Holding My Breath

The surf lies with its rhythmic sensuality

The ebb and flow gliding smoothly

Hiding gloomy coral and biting rocks

The caress of water on sand

Lazy eddies swirling promises that aren’t kept

The seagull’s macro view asks:

Waiting? For what?

What answers can be found in the soothing sway of liquid lies?

The seagull’s cawing, an alarm clock of mocking laughter, jeers:

There is no friendship in the water

It’s glory lies in the chase, the back and forth of its waves

The seagull warns:

Enjoy the water’s languid limbs wrapped around your body

But don’t breath in.

©️iido 2022

Inspiration finally returned in these last days of 2022. I’ve taken an unwanted hiatus from all types of writing these past few months, a potent combination of pessimism, anhedonia and general life busy-ness. Functional depression is a thing!

So easing in to 2023…much thanks to Patrick at Pix to Words (#330-338 included in this poem)! I had a streak going and plan on getting that back!

Wishing all my WordPress Family a great start to 2023!!

©️ 2022 iido

Tygpress is NOT Authorized to Reprint My Blog Content

This post is a follow up on my previous post about Tygpress (hosted by Digital Oceans). They continue to scrape my blog as well as others’ blogs. We have lost one blog (maybe two) because of this issue and that makes me very sad.

Fandango created a badge that he kindly allowed other bloggers to use. I am going to be using this badge on all my posts going forward.

Also, check out this post at Renard’s World. He wrote a thoughtful article about this issue with some excellent explanations and suggestions about how to further handle this issue.

I hope you are not affected by this issue, but if you are – know that you aren’t alone and that there is something you can do about it. As for me, I will continue with my posting and and my brand new badge while continuing to explore options to shut down this unethical website.

©️ iido 2019

Please Read – Your Blog May Have Been Harvested!

Fellow bloggers/writers –

It has come to my attention, via Gina’s post @alifelesslived (click the following link: Attention all! Please read), that a website called Tygpress has been harvesting posts from various bloggers and posting them without consent from the original writers/bloggers. This website is being hosted by Digital Oceans.

I found my entire blog on this website (I’ve attached this here as proof). I have filed a complaint with their web host (the link above for Digital Oceans goes right to their “report abuse” page) under the DMCA (Digital Millennium CopyRight Act) as there is no contact information on the Tygapress Website to contact someone there directly. I’ve looked up a few of the blogs that I follow and have found many of my favorite blogs on this website.

While this may be an issue for those bloggers hoping to someday publish their work (in a book, magazine, etc.), even those who aren’t thinking of publishing should be concerned. Reposting someone else’s work without their consent is stealing content. Writers work hard to create their blogs. We have the right to share our work with others however if others want to share our work, they should be getting our permission and not just attributing that work to us. Some people may have different Creative Commons Licenses on their blog however if your work is copyrighted, then this website has definitely infringed on your work (check out the link prior and this one for information on copyright infringement). These types of unethical practices should be addressed to prevent further copyright infringements.

I’ve done research on this issue and filing the DMCA complaint is fairly easy. Feel free to comment or message me for details or help.

©️ iido 2019

 

 

Opposite Day

Or “Opposite (almost) Year”!!!

This blog is supposed to be about running but my life has been the exact opposite the past few months. Hence, the lack of posts. And this flipped magnet.

Oh sure, I’ve been running here and there….I’ve even run a few races….but running’s role as one of my defining characteristics, as the sun at the center of my universe has shifted.

There are many reasons why (don’t worry, I’m sure I’ll write about them sooner or later). Some might even say that running shouldn’t be the center of my life, that it should be my family or career or God. Some might say that taking a break is good, that I’m redefining myself and my priorities in life.

But, the fact is, that running is what has kept me grounded and sane and less than 200 lbs.*. Without it, I’m kind of at a loss…and I’m kind of getting really out of shape.

So, I’m putting it out there to make it official: on Wednesday, June 6, 2018 which is Global Running Day, I am recommitting to Running (and blogging). It is January 25 no longer!

Now I’m off to eat some spaghetti and ice cream…calories don’t count on Opposite Day!

* I am trying to be mindful of fat shaming and don’t want people to think that I am using “200 lbs” to signify that anyone around or over that weight is unhealthy or needs to lose weight. According to my PCP, 200 lbs is not a healthy weight for me when I am not pregnant (actually it wasn’t healthy for me even when I was pregnant, but whatever – I was making a baby!!). My chances of becoming a diabetic who needs medication increases at that weight. I also feel more lethargic and grumpy and depressed, especially as my clothes start to get tight.

Everyone is different though. My “unhealthy weight” may be your “healthy weight” and vice versa. Feeling good about yourself and comfortable in your own skin, no matter your weight or size or body shape, is one message I wholeheartedly support. It’s just a number and that definitely shouldn’t be anyone’s defining characteristic.

It’s official…

Merry Christmas everyone! And Happy Chanukah to all my Jewish friends!

This post was supposed to go out in October however it didn’t. Blame it on my continued issue with being distracted (also called “4 kids syndrome”). Blame it on the outcome of the presidential election (also called “proud to be a snowflake because it means I am a caring human being” syndrome). It’s been an exhausting two months and running with my MRTT group has been one of the few things that has helped recharge me. 

As the new year approaches, I am again re-committing to practicing self-care through running and writing/blogging.  No more hiding out and using other people’s words to speak my truth. 

It’s official….
*****************

I ran my first race in PA last weekend (*meaning back on October 16, 2016) – the Hershey Half Marathon. That means I am officially a Pensylvanian Runner!

It was a hilly course, but getting to run through Hersheypark and having kids from the Milton Hershey School cheer us on was totally worth it.

I wasn’t too fond of the sections where we ran through the parking lot around the stadium (especially towards the end – that was like the Sahara Desert of parking lot runs!). But overall the course and the course support was pretty good. 

I did 2:1 intervals the entire race and it felt really good! I have become a true interval convert – I haven’t been injured since doing interval running and I feel great and energized at the end instead of feeling like I am dying! That’s a good thing right? 

The one disappointment at the end was the non-chocolate chip cookie. We got a great lunch bag with other goodies, but when I bit into the cookie and realized it was oatmeal raisin – what the what??!!  This is HERSHEY – the chocolate capital of the world! I don’t care if oatmeal raisin is a better “recovery cookie”….I want my chocolate!! Maybe next year they can make it chocolate chip oatmeal raisin? 

Pretty please with a Hershey kiss on top? 

(Above image from Quotesgram.)