• the smokers at work who smoke by the door, despite the signs saying No Smoking, can feel the venom of hate dripping from my body as I walk by?
• I will ever be able to wear proper heels again?
• that woman who parked halfway into a handicap spot and never straightened out noticed the dirty looks of onlookers … and also whether she inconvenienced someone who really needed that handicapped spot?
• the real estate market will rebound enough for us to sell our condo at a profit? Before we’re 50?
• my generation will eventually need knee and hip replacements from all the pounding we do to our bodies?
• that driver going way too slow in the middle lane of the highway noticed the line of cars behind him and all the cars passing him on his left and right … and also if he ever considered moving over to the slow lane?
• we will ever buy a piano, so I can begin playing again?
• that person whom I held the door open for heard me say You’re Welcome, because I certainly didn’t hear her say Thank You?
• I will ever have the desire to run another marathon?
• we will have to make a decision to stay in a condo in order to stay in the city or sell out and move to the suburbs in order to buy a house?
• the community at large will ever fully embrace online dating, blogging and other social networking fads or whether those of us who use them will always be given cock-eyed looks?

What are the things you wonder about? And do you have any answers to my musings?

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The other night, I was sitting in a group setting. A person was telling a story about this guy in the neighborhood walking a small dog. She suggested that guys with small dogs are either walking their girlfriends’/wives’ dogs or they’re gay. She said she saw him for months and couldn’t figure him out. Until one day, he was walking with his girlfriend. She said, THANK GOD … implying it would’ve been the end of the world if he was gay. This person knows my brother is gay. This person also has acted gay-friendly in the past. The most surprising part of that moment? I was stunned into silence. I had no voice to question her intentions. Shame on me.

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Sweets and I took a long walk with the dog the other afternoon. He wanted to stop in a mobile phone store to get some accessories for his new phone, so I waited outside with the dog. I looked up to see a childhood friend from St. Louis waiting at the bus stop. We said hello and confirmed plans for this weekend (plans we made weeks ago). She got on her bus to head home. Not two minutes later, another bus was passing and I saw someone waving from the windows. It was one of our neighbors, so I waved back. After Sweets left the store, we began walking down the block when some random dude looked at us like he knew us and emphatically said HI. Sweets and I looked at each other and looked back at him. Neither of us knew him. We both laughed. But, I’ve decided that’s a happy block (i.e., my happy place), where I’ll return if I’m ever feeling down. ha.

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The other day, my brother mentioned he was hoping some of us in the family would pool our resources together and get him an iPad for his birthday, which is today (Happy Birthday, bro!). I emailed Sweets, my parents and my brother’s boyfriend to see if everyone was on-board.  We determined who was willing to spend what and a strategy for getting my brother his gift (via a gift certificate, so he could choose the exact model he wanted). Later that day, my brother emailed me to say he’s so excited that we’re getting him an iPad. And by the next morning, he had it in his hands. No waiting for the actual gift certificate. Talk about a gadget boy.

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Our neighbors have decided to put their condo up for sale. Other than Sweets and me, every other unit is still owned by the original owners (the building was a gut rehab about a year or two before we moved in). I totally get why they’re moving (they need better public services for their son and Chicago Public Schools is not able to offer them what they need), but am equally sad to see them go. I caught myself asking another neighbor, “What are we going to do to ensure whomever buys their place keeps the integrity of our building?!” Wouldn’t it be nice if we could interview potential buyers?!?

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Speaking of units for sale, I have noticed a marked increase in For Sale signs lately. The other day, I finally went on a lunchtime run with SoMi. There are a few For Sale signs on multi-unit buildings that have been sitting there since last fall (some since last summer). But, in the last week or two, 1-2 more For Sale signs have gone up on those exact same buildings. This is either good news (real estate is rebounding, so people feel confident about putting their homes on the market) or bad news (even if the real estate market is rebounding, there is now a flood of homes on the market, which essentially dilutes the value of each of those homes). Time will tell. Good things Sweets and I have no immediate plans to put our condo on the market.

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Despite our best efforts to go to the Roller Derby when I was in Madison last month, we were foiled when we learned they were SOLD OUT. Thankfully, Chicago has its own Roller Derby team. So, today, I am buying tickets to the Windy City Rollers next match on May 1. Do you know how excited this makes me? You know what else excites me? Knowing I’m going to sign up for Madison’s Half Marathon in August and will be running it with a wonderful gal pal of mine. It’s the little things that make me happy.

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So tell me, if you had a choice and could only choose one, what would you choose: an iPad, tickets to the roller derby or entry to a destination race?

I started my weekend off with my first training run for this 10-mile race I will be completing in May. I wanted to bring SoMi for part of it, but knew she’d be exhausted from her first week of running (she’d already run a total of 6 miles that week). So, I brought her on a short 2-mile loop, dropped her off at home and finished the next 3 miles on my own. It was the perfect start to the weekend.

I wore comfy yoga pants and a warm fleece vest for the 2½ hour car ride from Chicago to Madison, thinking I’d change once I got there. Instead, my girlfriends and I immediately walked out the door and up the street to the Great Dane Pub. Apparently this place is a landmark, so we had some microbrews (of which there are plenty in the area) and downed some greasy pub food for lunch.

Walking down State Street, the main pedestrian thoroughfare in Madison, we window browsed at hippy-dippy tie-dyed, patchouli-smelling shops to high-end, overpriced cute little boutiques better situated in trendy Chicago. And then it was off to the Botanical Gardens, where we saw a small flower show, learned about where chocolate comes from (no samples, though, boo!) and walked through the snow-covered gardens.

It wasn’t until we were talking about our evening plans that I finally snuck away to change into the proper clothes I intended to wear that day (jeans and a sweater, perfect for Madcity). That  night, we tried to go to the Roller Derby. Only, they were SOLD OUT. It was crazy how many people were already in the parking lot when we arrived. Thankfully, Chicago has their own team, so I’ll have to check them out here at home. Instead, we went out for drinks, out for dinner and out for more drinks (while I pretended not to watch UNC get their asses handed to them by Duke).

Sunday, we finished our visit with a 4-mile walk. Along the way, we stopped off at Lazy Jane’s for breakfast. Only, there was nowhere to sit and we didn’t want to wait. So, we continued on our walk and wound up at Eldorado, where we not only were seated immediately, but we were seated next to the visiting roller derby team. One of the girls had a beat-up eye where the white part was bloody. Clearly, we missed a crazy night.

But, that’s ok. Our night (and whole visit) consisted of catching up on years of history. Recent break-ups and exciting new relationships. Walks down memory lane of our joint trip to Spain too many years ago. Discussions of travels recently completed and soon to be had. Conversations about work-life balance. And debates about life in the way you only can with friends whom share your history. Friends who don’t need to be filled in. Friends who just know. Because they’ve been there with you. Through all your ups and downs, ins and outs.

Our next meeting may be in Chicago. It may be in Madison. We’re not really sure. And it doesn’t really matter. Getting to soak up time with these friends warms my heart. Fills my soul. And reminds me just how valuable these kinds of relationships are.

When was the last time you got together with some of your besties? How did you celebrate your time together?

The temperature reminded me of an October day in 2001, when I ran my second marathon here in Chicago. It was crisp and cold and, if I’m honest, perfect (for me) weather to run a long-distance race. I ran my own PR (personal record) that day.

There was a time when I would run in almost any weather. I remember going for a 6-mile run along the lakefront on a windy, snowy day. The temperature must have been around 10°F. Ice crystals formed on my eye lashes, in my nose, on my face. It was after that run that I established some limits on the kinds of weather I’ll run through. I’ve slowly added limitation upon limitation to that list. These days, it must be above freezing before I’ll head outside.

Yesterday, in a sort of impromptu move, I decided it would be the perfect day to kick off my own personal outdoor running season. Since I started working at home a few days a week, my outdoor running season typically consists of 3-mile runs at lunch with SoMi, slightly longer runs around 4 miles after work (with or without the pooch) and potentially much longer runs on the weekend (6-15 miles) sans dog.

So, as I pulled on my fleece pants and my wind-resistant jacket. As I tugged my hat down around my ears and threw on some gloves. I also prepared myself for a less-than-perfect run.  My first run outside since November. SoMi’s first run at all in many months. Who knows how our bodies would react. But, less than perfect would be a-ok. The point was to get out there. And get started.

To my surprise, SoMi did remarkably well. She didn’t start to complain (suddenly stop to smell the ground, i.e., take a break and procrastinate) until Mile 2. And even then, she only needed a few moments to collect herself before she began trotting again. The cold air was as good for her as it was for me. She didn’t pant hardly at all. And when we got home? After I gave her a few treats? She proceeded to pass out like a champ.

She did it. We did it. Let the outdoor running season commence.

What are your limits for what you will and won’t do outside?

You know I’m hosting that giveaway, right? Have you entered yet? What on earth are you waiting for? Do it. Now!

The fresh flowers in my house inspired me to stop and smell the flowers. The last few weekends, we’ve had company in our house. Each weekend, there were some beautiful flowers at the market that I just couldn’t pass up. The Gerbera Daisies are so big and so colorful and so beautiful. I find myself stopping mid-task to look at them in awe. I’ll admit I’ve forgotten a few times what I was setting out to do, because the flowers took my focus away. And sometimes, that’s a good thing. Clearing the mind. So, thank you Gerbera Daisies.

Nora inspired me to run 5 miles at the gym last night. We’re both planning to run the same 10-mile race in May. I’ve taken an interest in her running, because it’s the first time she will run a race of that distance. She said she ran 5 miles the other night in the gym. When I started thinking about it, I realized I haven’t run that far since it was warm outside. Like last October. So, I decided to go for it on the track at my gym. I did it. Thanks, Nora.

Mandy inspired me to read a little more. She picked up from the library the same book I’m reading for my book club. I’ve been reading my book for over a month. In a matter of days, she caught up to me. We both are enjoying the book and just might discuss it when I’m done. I’m pretty sure she’ll be done within a few more days. I will definitely need more time than that, but I’m feeling more motivated to finish it now. Thanks, Mandy.

Sweets inspired me to kick back a little bit and relax. Tuesday nights are generally trivia night. However, we’ve both been exhausted this week, him more than me. When our friend asked if we were heading out to trivia night night, I said probably not. We’re going to the theater on Wednesday (tonight!) and needed Tuesday night to just relax. If it weren’t for Sweets being in my life, I would have succumbed to the opportunity to be social with friends. But, I needed that night in just as much as he did. Thanks, Sweets.

Right now, that’s what is inspiring me. What inspires you this week?