IN THE END....It doesn't really matter!!!

So, today being the 35th day of my streak, i decided to run 7 miles. I was rockin the running. There was no holding me back or stopping me. I got out there about 7.35am. The boards were amazing. Full of life. Full of people going to the beach. Full of runners. So i ran 7 miles. Or did I? Take a gander at this:

Activity: Run
Date: 08/31/08 07:38 AM
Distance: 6.90 miles
Time: 1:11:40
Speed: 5.8 mph
Pace: 10' 23 min/mile
Calories: 817
Heart Rate: --
Activity Goal: None
Weather:
A Few Clouds
Temp: 71 F
Humidity: 51
Heat Index: 71 F
Wind: N 9
Difficulty: 2.0

Hmmm dude, WTF??? I ran 6.90 miles. I was literally .1/10th of a mile from completing 7 miles. I completely misjudged the mileage i did. How can i have done this? To say i felt pissed off is an understatement. It's not so much the 1/10th of a mile as it is the fact that i could say i ran 7 miles today. I didn't. It's that simple. So, now tomorrow, instead of keeping it light and easy i need to complete 7 miles. Unfortunately, this is the runner mentality. Or is it just my mentality?














I feel very sad today. I feel very nostalgic. My neighbor of 44 years Mr. Philip has passed. He would have been 96 years old in a month. He was like a grandfatherly figure to me. Mr. Philip was a man of few words. Literally. But, when he spoke everybody listened. He had great things to say. He was a religious man attending synagogue every single day. In the end though, he couldn't. His mind was slipping from him. He knew it. He was that smart. He stopped eating and drank very little. His family wanted him to die in his home and i don't blame them. He needed to be in familiar surroundings. I saw him last, last Monday. I had went to the bank for him to make a deposit. I entered his apartment to see him sitting in his favorite place. The corner of the sofa. I sat down next to him and told him i just came from the bank!! He looked up at me with a gentle smile and said "I know, Michelle...I will take care of you". His voice was barely a whisper. I left after that thinking this may very well be the last time i will have spent time with him.

Friday morning he asked for his rabbi to come pray with him. He was not lucid and kept saying he saw his wife standing next to him. His wife died 3 years ago. He was not lucid but he knew he needed his rabbi there with him to say his last prayers. The rabbi came and they prayed. Together at first then Mr. Philip prayed alone. He died that night, in his sleep. My mom took it hard. She cried when she found out. Today was his funeral. I cried. Too many memories flooding my brain. Mr. Philip has 2 daughters, 2 grandsons and 3 great grand children.

This is my little tribute to him. Mr. Philip i will miss you!!!

Tomorrow, i dedicate my run to you!!! Please watch me and cheer me on!!!

There is something i wish i could share with you all. Something good and ironic and funny. It involves feeling vindicated in a big way!! It would make you all laugh and sigh and say "right on". I just feel it may be better to explain it privately. It's a long story with a sort of happy ending.


"In The End" Linkin Park

(It starts with)
One thing / I don’t know why
It doesn’t even matter how hard you try
Keep that in mind / I designed this rhyme
To explain in due time
All I know
time is a valuable thing
Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings
Watch it count down to the end of the day
The clock ticks life away
It’s so unreal
Didn’t look out below
Watch the time go right out the window
Trying to hold on / but didn’t even know
Wasted it all just to
Watch you go
I kept everything inside and even though I tried / it all fell apart
What it meant to me / will eventually / be a memory / of a time when I tried so hard
And got so far
But in the end
It doesn't even matter

Or does it????

It’s really a wonder that I haven’t dropped all my ideals, because they seem so absurd and impossible to carry out. Yet I keep them, because in spite of everything … I still believe that people are really good at heart. ~ Anne Frank

The number 36!

I'm running on Labor Day!! I have to! It's almost Un-american not to don't you think?? The anal retentive part of me needs to finish this running streak on an even number. It's really that simple. Then again, its not!

As a mystical concept, the number 36 is even more intriguing. It is said that at all times there are 36 special people in the world, and that were it not for them, all of them, if even one of them was missing, the world would come to an end. The two Hebrew letters for 36 are the lamed, which is 30, and the vav, which is six. Therefore, these 36 are referred to as the Lamed-Vav Tzadikim. This widely-held belief, this most unusual Jewish concept is based on a Talmudic statement to the effect that in every generation 36 righteous "greet the Shechinah," the Divine Presence! Thats all i got!!! Just know this: the number 36 is meaningful and special.

Activity: Run
Date: 08/29/08 06:51 AM
Distance: 5.07 miles
Time: 0:54:26
Speed: 5.6 mph
Pace: 10′ 44 min/mile
Calories: 534
Heart Rate: –
Activity Goal: None
Weather:
Overcast
Temp: 70 F
Humidity: 65
Heat Index: 70 F
Wind: E 7
Difficulty: –


Splits
MILE PACE (MIN/MILE) SPEED (MPH) ELEVATION
GAIN
ACTUAL +/- AVG ACTUAL +/- AVG
1 11′ 11 +0′ 27 5.4 -0.2 – ft
2 11′ 02 +0′ 18 5.4 -0.2 – ft
3 14′ 21 +3′ 37 4.2 -1.4 – ft
4 10′ 34 -0′ 10 5.7 +0.1 – ft
5 9′ 36 -1′ 08 6.2 +0.6 – ft
end 9′ 13 -1′ 31 6.5 +0.9 – ft
Versus average of 10′ 44 min/mile: Slower Fast

If you notice, my last mile was about 9.36, my fastest mile so far was a 9.19 so close. I am not sure what to do to increase my speed but i am researching and talking to people in the know. I was never one to do speed work or farklets. A farklet is a swedish term for speed play and a term that runners use when they talk about a run where they varied the distance, time, and speed increases that they did during a run. Don't get me wrong, i want to farklet and god knows i probably do in my sleep, but when running, well i just run.

I also have decided to implement a new way of commenting here on my blog. I am sure some of you are familiar with it. It's Disqus. Try it, let me know what you all think! Let's just say, it gives me more control over my blog!

Do any of you watch Pushing Daisies? You know that totally irreverent show about a pie-maker who has the power to bring the dead back to life. The show premiered in the United States on October 3, 2007, on ABC. So this cool thing is happening ABC will be promoting Pushing Daisies, one of my favorite shows from last season, by setting up ersatz Pie Holes around the country. Check out Pie Holes to see if you may be able to pick up a slice of pie!! Will i be eating pie!?? You bet!

Happy Labor Day to all my homies!!

"When choosing between two evils...
I always like to try the one I've never tried before." - Mae West

The power of our example NOT example of our power

This time of the year is special. The last two weeks going into labor day is an event i really love to follow! The United States Tennis Open This year they are celebrating the 40th anniversary of this spectacle! I say spectacle because the US Open grew from an exclusive entertainment event for high society to a $17 million prize money championship (about $1.4 million for each of the winners of the singles tournaments) for over 600 male and female professional players. Can you imagine...1.4 million for 2 weeks work!! I can't! None of us can. But, thats OK! This is athleticism at its best. Look at that young man! He is 22 years old and a fine specimen of manhood. He is an athlete and takes his sport very seriously. That is the only way!!

I attend this event yearly! With my sister and friends. I have a friend who works the Nike booth and she always finds good buys for us being that we are Nike fans. Mostly, people want to wear what Rafael Nadal wears. His exact outfit they say. It sells out fast.

Lot's of celebrities attend this event. It's a place to see and be seen. It's fun that way. You never know who you may bump into. The food choices are many, but being that it is very expensive, i bring my own. They get strict though, not allowing even backpacks in anymore! These little annoyances are just what you have to deal with if you want to witness amazing tennis. I want to witness amazing tennis. I want to witness Rafael Nadal picking his butt after each serve! I'm not quite sure why he does that. Shorts too tight perhaps?

















Anybody watching the DNC?? Me? Every single night! I feel drawn to it somehow. Not the politics of it all but the very interesting unpolitical way its all unfolding. First night: Ted Kennedy, brought tears to my eyes. This man is tough.

All I saw was Michelle Obama's speech, but that was enough.

She's a rock star.

Can I vote for her?

Biden really stepped up. Good speech, well spoken!

By contrast, I thought Bill Clinton was just okay. Of course, it's all relative - Clinton can blow the roof off; tonight he was merely good.

But too many snoozers tonight. And why do they need such long breaks between speakers? Who's in charge of this thing?

I quite liked Biden's son's intro. He should have been more specific when referring to the time Biden called Milosevic a war criminal to his face. What would he say to Bush, I wonder?

Lots of good stuff and tonight, well tonight is Obama's speech. Cannot and won't miss it! Believe me folks, i am far from an expert on all things political but this has drawn me in. I find myself deep in discussion with my running buddies. It makes for an amazingly fast run. The more we argue, the faster we run. It just works out that way. Thats the beauty of politics. Really never a right or wrong. I love this stuff.

I guess you can tell by the photo i choose who i may be voting for. We need new blood. We need young blood. Hell, we just need blood, flowing. We certainly aren't getting that now, are we?? It's scary to think of what will happen if the other guy gets in! Real scary!














Eckhart is my homeboy!

My life is taking shape! i've got ideas in the works. It has to do with my passion for writing and running. No, i will not be taking my Mac Book on my runs to write a blog post at the same time. That is not possible....yet. I just have some really cool ideas about what i want to do and how to make it happen is all. Stupid stuff, really but the only way to make something happen, is to put it out there and pursue it with all you have and more.

Total Time: 00:55:05
Distance: 5.25 mi
Elevation Gain/Loss: 1,479 ft / 1,508 ft
Calories: 635 C

I am currently finishing up my 35 day running streak. Today was day 32. On day 35 i will run 8 miles. Then its done. It will be a very anticlimactic finish to what i think was an incredibly gutsy move on my part. I took something trivial or commonplace in the running world and made it my own. Lets face it, 35 days is really nothing. I am not bragging about it nor will i talk about it once it's done. It's just something i had to do. Then i move on.


CAKE - The Distance
Reluctantly crouched at the starting line
Engines pumping and thumping in time
The green light flashes, the flags go up,
Churning and burning, they yearn for the cup
They deftly maneuv
Fuel burning fast on an empty tank
Reckless and wild they pour through the turns
Their prowess is potent and secretly stern
They speed through the finish, the flags go down,
The fans get up and they get out of town
The arena is empty except for one man
Still driving and striving as fast as he can

You know what, i'm going the distance!!!!

"Alice laughed: "There's no use trying," she said; "one can't believe impossible things."
"I daresay you haven't had much practice," said the Queen. "When I was younger, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."
Alice in Wonderland.

Sit and wonder.......Or not!!!

So, remember the "freak" shirt i once bought a very long time ago? I'm pretty sure i wore it twice. It's horribly outdated and ridiculous looking. The shirt up there. Way more like it, don't you think? Yeah, well i think so thats all that matters.

So, today was day 30. Tomorrow will be day 31 and i feel up for a longer run. Definitely, a 10K, possibly 7 miles. All depends on my breathing, the weather and how much sleep i get. Since i've been sick my sleeping has been for shit. Most nights i find myself gasping for air at one point or another. I have to literally sit up and clear my lungs of the horrible phlegm that has been plaguing me for the past 5 days. It's ok though, i now have the correct inhaler and cough suppressant to get me through the night courtesy of my good doctor runner friend.

This just in:
Total Time: 01:10:08 Distance: 6.73 mi Elevation Gain/Loss: 1,079 ft / 1,068 ft Calories: 807 C
So, i ran 1/2 mile over a 10K!!!

I need to be extra careful to stay clear of my mom because of her CLL. She is more susceptible to getting colds and catching nasty stuff from people and i don't want to do that to her. Tomorrow is her visit to her oncologist and i always worry just a little bit. Not as much as i used to because i know she will be fine. She is strong and just wants to hop off the doctors table right after he examines her. We giggle about that!

There is a blog i am following. Get this....he is throwing a mega halloween party and he is inviting all his blogger readers plus friends and relatives. He is a pretty funny dude and there is a possibility i may be attending. It's not in my state so when plans are finalized i will write more.

Also, next year 2009 i am definitely doing a marathon. I've been talking to a friend and he says, and i agree that smaller marathons are much better. More homey and less stress. When i did NY back in 1991, it literally took me about 5-7 minutes just to pass the starting line and be able to start running. It was crazy and its even worse now.

I'm thinking Vermont/Maine/Rhode Island OR Philly. Then there is Amsterdam. Can you imagine? London is way too big. Chicago too big but doable. I'll see. It all depends on a lot of factors. I won't go into a marathon without proper training and knowing i can complete it. The training alone can make or break you.


Coz I'm under the weather
Just like the world

















This man, i have no words really. He is beyond hotness!! This is Jon Hamm. He is the reason i watch Mad Men!!! Check out the freakin video why don't ya????

Roger Sterling: I bet there were people in the Bible, walking around complaining about kids today.
Don Draper: Kids today, they’ve got no one to look up to. ‘Cause they’re looking up to us.

— New Amsterdam

An unwashed sock in the laundry basket of life!!!

Michelle Onesock

Does this ever happen to you?? You know, you do the wash/laundry and you know for a fact that you accounted for all the dirty socks you wore that week. They were all there, in the laundry basket ready for washing! You smiled, all smug knowing that this time you had them beat! Dirty socks will not get the best of me!!

The laundry is done. You start looking and your all like YES! So far so good. Each sock i find has their counterpart waiting for it. Then, you get to the last sock...hmmm...you look around and down and all you seem to see is 1 sock. WTF??? These are your favorite socks too! The pair you always save for last to wear because you want to show the world how cool you really are! You do a throuough search to no avail!! That pair of socks is gone. Lost somewhere mysteriously! Probably with all the other lost socks that people have lost over the years!

It's pretty crazy really but it does happen. It happens to the best of us. Happens to me all the time and believe me, i have A LOT of socks!

I have yet to come up with a solution to this mystery of life. Not sure if i ever will.



So, i am a bit under the weather. I developed some sort of cold/cough/chesty thing all in the matter of a day. I was thinking that maybe i am rundown because of all of the running i've been doing, but i then realized that running really builds up the immune system. With proper rest of course, which i have not been getting. So, there you have the culprit. Not enough rest. Not rundown, just tired.

I am working it out though. I am on day 27 of my running streak. There is literally no way i am stopping now, short of some sort of freak of nature happening. It just ain't gonna happen.

With my garmie on my left hand, i clocked in at 3.3 miles. Couldn't do more. Please think good thoughts for me to finish up this thing i started. I am not asking anybody to pray. Just do whatever it is you do to send good vibes to people.









So, i'd like to share with you a freaking really cool feature on the Mac! It's simply called a screenshot plus widget. You download it and you can take photos of anything on your desktop! It enables you to become very creative very easily! Too easy almost! The top photo is my docking station or as i like to call it, my parking lot and the photo underneath is part of what you see when you click on something called dashboard which is the second from the left on the parking lot!

What i love about the Mac is how user friendly it is. If you know how to navigate through itunes you can certainly use a Mac Book!

I am craving a Starbucks beverage. Lucky for me, i have a Starbucks within walking distance from my home. Or is it lucky??

"Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The trouble-makers. The round heads in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status-quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify, or vilify them. But the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do." jack kerouac


Mr. Slyde over at slydesblog featured this video and with his permission i'd like to feature it here. It's called pilobolus. Very cool, i've never seen anything like it! I am hoping they stop over in my area so that i can grab a ticket or two!!

In slydes words:
Anyway, here is Pilobolus. If you haven't seen them yet, prepare to be freaking AMAZED.....

Good Food...Music...Books...Oh My!!!

It's an absolute cornucopia, the Union Square Green Market! I don't think i can describe it any other way. The colors...just imagine the most brightest, unusual and exceptionally beautiful colors and multiply that by whatever it takes to make you realize just how elaborate the colors of food can be. You spend time there and think that time has stood still, just for a moment and just for you. The crowds are everywhere, yet there is a stillness in the air. The produce calls out to you and makes you want to take it all in. This is NYC remember, a place where you breathe in more car fumes and are afraid to cross the street for fear of a cabbie running you down. Yet right here, at Union Square is a small oasis of life! Farmers selling their stuff, fresh right from the garden. They even let you taste stuff before you buy it. I am a city girl, no doubt about it but once or twice a week i look forward to spending time at the green market.



These are the smallest eggplants i have ever seen! Upon seeing them, i knew i had to buy some. Being that i am not 100% raw i intend to saute these babies up in fresh garlic and some macadamia nut oil. Sublime at best!!!













This time of year seems to be teeming with tomatoes!! I snatched these suckers up real quick because they were going fast! I do not have a clue exactly what kind of tomatoes these are but lets just say you can put a little sea salt on them and gulp them down one at a time. They are sweet, juicy and just amazingly colorful. I love them!!














These strawberries were certainly calling to me. I have not had a decent batch of strawberries all summer long, until now! My goodness, they are small, very small but they are bursting with goodness. You can really just look at them to see just how sweet they are. They are very red and beautiful.

The green market also had an over abundance of peaches, plums and nectarines. All excellent. I prefer peaches over everything else so i stocked up. They are almost gone. You need a large napkin, when eating these peaches to catch the sweet nectar oozing out of them. Ah, greatness comes in all shapes and sizes!!

There were other purchases, string beans, corn, some sort of melon that i've yet to try. My eyes couldn't really take it all in, so i stopped and met up with a good friend for lunch at The Coffee Shop, 29 Union Square West.

Wonderfully busy, but enthusiastic atmosphere. This place is for people watching, no doubt! The food, well its OK, i've had better, much better actually but being that i have not been there in quite a while nor has my friend we decided to wait the 15 minutes for a nice outdoor table.


The Stills! I first got turned on to them back in 2004 after hearing the wonderfully hypnotic “Still in Love Song” from the highly-praised “Logic Will Break Your Heart” debut. Their new song “Being Here” gets back to basics with a more accessible approach: nothing fancy, just a mid-tempo ditty with a sweet sentiment propelled by smooth-as-a-baby-bottom vocals and a super catchy chorus. After two spins, I guarantee you’ll be crooning aloud “Being here, oh ho oh ho, being here!” over and over and over. I’m doing it right now. Check out The Stills . They are pretty freakin cool!!

Now on to some reading material that i deem worthy of a look see!

Kris Carr is my friend. She is indeed a wonderful woman living a life of truth, light and love. She is sending out her message far and wide and sure knows how to work a crowd...She is very funny and so full of life. I am sure you are all aware of her first wonderful book Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips Good reading, humorous and its easy to get lost in the sheer joy you feel knowing Kris had a good time writing it.


So, what did she go ahead and do? She wrote another book!! This one, i'm told is greatness once again. I remember her writing it a few months back and she was so gung ho about meeting her deadlines, she hardly had time to blog and come to her own forum. How's that for dedication folks?? You can purchase her book Crazy Sexy Survivor Rebellion at Amazon!!

Then, the second book i am interested in reading is a book by a man named Dean Karnazes. To me, Dean is a hero and a wonderful man!! Read a little bit about him here UltraMarathon Man and make sure to view that video on the bottom of the page! Mr. Dean ran 50 marathons in 50 days in 50 different states. Is this incredible or what? I get goose bumps just thinking about this incredible feat of pure magic.



So, this book 50/50 is definitely on my fall reading list! Being a very dedicated runner, i feel this book will inspire me to pick my running up another notch or two. Besides my running streak of 35-40 days, i am planning to participate in a few different races this year. First up is Race for the cure. Pretty self explanatory i suppose. I've done this one before. It's a 5K, easily doable for me!!

Second up is this Cow Harbor 10K. I'm a bit worried about this race because i am not quite at the 10K mark just yet. Very close though. Today i ran 6.14 miles which basically means i needed to run the length of a football field to have run a 10K. I was so very close. But see thats the remarkable thing about running. There is always tomorrow to do more. I am having the time of my life, running. There is nothing that even comes close to the way that running makes me feel.

So, these are just some of the things i'm interested in and really wanted to share. If i can inspire just one person to put on some running shoes and get on out there, then my job is done. Remember, fall is coming and to me, fall is THE BEST running weather ever!!!!

I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he or she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.
Maya Angelou

"Fear less, hope more;
Whine less, breathe more;
Talk less, say more;
Hate less, love more;
And all good things are yours." Swedish proverb

All the news thats fit to print....

I don't usually write about T.V. shows that i watch or want to watch, but i thought this warranted some attention. I am excited about TrueBlood. I already have my DVR programed to record it.

From HBO.com
Thanks to a Japanese scientist's invention of synthetic blood, vampires have progressed from legendary monsters to fellow citizens overnight. And while humans have been safely removed from the menu, many remain apprehensive about these creatures "coming out of the coffin." Religious leaders and government officials around the world have chosen their sides, but in the small Louisiana town of Bon Temps, the jury is still out.

Local waitress Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin), however, knows how it feels to be an outcast. "Cursed" with the ability to listen in on people's thoughts, she's also open-minded about the integration of vampires — particularly when it comes to Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer), a handsome 173-year-old living up the road. But as Sookie is drawn into a series of mysteries surrounding Bill's arrival in Bon Temps, that tolerance will be put to the test.

A sexy, scary new drama from 'Six Feet Under' creator Alan Ball, 'True Blood' delves into the meticulously-crafted world of novelist Charlaine Harris. Described by the Emmy®-winning Ball as "popcorn for smart people" and featuring a colorful cast of local misfits, 'True Blood' promises an intense ride.

Now i don't know about you guys, but the thought of vampires and 173 year old people, well it just creeps me out just enough to absolutely want to check out this show! Alan Ball, the creator of Six Feet Under certainly has what it takes to create another hit for HBO. "popcorn for smart people" Fuck yeah! Can't wait for this one!

Upward and onward...
Not sure if you noticed, but i have been forced to put the comment moderation feature on ON!! I will not go into the reasons why, but just know that whoever is a regular commenter on my blog will not have a problem. Please don't hesitate to comment because i love to hear from you all and it makes blogging that much more interesting and fun.

To my anonymous friends out there, keep them coming. I welcome your comments. Just know this, i find it very cowardly not to reveal who you are. If you have something to say to me, wouldn't you rather that i know who you are? Or are you ashamed that if you reveal yourself i will think less of you? Nope, in fact i would think you are brave and wonderful and honest. But, of course it is your call. If you would rather post as anonymous, that is fine with me.

I just want to update everybody on my running streak! I am on day 23 of consecutive days running at least 5 miles or more! It's really amazing that i seem to have the stamina to do this. A few days ago, Sunday i think, i had a really hard run. I almost thought to give up my streak, but that is so not me. I set a goal and always follow through. It's as if something is propelling me forward. I intend to have a big celebration on Labor Day September 1st. A day off. One day at least.

















Believing you can! Isn't that an amazing sort of mantra to live by? Believing you can results in knowing you can and knowing you can gets you to the finish line. I don't only mean the race finish line, i mean anything in your life, that you want to do, accomplish, write, travel to, read, just anything really. It's all doable. There is no such thing as "i can't", or "i won't" but there is "i'd rather not" or "i think i want to do it this way".... Right?

Let's talk raw. There is absolutely no right or wrong way to eat raw. My goodness, there is high raw, 75-80% raw is high raw?? I have no clue really. There is 80/20 again no clue. Superfoods, cacao, nuts, dulse, zucchini pasta, nut pates...again you can eat all of these foods or none! You can do green smoothies and be done with it. The one and only thing i agree with or think is very important is getting the greens in every single day!! Fruit too. I can easily live on lots and lots of fruit but i choose not to. I am a runner afterall.













I really feel i have to talk just a bit about this man! Mr. Michael Phelps. Michael is 23 years old and a hero to most of us. He is an accomplished swimmer and has set a new world record by winning 8 gold medals. So, he now holds the record for the most gold medals won at a single Olympics, surpassing Mark Spitz! This has never happened before and i am quite certain it may never happen again. It's just amazing to me the discipline and determination this young man has. He is my hero. He is the man!! Thank you Michael for making these summer olympics one to remember!!














If you're not watching Mad Men, you're crazy.
There. How's that for a post title?

Put simply, it is, by far, the most adult, most stylish, best written show on television at the moment. And I say "adult" in the sense that it's subtle and complex, not in the "there's a lot of sex" sense (although there's plenty of sex).

Set in early '60s Manhattan, the show is centered around ad agency Sterling Cooper, the men who run it, and the women behind the men. That's what it's "about," but what it's really about is social change; the things that lead up to it, the people who are going to be affected by it, and the way it sneaks up on you without you realizing it. It's the only show I've ever seen that makes me want to go out and pick up a copy of The Feminine Mystique. Not that the show's about feminism, but the spectre of its arrival looms large over everything. But let's put that aside for a moment and discuss other things.

The look of the show - if you're a fan of mid-century modern design - is like a series of eye orgasms. Everything and everybody looks fantastic. And not just fantastic, but dead on for the period.

And setting the show in an ad agency is brilliant, not only because being an ad man on Madison Avenue was one of the most glamorous jobs you could have at the time (think Darrin Stevens), but it's perfectly suited for discussing social change. Like it or not, advertisements are powerful indicators of who we are and what we consider important.

Breaking it down to its basics, it's a soap opera, with the usual soap opera subplots of secret pregnancies, hidden pasts, adultery, and backstabbing business dealings. But the sum is so much greater than its parts. The style of the show and the way it tells its stories is so low-key that at first glance it might come across boring, but again, that's of a piece with what the show's trying to say. Events sneak up on people and they don't always have easily read reactions. When I first started watching season 1, my initial reaction was "Nothing happens." When I got to about episode 5 I looked back and realized that a lot had happened. It's just that the writing and the directing was so subtle - and so not the normal television method of spelling everything out for the viewer - that it took a while for things to register.


The main character of the show is Don Draper as portrayed by the so-handsome-it-hurts Jon Hamm. If there's anyone who can bring back smoking, drinking and cheating on your wife as glamorous, it's him.

I'm not going to list all the characters here but i would like to talk about Christina Hendricks as Sterling Cooper office manager Joan Holloway. She is FABULOUS. With a body straight out of a pinup calendar and the ability to deliver a bitchy line that would make Bette Davis jealous ("You're the new girl and you're not much, so you might as well enjoy it."), she is drop-dead gorgeous, fascinating and MUCH smarter than the people around her realize. To be honest, she's probably my favorite character. Beautiful, stylish and bitchy. How could I not love her?

I urge you to rent Season 1 from Netflix and catch up on Season 2 on Sunday nights on AMC at 10pm.

Oh, and if you're trying to quit smoking, stock up on gum and carrot sticks ahead of time.















Let's just enjoy it while we can!!!

Now I am quietly waiting
for the catastrophe of my personality
to seem beautiful again,
and interesting, and modern.
The country is grey and
brown and white in trees,
snows and skies of laughter
always diminishing, less funny
not just darker, not just grey.
It may be the coldest day of
the year, what does he think of
that? I mean, what do I? And if I do,
perhaps I am myself again.