Well here it is, one month shy of the blog’s 4th anniversary. I began when Eric was entering high school, and next month he starts college. Along the way I’ve deleted some items, while others were lost to technical difficulties, so it’s taken a little longer to get here than it would have otherwise, but this is post number 2000. And, by coincidence, driving to work today, my car hit a milestone of its own.
Eric (who is now only one month away from starting college) and I were at Fenway Park in Boston today to see the Red Sox play the Detroit Tigers. It was a lackluster game, with the Sox leading 3-0, until the 9th inning, when Detroit tied the score. The Sox won on a well-played bunt. [Samjay says that “well-placed” is the correct sports term.]
The two tickets cost $250. Considering the crowd that was there, and the money people spent on food, etc., the thing I want to know is, “what recession?”
Ever so carefully, I’m getting back to the sort of running schedule that will lead to doing some road races again. My biggest problem now is with, to my surprise, blisters. For years I wore New Balance running shoes, but then I switched to Brooks. Being a bad over-pronator, I’ve been wearing the Addiction 8, and now the Addiction 9 is out.
The problem with motion control shoes is they’re heavy, stiff, and the mid-sole can feel like a block of wood. That is certainly true of the Brooks Beast, which is like the Addiction shoes on steroids. I wore a few pairs of the Beast, but they were just too much. And now the Addiction is also feeling like it’s too much.
There’s an anti-shoe movement among the running community, favoring minimal shoes, or even barefoot running. As you would expect, there’s a product catering to this group. It’s called Vibram Five Fingers. The alleged science that’s claimed for these products reminds me of Earth Shoes, back in the 70’s.
The thing is, I’m starting to wonder if the barefoot running proponents have a point. All of my injuries have happened while wearing the “right” shoes and not letting them get worn down before getting a new pair. Last Sunday a new blister, caused by my orthotic insert, hurt so much I had to stop a mile from home and couldn’t even walk in my shoes. So I took them off and ran the last mile in my socks.
At first it felt like I was trying to cross the parking lot at the beach, but after a while I settled into it. Then I felt a distinct sensation in the weak spots in my right leg. It wasn’t pain, it was more like relief, as if they were being allowed to work. The effect was contrary to everything I’ve been told about correcting for my low arches and protecting my feet. I woke up the next morning expecting my legs to hurt, but they felt fine.
So will I try a pair of Five Fingers? Uh, no. They look ridiculous! If they were a solid color and the toes weren’t emphasized so much, maybe I would. Maybe I’ll just try a lighter, less protective shoe, like I used to wear in college.
American Express contacted me today to say there were two suspicious charges on my card. Both were for online purchases. One was for about $60 to a place called “Catholic Online, Inc.” and the other was $460 to Circuit City, which still exists, but only online. Both charges were indeed fraudulent, so that means a new card with a new number for me. I think I know where the card was most likely compromised, and considering the circumstances I’ll have to keep a careful watch on my Mastercard activity.
On a hot day like today, Purgatory was a cooler place to be! Purgatory Chasm, in Sutton, MA, that is.
The new ATM that Bank of America is using doesn’t “eat” your card. All you have to do is insert and pull, and that’s good in a way, but it’s easier than it used to be to walk away from the machine while your account is still open, giving access to the next person in line. Twice now I’ve had to close out another customer’s account, and today when I was in a hurry I almost turned away from a BOA ATM myself before answering no to, “Would you like to make another transaction?”
