Scott Douglas’ Terse Bloviation

Yesterday Stacey had a piece of coconut cream cake at 5:30 p.m., two hours before dinner. I called this “pressert.” Did I make up a fun word?

My profile of Ed Whitlock is now posted. It was an honor and pleasure to spend a few days with Ed and attempt to capture some of what makes him special.

Stacey and good friends across the street and around the corner.

Ibex clothing.

A huge stash of tisane mixes from Homegrown Herb & Tea.

The new stove in the living room.

Friends to run with.

Enjoyable new music acquisitions, and occasional dips into old favorites.

I still exist. As the David Brooks Gross Oversimplification Watch seems to have run its course, I’ll turn the focus of this site back on one of my favorite subjects, me, until I find another muse. (Parting words on Brooks: Note his new schtick of writing his columns like bad college essays, with a couple theme-setting paragraphs followed by enumerated explication, with subsequent paragraphs beginning “First..” or “Second,” etc.)

The current (January/February) issue of Running Times includes a profile I wrote of Boaz Cheboiywo. Boaz will become a U.S. citizen in June. On Jan. 17, we’ll have more info on whether that means there will suddenly be another fast American marathoner, because Boaz is running Houston on the third-time-might-be-the-charm plan. (He ran 2:21 in his debut at NYC in 2008, and dropped out of Chicago in October.)

The March issue will include a profile I wrote of age-group wunderkind Ed Whitlock. Stacey and I spent a few days with him in Milton, Ontario, Canada the weekend before Thanksgiving (American, not Canadian). If you have questions about Boaz or Ed, post them below.

Finally, for now, on the professional front: For those who wonder how I spend my time and pay the bills, I’m fortunate to be back full-time with Running Times with the title of senior editor.

On the personal front, I’m keeping the tea and merino wool industries in business, am not yet sick of root vegetables, haven’t missed a day of running in more than two years, am about to start Wolf Hall, am pleased with my progress doing Myrtl and fear that my composting worms recently suffered mass extinction.

I’m in one of those stages with no big projects or adventures or cool trips to look forward to, so I need to remind myself to not forget quotidian items that reliably pierce the clouds. Ten off the top of my head:

1. Solo trail runs.
2. Trail runs with friends.
3. First 83 cups of coffee in the morning.
4. Dinner with Stacey.
5. Harold Mabern at full force.
6. For some reason, merino wool tops make me very happy.
7. A good chai is nice.
8. Interesting e-mail exchanges.
9. Perusing Slate.
10. At some point during the day, each of the pets does something that makes me smile.

Your list?

Most people like food and pretty pictures and knowing what day it is. Therefore, what more would they like in their (really big) stocking than a 2009 calendar that features fine-art food photography, seasonal recipes and fun food factoids, the latter scripted by moi? Learn more and buy the abfab calendar here.

Hi there. How have you been? You’re looking well. Have you lost weight?

What’s that? What’s up with me? Why, thanks for asking! The near future should include:

• A turkeyless Thanksgiving at the home of vegetarian friends.
• Final harvesting of brussels sprouts and sunchokes.
• My second race in the last 26 months.
• A weekend in Montreal.
• A few days with Zola Budd Pieterse for a Running Times story.
• Publication of the second edition of Advanced Marathoning.
• Continued daily sits in front of the lightbox to account for the fact that the sun, when it deigns to appear, checks out for the day at about noon.
• Continued vicarious pleasure in the well-earned success of Stacey’s great 2009 wall calendar.

How about yourself?