Yesterday was a weird day. First thing in the morning, I got into a stupid argument (when are they not stupid!) with Mr. L. We made up quickly but it's still not the best way to start your morning. After that I was low on patience. I decided to go for a run to shake it off. Instead of it getting better, at first I just got more annoyed. WHY are these families taking up the entire sidewalk with their dogs and their coolers and their pool noodles and their 17 kids? WHY do they have so many kids anyway!? Why can't people have a low number of well behaved kids who stay off the middle of the sidewalk?!
Why is this car parked on the shoulder? Don't they know the shoulder is for bikes and runners, NOT for your convenience so you can be 20 feet closer to the beach so you don't have to walk your dog and your cooler and your 17 kids and your pool noodle that much farther!? Why should I have to suffer because you decided to come to my neighborhood today? You probably need the extra 20 feet of exercise because I bet your cooler is stuffed with hot dogs and Cheetos and sugary sodas anyway!
It was not my day. I was being totally negative. In my head of course.
I am passive aggressive. I would probably never actually say anything to anyone. Actually the other day I really and truly ACCIDENTALLY bumped into one of the bathing suit clad ladies carrying a pool noodle. The reason I bumped into her is because the pool noodle is kind of long and I was trying to devise a strategy for getting around her as I was coming up behind her. I mean, do you go to the right around the shorter end of the noodle, or to the left around the bigger end? I decided to go left, as you normally would when passing a slower moving vehicle. Just as I was about to go around her, she swung herself, and the noodle, around and I kind of rammed into her elbow/the noodle. On accident. Then of course I felt bad, as if she wasn't taking up the entire sidewalk with her noodle AND making moves without giving any warning.
But yesterday was not that day. I swerved around the kids by going into the bushes on the side. I jumped over the dog leashes, did the crip walk (<------ if you don't know what this is, you have to click here and imagine me in my running shorts doing this on the sidewalk) around the coolers and did the limbo under the pool noodles.
I got halfway through my run and my calf was hurting. It had been hurting for several days. In fact, I cut my run short on Sunday and skipped my run on Monday and Tuesday because of it. It was probably karma. When I reached the turn around point, I was in Capitola, which is a little beach town near Santa Cruz. I decided to take a break and "ice" my calf...in the ocean. So I did. I took off my shoes and waded in. I stood there for about 15 minutes, just enjoying the COLD water, the sun, the waves, and yes, even the families and their pool noodles. Afterward, I sat in the sun and dried off a bit. And saw this.
Just so you know, there were tons of people in the water -- "swimming, surfing and doing other water sports". Tons of kids actually. Not so many parents. Maybe the parents are as sick of their kids this summer as I am. Oh my gosh, I am just kidding! Wow. Don't get all riled up.
Anyway...sitting there, watching the waves, listening to the sound of people enjoying themselves and thinking about things restored my inner peace. I know it sounds kind of hippie-dippy, but really, after a bit of a run and some sun and sand and water (and thinking about all the pool noodles getting eaten by sharks), I was in a much better mood. The second half of my run was much better. EVEN THOUGH I still had to do the crip walk from time to time!
Who needs mood altering drugs? I have exercise and fresh air. Sometimes they just takes a little longer to take effect.
What do you do when you are in a funk? Why do you think we let certain things get to us? If you don't let things get to you, what's your secret?
Why is this car parked on the shoulder? Don't they know the shoulder is for bikes and runners, NOT for your convenience so you can be 20 feet closer to the beach so you don't have to walk your dog and your cooler and your 17 kids and your pool noodle that much farther!? Why should I have to suffer because you decided to come to my neighborhood today? You probably need the extra 20 feet of exercise because I bet your cooler is stuffed with hot dogs and Cheetos and sugary sodas anyway!
It was not my day. I was being totally negative. In my head of course.
I am passive aggressive. I would probably never actually say anything to anyone. Actually the other day I really and truly ACCIDENTALLY bumped into one of the bathing suit clad ladies carrying a pool noodle. The reason I bumped into her is because the pool noodle is kind of long and I was trying to devise a strategy for getting around her as I was coming up behind her. I mean, do you go to the right around the shorter end of the noodle, or to the left around the bigger end? I decided to go left, as you normally would when passing a slower moving vehicle. Just as I was about to go around her, she swung herself, and the noodle, around and I kind of rammed into her elbow/the noodle. On accident. Then of course I felt bad, as if she wasn't taking up the entire sidewalk with her noodle AND making moves without giving any warning.
But yesterday was not that day. I swerved around the kids by going into the bushes on the side. I jumped over the dog leashes, did the crip walk (<------ if you don't know what this is, you have to click here and imagine me in my running shorts doing this on the sidewalk) around the coolers and did the limbo under the pool noodles.
I got halfway through my run and my calf was hurting. It had been hurting for several days. In fact, I cut my run short on Sunday and skipped my run on Monday and Tuesday because of it. It was probably karma. When I reached the turn around point, I was in Capitola, which is a little beach town near Santa Cruz. I decided to take a break and "ice" my calf...in the ocean. So I did. I took off my shoes and waded in. I stood there for about 15 minutes, just enjoying the COLD water, the sun, the waves, and yes, even the families and their pool noodles. Afterward, I sat in the sun and dried off a bit. And saw this.
Just so you know, there were tons of people in the water -- "swimming, surfing and doing other water sports". Tons of kids actually. Not so many parents. Maybe the parents are as sick of their kids this summer as I am. Oh my gosh, I am just kidding! Wow. Don't get all riled up.
 |
| How embarrassing; you can see my sock tan line. |
Anyway...sitting there, watching the waves, listening to the sound of people enjoying themselves and thinking about things restored my inner peace. I know it sounds kind of hippie-dippy, but really, after a bit of a run and some sun and sand and water (and thinking about all the pool noodles getting eaten by sharks), I was in a much better mood. The second half of my run was much better. EVEN THOUGH I still had to do the crip walk from time to time!
Who needs mood altering drugs? I have exercise and fresh air. Sometimes they just takes a little longer to take effect.
What do you do when you are in a funk? Why do you think we let certain things get to us? If you don't let things get to you, what's your secret?
Sorry you were having an off morning. I think all the pool noodles would could of ruin my run too. I love that so many people were in the ocean with the shark warning posted!
ReplyDeleteNothing like a bunch of kids to ruin a perfectly good day, and I'm NOT kidding ;-) Bratty kids can ruin just about any situation!
ReplyDeleteFresh air, exercise, and the ocean sound like perfect mood-alterers to me!
ReplyDeleteI like it. The best way to feel better is to imagine all of the people that annoy you getting eaten by sharks. Passive-agressive behavior at its best.
ReplyDeleteI am super passive aggressive when people take up the entire damn sidewalk and don't realize that they're being so rude. Ugh that drives me nuts. Of course I just stew silently. Luckily I usually snap out of it pretty quickly!
ReplyDeleteI totally have those same conversations in my head! glad that the relaxation of the run and shark beach cleared you head out!
ReplyDeleteI loved this post. Sounds like me on more days than I care to admit but it amazing how quickly and how easily our moods can shift when we start thinking in the right way. Hope the calf is better.
ReplyDeleteI definitely have those days, too! My cure is more coffee + a run. It doesn't always work, but it usually helps. ;)
ReplyDeleteSO funny! I have been having those type of days the last couple of days. Everyone does. I try to go for a run and hope it subsides. Sometimes I can let things slide off my back and sometimes I can't, it depends on the day. Glad the second half of your run went better:)
ReplyDeleteHere's a bone ... at least you can walk upright. I threw out my back this morning and have spent most of the day icing and heating it. SOOOOO painful. I'd take the crazy big families if I could just get rid of this back pain (then again, even if I could, I'd still probably cuss them out in my head and huff and puff outloud ... hahaha!).
ReplyDeleteThis is such a funny read... I am sorry to laugh but it sounds like you made it up! You should become an author, Kyria... you would be a best seller for sure!
ReplyDeleteI have weird days like that sometimes too where it seems like everything irritates me. I hate when that happens but love when my mood suddenly shifts.
ReplyDeleteI am passive aggressive with this sort of stuff too. I cuss them out in my mind. I roll my eyes. I huff and puff a little louder. But I never say anything. Although I really would like to. I wish people were more respectful when they were out on walking/running paths! Or sidewalks! Rude!
ReplyDeleteWhen I am in a funk, I usually try to run or bike or do something. I remove myself from the situation if I can as once i am in a bad mood - WATCH OUT.
I get impatient at times with parents who don't watch their kids on the indoor track at the community center. One day I got so frustrated I abandoned the A/C and headed back outside into 90 degree temps. I'd rather battle the heat than kids who aren't being watched by parents!
ReplyDeleteI had a few weeks of peace but now I am experience path rage again at the park. What's keeping me going is that we learned we'll be back in the U.S. next year for an entire year! I can handle one more year, I can handle one more year...
ReplyDelete