Assorted Thoughts on a Cool, Overcast Day

Today has been one of those days here in Gainesville that I relish: overcast skies and cool, dry weather.  I went out on a neighborhood run and thoroughly enjoyed the experience...now I'm sitting outside my most frequented Starbucks writing this.  Since I don't have any special topic to write about today, I decided instead to touch upon some miscellaneous things about which I've written recently...

That run I did this morning was short...only 3.3 miles...but I feel that I have turned the corner in my efforts to get my running distance back up to 2010-levels.  The problem with today is that I began my run too late and realized that spending too much time out there would put undo time pressure on the rest of my activities before I went off to work.  I'm still holding out hopes of getting in a half-marathon race before year's end, although if it happens it won't be until December.  I do plan to run (for the third time) in Gainesville's 10K Turkey Trot at the Tacachale center on Thanksgiving Day...

I've reached the point in political discourse with others where I don't feel comfortable expressing my opinions without them flying off the handle and getting hyperemotional, whether they were for or against Trump.  So instead I think I'll just limit my opinions to my writing and some of the mature folks in my life I can trust to keep things in perspective.  I will say this: the incoming president has a golden opportunity to change the atmosphere of confrontation and obstruction between the Oval Office and Congress during this lame duck session of the Obama administration.  For example, he could show his influence and statesmanship by insisting that the Senate go ahead with the Merrick Garland Supreme Court nomination that the current president submitted many months ago but was held up by Majority Leader McConnell.  This would get things off to a constructive start in terms of preventing retaliatory obstruction by the Democrats and would show Trump's strength of leadership even before he stepped into office.  But I don't think he has the guts or wisdom to do this, and we'll end up seeing more of the "same ol' same ol'" posturing and nonsense that serves no one...

I carefully watched the pregame ceremonies before the National Football League contest between Seattle and New England to ascertain how the players would behave during the national anthem and the presentations honoring our veterans.  I was impressed in a positive way...I think that some of the players did hold their heads down, which to me is still respectful and yet expressive of their concerns about what they see as unwarranted violence against blacks by the police.  I'm sure there are still players following Colin Kaepernick's lead by putting on a show of defiance, but on the whole I think the League, with its imperfections, is trying to play the role of peacemaker while still honoring our great nation.  So I'm once again following NFL football, not that my "boycott" ever meant anything since I've never spent a dime on a game or any of their products anyway...

I'm sitting here facing north and am noticing that blue is breaking out in that part of the sky.  Oh well, the cool dreariness was good while it lasted.  Besides, I'll be indoors soon at my job, cut off from this wonderful weather...