Penny Thoughtful: All Things Books and Running
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Longing to Write Yet
Just before Thanksgiving I showed a movie to my students, a movie that corresponded with our recent unit on Charles Dickens and the Industrial Revolution. The movie, The Man Who Invented Christmas, told the story of the writing of the most famous Christmas story, A Christmas Carol. The movie explored the childhood trauma that informed…
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Travelogues Grand European Adventure Day 8 – Solemn Remembrance
When I stepped out of the prison building, clouds had moved in, dimming the light. As I perused the memorials, I heard crows ca. I stopped and looked around. The bleak color of the camp, the chill in the air, the lack of direct sunlight, and the sound of crows worked to foster an authentic…
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Down but not Out
The third week of November could have ended up a real bummer and helped me settle back into the malaise of the past year or so of running but it did not. I have God to thank for that and the circumstances He has placed in my life.
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TreesUpstate Turkey Day 8k 2019
I have not had a confidence boosting race like this for a long time. I know that last year I said that I felt like an athlete again. This year I really mean it. I felt tuned in to my effort. I knew when to push and when to hold back. I managed the mental…
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Words and Power
Do you refer to the casual dismissal by a would-be dictator of past wrongs as excusable in a time of war? Surely not. That would simply provide approbation from the purported leader of the free word to continue such vindictive strategies against nearby vulnerable groups.
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Tryon Half Marathon 2019 Race Recap
I knew that I would not get close to my original 1:55 goal but I wanted to finish much farther under 2 hours than I did. Instead of letting that thought defeat me, I focused on the fact that I have improved my time over the past three half marathons, basically over the past month…
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Thoughts on Patriotism
On November 8th, my school celebrated Veterans Day. Over the fifty years that my school has existed, this program has developed a significant place in the tradition and culture of the school built on historic World War I training grounds. As a historian and someone deeply steeped in context, I understand the motivation. During the…
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Hartness Half Marathon 2019
The second loop went quicker than the first, mentally at least. I knew what lay ahead and could break it into sections. I also managed to run it a little faster than the first half even though one final little hill almost broke me mentally so I walked a little which kept me, I think,…
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Travelogues Grand European Adventure Day 7 – Hard History Confronted
There in stark reality, the visitor must confront the insidious way that Hitler’s ideologies took root in the worst desires and fears of the German people and how easily that persuasion could work on others, how we could slow walk our way to depravity.
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Check In & Reframe
So much happens in a year that the idea of yearly goals, even when followed through upon, seems foolish or at the least, short-sighted. In this post, I will revisit the goals that I have already reframed at least twice already.
Got any book recommendations?