Eight Miler to the Cemetery
Some thoughts during my mother's birthday weekend: It's the first time my sister will celebrate her birthday on her own. It's exactly eight miles from our doorstep to the grave plot of my parents if you take the Elston/Milwaukee route into Niles. Nothing is the same. Running is routine, the art making has yet to catch up. I miss her.
Coffee Run - Dip and Sip Donuts
Today would have been my mother's 87th birthday, so in her honor and her love of donuts, I decided to run the 5 miles to Dip and Sip Donuts. This neighborhood donut shop in Roscoe Village specializes in custom-made donuts, and I knew from the get go that this meant I would probably end up buying half a dozen. In all practicality, I wouldn't run back home with a box in hand, so I ordered a coffee to go and got on a Lyft for my return (all sorts of segments about Lyft and Uber
Monday Night Meeting at Surge
As introverted as I am, I've always been an advocate for regular conversations with others who encourage you to get out when you'd rather stay home. I'm heeding Des Linden's ongoing ad campaign with Brooks, "Keep showing up," and while it's not the first time I've considered this, I am more than ever trying to instill it with others, especially my students. Being physically present, whether at a social gathering, club meeting, team practice, etc. is the only guarantee that an
Coffee Run - Dark Matter Caravanserai
This Saturday's Coffee Run was to Dark Matter's new Caravanserai, which recently opened in the Avondale neighborhood. It's 2.7 miles away from home, so I figured it could easily turn into a 6 miler in total with a nice Mayan Mocha at the halfway point. Run: The previous evening had me shoveling around our building with my sister, and the warming temperatures brought forth soggy, slush-filled streets and sidewalks. At 5:45 in the morning, I took advantage of the empty streets
Coffee Run to Dark Matter's new Caravanserai
This Saturday's Coffee Run was to Dark Matter's new Caravanserai in the Avondale neighborhood. It's 2.7 miles away from home, so I figured it could easily turn it into a total 6 miler with a nice Mayan Mocha at the halfway point. The previous evening had me shoveling around our building with my sister, and the warming temperatures brought a soggy, slush-filled Immediately upon my return, I changed into shoveling gear (comprised of an old North Face vest given to me by someone
Coffee Run - Westons Coffee & Tap
This weekend's Coffee Run brought me to Westons Coffee & Tap located across the Jefferson Park Transit Center. It's about 2.1 miles away, but I ended up weaving around Mayfair to cut through the highway and the train station towards Milwaukee Ave. I repeated this hap-hazard course on the way back, running four miles to get there with a total mileage of almost 6.5 miles. The Coffee: The barista noted my Pearl Izumi jacket when I ordered a cup of their regular drip. He'd recogn
