Track workouts in VA are overrated

So, after the 10K sunday, took monday off, then ran 45 minutes down 16th street, (23 out, 22 back). That works out to be about 4.8 miles. Yesterday, took the Metro to VA where I ran a track workout -- 5x400, 4 mins per (8 min miles) with 200 easy jog between. 1 mile warmup/cooldown, 5 miles net.

So, this track is in VA, right? 45 minutes to get there, 90 minutes home, and I functionally ran by myself. B was insistant that this was a good thing to go to, there are a lot of people there, blah blah blah. Did I mention that it was 30 friggin degrees yesterday? Hence the title of the post -- going all the way to VA to do this run was no way shape or form worth the trouble. There's a perfectly good track ten minutes from B and I, and if we're going to do the work, why don't we go there?

There is a weekly poker game not too far from the track. They were playing texas holdem, and B was going. But I have one firm rule for cards -- don't play if you can't afford to lose. So, I said thanks, got back on the metro, and headed home to M, cranky because I had been gone for 4 hours and she was having a bad thyroid day. B did well though, finished up two bills; but that is kinda my point -- I couldn't have afforded to lose those two bills, and that's what playing at this game means -- you have to be willing to put more than a bill on the table to not be pushed around by big stacks, and you may just have a night where you have second-best hands. So, I am grumpy - I would have liked to go.

Family is coming to town today -- My dad gets into Dulles at 3:30. Proximal cause is the funeral of his brother-in-law, from the side of the family that I haven't been much in touch with in the last 20 years. There have been series of bad-blood-inducing incidents in that branch of mi famiglia, and so despite the fact that a cousin of mine lives in the metro area, and has a kid 2 months older than J, I've not gotten in contact. Which should make for an interesting weekend, no?

My uncle was a major general in the army, and is being buried with full honors at Arlington. We decided that J should go to this event; J was unsure, and thought that perhaps he could just visit the grave with flowers at a later date. I had a troubling experience at the first funeral I attended as a child -- I couldn't understand why people at the wake were not solemn and mourning -- and I hope to help J through the experience. He's a pretty emotional young man, so we will see how it goes.

There has been some interesting academic manouevering as well -- I think I am getting re-assigned for my TA hours next semester because of some ill-thought-out decisions made last year. Not a big deal, but I didn't do the best I could have done in working the situation at the management level. A good, low-stakes place to learn the lesson that its all political, and you have to keep your eye on the ball. Functionally it won't mean much different, but I wish I had displayed a bit more savvy in the gamesmanship. I tend to idealize the environments where I work as being free of that kind of happy horsehocky; no more of that!

Probably out of touch until the weekend. I will have some stuff to write about that isn't mere reportage, I think. Value added anticipated!