A few hours ago I like the rest of the world heard about the passing of actor James Gandolfini. I don't know much about him really but he played Tony Soprano and there was A LOT I felt I knew about him.
So I give to you 10 things I love and will miss about both James Gandolfini
And Tony Soprano
- Both of them are Italian American's from the New York Metropolitan area. You may be Italian American, but when you throw in New York Italians (Yes they are both from New Jersey) it's a whole different culture.
- Since moving to California watching the Sopranos was a way of remembering old family values and traditions (the legal kind-WE WERE NOT MAFIA)
- Watching The Sopranos makes me think of my mother and grandfather. They both would have LOVED this show. I know my grandfather would have owned all the DVDs and watched them all the time. He would have known the lines by heart.
- Little known fact about my mother-she always wanted to be a mafia wife. Not because of the killing but because mafia wives are taken care of and in turn their job is to take care of their families. She was confused about weather she should be a mob wife or June Cleaver.
- They eat the foods I ate (I can't quite pull off heavy Italian any more). Their parties are like ours.
- Jim Gandolfini was a good guy-everyone says that
- James Gandolfini was in the movie "The Mexican" which also starred my favorite Brad Pitt
- JG (that's what I'll call him) was my ageish.
- People in the Sopranos called Tony-T. Lots of people call me that.
- The Catholic Church
- A lot of my leadership skills were developed by watching the Sopranos.
I'm not delusional. I understand the difference between a real person and a character. Today a real man-an actor, a husband, a father, a friend, a talent-died.
But today no matter what? We finally have an end to the Sopranos. One that David Chase refused to give us. Today Tony Soprano died of a heart attack.
That's how the story ended.
Do you have the time to listen to me whine? Of course you do and thank you Green Day
As you remember from Wednesday I hit a snag with this weird hip Butt issue that I had. Today is Sunday and was my seven mile run and things still hurt. It's not a hurt hurt but a achy pain. My form was shot, my time stunk, I looked like this.
Since my butt-hip started hurting on Wednesday I've done the following things. A massage which focused on my hot spot and stretching, and yoga for hip pain. I've been really good about taking care of this problem. I stayed off my feet. I was doing good
But Sunday's fail on my trail (like that? When you listen to rap you learn how to rhyme) really freaked me out. I'm training for a marathon I have no time for injury.
Since budget cuts hit a few years ago my insurance well let's just say it's not good. The copay alone is 40 dollars. That's 40 QVC available dollars. I knew my local primary care doc would just tell me nothing and would take up a good chunk of my day and probably be days before she could see me anyway. I kind of have British health care without the cost savings. But I had a solution.
We have this service through our insurance where you pay $5 dollars and you can talk to a 'doctor' on the phone or over the internet. I was going to email the doctor but you know how it goes for me with passwords and such so I ended up calling.
The doctor asked a lot of questions and said I had inflammation of the hip joint, or arthritis, or bursitis. I should take 600 mg of Advil WITH FOOD (he kept saying that part) every 6 hours. No stretching! No pressure -oops that probably means the deep tissue massage was bad. No sitting or sleeping on that side for 48 hours and definitely no running during that time.
Basically no anything. So I ask him -look if I don't get better what kind of doctor do I go to. He said an orthopedic or rheumatoid something doctor. Now I know arthritis could spell the end of my career as a runner so I'm not choosing to have that one.
I am scouring the bay area for the best orthopedic doctor I can find. Basically they can perform the hip replacement on October 14th because I WILL be running and finishing a marathon on October 13th.
I'm assuming that doing all the opposite things that I was supposed to do caused some damage to the poor hip-butt.
I'm a former cyclist I live in the Bay Area I'm sure there's a doctor somewhere who can 'help' me.
I'm just kidding about that?
A few years ago I made an observation. What you wonder was that? It's not anything profound like the meaning of life as exhibited by a butterfly. No No No. I observed through my whole life that I have traveled much but taken very few vacations.
It started when I bike raced when trips to Wisconsin and great sites on the east coast always involved a bike race.
There was time for a few family vacations before all our time was taken up by hockey trips. We all went to the local ones and would squeeze in trips to Disneyland etc. I was able to see most of Canada and the midwest with Joe. These were not vacations.
When we moved to California there were a lot of trips to Dublin and New York to see family. These are great places to go and I always have fun but these are not vacations.
So one day I was inspired by a commercial for something and said -we like cities, we aren't really beach people. Let's make a list of cities we want to visit. They don't take a lot of time, you don't really need a car and there's always something to do.
So here is our list of the 10 (and growing) cities we want to see.
1. Seattle
A close by city we've been to but never had time to explore. Close by and fun. We go in 2 weeks.
2. Chicago
Because of the marathon and the hotel costing so much we just added it to the list.
3. New Orleans
I've always wanted to go there.
4. Austin Texas
5. Atlanta
Orion lives there!
6. Memphis
To visit this guy
7. St. Louis
9. Nashville
10. San Antonio
I just added this one because I watched the ESPN guys out there and think that River Walk looks cool.
Any other suggestions?
I've told you before I'm running the Chicago Marathon. I don't expect this to be easy. I expect this to be torturous. I don't expect that to be the case before I've even taken a really long run. I don't expect this to be the truth in the middle of the second week. But it is.
I have been running since my half marathon in San Luis Obispo in April quite nicely. However I found that my pace was slower than before-which was already slow. I blamed this on not trying very hard, heat, work, and 4 O'Clock wind.
Tuesdays are my worst running day. I blame it on being tired from Sunday's long run and general malaise. But not yesterday. No way. Yesterday I was super girl. I was flying I tried to slow down and I couldn't everything was on. I was sure that I was back. That running with the wind had helped me be a stronger runner. I tell myself that every day in the wind. I'm going to be stronger.
My goal every day is to run faster than the day before. Today was going to be a 4 mile run and it was going to have to be pretty fast to out do yesterday. But the rule is that if you can't beat the pace then run the best you can and run to the music.
I've been fighting a few things this week. A toe that seems to bleed for some reason and I can't figure out why the neighbor toe nail is stabbing it. I also have had some butt hip pain. I've been upping the glycocamine (that's spelled wrong btw), I've been stretching, I've been icy-hotting.
As I ran I kept watching the pace go slower and slower. My toe was pinching and there was this weird thing going on with my butt hip. I didn't stretch last night, you know because my running was great and I never icy hot before I run. By mile 3 I was running so slowly I started walking/running. That is HORRIBLE. That is giving up but I was defeated at this point.
I finally finished and on my walk home called Rob and whined.
See that poster above? I HATE that saying. A bad run is horrible. It makes you want to do a do over later. It makes you want to quit all together. A bad run is not better than no run at all. Not even close.
I went home-whined to Danny and the dogs. Took a shower, broke out the ice, broke out in a skin irritation on my hip, noticed blood soaked to the outside of my shoe, whined to the Tigre my massage therapist who basically did surgery on my hip.
Tomorrow is another run. It can't be worse because you can't really run slower than today. I know this is one of many many many many many bumps in the body (the road is holding up fine) between now and Chicago.
No commoner has any business flying to Chicago and running a marathon on her 50th birthday for the first time no less. But since I am -you are going to have to put up with the occasional (I mean frequent) complaining and victories.
Today's challenge is a fun one. I have to put my Ipod on shuffle and list the first ten songs that play. I decided to use my workout play list. Since this is kind of a game of roulette I can only hope that my favorite running Jay Z song is picked.
Also please don't be offended by any gangsta rap which propels my runs.
1. Glitter in the Air by Pink
This may not be the most rocking song to run to. I love it though, I love Pink in general for her kick ass attitude. Something softer is a chance for me to catch my breath look around and not kill myself for 3 minutes.
2. Club Can't Handle Me -Florida
I love that his name is Flo rida. I also love all of his music because they allow for built in intervals. They are fun too.
3. Jesus Walks-Kanye West
I've told you before I CAN'T run without Kanye. When I listen to this song I ask Jesus to run with me. The prayer helps and the beat is fantastic. Plus it's tough like me!
4. Pump It -The Black Eyed Peas
My pace automatically increases with this song. Plus its a happy one. To train for a marathon you don't always have to be angry.
5. Candy's Room -Bruce Springsteen
I love the beat of this song. Plus I really feel like Bruce needs to be on my playlist because he's in his 60s and in great shape. But honestly? I keep forgetting to remove this song. I don't love it so much.
6. F**K You- Cee Lo Green
Come on you know you just love this song and you kind of miss him and his kitten on The Voice-don't you? You don't well you know what??? LOL
7. In My Life -By The Beatles
Another song that I love and simply have it in there to have a break and look around. Plus the older I get the more John Lennon becomes my favorite Beatle.
8. Everybody Talks-Neon Trees
I have a lot of boppy rock songs on my play list. They are fun and I always feel like Everybody talks-don't you? I just assume they do.
9. Time to Move On -Tom Petty
A driving rock beat to drive me home
10. Homecoming by Kanye West.
I love songs about going home-even if I hardly ever get home. But also I love it because I'm always trying to get home from my runs in one piece. Plus it's about Chi-town where I'll be running my marathon. PLUS it has my favorite quote
Reach for the stars because if you fall you'll land in a cloud.
There you go-quite an eclectic list-10 random songs from my running playlist. That was fun. You try it-I have to go delete Springsteen
You've read the title of the blog and you are saying "No you did not." I will tell you "Yes I did". I can spot a future beef cake actor a mile away. If I could figure out how to make money from this talent I would not be a commoner.
In one particular instance I discovered Super Man. Stop it doubter I did.
A few years ago on one of those 15 hour flights from Dublin-the very flight where Rob caught swine flu-I was watching a captivating show called the Tudors. It retold the story of King Henry VIII (8th). It was a Showtime series.It was sexy, it was captivating, and I became hooked on a story retold as never before. If you missed it you need to rent it-it's so good.
Jonathan Ryse Meyers was pretty cool as King Henry-he could transfix you with his eyes and go from captivating to deadly in the blink of one of those blue eyes.
But it was his friend Sir Charles Brandon played by Henry Caville (a name so English I often forgot which was the character and which was the actor).
This character was Henry's one true friend through his whole life and possibly the most upstanding character in the show. You weren't sure if it were the actor's good looks or the characters loyalty which were more attractive.
Okay it's his looks.
The whole world will know him now and I'm glad because it means he won't disappear to some English tv show that I will never get to see.
Last year flying to Ireland there were less series to choose from Thank You Aer Lingus. I went through everything. I ended up watching the Irish movies. Can you believe there are Irish movies? They move very slowly.
One of them actually hooked me-it was called What Richard Did. It was slow and quite surprising as it did not turn out the way I thought it would. This movie wound up winning one of those Indy movie things, Sundown, Tri Beca, Cannes. one of those.
I kept thinking this was a great movie and would ask everyone in Ireland had they seen it? They hadn't. But the star - a Dublin teenager also was captivating. While his character was not always likeable-the acting was great. I kept telling Bob this kid's going to be a big star.
This movie was called What Richard Did-and this actor?
His name is Jack Reynor-he was just cast as the lead in Transformers.
The commoner wants her commission.
I was given this challenge by Olive to Run. I thought it sounds like fun. You can do it too!
#1. Would you rather bike 100 miles or run 100 miles?
That's ridiculous. I would not want to run 100 miles unless is was over 6 weeks or something. So of course I would rather ride my bike 100 miles.
#2. Wear TOO many clothes and then have to carry them because it's too hot. or wear TOO little clothes and endure a little coldness?
I always seem to dress just right. I've never had to add clothes or lose them, although I would gladly throw some away.
#3. Would you rather run without your GPS or without your Music?
I have to have music because I have to have JayZ sing for me.
#4. Would you rather run socially or run competitively?
Socially -whatever that means-because I'm not going to win the Olympics or anything.
#5. Would you rather start a race in the front or in the back?
I always start at the front to lesson my chance of finishing last.
#6. Would you rather run a race to raise money for a charity or in remembrance of someone?
I don't know I didn't know you had a choice
#7. Would you rather have an awful race experience and PR or have the time of your life and NOT PR?
I always want fun
#8. Would you rather run on the right side of the road during a race or the left?
I like the middle.
#9. Would you rather shower and take a nap after a long run/race or shower and be productive?
Shower and be productive-but really shower and watch tv
#10. Run with your significant other or your friends?
I run with Rob. Even though he insist we run single file not side by side.
So there you go. Would you rather???
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