Excursion About to Start

And now has come the time for Melissa and I to embark on our planned Caribbean excursion.  First we stay overnight at a hotel near the dock (after driving down there) and then, on the 3rd, we board our ship and "set sail".  Looks like we dodged a tropical storm by a week, although there is another system hanging around off the Florida east coast while the boat is still in port.  I'm looking forward to reaching both hotel and ship, and taking time at each stop to take a good rest...

October Now...for Better or Worse

So it's October...let's see what I can make of this month, when I turn 69, the same age David Bowie reached when he died of liver cancer two days after his January 2016 birthday.  I don't know what all is in store for me, but I have already defined my enemy: those who deliberately set themselves as obstacles to my daily existence.  In other words, drama-queen prima-donnas. I'm already NOT looking forward to this contrived Grief Share "support" group that meets Wednesday evenings at a nearby church.  It's one of the sad life lessons I've learned that folks, when they get old, tend not to become wiser but rather entrench themselves even more in trying to set themselves apart and higher than others around them, acutely conscious of their "pecking order" status.  So I guess I'll go there and humor these deluded fools.  I think, though, that I'd rather just stay at home and spend the time preparing for our upcoming cruise.  I'm seriously considering writing separate daily articles through October 10th and then, after returning, "back-posting" them on this blog.  Or maybe not. I'm wondering, since I'll generally be avoiding the news shows on TV, whether I'll be spared some of this accursed fascist president's antics as he continually seeks to be the center of attention and controversy. And I suppose that there is another enemy out there: the completely effed-up, morally bankrupt weapons nut who feels justified at settling scores by going after random people in public. Has my country lost its collective mind?  Doesn't look so good, let's see how the high seas do for a few days...

Eyeing Tropics for Hurricane Threats

On this final day of September, we've been keeping an eye on the tropical disturbance developing just east of Florida and north of Cuba in the southern Bahamas.  The process has been pretty slow, but finally yesterday the weather big-shots got around to naming it as a tropical storm: Imelda.  Today Imelda intensified to minimal hurricane status, and after moving northward for several hours is now making an abrupt northeastern turn away from the mainland into the open seas of the Atlantic toward Bermuda, right behind its companion, Hurricane Humberto.  Elsewhere in the Atlantic tropics we see no place of predicted storm development, which is important since I'm planning on traveling by ship through the Bahamas and Caribbean Sea during the first two weeks of October.  Let any potential storms wait until we're safely back home in port...

My Running/Walking/Swimming Report for September

I continued steadfastly training with speed-walking and running throughout September, but pretty much skipped out of going on swims.  This past month I participated in Parkrun 5Ks each Saturday, one at Depot Park and three at West End Community Park.  Except for last Saturday's race, in which I volunteered as a Tail Walker, I mixed up walking and running in the other three.   I think this is the pattern for future races, especially those longer than 5K. Of the four Parkruns I went to in September, three were at West End Community Park and one was at Depot Park. My emphasis, both with training and races, is showing up and completing the event instead of fretting over fast finishing times.  Early on next month Melissa and I are going on a week-long Caribbean cruise.  This will serve as a recovery break in my training, while I'll still have opportunities to exercise in the ship's fitness room on the treadmill or practice a little swimming, if that's available.  On October 25, the little south Georgia town of Boston is holding a half-marathon race that I intend to enter, otherwise there's that Parkrun on the 18th.  Most likely, upon returning from the cruise I'll be scheduled to begin some radiation treatment to bring my PSA level back down to an acceptable level.  Through it all, I plan to remain active and as athletic as feasible.  And maybe, just maybe, the temperatures will start to cool off as well...

My Song of the Month for September 2025

Today it is approaching the end of September, and as I've done in previous months this year, I have a "song of the month" this time around as well.  Once again, for the second month in a row, it is There's No Future in Optimism, by the British alternative group Garbage.  Sung by Shirley Manson, it is a commentary on our times about protests and the State bearing down on them.  But we can design our own futures, based on love, in the midst of all the turmoil.  I like that message, and this song sits well with me in our troubled times.  I don't see anything improving in our society in political terms, and the media, both social and mass, seems hell-bent on aggravating tensions, fear and anger among the population.  Our president wants to wage war against any American who doesn't swear undying and unquestioning personal fealty to him.  I don't feel like following his sick tune...no, I'm charting my own course and this song carries a much better message.  So far this year, here are the "songs of the month":

September    There's No Future in Optimism...by Garbage

August         There's No Future in Optimism...by Garbage

July              The Birds...by Franz Ferdinand

June             Stuck in My Head...by Arcade Fire

May             Walking on a Dream...by Empire of the Sun

April            Nothing I Need...by Lord Huron

March          Under the Rug...by Arcy Drive

February      Starburster...by Fonraines DC

January        Everyone Out...by DIIV

Volunteered for Today's West End Community Parkrun 5K

On a soggy, muggy morning I drove out to West End Community Park and volunteered as Tail Walker for their Parkrun 5K event today.  My only concern with this role is if some runners or walkers arrive and begin late, behind me...and I'm supposed to be the last finisher!  Except for one straggling walker who was clearly challenged by the 74 degrees and 97% humidity, I had nothing to be concerned about as I had no difficulty maintaining a moderate pace while stopping from time to time to pick up flags and signs from the course for next week.  During the second half another volunteer joined me as we finished clearing the course...and I finished, with a time of 1:04:13.  I liked getting both volunteer credit and credit for finishing a race, so I'm getting closer to that 100-finish milestone.  The field was light, and about halfway through my walk it began to lightly rain, staying that way through the end. For the next two Saturdays I'm registered with Melissa to go on a Caribbean cruise, and then maybe I'll try another Parkrun after returning.  As for the rest of the day today, a cold front is passing through our area, bringing with it rain and some storms.  Hopefully, it all will help to steer to the east a developing tropical depression that seems destined to eventually be named Imelda...we'll see what happens.  If you want to view today's results, click HERE...

Eventual Fall Season Running Race Opportunities Appearing

Although here in northern Florida the daily temperatures continue to consistently climb up into the nineties with stifling-high morning humidity, it is technically now the autumn season.  And as such, I'm seeing online notices about upcoming distance running events, many of which are in my general area.  One that stands out to me is a southern Georgia half-marathon scheduled on Saturday morning, October 25th.  It's the Boston Mini-Marathon, as they like to call it: a half-marathon to take place as fall festivities ensue later on after the race.  I'm very seriously considering signing up for it, with the intention of doing a hybrid run/speed-walk mix for the race's duration.  It's located in the little town of Boston, situated between Valdosta and Thomasville (and closer to the latter).  Even if it's still unseasonably warm during this race, I think my run/walk strategy will get me through it without too much adversity.  I guess that will take care of next month, on top of the cruise we're scheduled to take in the first half and another possible Parkrun in mid-month.  November and December present potential problems in going on trips to other locations for distance races because of schedule conflicts involving family, thankfully being blessings centering around my loved ones.  After all, I'm no hermit despite tendencies in that direction and I cherish my love for Melissa...may it continue long into the future and forever.  I also am going to be continuing my cancer treatment in the next few weeks with some radiation therapy...I plan to be active throughout.  Earlier today I speed-walked 3.5 miles on my local gym's treadmill instead of braving the rain puddle-stricken streets.  So I'm continuing my workouts, and they'll come in handy when race day arrives...

About the Star Trek Movie Franchise

I use Roku and a streaming television service for my TV viewing.  One of the free channels offered is Pluto, which offers a variety of programming, including old series and lots of movies.  As a movie viewer, I tend to re-watch old flicks that I enjoyed from the past.  One such series is the Star Trek movie franchise, which to date has thirteen movies. I ranked each one according to my liking...the ranking follows the movie's title below. Here's a list of them with their release years:

THE ORIGINAL SERIES CAST

1979 Star Trek: the Motion Picture...11 

1982 The Wrath of Khan...4

1984 The Search for Spock...3

1986 The Voyage Home...1

1989 The Final Frontier...10

1991 The Undiscovered Country...6

THE NEXT GENERATION CAST

1994 Generations...7

1996 First Contact...8

1998 Insurrection...9

2002 Nemesis (not yet seen)

"REBOOT" SERIES

2009 Star Trek...2

2013 Into Darkness...5

2016 Beyond (not yet seen)

So it's been nine years since a Star Trek movie has hit the Silver Screen, although it seems that made-for-television movies are now being made and shown.  The acting and character interaction in the first movie were very stiff and awkward, but I enjoyed the characters for the rest of that first film series as well as for the most recent.  It was the Next Generation movies that kind of alienated me, as I simply could not relate to the different characters and their personalities and attitudes.  It all seemed so heavily soaked in pretentious Woke culture that the actual science fiction adventure aspect often gave way to the back stories of relationships and dialogue...like in the often frustrating TV series.  The first movie "The Motion Picture" was awful, with extra-long stretches in it composed of extended, expensive special effects passing in front of the Enterprise with the crew shown gaping and staring in open-mouthed amazement...yawn, how boring.   My favorite Star Trek character, both original and "reboot", has to be Doctor Leonard McCoy...chief engineer Scotty is a clear second.  And then it goes on to Spock and Kirk, and so on.  With the Next Generation lineup, I genuinely like the Captain Jean-Luc Picard character...and then it all drops precipitously, with the android Data representing perhaps the most annoying character in the series with engineer Geordi La Forge being nearly as irritating.  As for villains, whenever a movie had one (The Motion Picture and The Voyage Home each had incorporeal adversaries), I had my favorite bad guys as well: #1 Khan (Into Darkness), #2 Admiral Marcus (Into Darkness), #3 Dr. Soran (Generations), #4 Commander Kruge (The Search for Spock), #5 Khan (The Wrath of Khan).  Well, I don't know whether the filmmakers will come up with a new Star Trek series of movies, but there are always the old ones to watch...and again and again...

Partisan Excesses during Memorial Events

While Minnesota senator Paul Wellstone was in the final stage of his close reelection campaign in late October 2002, the plane carrying him and his family crashed in northern Minnesota, killing them all.  It was a shocking event, and a public memorial service was soon scheduled to honor the fallen senator.  Unfortunately, a few of those in attendance...and especially some of the speakers...got a little out of hand with their partisanship.  Mississippi Republican senator Trent Lott, a gentleman who attended the event, even received some boo's after he was introduced: how tacky can they get.  Apparently a bit more, since some of the speakers implored the audience to join in Wellstone's progressive politics and vote Democrat for his replacement...who turned out to be former senator and vice-president Walter Mondale.  There was a lot of negative spin on this event, greatly amplified by the FoxNews channel and conservative talk radio, and Republican candidate Norm Coleman went on to defeat Mondale in the general election.  I remember this because we recently experienced the death of "one of their own": conservative activist Charlie Kirk, assassinated by a sniper while in the middle of a Utah college rally.  The memorial for him was held in a football stadium in Glendale, Arizona, and it dwarfed the Wellstone tribute in terms of partisanship.  It was a "who's who" in politics regarding the right-wing notables attending and being recognized on TV.  Some of the speakers got carried away with their aggression and hostility against Democrats and liberals...it was "let's pick up Charlie's cause and run with it" on steroids.  A local Democratic school board member got in a little hot water recently for posting, on social media, her reaction, which was critical of how the event was conducted. There should always be plenty of room and toleration for opposing opinions, and hers had nothing within it that was inciteful...unlike the venomous words of assistant White House chief of staff Stephen Miller who sometimes sounds to me like a freaking Nazi Goebbels impersonator.  The MAGA regime in power has depicted their political opposition, the Democratic Party, as the Enemy and compared them to terrorists and extremists.  Trump has only been in office a little more than nine months and has thirty-nine more until he's done.  I do not look forward to what he and his supporters have in store for the rest of us during that remaining time.  I have restrained my criticisms of Charlie Kirk and feel grief for his death, although I had no contact with him and did not explore his opinions in any detail.  No one is perfect (including myself), although Kirk's partisan supporters seem to be trying to canonize him as Mr. Perfect "Saint Charlie", and we all have to agree or else...   

Living One Day at a Time in a World Tilting Toward Mass Cult Idol Worship

Each calendar day is an ocean of moments, one piled on top of the previous one.  When I write on the side of this blog that I take life one day at a time, I'm not engaging in shortsighted behavior at all. It's too easy...and ultimately ineffective...to make more farsighted plans further off into the future when I just might be brushing off what is immediately before me in my life.  While it's good to keep track of appointments and come up with some sense of vision extending forward in time, in the end it all comes down to living through it all in the present moment, making my own decisions and accepting responsibility for them. So it's important to show up for what I purpose to do whether or not my physical or emotional feelings line up at the time...once I'm there doing it, then there's always the opportunity for momentum and motivation to kick in and enhance the experience. I am in my late sixties, and on my birthday in a couple of weeks I'll still be there.  What I want is pretty simple and straightforward: to welcome each new day into my life with the confidence that I will meet its challenges while being actively engaged throughout, emphasizing in my communications with others a philosophy of positive encouragement, health and happiness. I have some areas in which I'd like to improve, and some of these involve deeper social interaction.  Well, so far in retirement I haven't become an abject hermit, turning my back on the world.  Not yet, at least, although when I see disturbing spectacles on television like the one going on for hours on end last Sunday I can see myself enjoying just ditching my TV to shut out all the BS thrown my way.  But at least with this I still have choices: pick a different channel or just turn off the TV... 

Fall Begins, Whether You See It or Not

As far as I can determine, the month of fall begins today, September 22nd, early in the afternoon.  I don't think that the weather is all that responsive to this inflection point in astronomy when the sun begins to rise and set at points further south on the east and west horizons, respectively. Let's see, I'm still on the lookout for tropical storms that might someday affect me, and I'm subject to people in the news...some famous and some not...acting in irresponsible and sometimes violent ways against the interests of society.  So life goes on, let's see what I can make from my daily allotment of time...  

Retirement Fine, Encountering and Meeting Challenges

A friend today asked me what I thought about retirement so far, and my answer was quick and unequivocal: I've yet to wish I hadn't retired. Not one instant.  Now suppose circumstances had dictated me having continued on with my postal job, the specific assignment of which focused on receiving, processing and dispatching registered mail that came in from area offices in the afternoon and early evening.  I performed that assignment from January 2019 through November 2024...nearly six years.  In the middle of it all COVID happened, as well as my open heart surgery.  Melissa and I both came down with COVID in July 2023...it wiped out my summer vacation but we both recovered well from it. My son Will tragically passed away in July 2024, and Melissa experienced the trauma associated with breast cancer while receiving excellent medical care. The month following my retirement, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and events were set into motion leading to my March prostatectomy this year.  I have yet to physically feel the direct effects of illness, although my medical treatment...the surgeries in particular...hampered my activity and forced me through some brief seasons of pain.  I'm still getting cancer treatment, so it's a matter of me showing up for each day in a positive, constructive way to engage in exercise and keep my mind active.  Since my country collectively decided last November at the polls to go full-bore fascist and idolize a 34-count convicted felon, I had found myself exposed to the abuse associated with abusive national leadership...and that abuse is continuing.  I have decided, though, to avoid acknowledging its significance in my life and have been cleaning up my social media accounts from sites and posts that only aggravate the situation, instead stressing areas that are more conducive to my mental and physical well-being. I have already vowed to myself not to allow drama and manipulation to govern my daily existence, instead creating my own structure of personal discipline that keeps me strong with a positive outlook. I'm hoping that you're faring well in your own life, and that you don't see yourself as just a passive victim of circumstances but rather have a great deal of responsible control over how your own day goes.  And I mean each and every day...         

Ran and Speed-Walked the West End Community Parkrun 5K This Morning

This morning, amid a warm 70 degrees and positively oppressive 97% humidity, I got up and headed down to West End Community Park where they hold their Saturday morning Parkrun 5K, always starting at 7:30.  I had entertained the notion of running the whole event, but went back to my planned format: run first 3 minutes, speed-walk 3 minutes, run 7 minutes, walk 3 and so on to the end, which I stuck to. The conditions were indeed oppressively sticky-humid, but I had what it took to run hard to the end, finishing with a time of 33:21.  You can view this Parkrun's results by clicking HERE.  I adjusted my running regimen after it was established that I would be undergoing hormone and radiation therapy for the microscopic-level of residual prostate cancer in my body that was recently detected.  The 7:3 run/walk ratio worked for today...under more favorable weather conditions I'm free to adjust the ratios. On the volunteer sign-up board there I signed up to serve as Tail Walker at West End next Saturday...can't wait!  I'm happy with my effort on this difficult course this morning. I had actually been considering signing up and doing a half marathon in Ocala...that would have been unrealistic (and ugly). It's gratifying how different folks gather together like this, each one with his or her own reasons and expectations.  I'd like this sort of friendly community in other settings as well: how about a mathematics community day or one revolving around learning to understand and speak foreign languages? Now on with the weekend...

Subdued Hurricane Season So Far, But Keeping Eyes Open

This 2025 Atlantic hurricane season hasn't been meeting expectations...even with the more subdued predictions for storm numbers and intensity.  Here we are, now past the typical midpoint that signifies the peak days for tropical storm activity, and with only one tropical storm, Gabrielle, that is floundering out in the mid-Atlantic and only posing an indirect threat to Bermuda. Sometimes bad stuff happens later on, though, and I am keeping my eyes open during weather news segments for any new developments.  By October, the likelihood increases for tropical storms and hurricanes to originate in the western Caribbean Sea or the Gulf of Mexico.  These storms are far more likely to eventually threaten "my" north central Florida area...if they do materialize, that is.  This 2025 season, so far, has been a blessed bust...but there's still more time left.  Personally, I could do without the suspense of an approaching hurricane to my area, but since we're planning on cruising into the Caribbean during the first two weeks of next month, the notion of some potential storm "out there" doesn't exactly keep my mind at ease.  Nor does the provocative military buildup instigated in that area by our "stable genius" of a president, who thinks it's just hunky-dory to bomb to smithereens unarmed fishing vessels in international waters along with their passengers...

Cancel Culture from the Fascist Side about Kirk

The freaks hidden among the multitudes in our increasingly fascist America are the real menace in our society when it comes to assassinations, whether you're talking about JFK, Martin Luther King, Jr., RFK, the attempts against George Wallace, Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan, John Lennon, or the attempts against Trump in 2024...and the sniper shot against Charlie Kirk recently.  With all the guns floating around in clear view in our gun-crazy culture, an adept, murderous maniac can seize the opportunity and commit a horrendous act, pretty much from the vantage point of anonymity, if he or she has successfully been concealing from others any intentions of taking such action.  It does not require conspiracies from an extremist group, as some in the current fascist regime have angrily gone off about in public rage.  You or I might become famous, and if there is at least a little controversy accompanying that fame then chances are that somebody, somewhere will allow themselves to become offended and at least consider making us into a target.  It's interesting nowadays that the MAGA Trump boot-lickers are the ones practicing "politically correct" cancel culture on anyone they can get away with accusing of inappropriate comments about the murder or Kirk himself...reference recent outbursts by Stephen Miller, JD Vance and Pam Bondi.  This canceling of Jimmy Kimmel for suggesting (in my opinion, presumptuously and probably erroneously) that the shooter just might have been pro-Trump, is a spotlighted case in point.  Long ago I tired of watching these late-night "comedy" spectacles like Kimmel, Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers because of the political ugliness behind much (if not most of) their jokes, so not having Kimmel on doesn't change anything with me.  Besides, you can get your audience to laugh at the politicians you dislike, but try coaxing the same fans to actively and consistently participate in the voting process.  In EVERY available election, even those "boring" local and state contests.  Yeah, good luck with that...I think these smartass professional jokesters need to start ridiculing the electorate instead!  Then again, a lot of these half-ass, apathetic and emotion-driven voters seem to think that the meaning of democracy is going to protest rallies after their side has lost the election. Now THAT is a sick joke...   

Camped Out at Nearby Starbucks, Studying and Writing

It's a little difficult to maneuver myself through each day without the outside news and opinion world encroaching on my attention and my increasing sense of unease at the way things are going down.  Still, here I am, relatively healthy while undergoing greatly appreciated high-level medical treatment that is apparently coming in a timely manner.  While warned about possible side effects of yesterday's hormone therapy injection, I was also advised to be active and go about my business as before.  So that I am doing, sitting here in my closest Starbucks drinking a hot cinnamon dolce latte while studying foreign languages and writing this article.  The day stretches ahead of me, and so does a planned neighborhood walk later on.  This evening they're holding the second "grief care" support group meeting at Trinity UMC...not certain as to whether I'll be attending or not.  One thing is for sure: I have little patience to just sit there and tolerate others with their high-handed self-glorifying speechifying.  Speaking of putting up with people putting up their own walls in front of me, it all reminds me of the frustration I fell into a few years ago when I got more deeply into Facebook and made several friend requests of former classmates.  Many accepted and many simply ignored the requests...so be it.  I've later discovered that the wisdom that's supposed to come later in life and temper people's outlook on themselves, their role in society and their political leanings usually comes slowly, if at all.  I sometimes read how some of my "friends" react to a provocative posting and see that folks have a defensive instinct to instantly respond in a knee-jerk, "offended" manner to viewpoints they disagree with, as if reading a contrary opinion somehow poses a physical threat to them.  After the recent horrible assassination of a young conservative voice, the trolls came out on this social media site in force, causing me to wonder whether I shouldn't just shut down my account permanently.  I used to post links to this blog on it for years, but in early 2021 I decided that the often idiotic negative trolling I'd get...usually from a tiny number of old Nova High School classmates...made the whole exercise and effort unworthy.  So I post my articles independently of Facebook and tend to avoid activity there. And what do you know, the company's algorithms have decided what my interests are and load up my news feed with posts reflecting their conclusions: lots and lots of stuff about the Beatles, especially John Lennon...  

Hormone Therapy Injection for Residual Prostate Cancer

Early this afternoon, as mentioned in yesterday's article, I went down to the University of Florida Medical Plaza, oncology section, to have a prescribed hormone treatment injection to inhibit my body's production of testosterone and consequently stem the growth of cancer in my body as I anticipate radiation treatment beginning in a few weeks.  The injection, done on my rear, has a six-month span of effectiveness and I'm confident that it will help to diminish, if not eliminate, the presence of any prostate cancer within me.  Everyone there was so nice and I barely felt the needles stick when they first drew blood from my arm and then made that hormone-inhibiting injection.  Now my butt feels a little sore but that's all right: time to let the medicine work its magic...

About Tomorrow's Procedure

Tomorrow I have scheduled an injection of testosterone-inhibiting hormone treatment, to last for six months and facilitate the eradication of the microscopic residual cancer after my prostatectomy this past March.  I made the assigned phone call to my oncologist's nurse, who apprised me of the treatment's possible side effects: fatigue and menopause-emulating symptoms like hot flashes and joint pain.  Not that these will occur, but it's always a good idea to know where I'm headed with all this.  The nurse also stressed that in the face of the possible fatigue it's a good idea for me to be intentionally active.  Well, I planned on that all along, so now it's just a matter of once again showing up with a good attitude at the Medical Plaza for the procedure... 

Local Free News Rag Extols Local Coffee Shops

I enjoy the Independent Florida Alligator news rag not only because it is free, but also because the articles tend to be interesting, written with some empathy for the reader's sensibilities.  The September 8th issue, which was available on a news rack at a store's entrance that Melissa and I recently walked by, contained an article discussing some of the writer's (Aaliyah Evertz) favorite coffee shops in town.  Since the Alligator is oriented around the University of Florida campus and favors Gator students' interests, her selection of five places tended to be centered around the campus.  I like coffee shops...that is, when I can find a reasonable place to sit after I buy my drink and if the people working there are friendly.  A few weeks ago I went to the Sym coffee shop near Newberry Road and NW 55th Street and ordered a coffee.  That part of the visit went well until I got my drink and then looked for a place to sit.  The whole place was occupied with student-types, and it wasn't until I gave up and walked outside that I found an open spot.  At least with Sym I could easily find a parking spaces; some of these places Evertz listed seem buried within congested areas with little available nearby parking.  I was a big frequenter of places, like Coffee Culture on NW 13th Street just north of Gainesville High School, that would stay open late into the night.  But after COVID-19 hit and businesses drastically curtailed their operating hours (or even closed down), it's been hard in recent years to find a place that I can go to past nine at night.  I know that Krispy Kreme stays open around the clock as does Waffle House, but Starbucks tends to close early (some of the stores REAL early), and Dunkin' Donuts closes its doors at 7 PM (at least the one near my house).  But you know, I do have a coffeemaker at home and can brew my own coffee, and I'm open "24/7" with plenty of places to sit...even into the wee hours of the morning.  Right now I'm drinking a pot of New England brand Caramel Macchiato-flavored coffee while sitting at our dining room table, sweet dog Daisy sitting below on the floor gazing outside into the back yard.  Now back to UF for a minute.  When I first attended there in the late 1970s, I would go to a Krystal fast-food store just across University Avenue from Library West.  This place was always open, their coffee was good and very cheap, and I got a lot of studying done there (and their chili was excellent).  When that place eventually closed down and a new Krystal was built elsewhere years later, I sadly discovered that this one original place I liked so much was an aberration.  But when I think back to being a student on campus at the University of Florida, Krystal on University Avenue reigns supreme as the place to go.  Years later I made a lot of use of the Krispy Kreme store...also 24/7...three blocks north of campus on NW 13th Street. So I'm not really at all interested in the snooty, more specialized coffee shops that jack up their prices while customers are grateful to have at least been able to park somewhere nearby.  As of now I have no regular place that stands as my favorite place to go to have some coffee in public and study or write some, but the home dining room table is always there...     

Mixed Running and Walking in Today's Depot Parkrun 5K

This Saturday morning I woke up early...before six...after not sleeping well.  But I dutifully got myself ready to go at yet another Parkrun 5K, this one to be at Gainesville Depot Park, a few blocks south of downtown. As a reward for simply getting out there and showing up, I had decided in advance to speed-walk the whole four laps around the park...the 68 degrees race time temperature and 91% humidity reinforced that decision.  This Parkrun location is a lot more crowded than the one held at West End Community Park, so just before its start I deliberately walked backward to near the back of the throng.  Yet I still experienced the jumble of people behind me running around, crowding me out although I was simply walking (quickly) in a straight line.  Eventually it thinned out (a little) and I was able to establish a reasonable walking pace, slower than my best but not my worst, either.  I speed-walked two laps, and felt energized enough then to start mixing in a little running.  During those final two laps I ran a total time of 10:08, finishing the 5K (3.1-mile) distance at 37:08.  You can view the posted results by clicking HERE. During this season of my life, in which I'm about to undergo some mild hormone and radiation treatment for microscopic residual prostate cancer, I need to set aside my "personal best" standards regarding race finishing times and instead focus on that "showing up", either mixing up the running and walking or doing solely speed-walks.  So, supposing circumstances and how I feel work for me to do another Parkrun next week, my plan is to start out the race running for three minutes, then walk four, then run six...until the end, with me averaging six minutes of running to four of walking.  Sounds like a reasonable idea...