Spooky Election Time!

Halloween Election! It's a delight to see everyone doing their civic duty in witch hat and dinosaur costumes. These are long day though and I'm happy I've only got one more this week.

Today's Haiku

Gas mask, pavement strewn
A portent for the future?
Nah. Most likely kids

Today's Workout
Running: 2.3 miles
DAREBEE: (Once again, too busy)

Today's Drawing
(Based on the word Lycanthropy from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day)
***Check out the full catalog of pictures HERE***

Second Day of Early Election Work

I worked my second day of early voting today. This time I worked at the ballot issue table the entire time. I matched up the voter to their specific ballot type (the types correspond with their address) and then gave a short speech on how to go through the voting process. I got to be friendly and talk A LOT, so it was exhausting and throat killing. And so many different people!!

Today's Haiku

A collarless mutt
sprints by me on the sidewalk
Too happy be caught

Today's Workout
Running: 3.1 miles
DAREBEE: Day 66 from 90 Days of Action (Part One)

Today's Drawing
(Based on the word Caterwaul from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day)
***Check out the full catalog of pictures HERE***

On Call

Was on call to do early election work but wasn't called in. Reeaaaall exciting.

Today's Haiku

A bump on a log
gazing at the trees above
sap seeping from bark

Today's Workout
Running: 3.1 miles
DAREBEE: Day 65 from 90 Days of Action

Today's Drawing
(Based on the word Shambles from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day)
***Check out the full catalog of pictures HERE***

Cordial Dawn

Updaaaaaates!

Week 18

Stats:

Running Mileage: 360.04/1,000

Drinks: 126/365

Vegan: 21/100

Books Completed: 12/25

Words Written: 125,003/350,000

Fasts (Days without)

Internet: 60/171

TV: 43/120

Gaming: 75/141

Booze: 55/163

Coffee: 47/150

Junk (Savory): 46/100

Junk (Sweet): 64/100

Eat Out: 83/100

Today's Haiku

Light morning bustle
fresh brewed coffee and fried eggs
Our home glows softly

Today's Workout
(Postponed due to friend visit)

Today's Drawing
(Based on the word Multitudinous from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day)
***Check out the full catalog of pictures HERE***

I Voted!

Today was a good day. Had waffles, voted for the midterm downtown and then played a ton of games while carving pumpkins.

Today's Haiku

Skillful artisans
labor over head-sized gourds
sawing flesh with glee

Today's Workout
(Cancelled for visit)

Today's Drawing
(Based on the word Pamphleteer from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day)
***Check out the full catalog of pictures HERE***

Ethiopian in the Rain

A dear friend is visiting from Boston! Playing games, drinking and having delicious Ethiopian food downtown.

Today's Haiku

With colorful tiles
we woo the Portuguese king
for gold and glory

Today's Workout
Running: 3.1 miles
DAREBEE: Day 64 from 90 Days of Action

Today's Drawing
(Based on the word Holy Writ from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day)
***Check out the full catalog of pictures HERE***

Final Malaria Draw at Hotel/First Day of Early Election Work!

We left the hotel early so I would have time to help open the polls today! It was an amazing experience.To start the day, I helped tape out the perimeter of the polling place with a retired attorney named Doug and verified the serial numbers and security seals on all the ballot scanning machines. They assigned me to a pollbook for the opening, which is a little touchscreen computer that looks up and registers voters. It was fun work and I got to meet a whole bunch of different people! It slowed down after an hour and myself and one of the line managers (whose whole job is to literally manage queues of people) spent the downtime scoping out and chastising all the people who were on their phones (YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE IT ON!) It combined two of my favorite things from childhood: spotting hard to see things and shaming people for not following the rules. I could've done just that all day.

Then I moved to the ballot scanners, where I mostly stood in a blue box outlined on the floor and watched people fumble through inserting each of the three pages of their ballot into a glorified copy machine shaped like a garbage bin. Well...technically I couldn't watch them because of voter privacy, so to help I kinda had to stare off into the distance and infer what was going on with sound and peripheral vision. I liked it.

Afterwards I took a short, much needed break and when I returned, I stood around and hung out with my new best friend Janice. She was working on the provisional ballots, a position that doesn't see more than 30 people a day. Janice was delightful and I kinda want her to adopt me. She'd already called me her "Election Son" and we hadn't even known each other for 24 hours. While we were talking, an election chief stopped by and asked us if we could help count these tiny scraps of receipt paper called VACs. I jumped on that because I was burned out on seeing people and it was a blast. I met Janice's friend Francis and he was all smiles and his metal footed cane and my water bottle became friends.

Unfortunately the counting dried up, and I was put onto ballot issue for like 4 hours. It's non-stop talking, greeting the voter and then explaining the format of the ballot and pointing them in the right directions. A VERY chipper man working with me decided to tell me all about everything poll related...he just happened at me for an hour or so. The shitty thing about that job was that myself and my fellow election judges were packed elbow to elbow on one side of the issuing table, each of us giving the same but somehow different spiel. Everyone was speaking over each other so it was cacophony, pure and simple. And sometimes you'd end up starting at the same time as the person next to you and then you couldn't stop listening to them while still talking to the voter which made the whole thing hella overwhelming. But I got good at it in my own way and I rocked the "dinner" rush.

I then went back to counting VACs up to poll closing and teamed up with a couple little old ladies to make sure they all matched up with the numbers from the night. I'm glad I did it and can't wait to do it again next week and on election day itself!

Today's Haiku

Painter's tape arrows
mark the early voters' way
Civic Center indeed

Today's Workout
TOO BUSY AT THE POLLS!

Today's Drawing
(Based on the word Fugacious from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day)
***Check out the full catalog of pictures HERE***

Malaria Hotel Stay - Day Fourteen/Election Prep

Only one more day! I also got to go to the prep meeting for the early voting election work i'll be doing in the next week. It was pretty comical because all I did was help an elderly man tape wires and move a bunch of ballot boxes into numerical order. We learned soon after that we really didn't need to do either thing so they sent us home. But I made a couple friends in the process! Tomorrow I'll be putting in a shift from 8:30am to 9:30pm. I am going to be very tired. 

Today's Haiku

10:30 pizza
a proper hotel farewell
We'll miss the breakfast

Today's Workout
Running: 4.8 miles
DAREBEE: Day 63 from 90 Days of Action

Today's Drawing
(Based on the word Indoctrinate from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day)
***Check out the full catalog of pictures HERE***

Malaria Hotel Stay - Day Thirteen

Had a beginner phlebotomist butcher my arm this morning. I've become an expert at how the good ones work and this guy was all fumbles and thumbs. I could smell the fear on him. Oh well. Only two more days remain...

Today's Haiku

Chomper the raccoon
steadfast bedtime companion
lost to housekeeping

Today's Workout
Running: 3.1 miles
DAREBEE: Day 62 from 90 Days of Action

Today's Drawing
(Based on the word Mawkish from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day)
***Check out the full catalog of pictures HERE***

Malaria Hotel Stay - Day Twelve

Final run of the drugs and I'm happy to see it go. Practically knocked me out with nausea for the day. Ended up staying in the hotel for most of it. In total, it has been every Monday for the past six Mondays. Only three more draws and it's looking like the meds have done their job and kept the Malaria at bay.

Today's Haiku

A run for pizza
Our only foray outside
too cold and too sick

Today's Workout
(Sick)

Today's Drawing
(Based on the word Brouhaha from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day)
***Check out the full catalog of pictures HERE***

Malaria Hotel Stay - Day Eleven

Dreading tomorrow's final round of antibiotics/antimalarials. So very happy that it's the last one. I'm recovering surprisingly well after the half.

Week 17

Stats:

Running Mileage: 349.24/1,000

Drinks: 118/365

Vegan: 20/100

Books Completed: 12/25

Words Written: 119,687/350,000

Fasts (Days without)

Internet: 55/171

TV: 40/120

Gaming: 70/141

Booze: 51/163

Coffee: 46/150

Junk (Savory): 45/100

Junk (Sweet): 60/100

Eat Out: 80/100

Today's Haiku

Tiny hotel cups
we adapt to slake our thirst

with a coffee pot

Today's Workout
BREAK!

Today's Drawing
(Based on the word Rebuff from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day)
***Check out the full catalog of pictures HERE***

Malaria Hotel Stay - Day Ten (HALF MARATHON)

I did it! Ran the full 13.1 miles without stopping! Emily and I drove into Baltimore and despite being a little overcast it was a perfect day for a run. I kept a constant pace right up until the final 2 miles when the hills and my feet got the better of me. My favorite thing: I can say that I ran a half marathon two weeks after willingly being exposed to malaria.

On that front, still a negative on my blood work so there's a decent chance I won't get it at all!

Today's Haiku

Post-run chaffing woes:
Left nipple, inside arches
and between buttcheeks

Today's Workout
Running: 13.1 miles
DAREBEE: (postponed because I ran 13 friggin' miles)

Today's Drawing
(Based on the word Superjacent from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day)
***Check out the full catalog of pictures HERE***

Malaria Hotel Stay - Day Nine

Spent most of the day in Baltimore getting my racing bib, running a short shakeout run and having pizza with friends. The half-marathon is TOMORROW!

Today's Haiku

Bizarre squeaky noise
Sounds like a window washer
Except it's nighttime

Today's Workout
Running: 3.6 miles
(No DAREBEE due to race tomorrow)

Today's Drawing
(Based on the word Linchpin from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day)
***Check out the full catalog of pictures HERE***

Malaria Hotel Stay - Day Eight

Halfway! Did some running around the area and finally bought a new pair of running shoes.

Today's Haiku

Old man on the train
with so many empty spots
sits right next to me

Today's Workout
Running: 3.1 miles
DAREBEE: Day 61 from 90 Days of Action

Today's Drawing
(Based on the word De Rigueur from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day)
***Check out the full catalog of pictures HERE***

Malaria Hotel Stay - Day Seven

Unremarkable day at the hotel. Getting used to it now. They give you a free bag of popcorn when the cleaning folks come in so we've had popcorn every night. We tried telling the front desk to only clean the room every three days but they've chosen to ignore that. Oh well. More popcorn for us. 

Today's Haiku

Scarfing brie slices
Free at the breakfast buffet
I'm filled with regret

Today's Workout
(Tapering for the half-marathon on Saturday)

Today's Drawing
(Based on the word Acceptation from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day)
***Check out the full catalog of pictures HERE***

Malaria Hotel Stay - Day Six

Not much to report for today. I tried asking if any of the other people in the study got malaria and the doctor wouldn't tell me because he was afraid I would get placebo symptoms. "Especially the itching. It always seems to be the itching," he said.

Today's Haiku

Spare adobe sauce
combined with spare seitan "beef"
Match made in heaven

Today's Workout
Running: 3.1 miles
DAREBEE: Day 60 from 90 Days of Action

Today's Drawing
(Based on the word Nary from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day)
***Check out the full catalog of pictures HERE***

Malaria Hotel Day Five - Full Day Testing

Alright! Today was the big one. First thing in the morning (around 7) they took my vitals and drew a decent amount of blood, about 5 vials worth, when they usually only take one. Then I took the chloroquine and azithromycin. After that it was a blood draw at 8am, 9am, 11am, 1pm and 5pm. They were pretty small draws, but combined with the day-long nausea brought on by the drugs, it wasn't a great day. At 1pm there was also an EKG, where they laid me out on a hotel bed with that thin white doctor bench paper on it and pasted a slew of wired nodes across my chest, wrists and ankles.

My arms weren't a big fan of all the poking...

Today's Haiku

In my elbow crooks
my veins look bruised and ruined
like I'm shooting smack

Today's Workout
Running: (NOT TODAY)
DAREBEE: Day 58 from 90 Days of Action

Today's Drawing
(Based on the word Tergiversation from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day)
***Check out the full catalog of pictures HERE***

Malaria Hotel Day Four

A little sore after the long hike but in good spirits. Tomorrow is going to be the hardest day of the study, since it will be drug administration with a multiple blood draws and an EKG.

It's weird how quickly this hotel became familiar...and that I won't sleep in my own bed for another week and a half.

Week 16

Stats:

Running Mileage: 326.34/1,000

Drinks: 114/365

Vegan: 20/100

Books Completed: 12/25

Words Written: 111,555/350,000

Fasts (Days without)

Internet: 54/171

TV: 38/120

Gaming: 66/141

Booze: 47/163

Coffee: 46/150

Junk (Savory): 44/100

Junk (Sweet): 56/100

Eat Out: 75/100

Today's Haiku

Phlebotomist chat
We talk about tornadoes
and tabasco sauce

Today's Workout
Running: 3.1 miles
DAREBEE: Day 58 from 90 Days of Action

Today's Drawing
(Based on the word Crapulous from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day)
***Check out the full catalog of pictures HERE***

TRAVEL DAY: Old Rag (Malaria Hotel Day Three)

Got up very early to get my blood draw and then head off to Old Rag Mountain with some friends!

Today's Haiku

Traversing the gap
hoisting oneself through boulders
to get to the peak

Today's Workout
(Travel Day)

Today's Drawing
(Based on the word Quip from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day)
***Check out the full catalog of pictures HERE***

Malaria Hotel Stay - Day Two

Great morning with a delightful spread for breakfast. The "lab" has a multiple suite set-up with each as a different station, (vitals, doctor questionnaire and then blood draw). They do a pretty good job setting it up to work for them, though the blood lab is all tarped up in plastic so it looks like a murder room. It's weird to see these people outside of the WRAIR lab space...it feels like a makeshift medical base for a natural disaster or something. 

Side note: It's gonna be tough to get used to driving between the hotel, Emily's work and home for the next two weeks. 

Today's Haiku

Morning drive eastward
sun piercing our corneas
The windshield's filthy

Today's Workout
Running: 3.1 miles
DAREBEE: Day 57 from 90 Days of Action

Today's Drawing
(Based on the word Emblazon from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day)
***Check out the full catalog of pictures HERE***

Malaria Hotel Stay - Day One

Checked into the hotel that I'll be sleeping in for the next two weeks. It's very fancy and I think bigger than our apartmant, with a living space, large bedroom, bathroom and a sizable kitchenette. Emily and I went and got a couple late night drinks and watched some TV before turning in. I have my first hotel based blood draw at 7am tomorrow. Also pretty pumped to get free breakfast each morning for the next 14 days. We'll see if it's worth the hassle of all the blood tests and the potential malarial infection. Fingers crossed!

Today's Haiku
Shivering couple
huddles under polka dots
as the downpour rages

Today's Workout
Running: 3.1 miles
DAREBEE: Day 56 from 90 Days of Action

Today's Drawing
(Based on the word By and large from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day)
***Check out the full catalog of pictures HERE***

Tech Breaking

Today's Haiku
On the futball pitch
A potato cannon pops
Children squeal with glee 

Today's Workout
Running: 3.1 miles
DAREBEE: Day 54 from 90 Days of Action

Today's Drawing
(Based on the word Luddite from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day)
***Check out the full catalog of pictures HERE***

Meh Motorcade

Today's Haiku
Myriad sirens
Presidential motorcade
Some cheer and some boo

Today's Workout
Running: 3.7 miles
DAREBEE: Day 55 from 90 Days of Action

Today's Drawing
(Based on the word Ambivalent from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day)
***Check out the full catalog of pictures HERE***

Malaria Day Five

Fourth Monday of blood draws and taking chloroquine and azithromycin. No big surprises. Got nauseous for a few hours after. I've been "infected" for about 5 days now and don't feel much different. I'll be checking into the hotel on Thursday.

Today's Haiku

Chalk and banana
A foul taste in the throat's crook
I shudder in spurts

Today's Workout
(out due to Malaria trial drugs)

Today's Drawing
(Based on the word Occident from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day)
***Check out the full catalog of pictures HERE***

Sunday Drinking

Week 15

Stats:

Running Mileage: 310.27/1,000

Drinks: 110/365

Vegan: 20/100

Books Completed: 11/25

Words Written: 105,316/350,000

Fasts (Days without)

Internet: 50/171

TV: 36/120

Gaming: 62/141

Booze: 44/163

Coffee: 45/150

Junk (Savory): 41/100

Junk (Sweet): 52/100

Eat Out: 70/100

Today's Haiku
Drinking until one
This hasn't happened in months
I'm out of practice

Today's Workout
Running: 3.1 miles
DAREBEE: (Brief hiatus)

Today's Drawing
(Based on the word Scintillate from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day)
***Check out the full catalog of pictures HERE***

11 Mile Trek

Today's Haiku
Exercising kin
out for Saturday work-outs
follow the river

Today's Workout
Running: 11 miles
DAREBEE: (skipped because...11 miles)

Today's Drawing
(Based on the word Gloaming from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day)
***Check out the full catalog of pictures HERE***

Turnstile

Today's Haiku
Over the turnstile
we exchange cards for entry
Reunion station

Today's Workout
(break for 10 miler tomorrow)

Today's Drawing
(Based on the word Peripeteia from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day)
***Check out the full catalog of pictures HERE***

Malaria Day Four - Challenge Day

I was challenged today! I got up at 5:30 in the morning, went to the insect lab at the WRAIR and had a clutch of 5 malaria infested mosquitos bite my forearm.

The mosquitos had five minutes to "bloodfeed". After, the lab techs dissected them to double check for the malaria parasite. If malaria wasn't present in any of the five mosquitos, the scientists put the remaining number back in the cup and challenge again for another five minutes. During my trial, I had four successful bites on the first go! The final girl took a couple more tries but she eventually bit and then I was free to leave. Pretty easy. There was a poor woman in there that waiting for nearly an hour and a half! When they have that much trouble, the technicians dampen the towel draped over the arm and if that doesn't work they drape a dirty sock over it too. Glad it didn't come to that!

Anyway, here's the aftermath! The bites weren't too bad. The types of mosquitoes used in the challenge aren't the same as the local suckers here in Maryland.

Also they gave me this cool little emergency card. It's my official malaria badge!

Today's Haiku

Lady bloodsuckers
feasting on my forearm flesh
Don't think about it

Today's Workout
Running: 2.7 miles
DAREBEE: Day 53 from 90 Days of Action

Today's Drawing
(Based on the word Intestine from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day)
***Check out the full catalog of pictures HERE***

Thinkin' 'Bout Tomorrow

Today's Haiku

Chat over cold brew
kindred folks without day jobs
game plans for next steps

Today's Workout
Running: 5.2 miles
DAREBEE: Day 52 from 90 Days of Action

Today's Drawing
(Based on the word Weltschmerz from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day)
***Check out the full catalog of pictures HERE***

Waterless

Today's Haiku

Broken water main
Sweat lingers on skin all day
dirty and thirsty

Today's Workout
Running: 3.1 miles
DAREBEE: Day 51 from 90 Days of Action

Today's Drawing
(Based on the word Cloister from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day)
***Check out the full catalog of pictures HERE***

Malaria Day Three

For an introduction into what this is about see this link.

Today was pretty much like the last two Mondays. A brief set of medical question about my week, basic vitals, a blood draw and the medications. I've been eating a lot of yogurt to prep my stomach for the LARGE dose of antibiotics they give me but it doesn't seemed to have worked...still got a great deal of nausea for most of the day.

This upcoming Thursday I will be "challenged" which means they'll have 5 malaria infested mosquitos bite me. They explained how that would go today and I signed up for a slot at 6:15 in the morning. The researchers said that's the best time for the mosquitoes to feed. Apparently they get shy. I also got some info on the hotel I'll have to stay in for up to two weeks, starting on the Thursday following next Monday's drug day. They said we get a free breakfast each morning and there's a kitchenette...so that's a perk. They also will be doing a blood draw each morning. Lots of blood draws.

That's all for now. Excited to see how Thursday goes!

Today's Haiku

Barely functioning
movement may stir it all up
Succumb to stillness

Today's Workout
(Out of commission due to medicine based nausea)

Today's Drawing
(Based on the word Manifesto from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day)
***Check out the full catalog of pictures HERE***