Monday, August 17, 2009

August Nights = Perfect Running Weather

Evening run in August humidity

I just got back from a 3.25 mile run in the East River Park on this perfectly humid August night. Hot by day = perfect running weather at night, especially along the water where there was a nice breeze and plenty of choppers taking off and landing. I was out there with lots of other people, mostly young men who work in finance and live in buildings such as The Rivergate and The Anthem. Ladies, if you're looking to pick up, the East River Park after 6:00 p.m. is the place to be. You're welcome.

I'm also beginning the to think that the creepy men who claim to be fishing along the river are really just checking out all the sweaty women running along the path. Not that I'll ever understand the attraction of watching women jog. Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

Somewhat related: This morning I opened my inbox and there was a weekly bulletin from Babycenter, advising me on what to expect from my two month old. Their e-mails are very helpful, but today there was a strange passage that I had to read out loud to make sure I was understanding it:

Congrats! You've made it to the two-month mark. If you haven't ventured out alone yet, it's probably time to give it a shot. It's healthy for you to take a break, and it's also good for baby to meet new people. Entrusting baby to someone else for the first time can be scary, so make sure you already know the caregiver.


Um, if you've gone two months and haven't left the house at all or by yourself, you may want to be checked for depression. I realize not everyone lives in Manhattan, where walking and getting out is necessary for basic day to day living, but wow. Are there really mothers out there who won't leave their kid with someone else...not even for an afternoon?

At one of the weddings a few weeks ago there was a couple that I've known since high school who have a little girl. The wedding was their first outing alone, in a year since the baby was born. As you all know, I leave the house on a daily basis and don't have an issue with leaving my kid with someone if it means I can hang out with other adults, and if I'm lucky, a bottle of wine. Maybe I'm being insensitive, but why on earth would you not want to go out on your own, sans baby? As long as the kid isn't living in a plastic bubble and being fed through a tube, surely a few hours away would do all parties involved a favor.