Sunday, August 30, 2009
Beating The Heat
From Sports Illustrated:
This year at the Badwater ultramarathon [135 miles through Death Valley, including 130 degree heat and an 8,000 foot climb from sea level], Arthur Webb felt "wrong" and broke down at mile 17. he was rushed to a medical station. You are 67 years old, the doctor reminded him. Your fluids are imbalanced, and you need to rest. So Webb did, for nearly nine hours. Then, still woozy, he asked his wife, Christine, to drive him back to where he'd stopped.
Finishing would be a Herculean task; buckling [i.e. the accomplishment of finishing the course within 48 hours] seemed out of the question. Still, Webb stuck in his earphones, pumped up Led Zeppelin and began again. Usually, competitors alternate between running and walking; by mile 55, Webb realized he needed to run nearly the rest of the route, much of it uphill, to have a shot at buckling. So he ran. Through day and night. Up the side of Mount Whitney. He even clocked a couple of seven-minute miles. And then, finally, he hobbled across the finish line. The clock said 46 hours and 35 minutes. That might at the awards ceremony he received a standing ovation from the other competitors. Think about that when you're feeling too lazy to go to the gym.
This year at the Badwater ultramarathon [135 miles through Death Valley, including 130 degree heat and an 8,000 foot climb from sea level], Arthur Webb felt "wrong" and broke down at mile 17. he was rushed to a medical station. You are 67 years old, the doctor reminded him. Your fluids are imbalanced, and you need to rest. So Webb did, for nearly nine hours. Then, still woozy, he asked his wife, Christine, to drive him back to where he'd stopped.
Finishing would be a Herculean task; buckling [i.e. the accomplishment of finishing the course within 48 hours] seemed out of the question. Still, Webb stuck in his earphones, pumped up Led Zeppelin and began again. Usually, competitors alternate between running and walking; by mile 55, Webb realized he needed to run nearly the rest of the route, much of it uphill, to have a shot at buckling. So he ran. Through day and night. Up the side of Mount Whitney. He even clocked a couple of seven-minute miles. And then, finally, he hobbled across the finish line. The clock said 46 hours and 35 minutes. That might at the awards ceremony he received a standing ovation from the other competitors. Think about that when you're feeling too lazy to go to the gym.
Resting Place
It was sombering to see Grandma's body, so irrepressibly in motion for 92 years, slowly lowered to rest for the last time. Now she lies in that place for eternity, together next to Grandpa after 27 years.
The wake and funeral were smooth and uneventful. Jack and I served as pallbearers, and also as readers during the funeral mass. The reading assigned to me was from one of the more upbeat books of the Bible. Read on, be glad, and do well!
Ecclesiastes 3:1-13
"There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens.
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them; a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.
A time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away.
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to be silent, and a time to speak.
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
What advantage has the worker from his toil?
I have considered the task which God has appointed for men to be busied about.
He has made everything appropriate to its time, and has put the timeless into their hearts, without men's ever discovering, from beginning to end, the work which God has done.
I recognized that there is nothing better than to be glad and to do well during life."
The wake and funeral were smooth and uneventful. Jack and I served as pallbearers, and also as readers during the funeral mass. The reading assigned to me was from one of the more upbeat books of the Bible. Read on, be glad, and do well!
Ecclesiastes 3:1-13
"There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens.
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them; a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.
A time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away.
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to be silent, and a time to speak.
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
What advantage has the worker from his toil?
I have considered the task which God has appointed for men to be busied about.
He has made everything appropriate to its time, and has put the timeless into their hearts, without men's ever discovering, from beginning to end, the work which God has done.
I recognized that there is nothing better than to be glad and to do well during life."
Friday, August 28, 2009
Summer Days
"If you can spend a perfectly useless afternoon in a perfectly useless manner, you have learned how to live." - Lin Yu-T'ang
Thursday, August 27, 2009
The Goods
We headed out to see The Goods starring Jeremy Piven at the Starplex last night ($5 off for employees at my company!).
Everyone there enjoyed it. All two of us. Some guy wandered in about 20 minutes into the feature. I wondered if he was the projector, thinking he could go home early if no one had showed. Sorry, dude.
You've got to be somewhat comfortable with profanity and sexual innuendo in order to enjoy this one. I was just reaching my limit when they backed it way off. It's a story mostly without "hugs or lessons," as they say, meaning that it's superficial and fun, slapstick type movie. Piven leads a wacky foursome who specializes in selling cars. Their mission of saving a family dealership down on its luck begins by hiring a local D.J. (remember Darryl from The Office?) to sit on the roof and play music. Crazy gimmickry ensues, like inviting Bo Bice's brother for "celebrity" effect.
Near the end, producer Will Ferrell makes an appearance, and (as I require) the good guys win in the end.
Feel free to wait for this one to come to DVD or T.V. (apparently everyone else in town is). 90 minutes of low-brow laughs on a rainy day.
Everyone there enjoyed it. All two of us. Some guy wandered in about 20 minutes into the feature. I wondered if he was the projector, thinking he could go home early if no one had showed. Sorry, dude.
You've got to be somewhat comfortable with profanity and sexual innuendo in order to enjoy this one. I was just reaching my limit when they backed it way off. It's a story mostly without "hugs or lessons," as they say, meaning that it's superficial and fun, slapstick type movie. Piven leads a wacky foursome who specializes in selling cars. Their mission of saving a family dealership down on its luck begins by hiring a local D.J. (remember Darryl from The Office?) to sit on the roof and play music. Crazy gimmickry ensues, like inviting Bo Bice's brother for "celebrity" effect.
Near the end, producer Will Ferrell makes an appearance, and (as I require) the good guys win in the end.
Feel free to wait for this one to come to DVD or T.V. (apparently everyone else in town is). 90 minutes of low-brow laughs on a rainy day.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Life Sentence
"It is said that an Eastern monarch once charges his wise men to invent him a sentence to be ever in view, and which should be true and appropriate in all times and situations. they presented him the words: 'And this, too, shall pass away.' How much it expresses! How chastening in the hour of pride! How consoling in the depths of affliction!" - Abraham Lincoln
Eye Got Troubles
Turns out I've got something called a chalazion on my lower left eyelid. This is a painless cyst that develops when oil-producing glands become inflamed. Option 1 was "live with it." I chose the option that makes me not have to look at it any more. So on Tuesday around 8 a.m. I'll get something stuck into my eye to administer a numbing agent. Twice. Then the doc goes in with a blade and a scooping instrument to carve it out of there. They tell me it takes 5 minutes to do. Good! Plus, if they mess up, then I get to look like a pirate. Which is way cooler looking than a bump. Dena and I are going out to breakfast afterword, just like Mommy used to take me to get a milkshake after getting novocaine at the dentist. Maybe then I can go home and watch cartoons. Whee.
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