Gil Can Run!A blog on Running and all the crap that runs through my head while doing it

Jun 26th I haven’t been running!

Seriously, by the time I’ve been waking up its been too hot, and I’ve actually been very busy. But it’s ok, I needed time to heal. I definitely won’t hit 100 miles this month, but I’m not concerned.

A few things are happening, first the mundane:

I came up with an idea to try and fix my laptop, find out what the other motherboard configurations were and see if I can’t find a regularly available one. Hopefully, I get good news tomorrow. I also have a job interview for some summer work in Brighton, UK set up for tomorrow, let’s see how that goes.

Now onto the non-mundane:

I have been holding off on saying this here, for a few reasons. First, I was waiting until all my students who may be reading or following this blog were done with their exams. Second, because I wanted to be 100% finished with previous business. Also, because I wanted to make sure I had the time and the perspective to say what I wanted to properly.

Next school year I will not be returning to Somma Vesuviana, NA Italy. I have accepted a position in Bari, which is where I have always wanted to be. It’s the same money, same basic responsibility, only with more freedom to teach as I want. No need to follow a book. Although, I will have some Cambridge Exam prep responsibilities.

I’ve met some wonderful people in the Somma area, but I’ve met some horrible people too. In many ways those horrible people are worse (less violent, but worse) than many of the very worst people I ever met in the US, or elsewhere. That is one determining factor. As great as the good people are generally the bad people are the ones you have to try and trust  with things like you living space. Yes, I’m talking about my landlady.

Transportation in Somma requires you to own a car, or have access to a car to drive. You simply cannot have a life using the Circumvesuviana. First, it barely works, and when it does you are trapped by the fact you must catch the 8pm train home, and nothing worthwhile even starts by eight, forget finishing!

My employers offered me a position in a bigger city with a little more to do, but the same restrictions on travel if you don’t own a car if you want to go to the beach, or go out in Napoli at night, things like that. Although, at least having some more choices in restaurants and stores would have been a bit better.

Speaking of which, restaurants. I don’t care how good a pizza is (which I still think New Haven is better, but I realized there isn’t much else for folks to hang their hat on here, so I give them the pizza) I can only eat so much of it. I want some Mexican food, I want some Lebanese food, I want some Chinese food (that isn’t a greasy, disgusting mess), I want some sushi that doesn’t cost an arm, leg, and the toes on the remaining foot! Variety is the spice of life, and he who controls the site controls the Galaxy.

I feel bad for some of the people I leave behind though. I’m also not leaving all behind, some folks will come visit, I will hopefully be able to come back to visit some folks, it’s only a couple hours from here. I feel bad for the staff of the school. They had a terrible year with retention. Teacher retention is a huge challenge because the area is so difficult. I suggested to my boss today that he consider encouraging teachers to live in Napoli and commute to work, because it actually is much more entertaining and relaxing  living in Napoli. I still want to help even if I’m not returning.

I want to help, not just because most of the staff are just the sweetest people on earth, but because the students are hurt by high turnover. When students have 3, 4, 5 teachers per semester that’s very damaging to thier growth  in the language. For all kinds of reasons. The first part of having a great school is having comfortable students. No matter what some of them may have said,  done, or thought about me, learning English, or anything else, I am a teacher. I want them to learn well! Comfortable students are the students who will learn the best. Hopefully, and I will officially contact my, now former, employer again and email properly the ideas I had to address some concerns. 

But I am taking my first opportunity to go to the place I planned on being and seeing if I can start the life I really want there. So I say thank you British School Group, thank you staff, and other teachers, thank you Somma Vesuviana, Paese Vesuviana, friends, family. But most of all, thanks to my students young and old, pleasant and difficult, for being students and showing me that, yes, I want to do this.

First your music for the day:

And now a brief video describing how I will be spending as much time as possible starting in September when I move to Bari, or maybe Trani:

Have fun, keep running, and remember; if Gil can run then so can you!

Jun 21st Alright, some things have been sorted

Good news, I ran today. I’ve run on other days, but with the mess I’ve been in its been difficult to update everyone. I also sorted how to get workouts off my watch and posted. So now I will be able to keep you updated.

First, any typos and errors, I’m typing a blog post with my thumbs, relax, and I apologize. Second, it has always amazed me how when I’ve been in need my friends have always been there for me. Never hesitating, never admonishing, just always there. Some may say it’s a testament to the person I am, but I don’t think that’s true. I don’t think I’m anyone special, I think I just have a penchant for making friends with the very best people.

It’s always amazing to me that through all the crapiness we see in the world, there are so many people no one will never write a story about, or put in the news, or give an award to, who are just decent, caring, helpful, loving human beings. When I think about all these people, it really gives me hope that we can survive this whole mess, and we can come out ahead, make this world a better place, and learn to really live together as one family. We’re out there, we just need to come together and push out the hate, greed, and division.

In as many ways as our politicians are a mess, violence is out of control, people can’t seem to be sensible about the simplest of things, we have tremendous compassion, empathy, and care out there in the world. It’s just disorganized and too often missing when it comes to strangers. But we can totally get our shit together.

Alright, I’m going to head out and do some free touristy stuff. Take it easy, here’s some chill stuff for you:

Have fun, keep running, and remember; if Gil can run then so can you!

Jun 8th So I’ve hit a bit of a snag

Well, I didn’t run today. My computer is dead again. Mainboard done. So, as it is out of warranty, I need to fix it myself. This year has certainly had its high points and low points. I can’t fix the laptop until I get back to the US because getting components here is not so simple.

So since the Bluetooth on my phone isn’t connecting with my watch I can’t post runs unless I sort that out. It’s all just sort of cazzo at this point. There’s more bad stuff going on here too. But hopefully, I’ll have that sorted on Friday. I’m trying to stay positive, keep my head up, and keep moving forward. Sometimes that’s the best you can do. It’s all about that attitude. Although tonight there is no pretense of a glass, it’s me and a 66cl bottle of Moretti, and after maybe more.

Nothing easy is ever worth it and anything that’s worth it will test you in all sorts of unexpected ways. I will do my best to keep up over the next couple weeks, but if I go silent you know why. It’s hard to justify that anything types with your thumbs holds any true value. I mean, I’m typing with my thumbs!

Just have to keep in mind I’m just working toward the greater good. Trying to put a message out there and give some hope to folks. All we can do is our best and it up to those around us to keep up.

Have fun, keep running, and remember; if Gil can run then so can you!

Jun 7th Back out there

It was warm this morning, going to be a hot one here today. Got a good sweat on while I ran. Not like Phoenix, Arizona hot but there’s no doubt it’s beach weather. They’re calling for rain later today, but I don’t think I mind. In fact, as I type this, the clouds are starting to roll in over the Somma peak.
This is it though, the last couple of weeks of the school year. I have nothing lined up for the Summer and I’m actually not THAT worried about it. I should work, but at the same time, meh. I will visit my family, I will visit my friends and whatever happens, happens. So far London, Gorleston, and Billund Denmark are almost 100% certain. If anyone has any money they’d like to send me, or some employment for a week or two somewhere fun in Europe, I’m up for it. But, point being, I’m just going to take this Summer as it comes, and try not to stress about things.
Other than that, nothing exciting is happening today. At the 50 cent store, I saw they had a Lupin III disposable lighter. While I realize that I need to carry a lighter on me, even as a nonsmoker, at this time I couldn’t justify spending the money!

Have fun, keep running, and remember; if Gil can run then so can you!

Jun 6th I can almost see the finish line

So close to the end of the school year here. I can’t wait to be done and see what the Summer brings me. It’s off to a weird start. Sometimes people just don’t take responsibility for what they’ve done. It is what it is. I had fun yesterday though. I haven’t been swimming in a long time. Generally, ever since I separated my acromioclavicular joint freshman year of college, swimming is painful for me. But yesterday, I even did some freestyle strokes, and no pain, no numbness, no discomfort. Well, except the water in my ear.
The other thing is, I’m getting dark again. Not metaphorically, I’m just dark when I spend time in the Sun. I spent all day out in the Sun, and I got to drive. I haven’t driven a car since January. It was glorious, a shitty, old, 5-speed FIAT Seicento (600). It was fantastic. Windows down, no radio, no bells and whistles, just a car, me, my friend in the passenger seat (we had gone to meet other friends in Ischia), the road, and a bright, sunny day. There aren’t a lot of roads on Ischia, so there isn’t much chance to get lost which is nice.
Of course my battery died in no time, and nowhere on that island do they have a reasonably priced car cigarette lighter adapter for a USB charger. I found one in the WIND store (mobile provider) and they wanted €16 for it! €16 euros for something that is usually $1 in the States! Fuck that! I have to try and find one, or I am bringing some back with me, because that’s just unacceptable.
Today, just relaxing and working. Have to work late, as I have to administer a test to some students, we’re not allowed to give the final exams to our own students, which makes perfect sense. What would stop a teacher from cheating to make themselves look better? So yeah, one good thing.
Oh quick #MeatlessMonday tip! After you prepare your seitan, fry, bake, or do whatever you would normally do to the meat you are replacing with it. Makes the dish even better!
Alright, I’m going to make some luscious lunch (I’ve been using that word this weekend). I’ll see you all on the flip side!

Have fun, keep running, and remember; if Gil can run then so can you!

Jun 4th Got my run on

Yeah, I ran today. I’m helping out a friend who is having a bad weekend, so I’ll keep this short.
It’s all good to sit here and talk on and on about the things I talk about. But when the shit hits the fan, I better back up all that talk with my actions. Therefore, I leave this short and sweet and run off to tend to my friend and the issues they are facing this weekend. We absolutely have to stand up for each other and treat each other right. If we did, I wouldn’t be needed this weekend, if folks acted properly. That’s part of the problem. Treat everyone the way you want to be treated, every religion has their own way to say that.
Meanwhile, I still don’t generally like cops. Some cops are my friends, they are good people, you know who you are, but most cops got issues. That’s all I’m sayin’.

Have fun, keep running, and remember; if Gil can run then so can you!

Jun 2nd An easy Thursday

As it’s a national holiday here, I haven’t done much of anything. Cleaned, cooked, listened to music. I think it’s time for some coffee, then more cleaning.
Nothing else to do when just about everything is closed. In a little bit I’ll watch some downloaded TV. Soon I’ll get to see the new season of Archer, I’m very excited about that. It’s one of my guilty pleasures. Sealab 2021, Frisky Dingo, Archer, amazingly they all have the same executive producers! Anyway, lazy day here today, I should correct some tests for students. But being physically lazy, is making me mentally lazy, even this is work. Funny how that happens, the mind follows the body sometimes and the body follows the mind others.
Meanwhile, our buddy Drumpf apparently got housed on an MSNBC forum where he got asked about being pro-life and he couldn’t answer what he’d do about it, substantively. He stuttered and mumbled a bit until attacking Chris Matthews for being “Catholic” but not supporting laws against abortion. Not real presidential. More than that, what do these people think? They will throw women in jail? Matthews asked him, “What about the men who got the women pregnant?” He said “well, clearly the men are involved.” He’s got nothing. So basically, he has no clue about anything. He’s against abortion, but all he wants to do is make sure people are doing it illegally and unsafely. He doesn’t know if it would be a fine or jailtime, no one even mentioned what about miscarriages, and how they would police and investigate these things. He’s not only sick and stupid, but he’s flat-out dangerous.
Further convincing me to not return if he gets elected. It would be too dangerous for me, because I would have to fight with every fiber of my being, and I’m sure he will start throwing people in jail. Maybe he’d do worse, he’s a megalomaniac. He’s clearly only there to self-aggrandize, for the rest of his pathetic life we’ll have to hear about how he ran for president anyway. It’s pretty sickening. If you’re reading this and supporting him, ask yourself, are you really supporting him, or are you trying to vote against someone else? And what’s so bad about that someone else? What makes them worse than this guy, who is clearly a serious danger to people?

Have fun, keep running, and remember; if Gil can run then so can you!

Jun 1st Global running day

And I didn’t run! Nope, I have been working all day and trying to stay calm. I’ve been told by everyone, no one gives security deposits back here, just use the deposit as the last month’s rent. So I told the people who handle that for me to do that, and I’m getting pushback. It’s not cool, the people that handle it are my employer. Which means I’m never doing that again, paying rent through my employer. I wasn’t comfortable with the idea at the start, but I let it go. I’ve been very accommodating to all the weird stuff around here.
I have detailed my issues with the landlady many times. I do not trust her at all, nor should I. Even landlords people trust don’t give back security deposits around here. Screw that mess. Shit will hit the fan if they try to make me pay. I have already made a video proving I was living there. I have it up privately and will send it to the municipal office, the police, and a lawyer if it comes to it. I will make sure she has paid her taxes, and I will not relent until I am satisfied. I’m not putting up with this stuff. I have used the word livid to describe how I’m feeling at this point, and it’s apt.
I am so sick of these people around here thinking they’re so slick. They’re not, for all the nice people I’ve met, the people who tend to be in control of things are totally shit. It’s like a region full of Donald Drumpfs. And they can all kiss the fattest part of my ass!
So that’s where I’m at, they are either going to let me walk with my money, or I’m going to go out of my way to make sure it all burns. If the landlady is going to try and steal more money from me than she already has, I’m going to make sure she’s paid every last red cent needed to the state in taxes for me living there. I will go through anyone and everyone in my way to make this happen. I am ready for a fight, they better hope it doesn’t come to that. I will not stop until I am satisfied.

Have fun, keep running, and remember; if Gil can run then so can you!