If You Can't See the Birds, Draw Them

Another long, 12-hour work day but I did manage to write a terrible poem, start a terrible story, start a directionless essay, and I drew some birds.

I'll eventually add color and more detail.

I'm having no luck with identifying birds so far this year. None are taking to my feeders. It doesn't help that the lighting has been awful (all birds are just silhouettes) and it doesn't help that I don't know as much as I need to about birds. If the bird sings, sometimes I can distinguish it. If its body has a specific feature, sure, I can do that too. And I haven't mastered removing my glasses and quickly focusing with binoculars efficiently. I need glasses like the guy in this insurance commercial has:

I have no idea how I'm going to be able to run 13 trail miles by April for the half-marathon. Looks like I'll have to start running in town on the dreaded pavement. And running on the treadmill at the gym. Gross. I don't want to always have to drive somewhere else to run when I can run straight home from work and back or whatever else I can think up, allowing myself more daylight. Wish me luck.

On another note--a note that makes running in town even more treacherous--my fingers are crossed for some awesome snow. The weather models are showing different outcomes but all will be better determined by Thursday or so. I was planning on going home to my parents' this weekend, but that is unlikely now for fear that Route 22 will close at some point on Sunday or I'll be stuck in miserable traffic due to accidents/weather. Sorry, mom & dad.