Trips Be Necessary

Sometimes it's so durn hard just to retain a little positivity throughout the day. I let myself get bogged down in the minutiae of the gridlock and mind numbingly dull work conversations to the point where I forget about stuff to look forward to. But luckily . . . that's where random road/plane trips come through to save my outlook.

Last week I got to attend the HOW Interactive Design Conference in San Francisco, one of my favoritest of places. I used to go to San Fran on a yearly basis, thanks to the kickass indie comics show APE, that takes place annually at the airy Concourse Exhibition Center. For four lovely years in a row my friends and I would pack our gear, pick a pink hotel to stay in, and immerse ourselves in the hilly chilly lifestyle of that fair city. Sadly, when APE moved from APE-ril to November, I stopped going and haven't been back since. I also started going to Portland in April, and was forced to make a West Coast choice. I'm sorry San Fran! I'm so sorry!

Anyway. Just being back flooded me with warm snuggly memories. (Despite the fact that the homeless population has gotten a wee bit more aggressive since the last time I was there. Oddly enough, I can now say I haven't been trailed by scary guys in Baltimore as much as I have in SF.) And I'm not sure if it was the uber inspiring conference, the chance to meet up with friends AND family AND meet faces in person (the amazing Adrianne Ambrose), or the major bucks I dropped at H&M (it was RIGHT. ACROSS. THE STREET!!) ... but I've returned home feeling full of things to be happy about.

Thing #1: My new book to read

The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides. I've been a drooling fan of  his since Virgin Suicides, and although I haven't read all of Middlesex yet, I was dying to read this one. Happily, it hasn't disappointed and it successfully kept me entertained through the multiple bumpy plane trips I endured in the last week.

Thing #2: My new way to run

It looks totally silly, and I've already lost my balance AND made my calves super sore by attempting it, but I love the idea of this Once and Future Way to Run. Although, admittedly, my favorite thing about this could be the random Peter Sarsgaard in the video. The world would be a better place if it had some more P.S. Or is this just because I've seen Skeleton Key too much lately, and my logic is all skewed?

http://video.nytimes.com/video/2011/11/02/magazine/100000001149415/the-lost-secret-of-running.html

Thing #3: My extra hour

That's right, it's mine, that hour. For all the people who complain about winter and the darkness creeping in on them at 5:00 when they're trying to leave work and make it home before the vampires get out ... I say "God, finally!" Fall is engulfing us and winter is right around the corner and everyone is batting down the hatches trying to get ready. Here's to layers, gray mornings, crisp weather, and all the loveliness that is November!