Oh, hey there. Long time, no blog. I’m still alive and running, but I’ve had zero bandwidth to actually engage in the blogosphere – whether that meant writing or reading (and commenting). So I’m sorry to my blogger friends for being MIA – I still care about your lives, it’s just that any downtime I have these days, I’m spending zoning out, reading books, or watching Netflix with the Gypsy Runner.
I feel like a broken record, but this year has been challenging on many levels. I’ve only recently realized that I probably have some form of accumulated decision fatigue. (Talk about #firstworldproblems!) With all of the events that I’ve had to organize in my personal and professional life, my brain is plain worn out. Thankfully, I have trusted friends and colleagues to whom I can turn to answer basic questions. And many times, all I need to do is to take one step back and get some perspective. Will that one choice or decision *really* matter at the end of day?
Y’all know this already, but choice is a double-edged sword. Example: recently, I was shopping for 5 oz. plastic cups on Amazon. You wouldn’t believe how many people feel so strongly about plastic cups that cost pennies per cup that they’d devote a whole paragraph or two to a review. Because I couldn’t see these cups in person, I felt like I had to depend on reviews, but also recognize that reviews can only tell me so much. In the end, I decided I was spending too much time thinking about cups and chose ones that were economical and had decent (but not the best) reviews. And you know what? They showed up last week and they’re FINE. Because they’re just plastic cups. It’s great to have options, but sometimes, it’s better when there are only one or two choices.
So, to understand my last few months, you need to take that one small example and multiply it by about 50. Because that’s (at minimum) the number of decisions I’ve had to make about two major events. One, at work, where in addition to my normal contributions, I had to plan 20 meals for 30-50 people over the course of a week, and set up a impromptu dining area for each meal. The second, a big party that the GR and I are throwing in less than 2 weeks – it’s essentially a belated wedding celebration without the ceremony (or most of the wedding-y things). I thought it would be easier to throw a non-wedding, but it turns out that any event that involves out of town guests, venue rental, food catering, booze, and decorations actually require quite a bit of planning. And for someone who has no idea how to design a centerpiece, my head was spinning for sure. I may have a Ph.D. in Biology, but I’m clueless when it comes to Pinterest DIY.
Anyway, long story short: this is why I haven’t been blogging much lately. Since I last wrote, the GR and I went to Mexico (maybe I’ll write a separate post about that), I attended a weeklong Python (coding) bootcamp/crash course, and we went away to Klamath, CA for the 4th of July weekend with some friends. I’ve been running about 3 times a week, probably averaging about 12-15 miles/week. This past weekend, I ran 9 miles at Lake Chabot with DD. Man, was I out of shape! True, I’m still getting over a headcold, but still. It was sad. Fortunately, DD wasn’t in a rush and we had a nice time catching up. 
Mexico did not suck
For the first time in ages, I don’t have a race on my calendar, and that’s fine with me. It’s what feels right to me right now. I’m putting off any race registrations until after the party, when I’ll hopefully have more time and energy to train for something that I feel passionate about. The only thing that’s on my radar is that I might pace the Summer Breeze Half Marathon on August 5th.
Hope you’re all having a great summer so far!
Howdy! My name is Jen and I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. I like to eat, run, and blog, but not usually at the same time.
Running Tangents 
Hello friend. Perhaps we can gingerly re-enter the running world after your big events together… Looking forward to seeing you.
Yes, I would love that. So looking forward to seeing you again!
welcome back to blogging! so good to hear about your life, running life and rest of life. hope to see you at summer breeze if you pace!!
Thanks! I just found out that I’m pacing the 2:30 group so I will see you at Summer Breeze!
Ah, the tyranny of choice as Barry Schwartz would say. Good to see you again and happy to read this update.
Thanks!
Decision fatigue might be a “FWP,” but it kinda sucks. I feel you on the Amazon cup thing; great example, by the way. They’re cups, FFS! I feel the same way with parenting sometimes; it’s a slow burn by thousands of decisions and actions every single day. Hope your party is a blast! Glad you’re back!
Thanks so much, Erin!
Oy. We did the wedding multi-celebration thing too, DIY, and it was all about prioritising what was important to us and our guests (food, music, dancing) and leaving everything else off the table (favours, fancy tablecloths, cups). Sounds like you’re having a productive summer, though! And
…and I hit ‘post comment’ without completing my comment, but I was going to say that running? Will always be there.
Thanks, Grace. Yeah, favors, glasses, and flowers were the first to go. Not surprisingly, food, drinks, and dancing were also at the top of my priority list!
Welcome back! (Also, same; my internet game has been severely lacking recently due to, like, real life & stuff.)
Thanks! At least you’ve been posting pretty regularly though…