Chalking in her sleep

I had the good fortune of seeing art as it happened yesterday. I delayed my run until late Thursday afternoon, mostly because I had no time earlier in the day. And because of that I happened upon Sarah Mohr draped over the front walk to her home on North Broad Street, coloring away with sidewalk chalk.

I stopped and chatted a minute and snapped a couple of photos of her at work, not thinking to actually introduce myself. That’s a shortcoming of mine. But having discussed her chalk art via Facebook, I felt like we knew who each other was and it didn’t dawn on me to say, “Hi, I’m Rob.” Gotta work on that, I know.

Anyway, it was early in the process and I had no idea what she was creating. The lyrics were written out in a thin script, too faint in pink chalk for me to really read. I asked what it said and she read it to me: "Keepin' an eye on the world goin' by my window / And takin' my time."

“ ‘I’m Only Sleeping’ is kind of my theme song right now,” she said.

We talked about other Beatles songs. I tried to recall the one from the “White Album” about sleep and couldn’t catch the title (“I’m So Tired,” I think it’s called – yeah, that’s it). Then I was on my way.

Later I realized I should interview Sarah to learn more about the Beatles Chalk Quotes. Here are her responses to my hastily jotted questions via FB message.

Sarah Mohr in the early stages of her chalk art.

1. How long have you been doing the chalk art?
A. chalk arting for about 6 years. But I'm not an artist. I'm more a crafter/doodler. (This is a pretty important distinction if you ask any of the real artists I know.)

2. Why The Beatles?
A. I'm not sure why the Beatles. It just sort of ended up that way and I stuck with it. I guess they just inspire me more than most. So...

3. Do you ever do lyrics by others?
A. Nope. Always Beatles. I've considered doing others but then I have such trouble deviating once I've found my niche.

4. How long does it take to do a piece, on average?
A. It usually takes me 2-3 hours to color one. Depending.

5. How often do you do new ones?
A. I usually do a new one whenever it comes to me. We call it the Beatles Quote of the Week, but it really only happens once or twice a month.

6. What inspires you? That is to say, how do you choose each one?
A. I like to listen to the Beatles when I'm working, "Rubber Soul" and "Revolver" being my favorite albums. I usually hit the sidewalk when a lyric seems to make a bigger impression than usual or seems to fit the circumstances I find myself in at the time. Today I was looking out my window thinking of what song to choose when the most recent lyric ("Keepin an eye on the world going by my window") was sung. And once I'd heard it, it had to be that. Nothing else would do.

Sarah Mohr begins to color the curtains in the window.

7. What has been your favorite?
A. My favorite peice thus far has to have been "I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello." It was bright and just so ridiculously appropriate for the front stoop.

8. What do you do besides chalk art? Your vocation?

9. Do you have other artistic pursuits?
A. (8+9) Other than coloring on my sidewalk like a child, I'm half of the Leahy/Mohr jazz duo, along with doing vocals for/with several other local musicians. I write (mostly for myself on that last one), I act, serve on the board for the Prairie Players Civic Theatre. I also find myself participating in life on a daily basis. You know, the normal stuff.

10. Tell us something random.
A. Something random huh, ok... "Something random."

Thursday's Stats
Temp: 76 degrees F?
Distance: 3 miles
Weekly Total: 9.35 miles
Treasure: 1 business card.

iPod Playlist (shuffle)
Wide Boy – Nik Kershaw
For the Love of a Princess – James Horner (Braveheart)
Prove Your Love – Taylor Dayne
Haven’t We Been Here Before – Styx
Lonesome Day – Bruce Springsteen
Slipstream – Jethro Tull
Father, Son – Peter Gabriel
Starkville City Jail (live) – Johnny Cash
Tom Sawyer - Rush

The Inspiration of Imperfection

Just a couple of dandy lions.

We’re often implored in church to strive to be Christ-like. Try to be like Jesus, who was perfect.

I’m afraid I find little inspiration in unachievable goals. That doesn’t mean I don’t admire Christ in his perfection, but he doesn’t exactly inspire me to better myself. And that’s not to say I don’t work at that. Perhaps not enough, but I do make an effort. Oh, and yes, I understand that nobody really expects us to achieve perfection, but I think I've made my point.

I learned last week that I, in my imperfection, inspired another runner in the Bishop Hill Swedish Stomp 5K a couple weeks ago. Holly A., who would have finished ahead of me or tied me had she not stopped to help an ailing runner, said she was committed to finishing on pace with me.

“I thought, if Rob can finish, wheezing like he is, I can finish with him,” she said. (Or words to that effect; my memory ain’t what it used to be.) Well, Holly, I’ll take that and run with it, though I prefer to think of my labored breathing as chugging or even huffing and puffing. Wheezing is the sound of an old man dying of emphysema. Not quite there yet.

The tape says "open trench." Looks like a
hole to me, rather than a trench.

Likewise, I find a certain inspiration — though mostly great frustration — in the poor grammar that abounds in our world. All those misplaced apostrophes, abused commas, randomly applied capital letters and other affronts to good English usage, are an affirmation of one thing at which I happen to be pretty good (though I am far from perfect even in that realm). And they inspire me to get better at my craft – the art of editing.

While we’re on the subject of inspiration … I went in search of some this morning as I neared the end of my long run. I was struggling and found myself walking for short spurts four or five times. I needed a boost in the last leg.

I’ve posted photos a couple of times before of colorful sidewalk chalk art quoting Beatles lyrics. They’re beautiful, uplifting creations. I discovered a while back they are the work of a lovely young lass I know only through Facebook and her occasional appearance with guitar and mic at Seminary Street Pub. Alas, either I forget where she lives or she simply hasn’t had the chalk out since the last rain. (She's since confirmed that the chalk has lain idle for a bit, but hinted at a new dose of lyrical sunshine later this week.) For that art I cry, "Mohr, Mohr, Mohr."

Again, this sign says "road closed at
tracks," but methinks it's actually
the sidewalk that is closed.

Today's Stats
Temp: 75 degrees F
Distance: 6.35 miles (walked about 3/4 mile total over four or five slow-downs)
Treasure: 13 cans; 1 orange ponytail holder.

iPod Playlist (shuffle)
Ashes to the Wind – Rachel Portman
Say You Love Me – Fleetwood Mac
Absolute – The Fray
Catch My Disease – Ben Lee
White Rabbit – Jefferson Airplane
Mockingbird – Ryan Adams
I Believe in You and Me – Whitney Houston
Be Still – Story Side B
Keep Me In Your Heart (Strings only) – Van Dyke Parks
Lawyers, Guns & Money – The Wallflowers (cover)
I’m Game – Christophe Beck
The Girl I Knew Somewhere – The Monkees
Until the End of The World – U2
The Great River – Howard Shore (The Lord of the Rings soundtrack)
Rock You Like a Hurricane – Scorpions
Keep Me in Your Heart – Jorge Calderon and Jennifer Warnes (cover)
Words – The Monkees
Poor, Poor, Pitiful Me – Warren Zevon
Wine Snacks (Studio banter) – Ryan Adams
Venus - Bananarama

It's a two-fer Tuesday
From May 9 (Because I just never got around to it last week)

A Modest Proposal

I woke this morning to the sounds of a heart breaking and rising with hope in the same moment.

I've an idea for a new reality TV show. An actress, a former child star let's say, who's been through the ups and downs of Hollywood relationships decides she wants to find a simpler life, one she's never really experienced given her early beginnings in the actor's craft. She heads to the heartland to find inner peace and maybe a crazy little thing called love.

Since it's my idea, I think I should be cast in the role of small-town guide to the show's star. And I think I should be entitled to cast the star, too. How about Melissa Gilbert. She's now free of her "Dancing With the Stars" commitment and hopefully can distance herself from that pawing prancer Maks.

Melissa Gilbert, I've had a crush on you since we were kids. We went to school together, played hooky together, learned life lessons together. You were called "Half Pint," I was called "Half a Buck." That's a pretty solid connection, I think.

Even if you don't want to do the reality show (I really don't either, I just needed a contrivance to attract your attention), you should come to my little town on the prairie. It's called Galesburg and it's in Illinois (don't go to one of those other Galesburgs, like Michigan or Iowa). You just might find happiness. As a catchy bumper sticker here states: "One day in Galesburg will sweep you off your feet!" I promise.
 

Temp: 50 degrees F
Distance: 4.5 Miles
Weekly Total: 10.5 miles
Treasure: 1 CD; 1 penny; 14 cans.

iPod Playlist (shuffle)
Against the Grain – Garth Brooks
Hey Jude – The Beatles (Anthology 3 version)
I Forgot to Remember to Forget – John Prine and Mac Wiseman
The Lazarus Heart – Sting
Just Like a Pill – Pink
What’s on Your Mind (Pure Energy) – Information Society
Levelland – James McMurtry
In the Air Tonight – Phil Collins
The Long and Winding Road – The Beatles (From Let it Be …Naked)
Why Can’t This Be Love – Van Halen
Close to the Borderline – Billy Joel

The English Major Who Went Up the Stairs and Came Upon a Mountain

My nostrils were assaulted with a wretched stench as I crossed the lobby and approached the exit. Upon opening the inside door of the foyer, the full force of the affront slammed me. I glanced around but saw no immediate source; so vile was it that I expected to see feces smeared on the walls. Not spying the evidence, I hurried out to escape the reeking air.

This house on North Cedar Street has a yard and terrace full of greenery. Lots
of hostas, but a lot of other stuff, too. No pic but an aerial will do it justice.

When I returned an hour or so later, the stink hung in the air, a nearly visible cloud of odious odor. More visible still, distinctly physically manifest, in fact, was the mountain of poop at the base of the steps. And when I say mountain, I mean mountain. This pile of crap resembled the ginormous glob of triceratops plop into which Dr. Ellie Sattler plunges her latex-encased arm in "Jurassic Park." I mean to say it surpassed the measure by which the Welsh distinguish a mountain from a foothill. This was an epic shite.

Hyperbole? Perhaps. But you didn't see it, I did.

I hurled past it, through the locked inner door and up to my apartment. There I grabbed a bottle of Febreze and a cereal box from the recycling bin. Back in the foyer I tore the box in two because I realized there was a mini plop a couple feet away from the base of the mountain. I scooped the poops carefully onto the cardboard and carted it at arm’s length (in a vain attempt to soften the olfactory blow, but most importantly to keep it from landing on me should I jostle it) to the Dumpster out back.

Fast forward to this morning. Up at 6:30 in a renewed effort to run regularly and early, I was out the door by 7. Back through the stench. The closed doors had trapped the foul atmosphere like a bottle, or one of those aerosol cans of fart smell for party gags (only worse). Then I noticed a smear on the door handle. WTF!? Who does something this disgusting? And why? Some twisted vendetta against the property management? Spiteful ex-lover of some resident? Urgent drunk unable to make it home? None of these potential answers seems to be truly plausible. Well, maybe the first. It is the most direct.

Today's haul: Cans, a bouncy ball, a super straw cup
and some sort of plumbing piece. Love the cup.

I did the run – 6 miles, a couple of treasures and a handful of cans. A success, all in all. And I soldiered through the foyer upon my return. Dashing upstairs to my abode, I grabbed a bottle of generic Oxy Clean, a scavenged cleaning rag (thus most certainly disposable) and returned to the pit of putrescence. There I proceeded to douse the remaining stains with Oxy and scrub away with the cloth to remove any remnants. Then I hastened to the back of the building in search of a brick with which to prop open the outside door in hopes of refreshing the air within the vestibule. 

I’d seen the cleaning woman arrive about the time I returned from my run, so I was hopeful, too, that she would add to my efforts and restore a semblance of acceptable atmosphere to the confined space through which we all must pass, if not for entry to the building, then at least to retrieve our correspondence. Satisfied with my good deed for the day, I went to the office to notify Kathy, the manager/secretary/whatever, that there was a legitimate reason for the door being propped open today.

Finally, it was time to shower and be off to work.

Hope my focus on this random event didn’t result in a crappy blog. Yeah, I suck at puns. 

Today's stats

Temp: 66 degrees F and rainy

Distance: 6 miles

Treasure: 17 cans; 1 blue super ball; 1 plumbing fitting.

iPod Playlist (Shuffle)

Fly Me to the Moon - Diana Krall (She's just "dead setsy," as Fat Bastard would say)

Need You Now - Lady Antebellum

Turpentine - JJ Grey and Mofro

You Give Good Love - Whitney Houston

Over the Hills and Far Away (live) - Led Zeppelin

Ya Ya - Lee Dorsey

Sleepwalking - Lyle Lovett

Mutineer - Bob Dylan (cover of Zevon)

Thunderbird - ZZ Top

That Was Me - Todd Snider

Theme from Alamo Bay - Ry Cooder

You're Only Human (Second Wind) - Billy Joel (Video's kind of a cheesy take on "It's a Wonderful Life," but kinda fun, too.)

Dream On - Glee Cast feat. Neil Patrick Harris

The Lie - Matthew West

Dance Hall Days - Wang Chung

Elected - Alice Cooper (Featuring Rob Zombie and Slash)

If you feel it, do it

Do you believe in karma? How about plain old good luck? One of those things kicked in two days ago.

You’ll recall that I left behind a hoodie the other night in hopes that the rightful owner might reclaim it, given its presentation on a large rock. In that tale of karmic harmony, I noted that my friend had lost her new iPod and I hoped someone might find it and that all would be right with the world.

Window blinds reflect in the screen of the
iPod Nano. It sort of works.

Well, lo and behold, as I was walking to my car (I know, it’s a sinful word) Thursday morning I was stopped by one of the neighbors in my building who said she’d found something she thought might belong to me. I assumed that is because she’s seen me head out to run in full regalia, including iPod in armband. Well, what she described was my friend’s iPod Nano. I was flabbergasted.

The wee Pod had been caught in the deluge Thursday, so its survival was questionable. Neighbor lady, from Apartment 1, had wiped it off, but done nothing else. I immediately initiated the rice treatment, though likely too late; it had been four days, corrosion undoubtedly begun. To my surprise, the little Nano powered up when I tried it a couple hours later. Power. Play. All good. Or so I thought. Alas, it was not so.

Connecting the Nano to my laptop proved fruitless. It would not show in iTunes or in My Computer. I tried a few solutions, but to no avail. Well, we shall see if there is a solution to this problem. Ultimately, my faith in humanity is emboldened.

OK, so that wraps that story. Now on to the great Half Marathon Entry Fee Giveaway, courtesy of Carmen Peterson. Cut to the chase: I did not win. There weren’t many contestants, and the odds were fairly even among us. So maybe my loss was a combination of karma (trade-off for the iPod?) and, well, another karma that was looking out for me. Like I could really do a half marathon next month?! Honestly, I am prepared to stick with the 6-mile run for a while. It’ll be good preparation for doing the 10K RR Days run and the BIx 7 in July, should I decide to go for that one again. Bix is a killer. Literally. It’s a harsh, hot run.

The night's storms downed this tree in Hawthorne Centre.

I was encouraged the other day, however, by my weight on the scale after that run: 197 lbs. Back to 201 today, but it’s a sign. Longer runs, more weight loss. The clothes I shrank into two summers ago will be comfy still. Gotta keep going. I was in the 185-190 lb. range then. It felt so good. Diet, of course, is part of it. Really, that’s the harder part.

Today's Stats (5/4/12)

Temp: 74 degrees F

Distance: 6 miles

Weekly Total: 12

Treasure: 5 cans.

iPod Playlist (shuffle)

Oye Como Va – Santana

Lawyers, Guns and Money – Warren Zevon

I’m Not Moving – Phil Collins

Flying – Secret Machines (Across the Universe soundtrack)

One Room CountryShack – Buddy Guy

Oklahoma – The Call

Tell It to My Heart – Taylor Dayne

Splendid Isolation – Pete Yorn (cover)

Calliope House – The Waterboys

(There’ll Be) Peace in the Valley – Johnny Cash

You Keep Me Hangin’On – Kim Wilde

Rock and Roll Music – The Beatles

Come Go With Me – Expose

Looking for the Next Best Thing – Warren Zevon

Don’t Let it End – Styx

Watching the Wheels – John Lennon

I Can Dream About You – Dan Hartman

Blinded by the Light

“Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night.”

My route to Walmart took me past Watson Funeral Home.

That’s right, another night run. It wasn’t planned, but sometimes you have to take it when you can get it. I’m not sure where this is going tonight. It’s late – again, unplanned. Watching “Pulp Fiction” for the first time in years because I need entertainment to unwind at the end of the day. Uma Thurman is telling her story about “Fox Force Five.” Oh, don’t know it? Rent the freakin’ movie, folks. Catch up with the times. It’s like 15 years old and you should be ashamed if you’ve never seen it.

So the point of this exercise is to write about what I find, right? But nighttime runs tend to come up short on the treasure. I picked up a blue dish towel that was pretty grubby, but I figured a washing will make it suitable for shop use (for bike work). The smattering of cans was typical, the Bic lighter empty as usual. I may have left the real prize behind.

Spread on a large volcanic rock by 4L Plaza on North Broad Street was a zippered hoodie of some sort with a colorful print pattern on it. I could have taken it, but it seemed it may have been left there for its rightful owner. A friend just lost her new iPod Nano and I’m a little sensitive to the sense of loss right now. Maybe the rightful owner of that hoodie lost it in some totally random and legitimate way, just as the iPod was lost. Price disparities notwithstanding, the owners are entitled to a little honesty by the unknown finders, right? You’d want your lost goods returned, wouldn’t you? 

Not entirely sure where that came from or where it was going, but I left the hoodie in hopes that somebody who can use it will pick it up, wash it and wear it. Maybe whoever found that iPod needs it more. I hope so. It really is crummy luck.

Well, that’s not much of a story or a blog entry, but it’s all I have tonight. Take or leave it. Maybe you’ll find some pleasure in the music below. Bottom line is, yeah, I was revved up. I did nearly 6 miles (the break was unnecessary but welcome). The resulting runner’s high was great. I always love that!

Today's Stats

Temp: 76 degrees F

Distance: 5.9 miles (Last .9 came after a short visit with a friend.)

Treasure: 1 dirty blue towel; 1 empty Bic lighter (black); 9 cans.

Stopping by a friend's for a visit before
finishing the run. This was the 5-mile mark.

iPod Playlist (shuffle)

Mystify – INXS

Green Earrings – Steely Dan

Sometime in the Morning – The Monkees

The Scientist – Coldplay

She Came in Through the Bathroom Window – The Beatles (Anthology)

I Have Nothing If IDon’t Have You – Whitney Houston

Turn That Heartbeat Over Again – Steely Dan

Can’t Go Home Anymore My Love – The Factotums

Luther Played Guitar – Stan Ridgway

Twistin’ the NightAway – Sam Cooke

Running to Stand Still – U2

It Don’t Make Sense (You Can’t Make Peace) – Styx

Part of Your Own – John Gorka

Lately – Greg Brown

Rip This Joint (Live) – The Rolling Stones

All My Loving – Jim Sturgess (Across the Universe soundtrack)

Desperados Under theEaves (Live) – Warren Zevon

I Can’t Drive 55

My medal and the blue hair band I
found during the race.

How fast was I in the Bishop Hill Swedish Stomp 5K today? So fast that I nearly won a speeding ticket to go with my first-place gold medal. 

Yeah, you read that correctly: I placed first in my age division, Men’s 45-49 I think; and I wasn’t the only one in my division this time. It was a small field overall and the weather may have played a role in keeping runners away today – it was chilly! And that wind was a bite. I had to chuckle afterward at the notion we’d have a tailwind coming up that final hill into town toward the finish – as promised by the event emcee. The tailwind, such as it was, came into play only on the final northerly downhill of the race. It was nice, but it didn’t help much.

Still, it was a nice run, even if I misrepresented it to my friend Ellen, who decided to run it, too. The description mentions only the streets of historic Bishop Hill. I assumed – incorrectly – that the route would wend through town, criss-crossing the handful of streets until nearly every one had been trod and 3.1 miles was finally racked up.

Um, not so. The route, starting from the old Colony School, first heads east, then circles Bishop Hill Park before heading out into the countryside. Still a lovely run it is, but I wasn’t banking on those hills, slight though the grades may be. Neither was Ellen expecting it. “I thought you said it was flat,” she accused.

So sue me.

Ellen was further disgruntled with her showing (I won’t reveal her time, as she was not happy), despite placing first in the Women’s 45-49 division against more competition than I faced.

“That little wiener dog passed me!” she cried afterward. “I got beat by a wiener dog.”

Her disappointment is understandable. Wiener dogs have shooort legs. Even Ellen has longer legs than a dachshund. Still, the wiener dog has four of ’em and nobody carried Ellen for any part of the race.

The Galesburg Stompers: Rob, Heather, Ellen, Holly.

We were joined by several other Galesburg folks we knew. All did well. Heather H. placed second in her division behind friend Holly A. We got a nice group shot after, taken by my No. 3 daughter (tied for No. 1 in my heart, of course). Several of her friends were in attendance, though they ran and D3 couldn’t be cajoled into it. She did her stint in track and cross country and did well, but she favors other athletic pursuits now. She’s a heck of a cheerleader, too!

For my accounting, I finished in 30:25. Not my fastest time, nor my slowest. Among the factors pro and con: Anne G., who is an acquaintance and friend of a friend, served unwittingly as my pacer. I told her afterward, “Anne, you were my ponytail.” She might have blushed; or maybe it was wind-rash. Anne pulled away in the last mile, though, and I found myself running neck and neck with one of D3’s friends. She was kickin’ it pretty good, but we were both getting worn.

When she stopped, I stopped to offer support and assistance, but she waved me off: “Keep going,” she demanded. So I did. Holly would have nothing of it and stopped to lend aid until other help arrived. And she still finished first. Way to go, Holly!

The Swedish Stomp is a pretty fun race. Good company, beautiful scenery, historic community, spiffy T-shirt, yummy treats after the run (including pickled herring and knackebrod!). It all adds up to a great experience.

However, I need to learn to ramp it down after the race. I’ve touted the joys of the runner’s high before, and it really is a great feeling. But ya gotta keep it under control. Driving back to the Burg along U.S. 34 I developed a bit of a lead foot. I saw the white cruiser gaining on me in the rearview mirror and knew immediately who it was – low-profile light bar or no. I slowed. By the time he was on my tail, I was doing 53. No use. He was gaining rapidly and I teased myself briefly that he was going to pass and catch a real criminal. Alas, the lights activated and I found myself on the shoulder, window down, waiting for Trooper Friendly to ask for my credentials. 

Tried to capture the 64 but it was getting dangerous.

He was indeed friendly and let me off with just a warning. “You were going way too fast,” noted. “Slow it down.” Yeah, I suppose 64 in a 55 is a bit over. Lucky for me he didn't see me five minutes earlier.

But to add insult to the non-injury (my wallet sincerely thanks you, Trooper Friendly) he instructed me to roll up my window a tad. Producing a groovy black plastic box with a slot in one end and a digital readout, he proceeded to measure the tint of my window. It has to come off, he told me. Apparently it needs to read 35 and mine were 33. Mumbo jumbo, but yessir. 

He did ask about the race, after the rigmarole, not as a smart-alec introduction to a speeding ticket. But it was indeed the classic wording (if in past tense): “Where was the race?”

Today's Stats

Temp: 55 degrees F

Distance: 3.1 miles

Weekly Total: 8.6 miles

Treasure: 1 blue hair band.

Race Weight: 203 lbs.

Post-race weight: 200 lbs.

Time: 30:25

Place: 1^st in Men’s 45-49 years old

iPod Playlist (Running playlist)

Broken – Lifehouse

Catch My Disease – Ben Lee (This is my favorite running song; not the fastest pace but it just makes me happy and want to run – and clap and sing along, too.)

Distance – Ryan McCullough

Heartbreak Warfare – John Mayer

I Will Follow You Into the Dark – Death Cab for Cutie

I Will Possess Your Heart – Death Cab for Cutie

Just Like a Pill - Pink