todo es bueno

a cold front blew in around 3 pm and i had a pretty good run around town lake. about 6.6 miles without breathing hard.

a cute blonde who looked to be about 39 asked me a silly question about how far apart the cones were spaced on the austin high running track, not wanting the distance but my opinion as to whether the cones divided the track equally in half. i gave her an encouraging smile and said they looked to be spaced at opposite ends, indeed dividing the track in half. she said something about feeling like she was finishing her sprints too fast, and i said "no i don't think you're cutting it short." which was probably some subconscious way of saying that i wanted to cut the conversation short. and it awkwardly reminded me of castration. voila, i was soon on my way. it's interesting that i think that i like women to be bold like this, but when i meet the rare individual who is i am so afraid of being sleazy that i bolt in the opposite direction. some part of me wanted to smile and stay put, talking to her until i could at least be sure she was done asking her question. but close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. i could have said "you know, i'm looking for a training partner," but i was really more interested in my own survival at that moment, staying poised just so. i sense extreme danger at the threshold of getting what i want. or perhaps she really wanted a second opinion on the distance between cones. the only sane option is to have faith that you made the right call, and play again at the earliest opportunity.

the picture is from an interesting modeling agency called uglyny which specializes models who don't quite fit the mold.