greetings from boston!!

greetings from boston! arrived here mid-afternoon and went straight to the expo at the convention center! back at the hotel to regroup and map out plans for dinner - at the cambridge brewing company :D

happy birthday charlie chaplin!

charlie chaplin, born on april 16, 1889, is 121 years old in heaven today! chaplin died in switzerland in 1977 - he was 88 years old and the world's greatest comic genius. but comedy and film making aside, chaplin was an incredibly controversial political figure here in the united states- at least during the very cold war years of the late 40's and 50's.

his leftist politics were so anathema to the u.s. government that he was denied reentry to the united states in 1952 - after traveling to england for the premier of limelight. in 1953 chaplin vowed that he would never return to the united states! a vow that lasted until 1972, when he briefly returned the state to collect a special oscar at the academy awards. his appearance set a record for the longest standing ovation ever given a performer (5 minutes) in the academy's history!

three years later, in 1975, he was finally knighted by the queen. chaplin was first proposed for knighthood in 1931 - and again in 1956. but the british foreign office vetoed the proposal because of his communist sympathies and (im)moral behavior (his pair of marriage to 16 year old girls). sir charlie chaplin had by then become a living legend - and father of 8 children with his wife oona (the daughter of playwright eugene o'neill).

politics (and morals) aside, chapin was a great performer. his immortal character, the little tramp, has become a worldwide cultural icon. his comedies aren't just classics, but great films - in and of themselves! i'm huge fan of his work. over the years i've read many a chaplin biography. most recently, last year i read stephen weissman's "chaplin: a life" - an interesting psychological take on the impact of chaplin's impoverished childhood on his films.

last, but not least, despite loving his classic tramp comedies... my all time favorite chaplin film is undoubtedly the dark comedy, "monsieur verdoux" - narrowly edging out "the gold rush" for that honor :D

happy birthday in heaven sir charlie chaplin!

helen weaver "the awakener: a memoir of kerouac and the fifties" book review

Helen Weaver’s “The Awakener: A Memoir of Kerouac in the Fifties” is the newest addition to the growing cannon of “women and the beat generation” literature. Weaver’s far ranging memoir covers much more than the brief, but intense, two month relationship she had with Jack Kerouac in the late fifties (which ended when she unceremoniously dumped him)! When Weaver and Jack dated, publication of “On the Road” was less than a year in the future. By the time “On the Road” was published - and Kerouac became an overnight sensation - Jack and Helen were no more. Kerouac had moved in with Joyce Glassman (to be Johnson).

Glassman became Weaver’s dreaded rival - or so it seemed in those days. Joyce Johnson’s own book, “Minor Characters: A Beat Memoir,” a minor classic in its own right, continued the look at Jack’s love life immediately following his relationship with Helen Weaver. Johnson’s “Minor Characters” was followed on the heels of the granddaddy (grand mommy?) of the genre, Carolyn Cassady’s “Heart Beat: My Life with Jack and Neil” (which was made into a movie of the same name, starring Sissy Spacek as Carolyn and John Heard as Jack). Cassidy revisited her look back with “Off the Road: My Years with Cassady, Kerouac & Ginsberg” a decade later.

Weaver’s insightful book is deserves to be read right alongside Johnson and Cassady’s lives and times with Jack Kerouac. There are others in this genre - notable by Kerouac’s two ex-wives: Joan Haverty’s “Nobody’s Wife: The Smart Aleck and the King of the Beats,” and “You’ll be Okay” by Edie Kerouac Parker (his first wife). Except for Edie Parker’s book, I’ve read these all those books (and Johnson’s collected letters w/Kerouac) with intense fascination. To a woman, they each described the same self-centered character - who looking back through today’s politically correct lens, was basically an unmitigated heel in his relationships with women.

That said, Kerouac was decidedly a product of his times. Weaver’s take was in part sympathetic, but completely realistic. She had a strong sense of herself, character if you will - perhaps the strongest of the long line of women that populated Kerouac’s life. Weaver quickly tired of his drunken lifestyle. She perceptively grasped that his path would become increasingly darker, increasingly tragic, because of his growing dependency on alcohol. Weaver summoned up the courage - perhaps urged on by her psychoanalyst (which is how Kerouac wrote about it in “Desolation Angels”) - to kick him out of her apartment (and, as it turned out, her life).

In Weaver’s words: “I asked Jack to leave not because my analyst told me to and not because of some proto-feminist declaration of independence on my part. I rejected him for the same reason America rejected him: he woke us up in the middle of the night in the long dream of the fifties. He interfered with our sleep." The book’s title is a subtle double entendre - he repeatedly stumbled in during the middle the night and kept her from getting sleep (and it made getting up for work increasingly untenable)! But Kerouac, and his growing connection with Buddhism, also awoke her spiritual consciousness - and, over the years, gave her a deeper appreciation of life!

Weaver’s memoir relates much more than her brief time with Kerouac. Although, true to form, she was one of the rare characters in his life that refused to listen to his long and rambling - and drunken - late night telephone calls during the late 1960's. By that time she had already been involved with Lenny Bruce - she and her friend (the “other” Helen) drafted, and collected signatures for, a petition that defended Bruce’s free speech rights when the Manhattan District Attorney prosecuted (persecuted) him on obscenity charges. Bruce’s tragic death from a heroin overdose preceded Jack’s 1969 ugly death from alcoholism.

In the early 1970's Weaver abandoned New York City in favor of Woodstock. She had an exceptional career as a translator - and, simultaneously, became a practicing astrologer! If there is one weakness to her otherwise wonderful book, it’s the (for me) undecipherable appendix of astrological charts for Kerouac, Ginsberg, and herself! To each, her own - but my consciousness hasn’t expanded enough to encompass (or embrace) astrology! That said, “The Awakener” is a must read not just for Kerouac lovers, but Beat Generation fans of all stripes!

"make a difference" promotion - thanks starbucks!

thanks starbucks! what a way to kick off the day - even if that day happens to be april 15th, the dreaded tax filing deadline! the "make a difference" promotion is serving free coffee today - to those customers who show up with a reusable travel mug in tow. it's part of starbucks environmental push to get greener - by encouraging customers to switch from paper cups to reusable mugs.

since my love affair with coffee has ended (i gave up drinking coffee the week before lent, and haven't any since!), i opted for tazo china green tips brewed tea (with a little honey) to fill my travel mug. good stuff!

so grab your travel mug and get to a starbucks today!

2010 scarsdale 15k race report

I’ve run each of the “Scardale Races” - the 15K and 4 Miler (even the 2 Mile Kids Fun Run w/Katie) - multiple times over the last 10 years. This year, like last year, I had planned to run the 4 Miler with Katie. But when the date conflicted with her field hockey camp, I opted to run the 15K instead. It was a busy race morning - the Scarsdale 15K also conflicted with the Hudson Valley 15K (which I ran last year) and the Broadway Ultra Society’s (B.U.S.) combined 3 Hour Race followed by its annual awards brunch.

The 15K includes a masters team challenge (over 40 for women, over 50 for men). Emmy, Francoise and Noonie joined together for a team - and took first place! I was still a couple of years away from (but closing fast on) the male masters team minimum age. Joe Handleman (weeks away from his 80th birthday) kidded me about that (and promised to save me a place on his team down the road).

The four miler went off at 9:00, 15 minutes earlier than the 15K. I didn’t have a particular race plan in mind - but did want to finish under 1:10. It’s a tough course, with two notable hills. The first loop follows the 4 mile course and we get to see the 4 milers heading back to the high school on the outbound leg. Susan’s son, D.J., manned the 3 mile water station - and was a familiar face on the first loop.

I went out a bit too fast (6:56) for the first mile. The course was poorly marked - I only caught sight of two more markers (miles 3 and 7) before the finish. I slowed down to a 7:07 pace by the third mile (21:20). Still fast, but the next 4 miles took 29:30 (slowing the pace considerably), and I reached 7 miles in 50:50. The rolling hills are a natural speed brake! I had 19+ minutes for the last 2.3 miles to finish under 1:10 - very doable.

During the last two miles I moved into 6th place overall. But, as Murphy’s Law would validate, with the last half mile I was passed by some kid with an Ipod! He didn’t look like he was in his forties - and I paid the price for not reeling him! Not only was he in my age group, but his 12 second victory margin over my 1:07:19 finish eased me out of first, and into second, place in our age group! Arrgh!! But on a much brighter note, Emmy, right behind me in 1:08:06 - won the woman’s race outright!

But neither of us could stay for the award ceremony. After a quick look at the results board (I finished 7th overall) I grabbed a bagel and we drove down to Long Island for the B.U.S. brunch in Valley Stream. The brunch was practically over by the time we arrived, but there was still plenty of time to socialize and catch up. Most of them had put in about 20 miles during the 3 hour race held immediately before the brunch. We were the only slackers in the group - for having logged “just” 9.3 miles that morning ;p

Next up: back to the Boston Marathon after a one year hiatus! As always, say hello if you’re there!

Here are the race photos.

2009 new york ultrarunning grand prix awards brunch

this year the grand prix awards brunch came a couple of months later than usual its usual late january/early february time frame. it was also held at a different locale - valley stream instead of plainview (the glirrc clubhouse). but just like last year, emmy and i ran a race before making it to the brunch!

this time around it was the scarsdale 15k (last year, the gridiron 4 miler). as a result we missed the 3 hour race put on before the brunch. but we did get to socialize with our good friends - which made the trip to valley stream worth it!

as for the awards: aljica barahona and byron lane were the overall winners! phil took second place for the men, and susan took third place for the women! i finished in 5th place overall, and won my age group for the third consecutive year! emmy was 4th overall woman, and took first place in her age group!

here are the complete 2009 grand prix standings. congratulations to everyone who took part in the series!

here are a few more pictures posted on facebook.

and here are pictures from the 2008 awards brunch!

2010 scarsdale 15k and 4 miler: race photos and results

ran the scarsdale 15k this morning - which was slight departure from my original plan to run the 4 miler w/katie. but as luck had it, ran a 1:07:20 and took second in my age group! emmy was the first female overall! the 15k was essentially a tune-up race for the boston marathon and i was very pleased with the outcome. i couldn't stay for the post-race festivities because we had to drive to long island for the b.u.s. (broadway ultra society) annual brunch.

here is my race report; and, here are the results from the rec department.

and a few more photos posted on facebook.

and here are photos from the 2009 races.