Neon Run

It being Tuesday, it was time for running club in the evening. This week's theme was "neon/reflective", given that the sun now goes down at 4:30 PM and we're running in the dark all of the time.

Unfortunately, I didn't remember about the theme until I was already into my afternoon conference calls, and I was stuck on the phone, too late to do anything about it.

The calls were a disaster however, as my team is so technologically advanced, that we no longer use phones for our calls. We do web cams and online Live Meetings, which normally work brilliantly, except that literally seconds before I was due to start the call, the entire UK e-mail and conferencing network went down! I was going crazy, as everyone I was speaking with was in the US, and so obviously having no problems, wondering if perhaps I was completely technologically incompetent. I was actually however screaming on the other line to the IT support guy in India, having a total panic attack. Technology makes our lives easier when it works, except when it doesn't!

I eventually managed to just use a telephone and call in, but it was such a comedown from my usual technological brilliance. And of course wouldn't you know it, just as I was having to leave for running, the network came back online? Augh!

Still, I made my way to Green Park for the hash, and managed to up my "neon" quotient by getting a pair of neon yellow leg warmers from Kitty. Given that it was a bit chilly out, I was actually glad to have a pair of leg warmers on, no matter how dorky they made me look!

As Second Lady hadn't arrived yet, I stationed myself at the door as people were arriving and tried collecting money from them at the start. It actually turned out to be quite an effective strategy, although I had quite a few regular pub patrons wondering if there were a random girl in neon yellow leg warmers charging a pound entry to the pub!

It turned out to be a good run, although quite chilly! We ran through Hyde Park, which was beautiful (if a bit spooky) at night, running along the Serpentine, past the Albert Memorial, through South Kensington and Knightsbridge (we ran right past Harrods!) and after a drinks stop on a road median, back to Green Park. It was nice to finally be running in a neighbourhood I was familiar with for once!

Back at the pub since I'd already collected money from most people, there wasn't much to do, and I could focus on just talking to a virgin (first time they'd been to the run) friend of Pork Pie's. Eventually managed to get to my coat, get some money, and get a pint of Pride downstairs. (Only £2.50! Why on earth is a pub in the midst of Mayfair, one of London's most expensive neighbourhoods, such a bargain?) Stood around chatting with people, although wondering where on earth my blue drawstring bag was. It wasn't an expensive bag, so not a big deal if I lost it, but just annoying, you know?

Eventually it was time for the circle, where I ended up talking to a guy named Roger who seemed really nice and somewhat cute. Trying not to add one more to the endless list of crushes in this blog, but let's just say I didn't mind spending time in his company. :)

Also had a funny chat with Princess, Dan, and a few other guys who seemed to be doing "Movember", where they grew a mustache for charity. Funny enough, I had always thought this would be a brilliant thing to sponsor ever since my brother did his "Amish Beard Fundraiser", and had been looking for boys growing mustaches to sponsor. Let's see if I can get them to follow through with the whole thing...

Finally I spent the last part of the evening talking to Cookie (always one of my favourite people) discussing our outfits for the party on Saturday. Seems like we're both getting a bit dressed up!

And finally would you believe, stuck in the corner of a part of the pub I couldn't even remember going to, I saw something crumpled up and blue? It was my blue bag! So no idea how it got there, but was glad to have it back at least!

At that point Cookie and I decided to head home, and so we started making the rounds to say good-bye, giving everyone kisses on each cheek and making our departures. Princess then obviously wanted a kiss on the lips, although Cookie shrieked, "No way am I going anywhere near that moustache!" I just giggled and gave him the kiss he was looking for, although I have to admit that moustache tickled!

So Cookie and I headed home, parting ways after we were going opposite ways on the Victoria Line. I then had to switch trains at Oxford Circus, and as I was walking towards the Central Line, I was surprised when this random guy fell in step with me and just started talking to me. Not drunk, not a weirdo hitting on everyone, but some guy in a suit, very respectable looking, just talking to me out of nowhere. WTF?

I didn't really mean to be rude, but I was just so shocked that I gave him a really startled look and he then immediately started walking faster and left me alone. As I said, really nice and normal looking guy, just totally bizarre in how he felt so compelled to talk to me with no encouragement from me whatsoever. Although given that this seems to happen to me more than the average person, what on earth is going on here?

Finally got back to my station, where while riding the escalator up, the guy in front of me dropped his umbrella. So I retrieved it for him, and we had a nice little chat going up the escalator, as he was only to happy to smile at a weird-looking girl in bright yellow leg warmers after a night out drinking. But at the top, he went his way and I went mine, safely following the usual rules for these sorts of things!