Overcast Skies and Marathon Races -- Yipee!

I never thought I'd be so happy to have overcast skies. Today feels like a typical Ohio day with temperatures dropping to the upper 70s (which feels surprisingly chilly) and the lingering threat of rain providing a gray cloud layer. It's not that I don't like sunny skies, because I do, but today's climate gives me a comforting sense of home, like mashed potatoes or curling up in a fuzzy blanket. Or Christmas trees! (I'm thinking of buying one, by the way, from the bookstore down the street.) What I'd normally consider depressing weather is making me nearly giddy. Although I could also attribute that to the excess energy I've retained since the sun didn't zap it away from me today.

Well, Water Festival is over, and today it was back to work for a short one-day week. Yesterday, I decided to skip out on the crowds and spend several hours hiding at my favorite cafe, Living Room. I did brave the sea of people a bit in the afternoon to grab some bong eam (Cambodian dessert) as a snack before meeting up with friends for a BBQ buffet dinner.

Coming home was quite a challenge, though. Around 10 p.m., I attempted to return to my door step, but my efforts proved fruitless as cars, motos and hoards of festival goers over-ran my street, making it impossible for me to squeeze through. So I plopped myself down at a cafe a mere 100 meters away to wait for the crowds to ease. I eventually made it home an hour or so later. Check out the chaos:


Tonight, I'm thinking of taking advantage of tonight's cool weather (granted it doesn't start to rain) and go for a run. I need the practice because I just registered for the Ankor Wat Half Marathon. Crazy, right?! I'm completely out of shape and am going to hate myself on December 8 when it's all over, but right now the idea of running around the world's largest (and I hear most beautiful) religious structure is pretty exciting.