A very good friend of mine has maintained a rolling blog series that she calls “Sunday afternoon virtual coffee date,” where she recaps her exciting news as if she were chatting with me (one of her many beloved readers) in real life. Jenn and I used to hang out at Rockford Coffee, or The Daily, when we were both in graduate school at Montana State. We’d talk for hours, plan our next adventure, or just study together and randomly interject with crazy twenty-something gossip. Then, very abruptly (or at least, it felt that way), we graduated and moved away from Montana. Since then, over six years has passed, and we continue to keep in touch through random visits, email, and of course- our blogs. Her coffee date posts have been a fun way for me to touch base and stay in tune with her life happenings over this past year, even if we don’t email or chat on the phone for months. And it’s been a godsend, given her crazy travel schedule over the last nine months (interviewing, moving back to Montana, traveling, adventuring, etc.).
For some reason, it has taken me nearly as long to realize that this type of blog post is something I should jump in with, too. But instead of coffee dates, as I rarely find myself hanging out at coffee shops these days, I think it will take the form as a virtual long run. This rendition was also inspired by a recent Tumblr post from haute volee Oiselle runner Fast Kate on “Notes from a long run”- so here it goes. Lace up your shoes, let’s give it a try.
If we were on a long run, I’d tell you about the wonderful food I’ve been eating as of late. It’s necessary to get back into the long runs because of all the oil, fat, and butter that goes into the meals I eat. Given Adam’s new purchase of Thomas Keller’s “Ad Hoc at Home,” our dinners have transformed into some elegant comfort foods that are simple yet something I’ve never had before. He is really enjoying the pursuit of new adventures in the kitchen, and obviously I am supportive. His cooking style is evolving, and he’s really into learning new techniques and styles of cooking, and even in presentation too (we have special plates and bowls that make the meals look just about as good as they taste). Did I mention it’s really nice living with my husband? After being apart for over two years, I know that my life is just that much better when he’s around.
If we were on a long run today, I’d groan a little about my decision to teach and do research this semester. Oh, and apply for faculty jobs. Teaching has been a lot of work, and one of the main reasons I haven’t been out on many long runs this fall. Teaching a new class, or a class for the first time, has a steep learning curve, but I feel like I am finally at the plateau where things in everyday teaching-life are more routine. I can predict questions and answer them effectively in class and out of class, compared to when the semester first started, when I didn’t know what the students didn’t know. And we can always improve, get better, do more. Teaching is rewarding, and demanding, and humbling, but I like it. I still prefer research primarily, but I think teaching provides a medium to connect with a younger generation and see if what you’re working towards in your career strikes a chord with them. Plus, it helps with articulating what you are trying to say, which is never a bad thing to practice in a scientist’s life.
If we were on a long run today, I’d ask you what you think of the GoldieBlox campaign for girls’ toys targeting design and engineering. The campaign on Kickstarter is incredible. There is a Rube Goldberg machine, little girls in safety glasses singing the Beastie Boys’ “Girls,” and it’s just straight-up girl power coming from 6 year olds. On the other hand, here’s a toy that is still clinging to the pink-is-for-girls stereotype. When will there be gender neutrality? And when can we stop thinking of kids as little girls and little boys and start thinking of them as aspiring engineers? A friend of mine posted a thought-provoking commentary on this. But there’s also a big gap with where we are and where we want to be as far as gender neutrality goes. And maybe it’s ok that some girls like pink things, and only play with pink toys, and aren’t interested in LEGOs, just like it’s ok that some boys want to play with dolls and kitchen things. And maybe not every kid is going to grow up and be an engineer. Whatever. If it gets the toy, made to encourage spatial visualization and design and mechanics, into the hands of a little girl because her parents only buy her pink toys or she only likes pink toys, well- that’s one step in the right direction.
If we were on a long run today, I’d ask you what good books you’ve read lately. I’ve been engrossed in the Wheel of Time novels, and because I am a slow reader, I am only on Book 6, of 14. It’s gonna be a while. So I want to know what books to get on Audible, or your cliff notes of the next best autobiography. I have a terrible habit of starting books and not finishing them, especially when I feel like I have got everything out of them that I can.
If we were on a long run today, I’d want to start planning a run-cation for next year. Where to go? What to see? I hope to be traveling a bit in the spring for interviews, but I also want to go to a few conferences, and if a race lines up with a “work” trip, that would be cool. Part of me wants to race a marathon again, just to see where I am at endurance-wise and how I can do, but the majority of myself wants to just get fast. So, I think I’ll put off the marathon for a few more years, maybe until I put together a quick, solid half marathon. Plus, I want to jump on the track for some collegiate 5K races per my coach’s recommendation (why not?). I think it would be rad to break 19, so I might as well race a few 5Ks to increase my chances. Working with a coach has been a lot of fun and very educational, and it’s a topic that could take up a huge part of our long run discussion.
Since I haven’t been on a long run in a while, I’m going to stop here, stretch, and get ready for a feast. Happy Thanksgiving!
Let's Go 