A little of this, a little of that.

Seems like every post I want to make I also want to preface with "So I've been busy." And I am: I'm busy like a person who's moving in two months, plans to bum around Japan for three or four weeks, feels the day is wasted if he hasn't exercised and is throwing all his effort into studying for a Japanese proficiency test in December.

I sat down and read The Yiddish Policemen's Union yesterday because it had to be done for book club this coming Friday, and though I enjoyed it, I felt as if I was wasting time better devoted to exercising and studying or making sure my proverbial ducks are in a row. It was also written in ENGLISH. But I'll forgive it that.

Part of the reason I'm feeling a bit behind is I spent the weekend on Izena island relaxing. Myself and about 12 others boated out there and spent the afternoon and evening swimming, scootering, cricket playing and BBQing. Cricket was most enjoyable: it was my first time playing, and I have to say it was a lot more enjoyable than games of baseball I've watched or played.* At some point a few of us also skipped into a snack bar next to the beach and sang a song or two.

In said snack bar, I was hit with a dazzling moment of inspiration after a rousing chorus of "Ghostbusters." I wrote it down and shuffled if off to do later, when I return to the states, along with a couple other more creative projects. Among those are interviewing family members and creating a podcast. To do these things, however, requires a much better (i.e. working) computer than I have now, and I've decided to wait until I get back to the states to buy one, seeing as macs in Japan are even more ridiculously overpriced.

Despite not posting much, I am getting out more and being more sociable. I had a problem, when I was bigger, about my own self-worth, and though being thinner and in shape by no means vanishes all problems instantly like some incredible panacea, I do feel more confident in my approach to people. The realization that my self-worth hinges upon my appearance causes a certain amount of discomfort.

Vanity. Oy.

Getting on a scale, looking in a mirror everday, revising exercise plans to accommadate for a weekend, a day of excess; it's a consuming process. That it should irk me that I have little to no access to weightlifting equipment I find a little frightening, as is the desire to do more than I'm already doing, which is running three times a week (two of those times over an hour) and swimming two-three times a week.

Need to teach now. Did I mention I'm finding the time to do that too?

*I'll just surrender my American citizenship now.

The Half

I've put off writing about my half-marathon because I'd hoped that I would have some better pictures coming in, but they haven't surfaced, so you'll have to make due with what I have.

Luckily I wasn't alone: Everette came out and we ran together, along with Cliff, Jenny and Tai who where there for moral support/touring the island. Everette and I had an ongoing routine of worrying about the race than calming the other down. Her main worry was she had just got back from China and this was her first run in a month, while this was my first half-marathon ever and I was worrying about what to eat, how much to sleep and how I was going to entertain myself for however long it took.



My time? Two hours and seven minutes (really it was two hours and six; I dallied for about 30 seconds after crossing the finish line before I got my time officially scanned). I was incredibly pleased with this. I'd imagined it taking three hours or something, because my goal wasn't to make a great time, only to finish.



I wasn't as tired as I thought I would be. I thought my muscles or something else might strain, but they were surprisingly fine during and after the race. It makes me want to try an honest to goodness marathon length (42 kilometers/26 miles), though I don't know when I would be ready for that.

The half-marathon is a big annual event for my island, so we enjoyed dinner and drinking under the stars as the evening wore on. Everette and I were bushed though, so everyone headed back to my place, where we played video games until we all zonked out.

I recuperated for about a week after (meaning walking, no running). Now I've started Judo and hopefully can start some swimming in the next week in addition to the running. The more I exercise, the more I enjoy the effects it has.