First annual week-before-thanksgiving update!

Running:
Somewhere in the past few months, I've become a runner. While I'm always going to be a cyclist, and I have a special fondness for cycling, running has, amazingly, become more than a challenge and a way to exercise that doesn't involve nearly as much expensive equipment. I think the moment of "Hey, this isn't so bad" has come in the past month; I'm at the point now where, while running, it's not a constant effort. When I started, each stride was tough, and each stride was an effort. If I stopped pushing, I stopped running. Now ... if I stop pushing, I slow down... but I've managed to get momentum in my legs, if that makes sense -- when I start to slack, my legs keep moving.

The training is going really well; last night, I did 4.3 miles in under 50 minutes, so I think I'm ready for Turkey Trot! Go me!

Google Webmaster:
So Google knows everything about everything...even itself. I've become amused and disturbed looking at the search results that lead to my pages. A lot of it is searches like "Flight cancelled help" type searches; I hope I've been helpful for those. The weirdest to date is "lorna bagged latex". What?!?!? Random Googler, I ... hope you find what you're looking for.

Cat in the Lap/Porcupine in the Pants
After much thought, I came up with the "Cat in the Lap/Porcupine in the Pants" series; I thought it was rather inspired. But, since its inception, I haven't given any of these awards out. So, without further ado, a Porcupine in the Pants to Virgin Mobile for taking a week to get my Canadian cell phone activated. Sooner would have been better, guys. A Cat in the Lap goes to me, apparently, for being gone all week. Only ... this Cat in the Lap is...an actual Cat in the Lap. Apparently, Shadow really missed me this week. I'd been using my computer for about 20 minutes, when she got up in the chair beside me, then onto the handrest of the laptop, and has finally settled on top of my arms (my feet are stuck out on the ottoman; the laptop is on my thighs; my hands are on the keys; Shadow is on my forearms). She curled herself up with her head in the crook of my arm and is half-asleep, purring and making soft sleepy-noises. Seriously....this stuff is good for the soul.