Lucy Heads To Kindergarten

Yup, the day we dreaded for over 5 years came. I took Lucy in for meet the teacher, and her first real day is tomorrow. As you can see, though, Mrs. Evans is a technology-using teacher--Daddy will be happy!

The Lucy Quote 'o the Day

I took Lucy to Grammie's this morning. Since July 1, she was done with preschool, so Myra still goes, but Lucy goes to Grammies until she STARTS KINDERGARTEN tomorrow. This morning on the ride to school she asks, 'Daddy, what happens to the For Sale signs when someone buys a house?' Wow. Amazing thoughts go through that girl's head!

Brind'Amour

Also in this lull of my posting, my second favorite hockey player of all time, next to Lemieux, Rod Brind'Amour retired from the Hurricanes. Over the years down here, I really came to highly respect what he did on and off the ice. Luckily he will stay on with us in some capacity, hopefully in training! The guy is ripped! I will always have that Game 7 in my memory when he got the CUP and did his stomping. Thanks, Rod!

Splish Splash...

Pulled out the Slip n Slide again recently. Girls are FINALLY beginning to understand how to use it. And I don't believe either of them chugged any pool water this time.

Happy (Belated) 4th of July!

We, like all Americans, rang in the 4th with some illegal fireworks. The girls liked their 'first' fireworks show.

Flying With Uncle Gary

While we went to PA for sad reasons, we did enjoy ourselves. One morning we went over to a flying field nearby to see my Uncle and some other friends fly their model airplanes. The girls liked it, especially watching on Uncle Gary's truck!

Loss of Someone Special

All time record for me--11 days into a month without a post. Shows you how busy we've been. A little over a week ago my paternal grandmother finally lost her fight and joined my pap on the other side. She went to the hospital in the Spring, with a back needing surgery (where have we heard this before) and just never made it back. Very sad, but we definitely understand her sadness from losing Grandpap, her life partner for so long.
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My gram holds a special place in my life. She helped teach me to read, supported me in my path into education, and provide me with so much advice that helped me in making all the difficult decisions in my life. I really am blessed to have had all 4 grandparents into my 30s, a rare thing these days.
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We went up to PA last weekend for the memorial service. I was honored to to be asked to speak again, and did an ok job, focusing on that wise advice, 'God never closes a door without opening a window.' My sister did a knock down job as well. We loved the girls spending so much times with our family too...not the best reason to be up there, but glad to enjoy it somewhat.
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I chose this picture to post. I believe I was 3 or 4 when taken, long since to bed on a Christmas Eve. I guess according to the rumors, everyone apparent overdid the eggnog, except my grandparents (although it looks a little different), but you can see so much love in them. Makes me smile.

Almost July!

Hard to believe we'll roll into July this coming week. Summer continues to fly away. We've been pretty busy so far, and the future holds the same thing...
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Watched the US lose to Ghana yesterday. Pretty big deal for the US going this far, and they really had their chances yesterday. Now nothing in the middle of hockey season starting back up.
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4 day week, then the girls and I will go to Marbles next Friday. Flanigan 4th of July picnic next weekend, and just some time all together!

Happy Father's Day!

My girls already made it a special day! Myra made me a ceramic, painted turtle. I always wanted a turtle, and Kerry almost got me one, until we found they are illegal to have as pets. This will be a good compromise. Lucy made me a #1 Dad trophy and painted golf balls. Neat! Being a dad is my most favorite thing.
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May be a bittersweet day though...Grandma is not doing well in the hospital. Dad, Aunt Donna, and Uncle Gary are taking up the living will today that states she does not want any artificial equipment. We will see what happens...

My Bed...

Your Bed Says You Are Down to Earth

Outward appearances are very important to you. You do your best to look good and have an attractive home. You try to be an organized person, but you often fall behind. Certain parts of your life tend to fall into chaos. You are not very high maintenance in general, but you are high maintenance about a few things. In relationships, you tend to be quite dominant. You enjoy taking charge. You tend to be a down to earth, practical person. You think in terms of what is actual. You are a traveler. You are comfortable anywhere, and you rarely feel homesick.

What Does Your Bed Say About You?

Blogthings: Discover the Parts of Your Personality that Have Been Hiding

New Blog Colors/Layout

Yeah, no kidding--new color scheme and layout changes! So I doubt I will move from orange and brown permanently, but figured I would play around a little with Blogger's new features...
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First 'Friday off' of the summer. We're doing 4 10 hour days in the office, then a day off. Definitely well deserved, as it was a BUSY 4 days. Nice to stay home with the girls. We went to the State Farmers' Market for peaches, corn, and a bunch of other things. Then Sheetz, and then RDU to watch planes from the Observation Deck. Fun!

Cannonball into Hidden Lake!

Finally swam in Hidden Lake for the first time today. Three cannonballs later, and no amoebas yet! LOL! The girls enjoyed the water, just swimming around and Myra actually jumped in to my arms a couple times. Busy day in the hot sun (also a 6 mile run), so maybe more rest tomorrow...

Summer Fun

Girls got new swimsuits, so we needed to try them out with the sprinkler. Of course, I needed to water the lawn too!

More Fun From Hidden Lake

Ladderball!

Reunion at Hidden Lake

Finally got a moment to revisit the reunion last week. Kerry's Mom's family came down from NY, California, and Oklahoma to Hidden Lake last weekend. Definitely a fun weekend. We spent a lot of time on the boats and outside. The girls enjoyed seeing their cousins and playing.
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Memorial Day Weekend

Definitely a good time for a rest! And rest we need! Kerry had her retina surgery on Thursday. They placed a buckle around her eye to take the pressure of the retina tears, which will help her eyesight. She came through the surgery well, just in some obvious pain now. So I have been Mr. Mom a lot of the weekend. Been fun, we went to BJs and the Dollar Store, the playground, and the Farmers' Market. May head to Target today. Definitely enjoy my time with the girls!

More Fun From Baileywick...

Location for our Cel-Kids support group picnic yesterday...
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Summer Arrives!

Yup, as usual, here in Raleigh we skip from Winter directly to Summer. 95 degrees yesterday. And not a cloud in the sky. As you can see, the watermelon at our Cel-Kids picnic yesterday was greatly appreciated!

The Details of the 2010 Pittsburgh Marathon

So I made it. You know that by now. Now, a week later, I finally can find the time and energy to discuss how it went. Definitely a great experience!

So Lucy and I flew up to Pittsburgh on Thursday, bright and early. A nice, quick flight that left early and arrived early. Once they opened the door, though, I knew we weren't in North Carolina anymore--it was COOL! Nana and PapPap picked us up with a tea for me and a water for Lucy. And some flowers for Lucy! Very sweet! We headed out, and right into rush hour traffic heading down Greentree Hill, into the Fort Pitt Tunnel, into Downtown Pittsburgh. No worries, though, we headed out the Parkway East, and made a few pit stops along the way, picking up some gluten free yummies for Lucy at Giant Eagle.
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I did not run at all while at my folks. I really wanted to, especially the first day, when cool, but I worried constantly about my heel, and then my calf. I figured the calf was just 'worry pain,' being within the tapering process, but still, figured I wanted to rest it as much as possible. So at my folks, lots of icing and heating. We saw my grandma and some other family, so that was nice.
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Saturday we headed down to Pittsburgh. I needed to pick up my race packet at the David L. Lawrence Conference Center and just soak up some of the marathon atmosphere. What a LOT of people there. 16,000 runners, but then you forget that most of them will bring parents, spouses, children, and friends. A lot of excitement flew around that day. I did like being 'Dahntown,' for the first time in a while. Then we headed up to Granny's for dinner and some additional rest. The Uncles Gary and Al, along with Aunt Cheryl and Hope worked with my Dad to plot out their course of action. They wanted to see me EVERYWHERE, so I began to get a little nervous! Lucy and I decided to hit the sack for an early bedtime. Lucy slept on an inflatable mattress, so of course, every time she moved, she woke me up. Argh! But, I really would not sleep much anyway, so no worries.
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I woke up around 5:40am, and my Dad took me down to the course. I really liked seeing him so excited for this! He did not participate in my first two marathons, being in Charleston and Raleigh, so this was new for him, and I would think his excitement rivaled mine! He dropped me off in the Strip District to go back and gather the troops to see me at mile two or thereabouts.
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Even early, 6am, there was quite a crowd at the starting line. Still a little dark, but the buzz was apparent. I stretched, listened to music, and used the port-a-potties a few times. Kerry would've loved them--they had hand sanitizer right in them!! I really just tried to keep myself busy and visualize the beginning few miles. I still did not know how I would run, with the calf and heel, so it was just about staying calm.
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Eventually, 7:30 rolled around, and I found my pace group. I signed up for the 4:45 group, and knew I may not stick with them, but I wanted to start with a decent pace. The first mile started smooth, taking about 8 minutes just to GET to the starting line, with lots of folks running on the sidewalk to pass. I figured I would pass them much later. Mile 2 passed, the rain began, and no family. )-: I was surprised at how down this made me, but up ahead--there was my dad in his blue Penguins shirt. He did not have my hat, as I apparently did pass all the rest at mile 1, but he ran with me for a few blocks...heehee! Yeah, I mentioned he was a little excited!
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We then crossed the 16th Street Bridge, and I still felt pretty good. Another water break, then I hit the port-a-potty again. At this point the 4:45 group must have passed me, but I kept a decent pace through the North Side, back into Downtown, then back to the stadiums. I passed PNC Park, Heinz Field, and the new Rivers Casino, then over the West End Bridge. Whoever decided to make a bridge into two steep points should be shot! Much steeper than the other bridges.
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On the South Side, it began to rain a little harder. I stopped for the picture coming up Carson Street. With the large, Forbes Avenue hill looming in a few miles, I did not think Carson Street would be as tough as it was, but I definitely faced some rolling hills along Station Square. Not a lot of folks out, but I did see a neat group of military high-fiving runners. The half-marathoners peeled off, and just the relay teams and full-marathoners continued on. Over Birmingham Bridge, and the ascent began. Forbes Avenue is pretty steep! Cheerleaders greeted us halfway, but at that point, it was me versus that hill. Made it into Oakland, and a lady in sunglasses and a hat came over to me asking me if I wanted a towel, hat, and Gatorade. It was Hope!! (-: So I walked with her a few strides, saw Uncle Al and Uncle Gary, and then continued on. Couldn't help notice it was not the Hurricanes hat I brought, but a Penguins hat! They said Madison and Aunt Cheryl were in Shadyside, so off I went to find them. I thought I made a turn into Shadyside, but just onto Fifth Avenue. And Fifth, like Carson, is surprisingly hilly. Phew! Check the Blackberry, and it stopped working. )-: No more Plurking or photos. I saw Aunt Cheryl and Madison, passed off the Blackberry and hat, and continued on.
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Getting close, with some rolling hills before Bloomfield. Knowing I was getting to Bloomfield, the family, and eventually the end, I actually picked up the pace. The wall for me this time was definitely mile 9-15. Then I ran hard. Turned down Liberty, and knew I could do it. I stopped in Bloomfield with all the family there. Lucy, the Uncles, Gary waving a Penguins flag (and wanting me to carry it the last 4 miles--yeah right), and my folks, finally with a pair of shoes to change into!! I felt like a NASCAR driver, changing tires.
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The last four miles were actually enjoyable. Still no real calf or heel pain, while my feet were pruny, dry shoes and socks helped. I just coasted down and finished. Four hours, fifty-six minutes. Really wanted 4:45 before, but with the rain, the slow early pace, and those hills, I took much pride in finishing. Definitely a much tougher course then you would think.
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Spent the afternoon back at Granny's, watching the Penguins. Finally, I said my thank yous and goodbyes, put my Pittsburgh Marathon and medal on, and we headed back to the airport. More traffic through security this time, about 20 minute wait, but I saw other marathoners, so definitely cool. We actually had a husband and wife behind us on the plane to Raleigh, who just finished the half. Lucy fell asleep on the way, and we finally made it back home. A week later, my first run yesterday since the marathon, and I am already looking to the next one! While I really liked the atmosphere of a large marathon, I doubt I will travel to one again. But I will always remember that experience! And I LOVED my family watching. They REALLY helped!!

I Did It!

Finished the 2010 Pittsburgh Marathon! 4 hours 56 minutes. Lots of rain, heel/calf pain, but I was happy to finish. Had some GREAT support from the family along the way. They really helped me make it through the day! More to come...

We Made It To Pennsylvania!

Lucy and I flew in to Pittsburgh Int'l Thursday morning. Quite a quick flight, and Nana and PapPap met us at the security checkpoint, with a water and tea! And flowers for Lucy! We have been enjoying some cooler temps and lower humidity. Today we're going down to Pittsburgh to spend the night before tomorrow morning's marathon.
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Speaking of the marathon, on Tuesday I did a quick 4 miler and began to have some bad calf pain again. Not so much the heel, but maybe some overcompensation. Anyway, I have been icing and heating, so hopefully I will make it. Much less pain now, so we will see.

Smashing Pumpkins

Most people that know me know I have so loved the Smashing Pumpkins. Now, with their new album, they provide free downloads of the songs. Cool!

More Fun From Marbles...

Surf's Up

Myra, Working in Rain, Sleet, and Freezing Rain...

Marbles--Great Times for Young and Old

Here in Raleigh, we're quite lucky to have Marbles Kids Museum. Marbles became when Playspace and Exploris merged a few years back. Now, we can experience an awesome two story museum of fun for kids. When on Spring Break last week, I took the girls, and we had an awesome time!! Yes, they do have a mini-rink, complete with special socks so you slide around. And yes, adults can go in too!

Why You Never Give Your Kids A Digital Camera...

Daddy and Lucy Hitting the Links

This weekend, after my long run, I wanted some more time outside. So Lucy and I went over to the driving range to hit some balls. After a few years rest, I proudly can say I hit decent. Lucy, as well, for her first time, did pretty well also. Of course, she did like the ball dispenser best!

Social Networking on the Trail

So this weekend when I ran out at Umstead State Park, I took my phone. Got a couple pictures on the 13 mile run. Run was tough to start, but broke in and felt better once I reached the Graylyn Trail. I do love that park to run in!

Less Than a Month...

Pretty good 6 mile run this morning on day one of spring break. Wednesday I have a 9 miler, followed by 26 on Saturday.
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Here's the map:

Happy Easter!

Girls were up and at 'em before 7, but 6:30 is definitely doable. Of course I was awoken from a deep slumber by, 'Daddy, the Easter Bunny came...' and then, 'Myra, I already woke him up.' Hula hoops, cds, books, nightgowns, candy. Pretty good haul. And now just a fun day together.
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6 mile run tomorrow, 9 on Wednesday, and 22 or 24 on Saturday. Then the tapering begins. Four weeks left!

Which Easter Candy Am I?

You Are Jelly Beans

For you, Easter is all about fun and sweet treats. None of that Jesus dying on a cross stuff!

Spring Has Sprung

I just sometimes like to post to remember the fun we have with the girls growing up. They already seem to age so quickly, so maybe if I can capture things digitally, I can keep them young always.

I think I posted before about Myra's Canadian/Spanish confusion with 'No Way Hoser.' Pretty funny. Went for a walk today, and of course, she starts at a spring down the sidewalk. Always running. Lucy too. Until they both want piggy back rides. To me, piggy back rides are them riding on my shoulders. Of course, they both are growing so much. Lucy pretty much kills my neck!

35 Days and Counting!

Yup, only a month until the Pittsburgh Marathon. Had a short 10 mile recovery run today after the 20 last week. Pretty good run. Still considering race outfit. Just had a t-shirt, the Red Hat Linux one, so not sure if I go with that or just a sleeveless technical shirt. No chaffing (thanks, Body Glide), enough energy with one Power Gel, and good to go. Heading out to Umstead for a 15 mile run next week. Tackle the old Raleigh Marathon course that got the best of me a few years back.

I Think I Can...I Think I Can...

Had my 20 mile run on Saturday...and made it! Yeah, some sluggishness. Yup, my heel/foot hurt at times, but I made it. I feel pretty confident now, with only 38 days to go, although I'm not counting or anything! A little sluggish this week, and my heel is pretty sore now, but I CAN DO IT!

Marathon Mix

So I am going to take my iRiver Clix mp3 player along with me on the marathon. I never have in the past, but I really think it would help, and the Pittsburgh Marathon only strongly discourages it. (-:
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I have begun to develop a playlist, since it's only SEVEN weeks away. Phew! Where did the time go. A 20 miler this weekend, then 10, then 13, then 26, then tapering. Yikes! Anyway, here is the beginning of my playlist--quite an eclectic mix!

Watcha Say--Jason DeRulo
From Yesterday--30 Seconds to Mars
Last 2 minutes of 2006 Stanley Cup Finals as announced by Chuck Kaiton
Something from Scott Sigler, best selling horror author
Blister in the Sun--Violent Femmes
Sober--Tool (my quintessential running song!)
Muzzle--Smashing Pumpkins
Seven Nation Army--The White Stripes
Spaceboy--Smashing Pumpkins
Under the Bridge--The Red Hot Chili Peppers
Stand Inside Your Love--Smashing Pumpkins
Defy You--The Offspring (from the 2006 Cup Run)
Underneath the Stars--The Cure
Linger--The Cranberries
Today--The Smashing Pumpkins
Sugar--System of a Down
Jailhouse--Sublime
Dancing Days--Led Zeppelin
Big Empty--Stone Temple Pilots
Believe--Staind
In the Meantime--Space Hogs
Crown of Thorns--Chloe Dancer
Straight Lines--Silverchair
They Say--Scars on Broadway
I Get It--Seether
A Song for a Son--Smashing Pumpkins
Drive--REM
Make it Wit Chu--Queens of the Stone Age

And that Takes me through Q in reverse...more to come...

My Myra-ese...

Love the phrases that come out of her mouth. She went for a 4 miler in the jog stroller with me today. Fun!

After her bath, her phrase was 'no way hoser' instead of Jose. I guess she's a little Canadian.

Do we like the same books?

I just joined Shelfari to connect with other book lovers. Come see the books I love and see if we have any in common. Then pick my next book so I can keep on reading.

Join me on Shelfari!

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Too Cool!

Visit Ubuntu Educators

Whodda Thunk It?

You Are Super Spiritual

You are in touch with the world around you, and you find peace in connecting with others. You believe that every life is special and that every life has a purpose. You value harmony and understanding. You try not to judge, bicker, and fight. As simple as it sounds, you truly think it's important to make the world a better place.

How Spiritual Are You?

Blogthings: 100's of Fun, Free Quizzes and 3 Stupid Ones

Fun Sunday in the...Yup, Sun!

Wow! Woke up and was able to walk! Very surprised. The past couple Sundays after long runs, I woke up barely able to hobble around. Definitely a good sign! Just a ten miler this week, then 20 the week after!
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Went to Baileywick Park with the girls this morning. Fun! Lots of others skipping church it looked like. Weather is nice, almost up to 60. I think we are all ready for Spring this year! I love how Raleigh really had the foresight to create all these parks. We could go to a different park every day for a month!
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Focus is giving me grief again. I *hope* I find out that once I replace the spark plugs, the stuttering it is currently doing will go away. Of course I need to get a socket extension for the poor way Ford designed it. I cannot wait to get a Kia Forte! I also am 'recharging' the Kia's K&N air filter. I cleaned it, now waiting for it to dry to add the oil. Pretty neat...

Eighteen Miler Completed!

Yeaaa! Worried all week, but it was a pretty good run, considering. Of course my heel hurt, especially at the end, and my calf hurt some, but the biggest problem was just being winded. So confidence is high, even though I am sitting here on the couch, foot propped, watching the Twilight Zone. (-:

It's March!

Wow! Feels like we just put away the Christmas decorations! A very busy month, both personally with the marathon training and professionally with a number of things. Even today, I am sitting in a conference in Raleigh. Phew!

We'll Take the Silver!

Again, coming into these Olympics, I did not think the US could medal. With the Canadians so deep, Ovenchicken on the Russkis, Sweden, Finland, etc, etc etc, there seemed no room for the youngest team. However, they proved me wrong, and I am happy they did. While we did not receive the gold, barely, we will take the silver graciously and look forward to Russia in 2014!

Run Chris Run!

Did a 10 miler today. Wasn't too bad, but still winded overall from an abbreviated schedule. Heel bothered me a little more today as well, with more downhills, so I ran more on the ball of my foot. The good thing, though, is it was pain I can run through, so I will continue on! 18 miles next week! Plus a 7 miler during the week. Two months and counting!

Next Stop: Ice Capades For Lucy!

Myra On Ice!

Our Own Olympics!

I took a couple days off this week, so we headed to The Factory for some skating. It was the first time on ice for Kerry and I in ten years, not since the rink at Kiln Creek at Newport News. I was quite impressed with Lucy and Myra's initial ability. For their first time, they did remarkably well!!

U*S*A-U*S*A-U*S*A

Most exciting game I have watched since 2006's Cup here in Raleigh! I LOVE the Olympics!

Funny Tech User

Alright, how many of you are guilty of this?

Pretty Awesome...

Sheetz is a sponsor of the Pittsburgh Marathon! W00t!

Long Runs Begin Again!

Completed a pretty good 16 miler today. No real heel pain until the end, and that was because of the 1 mile downhill. Ouch! Sore now, but I hope it will settle down soon. If not, look out--Advil coming! So only 10 more miles until a marathon. It was actually pretty strong today, after the initial toughness. I was at about a 10 minute mile, which I know I won't keep for the marathon, but, if I do, that's a 4 1/2 hour marathon! New PR! I can hope!
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I also plan to ramp up my off day training. Looking to do some biking and some additional cardio.

Here's The Course...

http://www.post-gazette.com/multimedia/default.asp?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipid=4357244

Ni Hao!

You Should Learn Chinese

Surprised? You shouldn't be - Chinese is perfect for an ambitious person like you. You're a natural entrepreneur, and a billion people are waiting to do business with you!

What Language Should You Learn?

Blogthings: Our Quizzes Weren't Written By Bored 12 Year Olds

More Snow?

Yup, Raleigh received another 3 inches over night, but it is mostly gone already. What an odd winter. Two snows when we fight to receive one year. And then what's happening up North--phew! Glad we're down here!
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Haven't posted my marathon progress recently. Before the first snow, things were progressing nicely. Then the snow. Then the heel pain. So in the past week, I really only ran about 20 miles. Went to the doctor, and he prescribed me an anti-inflammatory and to use some of the Dr. Scholl's heel pads. So I am trying them. Ran 8 today, and while tough, more from out of shape than anything, I did make it. Eighteen miles next Saturday. We will see...

Mountains-to-Sea Trail 12-Mile Challenge

A possible training run for me in April before the Marathon. Plus I would LOVE to support the Trail (which I run often) and organized runs along it. Hoping to maybe sign up and sign Kerry up too!

It Snowed...

and iced. And melted. And iced yet again. All told, we received about 6-8 inches, sleet, ice, and a royal mess. Two days (and counting) of school snow days. Hopefully by Wednesday we will be back to regular days. I will venture into the office tomorrow--cabin fever set in big time today! We did enjoy the snow, lots of snowball fights, pseudo-sledding, and fun with Nana and PapPap. They go back to PA tomorrow, where they don't even have a delay with snow.

Let It Snow...Let It Snow...Let It Snow...

Wonder how many posts share that title for our blog. Probably quite a few. Well, we are in the middle of a major snow storm. At least major for Raleigh. Which translates into 5-7 inches of snow and some sleet. We played out in it a little, but looking forward to more fun later. Of course I need to do a 10 mile run sometime today. Should be interesting. My folks made it down yesterday. They may be stuck down here for awhile.

Pretty Busy...

A four day work week should go smoothly, right? Well, when a daughter goes home sick, can't return the next day, you have meetings off campus, whew! Made a fun day today, with a short (relative) 8 mile run, then some playground time with the girls. We love this warm weather, or at least the break from the cold cold cold. Would still like to see some snow this winter.

Ok, So I Admit It, I Like This Song...

First Three Day Weekend of 2010

And don't we need it. Weather warming up, so we hope for a fun weekend. Some time at the playground, maybe some car washing, and just hanging out. I have a 12 miler tomorrow (almost halfway!), and we'll just enjoy our time together for the rest of the weekend.

Halfway There, Almost!

Crazy busy weekend, but a good one, none the less. On Saturday, my longest training run yet. 11 miles. Really a pretty good, strong run. Ran through Bedford, then the Falls Lake Trail. Tough in parts, but really strong coming up Ravens Ridge. Excited that 11 represents almost the halfway point. I really felt good that I will do the Pittsburgh Marathon well.

Totally Pathetic

That title is in reference to my first blog of 2010. So I figured I needed to come back and 'right the ship.' At least throw in a picture or something. Maybe my sign to the Canes will spur them on to move out of last place. Which, at the moment, seems quite impossible. Pretty sad, we went to the ECF last year, and now we find ourselves in dead last. I think it is time we replace Maurice and Rutherford. Craig Patrick, anyone?

First of 2010

Just wish I had something more to say!

The Course!

With 2009 about to end, the big focus in early 2010 will be the Marathon. Came across the 2009 Course Map--hope the 2010 will be posted soon!

More Snow Pics

Snow...Snow...Snow...

Yup, finally got a White Christmas for the girls in PA. While very cold, we got out for some playing, sledding, and such. Too powdery for snowmen, but we enjoyed it!

Christmas Rush is Gone...

Yup, another Christmas come and gone. Of course, our tree is still up, I am still turning the lights on every night, and the Christmas music continues. I guess we'll stop all that by New Year's. I am just not quite ready to stop it yet.
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Enjoyed a nice time in Pennsylvania. Kerry and I, the fools that we are, went for a quite chilly, 7 degree run, on Christmas Eve. Brrrr! Both of us almost took a spill twice, but all turned out well. I think my fingers will thaw out by June. We went to Christmas Eve service with my grandma and the highlight, besides my girls being AWESOME, was when, during the candlelight portion, Myra blows her candle out and yells, 'Mommy, look what I did.' Makes me laugh!
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Christmas Day we did the traditional New Florence and Pittsburgh trip. While exhausting, we throughly enjoyed seeing pretty much all the family. And of course, lots of delicious, yummy food--including my Granny's rigatonis!!!! The trip home took forever, due to I-95 traffic, but we made it, and Santa did indeed still stop! He brought Lucy's 'gift' this year--the Super Fast Crawling Baby.
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Yesterday, after my 8 mile run (Marathon training has officially started!), we went to the Flanigans. Mark, Christy, Aidan, and Maeve flew in, so we spent the day with them and Aunt Shannon and others. Fun time! Today we plan to meet them at Blue Jay Point.

My Wife Loves Me...

I asked for a Hurricanes cookie, and sure enough, she made me two!

Some Snow...

Wow! Pretty impressive when we receive our first snow of the year in December. While it did not accumulate her in Raleigh at all, we did have large flakes throughout the day, and some slush on my car that the girls and I got to go out and eat. Today now, more flurries are coming down, but again, no accumulation. Over toward Winston-Salem and in the mountains, they received upwards of 2 feet. Still a good chance for snow here this winter, considering that fact! PA looks to give us a white Christmas!

Oh Yeah!

We Love Christmas Commercials

Why I Have Problems With Microsoft

While I truly respect folks for using Twitter, I just never understood the buzz. I would read people’s tweets, but could not keep them in any kind of order. And what if I wanted to read responses to my tweets? Then I discovered Plurk. Plurk just speaks to me. I add a plurk, and people can respond directly to it. I can go back a few hours later, use the notifications, and I can see new plurks and responses to existing plurks. I can go back to my plurks and read comments. And it’s all on a horizontal timeline. Definitely allows me to visualize my day and scan through plurks to find what I need. I use it both personally and professionally, allowing for many good educational relationships to be formed, having many questions answered, and many resources shared.
Imagine my surprise, when I read the following blog post from Plurk: (http://blog.plurk.com/2009/12/14/microsoft-rips-plurk/). You really do not even need to read the blog, you get the gist of the sentiment in the URL. Seems that Microsoft stole the entire codebase, including UI, from Plurk for their Asian microblogging tool Club MSN (http://club.msn.cn/). You can view the Plurk blog page to see that not only does the user interface look very familiar, but they copied it right down to the code, substituting the names of the variables for their own names. WHAT? Microsoft, the company, much in the vein of the RIAA or MPAA, that will pretty much hunt you down and throw you to the wolves for neglecting one step in their marathon registration process. The company that charges you over $100.00 (US) for highly overrated software that did not even work with their older versions (*coughOfficecough*). Now they not only used portions of another tool, but they took the ENTIRE code base. Really, I guess this does not surprise me much, but it just frustrates me so much. We in the open source movement work so hard to make sure there are free and open standards, while entities such as Microsoft push money around so they can come out with their own proprietary formats. We work tirelessly to make sure things such as Creative Commons work better than Copyright (thank you, Mr. Lessig), then to have Microsoft swoop in without any fear of retribution. Grrrrr!

All Done

Yup...I squeaked by just enough on Wednesday to be a certified technician! Now I guess I'll start working toward my Linux+. No rest for the wicked!
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Fun weekend. I have a long 8 mile run, and then we'll drop the girls off for an overnight at Grammie and Grandpa's. Should be fun for all!

100th Of the Year...

Yup, my 100th post of 2009. I just wish I had something to say for it.

A Good Sign???

One A+ Down, One To Go

Passed the 602 exam on Wednesday. That, hopefully, is the more difficult one. That is one of the 'elective' tests that must be passed in additional to the Essentials exam. They recommend taking them in the opposite direction, but as always, I would rather finish the difficult things first!
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The test was not too difficult. I only saw a few things that totally stumped me (honeypot???), but for most I could reason out which were not answers, so I could find the answers. Again, I am confident going into Wednesday, but I will go ahead and study some more!

Here I Come, Pittsburgh Marathon...

Well, I registered. Early Registration ended last month, and I made the call to go ahead and sign up. So May 2nd I will run the streets of Pittsburgh for my 3rd marathon. Already have a bunch of folks up there ready to come out and support me with Krispy Kremes and Coke! Training will officially begin December 24th with an 8 miler. I will probably try to run an 8 miler tomorrow too...the Durant Park loop.

Thanksgiving Eve

Decided to take the day off on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and glad I did. With my pending certification tests next week and the week after, this gave me some ample time to study. I'm pretty confident going into it, but extra studying never hurts!
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We also decided to take the girls to Lake Lynn. Kerry and I, when living at The Loft, used Lake Lynn as a great running trail. The trail goes two miles around Lake Lynn, features a wooded pavement trail, and some really long wooden bridges over the Lake. Of course, with all the ducks and geese, the girls Loved it! They both also pretty much ran the entire way around it. I think we have some more runners in the family!