California Dreamin'

I ended my two-day work week about 5:00 today and got a haircut on the way home. Tomorrow afternoon (3:33) we fly out to California! I've never been, so I'm pretty excited. And I've heard the Big Sur area is nice :)

The marathon is Sunday morning. It starts at 6:45 am. Buses start taking people over to the starting line at a bright and early 3:45! It's an hour bus ride... So, anyways, if you happen to be in the Big Sur/Carmel/Monterey area, and are crazy enough to get up this early, swing on by ;)

I'm hoping to get some awesome pictures!

Look, it's Spring!

The weather has been so beautiful the last week or so! I love it. Though I wish I was in PA to enjoy it with my friends :(

Unfortunately that meant that it was quite warm for my run yesterday. I went out at noon expecting it to cloud up and maybe even start to sprinkle/rain a little. Of course it didn't, and I absolutely died out there. About 3 miles in I was exhausted. I managed to keep a decent pace and go the whole 10 miles, but I was absolutely exhausted. Last long run before the marathon! ONE WEEK! I leave for CA Wednesday :)

It's Gon' Rain!

First weather report on weather.com for Big Sur. Temperature would be great, but not the rain... 10 days!

Keep Pushin' On

Running does not know the word tired. I do not know the word tired. I know sleepy and exhausted, but never tired. As far as I'm concerned, it's just another word for lack of will.

One Year

Tomorrow marks the one-year anniversary of the tragedy at Virginia Tech.

While I didn't have a direct connection to the school, there was a connection. Plus the connection of being a college student at the time. It's scary. It really is. Somehow I knew it was only wishful thinking that it would be the worst and last of these tragedies. And it's terribly sad. I can never imagine what it would be like to be a student, a friend, a family member of those so unfortunately involved. I am an emotional person, there's no doubt about that. I feel it. Don't you? The community and nation banding together in support of the Hokie family shows how many people care and grieve with you.

I'll link again to Fields of Gold - the video itself is a tribute to Eva Cassidy so just listen to the song.

Another video tribute

I'll end with something borrowed from a friend.

With Hope - Steven Curtis Chapman

This is not at all how
We thought it was supposed to be
We had so many plans for you
We had so many dreams
And now you've gone away
And left us with the memories of your smile
And nothing we can say
And nothing we can do
Can take away the pain
The pain of losing you, but ...

We can cry with hope
We can say goodbye with hope
'Cause we know our goodbye is not the end, oh no
And we can grieve with hope
'Cause we believe with hope
(There's a place by God's grace)
There's a place where we'll see your face again
We'll see your face again

And never have I known
Anything so hard to understand
And never have I questioned more
The wisdom of God's plan
But through the cloud of tears
I see the Father's smile and say well done
And I imagine you
Where you wanted most to be
Seeing all your dreams come true
'Cause now you're home
And now you're free, and ...

We have this hope as an anchor
'Cause we believe that everything
God promised us is true, so ...

So we can cry with hope
And say goodbye with hope

We wait with hope
And we ache with hope
We hold on with hope
We let go with hope

Voice of an Angel

So I stumbled upon some Eva Cassidy stuff while I was putzing around on YouTube. What I learned shows exactly how much I knew about someone who appears to have been quite a talent. I thought she was an older jazzy lady from maybe the 60s or so. Way off.

Eva died from cancer at age 33 in 1996. She was locally known in the DC area, but had just begun to break out of the local scene and her records became successful after her death. She does a beautiful cover of "Fields of Gold" and has quite an eclectic range.

Tornado Watch

It was like 72 today, and tomorrow it's going to be...44 for a high...and 39 on Sunday with a chance of snow. Ah, Michigan...

Roller Coaster

It's been a rough week. I'm really glad tomorrow is Friday.

Miles away you close your eyes and dream
I lie awake and wonder if it's of me
The river of love will flow as it will
I'm just along for the ride
Despite what I feel inside.
I would swim against the current
Waves could crash against me
But I won't go under
There's too much there
Too much to wonder.
The heart knows no time and place
But does the mind, and oh it races
Trying to find
The answers

Time, why you punish me?

Time can be a wondrous thing, but it can also be the worst thing in the world.

There are times that you wish time would just stop and that moment could last forever. Unfortunately, you can't stop time. Instead, drink it all in. Never forget them. It lasts as long as you wish in form of memories.

Then there are times that you wish time would go much, much faster. Unfortunately, you can't speed up time. Be patient. Know that things will turn out how they are meant to turn out.

Make the most of your time. It's not always the amount of time, it's what you do with it. Enjoy it! And, to steal the old army slogan...be all that you can be.

I need to let life comes to me as life wishes. As much as waiting may hurt, sometimes it is needed. So come get me, Life. I am at your mercy, Time. I can only be who I am. I can only give what I have.

Next time don't let me leave

Another great weekend with the C&H crew.

I hate goodbyes. Especially when it's uncertain when you're going to see someone again. It kills.

Back to the Buck!

Woohoo! Heading down to Bucknell for the weekend. Leaving straight from work around 3pm, so hopefully getting there around 11pm... Doin' my 22-miler Saturday morning on very little sleep, and hopefully not getting bit by a dog again... then mini-golf, partyin' it up and heading home Sunday night :-p Until then...

A new PR!

Boy am I going to be sore tomorrow...

Spring is in the air

Baseball season is underway! Tigers lost the home opener 5-4 in extras :( Plus it was like 59 degrees yesterday, and will be again today (though back down after today).

Also, here's a fun new feature from gmail...