Day Six Hundred and Eighty Six of Unemployment-Fifty and Unemployed

Family Get Together Last Night

I was a little tired from last night. My cousin had organized a family get together. I haven’t seen most of these people in over three years. Although it is nice to see them, it tends to get a little too noisy for me with all the kids.

It was a potluck and there were a lot of interesting things. My cousin brought a big plate of quinoa spinach balls which predictably, nobody ate so he gave them to me! After eating so much junk lately, I was happy to see something clean like that!

Laptop Fixed

My brother brought my laptop to me. The good news is that he managed to fix it. But the bad news is that I don’t have what was on my laptop and he’s not sure if the recovery program that he has can get everything or anything back. He said that the laptop is living on borrowed time and that I can expect it to break down at any time.

He’s still working on my spare laptop that he had given to me a couple of years ago. He is trying to figure out how to save my files on that computer. I hope that he’ll have an answer by the time I leave the next week.

Good Friday Holiday

Today is Good Friday. In Vancouver, most everything is open. It is a public holiday so government offices, banks, schools and most people have a holiday. But most everything else is open. Here in Winnipeg, most everything is closed on not just Good Friday but Easter Sunday as well. Some places take off Easter Monday as well and make it a three-day weekend off.

I wanted to spend time with my family today so I looked for a restaurant that would be open. There was a Chinese buffet that I thought might be open but when I had checked online and called, there was no answer. I finally ran over there yesterday and asked them if they would be open. They said that they would be open both Good Friday and Easter Sunday. I was glad to hear that.

Kitchen Clean Up

I had some time to continue with my kitchen clean up. Today I was tackling the stove and oven. It was a mess. There was old grease stains from long ago. I needed more than a little elbow grease to get that grease off. I had to soak the burner plates, too.

I tried to persuade my Dad to give up some of his vast kitchen wares. Aside from a few dishes, he was not willing to get rid of anything yet. Although I was nagging him about getting rid of things, I was feeling guilty about my huge stock pile at home. In my mind I’m already thinking about throwing things out from my kitchen when I get home.

Ran to Restaurant

I decided to run to and from the restaurant so that I could get my running in today. It was a little warmer than yesterday but overcast. I think this is one of the first days in Winnipeg that was not bright and sunny. I decided to only wear five layers instead of yesterday’s six.

The streets were fairly deserted. It was quite a bit different from the daily traffic I see. It was warmer so when I ran, I could definitely feel sweat as opposed to other times when it was too cold for me to feel anything. This was another tempo run mainly because it’s too far to do hill training and I don’t have enough time to do a long run today.

Better Diet at the Buffet

My family was at the restaurant by the time I arrived. The restaurant parking lot was fairly full. This was one of the few restaurants aside from fast food that was open. Last week, when we came here, I totally pigged out. I allowed myself to eat absolutely anything that I wanted to.

Today though, I’m starting to feel the effects of reckless eating. I actually made an effort to eat better. I know that once I return home next week, I’ll get back on track and eat better. I have better discipline at home. I’ll only have two weeks before the marathon so I don’t want to run it fueled on junk.

Ran Home

Although I was full, I decided to pass up a ride home and run back. I considered going further to the hill area but then changed my mind. The wind was really strong going home. I almost regretted sending my Dad home without me.

A couple of blocks away from the strip mall where the restaurant is, I saw an employee ID photo card. I decided to run back to the mall and see if there was any place I could leave it. I finally managed to slip it under the door of the store which was closed today. I also wasted some time when a group of scavenging students asked me to take a photo of them.

It took me longer to get home because the wind was so strong. When I did finally get home, I did feel like I had done a good work out. I was all sweaty so I felt proud of my running today. Not too many more runs before the marathon!

 

 

Day Six Hundred and Thirty Nine of Unemployment-Fifty and Unemployed

Woke Up Early to Snow

Weather reports had predicted rain and snow this morning so I ran to the window to see what I would be facing today during my run. It was snowing but it wasn’t really accumulating on the ground.

Snowy Run to Free Yoga Class at Lululemon

I packed my yaktrax just in case the snow was as bad as it had been last Sunday when I ran to my yoga class. Last week, I didn’t have them and I had to run through inches of snow. This time, I would be prepared.

I decided to take an alternate running route to my class, a flatter route. Although I am feeling almost back to normal after my hip injury, I don’t want to push it. I want to do a long run after class so I want to be in the best shape that I can be.

Full Class Despite the Weather

I was a little surprised to see that our class was pretty full despite the bad weather. Usually, when it snows or rains heavily, the class numbers go down. But today, we had a full class. I guess we Vancouverites are a heartier bunch than I think.

Long Run in the Rain

I went for a long run after my yoga class. I usually do my long runs on Sunday but last week, I did it on the Monday instead because I was celebrating the olympics. I felt ready to do it today. I’m feeling great because I am almost back on schedule…this marathon thing is a go as long as I won’t encounter any more injuries between now and May…knock wood!

The snow had continued but turned to rain as it hit the sidewalks. It wasn’t overly cold, just an average rainy winter day in Vancouver. I was dressed well so I hardly even noticed the rain. I didn’t run too fast but I didn’t run too slowly either. I felt good.

Foodie Bloggers Event

I won a ticket to a foodie bloggers event at an Indian restaurant. I had always thought of what it would be like to be a food blogger but I knew that I couldn’t do it myself. I simply don’t have enough knowledge about food and wine to do the job.

I was particularly interested in hearing one of the food bloggers talk about what it is like to be a food blogger. I follow one blog in particular and I wonder: how he can afford to eat out enough to write a daily review, how he doesn’t gain weight and how he doesn’t get bored eating out all the time, especially at the not-so-good restaurants.

This event was held at an Indian restaurant, Sidhhartha’s Kitchen. They had provided some appetizers at the last YVR Bloggers event that I had attended. The food had been really good there, so I knew that I could expect the same at this event.

They did not disappoint. The chef gave a brief talk and explained his natural cooking philosophy to us. What I was impressed with the most was the delicious butter chicken which is made with freshly chopped tomatoes (as opposed to canned) and coconut milk. I know that I’ll return to the restaurant again.

 

Day Six Hundred and Thirty Three of Unemployment-Fifty and Unemployed

Sleep Problems or Olympics Schedule?

I had difficulty falling asleep last night and I’m not sure if it’s because of getting up early to watch the Olympics or whether I was just tired. In any case, it’s just frustrating being wide awake at 3 or 4 AM and then getting up at 9 or 10 AM and feeling like half the morning is gone.

Snow Continues

This morning was another overcast snowy day. I am wondering how much more of this we will have. Vancouver is not used to snow. We are more than used to rain for months and months, but a couple of days of snow and we get anxious.

Ran Downtown

I ran downtown because I had an acting union’s meeting at the UBCP office. I wasn’t too keen on running in this snowy weather again, after yesterday’s run to yoga but knew that I needed this run. I won’t be able to run tomorrow since I’ll be working.

The snow was falling but it was not accumulating. I had brought my yaktrax to put on my running shoes just in case it got too deep but I had no problems. My hip continues to heal so this run was at a fairly fast pace and relatively pain-free.

Union Meeting

Today’s meeting was specifically for background actors. They said that they would be discussing tax issues so I wanted to hear that. I saw a few familiar faces but there were a lot of new ones as well.

With new faces, there were a lot of questions that I already knew the answers to, so I zoned out a bit. There were also questions regarding child actors which is also not of much interest to me. The tax information was really general. I was a little disappointed, I guess I didn’t really need to come to this meeting. Still, it was nice to hear that there will be a lot of pilot filming soon.

Long Run Around the Sea Wall in Stanley Park

Since I missed my opportunity for a long run on Sunday because I was celebrating the Olympics, I decided to do it today. Our marathon training clinic leader had sent a map of a long run around the Stanley Park seawall. Since I was so close to there, I decided to go for it, even though it was still snowing heavily.

There is one advantage to running around the seawall when the weather is bad, it’s not that crowded. When the weather is nice, it’s packed, there are runners, walkers, strollers, roller bladers, etc. I hate that and avoid it at all costs.

Today, it was quite slushy and just a little slippery. I wasn’t able to run too quickly. I wasn’t able to wear my yaktrax either though because there wasn’t enough snow. The last time I had run this route, there was a snowstorm and I hardly saw anybody except the occasional runner and the dog walkers, they are out in all kinds of weather.

As I was running, I was thinking that maybe this was a stupid idea. Although my hip is better, what if I were to have a relapse and then I couldn’t walk, much less run? There are areas on the route that are difficult to get out of. On one side is the sea and the other, there could be a steep rock face. Luckily, I didn’t have a problem, but I did wonder how I could get out.

I was quite satisfied as I crossed the last bridge back to my neighborhood. It was still snowing and I was getting chilled. I couldn’t wait to get home. Once I got home, I noticed that my feet were totally soaked. My toes were all swollen like when you are in the tub for a long time. It took a while to warm up.

Email from Extras Agent

I got several emails from my extras agent regarding the shoot I’m booked for tomorrow. She kept us informed but we didn’t have any final details. We finally got preliminary details at around 10 PM. I knew where the shoot would be at least and it wasn’t as far as I thought it could be.

I finally got the final confirmation at around 11 PM. It wasn’t too early so I was relieved. I can get up at a reasonable time and get there. There is supposed to be snow so I’ll give myself plenty of time to get there.

Brother’s Job Application

My brother had sent me a few job listings on the weekend. I had started working on them a bit. Today, I got an email from him asking for help again. He had actually highlighted all of the things in the job listing that he could do. I had asked him to do this before in the past and this was the first time that he did this for me.

Since he had sounded a little desperate in this email, I stayed up late and worked on this particular job listing until after 1 AM. I was really tired but I knew that I would be busy tomorrow, so I had to get it done or it would be another two days before I’d be able to finish it.

I was happy when I finally hit the submit button in my email to him. The next morning I got a short, thank you from him. Which, if you knew my brother, was something. Usually, I get no response and it drives me crazy.

Day Five Hundred and Ninety Seven of Unemployment-Fifty and Unemployed

Early Morning Run

I woke up early to do my weekly early morning run to yoga. It was a little dark but quickly got lighter out. This was to be my long run day with my marathon group but I opted to go to my yoga class instead.

The marathon instructor emailed us the route of the long run today and it was only 13 KM or 8 miles, which is what I was going to be doing anyway. I guess I would need to go there to find out what the exact route was because the map wasn’t very good. It didn’t give one of the street names on the map. That’s a pet peeve of mine, why provide a map that doesn’t show the name of the street that you need?

Anyway, I had a good run myself. I was a little concerned with my Achilles tendon pain but aside from that, had a fairly fast run. As my mileage increases as my training progresses, I really hope that it doesn’t exacerbate my Achilles tendon pain!

Free Yoga Class at Lululemon

It was another packed class at the Oakridge Lululemon store. I guess people are still striving to fulfill their New Year’s resolutions. I’m used to it when it’s this crowded but I could see other people uncomfortable having their yoga mats inches away from the next person and almost hitting people with an arm or leg.

All during class, I wondered if I should make an effort to skip this yoga class and join my marathon clinic’s group long run on Sunday morning instead. I think that the breathing, sense of serenity that I get from yoga makes me a better runner, as corny as that sounds. I’ll have to think about it.

Blood Pressure Check

I went to Safeway to get my blood pressure checked. Now that my readings have been good, I only take it once a week or so. I figure that my blood pressure should be especially good after a yoga class, but I found today that the first reading was a little high. I took a second, which was a little better. The third was normal. It never fails to surprise me how the readings can vary drastically within a few minutes.

Good Sunny Run Home

I was happy to see that it was sunny by the time I left for my run home. I love seeing the snow on the mountains the most. When it’s sunny like this, we get a clear view of the mountains but it does tend to be a little colder than when it’s overcast.

I was feeling a little pressure in my Achilles tendon again as I had in the morning. I wondered if this is going to be a constant thing and if I should really make an effort to either rest it or do more preventative stretching. I tend to get a little complacent about those stretches when all is well and I am without any pain. That’s a bad habit of mine.

Friend’s Birthday Dinner

We went to our second Dine Out Vancouver meal at Chutney Villa this time. The menu looked really interesting. It was my friend’s choice since we were going for her birthday. I had never heard of this restaurant but that’s the best thing about Dine Out Vancouver, it introduces restaurants to people that they might not know about.

My Dad is still in town and her parents came to town so they came along. Her husband is out-of-town for work. Although some of us enjoyed it, it was too hot and spicy for my Dad and her Mom. We had asked for them to make their meals mild but I guess what they consider mild may not be ours.

After dinner, we went to her place to open presents. I was glad that I had been able to tick off another chore off my list. I am almost one month behind with her birthday. Now, I will have to finish my Xmas cards and wrap presents so I can send them from the US when I go tomorrow.

Day Four Hundred and Seventy Seven of Unemployment-Fifty and Unemployed

Pain Free Morning

I woke up the morning after my long run feeling pain-free. I had decided to do a trial run yesterday for the marathon that I’m running next week. I wanted to be confident that I would be able to complete the 26.2 miles without experiencing any Achilles tendon pain that would cause me to quit.

I managed to run the trial run with no problems. I even went and helped my friend move, carrying and moving boxes from one part of the house to another. After a few hours of that, I even ran home.

I did take it easy the rest of the night. I felt tired but not any different from any other time after I’ve run a long run. So here it is the next morning, and I feel fine. I can barely remember that I ran over 26 miles yesterday. I’m really glad about that! Given my lack of pain, I think that it is a good indication that I will be able to push myself even more next week at the marathon.

Meet and Greet Event by Extras Casting Directors

I had to drive downtown to go to a meet and greet of three extras casting directors. I had gone to one that they had six months ago and decided to go to this one as well. Not only does it give me a chance to see them and remind them of my existence, but I always get to catch up with my fellow extras friends.

I had a chance to chat briefly with each casting director and meet one of the agents I had never met before. I also got to meet up with some of my extras friends whom I hadn’t worked with for a while. It was nice to catch up and hear anecdotes about what is happening in the film industry. Nobody had been working that much but more than they had been six months ago, so a little improvement at least!

The recent surge in ageism against older extras or background performers was discussed as well. The casting directors said that they were sorry, but said that they had to listen to what the directors wanted. There’s not much we can do about the situation if that is what the director wants the scene to look like. They generalized and said that most of the CW shows that film here are notorious for that.

After a while, I had to bow out and leave. I have to drive across town to attend my friend’s wedding this afternoon. It took longer than usual to get there because of all the extra construction in the area.

Friends’ Wedding

I was running late and arrived at my friend’s wedding shortly before the ceremony. I was surprised that it was a bit of a madhouse at the church with many people still arriving. It almost seemed like a paparazzi scene with so many cameras, phones and even ipads snapping photos.

It was a beautiful wedding and despite forecasts to the contrary, the sun was shining all day. I thought that I took an excessive amount of photos, but this wedding had 3 official photographers and a videographer. After a while, I gave up because there were so many people jostling for views to take pictures from!

This was the first time that I would experience a Chinese wedding banquet. I was placed at a table where I didn’t know anybody. Actually, of the hundreds of guests there, I only knew my friend, his bride and his parents. Most of the wedding was in Cantonese as well so I was unaware of what was said during some of the speeches and at my table.

Still, I had a great feast! I’m not really familiar with the dishes so some of the table guests explained what everything was. There were a number of seafood dishes. At the end of the banquet, the servers plopped down Styrofoam take out containers and urged us to take home the leftovers. Since I was the only local person, everybody told me to take home everything. I was thrilled! Lobster for tomorrow!

I really had a lot of fun at this wedding even though I didn’t know anybody. Although it was a bit of an effort, I did manage to give a nice gift and some money as a wedding gift. That should be my last gift obligation for a while until December. Hopefully, my money situation will improve by then!

Day Four Hundred and Seventy Six of Unemployment-Fifty and Unemployed

Last Long Run Before Marathon Next Week

I got up early because I decided that I wanted to do a test run for the marathon that I’m running next week. Generally speaking, conventional advice is to only do long runs that are not the actual 26.2 miles ahead of the race. Even before I signed up for the marathon, long runs were a regular part of my running regime.

In recent weeks, I’ve been having troubles with my Achilles tendon, experiencing either tightness or pain during almost all of my runs regardless of the distance so I’ve been anxious about whether or not I could finish. I don’t have lofty ambitions, I just want to be able to finish the race.

It’s been over 20 years since I ran my first and only marathon. And I only accidentally stumbled into this free entry from my elite runner friend. So I don’t want to waste the opportunity. I would hate it if I couldn’t finish.

Double Loop

Since the race is far away from me, I didn’t want to actually go there to run the course. If it had been a local course, I probably would have at least tried to run part of the course out of curiosity. This course if one half marathon loop of 13.1 miles and then the full is to repeat it. Hmmm. I thought that that was sorta lame on their part. I know some races do that but I myself prefer to have a route that is no repetition.

So I decided to do my usual route to UBC that I do at least once or twice a week. If I run there and back, it’s around 11 miles. If I run it again, it’s another 11. Then, I only have to run another 4 miles to finish the 26.2.

Test Run is Fine

So I tried to wear different things that I think I would on race day. I wore this lighter backpack thingy and I’m glad that I tried it because the straps kept sliding down! It drove me crazy! I also wore these running tights that I haven’t worn since last year that also seemed too tight (damn midnight munchies!) so I had to nix them.

The first loop was fine. I tried to eat before I started (something new for me) and drink more. I stopped at home for a quickie change of clothes and then started my second loop. I felt more comfortable with my usual small backpack and new pants.

During the first loop, I found a pay cheque on the path along the golf course. It was from a diner on my route, so I stopped there on my way back and gave it to the owner. A worker who had worked there last night had dropped it.

During my second loop, I found a student bus pass! I dropped it off at the local running room and asked them to call the phone number on the back. The student can go to the store to pick it up. I find so many things when I run because I tend to look down to make sure I won’t have another running accident and trip again!

Full Marathon Sub Five

I was feeling pretty comfortable during the whole run. I felt hydrated and my injuries weren’t plaguing me. As I finished the last few miles, I didn’t even feel that tired. I probably didn’t run as fast as I could have. I probably could have run another few miles at the same pace.

I managed to do the full marathon distance in a sub five. I wondered if I could do the same next week? I know that I should have tapered off earlier and not done such a long run so close to the race but it was the mental thing that was bothering me. Now, I have the confidence that I can finish the distance without my injury stopping me.

Helped Friend with Moving Again

After I finished, I went to my friend’s to help her with some more moving. I thought I might be too tired to run up and down the stairs with boxes, but I was fine after having some toast and lemonade.

I managed to help her for 3 hours before running the almost three miles home (at a super slow pace. I still felt oddly fine. I was a little tired, but that’s usual for most long runs that I do.

Arranging Marathon Transportation

This Surrey Marathon had said on their website that translink would have early trains to the race in the time for the start. Now, weeks later, when I checked, they said that skytrain was now not able to offer early sunday morning service. I was mad because I wouldn’t have signed up had I known that I would have to drive that distance to get there!

The full marathon starts at 7:30 AM but I don’t want to get there right at that time. I need a little time to relax. So that means I’ll have to drive the hour from my home, find the place with road closures and find parking. I was really mad.

I emailed my friend who gave me the entry and he is staying overnight at a friend’s. He suggested contacting the local running rooms and even going on the previous night’s last train and staying at a 24 hour place.

I posted on facebook, emailed the running rooms and even placed a craigslist ad. I hope that I’ll be able to find something soon!

Day Four Hundred and Fifty of Unemployment-Fifty and Unemployed

Ran to Free Yoga at Oakridge Lululemon

I got up early this morning to do my usual weekly run to the free yoga class at Lululemon at Oakridge. I wondered how I was going to run since the last time I ran I felt so slow. I left myself plenty of time to get to class just in case I wasn’t able to run very fast.

As I set off, I felt the old me running. I felt light and fast as I ran up the hill. I did feel a bit of twinge in my Achilles tendon area but not enough to worry me. I wondered why I would feel so slow and lethargic one day and then the next, feel fast and inspired?

I wondered how I would feel on the marathon day morning. Would I be in good form or would I be dragging my feet? I hate that unpredictability. That’s the problem with entering any race at my age, I never know if I will be in good health or if I will have a running injury. That’s another reason why I never wanted to pay the high prices of the race entries. I’ve heard of too many stories of people who had to cancel and couldn’t get a refund.

Chat with Fellow Job Searcher

I had a chat with my fellow job searcher after yoga class. It was nice to have met somebody I could talk with about this. I’m still not sure what her financial situation is or how long she has been looking for a job.

She revealed one of her biggest concerns. She is from Hong Kong but has very good English. She said that whenever she saw a job listing requirement that said the candidate would need excellent spoken and written English, she would wonder if she should reply.

I assured her that she should still apply. That requirement is pretty standard and I don’t think that most jobs really need a very high level of English. Most native English speakers that I know use terrible grammar and their written English is terrible.

When I worked overseas I actually worked as an editor and was somebody who did correct English usage (spoken and written). But for almost any of the jobs that I’ve had here, rarely has there been a real need to have that level of ability. I would think that here in Vancouver, her multilingual abilities would be a great advantage. In any case, I think the best thing for her is self-confidence more than anything.

Long Run Today

After the yoga class, I felt pretty good. I had told myself ahead of time that I was going to do a long run and that I would not allow myself to give any excuses. I am running out of time to do long runs before the marathon next month, so I have to do this.

Luckily, the weather was sunny but not too warm. It wasn’t too hot to the point where I’d be dehydrated quickly either. I did have my water bottle with me though and I knew that I’d be able to last until the first water fountain on my route.

I didn’t encounter any fellow runners for the first six miles or so. I usually stop at the nude beach, Wreck beach to do the stairs but by passed it this time. By the time I got to the next beach, I had seen lots of runners. There were also lots of beach volleyballers in a tournament and spectators.

By the time I got to the last beach, Jericho, I was getting tired. I stopped at the tennis club to watch some squash for a short time before finishing my run. By the time I got home, I had logged in around twenty miles for the day. I was weary but not painfully so. I felt like I had accomplished a good long run today.

New Resume Written

My friend had emailed me some information about a job she did a few months ago. She pretended to be a patient for medical professionals. They would have to figure out the correct diagnosis. My friend enjoyed it and was asked back to work it again.

I checked out the link and it said that I would need to apply with a headshot and a resume. I didn’t know if I needed to submit a regular resume or an actor’s bio. I haven’t written an actor’s resume in a long time. I don’t have a formal headshot either. I took a photo of myself with a self-timer and that’ll have to do. I can’t afford to get a formal headshot done right now.

This is just a two-day gig in October but at this point, I’ll take anything I can get. It does sound like fun, too. I have played a patient many times on different TV shows and movies, so why not again?

Day Four Hundred and Twenty Nine of Unemployment-Fifty and Unemployed

Ran to Free Yoga Class

I ran this morning to my weekly free yoga class at Lululemon. The weather was overcast and a little chilly. I wondered if the hot summer weather has turned and it will now be getting cooler? I hope not. It doesn’t seem like our summer has been long enough yet.

I got to class early enough that I was able to cool down after my run. I felt pretty good as I started the class. It wasn’t too crowded in class, probably because of the long weekend. My chest and arm pains have almost healed so I didn’t have any problem doing the class either.

High Blood Pressure Reading

I went to check my blood pressure after class. This machine is popular, there is usually somebody ahead of me taking their blood pressure. It’s mostly seniors who like to use this machine at this grocery store.

Although my reading was normal, it was a little higher than it usually is. Whenever that happens, it always freaks me out a little even though it’s still well within the normal range. It’s been a few weeks since I went off of my high blood pressure medication and I’ve been carefully monitoring my readings. Luckily, I have still not felt it necessary to go back on the medication.

I wonder if my depression has any affect on my blood pressure readings? I don’t take any medication for depression but I wonder if my ‘nerves’ or emotionality makes a difference? If I feel anxious and stressed, would that make my blood pressure rise?

Ran All Afternoon

As I started to run home, I still hadn’t made a decision as to how long I was going to run today. At the shortest, I would run straight home, making it an 8 mile total run for the day. That’s what I did last Sunday. At the point where I could turn off to run home, I pondered for a minute and then decided to keep running.

Although it was sunny and hot, there was a slight breeze. I was feeling pretty good so I kept going to the next point. I stopped to drink some water and apply more sunscreen. At this point, I could go on or I could start to go home.

I decided to run further and then stop at UBC to get more water before heading home. At this point I had started to feel really hot and sweaty. I put on some more sunscreen. It took me longer than usual but I made it home. In total, I had run twenty miles today.

The main reason why I wanted to run this long distance today was because I find that it clears my head. I think I do my best thinking on these runs. I was trying to think of my best strategy to apply for some jobs that I had seen online. Although I think that I could do a really good job, I don’t have the confidence and I think that this might show through in my cover letter and my interview (if I even got an interview).

I spent those hours running and saying a kind of mantra, you are a good person and you deserve to get the best job that you want! You are not too old. You have a lot of valuable experience that somebody will appreciate.

Despite any of my previous career successes, because of my present circumstances, being unemployed for over a year, I can’t quite convince myself that I could get a good job. The longer I ran, the more tired I got, and the less convinced I was of my awesomeness.

Heat Exhaustion

As soon as I got home, I felt quite tired. I was really hot and sweaty so I took a shower right away. Unlike the last time I ran a long run in this sun and heat, I felt odd. I had a fever that didn’t go away. I collapsed on my bed.

I haven’t felt this way since I had heat or sun stroke when I was playing in a tennis tournament years ago. I almost fainted on the court and I didn’t know why I felt so terrible. Luckily, there were doctors playing who recognized what was happening so they took care of me. Since then, I’ve been careful whenever I’ve been out in the sun. It’s not likely heat stroke but probably just heat exhaustion, the less serious condition.

It took me hours before I felt better. I took a nap but I probably shouldn’t have. I ended up waking up at midnight and then couldn’t go back to sleep until almost 4 AM. I hoped that I would felt better the next day.

Day Four Hundred and Eight of Unemployment-Fifty and Unemployed

Ran to My Free Yoga Class

I had taken two days off from running and I had hoped that I would have an easy time this morning. I made sure to run on the right side of the road to make sure that it wouldn’t be too sunny. My Achilles tendon was still sore but not enough to slow my pace.

I had a chance to chat with the instructor before the class. This would be her last class for a while. She was a very popular instructor. We had hoped that she’d be able to return after her vacation, but there are instructors lined up for the next ten weeks or so. That’s the one bad thing, we don’t often have continuity. But since they are free classes, we can put up with some variety.

Met up with Friend for Tablet Tutorial

I ran to meet up with a friend who would help me with the tablet that my brother had given me. I wasn’t able to see where my micro SD card was in my tablet and I couldn’t figure out how to look for it. I was also having problems getting connected to my internet company’s free connection points in the city. I can hardly wait to take my tablet when I do extra work, so I was happy I’d be able to get it ready.

My friend bought his tablet a few months ago so I am lucky because he was able to learn about all of the different issues ahead of me and then be able to help me. After some fiddling around, he managed to show me how to find my micro SD card. I wasn’t able to connect to my free internet points though. I’ll have to call my provider and ask them how to sign in.

He and his wife do extra work. I asked him if they’ve been busy and he said that they’ve been submitted several times by their extras agent, but have not been booked. That is not a good sign. If extras casting directors are being that picky, they obviously have a lot of time on their hands. I keep waiting for the busy season to start, but it’s still slow.

Ran Around the Beaches

Although it was right smack in the middle of the sun’s hottest rays, I decided to do a long run today. I had hoped to catch the last of the cyclists in the Subaru Vancouver Triathlon that I had volunteered for but I knew that I might be too late. Sure enough, by the time I reached that area, there was only the occasional energy bar wrapper as evidence that there had been a race this morning.

Since it was so hot and I was still a little concerned about my Achilles tendon pain, I considered bailing out early at different points of my run. Once I reached Wreck Beach, the nude beach, I went down the stairs. For some odd reason, there were way more naked people than usual.

I thought that I would run on the beach toward the other beaches but the shore was really rocky. It was more like a trail run or even parkour. The farther away I was from Wreck beach, I thought that I’d seen my last naked person, but they dotted even the most remote beaches. Few people are willing to walk the rocky beaches to get to those places.

It was a really good work out and the scenery was outstanding but I was getting bored and wanted to see more people, people who weren’t naked, too. I finally hit a normal beach with regular sand which was easier to run on. It was packed with people.

I kept taking water and washroom breaks as I passed each beach. Although I was tired, I was still managing to keep up my pace. Once I had hit the last beach on my route, I sat down and shook out sand from my running shoes. I had a good run and once I got home, it was almost twenty miles for the day.

Visited Thrift Store Friend

On the way back home from my run, I went to visit my thrift store friend. We chatted with the other regulars as always. When I was ready to leave, he mentioned that he might not be working next weekend. I knew that he was planning to leave Vancouver, but I had hoped that he would stay for August.

It was quite sad to think of him leaving. He has worked there for two years and he’s been a friendly face every week. Us regulars look forward to catching up with him every week.

His is a familiar story. Twenty-somethings are attracted to the west coast and come out to live. They come from eastern Canada, Australia, Japan or elsewhere. Sometimes they go to Whistler to become ski bums and sometimes they just eke out a living in Vancouver. They usually can’t get well-paying jobs so they live in an over priced place with several roommates.

After a while, the appeal is gone. They understand the reality of life in Vancouver, that it’s really expensive to live here. They realize that if they stay, they will likely continue to live a hand-to-mouth existence.

I wonder myself if I am an idiot for staying here in Vancouver. Although it is a beautiful place to live, it is more difficult to maintain a good lifestyle here. Vancouver’s wages do not make up for the higher cost of living. I have thought of moving but at my age, the thought of starting all over is daunting. I guess I’m stuck with my choice.

Day Three Hundred and Two of Unemployment-Fifty and Unemployed

Another Beautiful Sunny Day

I woke up this morning to another sunny day. Although I couldn’t fall asleep last night until after 2 AM, I woke up when the sun came up. I tried to fall back to sleep but couldn’t. My arm and shoulder were aching a little so I decided to start off the day with my home physiotherapy exercises.

Although it’s been two weeks since I had gone to see my physiotherapist, I have been fairly diligent about my home physiotherapy exercises. I have been a little stressed about the continuing pain though. For a while there, it wasn’t too bad and I almost forgot that I had broken my arm and shoulder.

But lately, I’ve been experiencing pain when I wake up. I guess this isn’t so bad compared to the time when I couldn’t sleep because of the pain. Now I only have trouble sleeping because of my anxiety.

Long Run Today

I decided to increase the distance for my run today. Before my running accident, Saturday was my long run day. I used to run for hours, clocking in around 18 to 20 miles for the day. I knew that I wouldn’t be able to run that long today, but I did want to try to do more than 12 miles, which is the most I have managed since my accident.

I had read a blog post about some ultra runner who lives in my neighborhood. She mentioned the kind of food and drink she takes along with her when she does her long runs. I was a little surprised to read that because in all my years of running, I have never seen anybody run with a pack (though I do) that would hold all the food and drink she mentions.

But apparently, she does. She said that if she runs more than two hours she will pack food and drink. Some of it is normal food and drink and some is running food, like gels. I have never been one to take food. Even in races I tend not to stop for anything except regular plain water.

Today, I ran around five miles or so before I ran adjacent to the park that I hadn’t done in over six months. I run on the median where the grass is sometimes a challenge if it is too wet or the grass is too long. Today, it was okay.

I was surprised to see a large floral arrangement at one point. Here, flowers or signs are left at a place where there has been a car accident. I guess somebody must have died on that spot. It was really heart retching to see a little teddy bear attached to a bouquet beside it as well. I hadn’t heard about it on the news, so I wonder what had happened.

I ran to my look out point where I take a short break and take in the view. I sat down on the parking abutment where people sit and some kid had drawn all over it with bright-colored chalk! I was so pissed off that some stupid parent would allow their kid to do that because now I had it all over my pants.

My usual stop on this route is a grocery store where I can go to the washroom and if they have samples, can get a little something to eat. For some reason, they don’t have a water fountain though. I went across the street to the UBC Running Room. They always have cold water for runners, so I usually stop in there to get some. (No, I don’t carry a water bottle unless it is really hot out, since there are a few water fountains along my route).

In the end, I managed to do around 16 miles today. It’s not my usual, but I didn’t want to overdo it. Next week, I can aim for 18 miles and then after that I should be able to resume my usual long run. I felt pretty good today.

Visit to the Thrift Store

I went to visit my friends at the thrift store. They were busy because there were so many people dropping off donations. Obviously, other people have the same idea that I have about spring cleaning. I have to get on it this weekend.

I finally dropped off the information for one of them about a special employment program for French Canadians. I saw the ad for it at the WorkBC office and thought that he would be ideal for it. I’m not sure who sponsors the program, but it helps French-speaking Canadians find a job and pays them during the 14 week program. I would have thought that they would have an advantage being bilingual because out west, there are few who are bilingual but I guess not, if they have this program.

Dash Diet Book Search

When I got home, I decided to look for the Dash diet that my doctor had recommended. I saw a google review and it is not too different from many diets that I already know. Still, I have to give it a try.

If I have high blood pressure despite all the running and yoga that I do, then I have to try to fight it with my diet. If I have high blood pressure because of genetics, well, then, there’s not much I can do except go on medication. I’m really hoping that I will be able to get off the water pill I just was prescribed this week.

I went on the half.com website and saw that there are lots of those books available. I wonder if there were a lot of people who were told by their doctor to read it and are now unloading them? I’ll have to order one.