By lunchtime, the sun broke through just in time for me to go for a run. Since I had so much time, I decided to drive over to Golden Gate Park to run. It was only when I was over there parking that I started to think a lot about the events of a year ago, when my website was just getting going. At that time, I was just taking up running, and I always used to run in the park. It seemed almost impossible that it was only a year ago - so much has happened in this last year. At that time, I lived in a different apartment, I was working at a different company, I had a very challenging position as a project manager, and I was working at home twice a week. Every Tuesday and Thursday, I'd drive over to the park and run down the mud track behind Martin Luther King Drive. It was always a great opportunity for time to think - to make plans, both for work, and for my new website.

The only reason I no longer run in the park is mainly that since I moved down town, it's harder to get to the park, except during work hours, when the traffic is lighter. Today was a perfect day for it - everyone else was at work, and the sun was shining. There was nobody in the park except me and a few tourists. It was lovely.

About to run in Golden Gate Park

I've had plenty else to keep me occupied. I've started the process of making detailed plans for my long Summer trip. I still can't believe that I've been lucky enough to have the opportunity of travelling for two months! I bought a bunch of travel books at Borders and spent some sofa time with them. At the moment, my biggest decision is whether to rent a car in England, or to travel by train. There are pros and cons to both - if I go by train, it's a lovely, relaxed way to travel, and, with the current, rising cost of gas, much cheaper. But since I'll be moving around, every time I get some place new I'd have to get to my hotel or B&B somehow, once I came out of the train station, and Lord knows I don't usually travel light! Moreover, a car offers so much more flexibility, and the opportunity to stop at any scenic spot I choose. But then there's parking to worry about ... well - you get the idea of how I've been spending some of my time :)

The framed photo, above, is one that I bought from an artist group named "Olivus" about five years ago. At the time, I was still involved with my ex, who was also an artist. He was incensed that I'd paid money to buy a work of art of someone other than him. Things were definitely going downhill fast at that point!

I've been stuffing myself with good food recently, not just because I'm trying to gain a little more weight, but also because I've been dining out with friends a lot. I had dinner with Davis on Tuesday night.

I also told Davis about the guy I'm dating. Talking about him with Davis made me realize how much I'm putting my heart on the line again. It was a couple of years ago now, but last time that I met someone where things took off rapidly, I ended up being hurt. I thought things were going great, but I got one of those "we need to talk" calls one night, and that was the end of that. So I'm certainly keeping a weather eye open this time around, and trying to keep my expectations as low as I can. It's a juggling act - on the one hand you want to leave yourself open to whatever happens, and on the other you want to secure yourself from being hurt badly. Not sure yet quite if I've gotten the balance correct.