Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Adventures in Acupuncture

For the past couple of months I have been seeing an acupuncturist to try and speed along the healing with my Achilles. It's been pretty nice I guess. Basically he sticks me with a bunch of needles and then I fall asleep on the table for 40 minutes. Not a bad break from the day I will admit.

It has actually been more than that. He has been working my ankle and leg joints, giving me advice on stretches, and throws in the occasional cracking of the back for good measure. So does this mean that it has helped? I have no idea. Some days my heel feels great, others it can be annoying. At the end of the day though, he is actually trying to help. Not just by telling me to wait and let it heal, but by trying to get to the root of the problem and fixing it. I feel like I have spent the last nine months just waiting around for it to get better on its own so it is a nice change to feel like I am actively participating in my recovery.

I am still hyper-sensitive to every single little twinge and pain that emanates from my heel but there is no doubt that it is getting better. So much so that I have started to think about, wait for it...going for a run. Whoa! I know, a crazy thought but I think I may be at the point where I need to test it out and see how everything reacts. We shall see, soon.

I only wish I looked this good with needles all over me

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Good News Everyone

Podiatrist not drawn to scale (or ethnicity, or gender)
The podiatrist says my heel is looking much better! Not running better, but better. I haven't had a bad flare up at all in the past month or so and it only occasionally aches. She gave me the go ahead to resume my life, no more heel lifts or restrictions. To the sandals!

The bad news is that I will probably be susceptible to this kind of injury from now on but there's not much I can do about that.  I'll just have to keep stretching and be mindful.

Soon, I hope to be running. Soon.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

National Running Day

How I will be celebrating National Running Day


Monday, June 4, 2012

A Great Loss

Today we woke to news of a great loss in the entertainment world. A man universally recognized as one of the greats of our time. He rose to fame and critical claim during the 60's and 70's even though there were those that believed he would have a difficult time being a foreigner. The internet recently brought his work to a new generation and spread his charm to the four corners of the global. Sadly, he succumbed after a long fight for health and died today.  I am speaking, of course, of the great Eduard Khil, aka "Mr. Trololo". He will be missed by all.

Truly enchanting

Apparently Richard Dawson died too! But what has he ever accomplished, really?
Actor (28 titles)
Episode dated 7 January 1980 (1980) … Guest Host
Episode dated 7 December 1979 (1979) … Guest Host
1978 The Love Boat (TV series)
Bert Buchanan

1978 How to Pick Up Girls! (TV movie)
Chandler Corey

1978 Fantasy Island (TV series)
Harry Beamus

Call Me Lucky/Torch Singer (1978) … Harry Beamus
1975 McMillan & Wife (TV series)
Roger Stambler

Aftershock (1975) … Roger Stambler
1975 The Odd Couple (TV series)
Richard Dawson

1974 Hong Kong Phooey (TV series)
1973-1974 The New Dick Van Dyke Show (TV series)
Richard Richardson

1973 Keep an Eye on Denise (TV movie)
1970-1973 Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (TV series)
Regular Performer

1972 The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie (TV series)
Furniture Man / Sam Sniperley

Oliver and the Artful Dodger: Part 2 (1972) … Sam Sniperley/Furniture Man (voice)
Oliver and the Artful Dodger: Part 1 (1972) … Sam Sniperley/Furniture Man (voice)
1972 Wait Till Your Father Gets Home (TV series)
The Hippie (1972) (voice)
1971-1972 Love, American Style (TV series)
Danny (segment "Love and the Hiccups") / Melvin Danger (segment "Love and the Private Eye") / Rick Jagmund (segment "Love and the Groupie")

Love and the Anxious Mama/Love and the Boomerang/Love and the Private Eye (1972) … Melvin Danger (segment "Love and the Private Eye") (voice)
Love and the Fuzz/Love and the Groupie/Love and the Housekeeper/Love and Women's Lib (1971) … Rick Jagmund (segment "Love and the Groupie")
1965-1971 Hogan's Heroes (TV series)
Cpl. Peter Newkirk

During the run of Hogan's Heroes, Dawson introduced sitcom costar Bob Crane (a long-time photography enthusiast) to John Henry Carpenter, who worked with the video department at Sony Electronics and had access to early video tape recorders. In later years, Carpenter, who photographed some of Crane's sexual escapades with various women, would be implicated in but acquitted of Crane's murder.
1970 McCloud (TV series)
Ted Callender

The Stage Is All the World (1970) … Ted Callender
1967 Mr. Terrific (TV series)
Max

The Formula Is Stolen (1967) … Max
1966 Munster, Go Home!
Joey

1966 Out of Sight
Agent (uncredited)

1965 King Rat
Weaver

1964 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (TV series)
Robert Johnson

Anyone for Murder? (1964) … Robert Johnson (as Dick Dawson)
1964 The Outer Limits (TV series)
Oliver Fair

The Invisibles (1964) … Oliver Fair (as Dick Dawson)
1963 The Dick Van Dyke Show (TV series)
Tracy Rattigan

Racy Tracy Rattigan (1963) … Tracy Rattigan (as Dick Dawson)
1963 The Jack Benny Program (TV series)
Audience Member sitting next to Jack

Jack Meets Max Bygraves (1963) … Audience Member sitting next to Jack
1962 The Longest Day
British Soldier (uncredited)

Himself
2009 2009 Game Show Awards (TV movie)
Himself - Interviewee (also archive footage)

1994-1995 Family Feud (TV series)
Host

1994 The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (TV series)
Himself

Episode dated 8 September 1994 (1994) … Himself
1988 Richard Dawson and You Bet Your Life (TV movie)
Himself - Host

1985 Dorothy Stratten: The Untold Story (video documentary)
Himself

1976-1985 Family Feud (TV series)
Himself - Host
won a Daytime Emmy Award for Best Game Show Host for his work on Family Feud 
1984 TV's Funniest Game Show Moments (TV special)
Himself

1983 Mama's Family (TV series)
Himself

Family Feud (1983) … Himself
1981 The 8th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards (TV movie)
Himself - Nominee

1980 Bizarre (TV series)
Himself - Host

1979 Angie (TV series)
Himself

Family Feud (1979) … Himself
1979 Good Morning America (TV series)
Himself

Episode dated 20 March 1979 (1979) … Himself
1973-1978 Match Game 73 (TV series)
Himself / Himself - Panelist / Panelist / …

1977 US Against the World (TV movie)
Himself

1976-1977 Tattletales (TV series)
Himself

Episode dated 5 September 1977 (1977) … Himself
1977 All-Star Family Feud Special (TV series)
Host

1976 I've Got a Secret (TV series)
Himself/panelist

1976 The Gong Show (TV series)
Panelist

Episode #1.1 (1976) … Panelist
1975 Showoffs (TV series)
Himself

Episode dated 8 September 1975 (1975) … Himself
Episode dated 28 July 1975 (1975) … Himself
1975-1978 Match Game PM (TV series)
Panelist

Episode #1.1 (1975) … Panelist
1975 Celebrity Bowling (TV series)
Himself

Episode dated 24 June 1975 (1975) … Himself
1975 Rhyme and Reason (TV series)
Himself

Pilot (1975) … Himself
1974 Masquerade Party (TV series)
Himself/Host

1974 The Dean Martin Comedy Hour (TV series)
Himself

1973 Password All-Stars (TV series)
Himself

Episode dated 5 November 1973 (1973) … Himself
1969-1973 The Merv Griffin Show (TV series)
Himself

Episode dated 12 September 1973 (1973) … Himself
Episode dated 1 September 1972 (1972) … Himself
Episode dated 6 November 1969 (1969) … Himself
1973 The Vin Scully Show (TV series)
Himself

Episode dated 19 February 1973 (1973) … Himself
1973 ABC Late Night (TV series)
Host / Narrator

1972 I've Got a Secret (TV series)
Himself / panelist

1972 The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (TV series)
Himself

Episode dated 1 September 1972 (1972) … Himself
1972 Cop Out! (TV movie)
Himself

1971 The Virginia Graham Show (TV series)
Himself

Episode dated 13 October 1971 (1971) … Himself
1971 Mantrap (TV series)
Himself

Episode dated 31 August 1971 (1971) … Himself
1970 The Game Game (TV series)
Himself

Episode dated 13 July 1970 (1970) … Himself
1970 Can You Top This (TV series)
Himself / joke teller

1969 Allen Ludden's Gallery (TV series)
Himself

Episode #1.5 (1969) … Himself
1968 Operation: Entertainment (TV series)
Himself

Episode #2.12 (1968) … Himself
1968 The Donald O'Connor Show (TV series)
Himself

Episode dated 20 November 1968 (1968) … Himself
1968 Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (TV series)
Himself - Guest Performer

Episode #1.5 (1968) … Himself - Guest Performer
1968 How's Your Mother-in-Law? (TV series)
Himself

Episode dated 12 February 1968 (1968) … Himself
1965 The Hollywood Palace (TV series)
Himself - Sketch Actor

Episode #3.13 (1965) … Himself - Sketch Actor
1960 The Royal Variety Show (TV movie)
Himself

1959 The Diana Dors Show (TV series)
Himself

1959 The Steve Allen Plymouth Show (TV series)
Himself
Episode #4.29 (1959) … Himself

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Week six?

We're already half done! The P90X train keeps rolling and I will admit that I am seeing improvements in my arms. Getting those nice short-sleeve muscles ready for the summer! I can always tell that my strength is improving when I get to a point that my girlish forearms start to become a limiting factor. They are just too week and tiny to support any significant increase in weight. Sigh.

I feel your pain


It's been a crappy week mentally though. Although I am enjoying not feeling like a total sloth anymore my achilles started to bother me again this week and so I was reminded anew that I was still not running. It's May and I am still not running. Seven months later. I've done everything right and yet I am still not running.

We are heading to a wedding at the end of July in San Francisco and I was really looking forward to being able to run through the city. There is no better way to see a new city than to run through it; that way you get the whole experience. And I was psyched to tackle some killer hills. There are two types of runners, those that love hills and those that will go out of their way to avoid them.

Adidas gets it


But now, who the hell knows. I am continuing in running limbo. I've been getting mad about it, not just frustrated or annoyed, straight up angry. I'm tired of being told to just wait, to have patience. Screw your waiting, I want to run!

334 days until the 117th Boston Marathon

Monday, April 23, 2012

P90X Week Three

Week three of P90X has begun and boy have I already seen some dramatic changes!
Alright, that's totally not me. But one can dream!

Definitely feeling stronger and better than I have in a while though. It sucks getting up before the birds to work out but it will all be worth it in the end. Right? Gotta keep repeating that to myself.

As far as losing weight I can confidently say that I have lost a grand total of

Well, maybe not that bad, but I have not been great with my diet, as if that is something new. So onwards and upwards! I'll just keep plugging away until I can get back running. I got out with Melissa and Rose this weekend for a 90 minute bike ride. I am enjoying the bike rides, it's nice to be outside exercising again on a good day.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Marathon Pics

Here are some pictures from the 114th Boston Marathon. I claimed a patch of asphalt in Wellesley where 135 meets 16, just past the halfway point of the race. I think the heat kept most of the more "interesting" runners out this year so there really wasn't much in the way of characters.

  The calm before the storm
 
Here come the women

Followed by the men

The infamous Don Burke!

The entertainment

Tom Rooney giving Michael Gilio terrible directions (hint: follow the other runners)

 Kim and Vin "Team" Greene stop off for some oranges

Taking a break to borrow my cell phone for a quick call

Taking in the sun, cheering on the runners