Long runs lend themselves to podcasts. With crew season suddenly over, my weekly running mileage has jumped from 0 to almost 30. Summer running, as I’ve come to think of my seasonal affair with the sport, has begun early, and I find myself actually looking forward to the next day’s run. It’s fun to be in a position physically where I can beat my personal records at any distance.
During my hours on the sidewalk, I’ve returned to my favorite podcasts: This American Life, The Daily, Throughline. But in addition, since coming home I’ve listened to the entire 10-episode run of Last Seen, WBUR’s podcast about the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist. I met up with a friend at the Gardner over winter break (Wellesley students get in for free!), and my favorite parts were the courtyard, the wallpaper, and the missing pieces. Museums, like gardening and hiking, are something I wish I liked more than I do.
But the Gardner heist is fascinating! It’s been 30 years, and it remains the largest unsolved art theft in history. Last Seen reminds me of Serial, which, when I listened to it in high school, made me want to go into journalism. Even though I knew the podcast wouldn’t give me all the answers, it offered an inside look into the ongoing investigation.
I love podcasts for the peek into something new. I absorb news best when I hear it, and I can learn about anything while I’m running, cleaning my room, or walking the dogs.
This week teased us with a couple days of beautiful sunny weather. My mom got into pickleball a few months ago, and since she can no longer play at the rec center, I figured I’d give it a try. I am notoriously bad at ball sports, but I’ve managed to hit the pickleball back and forth with my mom. Our volley record is about ten, so I’m not talking big leagues here. For a bigger court, we went over to the now-empty parking lot down the street. I’m looking forward to improving my game as the weather gets nicer. Maybe, once this is all over, my mom and I can find two others and play on the same team. For now, though, we’ll just focus on hitting the ball.
Pickleball!
Classes resume remotely tomorrow. Home hasn’t been my homework space since ninth grade, since I left for boarding school the next year. This will be an interesting melding of my worlds.
Last night I started knitting a scarf with yarn from the move-out giveaway bins and tuned in to hear my favorite artist (Lori McKenna) perform a livestream concert!
Deer outside my house! They blend in so well.