Is running really as simple as you think?

Running, in many ways, can be viewed as a very simple process. It's practically like walking except with faster turnover. You just have to put one foot in front of the other right? Well, I'm here to tell you that running isn't that easy. No, no, I'm not talking about the physical difficulties of running. We all know about them. The soreness, the cramps, and of course, the discomfort felt when you have to do a onesie or twosie while running. These burdens are well known to the common man/woman who might not have run in their entire life (heaven forbid).

What I really would like to shed some light on are the unknown complications while running. Now, experts claim that for a real good workout, you should run for 30 minutes straight no matter what the pace. This sounds easy enough. A thirty minute time span of continuous motion…how hard could that be? Harder than you might think. The first obstacle you might come across is the walker talker. This type of person could be possibly detrimental to your run. This could be someone that you know or actually don't know. The vast majority of walker talkers will be people you know. The walker talker is a person who is walking down the sidewalk, street, etc. directly towards you and forces you to stop to talk to them. Fortunately, when the walker talker is walking in the same direction as the runner, the runner can avoid them by proceeding directly back directly past them without making eye contact. However, most of the time the walker talker approaches head-on. The problem lies here. Now most of the time the runner is taken by surprise. The runner thinks omg it's Johnny, for lack of a better name. Therefore, they throw Johnny a smile and create eye contact. Eye contact is the key, because then Johnny knows you're there and then he says hey, and Johnny's eyes follow you even after you pass. Now, the runner can still escape if he/she does not make eye contact. However, most people turn and see if the walker talker, Johnny, is still looking. Eye contact is made again and there is a very awkward situation. The runner slows their run and the moment of truth approaches. The thoughts going through the runner's head include....Shit/I should stop/just keep going he's a loser/etc etc...Most of the time the runner stops and a conversation ensues, ultimately ruining the run.

The previous point was really for all runners in general. It could be applied to the city, suburb, or rural runner. The next point will be focused upon the city runner. I'll have to admit, the city runner probably has the hardest time completing these 30 minutes without getting thrown off course. I don't know what to talk about first. Probably the most frustrating obstacle city runners face are people on the sidewalks block their paths. Not only do these people take up the sidewalk, but they don't move out of the way when you run towards them, as if their walking is that much more important to them or difficult for them to do. I have no idea. When you see someone running, sweating, breathing heavily, why not move to the side two steps to allow them to keep their running path? These people are just ridiculous and sometimes I just continue on and run right into them. Yes, it sounds selfish, but how else am I going to spread the word to get the heck out of the way?

Elaborating on the people on the sidewalk, there exists the person with apparent eyes in the back of their head. I know these people are laughing on the inside when they do what they do. Even though the runner approachs them from the back and they "can't see you", they seem to gravitate towards whichever side the runner wants to pass them on. This creates a very awkward and potentionally devastating situation for you as the runner. A, you get around the person but your rythm is hampered as is your focus. A possible lousy run will follow. Or B, you actually hit them. This might be actually good because the person will be more careful. However, a walker talker situation could result from this and you will be forced to stop, apologize, and possibly chat.

Finally, I would like to take a moment to discuss something that seems minor, but really isn't. Now we all know that smoking is bad…if you don't, ask your mom or dad. Furthermore, we know that smoking hinders an individual's running abilities. Nonetheless, did you realize that smoking also hurts a runner's ability who doesn't even smoke? Let me explain. As you run down the street in the city (another city runner obstacle, sorry), you are already breathing absolutely horrible air. Then, you run up next to a seemingly nice human being. La la la, you're running you're running, then wow this human being emits what can only be described as death to a runner. I don't even know how to describe it but it is the worse sight for a runner. A smoke cloud!!! You can A stop and ruin your continuous motion that way, or B, plow throught the smoke cloud and proceed to cough heavily or pass out (I've heard this has happened to someone but they had weak lungs to begin with so don't worry, it wont happen to you). Inevitably, either result, will cause you to slow and destroy your run.

I feel as though you have learned a valuable lesson on the unknown difficulties of running. Runners must deal with physical obstacles as well as the obstacles discussed above. It's a cruel world out there for runners. Next time you see a runner on the street or sidewalk, you can now relate and help them in their endeavor by getting the heck out of the way.

Dirtiness

So when you're laying around on a Friday night in the city trying to figure out what to do, obviously the first thing that comes to mind is going out. Now this whole process involves what we like to call "pre-gaming" for countless hours and then actually going out, which in fact is usually only an hour or two. Within this hour or two, it's really your choice as to what you want to get out of it. Some people like to chose to drink lots more and just be sloppy. These people wake up the next morning and always wonder just where all that money in their wallet went. Some people go out and break a move and have a good time dancing. However, the majority of people go out with the intention of hooking up with someone. What do I usually do? Usually I go out with the intention of having some fun and dancing. In no means does that mean I am a good dancer...except I kind of am, ha...but just some good fun.

Sometimes I go out and hook up. Do I like it when I'm in the moment? Yea sure, who doesn't, unless it's a fat chick...cough, shrav...cough. All jokes aside though, when I wake up that next morning I just feel so filthy after doing it. I mean there really is no lasting satisfaction to the hook up. I don't think anyone can really say there is any lasting satisfaction. I guess only if this person turns out to be your future gf/bf, but even then, it's still kind of dirty. When someone asks you when you first met or kissed you would respond, "Yea, we met at a bar and hooked up in the dark corner." Just doesn't sound too appealing to me. Lots like to label me as a romantic. I really don't think it's being a romantic to say that the culture at college these days is just really dirty. Whatever happened to just meeting someone and taking them out on a date instead of to a club while your drunk. I guess a lot of people seemed to have lost sight of some of the good old clean fun that once was. I am a hypocrite in what I say. I sometimes fall into the drunken hook-up. However, I don't encourage it. It's really not satisfying. So, the next time you actually like someone. Ask them out on a date and get to know them before you do the other stuff. It's a lot better that way.

So much to say and it's only been a day

How bout that rhyme in the title. Well first off, I'd like to give a shout out to High School Musical. Yes, I hadn't seen it up until yesterday which is pretty ridiculous given my great affinity towards musicals. The movie is kind of corny but aren't all of these types of musicals? The music is so Broadway which is great for me. Both of the main characters are pretty sexy as well...yea Zac is hot...don't know why he cut off that h from his name. I guess he was too cool for school. Excellent movie though for all of you musicals fans out there. I've been playing the soundtrack all the time...even at parties.

Moving on, last night, friday night, all of us went out to Adam's Morgan. In the words of Billy Joel, oh what a night. The night started off with just the other white and I sitting on the couch wondering what to watch and too lazy to get up to change the channel. Why did we have to get up to change the channel? Well, we have no remote controller. Actually, let me rephrase that, we have no remote controller that actually works. We have three universal remotes, each one purchased at a separate time. However, none of them work because we couldn't program them properly. Five college students couldn't figure out how to program a universal remote. I guess college really doesn't teach you everything. So, eventually after losing in the nose game, I got up to change the channel. Eventually, we found Gladiator on the tele. Let's just say we were excited about it but realized because it was on TV we couldn't see the blood and gore that men so often desire. So, we popped in the DVD and watched that.

While watching Gladiator, we kicked back with the drinks I made. They were deadly. Then, the 2 brownies came home and the night was off. We left to go to Adam's Morgan only to be surprised by another white who was in DC last night with friends from school. We all ended up at this place called The Reef. What an interesting place. There were fish tanks everywhere which you could possibly just stare at for your whole stay at The Reef (the other white confessed he did just this for awhile). He was staring at a clown fish which is legit because of Finding Nemo. Anyways, one brownie was rather ridiculous last night. Actually, everyone was but that's besides the point. So the ridic brownie went to the bathroom randomly and came back and told us there was a big fight. He claimed he got hit in the back and said...Dude, calm down it's only the bathroom...haha...

The night continued on at Madam's Organ. What freakin' weird name. It's just awkward to say. There were two guys standing at the doors collecting money. They said it would be 6 dollars cover for each. Obviously this was too steep for us, but then they lowered it to 4 dollars each. This drastic price change made all the difference for us and we entered. Out of respect for my roommate, I will not reveal the events that passed in Madam's Organ. However, it was a BIG deal.

After Madam's Organ, the group proceeded to the jumbo slice shop. I don't know if everyone knows what a jumbo slice is but it is delicious. It's basically a pizza slice but a pizza slice that is the size of 3 or 4 normal slices. The other white and I got a slice each and didn't offer the brown, who didn't have money enough to buy one, a slice for no apparent reason. Then, we sat at a table and added whatever to our pizza before eating it. I added what I thought was Parmesan cheese. Unfortunately it was not, it was garlic and I can still taste it in my mouth even while I'm writing this.

We devoured our pizza slices and went outside to get a cab when a group of black guys started making fun of my jeans. I really don't care what people think usually, but they were just retarded, as was I, ha. I mean really though, wastes of life. So, I argued with them and scared them off...all 155 pounds of me did, haha. We caught a cab and got back to the room where the other white passed out on the couch, not even watching tv, and everyone else made it to their beds. This morning I wake up and look at my calls to find one from the other white. I figured it was just a mistaken dial because we were together all night, but it was freakin' 10 minutes long. I really want to know what exactly we were talking about for 10 minutes on the phone even though we were in the same room. Quite frankly, I have no idea.

That's pretty much my night in a nutshell. Lots more details but it needed to be censored for the internet.

Once

Ok, so this movie deserves it's own post. Probably the best movie I have seen all year...now i was in Spain the whole year and have only seen Shrek the 3rd...but this movie is amazing. So many movies today fail to capture true feeling and emotions. This movie does just that and more. Once is basically a story about a guy and a girl. It sounds basic and uninteresting but it's the opposite. It is dubbed as a musical, but not the typical flashy Broadway type (which I love by the way). This movie is more of a modern musical. The music is absolutely fantastic and complements the movie so well. I don't really want to say too much about it but just that it's amazing. You really feel for the characters so much. Go see this movie and listen to the soundtrack. I bought the soundtrack immediately after watching the movie. So, GO WATCH ONCE!!!

A Surprising Balance

So, I guess this is the start of another blog eh? Now, I did start one last summer which lasted all but 5 days. Even though this was a rather impressive run, I've decided to attempt to outlast it with this blog. Many of you probably saw that I was writing a blog and certain inappropriate words started floating through your head....LOSER....STUPID....FLAMER...PAJERO....you know the works, but all of you are mistaken. I am not any of these, although it would be cool to be insulted in Spanish again. Side note...do you ever get the urge to just hold down a key at the end of the word you are typing. It's almost like a way to protect yourself from having to write the next word, but there really is no pressure to bang it out. That probably didn't make any sense. However, I'm a wee bit excited again about the blog and it gives people at work an excuse to take a break.

Therefore, Summer '07 has officially begun down herrrr in DC. I moved in this past Saturday. The room was barren...all except for the random clothes in all my drawers and closet space. Pleasant surprise. Who's were they? I think you can guess. Rajkumar Singh's aka Divyam Singh. This surprise delayed the inevitable of unloading all of my clothes and hindered my goal of keeping my room clean. Yes, I am keeping it clean (not just Ryan standards but normal standards). Soon thereafter, Divyam himself made an appearance and moved his clothes (which by the way took the Indian smell out of the room). After the rents left, I was left alone with the Singhman for the night.

The week progressed with Singh studying for MCATs, the other roomates moving in, and me trying to lock down a job. However, something strange occurred to me. There was a surprising balance in the room. The balance I speak of is not in weight or mass but it is rather in skin color/origin. Apparently our room had some sort of affirmative action thing for this summer because there are 3 whites to 2 browns in the room this summer. Wowsa, more whites than browns but a balanced ratio nonetheless. This ratio is vastly different compared to the 4 to 1 ration usually present in the room....brown to white that is. I'm not quite sure if I'm happy or upset about this, but let's be honest...I'm pretty excited about it.