Happy Saturday

2.12 miles 26:08 12:22 pace 45 degrees 11:15am Hermann Park


I've been active at work. More than active. My guess is I've also been banking cortisol at record pace. Not good.

Today started out very cool - actually near freezing. I woke around 6:30am, read a little, then started cleaning. I have clean sheets, clean floors, a clean bathroom. I was waiting for the warmup. The sun streamed into my place, beckoning to me. "Come outside!"

My right heel and forefoot are still stiff. If I admit to truth, they're sore. But not too bad. I took a couple walking breaks and decided not to go such a very long distance. I only wanted to be outside. I wanted to grab a little Happy. And I did. (Oh, and update on my decision not to run the marathon. It was the right one. I went to Austin with a great friend. That was Happy, too.)





©Michelle Scofield, January 25, 2014 All Rights Reserved

(Doing) Good

Grocery shopping at Target.  I should know better that to attempt such folly.  Fruit was on my list.  I wanted to get fresh fruit to add to oatmeal and greek yogurt - berries, maybe mango.  The blackberries at Target were apparently quite precious, coming in at close to five dollars a pound and the strawberries were nowhere near ripe.  I didn't find any mangos.  I filled my basket with my other necessities (ZipLoc bags, a loaf of whole wheat bread, razor blades) and checked out.  It's a gorgeous and sunny day in Houston.  I considered driving through Sonic for a rootbeer float.  Nah.  I'm not running and the lack of caloric expenditure is not good for my waistline.  Thus the quest for fresh fruit.

Kroger is a few blocks from Target.  I wanted to use the CoinStar machine and get an Amazon certificate so I decided to zip in, do that, and look for some fruit.  (I save my change from my purse in a bowl on my coffee table and cash it in every month or so.  CoinStar doesn't charge a surcharge if I get a gift certificate.  I have my eye on a tripod for my camera.)

As I entered Kroger, I was met by two grade-schoolers who immediately asked me if I wanted to donate money to the Houston Food Bank.  Well, let's see.  I was carrying around a sack of change, going into a grocery store on one of my two days off of the week from a job that pays me really well to do good work and stimulates me intellectually.  Yes.

I told them I'd stop on my way out.  I noticed that they glanced at each other.  I wondered how many times they'd heard people put them off today. 

I took care of my business in the store, stuck a few dollars in my pocket and stopped to talk to the little girls on my way out.  They had a hand-lettered sign that said, "Give $1 to the Houston Food Bank.  Root Beer Floats"

I handed my money to the girl with the big brown eyes and long dark hair.  "Look!  I've made the most money today!"  She squealed to her friend.

She turned to me and asked me if I wanted a rootbeer float.

How could I resist?

I was so impressed with the excitement and dedication of those girls today.  They both talked to me with interest and enthusiasm.  They were out doing GOOD. 

On the other hand...

I noticed that CoinStar charges a >10% fee if the customer changes those coins into bills.  Awful.  Really awful.  Opposite of Good.

©Michelle Scofield, January 12, 2014   All Rights Reserved

Free Bird

"If I leave here tomorrow


Would you still remember me?

For I must be traveling on now

'Cause there's too many places I've got to see...



...And this bird you can not change.

Lord knows I can't change."



Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant











I was driving to work yesterday (thinking, thinking) and, blessedly, Lynyrd Skynyrd came on my radio. Wanderlust is tugging me, pushing me, sending me to places as yet unknown.



I'll give in to it. I always do. I haven't started collecting moving boxes - not yet. To put it off a bit, I have another E ticket in my inbox and a voucher that’s good until May of this year. That soothes me some. A little.



I wish I knew what it is I'm seeking. In the meantime, I'll crank up the volume and sing at the top of my lungs while I drive. Soothing comes in different ways on different days.





©Michelle Scofield, January 7, 2014, All Rights Reserved

E is for English Breakfast Tea

I'm baking 3 loaves of banana bread to take to work.  Never got around to eating those bananas (except 1) from a few days ago.  My place smells yummy.  I used walnuts from my grocery trip earlier this afternoon.

I'm trying to keep quick, portable foods handy for lunches.  Having the time to heat a meal seems to be a thing of the past most Mondays through Fridays.  I boiled these eggs.  I have nuts, yogurt, berries, carrots.

I slipped some more tea bags into my tote and I'll take them to work tomorrow.  It seems a cup with a tiny bit of cream and sugar is just as good a pick me up as coffee and somehow not so aggressive.  Maybe it's all in my head.  And maybe that's exactly as it should be.

©Michelle Scofield, January 5, 2014. All rights reserved.

D is for Docent

I moved from room to room, soaking up the bits of information he offered like the lemony, buttery sauce on a plate of perfectly roasted chicken.  If I took my time and savored the experience, I could break off a crust of bread and enjoy the small morsels - slowly, with determination.  I could delay looking at all the beautiful paintings hanging around me and focus on the few being discussed on the tour.

I was surprised to find that our tour was being led by a man.  I admit to having a preconceived notion of a Docent as an elderly woman wearing a navy blue blazer, mid-calf skirt, and Naturalizer shoes. He wore none of these.  He knew his Impressionists and he helped me to know them. 

For a little over an hour, he led our group of fifteen through the permanent collection at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, giving us a mini-lesson on the beginnings of the movement and how to LOOK at one of the paintings to recognize the brush strokes, the placement of the subjects within the paintings, and the perspective of the artist. 

I was very happy that he focused on one of my favorites - Camille Pissarro.  My knowledge grew. That always makes a good day for me.

I also gained emotional insight into why the Impressionism period is my favorite.  As we moved past a Classical piece, I felt uncomfortable.  Too many rules.  

Docents don't have to be women. Painters don't have to be realists. I don't have to eat the main course.  I stayed only for the tour and saved that big bird on the platter for later.







©Michelle Scofield, January 4, 2014,  All Rights Reserved

Compassion Train

The people who live in the park won't care if it's Celsius or Fahrenheit.  I don't know how they exist in these temperatures.  I was moved to send a little cash to the Star of Hope Mission today after hearing how Cory Booker and his crew were out shoveling snow back East.  I felt like I had to something.  Anything.  I was moved.  Damn straight, I was.  We need more politicians like that.  Anyone can label it a publicity stunt.  Who cares?  The snow got moved, along with a whole lot of people.

Let's Run With this 1 Fine Day Thing

B is for bunch.  I'm determined to participate in social activities, to be part of a group.  Thankfully, I was called late yesterday afternoon and asked if I could be at the Houston Zoo last night to see the Zoo Lights.  Yes!  I had a great time walking through the pretty displays, listening to Christmas music (on January 1st), laughing, joking, in general being cracked up by 5 of the funniest guys I know.

Today is Thursday.  You know, the day before Friday, which is followed by Saturday.  Now that I'm not completely preoccupied by running (obsess much?), I don't have 3 and 4 hour blocks of time carved out for long runs on the weekends.  What to do?  Get out and participate in humanity!  I'm signed up for a members' talk at the Museum of Fine Arts Saturday morning.  Subject:  The Impressionists.  Love that!  And maybe I'll make some friends. 

I also received a birthday party invitation for Saturday night.  It's not a surprise party but I was surprised to get the invite.  Of COURSE I'm going.  :)

My goal for this year is to look for 1 fine thing in every day.  And to mix in the alphabet.  And to try to write regularly.  Wish me luck.

So far so good.
















©Michelle Scofield, January 2, 2014, All Rights Reserved

1 Fine Day

Day 1.  A is for:  Asking myself to do better for myself.  Notice the imperfections.



Taken with my iPhone.





©Michelle Scofield, January 1, 2014,  All Rights Reserved