Time for another meme...

I like cruising through friends' blogs, and friends of friends, and I find some interesting stuff (note to self, need to organize my bookmarks so I can find the FOAF blogs again!). I am becoming a meme addict, and found a cool one a few weeks ago on this FOAF blog. The rules are pretty simple--go to Google Images, type in your answer to each question, and post one of the images as your response to the question. Make sense? OK, let's begin:

1. Age next birthday

















2. Place I'd like to travel











3. Favorite Object














4. Favorite Food













5. Favorite Animal











6. Favorite Color











7. First Job













8. College Major












9 . Bad Habit











(If you can't read the image, it says: "PROCRASTINATION: I'll find a picture for it later.")



10. My first name











(My first name is "Jim", not "Morrison" (C; ).

So, that's that! I don't have to tag anyone on this, but if you like this one please feel free to copy!

More later...

P.S. - Happy New Year to all! Be safe and healthy, and enjoy 2008!

Christmas in review + Training - Week 4

Christmas was nice this year. Not spectacular, not "Holy cow that was the BEST CHRISTMAS EVER!!!", and definitely not sucky--just nice, mellow, and low key. After this crazy year, that's exactly what I wanted.

My wife's family came over Christmas eve for dinner (she makes a mean pan of lasagna, lemme tell ya...), and exchanging presents. I'm starting to see her parents aging more and more, especially her dad--and since I lost my dad a few years ago, my FIL is a "father figure" to me. But all of this just makes me appreciate Christmas and holidays with them more.

Christmas morning I headed out for a run. I think I did the same last year, but we had an argume...er, a discussion...about whether I did. Regardless, it's now an official tradition--something I intend to carry on in the future. It was very quiet, and cold, but not windy at all so very bearable.

We had our traditional Christmas breakfast--Pillsbury cinnamon rolls and coffee (NUM NUM!), and then exchanged our presents. The rest of the day we just hung out, watched a couple movies, ate, ate some more...the usual.

I took the rest of this week as vacation time, which I really needed. Now, today, we're headed to my mom's house for a late Christmas with her, my brother, and his family.

This week, my training went like this:

Tuesday - 3 miles (outside!)
Wednesday - 4 miles at the indoor track
Thursday - 3 miles at the indoor track
Saturday - 9 miles at the indoor track

For a total of 19 miles this week, and a total of 65 miles since I started the training program. WHOOHOO...only 370 to go! Well, 396.2 if you count the marathon as part of the whole package...

More later...

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all!!!

Christmas wishes + Christmas video

First...I'd like to wish all of my blogworld friends a happy, healthy, and enjoyable Christmas season, and a great new year. This has been my first year of blogging (well, I blogged for a couple months in '06 but that doesn't really count), and it's been really fun and rewarding to meet all of you online. Thanks to everyone for enriching my life with your stories, your jokes, your encouragement, and your comments!

I got this video link from a good friend--it's a really fun arrangement of "The 12 Days of Christmas." Enjoy!

Training - Week 3

Today ended week 3 of training for the St. Louis Marathon. This means I'm 1/6th, or 12.5%, of the way through the training. I use milestones like 1/6th, 1/3rd, etc., to break up my longer runs and make them seem not so far--it's one of my many mental tricks.

Anyway, it was a good week. Did all my running at the local community center track, and I really enjoy this over the monotonoy of a treadmill.

This week's training:
Tuesday - 3 miles
Wednesday - 4 miles
Saturday - 3 miles
Sunday - 5 miles

Which gives me a 15 mile week--again, perfect!

I ran this morning with my long-run pal Mark. The last two laps (which is about 1/3rd a mile), I said "So, you wanna just crank these out?" We kicked up the pace and had a really strong and fast finish (felt fast to me, anyway). After we stopped, he said "Man, what got into you today?"

Turns out he was letting me set the pace, and I guess I was...uh...a little speedier than normal today. Sorry, Mark...I'll be better next time.

Mark and I are both looking forward to getting outside for longer runs, he especially so he can use his new toy--the Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS watch. He's like a kid with a new toy. Heck...he IS a kid with a new toy. Just can't use it inside, hence the strong desire to get outside and be able to use it.

Anyway, it was a good week. And now, two more sleeps and it's Christmas morning! YAY...

More later...

Bad blogger!

AUGH! Not only have I not blogged in 5 days, I missed two 55FFF's yesterday...my continuing story here, but also missed the chance to post on Mike's 55FFF blog. Rather than scramble to write something, and backpost it, I'm just going to skip it and resume next week.

My good buddy Daniel popped up on IM yesterday to wish me a happy holidays, and kindly reminded me that I'm letting my blogging slip. Yeah, well, it's been one of those weeks...again with the Christmas shopping, work, parties, etc., etc. Fortunately I'm taking next week off of work, so I'll have some downtime which I'm really looking forward to.

Today is my wife's birthday, and I posted a photo of her over on my photo blog. Tonight is her work Christmas party/small birthday celebration, so that should be a lot of fun.

Anyway, hope all of you are doing well, enjoying your holidays, and finding at least a little time to blog. If for some reason I don't post before Christmas again, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas indeed!

More later...

Christmas rush...

You know how everyone knows one of those people who always has their Christmas shopping done by mid-September, and their cards are out in the mail the day after Thanksgiving? Yeah, well, I'm not one of those people. Since Christmas is less than a week away, I figured I better get my butt in gear...

Tonight is Christmas shopping for the family. Yesterday, I ordered gifts online for some work people. Holiday cards are all done and sent except for a few friends from church. Oh, and trying to fit all this in at the same time we are doing our annual planning for next year (our work fiscal year starts Feb 1st)...YUK.

But hey, it is what it is. Blogging has fallen off a bit, but I see that everyone is posting a bit less. I guess it goes with the season.

I am taking some time off next week, so hopefully I'll get to do some stuff I've been wanting to do for a while--spend time organizing my digital photos, finish up a woodworking project I've had going for God-only-knows how long, etc., etc. That is, I'll do all that stuff if the couch and TV don't suck me into their black vortex of mindless entertainment...

One editorial note--in reality I haven't posted since last Friday's 55FFF...but I'm writing a "week in training" update and using Blogger's 'post options' to post it as of Sunday's date. No good reason for doing this, other than I'm neurotic about certain things, and posting my training wrapup on Sunday is one of those things.

More later...

Training - Week 2

Two weeks down, and now only 16 to go. HA! Only 16 weeks? The fun is just beginning...

This was another good training week. I've discovered the joys of an indoor track--our local community center has one. 6.5 laps is a mile and it gets a tad monotonous, but hey...it's better than a treadmill, and it's only $2 per session. So I strap on the iPod, listen to my music mix or a podcast, and before you know it I'm done!

My training week is usually Tue/Wed/Thu and either Saturday or Sunday, but this week was a bit different. I started the week on Sunday the 9th with the Reindeer Run, sponsored a national chain of workout facilities. With as much as they charge for membership (I'm not a member but have friends who are) I hesitate to call this place a "gym!"

Anyway, this week I ran:

Sunday: 3 miles - Reindeer Run
Wednesday: 3 miles - indoor track
Saturday: 3 miles - indoor track
Sunday: 7 miles - indoor track

For a grand total of 16 miles. I'd decided that my goal in December and for next year was to run at least 15 miles a week, so it's good that my training keeps me at or above that minimum.

Next week, more indoor running and a "drop back" week. Every third week, the mileage goes down to give my body a rest. If you're ever interested in taking a look at the program I use, here it is.

More later...

55FFF - Chapter VII

18 hours later - Casino floor, MGM Grand Hotel, Las Vegas

"Nice choice, Kathryn," the fat man said. "Crowded, crawling with security, easy exit..."

"Cut the crap. Get off my back, return the cash, and we're even."

The knife moved like lightning, stopping a hair away from her throat. He hissed, "Think again, little one..."

Just then, he felt the pistol's barrel pointed at his crotch...

SWEEEEEET! Speed Racer official trailer

Can't wait...May, 2008! Excellent!!!

What would I do...

with unlimited money? My new blogging pal over at Such Simple Pleasures posed this question to me. It's a meme of sorts, and I'm discovering I have a meme addiction. I can just see it in a couple years, me showing up at an MA (Meme-ers Anonymous) meeting..."Hi, my name is Jim, and I'm a meme-er..."

Anyway, the question is what 5 things would I do if I had unlimited money? So, here goes--just off the top of my head:

1. Fund the annual research efforts of the American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association, and the American Cancer Society.
2. Underwrite the annual budget and provide new, updated facilities for every local humane society, no-kill animal shelter, and animal rescue program in the world. The only string attached would be that there'd have to be a very active spay/neuter program, as I believe a lot of the stray animal problem could be prevented by spaying/neutering...
3. Buy two brand-spankin' new airplanes--a Boeing 787 for short hops, and an Airbus A380 for longer hauls. Of course, I'd have three complete air crews on standby--one for each of the planes, and a third in reserve just in case.
4. Provide funding to allow everyone in the world to get clean water. According to a 2004 report from the World Health Organization and UNICEF, more than one billion people around the world don't have clean water which leads to unnecessary disease and death.
5. Indulge all my current hobbies (travel, photography, running, woodworking, cooking) plus those I'd like to get into (play an instrument, oil painting, and anything else I think of) with the best equipment, lessons, etc., that money can buy for each. Oh and I guess I'd have to buy a huge house somewhere out in the country to hold all the stuff (uh, I need a ruling...did I just add #6 to the list?).

Man, that was harder than I thought. When you only get 5 choices, you have to prioritize. I wonder what it'd be like to do the same list and have unlimited choices of what I could do, but a limited amount of money (something like "What would you do with $10 billion?")...

More later...

Training - Week 1 + quick kitty story

One week of marathon training down, 17 weeks to go...

This was a good training week. I ran the following:

Tuesday - 3 miles on the treadmill
Wednesday - 3 miles on the treadmill
Thursday - 3 miles on the treadmill
Saturday - 6 miles at local indoor track

I'm right on schedule. When I trained for the Chicago Marathon last year I missed some of my mid-week runs, but I'm trying to make sure I don't miss anything this time out...so, that meant my Wednesday and Thursday runs were at around 10PM each night, but I got them in.

I also ran today--a local race called the Reindeer Run. Just a 5K, no biggie--except we had ice/freezing rain last night, and there was just enough left on the streets today to make it slick.

Since I'm going to be traveling this week I'm giving myself "credit" for today's run (it'll count as my Tuesday run) meaning I only have to run Wed., Thu., and Sunday of this week. Looking forward to week 2 of training, though.

Completely unrelated topic--we put up the tree (no lights, no ornaments...just the tree itself) last weekend in order to let the cats get used to it. Of course, Bella had to explore and climb up the inside pole. I captured her at the top just kinda hanging out...makes a cute pic on my photoblog.

More tomorrow...

55FFF - Bella Boo

CRAP I totally forgot that today is "55FFF" day. I wrote one already for Mike M's excellent 55FFF blog, I've already posted a new meme today, and quite honestly I am just NOT feeling Chapter VII of...well, of "the continuing story" (which totally sucks as a book title, but that's all I've got in me right now). So, until next week when I resume TCS (and maybe I'll have a title for it by then!), here is my story from the 55FFF blog.

Author's note: I usually work at home on Fridays. My baby girl kitty Bella (we sometimes call her "Bella Boo", hence the post title) is my near-constant companion in my office. She's impeding my efforts to work right now, but she's so darned cute I can't hardly get mad. I wanted to see if I could capture her essence in 55 words...see what you think.
_____________________________________________________________

She slinks into my office quietly, the jingle bell around her neck the only sound.

She's curious, sniffing everything cautiously.

Walking around my desk, she jumps into my lap and starts kneading.

She purrs contentedly and explores my desk, ignoring efforts to work around her.

Then, she curls up on my lap for a catnap...
_______________________________

More later...

King of the memes...

I had another meme tee'd up as a draft post, but didn't want to push it out just yet. But just today, one of my new bloggosphere friends, Heather, tagged me with a meme today. I feel honored to have been tagged, so here I go with another meme.

Here are the rules of the Meme:

• Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog (DONE!).
• Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself.
• Tag 7 random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs.
• Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

With that, here are my 7 random and/or weird facts (thank God it's not 7 weird things...y'all would skeeve out...)

1: I was an AFS exchange student the summer between my sophomore and junior years in high school.

2: I am an introvert. I love people but I prefer non-verbal, non-contact interaction (i.e., email, IM, blogging, etc) versus verbal/contact interaction (going out with large groups of people, spending hours on the phone, etc.). I will email or IM someone all day, but I have trouble having a personal phone conversation longer than about 15 minutes.

3: I tend to get bored easily.

4: I'm very superstitious. I have certain rituals I repeat when I do things like run a road race, get on an airplane, etc. The repetition of these rituals always makes me feel better and more in control.

5: I have 5748 songs in my iTunes collection, and 1668 of those are country or bluegrass, which means about 30% of my collection is country.

6: I love fruitcake.

7: I don't fear being dead, but I am afraid of what will happen to me during the process of dying.

So, that's that. Who will I tag? Uh...well, I've kinda been tagging the regulars with memes lately, and I don't have a ton of blog friends yet, so here goes:

Rinz (my niece)
Dan (who is always a good sport)
Mike M
Wes (an absolute ROCK STAR over on Cre8Buzz)
Sue (er, sorry if I already tagged u this week I don't remember...)
Taj Wanders
Snowelf (ditto--in fact, she may have already done this one)

Whew...there. Enjoy. And if you don't like being tagged sorry...but try it, even if you just did a meme like 5 seconds ago, because they're fun. (C:

More later...

Catching my breath...

Today is one of those "I don't have anything to write about but I can write something..." kind of days. Work has been very busy this week--I had out of town people come in for a 2-day meeting. To prep for it, I was up at 5:00A and out the door by 6:00ish Monday-Wednesday, in the office before (or just after) 7:00AM. Hey, at least I made up for it by working late...but not past 9:30PM. (C: But it was cool--good meeting, good to see everyone, etc., etc.

Today is catching up--finishing notes/actions from the meeting, doing the stuff I ignored for a few days (including blogging!).

I started my marathon training this week, but it's all been on the treadmill--it's WAY cold outside (about 10 degrees Fahrenheit at 10AM...), plus there's a lot of snow/ice which would make the running hazardous. Saturday I'm meeting a good friend at a local fitness center, we're doing the indoor track. 6.5 laps equals 1 mile, and I've got to do 6 miles on Saturday, so 39 laps...ugh. Still, better than outside...

Life is good right now. We've got a lot of holiday party stuff coming up, but the next day or so we can kind of have quiet time before all the hubbub. So I'm enjoying today while I can.

More later...

iPod meme (a.k.a. Son Of Return Of The Meme!)

I promised I wasn't going to do this until the weekend but dang it, I have nothing else interesting to post today (HA! Like that's ever stopped me...). Snowelf tagged me on this one, I also read Mike M's fine version of this meme, and thought it was my turn...

Here are the rules:
1. Put your iTunes/ music player on Shuffle
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER WHAT

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
Sinner's Prayer - Ray Charles/B.B. King

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
What I Can Do For You - Sheryl Crow
"What I can do for you/there's no one else on God's green earth can do..." NICE...

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Lovesick Blues - George Strait
Uh, my wife is out with some girlfriends tonight, so maybe iTunes thinks I'm heartbroken or something?

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE?
Stay A Little Longer - Willie Nelson
I've always said I want to live to be 110 years old - my 110th birthday will be on July 4th, 2076 - our country's tricentennial. Hey, I can only be wrong once...

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Brother Wolf, Sister Moon - The Cult
"Hang your head/no more.../and beg/no more..."

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Distant Shore - Dierks Bentley
Uh, maybe iTunes that I'm out of touch a lot and sometimes I take a really really really long time to call them back when they leave me voicemails?

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR PARENTS?
Stir It Up - Bob Marley and the Wailers
Hm...I guess I was a compliant, good little boy growing up--now, I'm living my life the way I want to so I've "stirred it up" a little since I was a kid? I'm reaching here...

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
A Lot of Things Different - Kenny Chesney
About a man who, if he had his life to do over again, would do the things he was too afraid to do the first time.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Regatta De Blanc - The Police
WTH?

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
New York State of Mind - Billy Joel
Even when I'm far away, my thoughts are still with that person and I can't wait to get back to them...

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
The Space Between - Dave Matthews Band
Again, WTH?

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Good Christian Men, Rejoice - artist unknown (compilation CD)

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Treat Street - George Winston
I swear, people, I didn't cheat on this one!!!!

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground - Willie Nelson

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
I'll Take That As A Yes - Phil Vassar
Again, oh great iTunes, I ask you WTH??? A song about two people getting it on and ending up having sex in a hot tub? EEEW, so inappropriate for a funeral...

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Angel - Aerosmith
Uh, spending time with my "angel" (that would, of course, be the Mrs...)

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Come A Little Closer - Dierks Bentley
HA!

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Still Listening - Steven Curtis Chapman
Again I say, "HA!"

WHAT SHOULD YOU POST THIS AS?
Missionary Man - Eurythmics
"I was born an original sinner/I was born from original sin/and if I had a dollar bill/for all the things I'd done/there'd be a mountain of money/piled up to my chin..." Yep...that about sums it up...

So, who do I tag now? I'm tagging the first 5 blogger friends who come to my mind, regardless of how well we know each other (or not)...

1. Daniel
2. Mona
3. Suchsimplepleasures (who has a pinched nerve now, according to her last post, and so gets a hall pass on this for a while)
4. Charles
5. Flash
   

Full disclosure:

• I used the iTunes program, rather than my iPod, to do this. But Mike did it with a non-iPod device, so I figure that's OK.
• The first time I did it, I cheated (oh, the shame! The horror!). So I started over again and stayed true to my slightly modified rules (see #3 below)
• Er, I kinda still cheated a little, because I skipped over anything classical (chamber, baroque, whatever). I mean...what kind of meaning can you derive from "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor"? Besides, what's a meme without a few tweaks?
• Isn't it kind of cool that the print on this is so small, it seems like some legal mumbo-jumbo at the bottom of a contract?
• Bella helped daddy write this post--she sat about an inch away from the computer screen and tried playing "fetch" with the cursor while I wrote. SO CUTE, but I guess you had to be there...
• Hey Snow don't get all mad that I didn't tag you...cuz I know you already did this.
• Hey Snow don't get all mad that I said "Snow don't get all mad" because I know you are the sensitive type. (C:
  

55FFF - Chapter VI

Chapter VI - Nevada Desert, 6 hours later...

She dialed the number in Tokyo from memory.

Nakayama answered. Expecting Kaito, he asked: "Is it done?"

"Kaito-san's dead," she replied. "I want this settled.”

“Come to Tokyo, we can work it out.”

“On your turf? No thanks. Meet me in Vegas in 18 hours. You know where.”

She hung up before he could reply.

Guest Photo Fridays!

Yet another twofer (two posts in one day...). Seems like I've got a "twofer and meme" theme going lately...

Some of you know I have another blog where I post some of my favorite photos from my archives. You'll be amazed at the crafty title I came up with for the blog: Photos from Jim. Catchy, huh? (C:

Anyway...I came up with the idea for "Guest Photo Fridays". I'm asking my photographer friends, relatives, etc., to submit pictures via email, and I'll pick my favorite for that week and post it. I know you all have snaps lying around here and there, and I've seen some of your work (Robert and Dan, especially!). If you'd like to be a guest photographer on my other blog, it'd be my pleasure to feature your work.

That's it for today...more tomorrow...

I did it!

I seem to be on this "the return of..." theme this week. Yesterday was the return of the meme, today it's the return of the marathon.

Yes, that's right ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, and all the ships at sea...I mentioned in a post earlier this week that I was thinking about signing up for the St Louis Marathon. I discussed it with the Mrs last night...she doesn't understand my obsession with finishing my first marathon (and wasn't happy that I may not stop after this one!), but she's OK with me signing up and us heading down there for the weekend. So...just minutes ago, I officially registered.

I'm excited and nervous at the same time. The course has some hills (see the elevation map)--more so than Chicago--but hey, I figure I can walk parts of it. The main goal is just finishing!

The race will have a small field: they cap it at 3000 marathoners, 10,000 half-marathoners, and 500 4-person teams (or 2000 people total) for the marathon relay. This means if it's capped out, it'll be just over 1/3rd the size of Chicago.

Oddly enough I timed this right, because the 18-week training schedule I've followed in the past (thank you, Hal Higdon!) will start at the beginning of next week. My runs outside will be pretty danged cold, and I'll have to do most of the weekday runs on the treadmill because it stays dark so long in the mornings...but having said that, I've been through all this before and feel like I've learned a ton since June of this year, which is when I started training for Chicago.

So...there it is. Now I know what I'm doing for the next 18 weeks. (C:

More later...

Return of the meme!

I've become quite the fan of memes and now am seeking good ones out. I ran across the SuchSimplePleasures blog almost by accident, and found this great one there. So, here's my version...

I talk: Too much.

I love: My wife, my family of choice, my friends, my hobbies, running, wine, good food, photography, travel, and life in general.

I lost: a few things along the way, but gained even more.

I hate it when: people are two-faced, or don't stand up for themselves, or say "I don't have a choice." Hey, everyone has a choice in every decision, all the time!

Love is: A wonderful thing. A many splendored thing. It's a decision, not a feeling. And it's the greatest thing in the world.

Marriage is: Knowing that no matter where you are in the world, or what situation you're in, there is one person who will always stand beside you...and if you've got that person, you have "a home" right where you are.

Somewhere there is: a land I heard of, once in a lullaby...come to think of it, I think it's somewhere over a rainbow or something...

I'll always be: trying to do whatever I'm doing, just a little better than I did yesterday.

I have a little crush on: Kenny Chesney. I'm straight, it's just a bit of a man-crush. And my wife is perfectly OK with it.

The last time I cried was: Nov 17th, 2007. I was on a flight home, and was thinking about the fact that it was 4 years to the day since my dad passed away. I blogged about it and it brought back some pretty sad emotions..

My cell phone is: both my best friend and my worst enemy. It also has email capability and I get my work email on it, so I'm constantly checking it like, oh, 14 million times an hour...

When I wake up in the morning: I make coffee, check my email, feed the cats...

Before I go to sleep at night: I count my blessings, kiss my wife, and then jump on the Sleepytime Express.

Right now I am thinking about: Someone who works for me. We just got off the phone--he found out less than an hour ago that his dog has bone cancer. I feel really bad for him (the dog and the guy).

Babies are: cute, except when they are crying or sick.

I get on MySpace: Never.

Today I: am having a good day. Got some stuff done, made some work progress, etc..

Tonight I: Will go for a run, have dinner, and watch either Wednesday night shows or stuff I DVR'ed last night.

Tomorrow I will: Have a bunch of meetings, handle some random unplanned crisis, and talk a few people off the ledge. Just another day at work...

I really want to: (in no particular order)--take better photographs, stop being afraid, learn how to ride a motorcycle, spend more time with people I love, pay off my house, have a plan to keep me active after I retire, and die peacefully, in my sleep, at a ripe old age.

The person who is most likely to repost this: Snowelf. (C:

So...that's it! If you borrow this and make it your own, let me know.

More later...

Life is groovy...

There is nothing going on that's really blogworthy to me. I mean nothing. Thanksgiving was great--hope everyone else had a good one, too. I ate too much (including 2 pieces of pecan pie, one of my favorites), felt like a beached whale, but got over it Friday. Friday through Sunday, did more or less nothing (except posted a 55FFF and a couple photos!)...we didn't even put up the Christmas tree.

Came back to work yesterday, got more-or-less caught up, chilled at home last night. Got in a run on the treadmill this morning--I'm shooting for 15 miles or more every week now. Today, more work work work, and class (woodworking--YAY!) tonight.

There--how's THAT for boring?

One possibly, maybe interesting thing that might maybe happen (possibly) (how's that for a bunch of caveats?)...I may sign up for the St. Louis Marathon which will be held next April. I ran the Chicago Marathon this year, or at least part of it, and had a less-than-stellar experience. I told the Mrs over the weekend that I didn't want to wait yet another year to finish a marathon. Keep in mind that I was going to run Chicago last year but pulled out because of an injury, I didn't finish this year...I just don't want to have to wait 3 years before I finish a marathon.

My family is from around St. Louis, so it's like a 2nd home to me. Also the field will be small--they're capping the marathon at 3000 runners--so it'll be a lot less crowded.

Now, we just have to see if the schedules line up, what the cost is for driving down there/hotel stay for the weekend/meals out, etc., and see if it's worth it. Of course, I'll keep y'all posted.

More later...

55FFF - Chapter V

I'm attempting a twofer 55FFF this week--not only am I continuing this story, but I'm also writing something for Mike's new 55 Flash Fiction Friday blog. Until I get that written and posted, enjoy Chapter V...

----------


The face registered shock and surprise.

The body twitched slowly, life ebbing out.

A final breath, and then it was over.

She holstered her gun and said menacingly, "You bastard, I told you I hated the name 'Kate'."

She spit on his face one last time, climbed out of the swamp, and headed for civilization...

Naperville Turkey Trot

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

In addition to being Thanksgiving, today was the 10th annual Naperville Turkey Trot 5K race. I've run this race for the past 4 years--it's cool, because it's not a super-long distance so I can do it with no real preparation, and it allows me to eat all the turkey and trimmings I want and not feel guilty! MMMMMM....piiiiiiiiieeeeeee...

I did somewhere in the middle between what I'd hoped for and what I thought was realistic. I ended up finishing in 27:17, or 45 seconds off my personal best for a 5K. I didn't care so much about time--I just wanted to start and finish strong, which I did. It was a really good race, and I said a special "thank you" to some of the people who gave up their Thanksgiving morning to come and volunteer.

Folks if you ever run a road race, or ever do some kind of event that's supported by volunteers in any way, please make a point of thanking them. First, they're there long before the event starts. The race today started at 8AM, the volunteers were probably there between 5:00 and 5:30AM. Second, people tend to forget that they're there--they take the water, bananas, whatever, and just walk on by. It doesn't take any effort at all to just say a big "THANKS!", and it might make someone's day.

Anyway...off now to a hearty breakfast which will carry me over until turkey time this afternoon. Eat lots, and be safe, everyone...

More later...

Two days to turkey day!

I saw a friend last night and we started talking about Thanksgiving--the conversation has officially put me in The Thanksgiving Mood! We talked about all the good stuff to eat, where we're both going, etc. In our case we're visiting my wife's cousin's house. Her family is loud and borderline obnoxious, but in a fun and kooky kind of way. Her cousin does an excellent turkey, a truckload full of mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes just the way I like them, and--OF COURSE--a green bean casserole with the French's French Fried Onions on top. NUMMY.

After the meal we'll all feel like beached whales and complain about how much we ate. That will last about an hour, until the pies and coffee come out and we start eating all over again.

I need to go out for a run this morning--after thinking about it, I'll probably add on another couple miles just to create space for all the calories I'm going to ingest on Thursday! (C:

I'm fairly sure I'll post between now and Thursday but if for some reason I don't, I hope you all have a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving, surrounded by the ones you love most.

More later...

Four years ago today...

This has been on and off my mind (mostly on) today--my dad passed away four years ago today. Those of you who read my blog will have to forgive me the long post. I've been both dreading and looking forward to writing this for the past couple weeks, knowing that this anniversary was coming up. Dreading it because of reliving all the memories, but looking forward to the chance to remember my dad.

To rewind the tape, my dad had been in declining health for a few years: heart problems, bypass surgery, several small strokes, and amputations on both legs. All these problems were caused by diabetes that he'd ignored for over 40 years. During the last year of his life I got a few calls from my brother saying "You'd better come down to see him this weekend, because he's not going to be around long." I don't think I spent enough time with my dad--then again, who does?--but in retrospect I'm glad I took advantage of those times to be with him near the end. Because of his extremely poor health and lack of mobility, he spent the last few years in a nursing home.

The day it happened is one I'll never forget. I'd just gotten dropped off the airport to catch a plane to California for a meeting. No sooner than I'd handed my baggage over to be checked, my wife called. She said "Your brother is trying to get hold of you--there's something really wrong with your dad." I got my bag back as I figured (correctly, it turned out) that I wouldn't be making that trip.

I called my brother--it turned out that they'd taken my dad for dialysis that morning, he passed out and became unresponsive, and slipped into a coma. Mom, my brother, and his wife were all there. I talked to my sister in law, and she told me what was going on. I told her "Please, just tell him that I love him." She promised she would.

Lisa came to get me at the airport. I sat by the ticket kiosks in Terminal 1 of O'Hare--I even remember the exact bench--and cried. I remember praying that God would just take him and let all his suffering end. For the previous couple years he'd only been existing, not living.

I got home within about 90 minutes of talking with my sister-in-law, and within about 5 minutes of getting home my brother called...all he said was "Jimmie, he's gone."

The next few days were surreal. I remember the dread I felt walking into the funeral home to see him laid out. Ironically, in death he looked better than he'd looked the past few years of life. He wore a dark blue suit, a fresh crisp white shirt, and a striped tie. He looked very handsome indeed, and very peaceful.

Dad was very involved in the community, and people came--non-stop--for over 2 hours to pay their respects. It meant a lot to hear and see stories of how he'd touched people's lives just by being a kind and generous man. My dad was also a Mason and had served 4 years in the Marine Corps, so both those themes figured in the tributes to him.

My folks' minister gave a great eulogy, and then it was everyone's turn to say their last goodbyes. One person in particular sticks with me. My dad had a Masonic brother who is retired US Army, and served with General Patton in WWII. I'm not quite sure how old this gentleman is but I'm sure he's upper 80s. He walks with a cane and is bent over and twisted at the waist. He walked slowly but with bearing up to my dad's casket, stood at full attention, and gave my dad a crisp military salute. I guess you had to be there, but seeing this was so emotional for me...I completely lost it at that point--balled like a baby.

My brother was able to arrange for the local VFW to provide a full flag presentation ceremony and gun salute at the gravesite. I picked up a couple of the empty cartridges and still have them in the change compartment of my truck to this day.

Just after my dad had his first stroke in 1994, I visited him in the hospital--he told me "Son, don't ever let yourself get like this." After his death I took that to heart. I started running again, lost weight, and started taking better care of myself. I also decided that, since he prompted me to start running again--and since he was wheelchair bound for the last year of his life--that I'd consider him my "running partner". When I go on long runs, we talk...actually, I talk and (I think) he listens.

I hear people say of a loved one that they lost: "I think of him/her every day." Do I think of my dad every day? I have to admit that I don't...which, I guess in a way, is maybe not such a bad thing. I do think about it at times when it's natural for a man to need to talk to his father--and I look at Lisa's dad and miss that relationship I could have had with my dad as he aged gracefully into his 70s (dad was 69 when he died).

But it is what it is, and I know he's not only not suffering but is living in a better place with his parents, relatives, and friends who have gone before him. I also know that someday when it's time for mom, my brother, my sister, and me to leave this world, he'll be standing there with a big smile, tears in his eyes, and his goofy laugh to welcome us. I look forward to that day...hopefully not too soon.

If you've made it through the story so far, this is the end of it. Nothing else to write about at this point, other than to say "thank you" for listening. I appreciate you all.

More later...

55FFF - Chapter IV

Happy Friday, y'all!

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Chapter IV - Out Of The Frying Pan and Into The Fire

She dragged herself to the edge of the pond, only to find Kaito-san standing there with that smug, superior grin she hated.

"Hello, Kate."

Exhausted and in shock, she mumbled: "Kaito-san, help me out of here--for old times sake?"

Pointing the pistol at her head, he said "Sorry-- can't, Katie-san. Sumimasen..."

BLAM! went the gun...

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Oh no...CLIFFHANGER!!!!! (C:

Bon jour de "Beaujolais Nouveau" a tout!

Translation--Happy "Beaujolais Nouveau" day to everyone! It's one of those pseudo-holidays like Grandparents' Day or Administrative Assistants Week (side note--how do THEY get a full week? I'm guessing because THEY wrote the memo...) that's been created by companies and vinyards trying to sell an immature red.

Beaujolais Nouveau (hereafter, "BN") to the uninitiated, is made from a specific type of grape (Gamay), aged for only a few weeks, and then sold starting the 3rd Thursday of November each year. I'll have to be honest that I've never tried it, since I only became a beginning wine connoisseur (that is, a beginning connoisseur, not a connoisseur of beginning wines!) last year, and...er, uh, kinda missed the whole BN thingy.

Anyway--super big deal to those "in the know." So if you are an oneophile, I guess now would be a good time to go out, get a bottle, and enjoy it with some friends. I'm headed back home on Saturday and will probably stop on the way home for a bottle or two (to pick up and take home with me, of course, not to drink on the way home or BEFORE I drive home as that would be bad).

I read an article where one wine critic mocked BN, saying it was "like eating raw cookie dough." I don't know what that broad is smokin', but for me raw cookie dough, especially chocolate chip, is one of life's simple pleasures. So if BN is anything like that experience, I'm looking forward to it.

I may try some next week, I'll let you know what I think.

More later...

My turn for a meme!

I've seen this on Snowelf's blog (yes, I do make a lot of references to her...mostly because she was my firstest, and is my bestest, blog-world-buddy), then on Lime's blog, now on Charles' blog...so it's my turn. Plus, I didn't really have anything interesting to post today except some random stories and pix from Japan, but the $*#&*&!!! pix wouldn't load up because my $*#&&!@#! Internet connection is too slow...

If I were going to steal a meme from Snowelf, Lime blog, or Charles... it would be this one.

If I were a beginning, I would be...January 1st--full of hope, promise, and not weighed down by the sins and shortcomings of the previous year.

If I were a month, I would be...October. Halloween, pumpkins, fall weather, and the World Series--what's not to love?

If I were a time of day, I would be...that quiet time right before the sun comes up.

If I were a planet, I would be...hmm, I guess Earth since it's the only one I'm familiar with...

If I were a season, I would be...fall.

If I were a sea animal, I would be...NOT HAPPY that I have to swim in, live in, eat in, and drink in water filled with my own POO.

If I were a direction, I would be...up.

If I were a piece of furniture, I would be...an entertainment center!

If I were a sin, I would be...lzns*

If I were a liquid, I would be...mercury. The first time I saw it I thought it was the coolest thing ever.

If I were a scare, I would be...one that's a false alarm, so no one gets hurt or anything.

If I were a gem, I would be...uh, a ruby? It's my birthstone.

If I were a flower/plant, I would be...ivy. Don't ask me why, that's just the first thing that popped into my head.

If I were a kind of weather, I would be...gentle rain.

If I were a musical instrument, I would be...an acoustic guitar.

If I were an animal, I would be...some kind of wild cat--a lion, a tiger, something like that.

If I were an emotion, I would be...gratitude.

If I were a vegetable, I would be...asparagus (ironic that I chose this, since I had to Google it just to figure out how to spell it!)

If I were a sound, I would be...laughter.

If I were an element, I would be...copper, I guess--it'd go along with my red hair (?)

If I were a car, I would be...a 1968 Mustang fastback flying over the hilly streets of San Francisco, just like the one Steve McQueen drove in Bullitt.

If I were a song, I would be...not a "song" per se, but I would definitely be Pachelbel's Canon--I consider this to be the most beautiful piece of music ever written, without question. If you've never heard it go to this link and click the play button...and here is a rock and roll version of it (actually pretty good!)

If I were a food, I would be...pizza! MMMMMMM....piiiiiiiiizaaaaaaaa......

If I were a place, I would be...a small town where everyone knows everyone else, people are genuine, and things like family and relationships and faith matter way more than money or what you wear or drive. Kinda like Mayberry but not as corny.

If I were a material, I would be...uh, linen? Again, first thing in my head...

If I were a taste, I would be...cool, clean, and refreshing--maybe some kind of citrus-y summer drink.

If I were a scent, I would be...fresh cut pine

If I were a religion, I would be...one that offered people grace, hope, love, and the absolute assurance of an afterlife of blissful joy. One that welcomed all people as they are but encouraged them to become better people, and one that encouraged people to "leave the campsite cleaner than they found it." But not one that discriminated, one that had an 'us and them' mentality, or one that was condescending...

If I were a sentence, I would be...long and rambling, with a lot of big words, and then you'd get to the end of it and go "Uh, what the hell was that all about?"

If I were a facial expression, I would be...a smile.

If I were a subject in school, I would be...a foreign language--probably French.

If I were a color, I would be...green (because, HELLO, I'm an ivy! DUH! (C; )

If I were a thing, I would be...either a doohickey or a whatchamacallit.

If I were a book, I would be...one that you'd read over and over, and learn something different about life--and about yourself--every time you picked it up.

If I were an artist, I would be...either Annie Leibovitz or Ansel Adams.

If I were a collection of poems, I would be...Sonnets from the Portuguese.

If I were a landmass, I would be...big, full of lots of geographic, meterological, and biological diversity, one untouched by modern industry, and one where everyone would want to visit for a peaceful vacation.

If I were a watch, I would be...something Swiss.

If I were God, I would be...see my previous answer about religion--I'd be a God that would make all that happen.

If I were a vowel, I would be..."U". It's quirky, and it always follows "Q".

If I were a consonant, I would be..."Q". It's quirky and always proceeds "U".

If I were a theory, I would be...intelligent design.

If I were a famous person, I would be...one that kids and parents could look up to, that was humble, had some great achievements, and didn't have any scandal or skeletons in the closet. Kinda like my General Chuck Yeager, one of my personal heroes.

If I were an item of electronic equipment, I would be...an iPod.

If I were a sport, I would be...running (that was EASY!)

If I were a movie, I would be...Chariots of Fire--the best movie about running I've ever seen.

If I were a cartoon, I would be...Calvin & Hobbes or possibly Apu Nahasapeemapetalon, just because he's got such a cool name...

If I were an explorer, I would be...charting the unknown reaches of outer space.

If I were a scientist, I would be...Professor Johnathan I.Q. Nerdelbaum Frink, Jr.

If I were a relation, I would be...the nutty, sometimes too busy to stay in touch, world travelling brother that you love with your whole heart and would do anything for, knowing he'd do the same for you. Oh wait, I am that brother. (C;

If I were a river, I would be...one that provided a constant supply of fresh water to millions of people in a third-world country

If I were intoxication, I would be...fun but not judgement- or driving-impairing, and would not leave you with a hangover.

If I were alone, I would be...not lonely.

If I were a question, I would be...Why not?

If I were a habit, I would be...a good one--like exercising every day, watching what you eat, etc.

If I were in an atom, I would be...about a bajillion times smaller than what I am right now.

If I were you, I would be...interested in this meme enough to swipe it, make your own, and then make a comment on my (your?) blog with a link to your (my?) version of it...

* I was going to type "laziness" but it seemed like it was too much work.

More later...

Random observations of Tokyo...

I was going to call this "Random Observations of Japan," but it struck me that while Tokyo is part of Japan, it's a completely different animal from the rest of the country...kinda like New York or LA isn't necessarily representative of the rest of the US. Anyway, just a few things I've seen that I thought would be interesting or of note (click on the links to see accompanying pictures):

Plastic food is a national art form. No, the food you eat isn't plastic itself--but almost all the restaurants have replicas of their dishes in the display cases at the entrance of the restaurant. This is a Godsend if you don't speak Japanese...you just grab the proprietor, pull them out front, and point to something you want. Believe me--they're used to this.

The kids are super, ultra, mega cute (here and here). Like you want to squish them and eat them up, they're so cute. And they smile almost all the time. 'Nuff said.

The pace of life is unbelieveable. People are rushing everywhere, all the time. 8AM Sunday, 11PM Thursday, doesn't matter--the crush of people can get overwhelming at times.

Vending machines are everywhere, selling darned near everything. Interesting factoid--40% of all the cigarettes sold in Japan are sold through vending machines.

8AM is a baaaaad time to try to get on a train if you don't know what you're doing. There are about a bajillion people standing in line, and God help you if you're in anyone's way. Interesting factoid--the Yamanote line (a line that goes in a circle around Tokyo) alone serves 3.08 million people a day, as compared to just over 5 million people for the entire New York City transit system.

Tokyo police get pretty cranky if you try to take their picture or a picture of a koban (police box). This guy yelled at me--I just gave him one of those patented American "Whaddaya gonna do???" looks and walked on.

I could write, and write, and write, and you'd never get it...unless you came here. This is the strangest, most fascinating, most frustrating, most rewarding place I've ever been. It's both very different and very much like the US. It's foreign, but it also feels like a second home to me.

Anyway...I'm on my way home tomorrow with good memories, good results from the business meetings, and maybe a few more good pictures before I leave. Talk to y'all when I'm back home.

More later...

My second earthquake experience

Last night I was working away in my hotel room when I felt this shaking--almost like a heavy truck driving by a house or something. Then it hits me that I'm 26 stories up, and this ain't no truck...it's an EARTHQUAKE! Fortunately it was very small...a magnitude 4.8 (link to USGS report here). I'm tellin' ya, it's just freakin (oops, Snow, sorry for using the word "freakin"...just don't go all mom on me!) weird to feel an entire hotel building move. I mean, come on--I've been in a car on a windy day, no biggie. In a small house when a giant truck or a construction crane goes by and shakes the ground--yep. But an earthquake? Man that just ain't right!

Oddly enough (well, I guess not so odd) my first earthquake experience was also here in Japan. Same feeling "Hm, just something rattling the street--HEY-WAIT-A-MINUTE-OMG-I-HOPE-THE-BUILDING-DOESN'T-FALL-DOWN. Little bit more intense than this one--I think that was a 5.something--but anything like this is just something you can't forget...

More later...

World Run Day

Greetings from Tokyo! Today is the first full day of my trip here...I'll have some pictures later. It's also World Run Day--an event that promotes running and charitable giving at the same time, all on one special day of the year.



Here's me sporting this year's WRD shirt (and a bedraggled look that shouts "Not only am I jetlagged, but I just rolled out of bed!"), about to head out the door for a 5K run in the neighborhood around the hotel where I'm staying.

The whole World Run Day thing really hit home with me today. Running is universal--people who are fast and slow, who are young and old, who are lifelong runners or just starting out, run every day in every country across the globe. It's more than just a sport or a way of exercise, it's a fraternity of sorts. When you meet another runner who is from another part of the world, all the social and economic and political barriers fall down. You're in the company of a kindred spirit and you begin to bond because of your shared passion, not divide because of your differences.

If you've never tried it, let me tell you friends--there is nothing in the world like running. I challenge you to try it. If you've never run before don't worry, because everyone had to start somewhere. You will be a better person for it, both mentally and physically.

More later...

55FFF - Chapter III

Hey all...here's the latest chapter in my (possibly) unending saga of the mystery girl, the mystery device, and the mysterious car crash that left her near death. I decided to set today's chapter in Tokyo because I'm headed there today--I leave on a noon flight from Chicago and arrive Saturday. 12H30M in the air--UGH! Where's my Xanax when I need it? I'll have some free time Sunday to tour around, and I'm planning on taking a bunch of pictures, so plan on posting some of them on my other blog.

I saw comments from a few folks on previous posts--comments from S, Charles (yes, Charles, Snowelf is cool!), and rubink...I'm so rushed to get out the door right now I haven't had a chance to respond or to cruise over to anyone else's blog. I'll respond to comments, and check y'all out, over the weekend.

Until then...

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Chapter III - Tokyo

The fat man checked his watch. "Is she dead yet?"

"We'll know soon," replied Nakayama.

"Soon isn't good enough."

"I understand, Takaido-san."

"No, you don't. I don't just want her dead, I want to send a message. That message is: don't get mixed up in what you don't understand, and don't ever steal from me."

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More later...

10 gadgets I can't live without...

I was thinking yesterday about a post I'd seen on my buddy Dan's blog about "go bags" and the technology stuff people just have to have with them. That got me to thinking about the gadgets I can't live without. Well, OK, I could live without them, it's just that my life would be a lot less productive and/or entertaining. So with that, here's my Top 10 Gadgets list (in no particular order)...

1. Dell Latitude D620 laptop (that's kind of a no-brainer...) - gotta have a laptop!
   
2. Palm Treo 750 Windows Mobile-based PDA phone - Makes me reachable just about everywhere--which is both a good thing and a bad thing.
   
3. Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS watch - helps me keep track of pace, time, and distance when I run. Also has a heart rate monitor but I never use it (long story...)
   
4. 80GB video iPod - for music and podcasts in the car, and for movies, music, and podcasts on airplanes.
   
5. 8GB iPod nano (2nd generation) - for when I run. The video iPod's hard drive locks up on me after about 20 minutes, but since the nano is flash-memory based, doesn't have that problem.
   
6. Nikon D40x D-SLR camera - I'm an absolute photo-taking freak. A few of them are even halfway decent, sorta kinda.
   
7. Sony PRS-500 e-book reader - I can store a hundred books or more in a device that's about as wide and tall as a paperback, and as thin as a magazine. What's not to love?
   
8. Bose QC-3 noise reduction headphones - you never realize how loud the interior of an airplane is until you have noise reduction headphones on. It's nirvana...
   
9. Plantronics CS55 wireless headset - for work--let's me do long conference calls and still wander around the office.
   
10. Motorola H700 Bluetooth headset - for driving and talking hands free.

That's it...so what's your list?

More later...

The joys of the bloggosphere

I'm a big fan of Steve Runner and his Phedippidations podcast. In one of the episodes he talked about blogging and said "Write as though you're writing for yourself--if anyone else reads it, it's a bonus." I'm starting to experience that bonus now...

Now that I'm checking out and commenting on other blogs, I find that other people are doing the same to both this blog and my photo/travelogue blog. Cruising around and following links is how I found my (now) good pal Snowelf's wonderful blog, and recently I've found several other good sites--Gerry Gomez's photo blog, a blog of photos from Saline County, Arkansas, and a few others I've bookmarked. Oh and OF COURSE the cult of 55 Flash Fiction Friday is growing, too!

What's my point? Well, as I was explaining to a friend in email the other day...when you write a diary or a journal, it's for yourself and you hope like heck that no one else ever reads it. But with a blog, you write for yourself but hope others will find you. If you're not a blogger, you should start. And if someone comments on your site, do them the courtesy of visiting their site and acknowledging what they do. If you're not a blogger and find this site (or other blogs), please do that same courtesy also...it's nice to get noticed.

More later...

Olympic Marathon trials

Yesterday, November 3rd, the USATF held trials in New York City's Central Park to determine who would represent the US Olympic Team for the marathon in 2008. Unfortunately, a 28 year old runner, Ryan Shay (click here for latest news) collapsed 5 miles into the event and died.

This is obviously a huge tragedy on a day that should have been filled with joy and excitement. An autopsy is being conducted today (Sunday November 4th) to determine the cause of death--most likely an undiagnosed heart problem.

Shay was a 2002 Notre Dame grad, and his wife was a collegiate distance runner for Stanford.

My thoughts and prayers go out to his wife and the family, and I hope you all would send some good thoughts and prayers their way also.

More later...

55FFF - Chapter II

Chapter 2 - Flashback No. 1 - Six Weeks Earlier

She asked again, just to make sure. “Just deliver this...uh, device...and, I get $25K?”

“Yes,” he replied, revealing nothing.

“It’s not illegal?”

“You have my word as a gentleman.”

“$25,000,” she pondered…a lot of scratch. And smart—much more, and she’d know that this was A Bad Deal.

"What the hell," she sighed. "I'm in."

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More later...

Dinner and a movie night!

Last night was "dinner and a movie" for us. We're good friends with another couple (and you know who you are, since I'm 90% confident you're reading this now!) that we hadn't seen socially for a while. Add to it that the guys are both movie nuts, and that the Mrs and I wanted to avoid the trick-or-treaters (see yesterday's post for the reason why), we decided to go out.

We saw Steve Carell's new movie "Dan In Real Life". It was great. I'm a huge fan of The Office, and his "Michael Scott" loveable, clueless dork character came through in several places. It's a typical romantic comedy and doesn't really blaze any new trails, but is very well executed. The way the family interacts feels like what a "normal" family should be like, and their interactions are a major part of the story.

If you like romantic comedies, go see it! It was fun. Plus, if you're trying to avoid trick-or-treaters, it's a good way to burn a couple hours. Although I guess that really only applies once a year.

More later...

Happy Halloween!

Even though I don't really do anything for Halloween (other than dress like a nerd, but I do that every day...), and I don't have kids who are celebrating, I still feel the need to wish one and all a very Happy Halloween.

I was talking with a co-worker today--back when I was growing up (OMG now I sound like An Old Man!!!), you always knew proper Halloween etiquette...don't go to a house if the front porch light is on; if it's on, knock and say "Trick or Treat!" when the person opens the door; and always always ALWAYS say "thank you" for whatever treat you get (I even had to say 'thank you' to Mrs S in my hometown even tho she gave me a stale popcorn ball and all the other kids got FULL SIZED Snickers bars but I'm NOT bitter about it to this very day...).

Today, it's all weird. First, we live in a decent neighborhood that's on the other side of the city from the "bad part of town" (OMG now I am an old man and a snob!), and we get a large influx of kids who come from the other side of town...just because the folks in my 'hood hand out good candy. WTH, kiddies, trick or treat in your own neighborhood! We've had a few years where we've turned the porch light out--but we get as many doorbell rings as we do in the years where we have it on! And to top it off--you open the door, the kids just stand there and stick their bags out...no "trick or treat," no "thank you", nada zero zip zilch. Snowelf I hope you are raising your kids better than this! HA HA HA!

Anyway...we still hand out candy some years, although tonight we have plans to be away from home. The good part is that (knock on wood) we've never gotten egged, or TP'ed, or "tricked" in any way so far, even the years where the lights are out.

I hope everyone reading, and all their kiddies, have a safe, happy, and fun Halloween...

More later...

Porter Wagoner, RIP

The country music world lost a legend over the weekend with the passing of Porter Wagoner at the age of 80 (ABC News story here).

If you don't know much about me, you may not be aware that I've become a huge country music fan over the past 6 years or so...and please, friends, don't hold that against me! (C: I'm more of a fan of the newer stuff--Trace Adkins, Montgomery Gentry, Miranda Lambert, etc. Having said that, I also appreciate Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Bocephus, and Willie Nelson.

I'll admit to not being that familiar with Porter's music, but I'll cruise over to iTunes now (as I'm sure many are doing) to see what they have of his in their catalog. But what gets to me about his passing is that the "old greats" aren't getting any younger. We've already lost Johnny Cash and Waylon, Willie is in his 70s, and Hank Williams Jr. (a.k.a. "Bocephus" is approaching 60).

They truly do not make stars like these guys any more. It makes me wonder--will a Garth Brooks or Toby Keith still be going strong 30 years from now? Not to take anything away from them, it's just that I don't think they have the staying power of the classic artists.

I guess that's why these folks are the classics...

More later...

Go Red Sox!

OK, nothing like jumping on the BoSox bandwagon at the last possible minute, but here I go. It hit me today when I was out running...

• The Boston Red Sox won the World Series in 1916.
• The White Sox won a year later.
• Boston won the World Series in 2004--a drought of 86 years.
• The White Sox won a year later in 2005--a drought of 86 years.

So...I figure if the Red Sox win tonight, that virtually guarantees a White Sox World Series winner next year. Right? (C:

OK, so I know the chances of that happening, especially the way the White Sox played this year, are about zilch. Still--with the way the 2005 season felt, it'd be nice to experience that again.

More later...

Oh yeah, I *do* still run...

A "twofer" today...but I just felt like it, and there are no blogging rules, so there...

I haven't written much about running since completing the marathon. However, I'm still a runner and am enjoying it much more now that the training pressure is off.

I took the first week after the marathon off--I walked 2 miles on the treadmill 2 days, that was it. My legs, especially my quads, were sore until about Thursday of that week. The next week I got in about 10 miles, and this week (assuming all works out OK) I'll have a 15-mile week.

I want to get a good base going for the next few weeks of 15 miles/week, and by the beginning of the year get up to 20 miles per week on a consistent basis. I'm toying with the idea of a spring marathon (either St. Louis or the Country Music Marathon in Nashville). Both of these also offer half marathons, so I may stick with HMs until I start training for Chicago...AGAIN!...in June of next year. But we'll see how it goes.

More later...

55FFF - the story arc begins

I was out running yesterday, and the beginnings of my 55FFF story arc started coming to me. If it comes out like I'm planning, it's gonna be good--intrigue, espionage, flashbacks, some quality kills, and (who knows) maybe even a little romance. I'm sure the story will develop on its own as I write it, but it starts now...

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Chapter 1 - A Damsel in Distress

“CRAP”, she shouted out loud to no one. Not only was her car upside down in a pond, filling rapidly with water—but her cigarettes and lighter were completely ruined. “What a fricken’ day,” she moaned.

Her first thought—escaping the car. Second, leaving the area without leaving a trace. Third…revenge—cold, hard, and violent.

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Oh and by the way--I made an executive decision that the chapter title information doesn't "count" as part of my 55 words. So there!

Whaddaya think? I bet it's way better than anything robertb could blog... :-0

More later...

The 10 Funniest Words...plus, music

For various reasons, the wife and I both kinda had crappy, stressful days...her more than me, but still. I worked at home and was all prepared to be The Good Husband and fix dinner (and no, it wasn't just some lame straight-out-of-the-freezer-into-the-microwave thing...), but when she got home she says "Let's go out for dinner." When that happens mid-week, that usually indicates A Bad Day (what's up with All The Extra Capitalization Today? Hm...).

Now, to the topic relating to the post title...we got to talking about funny stuff, trying to lift each other's moods. We decided on a draft list of the 10 funniest words in the English language. Now, I'm sure in the clear light of day and on a blog page this won't be anywhere near as funny as it was last night. Still...I just felt the need to share. With that, here's what we came up with:

1. spaz
2. whacky
3. dookie (OK maybe not a real word but HEY it's MY LIST!)
   
4. trousers
5. mime
6. cacophony (when I was a kid I thought this was spelled "cacaphony", which is funny for two reasons--first, "caca"--HELLO!!! Second, I thought the emphasis was on the first syllable which would make it pronounced "KAKK-a-fony", which is way funnier than "kah-KOFF-eny." Still...I like my pronunciation better)
7. Antidisestablishmentarianism (the longest word I knew when I was a kid, and the longest word that isn't a chemical compound...click here for a Wikipedia definition)
   
8. spew
9. pocketbook (WTH...does anyone even use that word any more?)
10. stewardess (see parenthetical expression on #9)

So...that's that. I hope you found at least some of these amusing. I know they made us laugh...

Oh yeah, and regarding music--so with the recommendations of my good pals Snowelf and robertb, I got the new Radiohead...uh, what do you call it nowadays--record? CD? Recording? Anyway, I got it. Like robertb, I didn't pay anything for it for now--I'll see whether it grows on me or not.

More later...