Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Being Gladys Kravitz

I've never thought about having an alter ego, especially as an athlete. I've never modeled myself after anyone famous or notable. Truthfully, I don't have much of an ego. If anything at all, I lean more towards insecurity. An alter ego? Who has an alter ego? Not me. After doing some research, it's clear that I'm missing out on something!


I learned that there are a lot of famous fictional alter egos. Clark Kent has Superman. Bruce Ward has Batman. Elvis has Elvis. A character within a character, The Big Lebowski abides...the Dude (Jeff Bridges). I'm sure you can think of many others.

Plenty of celebrities have alter egos. Beyonce has Sasha Fierce. Eminem is the Slim Shady. Kiss--a heavy metal costumed band from the 80s (I always thought they were odd)--well, they all have their alter egos. Miley Cyrus, while she's tried to move away from her alter ego Hannah Montana, will forever be linked to her. I have no idea what her alter ego is now. Detroit Lions' Calvin Johnson is Megatron. Pretty much every wrestler on WWE has an alter ego. And what about that guy, The Situation, from the reality TV show Jersey Shore? Not that I've ever seen the show. But I have seen his abs. Probably his only redeeming quality.

source: giphy.gif
Is anyone who they seem? Apparently everyone who is anyone has an alter ego these days!

Who am I?
Thanks to Ilsa at www.enduranceonthemind.com for this picture! 
So who or what is my alter ego? I gave this a lot of thought. I looked at athletes and role models. I know who I'd like to be! But I'm my own person. Eventually, though, I realized that I do have an alter ego. It's not who you might think. She's not an athlete or a role model. Sad to say, I'm not especially proud of my alter ego. But as I've come to realize, my alter ego is mostly accessible when I'm out for a run.

For better or for worse....

If you read my blog regularly, you've probably seen me joke a lot about being Mrs. Kravitz when I'm out on my runs. In case you don't know who she is, Gladys Kravitz was the nosy neighbor on the 60s TV show, Bewitched. Mrs. Kravitz was always watching the Stevens' house for odd behavior, and since Samantha Stevens was a witch (albeit a good one), there were plenty of situations for Mrs. Kravitz to talk about.


Yep. I admit it. I'm Gladys Kravitz. A running Gladys Kravitz.

The majority of my runs are done in my neighborhood and I've become fairly observant while on the run. It's not that I'm nosy or anything. I mean, let's face it, running the same routes can get pretty mundane. We've lived in the same house for 18 years and I've become pretty familiar with the neighbors' patterns and routines. I notice things. Odd things. Out of the routine things. I know when people are on vacation. I know when they are sleeping, I know when they're awake....oh wait, that's Santa. On garbage day, I can tell who had a party last weekend. And I wasn't invited.


There is a difference though.

While the fictional Mrs. Kravitz causes a lot of trouble for the Stevens', my inner Mrs. Kravitz tries to be helpful. Last summer, I was on a training run and came upon a cyclist laying in the road, a victim of a hit and run. While comforting the cyclist and waiting for the paramedics, I asked him if he got a good look at the car that hit him. I knew from his description of the car that he was hit by our maniac newspaper deliveryman. I had multiple close calls with the guy myself while running. The police initially downplayed my hunch (after all, what would I know?), but one of my other neighbors saw the guy earlier that morning with a smashed windshield, still delivering papers. Eventually, the guy was arrested. But not right away. After the incident, while I was out running, I observed him still delivering newspapers but in a different car.

Come on, man! I called the paper to complain. Isn't that what Mrs. Kravitz would do? WWMKD?

Recently, I saw a story on the news about a house fire on the street behind me. As I headed out for my morning run, I made a detour down the street where I came upon news trucks from every Chicago news station. The reporters flagged me down, and I was interviewed for the story. You can see that interview here. By the way, I just want to point out that the reporter in this video called me a runner, not a jogger! Hey, curious minds want to know...

My neighborhood runs take me through the parks. I've called the police on homeless people sleeping on picnic tables and on kids who should be in school but are on a bench, getting high. I've called to check on neighbors whose cars were all home when they are usually at work. I've closed garage doors of friends whose kids left them open. Waved my fist at the jerks who can't stop at the crosswalks or stop signs. Always keeping an eye on that creepy guy with the fluffy little dog who likes to hang out around the grade school.

Not everything I see is serious though...I smiled to myself the first time I saw a second car parked in the driveway of the widower who often greets me on my runs. I get to greet all the new puppies being walked by their owners. And there's always the funny things I see laying in the road, especially on a weekend run. Condoms anyone? I'm still trying to figure that one out--do you do the deed and then just fling the evidence out the window?


Most of the time when I'm running, I don't see anything at all. A lot of my runs are done in the "zone" and I don't notice things. But when I do, I try to use my inner Gladys Kravitz for good. Wouldn't it be nice if we all looked out for each other?

Maybe being Gladys Kravitz isn't the most exciting alter ego, but maybe it isn't the worst. And it's all I've got. I probably need to get a life.

Do you have an alter ego? If you don't, what would it be? 

60 comments :

  1. I can't even begin to guess what my alter ego would be. Our neighborhood's Mrs. Kravitz lives right across the street. Everyone's first comment is "don't tell Marie".

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    1. I hope my neighbors don't say that about me! I'm more observant...I don't really talk much with my neighbors.

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  2. This post cracks me up! I wish you lived in my neighborhood. It sounds like you are very helpful. :) Oh now I just watched the news story, that is so sad. :( On an unrelated topic, I love your Midwest accent. :)

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  3. I will have to think about this one. I have many shades of personality on the run so it might have to be Sybil. LOL.

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  4. I love you. You can save me any time. I hope you never have to. My workout alter ego... I would say that I'm a changeling—sometimes a follower, sometimes a leader, sometimes the driver, sometimes the passenger. But always the smart ass comedian.

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  5. I love that you use your inner Gladys Kravitz for good! So awesome! <3

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  6. I absolutely LOVE this!! You are a GOOD PERSON! And hysterical to boot! :) Made my day for sure. Now I have to figure out who my alter ego is??? Have a nice day Wendy!!

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    1. I'm glad to hear that finding an alter ego was a struggle for a lot of us!

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    2. I still haven't figured it out! :)

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  7. haha I love your alter ego! You're like a quite super hero :). Now I have to think about mine...

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  8. I LOVE this Wendy. What a story about the newspaper guy. On a very sad note related to hit and runs, the father of one of my college friends was killed by a hit and run last week (it was Chicago area, near Buffalo Grove). In terms of alter egos, I never really thought about it. Maybe Inspector Gadget or Maxwell Smart, since I live my toys and gadgets but I'm definitely of the bumbling variety from time to time.

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    1. Oooh, I didn't hear about that and I live in the town next to Buffalo Grove. How could you hit a person and drive away?

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  9. oh my gosh - this is hilarious!! & smart!
    But come on... KISS ROCKS! :) My husband has a whole room dedicated to them & we've been them in concert so many times. Rock on friend :)

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    1. My sister used to love KISS. It was before my time...that's all I'm saying...

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  10. Love this! I see myself as Black Widow, I don't have super powers but I have trained hard to become the strong amazing woman I am! :)

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  11. haha!! Love some neighborly "fun!" That is a tough question.. I'm not sure what my answer is!

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  12. So funny! I've never watched Bewitched so I was so confused, I thought you were saying you were Lenny Kravitz' mother, lol! That's great though that you've been able to help others while out on your runs, even if some would call it meddling! I have no idea who my alter ego would be, I'd have to give it some thought!

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    1. I was a little worried about that...I'm "old" and I figured some people wouldn't get the reference! But now you know...

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  13. This is hilarious! But I'm impressed by all the good you've done as your alter ego! I run primarily in my neighborhood as well, but haven't run into nearly as much interesting stuff as you have. My neighbors are super boring. :)

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  14. I love your posts! They always give me a good laugh. I have no idea who my alter ego would be! I'm going to come back to this one. lol

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  15. OMG, love this post! I have no idea what my alter ego would be...that's a tough one! There is nothing wrong with that Alter Ego, you do good things with it :)

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  16. Wendy this is awesome! You rocked the alter ego chat. I'm not sure who my alter ego is. Still thinking. Is it bad that I might not have one?

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    1. I thought I didn't have one. Turns out I did...for better or worse...

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  17. Nothing wrong with your alter ego, Wendy. You seem to be doing good being Gladys. :)

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  18. Oh my goodness, I love this post. I'm racking my brain to figure out who my workout alter ego would be. Since Christmas has been on my mind lately, all I can think of is Kevin McCallister from Home Alone - because at first I'm scared when I need to do a big race and then I figure out a game plan and tackle it like a champ. Reminds me of him and the robbers.

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  19. I do sometimes like to pretend that I either am Shalane Flanagan or that I am running along side her..... That makes me push a little harder....

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  20. You owned this topic. Oh my gosh, I LOVED this post so much. So interesting!!! Seriously, it's so refreshing to read something so unique, and I give you major cred for being honest. You are so observant...not nosy. I typically avoid running in neighborhoods because I feel awkward, but when I do, I always wear sunglasses so people can't see where I am looking, and can't see the huge bags under my eyes! haha. Thanks for linking up and diving into the topic. It made my day. #fitfamlove #thefitdish

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    1. This was a great topic and really made me stretch! Keep them coming...

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  21. Haha, I used to watch Bewitched with my mom long ago. This was fun to read. I'm not sure who my alter ego would be. I'd have to keep thinking.

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    1. See? I had to think about this a lot! And there it was, right in my face...

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  22. I don't think I have much of an alter ego either (or at least, not one that I can really think of at the moment). I think it's awesome that your runs take you all over town (I feel like sometimes, that's the best way to really appreciate/get to know a place, even if it's somewhere you've lived for a while!)!

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    1. I don't feel like I miss out on any happening in the 'hood...well at least ones that I'm invited to...

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  23. Gosh, you've seen a lot as Mrs. Kravitz! Since I run while most of my neighbors are asleep, I always worry when I run past a house with the garage door open -- did they mean to leave it open? could someone break in? But I've never closed one. Once a house had the front door partially open and their dog was in the front yard - I sort of yelled inside to make sure they knew what was going on ... but they weren't exactly grateful so maybe they let the dog out unsupervised ???

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    1. I see a lot of stuff. But more than anything, I'm observant of people's habits. When something's off, I see it. Kind of like what burglars do...

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  24. LMAO! I am so glad we found each other , I think we may be sisters! Welcome to the #fitfam!

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  25. Goodness! Yes it would be nice if the reason you were sticking your nose in my business was because you were watching out for me. Most of the time though, that's not the case! I don't know what "zone" I'm in, but sometimes I'm just on auto-pilot and think how did I get here already.

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    1. I don't actually stick my nose in people's business, the business just finds it's way to my nose... see the difference? :p

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  26. This is stinkin hilarious!! I LOVE Gladys Krativz and the show wouldn't be the same without her. Bewitched is an awesome show!!
    I love that you were able to be there for biker. How awful that someone would hit a person and run away!!! Karma man, karma...

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  27. totally hilarious!!!!! Thanks for the laugh, Gladys!

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  28. I don't believe I have one but love yours. :-)

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  29. Those were the "good old days" of television, weren't they?

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