5:14 am.
I tap open the weather app.
23° F.
I glance out the window.
Dark. DARK.
The morning is the hardest time. It is hard enough anywhere for a man to begin the day’s work in darkness…One may be a long time realizing it, but cold and darkness deplete the body gradually; the mind turns sluggish; and the nervous system slows up in its responses…But I must not dwell on it. Otherwise I am undone.
~ Richard Byrd
I stare at the ceiling.
Go later. There will be light. It will be warmer.
I pull the comforter tighter.
Zeke sighs and nuzzles closer.
Who are you kidding? Get up and out.
I climb out of bed.
Needing the pull of inspiration, I take a new route.
The master said:
You must write what you see.
But what I see does not move me.
The master answered:
Change what you see.– Louise Glück, in Vita Nova
I’m running down Post Road through the heart of town.
Lamp posts are adorned with wreaths.
Red ribbons are stiffly flapping in the breeze.
Store fronts blazing with light, with holiday lights.
And then,
as swift as the peaceful, easy feeling embraced me,
it starts to leak.
I run.
The Panera Bread Company.
I see her stirring a tall pot.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup?
Are those Cranberry Orange Muffins on the rack in the window?
I run.
Bacon. I breathe deeply.
Uncle’s Deli. And the Sugar Bowl Luncheonette.
A breakfast sandwich on an English Muffin with Bacon, Egg and American Cheese.
Butter dripping down my chin.
I run.
Dunkin’ Donuts.
Steamy hot chocolate. Bear claws. Glazed jelly donuts.
I run.
Starbucks.
Latte Espresso laced with brown sugar. 1” slab of Banana Walnut Bread.
I run.
Trader Joe’s.
Bags of popcorn coated with caramel and drizzled with milk chocolate.
I run.
Back home.
Taking the back streets.
Far away from Devil’s food highway.
“I lust for everything. I even lust after cake. Yes, I am very lusty and very scary.”
Time Check: 6 miles. 55 minutes.
Time for:
An Advil. Or two.
A drive to the grocery store for an Entenmanns‘ danish (and a crumb cake?).
A hot shower.
And,
then,
Nap Time.
I don’t know why people are afraid of lust. Then I can imagine that they are very afraid of me, for I have a great lust for everything. A lust for life, a lust for how the summer-heated street feels beneath my feet, a lust for the touch of another’s skin on my skin…a lust for everything. I even lust after cake. Yes, I am very lusty and very scary.
― C. JoyBell C.
- Credits: Photograph Credit. Louise Gluck Quote: Litverve. Richard Byrd Quote: mythologyofblue. C. JoyBell C. Quote – Thank you Geoff.
- Related Posts: Running Series.
Live & Learn 
Wonderful post, which has everything. Thanks.
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Smiling. Thank you Ann.
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Great post, but my favorite is Gluck,…”Change what you see.” Wonderful
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Thank you. Loved the Gluck quote too. It inspired me to change my route and inspired this post. Unfortunately, it put me right in the line of “food row” fire… 🙂 Yet, I feel I will return back often to those words…Thanks again Larry.
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Desire is relentless 🙂
Thanks for sharing your run with us. It’s 13 degrees here and I’m not even ready to go from house to car to go get a Christmas tree, lol!
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13F in Oregon? Wow. That’s cold for Oregon, no?
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Yes, especially for this early in the season! Brr…
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wow!
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I think it’s great that you’re lusty – it’s got brio and energy and smells good..
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I’m glad that you think that it’s great to be lusty. I also love the word “brio” – had to look it up.
“Vigor or vivacity of style or performance.” I need to begin to work it in. I get the energy part. The smelling good part – hmmmmmm.
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Laughing…used a lot in music (‘con brio’) – but applicable to life. And working out with brio – ok, the smell is pretty awful. But as for the rest? Yes, delish…
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OK, I taking it all in! 🙂
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“I lust for everything. I even lust after cake. Yes, I am very lusty and very scary.” – And – “A breakfast sandwich on an English Muffin with Bacon, Egg and American Cheese.
Butter dripping down my chin.” Lol!!! David, what a way to “change what you see.” You are hilarious.
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Laughing. I thought about that when I was writing the post. That is funny!
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Fantastic post David. You rock!
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Thanks Christian!
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Why am I so hungry after reading your post? This made me smile!
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Laughing. After I arrived home, I think the best term to described my state of mind: ravenous.
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that’s a lot of stops. Enjoyed reading this.
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Smiling. And mental stops and the most difficult kind. 🙂
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Well pal, as the old Irish proverb says, ““Your feet will bring you to where your heart is.” 😉
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Love the proverb Lori. And boy, do my feet bring me to where my heart is… 🙂
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P.s. The Gluck quote is wonderful!
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Yes!
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Dave, I made it to Sugar Bowl at 2pm after a hungover nights sleep-walked 10ft from my car.
You are definitely a better man than me. Good to read about someone who enjoys”running and being”.
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Oh Boy. On this day (yesterday), I may have actually been a better man John. Not sure that I “enjoy” the “running and being” part John – but I get a high from finishing and I love the deep sleep naps. 🙂
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i love your run down devil’s food highway, and like you, i have a lust for life and know it is hard to steer away from that highway at times ) great post, david.
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Smiling. Thanks Beth.
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Laughing!
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🙂
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Wonderful post David, I always like running with you. And the Gluck quote is the best. I plan to incorporate it into one of my presentations. 🙂
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Thank you Tina. Love the Gluck piece. Feel that it will stick with me for some time.
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I think I must adopt this as my tag line: I am very lusty; and very scary.
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My mantra. Get on the bus. 🙂
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Running down “Devil’s Food Highway”– love the imagery and the post!
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Thanks Carolann
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Thought provoking!
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Thanks John.
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Definitely made me laugh out loud – the irony of going on a run past all of that food temptation!
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Thank you. Trying to lose weight with my run and at the same time the mind is yanking me the other way. Temptation running wild. 🙂
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I have such a thirst for life and I covet cookies.. I loved the raw freedom I experienced when I ran.I always found hope heading from the cold darkness into morning light… on another note — Yes, in parts of Oregon it gets below zero, every winter. It was unseasonable in Dec of 2013 reached -15 in a section of the usually mild Willamette Valley.
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Ahhhh, thanks for sharing your thoughts Christie. Back when I was considering colleges, Williamette was a consideration. You brought back memories.
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