It Was 30 Years Ago Today

I realized right before I parked my car in our garage that the college perimeter is fairly flat, and the one significant elevation it has would make for good training. Twenty minutes later, I was huffing and puffing on the campus. I ran the perimeter three times and then drove it to measure the distance. It's almost exactly one mile. So I had run three miles or a smidgen under 5k. It was a good day for it -- nice weather, not too bad a breeze -- and the campus is quiet for now. I have my new run route.

If there was any downside to it, it's that I first walked this campus more than 15 years ago. I like my memories of the place, but a creeping sense of stasis bothers me. I never thought I'd be back here, much less living here. I don't get that from being in town; it's changed enough from the early '90s, and Your Sister outweighs any unpleasantness I might feel. Also, I feel like a dirty old man running the same loop at the same time as college girls on the track or soccer teams. Then again, Your Sis is probably teaching their younger brothers and feeling the same thing.

Then I read online that this is the 30th anniversary of Star Wars and, geez louise, can I possibly feel any more decrepit? You know, I can't recall anything I would have considered cool prior to seeing Star Wars, and that was on my sixth birthday. I even remember the TV commercials for that run, and My Mom asking if I wanted to see it. Once I did, it erased everything that came before. I certainly recall all the cool things that came after, however. But my first movie theatre memory is one of fear during the compactor scene.

Aside from momentary lapses into wah-wah, I feel good after the run. I am getting noticeably wiser in pacing myself and pushing myself within limits of muscle sprains and pulls. While watching "Lost" Wednesday night, we saw our first commercial for the third Pirates movie. We had no idea it opened this weekend. The local theatre is playing it too. We might not get to it until the middle of next week though. We have prom and birthday stuff this weekend, and we have to tackle research papers.

Picture of the Day
The Beijing Olympic medals