@mlawton@mstdn.social
@mlawton@mstdn.social avatar

mlawton

@mlawton@mstdn.social

#dotnet & #powershell developer, runner, ex-pat Hoosier now living in the mountains of VA, supporter of #LFC ⚽️ #IUBB 🏀#USMNT ⚽️ #USWNT ⚽️

Hashtag disciplined: not interested in one aspect I post about? Mute it and enjoy!

Searchable via Tootfinder https://www.tootfinder.ch/

This profile is from a federated server and may be incomplete. Browse more on the original instance.

WTL, to random
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The topic of first concerts we saw came up today and I was floored to realize that today is the thirtieth anniversary of my seeing Pink Floyd in concert at the Big O (Olympic stadium) in Montreal.

What a band to see live. And really set expectations way too high for other concerts.

What was your first concert?

mlawton,
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@WTL I would love to have seen Pink Floyd.

My first concert was in 1985... Hall & Oates, with my parents in the now-demolished Market Square Arena in Indianapolis. Great show, as they were at their zenith.

'Til Tuesday was the opening act, and all I knew then (and now) is "Voices Carry".

mlawton, to wildlife
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Just LOOK at this adorable baby bunny! Not even the size of your clenched fist.

It must have sought shelter from the thunderstorm up against the basement door. We were equally surprised when I opened it to step outside. For a hot minute, we had a tense stare down that allowed me time to snap these two pics before it scampered off into the underbrush.

A close-up of a small, baby rabbit sitting on a wooden deck. Its left hind leg is splayed out to the side and I feared it was injured, but I think it’s just slipped on the wet deck when I surprised it.

mlawton, to SNAKES
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I am both fascinated by and, if I’m honest, a little scared of them too. Perhaps more than a little.

I know this 4’ central rat snake is non-venomous, and many people would just snatch it up and relocate it. I could not do it! My courage repeatedly faltered at the critical moment.

I eventually discouraged it from climbing up the house. I might have even shrieked when it turned & let go of the brick wall, plummeting 5 feet to the ground.

We both survived, mostly unscathed.

StarkSequence, to running
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Advice for someone just starting ?

mlawton,
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@StarkSequence all the replies so far are excellent. Running slowly, at conversational capable pace, is the key to building a base fitness that will allow easy growth. It requires patience, but it absolutely works.

Also, everyone is different and everything is relative. Run for yourself and don't get bogged down in comparisons to others.

Post here often: we celebrate successes & help each other through struggles. This is an affirming group of wonderful people. You're now part of it!

purplepadma, to random
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Start to discuss immigration and you will soon find out the arseholes who are following you

mlawton,
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@purplepadma an excellent litmus test for the presence of compassion. Far too many people disappoint in this regard.

sebastianhahn, to running
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Wet, wet, wet. At one point during the run I wanted to jump over a branch lying across the path in the woods. Unfortunately, the ground was so soggy, my left foot which was pushing me off the ground just slipped back. My right foot got tangled up in the branch. A second later I found myself lying flat on the floor. Yuck! Apart from that it was a good run. After Trump‘s conviction in NY yesterday, I skipped my audiobook and took a dive into my MSNBC podcasts.

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mlawton,
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@sebastianhahn hopefully the soggy ground made for a relatively softer landing. Awkward still. Hope nothing bothers you tomorrow!

mlawton,
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@sebastianhahn if it can't be avoided, I hope you find some joy in it. Sometimes I think it's fun to be in really messy conditions... after the first good soaking is over with, that is. Until I've recovered from that initial moment, I'd rather go back home. After, can't get any wetter, so as long as I'm warm enough... let's go!

WTL, to cycling
@WTL@mastodon.social avatar

Friday:
130 seconds of plank
11 minutes of yoga for runners
20 minutes of HIIT
30 minutes of strength training
23.5 km of #cycling (11°C with a 12 km/hr wind)

Pretty good first workout morning back in civilization, although it was alarmingly sunny out. 🤣

#AppleFitness #Ottawa

mlawton,
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@WTL no annoying sun late at night... 😉

🌙🦉✊

mlawton,
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@WTL laaaaater. Like, witching hour late, where the corrupted, misguided people like me hide from responsibility (but enjoy the coolest temperature and lowest humidity).

My wife hates my late-night running, but I'm just not a morning person. I once was, but now I cannot!

mlawton, to random
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A pretty decent thunderstorm rolled through and knocked our power out. Despite their claims to the contrary, our local power company is completely negligent about maintaining their infrastructure, so trees are forever falling on the lines. We’re used to it, but I still get irked about it.

No idea how long we’ll be down, but two hours in and no ETA means it’s going to be awhile.

We’re fine. Cooking steaks on the grill and we’d brought home ingredients for strawberry shortcakes. Not all bad!

mlawton,
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Still without power. Have to run the generator every few hours so we don’t lose everything in the refrigerator. Not a restful night’s sleep.

Hungry family. McDonald’s breakfast is chosen. Download app, get everyone to put their order in, drive over.

“Soooo we don’t have access to breakfast orders after we switch over to the lunch menu.”

“What time do you stop serving breakfast?”

“10:30”

“What time is it now?”

“10:32”

No jury would convict any resulting crime of passion. I refrained.

mlawton, to random
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There is a point when you know you must endure the hassle because the end goal cannot be reached by logic. It costs the most precious resource there is: time.

I was right from the first minute of the chat and suffered through 70 more minutes of folly, neglect, and confirmations of confirmations to get a technician scheduled. It’s also pointless, as I know the issue exists further upstream than my house, but one cannot talk to those techs directly.

So we dance…

mlawton, to random
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The dude (17) and his friends decided they were all doing buzz cuts for the summer. He's just came home from getting it done and... it's going to take some getting used to! Doesn't look bad. Just, different.

mlawton,
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@Lee6 Yep! And why not? Cooler in the summer and he can grow it back out for the school year.

mlawton, to random
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Managed to avoid poison ivy while pulling weeds last weekend. Except, and crucially, I must have somehow touched my belly button and it’s AGONY.

mlawton, to random
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Took a lengthy post lunch nap, in which I had a very vivid & terrible dream. I’d received news my old college roommate had died. I’d found his obituary online and it read, “Local Weirdo, Dad Dies” and my sadness was outstripped by my indignation that they’d do him like that.

I awoke, unsure, in that in-between state where you are still sorting what was just a dream and what is real.

Just texted with him and I’m relieved to hear he’s doing just fine. “Lay off the spicy stuff", he said. 🌶️😂

mlawton, to random
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Having a drink with my neighbor at a local pub and apparently it’s music bingo night.

And this place both knows and celebrates pride month and I’m here for it.

mlawton, to running
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Awful run. Humid ++ and none of my body parts wanted to work together. Dead legs, lungs that couldn’t keep up with such a slow pace, and profuse sweating that couldn’t evaporate. Had to walk often to keep my HR down.

It’s fine. I’m not happy about it, but the next one will be better. Mentally crumple this one up and throw it away. Big fat whatever…

mlawton,
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@WTL can we just fast forward to autumn? I know both you and I dislike the heat and humidity. Let’s get back to cooler weather.

mlawton,
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@oliviersaraja exactly what I’m taking from it. 👏

mlawton, to running
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Finished “What I Talk About When I Talk About Running” by Haruki Murakami. Heavily recommend by my friends in & justifiably so because it’s absolutely brilliant.

For me, Murakami’s writing on the mental aspects of running surfaced so many latent thoughts I had but hadn’t yet been able to articulate.

It’s also a treatise on aging and decline, as he copes with his diminishing performances. 5/5 stars

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2195464

mlawton,
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@Lee6 it’s really good, particularly the first half. And the audiobook narrator, Ray Porter, is excellent. You’ll enjoy it too, I feel sure!

mlawton, to random
@mlawton@mstdn.social avatar

Finished "Outland", Dennis E. Taylor's first novel and the first of the two books that make up the Quantum Earth series.

A light and fun read. Don't take it too seriously and enjoy the ride. 4/5 stars.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24292598-outland

mlawton,
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@sebastianhahn @WTL @DennisETaylor I read it earlier this year and very much enjoyed it. I think the only book of his I haven't read is Earthside, which is the continuation of Quantum Earth series.

I DEVOURED the Bobiverse series. One of my favs for sure! Cannot wait until the next one comes out.

mlawton,
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@sebastianhahn @WTL I've read Daemon, but not the second one. I should go back and pick it up.

Have you read "Off to be the Wizard" by Scott Meyer? Less of a thriller, but fun and somewhat similar to some of @DennisETaylor with perhaps a bit of the Scalzi kind of humor mixed in.

mlawton,
@mlawton@mstdn.social avatar

@sebastianhahn @WTL @DennisETaylor outstanding! I hope you like it! I can guarantee you'll find the humor similar to the Bobiverse.

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