Life in NoRO (aka 007/Houston)

Lots of stuff going on today and I feel a headache coming on. I don't get headaches very often but when I do they're the kind that bring me to my knees...well, what I mean is that I have to lay on the couch all day. I'm wondering if it is a bit of dehydration? I'm drinking some Accelerade (Citrus Grapefruit) right now and I'm hoping that it helps.

So where to begin?

Weather

Satellite image of Hurricane Dean taken some time this morning.

Last night before I went to bed I was watching Your Education Station and Frank Billingsley said, "Don't get too smug about this." The strike zone cone for Hurricane Dean has narrowed and now Galveston-Houston is at the northern most tip...pretty much out of the zone. However, it will be late Sunday or early Monday before the forecasters get a better feel for what "might" happen.
On an earlier broadcast, Frank spoke with Max Mayfield. Just the sight of him causes me high anxiety! This guy is one of the best hurricane forecasters. Even Max said it is too early to tell.
I really do need to do an inventory of supplies. Even if Dean goes south of us we're probably gonna get real wet for a few days. Look what TS Erin did to Houston.

Running

I did my obligatory 6 mile run this morning. I've decided to do the 1/2 marathon in January so right now I don't feel like doing much more than 6 miles. I do need to start doing some speed work.

Will Run For Martinis clued me in on getting some running music from iTunes. I downloaded a few of the podcasts from Podrunner and listened to one of them this morning. The constant bass beat really did set the cadence (maybe that is what is causing the headache?) and it was a good run but buhgeezes it was hot and humid this morning!

My shoes, socks, shorts and shirt were soaked. I actually had to take off my shirt because I was afraid of getting bloody nipples. (Runners will know what I'm talking about.) It hurts and it's not pretty. When guys start to bleed through their shirts it looks like they've been shot in the chest.

I had put Body Glide on the inner thighs but not on the nipples. Didn't have any Band Aids or Nip Guards to use as protection. And I figured if nobody wanted to see me shirtless, they didn't have to look! :-) I didn't hear anybody screaming and kids didn't cry so I guess I was OK.

Tax Free Weekend

Texas is having a tax free weekend on clothing and backpacks but not school supplies(?). I believe that any item on the approved list that is $100 or less is tax free. Even if you're not going to school you can still get the items tax free.

As a child, my mother trained me to always look for the sales. And I scored big time this morning at Macy's! I got a Kenneth Cole shirt (regular price: $79.00) for $19 and some change and a pair of Kenneth Cole pants (regular price: $70.00) for $19 and some change. (Hurricane evacuation attire it isn't but I will look good on the telly in case they want to interview me as an evacuee.)

However, that is when the headache started. And then I realized that it wasn't even 10:00A yet and the crowds with their kids would soon be arriving so I left The Galleria. Better safe than sorry.

I hadn't been to Fleet Feet Sports in eons and there is one sorta on the way home but not really but it is better than going to Rice Village so I stopped in. OK...20% off ALL apparel and tax free! I only bought a couple of things because the headache was really getting to me.

Anywho...The Calvinator has had his noontime stroll and I think I might need to eat something before I have to lay down on the couch.

I'm outta here!