mlawton

mlawton, 1 month ago to random

They talked me into a “power red” donation today. Two units of red blood cells in one go. https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/how-to-donate/types-of-blood-donations/power-red-donation.html

Now I can’t donate again for a longer period, but I guess the logic is economic: “a unit in hand today is worth more than the promise of a unit later.”

Happy to give. If you’re eligible, please consider it!
#giveblood

mlawton, 4 months ago to random

This salesperson has cold emailed me 8 times. That's no big deal, but what is surprising is that each is a forward of the ENTIRE thread. I'm not sure what their strategy is intended to accomplish. It seems self-defeating, as it lays bare exactly how futile this effort is. Am I to feel guilty for not engaging, perhaps? I really don't.

I guess bonus points for dogged perseverance, but negative points because now my opinion of that company is one of buffoonery.

mlawton, 1 month ago to random

As a kid, I always found it odd that Mister Rogers would change his shoes and cardigan when coming or leaving home.

But here I am, returned from a haircut and immediately changing back out of my jeans & shoes and back into sweatpants & flips.

He was a genius.

Mister Rogers, wearing a red cardigan, is changing shoes. He tosses one from one hand to the other.

mlawton, 1 year ago to random

This weekend, while eating pancakes, my daughter told us that when she was little, she hadn't liked butter. She endured it on pancakes, feeling that one doesn't ask for them without.

Without missing a beat, I told her, "Too bad. You'd have been butter off."

In the pause that ensued, the celebrations I thought requisite for such a master level dad-joke did not come. Instead, there was silence & then the conversation continued. Some artists, I told myself, are not appreciated in their lifetimes.

mlawton, 4 months ago to random

Found out the husband & wife owners of a local restaurant we really liked attended the January 6th insurrection and we'll never go back. They claim they attended the rally and left when they saw it turning violent. I could almost give them the benefit of the doubt, but others dug up his abhorrent FB posts and that puts a bow on it.

In some cases, perhaps you can find a way to separate the art from the artist. This isn't one.

mlawton, 4 months ago to random

Blood donation complete.🩸✅

mlawton, 4 days ago to wildlife

Just LOOK at this adorable baby bunny! Not even the size of your clenched fist.

It must have sought shelter from the thunderstorm up against the basement door. We were equally surprised when I opened it to step outside. For a hot minute, we had a tense stare down that allowed me time to snap these two pics before it scampered off into the underbrush.

#WildLife #Bunny

A close-up of a small, baby rabbit sitting on a wooden deck. Its left hind leg is splayed out to the side and I feared it was injured, but I think it’s just slipped on the wet deck when I surprised it.

mlawton, 5 months ago to running

🎶And the moon rose over an open field

"Kathy, I'm lost", I said, though I knew she was sleeping 🎶

(Sometimes you know EXACTLY how a song popped into your head.)

Cold one tonight, relatively. 33°F/0.5°C and a windchill of 23°F/-5°C thanks to sustained 16-24 kph winds. Felt like a harder effort than usual, but I expect that was the wind. #Running

mlawton, 2 months ago (edited 2 months ago) to books

I finished the audiobook of “The Traveling Cat Chronicles” and just adored it. If there was a book equivalent of a steaming hot bowl of ramen on a cold and blustery day, this is it. #bookstodon #Books

mlawton, 2 months ago to wildlife

Saw this beauty through the window, a 4-1/2 foot (~137 cm) Central Ratsnake (Pantherophis Alleghaniensis). It climbed up a bush near the corner of the house and I was able to get some close ups. I didn’t see a birds nest, so I suspect it was preparing to lay in wait for prey to ambush, which I’ve read they sometimes do. #wildlifephotography #WildLife #snake

A long black snake on the ground among leaves and green plants.

mlawton, 2 months ago to random

I just successfully helped with advanced chemistry homework -- not because I remembered any chemistry, mind you, but because I was calm, employed a bit of logic, and know how to search online.

I'm sure the kids hate having a dad who remembers nothing, knows nothing, and yet somehow calmly and swiftly solves their problems and scuttles their rage in under 5 minutes.

mlawton, 14 days ago to SNAKES

I am both fascinated by #snakes and, if I’m honest, a little scared of them too. Perhaps more than a little.

I know this 4’ central rat snake is non-venomous, and many people would just snatch it up and relocate it. I could not do it! My courage repeatedly faltered at the critical moment.

I eventually discouraged it from climbing up the house. I might have even shrieked when it turned & let go of the brick wall, plummeting 5 feet to the ground.

We both survived, mostly unscathed.

#WildLife

mlawton, 4 months ago to random

One of the reasons I fell out of love with the NFL was the brutal long-term physical and mental damage current and former players suffered. The league gives lip service to making it right, but then exhibits unconscionable behavior:

"In total, court records show, the settlement has approved about 900 dementia claims since it opened in 2017. It has denied nearly 1,100, including almost 300 involving players who were diagnosed by the settlement’s own doctors."

(Gift link)
https://wapo.st/3SBxLcq

WTL, 5 months ago to random

Here's my periodic ask that if you can donate blood, to please do so. #BloodDonation #ItsInYouToGive

WTL, 4 months ago to running

Friday: 160 seconds of plank, 7.5 minutes of kettle bells, followed by 11.1 km of #running (-17°C with a windchill of -26°C). Run felt like tough, some sidewalks are still a mess, but I’m done!

The pictured SUV just… parked on the sidewalk, blocking both directions. 🤦🏻

Snow beard happened, but my wife really doesn't like it. 🤣

#FirstSong of the day was Bif Naked’s I Love Myself Today (remixed) - we saw her perform a really wonderful acoustic version of this here in #Ottawa a few years ago.

1) Rideau River, covered in snow, with the pre-dawn sky lit up with some orange and yellows. 2) Snow person protecting a Ukrainian Flag 3) Snow covered recreational path, lined with trees, and almost sunrise. 4) SUV parked on corner sidewalk blocking both directions. 5) Selfie of white guy in glasses, orange hoodie, red coat, and a beard encrusted with ice.

WTL, 15 days ago to random

The topic of first concerts we saw came up today and I was floored to realize that today is the thirtieth anniversary of my seeing Pink Floyd in concert at the Big O (Olympic stadium) in Montreal.

What a band to see live. And really set expectations way too high for other concerts.

What was your first concert?

#FirstConcert #Music

WTL, 4 months ago (edited 4 months ago) to running

Wednesday: 150 seconds of plank, 30 pushups, followed by 10.6 km of #running (+2°C and misting). Figure I'd try some pushups to see how the should was feeling.

The run was a real slog. Dense, heavy snow, with a layer of slush under it. Sidewalks are an icy mess. I got splashed by two pickup trucks, once about 1km into the run and intentionally about 1 km from home. 🤬 #autowa #Ottawa

#FirstSong was Inshouha’s Beam! - while I was running for a change, as I ran out of podcasts ~2km from home.

sebastianhahn, 3 months ago to running

Last night, I forgot to activate my alarm… So I woke up at around 5am. Then I took my time, but it felt good to go outside (almost 10 C), and I‘ll never get how long I endured the old wheels on my rower, now that I have the comparison. Have a great weekend, y‘all! #Running #rowing #applefitnessplus #applewatchultra2 #schwinn

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s1m0n4, 3 months ago to running

#running #workoutoftheday

#intervalrunning with 4:1: intervals (4' slow pace, 1' fast pace) x6

I'm getting faster but I have to weigh this with a grain of salt because yesterday I took an unplanned rest day. Rest days considerably and positively affect my performance.

Mmmh, now wondering if I should take 2 consecutive rest days before my 10k race on March 17th.

#fitodon #fitness #parkrun (just a run at the park!)

Run map & stats 30m24s active time 4,82 km 59 heart points

mlawton, 4 months ago to running

My son’s indoor team had a doubleheader tonight, so my run was always going to be a late one. As a night owl, that’s no problem. 🌙🦉

Complicating matters was the windchill advisory going into effect right as I was wrapping up. It wasn’t so bad at the start, but my god how I could feel it plummeting! Ended up at 21°F/-6°C temps with windchill of 7°F/-13°C. I’m glad I won’t be out in it as it worsens!🥶

I did enjoy #Running in some very light snow flurries. That was kind of fun!

sebastianhahn, 4 months ago to running

Throat still sore, voice still gone, now I can’t turn my head to the right. I keep falling apart… 🤪 Running was great, so was cycling, but my neck kept me from rowing. It’s about time for the weekend… #applewatchultra2 #schwinn #applefitnessplus #Running #health

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mlawton, 4 months ago to random

https://open.spotify.com/track/3kN1om53zT8Q4F7MNpPjPq?si=JbguAqA9RBO_xIwh26Lpfw&context=spotify%3Aplaylist%3A37i9dQZF1EYkqdzj48dyYq Whatever ails you, consider Otis Redding as part of the remedy.

WTL, 3 months ago to random

I really welcome the break in the shoot, but I'm now stuck; my “normal" bed time is 9:15pm, and during the shoot I've been getting to bed between 3:45 and 4:15 in the morning. We resume production on Friday to Sunday, then off, and back Friday to Sunday … with another weekend after as backup.

I’m tired now, could use the sleep… maybe I'll go to bed at normal time and not set an alarm.

Being alive can be complicated. 🤷🏻 🤣

mlawton, 13 days ago to random

A pretty decent thunderstorm rolled through and knocked our power out. Despite their claims to the contrary, our local power company is completely negligent about maintaining their infrastructure, so trees are forever falling on the lines. We’re used to it, but I still get irked about it.

No idea how long we’ll be down, but two hours in and no ETA means it’s going to be awhile.

We’re fine. Cooking steaks on the grill and we’d brought home ingredients for strawberry shortcakes. Not all bad!