I am sitting in the lobby at my hotel in Columbia, South Carolina. I love South Carolina. I am a bit dizzy and light headed. I am not sure if it is poor diet and lack of exercise, or perhaps a feeling of being a bit overwhelmed with everything in life. I plan to get very serious about my health in the upcoming months. It is one thing at a time. I started back running this week, and I met my goal of four short runs. Next week’s goal will be to continue my running goals, and to eat a healthy breakfast each morning.
I arrived in Columbia on Thursday afternoon, and I successfully did nothing. I am almost all caught up on Netflix’s Cobra Kai, thanks to my lazy Thursday evening. I do not actually like the later seasons of the series that much, but I keep watching. I guess that I am getting old, I do not like the kid vs kid violence.
On Friday, I woke up in a productive mood on my first day off in awhile. I went for a two mile run, but I got lost, so this turned into a four plus mile run. I held a twelve minute pace, and I felt good about it. I never would have thought that twelve minute miles would be an accomplishment.
Then I got ready, dressing for my fancy lunch that was hours away. I went to a quaint little coffee shop, where I had a delicious breakfast sandwich and above average coffee. I then headed back to my hotel where I worked until my 1:30 lunch date with Brainy Bird. I could have skipped out on work altogether, but I wanted to keep up with internal communications and email, so that next week runs smoothly. I also wanted to follow up with what I hope is going to be my next client. Never have I wanted a project as badly as I want the one that I am hoping to get right now.
In about thirty minutes, I will go log out of my electronic devices to enjoy the three day weekend. I will be picking Brainy Bird up from his on campus living quarters, and I will be taking him to Soda City Market Days. As I mentioned in previous blogs, Columbia’s nickname is the Soda City. It is a play on Columbia, South Carolina looking like the word “cola” in abbreviated form. Soda is of course another name for cola.
I was charmed, but expected more from my first trip to the Soda City Market Days. They really play it up in their advertising. As Brainy Bird said, “Everything is bigger in Texas.” We have market days in nearly every small town, and enormous market days at Christmas in the convention center in Houston. That said, they were setting up for today’s market day when I was out jogging this morning, and I am looking forward to it as I looked forward to it last year when I went for the first time.
The little things in life, like market days and lunches with Brainy Bird have always been what make me happy.
Brainy Bird told me yesterday that he is looking forward to the chicken quesadilla that he likes to get from a food truck at Market Days. I guess it is also the little things in life that make him happy. For the college kids, Market Days is more about going to get a treat or lunch than it is about buying crafts. I imagine that the food vendors make a lot more than the craft vendors at market days in a college town.
After market days, we are heading to Target (again). Yesterday, I refused to buy groceries from Target. We went to the grocery store after we went to Target. I am in absolute shock at how expensive everything is at the grocery store here in South Carolina. So today, we are going back to Target for groceries that are much more affordable. After grocery shopping, I am hoping that we will find a spot to watch the game at.
The game is actually here this week, but I am not up for a live football game, especially one that starts at 7:30 in the evening. I am not sure what the issue is with feeling dizzy and my heart fluttering, but a crowded football stadium is not the place for me to be right now. I am looking forward to improving my health. I hope to be back to my ideal weight by the end of the year.
It is time to go pick up Brainy Bird. I hope to check in and write more later today. Thank you for stopping by to read my thoughts. Have a wonderful, relaxing Labor Day weekend.