Heat Wave

Oh the weather outside is frightful
But the fire is so delightful
And since we've no place to go
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
-Sammy Cahn

Snow?!? Really?!? I know it's still March, and this is Michigan. So I guess I should expect it. But the weather was showing signs of warming up. Heck, the frost laws have been removed from the roads. So, how can it be???

I'll tell you, in my wildest dreams I didn't expect this! But it sure makes me feel good that I'm leaving this frozen tundra for a little R and R.

I am heading south to visit my parents, and to make a pilgrimage to the Land of Walt. I have four kids...any trip to Florida BETTER include a stop to see the Wonderful World of Disney.

It's a great time, when thinking about the weather. I'll leave behind SNOW, and replace it with SUN. I'll leave behind layers of clothes, to lathers of sunscreen. And with the stresses at work recently, I get to leave behind piles of paperwork for miles of beaches.

It's a terrible time, when thinking about the race. With just over 4 weeks before the race, this is when I need to put most of my energy in to training. I've been working on developing a base to this point. Now is when I need to buckle down.

I just need to be creative, I guess. Getting in the running won't be an issue. The bike and the swim will need a little help. Thankfully, my Dad has arranged a visitor pass to his health club. That'll help. And, I'll just have to see what resources I can tap at Disney. There has to be something...right?

No matter. I'll make it work. You've invested too much in to me to get this far. I'm not going to let you down. Nor am I going to let myself down. I especially won't let the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society down. You've already guaranteed that!

Burn the Ships

I hate to admit it, but I don't really like basketball.

There's something about the game that frustrates the *hades* out of me. Maybe it's how the last 2 minutes of the game drag out 30 minutes by fouls. Maybe it's the flagrant traveling that doesn't get called. Maybe it's because I went out for the 7th grade team and didn't make it.

What ever the reason, I just don't follow the sport.

Until this time of year. I get wrapped up in March Madness. (Aside: why does March Madness finish in April?) Which is really surprising considering that my alma matres played a combined 3 games in the last 10 years...and have only one win to their collective credit!

Two of these games happened this year, with the Wolverines finally making the Tournament following an 11 year drought. While it made me proud to see the Block M on the t.v. screen, I still couldn't get in to the games. Instead I found myself trying to see what was written on the back of their warm up jerseys.

Queme los Barcos.

Those words translate to "burn the ships." Apparently, there is a story that Hernando Cortes, upon arriving on the Yucatan Peninsula's beaches in 1519, stunned his men with the order to burn the ships. The idea was that it left them with no option of retreat.

Burn the ships, he said. There's no going back.

There's no going back for me either. I wonder if there's an inspirational message in this for me? I wonder if there's some way that I can "burn the ship" when I am in Florida? Metaphorically speaking, that is. I wouldn't want to go to jail on some MDP or arson charge.

But the symbolism is strong. And the message, while not historically accurate, is clear.

Hmmm...let me think this over. And let me know if you have any ideas on how you think I can "burn the ship."

Squashed Banana

The Pasta Dinner, by most accounts, was a great success.

"By most accounts?," you ask. "What went wrong?"

Well, nothing, really. It really was a great success. The fundrasier was fruitful, to say the least. The food was delicious by all accounts. And the crowd looked like they were having fun, between eating, meeting Sheila Taormina, and eyeing their favorite raffle items.

"Okay," you say quizically.

Well, okay, there was one little glitch. I didn't get to eat until the end of the night. And if there's anything you should know: I LIKE TO EAT.

I mean really, how do you think I was able to lose 65 pounds. I had to gain the weight in order to lose the weight. And I LIKE TO EAT.

And I especially like the food at the San Marino Club.

But by the time that the guests were leaving was when I first was able to pick up my plate. And by then my pasta was, well, cold. It was still surprisingly good. But it was cold.

Next thing I started humming the Wiggles "Cold Spaghetti" tune to myself. It's a simple toon. The first verse is all of two words: Cold. Spaghetti.

The second verse is not much harder: Squashed. Banana.

Which, in my mind, warped in to: Squashed. Bananaman. Which then warped in to a Muppets tune. Note to self: ask my doctor if there are pharmaceuticals for afflictions like this...

Well thanks to this fundraiser, the progressive dinner and to your support, we have reached our fundraising goal. Now I can focus completely on training for the event.

I am a little worried about the event. Thanks to the weather, I haven't been able to get outside on the bike. And there is no comparison between lap swimming and an open water swim. And the difference in the temperature and humidity between Michigan and Florida is adding some anxiety.

I just hope I don't become the Squashed Bananaman.