Trader Joe’s, a Cemetery and a Five-mile Run, Oh My!

BadlandsSo sometimes when I sit down to write a post the words just come out, that does not usually happen on the days that I run! For some reason sometimes running not only gets to me physically, but also mentally as well. Today after a my first five-mile run in a long, long time I am wiped out. It also may be the result of working all day, Friday 8:30-5:00 and then 6:00 to 11:15 and then again last night from 5:30 to 11:15 or a combination of the two!! Read More

Book 29 of 2013 – Caribbean Moon – Rick Murcer

Caribbean MoonSo Rick Murcer‘s book Caribbean Moon, the first book in the Manny Williams series, has been on my Kindle and iPhone for a long while now. The other day (while I am in the middle of The Templar Salvation by Raymond Khoury) I started reading it and I didn’t put it down until it became book 29 for 2013. You can pickup the e-book at Amazon for 99 cents and I tell you it’s well worth it and a lot more! Murcer has nor always been a full-time writer’ He lost his job in 2008 due to the crashing of the economy. He then sent out over 600 resumes and still was unable to find employment. So  with unemployment benefits waning and savings nearly depleted he decided to become a full-time writer!! From his biography at his website: Read More

August 2013 Music – Part 1 -Vibes from Warren Wolf – Wolfgang

WolfgangOver the last few days I’ve been listening to several new albums from several different genres. A new jazz album from vibraphonist Warren Wolf Wolfgang, an Americana album from a new supergroup Willie Sugarcapps, and a new bluegrass album from two artists that have been around a while and seem to be getting better with age Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby Live. These three albums were released this week and have joined my music rotation quickly, They’ve joined another album that’s been in the rotation for over a week now. The new album from jazz-blues guitarist Jeff Golub and organist Brian Auger Train Keeps A Rolling. Willie Supercapps was the only album of the four that didn’t get listened to yesterday. Warren Wolf was listened to early in the day, while I was working, Ricky and Bruce joined mne on my way to and from a wetland site in Medford and finally Jeff and Brian’s music was heard, as I ran some errands. So let’s take them one at a time in the order I listened to them yesterday, Read More

A Good Run with a New App and The CD Woodbury Band!

Monday NightSo after two runs last week and then not being able to run this weekend because of Elizabeth’s move, and work at Target, I was determined to run last night. On the last two runs, I had used my work Windows phone and an app called Run the Map. It worked ok but for some reason the phone would only play half of the songs on the album I was listening to, so the headphones came off about mid-way in the run, which actually wasn’t that bad because I was struggling at the end of the runs so I really wasn’t listening, because I was paying attention to my heart rate. Anyway last night I found an app. for my Iphone called Runmeter I haven;’ figured out all the options yet but yesterday it was displaying the pace I was running at the time and my average pace for the run. When I finished  both the total distance of the run and the pace were close to what I had measured the course at and the pace from my heart monitor watch!! Overall the time over about 4.2 miles was 44:38 almost three ,minutes faster than a week ago and the pace was around 10:40 per mile, Not too bad considering that the 12 whole miles I’ve run in August beats the average over the May, June and July by a lot!! Read More

Lunchtime Music: John Mayall, Buddy Guy and Junior Wells – “Messin’ with the Kid”

Junior Wells and uddy GuyOk so this one will be quick, this morning I was looking around for some morning music and came across this dynamite video featuring John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers with Buddy Guy and Junior Wells. Now I have been a fan of John Mayall since the early 70s and Buddy Guy, particularly, some of his more recent stuff, but for some reason I never have gotten into Junior Wells’ music. After watching this video all I can do is shake my head and say – why not!! I think someone needs to check out Mr. Wells’ discography real quick-like! Read More

Moving Day – A Trip to Elizabeth’s new apartment near the University of Delaware!

So yesterday, we were away most of the day, moving my daughter Elizabeth into her new apartment. She will be in graduate school this year at the University of Delaware. She will be sharing an apartment with another grad student in her program. Their apartment is located about ten minutes from campus and the good thing for me, only 70 miles from our home. A nice relief from the 320 mile trek to William and Mary! While I don’t miss the travel to W&M especially the traffic from Washington to Fredericksburg, I do miss seeing the campus! Read More