Gone Running

I went running today for the first time in about a month and a half. 30 minutes, three miles on the treadmill at the UA rec center. I tweaked my right calf the start of November, in the same spot I hurt it last year. Pain free during the run, and there are plans to ramp up the mileage much more slowly this time. Running inside, even though it's gorgeous. For every June, July and August in Alabama, I'll take the late fall and early winter. Been really nice. But it still rains a lot more than what I'm used to.

Last trip report: left KC Monday morning, southbound. Thought about stopping in West Plains, but chose to Jonesboro, Arkansas instead. The roads in Arkansas are very winding, so it's difficult to make any kind of time on them. Good thing I didn't call games there, for how often I've been late to games. Made it home form Jonesboro a week ago, today. Ann and I were very glad to get home, after a week-and-a-half road trip. Glad to get back on a normal schedule, sleep in our own beds, stuff like that.

The last few days, I applied online for some... wait for it... Joe jobs (thank you very much). Pizza Hut, Office Depot, stuff like that. Something to get a little extra cash flowing while I lean further toward a career change. But my timing is off, since who's really looking at this stuff during the holidays. And I bought a GRE prep book tonight, with the thought of taking said test to get into grad school.

Year in review coming up next.

Merry Christmas

It's been a pretty special couple of days, what with that whole winter solstice holiday thing. Not our first Christmas together, for Ann and me, but it is our first as married folk. So it's very special for us. I'm happy to be done with traveling, and to be able to stay at home for the day. Especially since there's so much snow in the midwest. Reminds me of the times I drove in that stuff. Yuck.

Ann and I went to our first Alabama basketball game Wednesday night, against Mercer. They were selling five-dollar tix, so we went and had a great time, and we plan to go again next Wed, when they sell low-price tickets again.

Thursday, Christmas Eve, I just laid low, drank coffee, read some, helped pick up the house and stuff. I watched "It's a Wonderful Life" for the first time last night, and the Muppets equivalent today. Awesome stuff, and inspiring too. Haven't watched A Christmas Story, yet, but we're going to. And we went to Christmas Eve service at church, which is always special for me. Came home, listened to music, drank wine, and went to bed at 2 am. A very special time-- wished it could've gone on forever. Special times are what Christmas is all about now-- and I think it's terrific.

Also went and applied for a few jobs Wed while doing a little shopping. The first step toward going back to school. I just don't see a future in radio anymore. I can get a better-paying job and still dabble in it if I choose to. It's been, and will be, tough to let go emotionally of something I've always wanted to do, and have had the privilege of doing for the last 15 years. But my life is different now. I need to absolutely commit to this change, and I'm just about there.

And since Christmas/New Year's is a time of remembrance, I'm thinking about where I am now, where I was a year ago, and where I could go. It's pretty heavy, what with my being at a crossroads and all. I'll be starting a 'year in review' segment here pretty soon.

Road trip report: flew from KC to the Texas Hill Country via American Airlines, and the journey was free of incident, unlike the last time Ann and I flew the friendly skies, this past summer. Sean and Joanna are a great fit, and they were married at the Nimitz Museum in Fredericksburg, where she's from. I was honored to stand with him as a new chapter in his life started. Another of his groomsmen was a radio guy and got out, and is doing well-- gave me something to think about. I was pretty wiped out by Sunday evening, and I was very happy to see Ann again. I'll wrap the trip next time out.

Wednesday

Getting some things done this morning, and more to do this afternoon.

What with all the road tripping we did in the last two weeks, it's been difficult for me to get in the Christmas spirit, which means for me, lots of music. Listened to a lot in the car, but with cars and highway signs going by, it's tough. I really like Santa Claus and his Old Lady from Cheech and Chong. My wife gets one Christmas CD every year. This year she got three, cuz of a snafu at Amazon.com. She likes the non-secular church Christmas music, same as me. It's awesome stuff. So I'm catching up on my Christmas music today.

Road trip report: We drove 12 hours from Tuscaloosa to Kansas City almost two weeks ago. Drove through Tupelo, MS and Jackson, Tennessee (so as to avoid Memphis and traffic and construction), before crossing into Missouri at the boot heel, and heading north on I-55 to St. Louis, then I-70 westbound. Heard the voice of a former co-worker on the air, I think out of Springfield, which was a pleasant surprise.

While in the KC metro, I visited the Truman Museum in Independence. Well worth the eight bucks. I'm about 3/4 through David McCullough's bio on HST, so I was kind of familiar with the topic going in. The museum can go places the book can't. I really enjoyed my afternoon, and more and more, I'm thinking of HST as truly a great American.

More to follow later on the trip.

K-State is up to number 12 in the polls, following a win at Alabama. The Miners won at Oklahoma Monday. Both of these teams have very special places in my heart, for different reasons, and this season could be really special for the both of them.

Okay, off to lunch and more chores.

Sweet Home Alabama

Ann and I are finally back in Tuscaloosa after a road trip of a week and a half. We saw Ann's mom, plus her brother and his family... Went back to Manhattan, flew to Austin and drove to Fredericksburg to watch a good friend get married... flew back to KC, then drove back to T-Town, breaking it down into two days by stopping in Jonesboro, Arkansas.

I'll try to break the trip down over the next several days.

I got two fantasy football teams into the semifinals... Energy Corporation lost by three points last night and drops to the third-place bracket... and Sean's Goat Farm is into the semis, as it was an 8-team bracket.

And I spent a lot of drive-time on the way up thinking on things, such as a complete career change. Getting *out* of radio. It's all I know, all I ever wanted to do, all I ever trained for and all I've ever done. But I just can't see a future in it. So I'm really looking at doing something else, something that I can enjoy, and something that pays. I told a friend of mine that I was (and still am) thinking about going back to school, and he slid into character (he's a career coach). Sent me a book and everything.

I'm gonna get a part-time job here very soon. I've been enough of a drain on my wife. I can still do the schooling.

Just really glad to be home-- been pretty wiped out for a while. Sleep in our own bed and all that. It's not to be underestimated.

And Christmas is coming. So is the Christmas Eve midnight service. I can't wait. This service is my absolute favorite of the whole year.

Manhappiness

My wife Ann and I are back in Manhattan, KS as she spent Tuesday defending her dissertation. They have some changes and revisions and additions and what not, but she's answering to Dr. Woodyard now, and I don't have words to express how proud I am of her. For putting in the effort on getting her phd, and for holding her tongue when necessary.

I've had some time on my hands, and I've spent it drinking coffee (Caribou and Starbucks-- both are excellent) and reading my book about Harry Truman. I'm on page 675 or so, and am about 2/3 of the way through. But it's a great read, and I am becoming more and more of a fan of HST, who seems to be truly a great American.

We love and miss Manhattan-- we courted, had lots of fun and married here, and a lot of our friends are in the neighborhood. It just doesn't feel like home anymore. Not their fault-- it's ours, for moving away. We both try to look forward and not backward, and our lives are in Tuscaloosa now. But it's been great seeing the sights and catching up with old friends.

So we'll leave town tomorrow and head back to Kansas City. Then first thing Friday morning, I fly to Austin for my friend Sean's wedding. He's been through a lot the last seven years or so, but he's a survivor, and I'm so proud of him for being a man and doing the right thing when it would be easy not to. He's met a wonderful gal, and they'll be married the 19th. They seem like a terrific match, and I'm honored that he's asked me to stand with him and share in their joy.

Thinking more about going back to school, though a conversation I had Saturday suggests I look at the gifts I have. And a career change seems like a greater possibility. I like sports, but radio, not so much. Doesn't pay well, and I have Ann to think about now. It's been hard the last few days, having this on my mind-- knowing that what I was trained and went to school for and spent my entire life wanting could be coming to an end. It's been my identity, and it feels like it's being taken away. Having all these options is good in a way, but bad in a way, also, since I don't really have any direction right now.

And K-State is ranked 17th this week. I think this could be a special year for Cats basketball. And my Miners lost to the Aggies at home, after blowing them out of the Pan Am Center last week. UTEP is at Ole Miss tonight. I loves me some UTEP basketball.

road trip!

So we drove 12 hours Friday from Tuscaloosa to Kansas City. Went to the Truman museum (finally) and saw some of the sights in KC. Heard some really great music.

Also did some soul searching. Much to think about.

And off to Manhattan Monday.

More to follow.

Pushing and Pulling

In the last six months, I've started a new life for myself and for my wife Ann. There has been some angst inside of me as to what I want to do with myself and what I should become.

It ties in directly to the 'change' factor, and how poorly I respond to change, even if it's something I know I need. I don't really want to change, since it kind of feels like 'selling myself out,' like who I was before was wrong somehow. Or feeling like I'm doing something because others want me to do it. That's not the reason to do things, I know, but for me, it's there.

I know these are things I need to do, that people shouldn't just stop growing and trying to get better and learn new things. Being single and spending a lot of time alone, I didn't feel a need to expand my horizons and learn more. I had a job and could support myself-- life is good, right?

But I was also a bit of a closed person before. I played video games a lot and did things that didn't really challenge me. I wasn't learning or trying to become a better man. And I didn't like having things pointed out to me that I liked doing and were safe and kept me from getting hurt(ie video games) but kept me from moving forward.

It's something my marriage is teaching me. So much more is different now from before. New town, new people, no job, no contacts and having to learn my way around. I'm having to basically reinvent myself, and evaluate whether what I was doing (radio play by play, which I loved) is a good thing long-term, since I have a wife and our futures to think about. But I also think that a lot of people would love to stop and change direction midstream.

So is radio pbp my future? Don't know. And if it's not, what direction do I choose? And will I be happy doing it? What will be my reaction to the change? Can I do my part to support us? Who knows.

But I do have a sense of urgency now that I didn't have before. I have to get off my butt and advance the ball, give effort and press on and stay positive.

In the news... the Chiefs still suck rocks and looking to put up my first married person Christmas tree tonight. And I've not gone for a run in two weeks. Calf trouble, just like last year at this time.

Weekend review

I know it's still Sunday, but the last three days have been pretty full for me, so we'll catch up a little.

Thursday and Friday, I hung out in the press box at Bryant-Denny stadium, watching the Alabama Super Six Championships. All six classes played their state title games. Three games Thursday and three Friday. I sat in the public address booth, helping the PA guy with spotting duties. Ball carrier, tackler, receiver, etc. Pretty much what I did at the UAB football games, so it was pretty easy. Watching three games back-to-back-to back can also be exhausting. Sounds funny, I know, but it gets a little cumbersome after a while. It reminded me of the times when I'd broadcast four or five HS basketball games in a day. It's ball and it's fun, but you're ready for it to end after a while.

It was also a chance to network. I wrote a :60 ad that played on the jumbotron at the stadium, and this was my 'payment.' Well worth it, I think... I met a lot of really nice people and passed out a lot of business cards. Hopefully it'll lead to something. Definitely a chance to enjoy a side of football I don't get to see very often. Great times.

Saturday, it was UAB women's basketball, where I do some PA work. They beat Mississippi Valley State by 20+, but didn't really open things up until they got some three pointers to drop. I find that I kind of enjoy being Mr. Big Voice Guy. More than I imagined. Emceeing the halftime contests is something I'm learning about.

Driving back from Birmingham, I listened to the Alabama-Florida game on the radio, and watched the second half at a watch party with Ann and some friends. Good people, and more good times. Especially cuz the Tide won, and won big. So Bama plays Texas for a national title. So I get to root for Alabama and against Texas all at the same time. Handy, one-stop shopping.

And there's much to think about. What to do with myself, and how to grow and get better as a person. Learning new things, despite every inclination to stay where I am. I know I need to improve, and I'm finally ready mentally and emotionally to get after it.

And there's a road trip in our future. Details to follow.