The Hungry Hungry Writer

You might learn something new about murder plots, the Beatles, orgasms, orphanages and something else.

KUNG TUT
Did you know King Tut was around 19 years old when he died? He was also thought to have died as part of a murder plot, being bludgeoned to death. Today, through CT Scans, etc., it is revealed he may have died from an infection caused by an infection in a leg where a fracture was found on his thigh bone.

ONE HUNDRED AND TWO
As of late Monday night, one night before “The Turning” screening, 102 people are scheduled to attend. Wow. We figured, 50 or so people would RSPV and some of those would be no-shows. 102 people are supposed to attend, as far as the eVite RSVP count shows, of course some will not, and… several have called to say they will come. We predict 100 people with the no-shows and add-ons. That’s pretty huge for a small venue, a short film, and a TUESDAY NIGHT! I’m impressed.

THAI FOOD
After the screening, Donna and I will be eating some Thai Food in Hollywood, at our favorite Thai restaurant. I can’t wait.

What else?

AN APPLE A DAY
Apple is trying to strike a deal to be able to sell Beatles songs on iTunes. They want an exclusive right – for a limited time at least. I bought the Beatles Album, “LOVE”, at Barnes & Noble because it wasn’t available on iTunes. I bought the U2 Deluxe edition of U218 on iTunes in order to get a specific song but if I want the DVD I’d have to buy the Deluxe edition Album at a store. I hate this exclusivity crap.

FANTASY
Fantasy Sports anyone? => I’m kicking ass in my Fantasy Football league. I’m 10-2 in a 10 team head-to-head league. I’m in 2nd place in my Basketball Rotisserie League BUT… I’m in last place (out of 12) in a hockey head-to-head league and 4th (out of in another hockey head-to-head league. I don’t like fantasy hockey. Maybe I’d do better if it were rotisserie based instead of head-to-head. I finished in 2nd place in my past Fantasy Baseball League. So far, this year has been good to me as far as Fantasy Sports is concerned. Attending live drafts helps big time.

ORGASMS AND RUNNERS’ HIGH
Are you depressed? Want to recover? Here’s info on Runners’ High: a pretty good article on how it can cure depression: Is ‘Runners’ High’ a Cure for Depression? Someone described his Runners’ High over at the Runners World Forums. He pretty much nailed it. I’ve experienced it several times now. Here’s what he had to say…

“Each of my three experiences occurred in the middle of easy 6 mile recovery runs 4 days after a marathon (my 4th, 6th, and 8th). Two occurred while running outdoors in a park. The third while running on an indoor track. Each “high” lasted less than 20 minutes. During those minutes, I drifted into what I can only describe as a trance. Though I was fully aware of my surroundings, everything seemed to be remote. I knew my legs were moving, but I felt like I was floating. Running was beyond effortless…..it was like an out-of-body experience. It literally felt like someone else was doing the work and I was merely along for the ride. Those magical moments were among the most sensuous and pleasurable experiences I have had that didn’t involve sex. Each was interrupted abruptly by a sudden, loud sound (a car horn, a dog bark, and a shout) after which I couldn’t get it back, though the runs continued to be very enjoyable. (A lesser intensity high?) Maybe it was a form of hypnosis. I don’t know. However, I do find it curious that each occurred approximately 100 hours after finishing a marathon. And, it wasn’t my first run after the marathon in any of the three instances. “

I remember describing the same feeling on a 6.2 mile early morning run while listening to “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac. There have been other instances where I’ve felt the same feeling, one being during my 8 mile run on Thanksgiving. I distinctly remember struggling through to get to mile 6 and somewhere between mile 6 and 7 I disappeared. I don’t even remember getting to and past mile 7. I looked down at my watch and I had passed the 7 mile mark and although I was struggling at mile 5-6, I was breezing through mile 7 with only one mile to go. I forced myself to take a minute walk before continuing but knew I had hit that Runners’ High once again. It was such a contrast to the pain and suffering on the previous mile. It was so easy: an out of body experience!

Some say an orgasm is closely related because of the endorphins released or something. Although both are pretty damn good feelings I don’t think it’s a good comparison… Runners’ High lasts longer. J I kill myself sometimes with my humor. Brilliance!

HALF MARY
On Sunday I will be attempting my first half marathon. That’s 13.1 miles for those who are running illiterate as I once was just a year ago. It marks a year anniversary to when I started endurance training. I ran a 5K back on December 11th, 2005. I struggled through it finishing it in 31 minutes and 24 seconds. And now, just a year later, I’ll be running 13.1 miles with a goal to finish in 2 hours and 30 minutes. WOW. Just saying it gives me chills. From 3.1 miles to 13.1 miles in a year. The push for 26.2 will be a serious challenge. The problem with this Sunday is that I’ve been feeling under the weather. I’ve averaged 15-19 miles a week up until two weeks ago when I only did 6.2 miles and last week when I only did 11.6 miles. This week I might be good for 15 and I follow the first week in December with a half mary. Whew. I hope I can do it. Steve and I may pace each other at 11 minute miles with a walk here and there. Both of us are sick so we’ll play it by ear.

ORPHANAGES MAY BE JAKE’S BIGGEST FEAR
The movie, “Annie”, touched fear in Jacob that caused tears and a night where he couldn’t sleep. During our viewing of “Annie” on Friday, Jacob asked what an orphanage was. So I explained. Simply, a place for kids without parents. Why? Because some parents may have died. Well, soon after that explanation he started to cry and said he didn’t want to go to an orphanage. I told him he wouldn’t have to. And that was that. Later that night, he started crying in bed. Crying, crying, crying, saying he couldn’t stop thinking about the orphanage. I told him that I would try not to die. Well, it got ridiculous as he kept crying and crying and crying… it was to the point where Bella couldn’t even sleep so she yelled, “Papa!!! Jacob is crying about the Orphanage!!!” Ugh!

He came out, I hugged him tight, reassured him that he wasn’t going to an orphanage because I wasn’t going to die. I told him to: think about Baseball or Lego Star Wars II, close his eyes and go to sleep. He finally fell asleep.

Whew. That damn “Annie” movie!

If you made it this far then you made it to one of U2’s best songs…

JAKE AND BELLA
I’ve come to realize that every song U2 has is one of their best songs… Well, this song is special because Bono wrote it for his dad about his dad. It’s pretty sad. He sang it at his funeral in 2001 I believe. It’s called, “Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own”. I love this song. Friday night, after the whole orphanage thing, I listened to it over and over again. It brought tears to my eyes and a lump in my throat. I went to Jake and Bella’s room and gave them hugs… There’s a line in the lyrics that says, “And it’s you when I look in the mirror.” And someday maybe both my kids will look into the mirror and say this about me. I know that I have taken a good look into the mirror and have seen both Jake and Bella. I look at myself and hope I can raise these kids to be better than the person I see in the mirror as I see myself in both of them already. There are so many things I have yet to teach them – about life, about love, about commitment and passion. I hope I succeed.

Here are the lyrics:

“Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own”
By U2

Tough, you think you’ve got the stuff
You’re telling me and anyone
You’re hard enough

You don’t have to put up a fight
You don’t have to always be right
Let me take some of the punches
For you tonight

Listen to me now
I need to let you know
You don’t have to go it alone

And it’s you when I look in the mirror
And it’s you when I don’t pick up the phone
Sometimes you can’t make it on your own

We fight all the time
You and I… that’s alright
We’re the same soul
I don’t need… I don’t need to hear you say
That if we weren’t so alike
You’d like me a whole lot more

Listen to me now
I need to let you know
You don’t have to go it alone

And it’s you when I look in the mirror
And it’s you when I don’t pick up the phone
Sometimes you can’t make it on your own

I know that we don’t talk
I’m sick of it all
Can you hear me when I Sing,
you’re the reason I sing
You’re the reason why the opera is in me

Where are we now?
I’ve got to let you know
A house still doesn’t make a home
Don’t leave me here alone

And it’s you when I look in the mirror
And it’s you that makes it hard to let go
Sometimes you can’t make it on your own
Sometimes you can’t make it
The best you can do is to fake it
Sometimes you can’t make it on your own

And that wraps up this ‘Random Pieces of Information’ entry.