Of shoes, ships, sealing wax, cabbages, and strings

Watching the repeat of Monday's Colbert Report last night, I was intrigued by the interview with Brian Greene, author of a book about String Theory and a guy who is approximately 248 times smarter than I. I had heard the term string theory bandied about, but never really understood what it was about. After last night's viewing...I'm still not so sure what it's about, but it is a very cool concept. Even after reading so-called "basic" explanations about the theory, I'm still in the dark. But, if I am interpreting correctly, most string theories are based on a belief there are 10 dimensions. Last night, Greene said that there could be 10 different versions of ourselves in 10 different versions of the world. If that is the case, I'm guessing at least three of me are currently sucking down a martini at any particular point in time.

(As an aside, I'm beginning to love the Colbert Report - still not quite as much as the Daily Show in that I devote valuable and dwindling TiVo space to it, but enough so that if it is on and I have the time, I watch it. This episode managed to expertly skewer the Administration's so-called rationale for staying in Iraq AND the inherent ridiculousness of teaching intelligent design in science class. As an aside to this aside, I am incredulous about this Administration's craptacular "Strategy for Victory in Iraq": Long-term victory will occur when the country is "peaceful, united, stable, and secure, well integrated into the international community, and a full partner in the global war on terrorism" and the U.S. would not withdraw from Iraq until victory had been achieved, which by this yardstick and at the current pace of improvement should occur...oh, roughly around the year 2041.)

Ahem...sorry about that...where was I?

Oh yes, string theory. It's cool.

On a totally unrelated note (or perhaps one that is related in a different dimension), one mom posted a very interesting question today to a working mom's listserv to which I subscribe. She asked how women dealt with shifting priorities that occurs when your child is born. Many moms who keep working by choice (and even some who keep working by necessity) I think are ones who largely defined themselves by career success before children. I know that it is a question I've had to deal with myself, and it is something that I'm thinking about a lot nowadays. I think it's not just a change in priorities, but really a change in weltanschauung (my favorite word auf Deutsch). I've always had a drive to do something distinctive with my life - to achieve a level of greatness. That is, perhaps, why I never really understood why my husband was so happy doing a job that was "just a job." (On the flip side, he doesn't really understand my drive to devote so much time and energy to work.) When my daughter was born, my focus shifted away from the career and my achievements and toward the family. I've been working fewer hours, focusing less on work, and spending more time with family. However, I've been increasingly anxious and unsettled recently, and I couldn't figure out why. But last night it hit me - I felt like I should be doing something bigger. What that something is, I don't know. Writing a book, starting an insanely successful business, laying the groundwork for future glory. During my daughter's first year, I didn't really have that issue, because I was training for my first marathon. The question is: now what?

It's funny what happens when an epiphany hits. A lot of things become clear, but many others make you want to slap yourself in the forehead and say, "DUH!" Visiting some relatives a couple of weeks ago, I was talking about some stress my father was going through, and how he had this all-consuming drive to get one of his books published and see moderate success in his lifetime. Now, he was (still is) a brilliant architect, with some incredible testaments to his talent scattered across the globe. But I think that publishing a successful book is now his benchmark and how he believes he will achieve his legacy, and it is very difficult and draining for him to keep falling short of that goal. I understand where he is coming from, because I realize that I am like him in more ways than I care to admit. It just took me a few more weeks and some quality couch time to realize it.

Monday miscellania: horizontal blogging edition

OK, it's Monday and I'm flat on my back (doctor says it's just a sprain, thank goodness)...let's see what the 'net has for us today.

* I can't believe it's not Butterstick.

* Lisa Brown has a great proposal over at McSweeneys. I, too, have always been an admirer of Auntie Mame's parenting skills. Come to think of it, I also was a great admirer of Holly Gollightly and Nick and Nora Charles. I guess that makes me a lush?

* The Amazing Race: Family Edition is nearing the end, with all the excitement of a trip to the mall and none of the danger.

* Runner's World continues its long tradition of stating the obvious.

* Oh yeah, and Patrick Dempsey is still hot.

Karma lives

...and not just on "My Name is Earl." After weeks of resentment and bitching (on my part) about how difficult it is to deal with a husband whose back goes out, guess what happened on Saturday? Yep. Back completely out. For those of you who haven't yet experinced this particular brand of hell on earth, let me tell you that it is unimaginable how much it hurts to do the slightest thing. So, the roles have been reversed for the last few days. Frankly, this is a pair of shoes I'd rather not ever have to walk in again.

All I want to know now is when I can go back to yoga class.

Panda parenting

I, like many others, have become horrendously addicted to the PandaCam at Washington D.C.'s National Zoo. In particular, some of the baby panda antics are probably familiar to human mothers as well, specifically this tidbit from November 19:

This morning, the 19-week old Tai Shan has been very active. He's climbing up and down the ledge in the den, and using his mom as a jungle gym. He's been climbing on her while she tries to sleep, then sliding off. While on top of her, he's also been wrestling with and chewing on her shoulder. Tai Shan continues to explore and mouth bamboo, actively pulling pieces to his mouth, but he doesn't seem yet to know what more to do with it.

Statistics will probably show that the birth of Butterstick was probably
the starting point for a significant drop in productivity for the American workforce, but he's just too darn cute to resist. I mean, check out the picture above!

Monday miscellania

* Just out of curiosity today, I googled "running blogs" to see what was out there. I don't know why I was surprised, but - wow. It will be interesting to see what is pure narcissism (like, say, this blog), and what has actual helpful content. I had to skip this morning's run because of...well, let's say female troubles...I wonder if any of the blogs have solutions fot THAT.

* The Census Bureau recently released three reports pertaining to mothers. What I find particularly interesting, 57 percent of new mothers worked full-time during their pregnancy in the late 1990s and 2000, up from 40 percent in the early 1960s. The full report draws some interesting correllations between enactment of the child care tax credit, the rise in births to women over the age of 30, and the family and medical leave act to this rise in employment levels.

* Transplanted Lawyer has an interesting play penned by A.A. Milne (of Winnie the Pooh fame). It is a parable that speaks volumes of the lengths people will go to preserve their own illusions, rather than question their beliefs - a subject with particular resonance in this day and age.

* Sars has posted another very funny screed about her cats over at Tomato Nation. Further proof that although most felines have their own personalities and idiosyncracies, there are some universal elements of cattitude.

* Wendy, over at Pound, has a great reason why the pharmacists at Target might be unwilling to dispense Plan B.

* Here's why I stay up late now on Sunday nights.

* At the end of yoga class today, the instructor asked us to focus on something or someone that we are particularly thankful for. Answering "my family" was a reflex, but later on I began to think about why. The ultimate reason is that my husband and daughter have taught me just how endless the human heart can be.

And on that sappy note, good night to you all.

What we do for our kids

'Twas a day to end all days. A birthday party at the zoo this morning and a kids' music festival at a local nightclub in the afternoon. Five hours on my feet, lots of kid-wrangling, and total body exhaustion. It's a feeling not unlike how I felt at the end of my first marathon, minus the chafing.

The zoo was a lot of fun - a great place for a kid's birthday party. They provide goodie bags, a guided tour of some of the animal exhibits, and a fully set-up room. I'm a big fan of the birthday party made easy route. The concert? Well, it was the fifth circle of hell. Imagine a club that holds 1,200 people. Now pack roughly twice that in the room (or at least that's what it seemed like). Each family had roughly 24 inches of space, so DOM spent the majority of the show sitting on my shoulders. Throw in some costumed performers and the closest thing to the Beatles in kid's music, no lunch, and a start time that coincided with nap time, and you have a recipe for disaster. We left early.

However, one thing I found is that all the yoga and running I have been doing has really helped. I don't think I could have lasted as long as I did on my feet and with her on my shoulders without regular yoga (a great shoulder/back/neck strengthener) and without my runs. I just have to remember that at 5:30 Monday morning.

A half to remember

I just got the flyer yesterday for my favorite half-marathon, the Kentucky Derby Festival Mini-marathon. I've run it the past two years, and can't say enough about how well the race is run, how much fun the course is, and how I have beat my own expectations each year. The course is about perfect for a race -- it starts out with three miles of flat, then gives three miles of rolling hills through a beautiful park, followed by a long downhill and a flat-as-a-pancake trip into downtown Louisville for the finish.

The half-marathon runners share the course with the marathoners for the first 11 miles. (MarathonGuide.com has people's comments about the full marathon.) I am by no means a speed demon, so I get to see some of the more colorful characters along the course, my favorite being the Running Elvi. But, best of all, both years I had the distinct pleasure of being passed at the very end by the eventual winner of the full marathon. Believe it or not, I thought that was way cool.

Unfortunately, I won't be able to run the race in 2006 because I'll be in Paris for my 10th wedding anniversary. I know, a girl's gotta make sacrifices.

Bipolar weather

Yesterday morning's run went well. Or, as well as it could, as I dragged my aching body through the pre-dawn half-light (I thought yoga was supposed to make you feel BETTER). It was 64 degrees - shorts and t-shirt weather - and quite pleasant. My running partner and I put in our three miles with all of our body parts still attached. However, tomorrow is another thing all together. As of right now, the forecast is for temps in the 20s. So, we've gone from southern California to International Falls in just two short days. As an asthma sufferer, I'm guessing tomorrow will be a challenge to my lungs. As a person who truly dislikes cold weather, tomorrow will be a challenge to my body. And, as someone who truly values her sleep, tomorrow will (as always) be a challenge to my brain.

The trick to being a "serious" runner is not what you do on the nice days. It's what you do on the really crappy ones instead. At least, that's what I tell myself.