Grateful Blog

2-26-2012 Road Trips

2012-02-27T14:50:00.000-05:00

Yesterday's main activity was supposed to be kayaking. Instead, it ended up being more about spending time in the front of my truck with four other people - my brother Jim, my Dad, and number one and two sons.

It had sort of a road trip feel. It was either raining or threatening rain. We stopped in Weeki Wachee spur of the moment because I remembered they had kayak rentals there and the river is crystal clear - but we were too late.

Onto Homosassa Springs to the kayak rental place - but it was too rainy.

Then over to Homosassa Springs park entrance, followed by a short drive to the other entrance.

We spent a couple hours there then headed home (about another hour drive), and the skies cleared and temps warmed up as we approached home.

I thought about other road trips - like the time we had to drive to Miami to get a last minute passport - it was our first and so far only trip there. Both sons loved that trip. Again, it is the journey and enjoying the stuff that happens between the two points and the time spent together.

I am grateful for road trips.

2-25-2012 Airport Adventures

2012-02-27T10:30:00.000-05:00

I've always loved airports for some reason (ok, there are some airports I don't love going to - but the concept of airports I love).

My brother was flying down for a business trip with an extra day beforehand to come and visit. His flight was cancelled, and then switched to come into Tampa at 12:15 am instead of to Orlando. So, I said I could pick him up. The boys wanted to come, also. I said ok. We were all staying up late to wait to leave for the airport. Then just after 11:00 I checked the flight status - delayed until 1:00 am.
My youngest son - a sometimes surprising voice of reason said shouldn't we be getting sleep before kayaking tomorrow? Yes, I was already thinking the same thing. Sorry boys, I'd better go by myself this time.

I was tired when I got to the airport but had made a cup of coffee just before leaving the house.
My brother arrived a few minutes early (for the new late time), and we were home, and I was in bed before 2:00.

It's life, it's the stuff that happens, it can be tiring and upsetting or it can be something fun (although maybe not in a way you want to do every day!!).

I'm grateful for airport adventures.

2-24-2012 Hot Apple Pies

2012-02-26T23:00:00.000-05:00

From McDonald's of course! 2 for $1.00 or $0.89 for 1. So, for an extra 0.11 I can buy a second one and give it away to someone who appreciates that small act. Then I get to eat the other one. I go way back with these pies (although I sometimes miss the old kind of greasy and flaky crust they used to have!).

Yes, today I bought two of these, I'm grateful for hot apple pies from McDonald's!!

2-23-2012 Coffee

2012-02-26T22:57:00.000-05:00

Especially black coffee, just coffee. The caffeine is a big part but it's not the only part. Sometimes, the right cup of coffee at the right time can really change my outlook. It's a taste experience and an act of deliberate enjoyment (if done right).

It's a little thing and a big thing.

I'm grateful for coffee!!

Why not??

2-22-2012 Pancakes

2012-02-23T09:49:00.000-05:00

I am grateful for pancakes.

I've always liked pancakes and they are easy to make and there's a million variations of ingredients. Once upon a time I was under the impression that there was something "magical" about the box of pancake mix, something that you couldn't do yourself (this is true in some ways if you wanted to use the exact same ingredients down to the last additive and preservative!).

But, fortunately, my wife broke me of that habit and set me straight (and btw, her pancake making skills have improved exponentially over the years!)

Last night when I got home from work I felt like having pancakes, so I started making up the batter.

Whoops! forgot to check to see if we had eggs. No eggs, no problem, they were ok without them - not perfect but still ok.

Another type of pancakes I've enjoyed are "healthy" ones from Body For Life - they contain eggs, oatmeal, and cottage cheese instead of flour and the usual stuff.

Of course, there are also pancakes you get out at a restaurant like Cracker Barrel or Perkins.

There have been some diners here and there that I've stopped at for some great pancakes. There was a diner near University of Rochester called "Pat and Sandy's" which had great pancakes. They also served pancakes in the snack bar inside the Commons, they were good and cheap - only $0.85 (but that was circa 1988).

Yes, definitely grateful for pancakes - especially since they go well with syrup

2-21-2012 My Job

2012-02-23T09:39:00.000-05:00

I have a good job, a good office to work at with people I get along with and respect and I receive respect and dignity despite some of my quirks which some people might not get. There are low points here and there and times of great pressure, but there are many good points, too.

There have been some days when I need to bring the kids with me to the office, it doesn't happen too often but it's great that I'm able to do it now and then. Not ever for the entire day, but maybe up to half a day, they sit in a nearby conference room and do something to keep them busy. They'll come by my office to ask me a question, or I'll go over to check on them. We can get a snack from the kitchen. They are well behaved when they come here because I think I have made it clear that this is a privilege.

I won't go into every last thing that I am grateful for about my job, but, yes I am grateful for my job.

2-20-2012 Fixing Things

2012-02-22T16:26:00.000-05:00

Today, I fixed a burnt out backing up light in my truck (is that what it is really called? sounds kind of odd).

The concept and putting into practice of recognizing something that is broken, knowing how to fix it and then doing it.

Sometimes I can even do it myself.

Not everything can be fixed, but the things that can be fixed and should be fixed, I guess they must be fixed. Sometimes things go too long being broken (like when I drove around for over a year and a half with a big crack in my windshield before getting it fixed, once I made the call, it was embarrassingly easy to have it done).

I'm grateful for the concept of fixing things and the result of fixing things and most grateful when I can fix it myself. Although there is a lot to be said for knowing when to call in an expert and then finding that person.

Yes, today I'm grateful for fixing things.

2-19-2012 Jenny

2012-02-22T16:20:00.000-05:00

I'm grateful for Jenny today.

She is my wife and I love her but there is more than just that for which I am grateful.
Jenny has touched so many people's lives and brings new ideas and a special type of energy.
I'm grateful that she is who she is and grateful that she came into my life.
There is no one else like her.
There is always more to know about her, to find out and learn from.

Today I'm grateful for Jenny

2-18-2012 Endurance

2012-02-21T10:48:00.000-05:00

There was a lot of things to be grateful for today, but in keeping with the theme I'm only going to pick one.

I ran 100 km today, or just over 62 miles. The furthest I had ever run during training was a little over 32 miles. It took a lot of faith to keep on moving.

I had to try and find out how deep the well was, how much endurance was there. I fortunately did not find the bottom even though it felt like I almost did at one point.

It was inspiring to see the 100 mile racers continuing on - it put my distance into perspective.

Endurance didn't let me down.

There have been other times in my life when I have called on endurance - like months at a time at sea while in the navy, driving a car 24 hours straight, staying up all night with a sick kid, or getting through some other bad times which seemed like they had no end in sight.

It takes faith to keep going. But endurance is like putting the faith into practice. It's all sorts of things. I won't pretend to understand it all, or be able to define it for everyone.

So, I'll just be grateful for it. Today I'm grateful for endurance.

2-17-2012 A Day Off Work

2012-02-20T23:00:00.000-05:00

When growing up and in school, you get holidays off, weekends, and summer vacation to name a few. Once you hit the world of work, the days off become more rare, and even the days that are allotted sometimes end up getting skipped due to unforeseen circumstances.

But, today I took the day off of work. There have been many other events when I probably should have taken the day off. I'll try not to dwell on the ones that I missed.

Today, I'll be grateful for the day I did take off.

2-16-2012 Finishing a Plan

2012-02-20T22:55:00.000-05:00

(my life got a little more busy, so I seemed to have missed a few days, whoop!)

Sometimes, you put together a plan, follow it and find you come to the end of that plan. Not everything can be planned out in such a manner. I'm not inherently good at planning. However, I've been following a plan to get ready for a 100K race. That kind of planning I'm able to do. Today was my last scheduled run on that plan, so, at least the running portion is finished (just need to get all my gear together).

I'm grateful that the last run of the plan is now finished, and whatever happens next I'll have the confidence that I finished the plan - for that I am grateful.

2-15-2012 Good Luck

2012-02-16T14:57:00.000-05:00

I'm grateful for good luck. I'm not sure how many times I've been bailed out of some pretty bad situations as well as some ones that weren't that bad but would have been sort of a bummer. Good luck can strike at any time. Now, sometimes the good luck is the result of working hard and unintended consequences in a good way, or it may be some sort of cosmic karma paying back for some good deed that went unrecognized a long time ago. Usually it seems to happen for no apparent reason.

But, whatever the reason why it happens, it sure is nice.

Please, be grateful for it.

I know I am.

2-14-2012 Love

2012-02-15T11:33:00.000-05:00

There is so much to be said about love, there has been so much written, there are many kinds of love and countless definitions. There are poems and cliches and songs. It is plain and insight and mysterious and hard to describe.

Love gives and takes away, makes us feel good and bad.

But always alive.

If you can feel love, then you are feeling something, and if you feel something then you are alive.

There are no right and wrong answers as long as it is true.

So much to think about and share, so powerful.

Where would we be with no love in this world?

So, today I'll write that I'm grateful for love. But more importantly, we all should be grateful for love each and everyday.

2-13-2012 Birds

2012-02-14T09:06:00.000-05:00

I was driving to work, stopped at a traffic light and looked up and saw a flock of black birds on a telephone wire. I thought about how birds are everywhere. Except for people who are into bird watching, many people do not think much about birds. They are everywhere. Every part of the world. In the city, the suburbs and out in the country.

I love the birds in Florida. It is one of my favorite things here - the egrets, herons, osprey, eagles, hawks, vultures, little birds, ducks, pelicans, birds that live here and birds that are just visiting.

When people go out running on a trail here, they like to talk about what wildlife the saw - they say "I saw 2 deer, one of them was a buck with huge antlers" or, "I saw some wild boar", " a bobcat" , "I saw an alligator". If all they saw were the birds they might not mention it.

But, everyday we see birds.

They look free, they land where they please, then fly away someplace far away, who knows?

They are amazing.

Today I am grateful for birds.

2-12-2012 Dinner Out

2012-02-13T11:24:00.000-05:00

If you go out to eat a lot, then dinner out does not seem so special. However, if it is once in a while or not more than once a week or for some celebration then it can be special. It is a time to enjoy being together where everyone at the table is there to just spend time together, dine together, and spend time talking. There is no worry about who has to do what before or after the meal, it's just eating and enjoying. You can't do this all the time and the things about making a meal at home important are no less important. But, there's a lot to be said for a dinner out. Laugh, eat, enjoy, sit together. It can be like going on a very short vacation. Oh, yes, and dinner out while on vacation or some road trip (like driving to Miami and back in the same day to get a passport), can be even better, because then it is also a bit of necessity.
So, maybe there's no place like home but sometimes a dinner out is nice (not to mention how grateful I am that we have the means to be able to afford a dinner out).

So, today I'm grateful for dinner out.

2-11-2012 Dogs

2012-02-12T13:50:00.000-05:00

Dogs know and practice unconditional love. A dog never judges you. A dog is always glad to see you and you can easily make a dogs day by getting out the leash and taking him out for a walk. Dogs help people live longer in many ways. Petting a dog can lower your blood pressure and there are many people who might never get up off their couch if not for the gentle persistence of a dog. Of course, books and movies and magazines can go on forever to say great things about dogs. I love having a dog around.
So, I'll just end this by saying that today I am grateful for dogs.

2-10-2012 Gratitude

2012-02-12T13:43:00.000-05:00

I am grateful for gratitude, both giving and receiving. When you do something nice for someone it should be reward enough to know that you have helped someone. But, it is nice to be recognized and hear and feel the appreciation. When someone does something nice for you, it is sometimes hard or impossible to repay them, but we can always show our gratitude. It works both ways and lets the giver and receiver know how important they are to each other.
But, it's not guaranteed, there isn't always a chance to give or receive gratitude, so we can't always see it or feel it. But, it is there.

I know, kind of vague, but without gratitude, it would be hard to be grateful for anything.

So, today I'm grateful for gratitude itself.

2-9-2012 Sleep

2012-02-10T10:18:00.000-05:00

SLEEP

When people are younger they take sleep for granted. Then someday, you wake up in the middle of the night and can't fall back asleep for a long time. Maybe not at all, or maybe a few minutes before the alarm clock goes off. It is sleep that divides between the previous day and the next day, between the worn out feeling (sometimes) at the end of the day and the promise of a new day the next morning. We can dream while asleep. The body gets stronger from sleep and sometimes our minds get clearer.

There have even been times in my life where I had to stay awake all night - all nighter for school, driving through the night by myself, midnight to 4 watch in the navy, etc. It's never any fun when you have to stay up all night. It's even less fun when you don't have to stay up all night, but just can't fall asleep.

I had been missing more and more sleep recently. Last night I was able to get some sleep. I heard my wife's alarm clock go off at 5:00, then I fell back asleep until my 6:00 alarm went off. On mornings she had been waking up at 5:00, I would wake up too and be wide awake even though I didn't have to leave for work for a long time and I didn't have any sort of big long run.

So, today I'm grateful for sleep (actually should remember to be grateful for sleep every night when going to sleep and every morning I wake up after a good night's sleep).

2-8-2012 Laughter

2012-02-09T09:55:00.000-05:00

I am grateful for laughter, especially if you haven't heard someone laugh for a long time, and then you hear them. It has to be genuine. I think I can tell when it is real. It is such a happy sound. Sometimes I wish there was more laughter. It's often what makes something a good time. A party can be missing food, drinks, and music, but if there is lots of laughter, then it is the best party ever. A laugh can make things right or break the ice or tension.

Today I'm grateful for laughter.

2-7-2012 Backyard camping

2012-02-08T10:17:00.000-05:00

A number of years ago, my brother was coming out to visit. He thought it would be fun to go camping down at Fort De Soto with the kids. So, I bought a tent and some camping gear. We had a lot of fun and it was one of those things I would have thought about but probably not gotten around to it.

One weekend, sometime later, I thought it would be fun to set up the tent in the back yard for some back yard camping. We did this a couple of times when I was growing up that I can remember.

We've now done backyard camping a bunch of times, and it's something that Thomas especially looks forward to and asks for. Sammy (the dog) absolutely loves the tent more so than the other dogs did.

It's such a simple thing to do, so little planning and it makes it worthwhile that I bought a tent which was pretty much only used once (although someday hope to use it again even if just at one of the very close local parks like Starkey).

So, today I'm grateful for backyard camping.

2-6-2012 Fun Exercise - aka Boot Camp

2012-02-07T11:38:00.000-05:00

Today I'm grateful for the boot camp class which my wife teaches two days a week and I have been able to go many times since she started.

I have done many of these exercises on my own in the past, but she adds new ones all the time and it's so much easier to just do it when someone else has it all planned out for you. Also, I have met many new people as well as working out with people I know from running. The exercises help make up for the rut my body can get into from mainly just doing running - getting to move around in 3 different planes. Doing some exercises I'm good at, as well as the humility from the ones that make me look clumsy and sometimes even weak. We all have room for improvement and we are all in this together.

So, today I'm grateful for my wife's boot camp class.

2-5-2012 My Dad

2012-02-06T07:34:00.000-05:00

I hope I don't get in trouble for thinking of my Mom first, but today I was grateful for my Dad. My poor neglected boat which has been sitting on a lift at their house was not starting. It hasn't been starting for a while. My Dad said why not try some starter fluid in the carburetor. This engine is an inboard / outboard engine aka sterndrive, so it basically looks like a car engine for the most part. But I couldn't tell where the air filter was it. He pointed it out to me, yup that was it alright. I sprayed in some of the spray and tried to start the boat and the engine caught for a second but didn't continue to run. Well, at least it's getting a spark.

I had been kind of resentful on one level because I didn't feel like I was getting any help or suggestions. He'd just sort of watch me while I tried various things and would help if I asked him to do something for me. So, when he made the starter fluid suggestion and helped me find where the air filter was so I could remove it and spray inside the carburetor it was kind of nice.

After that tiny bit of success, and along with the success of the new mildew remover I bought (so the boat doesn't look as run down now). I at least have a plan in my head as to how I'm going to get this boat thing all straightened out. Things just became clearer. Maybe it was how spraying in the fluid and hearing the engine almost starting showed me that the engine could still make a spark, that was the spark I needed to know was there.

So, today I'm grateful for my Dad.

2-4-2012 Saturdays

2012-02-05T20:06:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, the weekend is still new, there is work or school is not looming for the next day. I can go for a run, hang out at home, get some chores done or maybe go someplace fun. There's no rush or worry to get away from work early because that was yesterday. I have childhood memories of Saturday morning cartoons, which I looked forward to all week. Saturday has been my long run day pretty much since I've been running (or at least since marathon training). Every now and then and at times in the past I've had to work Saturdays, but for now I don't.

Today I'm grateful for Saturdays.

2-3-2012 My Truck

2012-02-05T20:02:00.000-05:00

I'm grateful for my truck. I've had it 8 years, it is reliable and comfortable and still in pretty good shape despite the fact that I'm not the best at taking care of it. I mainly drive back and forth to work in it, but sometimes I have to haul something, I've loaned it out to people who needed to haul something and I've towed my boat with it. It's not the easiest vehicle in the world to park but it's not that bad either. I'm grateful that I have a vehicle and it's a vehicle that I like. I may not have it forever, but for now and for the past 8 years, I'm grateful for my truck.

2-2-2012 Air

2012-02-03T13:20:00.000-05:00

Honestly, I'm not feeling very creative or overly grateful at the moment. It's at those times when you need to look at the very basics that we take for granted. I already mentioned tap water. More basic than water of course is air. Living and breathing go hand in hand and we need air for that - clean air is best along with a healthy pair of lungs.

But mostly today, I'm grateful for air.

2-1-2012 An Invitation

2012-02-02T08:41:00.000-05:00

I received an invitation this evening - an invitation to leave my comfort zone. I was planning on running the next morning and planning on putting in a good effort, warm up , then 4 miles at whatever I could manage under 7:00 pace. But, my friend Raj texted me and asked if I could run with him 3 @ 6:35. That was not what I had in mind. I might have ended up doing the last mile somewhere around that pace, if I was feeling good. But to hit that pace early on and go the whole way, it's not what I thought I could do.

But, I accepted the challenge. It's hard to leave your comfort zone on your own, but you've got to venture outside if you want to grow and expand and also if you don't want your comfort zone to shrink.

So, I was sent the invitation and I accepted it.

I'm grateful for that.

1-31-2012 A Push From Behind

2012-02-01T08:07:00.001-05:00

Push from behind - also sometimes known as a good kick in the rear

I was running yesterday morning and it wasn't going so well. I was finishing up and had slowed down with a mentality of just finishing the run. Sometimes running slower can be enjoyable but if you are running slow because you weren't enjoying the run then it's not so good.
One of the faster girls in the group came up behind me and startled me because I wasn't expecting her (because I had also cut my run short so thought no one was near me), and I was also listening to music. I decided to follow her in, but she told me to run in front of her so she could push herself faster trying to catch up. So, I did. I went faster and she picked up her pace to try and catch me.

It changed the run from so-so just get it done to something much better.
So, today I was grateful for a push from behind.

1-30-2012 Tap Water

2012-01-31T08:44:00.000-05:00

There is so much to be grateful for tap water. We take it for granted in that so many people in this world can't just go and turn on their tap for a glass of clean and safe to drink water. Every now and then for various reasons, I'll go up to the tap with my glass in hand, flick up the faucet lever and expect my glass to be filled - but nothing happens. Or perhaps, some water comes out but it has sort of a brownish color. Hey? What happened to my clean, clear water that I expect? I'm entitled to it and I even sometimes complain when that's all there is to drink.

When the water does not come out of the tap it kind of gives you that surprised feeling like when the milk carton is empty but you think it's full - you kind of sweep it off the table with no resistance. Or it's like that feeling when you flick the light switch but the light doesn't come on (I'll save that for another day).

So, today I'm grateful for tap water.

1-29-2012 Arriving Home Safely

2012-01-29T22:10:00.000-05:00

My wife went out of town for two days. Not that far out of town and not to any place new or difficult to get to. But still, no matter the distance, it's always a good feeling and sense of relief when someone you are waiting to return comes home safely.
So, today I'm grateful for arriving home safely.

1-28-2012 A Friend to run with

2012-01-29T22:08:00.000-05:00

I have a friend that loves running. I was scheduled to run for 25 miles. Usually for a run that long I will run with some people at the beginning of the run. But who really wants to run 25 miles just because someone else is? The answer is a friend. Of course, there are many ways to be a friend to someone, and you don't have to run 25 miles to be a good friend, but who else but a friend would do that?

I didn't even have to really ask for this help. Sometimes people see you are in need of help and they just offer.
I'm grateful for that and will remember to be on the lookout for someone who could use my help.

1-27-2012 Rain Stopping Just in Time

2012-01-28T15:31:00.000-05:00

I was about to not run outside because it was raining. As I walked out the door, the rain stopped. Although I had my keys in hand and had made up my mind to head over to the Y and get on a treadmill, I dropped off the keys and put on my garmin. It was too good of an opportunity. The rain doesn't always stop when you want it to, so take advantage of it when it does.

1-26-2012 Ok to Miss a day

2012-01-27T07:19:00.000-05:00

I'm grateful for the fact that missing one day of something you intended to do everyday does not mean it's the end. It's not a good habit and can be a slippery slope of excuses, but it can also a time to reflect and regroup. Ok, so it's not the first day I've missed, but other days I've gone back and filled in the missing days. But today, I'll leave that day open and not add a post for it just because I can.

1-24-2012 email

2012-01-24T09:16:00.000-05:00

I'm grateful for email. It's quick and easy. It is just a tool like anything else, but an unexpected good email can really make your day.

1-23-2012 Mondays

2012-01-24T09:13:00.001-05:00

Yes, I am grateful for Mondays. Just like mornings, they are a new beginning. They are not as bad as the dread one might sometimes feel on a Sunday night. Appreciating a Monday is a powerful way to live in the present.

1-22-2012 Florida Winters

2012-01-23T11:19:00.000-05:00

I pulled the pool cover off and went for a swim. The air was nice but the water felt warmer. I swam a few laps and then floated for a while. I talked to my neighbor earlier in the day about how nice it is here in the winter (he is from CT. - where people complain about the cold and stay in doors during the winter). There are many great places to live and you can find something to love about almost any place - but I'm here and happy right now, Florida in the winter.

1-21-2012 Long Run Magic

2012-01-23T11:16:00.000-05:00

Something happens between the beginning and end of a long run. You feel it more if you start out not feeling up to the task of running or even feeling like doing much of anything at all. But something opens up, whether it is all the fresh air, a good conversation or extra blood flowing to the brain making you see things more clearly. There is a magic that happens which I have felt many times. Sometimes it is the one thought that gets me started on a run - to never underestimate the power of long run magic.

1-20-2012 Eye Sight

2012-01-20T13:01:00.000-05:00

I was cleaning up the kitchen this morning and was looking for dirt and things that needed to be wiped down. I was looking in close and then standing back for a bigger picture to see if I had missed anything.
Then it dawned on me what an amazing thing that eye sight is. We don't always appreciate it and sometimes forget to really use it, but for most of us it is there for us every day.

Some are not so lucky. Some have never had it and some had it at one point but lost it.

I am grateful for eye sight today.

1-19-2012 Running Friends and hindsight

2012-01-19T08:57:00.000-05:00

Running Friends
Today I'm thankful for my running friends. They are easy to make since you start out with something in common. Pretty much if it wasn't for running friends I would not have any friends or very many friends. It's mostly just meeting up with other people who like to run. But every now and then when you haven't seen someone for a while you get a text or an email saying "hey, what's up, how have you been, miss you" or something like that. It's nice to know you are remembered.

It's also nice when you find out that you made someone's day by being there for them or encouraging them to do something they didn't think they had in them.

Hindsight
Now, I think hindsight gets a bad rap, and you hear things about how it's "always 20/20", which I don't think is true. Sometimes you look back at things in a new light, a more objective and calmer light and things make sense. I'm grateful for those moments of clarity that hindsight can bring. Then, just like history, you have to learn it and learn from it so as not to do be doomed to repeat it.

1-17 and 1-18, 2012 Curried lentils and Rice

2012-01-18T11:09:00.002-05:00

So much for an entry every day.
Anyway, yesterday I was grateful for curried lentils and rice for dinner which Jenny made. This is a meal which makes me not worry about if I was ever forced to be a vegan. There's is nothing about meat that I miss when eating curried lentils with rice.

I enjoyed it so much, I'm having it for lunch today. And in general I'm grateful for leftovers, something that kids including myself once upon a time were not always grateful for.

1-16-2012 Grilled chicken, green beans, sweet potato

2012-01-16T18:28:00.000-05:00

Today I'm grateful for one of my favorite dinners, which Jenny cooked for us tonight - Grilled chicken, green beans, sweet potato. It's nothing super complicated but the three things just go so well together. She is masterful at timing everything so they all come out just right.

Also, grateful for massages. I had one today, first one since sometime in November. Was really good to help get the kinks out from yesterday's race. I'm feeling like I might even be able to go for a short run tomorrow.

1-14-2012 Books / 1-15-2012 Falling Down

2012-01-15T18:37:00.001-05:00

1-15-2012
Today I was grateful that when I fell down I was running up a hill. I think that is much better than falling when running down a hill. I fell down an actually, involuntarily said "Ooof!", I landed on my hands which fell on something that was not sharp. It was kind of like doing a burpee which I often do during Jenny's boot camp classes, so that really came in handy. So, I'm also grateful for all of the burpees Jenny has made me do!

1-14-2012
Also, I seemed to have missed yesterday. I am grateful for books (as well as being able to read). There's always something to do if you have a book, you can transport yourself someplace else without leaving where you are. I started to read Steinbeck's East of Eden which I was probably supposed to read sometime during high school. I've rediscovered reading recently, and I'm very grateful that books don't hold a grudge for having been ignored so long.

January 13, 2012 - Weekends

2012-01-13T14:56:00.000-05:00

I am grateful for weekends. Without these, the weeks would never end and life would seem like one big long grind. Of course, it is still possible for this to happen if you don't appreciate the weekend or if you have to work on weekends as many people do. But, it is still something to consider and sometimes just by thinking about it you can get into a weekend state of mind even if you have to work.

Kids have a very acute sense of the weekend thanks to school. It is something that should never be forgotten as we get older.

This weekend I will sleep in a little bit later on Saturday since I'm not going to run long, then I will take Thomas to bowling. Not sure what else yet on Saturday, but will think of something.

Then on Sunday is the 50K race followed by some relaxing.

And who knows what else the weekend might hold.

January 12, 2012

2012-01-12T10:29:00.000-05:00

Today I was thankful for seeing old friends who are really glad to see you and make you feel like you made their day by showing up. I had not seen Eudair in a while but she was at Longleaf for a run this morning. She's always been a huge inspiration and has such a positive can-do personality.

January 11, 2012

2012-01-11T07:43:00.000-05:00

I'm thankful that sometimes when it looks cold and rainy outside and you were planning on running, and almost thought about not running because it looked cold and rainy, but you go out anyway. Once outside you find it is not nearly as cold as you thought, it's actually kind of warm. The rain has pretty much stopped and you don't feel anything. You come home and you are glad you took a chance despite how it looked at first.

Backfill and Why this Blog

2012-01-10T10:26:00.003-05:00

This is a very simple blog to list each day one thing I am grateful for. This blog was inspired by my old high school friend Dan Weber (who we sometimes called Grateful Dan, a big dead head at the time). I saw him posting these on Facebook.

So, since today is the 10th, I will cover from Jan 1 - 10th today and then try to do one post a day, unless I can't get internet access, then ASAP.

January 1st - I'm grateful for the start of a new year and sleeping in a little bit. I count it as sleeping in even if I wake up early as long as I don't get out of bed and can fall asleep a little bit.

January 2nd - Check in for the cruise went pretty smoothly, I'm grateful that I remembered to bring everything we needed. The agent even complimented us on having our stuff together.

January 3rd - Grateful for treadmills. Some people call these "dreadmills" but I don't mind running on them and can sometimes be nice.

January 4th -Grateful that all the tours we were interested in were not filled up. I was supposed to sign up for zip lining in Belize but waited too long. Some of the other tours had restrictions which Thomas was too young for. Fortunately cave tubing was still available.

January 5th - Grateful for nice weather for the cave tubing trip.

January 6th - Grateful for spectacular sunsets on the beach

Sunset in Cozumel

January 7th - Grateful for DVD players. Watched the last Lord of the Rings movie today. The DVD player in the state room was a great way to pass the down time.

Sammy Pick Up

January 8th - Grateful for safely arriving home from the trip. Disembarking was very smooth, walked right off the ship at 7:46 (grateful for Jenny signing us up for expedited disembarking, customs was a breeze and it took just a few minutes to get the car. Very little traffic so the drive back was easy and I did not get lost this time finding my way to I-275. Andy and I picked up Sammy from the kennel at 3:00 for the Sunday pick up hours:
Most importantly grateful to be back home.

January 9th - Grateful for Jenny's boot camp

January 10th - Grateful for inspiring friends like Dan Weber