In Treatment

I just finished watching the first 5 episodes of the "In Treatment" Season 1. I almost wanted to stop watching it after the first episode, but then continued on the next, only to find myself getting addicted to continue. The series is profound in its writing and content. I just have such a hard to time believing there really are viewers out there today who are willing to watch a HBO series that literally has whole episodes of just sessions of psycho therapy, making it pretty much a dialogue drama. It's really exciting to see something so different. Anyhow, I didn't start this blog entry to review the show. I was in a bad mood when I first started watching it. There's been thoughts about loneliness again and I'm feeling afraid that it's the way I'm built, despite the circumstances. And again, it's not about have a ton of people who care about you and love you, etc. It's mostly the fact that I often don't have an output. No one on the receiving end. I do, but perhaps I'm not using them as the resource to do so because I don't know how to. And then it always comes back to why focus on myself. My energy should be out there and not inside all the time. I mean I have the ability to be happy, as everyone does, but why do I always trap myself for no reason at all?

Perhaps, the answer will come tomorrow, after a good night sleep.

List of Nothings, But Maybe Some Things

I thought I did nothing this past weekend, but then find out there's much to feel good about. Here's a list of accomplishments.

• Completed a 7 mile run in approximately 58 minutes. This is most likely the longest I've ran without stopping, especially at this pace. It was painfully boring and no, I don't think I enjoyed it all that much.


• Attended a small Guatemalan wedding where I was the ONLY non Latino person there. I really need to brush up on my Spanish.


• Cooked a whole pot of Chinese chicken soup, which included delicious chicken leg meat, carrots, ginger, celery, onion, Shitake mushroom, chicken broth, sesame oil, Taiwan rice wine, and chicken bone. The purpose of the soup was to help cure a sore throat, and it did not seem to work too well.


• Finalized the supposedly funny scene from the play "Moose Mating" in acting class.


• Had Father's Day lunch - with the dad, mom, Jenny, and Gary. It went "OK" which is more than I can ask for. The one thing that made me most happy this weekend.
  

No Injuries, No Complaints, No Runner's High.

I've been feel pretty good about my body lately. It's week 2 of the marathon training, and so far so good. No injuries, no complaints, no runner's high. Nothing spectacular yet. The one thing I did get was being locked inside Diamond Bar High School, and having no way to get out, so I ended up having to climb the fence like a ghetto burglar. What an embarrassment! Oh well, that's what I get for staying so late on the tracks.

I did get to go hiking this past Saturday at Topanga Canyon State Park and ended up on the wrong path for a total 9 mile hike. We went so far south, that we could see the ocean side of Pacific Palisades. The next time, we're going to hike all the way down from Encino to PCH. That will be fun!

The Beginning of a Long Ways to Go

This is week 1 of my marathon training. It's only a basic 3 miles for 3 days and then one 6 mile run on Saturday. I'm mostly concerned about my running form for now. I'm trying to stick with running efficiently and preventing injury by running on the ball of the feet and ending at mid-foot. I'm also keeping my back straight, slightly leaning forward and then keeping my arms going back and forth rather than to the side. It's running, but it's harder than you think when you've been running with bad form all your life. Let's hope I can keep this up!

Date of the Long Beach Marathon: October 11, 2009

Below is the schedule I'm going to be following:

Traveling, I Need You

The ultimate luxury in life is to travel. I don't mean travel for work and going to conventions. I mean traveling to understand a new culture of the new city, state, or country that you visit. Even if it is only a few miles away from your home, you can learn something new and see the world through different eyes. I realize it's something I don't do enough of and find all the excuses in the world to not do so. Below are photos from a weekend road trip up the California coast to the Monterey Bay.

Am I A Dilettante?

dil⋅et⋅tante
–noun
1. a person who takes up an art, activity, or subject merely for amusement, esp. in a desultory or superficial way; dabbler.
2. a lover of an art or science, esp. of a fine art.

Basically it refers to a person who likes to learn a little of everything but never becomes good at any one thing. I think I'm that person!!! OUCH! I mean from directing, to acting, to hip hop, to Pilates, to tennis, to swimming, to running, to photography, to trying racquetball, and now even considering Kendo. I think all this is leading me to a lot of no-where's. Okay so maybe I won't say as much for acting and running as I think I've been keeping up and trying to invest my time in it.

While I still want to enjoy doing most of these activities, I really need to focus my energy on getting better at a few. That's my next goal.