock n' Roll Marathon in June. In terms of training for the race, it was one of my least trained marathons. Still I managed to run my second fastest marathon at 3:53:24, but then again I fainted an hour after the race too. Not so good. To put things in perspective, I ran my fastest marathon, a 3:49 effort at San Diego, in May 2007. It has been over two years. I really ought to be improving every year, but instead I'm at a plateau. I'm glad I haven't gotten too slow and running sub four hour marathons is certainly a good showing, but I should be pushing to improve. Other than the marathon in Seattle I also ran a half marathon in Las Vegas last month, but that wasn't much of an effort. I treated it like a training run and wound up running just over two hours--the slowest half marathon I've ever run at over two hours. I've never run a half marathon more than two hours!

The only other run worth noting was the Ragnar relay. I don't know my splits exactly, but our team rocked and finished third in our division. But more importantly it was a blast. We're planning to do it again this April.

For 2010 the only race on the docket so far is the new (and improved?) Los Angeles Marathon. I'm hoping to finish under 3:45 for this race but so far my training has been haphazard. Fortunately the race isn't until late March, so I have some time to put in some quality running. I have to start now, though. I'll consider doing another race in the fall. Maybe I'll submit my name to NYC or Portland. There's also the Inaugural Los Angeles Rock n' Roll Half Marathon in October. Maybe I can finally post a sub-1:40 half marathon at that race.

So, here's to a good running year in 2010. 2009 wasn't bad, but I was definitely disappointed in my self for not putting in more of an effort. Gotta stop being lazy about running from now on. I'll start on that tomorrow.

Raul is Running Again

2009-11-18T17:09:00.000-08:00

Time for a reboot. After four months of silence I'm hoping to get back in the swing of blogging again. And so I announce that I have signed up for the 2010 Los Angeles Marathon and managed to get almost all my running buddies to register as well. The course will certainly be the most scenic yet and it might be easier too with a downhill finish, but still there are inclines in the middle of the course. They don't call it Beverly HILLS for nothing.

Training "officially" started with a 6 mile run this past Sunday. This Saturday I'll be walking 13.5 miles along Adams and Washington Boulevards as part of the Great L.A. Walk. Even with that scheduled I still plan to run 8 miles this Sunday. We'll see how I feel, though. If it's anything like last year's Walk then I'll be mighty sore.

Seattle Rock N Roll Marathon Splits

2009-07-07T00:59:00.000-07:00

Who knows when I'll have a chance to post a full race report about the Inaugural Seattle Rock N Roll Marathon? The race turned out a little better than I expected as I posted my second best marathon time, beating my 2007 Los Angeles Marathon time by about a minute. My chip time was 3:53:24. I hadn't trained very well for this race, but I did get in a substantial amount of miles, including a 20 miler three weeks before the race. The quality of my workouts probably left a lot to be desired.

The pace looks to have been pretty even. I wish I had managed a negative split, but it looks like I slowed down slightly in the second half. It was a beautiful course but also a tough one. Rolling hills. All in all, though, it was quite a race. I'd definitely consider doing this again if only to have another opportunity to visit Seattle.

06.11.2009 - 10 Miles (Running to Father's Office)

2009-06-12T00:29:00.001-07:00

Since I was unlikely to get a long run in this weekend, I opted to run 10 miles tonight. To reward myself for my effort, a pot of gold in the form of burger and fries was in store for me at the finish. I mapped out a 10 mile route that started from my front door and ended at Father's Office in Culver City. I took Wilshire to La Brea to Beverly to La Cienega to Third to Fairfax to Venice. It turned out to be an easy route since more than half of it was downhill. I didn't set my chrono, but by my estimate I ran it in about an hour and a half.

Father's Office was crowded but there was no line to get in. The Laker game was on, so it was quite loud, but the game soon ended and things calmed down. Kevin met me at the restaurant. We're both Father's Office virgins, so we didn't realize that the table situation there is every-person-for-him-and-herself. The place was packed, but there were some tables that could accommodate more people, so we just had to step out of our comfort zone and deign to share a table with strangers.

The burger was pretty good. It's a sweet-tasting, juicy burger. The meat flavor isn't quite there. When I eat a burger I want to taste meat, but this one had a more subtle flavor. I liked the bun they used, which looked more like a roll. Even better were the sweet potato fries. All in all quite rewarding after a good run.

06.07.2009 - 21 Miles

2009-06-10T16:58:00.000-07:00

What a difference a week makes. Last week's 18 miler was tough, but in comparison this weekend's 20 miler felt almost easy. I encountered no problems except for an annoying coughing jag in the early miles. By the time I got up to Devil's Gate Dam, though, it felt like I was just starting. I decided to run past Elmer for 10 minutes, which probably meant I went farther than a mile. Weather was great, too. I couldn't have asked for a better run. At the finish I felt like I could go a couple miles longer, but I didn't.

So far this week I've run twice, a 5.75 mile, door-to-door run, and a 5.5 mile run to the GLU meeting last night. Both weren't great runs. Last night was particularly troublesome with my coughing and the sidewalks really do a number on my shins. My legs are more sore now than they were after running 20.