72 Incredible Hours

About three hours ago, the wife and I returned from New York City, where we spent three days sightseeing and cheering on our Kansas State Wildcats in the Pinstripe Bowl.

And man, was it fun. In terms of cramming in as much stuff as possible, I'd have to say these were three of the best days of my life. There was the whole getting married thing, but then I started moving furniture the next day.

But we wore purple the whole time (it was the only color we packed), were thankful for good walking shoes, did some sightseeing, ate some incredible food, met some nice people (some of whom wore orange) and watched our Cats live for the first time in two years. And everything was on time and went well. It was truly a flawless trip.

It was worth every penny we spent. There were many times where I couldn't believe what was happening to me.

Anyhow, I'm painting the trip with a broad brush here, then later I'll spend some time going into detail on each day of our trip. We really had an incredible time and I'll relive these 72 incredible hours with you.

G2 and Basketball Shoes

In the last week, the First Lady went hunting for new phones for the both of us. So, during a time of year when people buy these things for others, the wife bought us new G2 phones, officially getting us out of the era of having phones that only called people. Well, texting was also available, but you get the idea.

So I've spent some time figuring out all the things our new toys can do. Calling, yes, but learning about all the apps (new word) and ringtones that are available, as well as having the entire world wide web in the palm of my hand. I could become dangerous once I figure out how this gizmo works. Of course, by then, who knows what technology will be available.

And I've begun selling shoes at The Athlete's Foot. Not the TAF store I interviewed at, which was more of a running-centered store, but at a store where the bread and butter is basketball shoes. Basketball shoes, in fact, selling shoes for that matter, is not a forte of mine. But I did work at the store for four of the five days leading into Christmas, and the Thursday and Friday were particularly busy. I've learned a lot, and still have a long way to go. I equate it to my first days at Domino's back in February, when I was learning how to get a job done with no experience to call on.

I also get a chance to look into the eyes of people and see the calculus that goes on as they try to buy a pair of shoes, perhaps on a budget and where other factors seemingly come into play. I can still see the expression on a man's face who called and then came in asking about a nice pair of women's boots. He seemed to just want something nice for his lady. I told him we didn't have the boots in that size, and my read was that he settled for different pair. I could see his disappointment. Still do. And I shared it when I learned that we had the correct size at our other store.

So I guess I'm starting to see this as something besides selling shoes. Where it leads, who can say.

You Never Know

There has been much to report over the last few weeks, and the more time that goes by, the further behind I fall. So here goes.

I interviewed for a job at a local running store, by now close to six weeks ago. I'd managed to move past the disappointment at (apparently) not getting the job, since I'd not heard anything from the company. I'd been rejected like this before, so I sort of assumed that this was how the world works.

Well, I'm trying to bang out some pre-calculus homework about three weeks ago when I got a call from the guy, saying they wanted to hire me! I was very happy, since I now had another way to contribute to my family, and to not do my schoolwork. So fast forward to last week, when I started at another location of The Athlete's Foot (shameless plug-- hey, it's my blog, and I *am* a company man), and not the one I interviewed at, which was more running-oriented.

So I'm selling shoes and delivering pizzas. The Domino's gig (cha-ching) continues on, and I feel like I'm doing OK-- finding my way around pretty well and even making a little scratch on the way. TAF is going to be a work in progress-- I had no idea that there were 3,846 versions of Air Jordans. I'm learning my way around the store, how to work the register, and how to sell. I'm pretty nervous, but I want to learn and support my wife, and this is a chance. The learning curve is steep for now, but I had a lot to learn at Domino's once, also, and I'm keeping my head above water now.

It just goes to show that you never can tell what's going to happen. Sometimes we get struck by lightning, such as I did that day. I'd turned the page and was looking at other options when things turned for the better.

And speaking of school, finals are done at the University of Alabama, with our hero earning an A in microeconomics and a B in said pre-calculus course. I can be very pleased with these marks. I worked my arse off in a new neighborhood doing a new thing. Oh yeah, and 13 years after I earned my first degree. I'm registered for intro to accounting and Calculus I in the spring semester.

And I did my first basketball games in nearly two years last week. Local TV access for a private school down the street. Not the same as radio, since the pictures tell some of the story, but it was pretty much the same as riding a bike. I still don't know where that'll go, but I've learned to not turn my back on anything.

I've made it this far and haven't talked about football at all. The First Lady and I are making our first bowl trip together at the end of the year, as Kansas State plays Syracuse in the Pinstripe Bowl. She's never missed a K-State bowl. We're both pretty excited about it and have been making plans to fill our three days in New York. It'll be my first trip there, but the wife is an experienced world traveler and travel guide. It'll be great fun. Besides-- given the football we've seen from KSU this season, their 7-5 ledger is pretty remarkable.

And my Miners are 6-6 and headed to the New Mexico Bowl. What the hell. It's a bowl. We don't deserve it, but there are more bowls than there are teams deserving them. I'm not really a Mike Price guy anymore. I'll support my team. I love my Miners. It's a character flaw, and I can't quit them, even if I tried.

So-- that's the news from Lake Wobegon-- where all the men are strong, all the women are good looking, and all the children are above average.

More to follow.

Church music

The wife and I really love our church. Our priest, our Sunday School class, the people, the worship, the food... I could go on, but I think you get the point. We really like worshipping together.

An advantage of being a campus church is that there are lots of people with a ton of ideas and creativity, and the music is one way this is reflected. Now I *love* church music. It's music I heard growing up, and it is very reassuring and very soothing. Not really happy-clappy stuff, but music that penetrates my soul.

Our entrance hymn at church this morning was one of my favorites, and I've linked it here. I prefer this version, but the First Lady likes the melody, but with different words.
This video was from August 2009, and I'm sure we're in the congregation somewhere. Today's version didn't have the band, just the organist. Doesn't matter to me. This song is like a warm blanket on a cold night. Enjoy.

Pizza, vol. 3

It's been a bit of a down week around here-- I had another good job interview for a job at a local running store that didn't work out. It was a job I could get excited about, had some upside, and was something I could believe in. Would've been decent hours, decent money and would've fit well with schooling. But I've not heard anything, which tells me what I need to know. It can be difficult, because it's not always about what you did wrong. I really thought I had a good chance.

So I've been rebounding from that, and have run only once this week, a 24:56 5K, good for a personal record by two minutes. I used to just show up and run a race at training tempo, but now I'm starting to get in there and mix it up to see what kind of number I can put up. I'm not an active racer for a few reasons, but this one was nice, and there's always a cool vibe at these events.

Three weeks ago, I decided to return to the pizza business again. While I was at Texas Tech, I worked at CiCi's Pizza from 1994-1996. Not bad times. It was a reason why I ate so well back then-- once you're off the clock, they let you go to town on the buffet. Once I found a place where I fit, it wasn't too bad. Plus, it fit with my other radio jobs at the time. I left because friends were working at a hotel in town, and I could make a little better money washing dishes.

One morning early this year, mid-January if I remember right, I took a stack of filled-out applications to Subways and to Domino's. The one place I got my foot in the door is where I went, of course. I also left there, at the end of February, to work at the Census office.

The Census gig, of course, ended in August, but circumstances have led me back to Domino's. It hasn't been too bad so far. My co-workers are nice people and are very helpful to a directionally-challenged guy who's new to the area. They know where everyone is, and they can look at an address and know what side of the road it's on, which way to turn, the color of the car, and the name of the dog. I'm exaggerating, of course, but they know the neighborhood. My learning curve isn't as steep as it was in January and February, since I've done this before. I'm picking things up a little faster. And it gives me a chance to contribute. It's not enough, but it's something. I'm pretty grateful to the store manager who hired me about five minutes after I walked in his store, and who let me come back.

I'm truly exceeding expectations in pre-calculus. I got a 92 on my test this week, which is the fourth ace (A) I've put on the board. I remember strugging with this stuff back in the summer, and didn't expect all this. It's hard to believe the semester is nearly over. Finals are just a few weeks away. I'm pleased with my results and my effort has been good. I actually get to take an accounting class in the spring to see if I might be a good fit.

And Now, For the Weather...

The weather is a topic most people feel comfortable talking about, in the normal context of banter. "Boy, it sure is nice out here," is a common refrain. Rain, cold, wind, what have you. Even if it's what we *don't* have, we can find a way to work it in. When the wife and I moved to town last year, the rain seemed to pour down every Thursday or Friday. I remember, because I went out to help cover high school football last season, our first as Alabamians. If you didn't know what day it was, you could tell it was toward the end of the work week, because of the heavy rain that always seemed to come down. That hasn't been the case this year, which is OK by me, but I'm told we need rain, since we've not had anywhere near as much this year as last. But it's still gorgeous outside these days. Alabama sure does get a bad rap for the nasty-hot summers, but the fall and spring seasons are really nice.

Weather and football take me back to some fun times as a broadcaster. I have a million stories about covering games and how the weather tied in, but for now, I'll try narrowing it down to a city at a time.

Dateline: Canyon, Texas. Home of the Buffalo Bowl, aka Kimbrough Memorial Stadium, home of the West Texas A&M football team, as well as Canyon ISD schools. The first memory is a cold one-- bi-district playoffs (first round), Randall vs. Frenship, circa 1997. I was the engineer for the FHS radio crew, working on a cold and snowy Friday night. So cold, in fact, that the scoreboard stopped working in the middle of the third quarter. It was still on, showing 3rd and 7 on the 26, home 21, guest 6, but nothing could make it budge. Game officials, of course, keep time on the field, so that's all we had. Score was easy enough, but trying to gauge the time to go was a challenge. It even started snowing again after halftime. I-27 runs just east of the stadium, and you could see the taillights of the snow plows going up and down as they did their thing. Randall wound up winning, as FHS couldn't really do much with the football.

A few years later, I was the voice of the Levelland Lobos, as I came to Kimbrough for LHS/Randall, September of maybe 1999. We got through our pregame show and are about ready to kick off, when the skies opened up and it started pouring. A delay followed, everyone circles around the TV, because the local TV stations were in full-bore severe weather coverage. Soon after, the decision came down to play Saturday. It wasn't about to stop raining, and the hope was that the field would be in better shape by the next day. So I packed up and got in the car and went home in a driving rainstorm. Turned out I was one of the last to get south on I-27 before they closed it down. It's truly a strange feeling to be a broadcaster and not have a game on Friday night, but that's what I had that evening. So I went back up to Canyon the next day, and I'm pretty sure our Lobos were on the short end.

When you're actually in, um, the eye of the storm, decisions are being made quickly, and a lot of changing of plans is done, so at the time, it may not seem too pleasant. But now, I have some fun stories (maybe only interesting to me) to tell, and some awesome memories.

Concession Stands

I've had some trouble finding full-time work since moving to Alabama, which is another story for another time. What I have found, however, is a concession stand gig at Bryant-Denny Stadium, home of the Crimson Tide. I've been at it for six weeks now, which doesn't tell the whole story, since I've only worked three games-- Penn State, Florida and Ole Miss.


The work starts earlier in the week, with the popping of hundreds and hundreds of bags of popcorn. My work has begun Fridays at noon, organizing Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and water for delivery to our six different stands throughout the stadium. None of which, btw, are close to each other. Different stands get different amounts, based on history. We put the proper amount in the tubs (I call 'em bobsleds) and start moving them on their way. Our base camp is on the club level and not close to much, but it is reasonably close to an elevator. Though said elevator is typically not active while we work.


This means moving five tubs full of 8 to 12 cases (24 bottles to a case) of drinks down the spiral ramp and into position for gameday Saturday. Fighting the tubs is a more accurate way to put it, since the bobsleds don't steer well to begin with, and when you add all that weight, well, it's a workout. The sixth tub is a tag-team effort-- it goes up one level, to the north end zone. One pushes and the other pulls. The entire evolution is done in two hours, though humping that tub up to the north end zone sure seems to take a while.


I should say that while we work, the grounds crew is painting the field for the game. Yard lines, sidelines, midfield logos, end zones, the whole nine yards (thank you, thank you very much). I just never gave it much thought. And for whatever reason, Bama chooses to go with natural grass, when the world is trending toward field turf.

Anyhow, on gameday, we arrive four hours before kickoff to send out the popcorn and ice the pop. I'm responsible for two of the six stands, checking to see if they need more product, more ice, etc. During the game, I don't have much to do. Walking from stand to stand every 20-30 minutes is the hardest part, because the seller and expediter (two-man crews) seem to have it all worked out. Though Saturday for the Ole Miss game, one stand was a person short, so I went and stood a post. It wasn't hot, and with an 8 pm kickoff (yuck) the temps were in the 50s, so we didn't move a lot of product.

At the end of the night, we move the tubs back up to the house, count product and head out. We stop at the end of the third quarter and are leaving about 15-20 minutes after the game ends.

So it's not hard, but it *is* long work. The down side is 8.5 hours of effort when the rest of the football world is watching games, tailgating and drinking chocolate milk. The cool part is being in the stadium for Alabama football for free, and getting paid for it. I've had enough off Saturdays to enjoy as the rest of the masses do, so it's not too bad of a deal.


And I still help with stats at the UAB football games. And I made a decision to work the Ole Miss game and miss the Blazers vs the Miners in Birmingham. It was a painful choice, but the right one, and not because UTEP lost.


It helps me keep my head up during this time in my life-- knowing that I *am* doing something. Not much, but a little. My wife, bless her, supported my going to see the Miners, for whom my love has been well-documented earlier in these pages, but income, no matter the amount, is a good thing.



So I know I chose correctly.

Story Time: Homecoming

Things really haven't changed a whole lot around here... Still going to school, and actually doing pretty well in pre-calc, with a surprising 94 on my second test... Economics is still a work in progress. Still hunting for jobs...

So it's time for a story.

It's homecoming week at the University of Alabama... Ole Miss is coming to town Saturday afternoon. Never been a real big HC kind of guy. It's great for those who enjoy that sort of thing, but the thing I'm looking forward to most is the end of chalking every square inch of campus sidewalk with 'vote for X for queen.' I'll be working my concessions gig on gameday, so I'll see the game, work, and pick up a few bucks in the process.

I remember homecoming at Andress High School my senior year. I've never been a real active sort of guy, getting involved in a lot of activities, etc. But we in the orchestra decided to decorate a car as an eagle, our mascot. We went to Cynthia Vasquez's house on a Thursday night and proceeded to work on a red Oldsmobile with a white, vinyl top. Red and yellow crepe paper to resemble feathers... I don't remember what metal device we tried to rig onto the grill to resemble a beak, but this process took most of the evening-- getting the paper cut up and adhered to the car, coming up with a plan for the grill, etc.

Like I say, took most of the night, 11 or so. came home, went to bed and got after it the next morning, 6:30 or so, for final touches. Turns out that we got to school late with the car, so we were ruled ineligible. Swell-- we thought we had a chance to win whatever award was out there. But someone did drive the car around the track at half.

That weekend was also kind of the beginning of the end of my honors trigonometry career. I had a quiz that morning that I just absolutely tanked. Things kind of went downhill after that. I went to tutoring and everything, but it didn't seem to help. I was a statistician for the basketball team, so I had to get waivers from Mrs. Caldwell to be able to make road trips. The semester final was 10% of the final grade, and I figured out that I needed a 54 to get 5.4 points to pass the course and get my credit. I was never so happy for a 59.

So I never wonder about how much half a point is. Sometimes it's enough. It makes my success in pre-calculus all the more amazing. Have to work my arse off for good test scores, but it gives me a reason to believe that maybe I can evolve and shore up my weaknesses.

The Pink Pagoda in Seoul

I've always been a fan of impressionists. I well remember when Rich Little or Fred Travalena would go on one of those cheesy 80's game shows, and I'd always laugh at their impersonation.

On one of my favorite episodes of M*A*S*H involves movie night in the mess tent, where the projector constantly breaks down. Klinger tries to fix it (in the dark) and a variety show breaks out. There's a Father Mulcahy sound-alike contest, some singing, and what not. And Major Houlihan, before her rendition of "c'est magnifique" is introduced by Hawkeye as, "the toast of two continents and the Pink Pagoda in Seoul." Classic TV, and I laugh every time.

Something else about that sequence is Radar doing an impersonation of Jack Benny. I'm not old enough to know much about his show, but I am a fan of keeping things like that alive, so I have a very limited knowledge through things like this. But Father Mulcahy played the piano and asked, "now, Mr. Benny?"

But Jack Benny's shtick was about always being 39 years old. It's relevant because I turned 39 this week, for the first (and hopefully not last) time. It was a day like any other day-- went to church for a men's group meeting and ran a seven-miler on campus (love the Alabama fall weather!). There are really several things I could say about being a year older, but I remember something my Uncle John said in 1994. He talked about being at an age where he knew he had lived longer than he was gonna live. Passed the halfway mark, so to speak.

That's about how I look at it right now. I'm halfway to 78, which, I guess, is in the neighborhood of the average lifespan of an American male. I guess I've accomplished a few things, and hope to achieve more in the years to come. It's starting to become pretty heavy stuff-- remembering when I was XX years old, thinking of the decisions I made, etc.

There are many more decisions to be made, and soon. Hope they're good ones.

Boy, the Way Glenn Miller Played...

I earned a 92 on my first pre-cal midterm last week. I was very pleased. Worked my tail off studying last week doing practice problems, and went to the math lab for a Thursday night, 8:15 test. Intro to microeconomics is not going as well-- having a little trouble grasping concepts. Got a 69 on my first test in that class, week before last. So hopefully, things pick up a little.

Part of my econ class involves a Wed 6:30 pm lab, which so far has not passed 30 minutes in length. It takes me longer to drive to campus, park, walk, repeat than the actual lab does. Immediately following lab is team trivia at a local watering hole. A colleague of the wife invited me a few months back, and I enjoy it. She comes along now, too, as we recreate some of our old trivia magic.

A favorite question last week involved the car mentioned in the theme music to All In the Family. I sang the whole song (loud enough for my teammates only, btw) to get to the type of car, a LaSalle. Being able to pitch in was important to me. It's all fun, I know, and nobody keeps score of how many questions each team member answers, but I do like being able to pitch in. We'll be back there this Wednesday, too.

Job news: bad news, and OK news. OK news: I got a job as concession stand help at the Bama football games-- Friday preparation such as making popcorn and stuffing it into bags 700 times, lugging tubs and cases of drinks down ramps and into place for the next day's game. It's hot and sweaty work, especially in the Alabama heat, but it's something, but it's not often (yet), and it gets in the way of gameday. The hope is to land a more permanent gig, which leads us to...

Another job interview last Wednesday, and learning Friday I was not selected. Bummer. So I'm still working on figuring out which direction to go. Wanting very much to contribute, yet unsure of which way to turn or look. A lot going on for me these days, much to sort out and understand. Still very much upside down right now. Trying to look forward and give effort.

I'm still here, and I'll be around.

Take Two

Today was the second day of school at the University of Alabama, and for the second time, my first day. I had an intro to economics course at 9:30 and pre-calculus (again) at 12:30. One problem with summer school is that four months of classes are condensed into one, and since I was so far behind the curve, I was in trouble from the start. I just didn't realize it. After a day of school, I do not have that feeling. Not yet, anyway. So I spent the day getting a parking pass, computer codes, syllabi, etc. I even had to get a clicker for my econ class-- it's used to answer questions in class, and by extension, take attendance. And pre-calc is the same as before-- everything done online. It takes a little getting used to-- this is nothing like it was when I was at Texas Tech back in the day.

It's nice to have something to focus on, to get another iron in the fire. There was a big disappointment a few weeks ago, on the job front. Not the end all, be all of jobs, but it would have meant stability and a chance to contribute meaningfully on a long-term basis and to give us a way to transition through the next few years. I interviewed for a job that I wound up not getting. Well, I assume I didn't get it, since nobody called to tell me-- I found out from the jobs site. I don't feel like I was treated well. But I'm pleased at how I've moved on and how I've let go of things.

The census job continues, but weekly hours are down from 40 to 35 as the workload has thinned out. Might last another week or two. I've met some interesting people and made some friends along the way. The hope is to find a campus job that can mesh with my classes.

And I'm also onboard to help with UAB Athletics for a second season. I've helped as a spotter for home football games, and as mentioned before, helped with public address (1MC for you Navy types) for volleyball, baseball and women's hoops, and this Sunday, women's soccer. Mr. Norm Reilly and his staff are nice people and have been very good to me, and gave me something to do when I had nothing to do after first moving to town last summer. I'm looking forward to it.

Decommissioning

I reported to my first ship, the USS Benjamin Stoddert in February, 1990. I worked in the mess hall for three months, and made one deployment in 1991, standing three-section watchstander duty (which is worse than port and starboard duty, imo). It was an older ship, and it was decommissioned in December, 1991.

It's something only a crewmember can understand, having worked onboard, watching a ship, essentially die. I get a little worked up at times like those. I don't really remember much about the ceremony, I just remember being on the pier for it.

I've also been at the commissioning of a ship, my brother's, the USS Port Royal, in Savannah, in the summer of 1994. It's a very inspiring ceremony, and dad and I enjoyed it. So I've seen both sides.

Today, I said goodbye to an old, reliable friend. My old 1999 Chevy Cavalier finally went belly up last week. We'd spent over a thousand bucks fixing it last month, and the starter and battery cable it would need required another 900+, which we weren't willing to spend.

So this week, we cleaned out my car, took a few pictures and took off the license plate on the back and the custom UTEP front license and sold it for 300 dollars. That car took me a lot of places-- we saddled up and drove to Levelland, Hobbs, Big Spring, Clarendon, Midland, Odessa to broadcast basketball games in 1999, to Woodward in 2001 and Clay Center in 2002 for jobs, to Manhattan from 05-09 to see my girlfriend and to Alabama last year for a new life. Lots of stories, countless burgers and gatorades, and 133,000-plus miles. I didn't get all maudlin or anything, but it is the end of an era.

This week, we bought a new red Honda Fit for the wife. She really likes it, and has already named it Scooter. I get her Honda CR-V, which does have cruise control. It took me about an hour to reprogram the radio stations. So I go from being a Chevrolet man (1990 and 1999 Cavalier) to being a Honda man.

Heartaches, Hard Knocks and Things I Don't Know

I'm a fan of Garth Brooks' music. I'm not hard core, fawning over him, but I do like his songs a lot. The title of this post is a lyric from "When There's No One Around," a song off his Sevens album. He talks about a man so immature but he's still my best friend, just one of the boys who gets lost in the crowd, and how it's four in the morning and a tape of his failures playing inside his head.

This song reminds me of me, a lot. I'm bad about lying awake and thinking about everything bad, wrong or embarrassing I've ever done, and how I still fight the battles of 25 years ago. I can still get worked up over things that happened eons ago, thinking of what I wish I'd done, even though the healthy thing would be to let them go and focus, really focus, on the future. And before you know it, it's time to get up and your blood is still boiling over something that's long since out of sight. And everyday it's a challenge to let go of the past, to release and forgive myself and live.

Which brings us to our learning experience of the week.

Wednesday morning I chose to drop my pre-calculus class at UA. It just got to be too much. I thought that throwing time at the problem, it'd work itself out. But I never seemed to get very far in terms of my assignments in relation to how long I spent on them. And I'd not had a math class or looked at algebra rules (GRE buildup notwithstanding) since 1994. In addition, all this was being thrown at me three and four lessons at a time during lecture. Not a lot of time to soak up lessons. When you add in that I'm working 40 hours a week at the Census office, it was more than I could take. I got home Tuesday night at 9:30 after work with three homework assignments and three quizzes to bang out, plus study for a test the next morning. I was tired and defeated.

We'll look at some things and rework the plan and move forward. I have the best woman on the planet in my corner, who is uber-supportive as I look for a direction to go in. If I could learn to fly, I'd never touch down.

Imaginary Numbers

I'm a week and a half into my first college course in 13 years, and my first math class in nearly 17. MATH 112, Pre-Calculus, at the University of Alabama. Imaginary numbers is a concept I learned about this week-- i= negative square root of 1. Because real numbers didn't provide enough torture.

The idea was to take pre-calc in preparation for full-blown calculus in the fall. But re-learning math rules, and grasping new concepts in a condensed, fast-paced, four-week class is proving to be a challenge. Everything is done on the computer-- homework, quizzes, practice problems, even tests, but the tests are proctored and done at the math lab only. It's a really snazzy program. I just wish I picked things up a little faster.

So it's an uphill struggle right now-- it's an 8 am course (all they had-- ug), plus working 40 hours at the census office. And running. Doesn't leave a lot of time for much else. But I'm up for the challenge.

And at the census office-- more police work... Figuring out which set of info to believe. Things have thinned out there a lot-- people being released for lack of work. Thankfully, I'm not one of them. I still have a place to go, and people willing to pay me to be there.

So-- work and school, all wrapped up together. Busy times. It requires much giving of effort.

Bring it on.

Catching up

It's been an exciting couple of weeks around here-- much to say and much to catch up on.

I'm now enrolled in my first college course in 13 years... Pre-calculus, MATH 112 at the University of Alabama. It's a sort of warm up for calculus in the fall, since I've not taken a math class since 1994. I'm not even sure if 2x3 still equals six. Right now, I'm an accounting major, but really I'm throwing things at the wall and trying to find something that sticks. If we find that I don't like accounting, we'll try something else. But a new adventure, and new adventures in math, begins next week. It's an 8-9:45 class, so coffee, lots and lots of coffee will be needed. And some painkillers too. I'm reminded of taking honors trig as a senior in high school, and getting a 59 on the final to get 5.9 points and get semester credit by 0.5. I'll have an excellent tutor, and more motivation (not by much) than I did in 1988, so I think things will go better.

And speaking of new adventures, two of my best friends from college, and on the planet, came through Tuscaloosa two weekends ago. Drew lives in Houston, and through the magic of facebook, reconnected with his former girlfriend Heather. Things have progressed rapidly for them, and Drew flew up to eastern Ohio to move her down to H-town to live with him. They stayed with us on their way south, and we had a great time-- good food and lots of stories, some of which are actually true, some of which are aging well with time. I'd not seen Heather since- 1996?- and Ann had not met her. Those two kids look great, and look so happy they seem to glow these days. It was great getting caught up and reconnecting with old friends.

Heather and I have things in commmon these days-- leaving a stable job with decent pay, picking up and moving to a new part of the country, with a lot of uncertainty. Granted, there's a lot of stability in both our situations, but much change as well. I strongly suspect she reacts to change better than I do. But I think we'll all be OK.

One Year Ago...

This weekend last year, 2009, was the first weekend my wife and I spent in Alabama. It was a house-hunting trip, and a way to dip our toe in the pool. It was a pretty wild trip-- we left KCI Thursday morning at 6 headed to Birmingham and then Tuscaloosa, and we hadn't even made it onto that plane before we were told that we'd be delayed in DFW. Our plan was to be on the ground in Tuscaloosa at lunchtime Thursday, but Mother Nature wouldn't allow it. We stayed in the Dallas airport until about 5 that afternoon, at which time we rented a car and drove as far as Shreveport, after stopping near Tyler at a Wally's for essentials such as shirts, toothbrushes, etc. since our stuff was already checked through.

So we made it to T-Town Friday after lunch, just in time for our first Alabama gully-washer, and our dinner companions told us power went out at their house. We found an apartment we liked (still do!), and went back to Kansas and got married two weeks later.

This weekend, I've caught myself thinking on that four-day span... Thinking of what we were doing one year ago tonight, whether it be actual house hunting, attending church, sitting in the grocery store parking lot waiting for the rain to stop... you name it. But that was an entire year ago, and I've also pondered where we (and I) were last year, and where we are now. We were on the cusp of a great big adventure-- me quitting my job and Ann starting a new one, moving out of my apartment in Clay Center and into her house in Manhattan and further... and of course that whole getting married thing.

I know I get a little introspective around New Year's, thinking about where I've been and what I've done and where I am, and it's much like what I'm feeling this weekend. I had some good things a year ago, and I don't have those things now. But I do have a wonderful wife who makes me happy beyond words. And I have a lot of options in front of me, and chances I likely wouldn't have had if I'd stayed put. I don't know where the road will take me, and I'm pretty nervous about that, but it means I'm trying something new. Different variables mean different results. Who knows where I'll be a year from now.

In other news, I mourn the end of another playoff hockey season. I love the Stanley Cup playoffs, and getting my picture taken with the cup is on my bucket list. I love the passion and the urgency teams play with-- they used to play three or four overtimes and nobody would give an inch.

Something special I saw before game four at Philly was someone coming out to sing God Bless America. A Flyers tradition is to break out that song whenever the team needs a big win. Since they were down two to one in games, it fit. But what got to me is that they meshed Kate Smith's version (recording) with the gal who was singing. That was it. I just came completely unglued. Smith's version is associated with the team, and their winning percentage is astronomically high whenever they play it. It's tradition-- it's the urgency of the situation-- it's the 'we can't go down 3-1 in the series' feeling. It was really awesome to see that. And ya, Philly won to tie the series against Chicago, but the Blackhawks got past the jinx and won at Philly in game six to win it all.

And we're still running-- 28 miles last week, including a treadmill ten Saturday. It's officially hot in Alabama, and I don't see a cool weather outdoor run in the foreseeable future. But we're getting it done.

Oh yeah-- on the way back to Kansas the following Monday, our plane was delayed out of Birmingham, and I had to change a tire at midnight in the parking lot at KCI. Still steaming hot outside. A nice gentleman stopped by and shined his headlights on the event so I could see what I was doing. We got back to Ann's about 2 am. Ask us anytime-- we've got a million stories from that expedition.

Back to the Phones...

My job as a bean counter with the census office has evolved into working the phones. People who didn't return a form by mail got an in-person visit so that they could be counted. Between 5 and 10 percent of those people get calls from people in my work group, checking on the door knockers in the field, making sure they did their job properly.

It's the calling thing that's, well, a bit of a hang up. Some folks, for whatever reason, don't take too kindly to being called by the government and pumped for information and make sure we know about it. The question isn't about the info they provided, it's about whether the job was done correctly. But some of the time it doesn't matter. Sometimes they hang up on us, other times they get po'd.

That's part of the problem for me. I don't handle things like that too well. I guess I only see my side of things-- being a guy who's just doing a job for a few bones an hour. The other side is someone who's having a bad day, maybe is already mad at the government or whatever, and has a representative of said government on the line. The thought of making these calls and asking these questions positively paralyzes me-- that these things could happen to me and ruin my day doesn't really appeal to me.

They tell you not to take these things personally-- that it's not me they're upset with. And I understand that. But it doesn't help much. It's a bit of a dagger to watch my coworkers do this work seemingly without such fear. I've done some calling, and it helps me to do it, since I consider it to be the 'heavy lifting' that has to be done right now. I don't want to let my coworkers down. There's still other work to be done, so it's not like I've done nothing, but I feel like this is my Everest right now. It's something for me to learn and to overcome, so I hope to get somewhere on this.

And in the news... I'm back to running a full schedule, after a few low-mileage weeks. 26 miles on five runs last week, including a nine-miler back on Saturday. I don't know if I'll find a half-marathon this summer to use as a training tool for the full marathon I'm planning on for December, but I'm running well and losing weight and looking and feeling great.

Found out last week I've been admitted to the University of Alabama for the fall 2010 semester. Still looks like accounting, since it's more of an absolute and less of an abstract sort of thing. Plus, I think it leads to more opportunities. Maybe broadcast is still in my future. Who knows. But this chance for more knowledge cannot be passed up.

Another Road Trip

Last week, my wife and I put 1768 miles on her vehicle, as we drove back to Manhattan so she could walk in graduation ceremonies at K-State. I was excited for her, although not for all the windshield time. Ann, on the other hand, was more relieved than anything, as a five-year weight was lifted off her shoulders.

She picked me up at work Wednesday at 5 and we were on our way directly. Stopped in Olive Branch, Missippi (yes, I know that's not how it's spelled, but it *is* how it's pronounced in the South) for gas and to Jonesboro, Arkansas to stop for the night. We listen to a lot of podcasts on our trips, so the time goes by, and it was nice to listen to Cardinals/Astros when we drove through Memphis. Tuscaloosa is a dead zone for bseball on the radio, so I was excited even to listen to the Cardinal game, even though I had no vested interest.

We were on our way to KC by 8:30 next morning and got there by 3 or so, listening to more Cardinals baseball, though I didn't know there was also Royals game on. Wild thing is, the Royals fire their manager the same day we get to town. I thought it was spooky, anyway... Next morning, A got an early start, since she had logistics to tend to, and her mother, nephew and I headed for Manhappiness by 9:15. We went to our favorite restaurant, where the chili is as good as it has always has been, then to Bramlage for commencement. We had a great time seeing our friends and seeing the sights and consuming large quantities of chocolate milk, as we toasted the good doctor.

But as with most things, time travels too fast. Back to KC the next day for our niece's open house graduation thing. She's headed to KSU in the fall. We still think she's not a real teenager, since she's so (unusually) poised and thoughtful for a kid her age. We made it as far as West Plains, MO for the night. Pretty wild that we're starting to know this route from KS to Tuscaloosa so well. Got to listen to some of the Royals game on the way, though there was a rain delay and we were an hour further down the road (and further out of range) by the tme it came on. There's just something melodic and soothing about listening to Denny Mathews talk about a baseball game. We stuck it out as long as we could on the radio signal.

Her uncle Emory (whose wife Jean passed away in April) has a building named in his honor at Missouri State-West Plains, so we stopped for a photo op and then got back up the highway. It was cloudy most of the day, but the rain didn't unload on us until we were five minutes outside of Tuscaloosa. Made it tough getting the rest of the way, but I completely trust Ann driving.

So it was good to catch up with great friends, celebrate old times and get Ann graduated, and to listen to all our episodes of Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me (our fave!). But it was also good to get home.

I use a Runner's World training plan for my running, and the 16-week plan I was on ran out a few weeks ago. Last week and this week I've been sort of winging it (21 miles two weeks ago, 12 last week and prob 21 this week on five runs) since then. But next week we ramp it back up, as we start a plan that gets me into the mid-30's for weekly mileage. Still looking hard at a winter marathon in Huntsville, Alabama. I feel great about my running these days, and my body reflects it.

And we're also trying to ramp up the job search. A spontaneous (announced 11 hours in advance) midnight training session, plus trying to explain to family what I'm up to kind of lends a little urgency to things. I'm not sitting on the couch eating ice cream and watching the Price is Right, but I expect more of myself, and it stings a little to tell folks what I'm doing.

Two by two

Saturday morning, I ran my first road race in quite some time. The first, I believe, since a 10K two Junes ago. This was a 5K here in Tuscaloosa, starting downtown and winding our way around the campus quad and returning.

After three weeks of gorgeous spring weather, there was a threat of severe weather. It rained the night before, and the action was already underway north of us. We were also early to the race. It was an 8 am start, and we thought 7:30. So we drove home to get Ann's watch. Got back in plenty of time, so we were fine. Then my dear, sweet wife tripped and fell right before the race, skinning her knee. So karma wasn't on our side at the beginning. But there were some 900 entrants, and a really positive vibe. The mayor was there too-- it's his race.

I knew I wanted to get in there and mix it up some-- I've usually treated races as training runs. Here, I wanted to see what I could do-- to battle and compete. And I was able to do just that. My first mile was 9:20, the second was 8:40. I liked that I was able to pass a lot of folks-- I've been working hard on my runs and getting in better shape, and it paid off down the stretch. I tried to move over to pass a guy and he accelerated to stay ahead. So I knew it was on. I waited until I turned the final corner and put the hammer down. He covered it and stayed with me for a bit, but a few moments later I looked over and saw I'd pulled safely ahead. It felt great. We were both positive in the finishers' corral, and each thanked the other for the fight-- we both passed several others in the process, so it was good for both of us. My time-- 26:44. I am very pleased with this time-- a new personal record by over a minute!

Now back to that weather thing. The first fat drops of rain fell as I neared the finish, and the skies opened up not long after, with lots of folks still out on the course, including the First Lady. Many finished the race under a thunderstorm warning. I don't want to say it was heavy rain, but I think I saw animals getting on an ark. I am proud of Ann for putting in the time and doing the work and then competing as she did when things were not working in her favor, and for doing something that a lot of folks won't do.

We chose not to wait until the 10 am awards ceremony, and we went back home. I still had eight more miles to go, since I was due an 11-miler today as part of my regular training schedule. So I hit the treadmill and got the job done. 27 miles for the week, including 5 mile repeats Wednesday for speedwork.

I feel great about my running right now, and it's about time for a new training plan and a new goal race, likely a half marathon. And after today, I'm ready.

Atlanta

As mentioned, Ann and I celebrated (belatedly) the fifth anniversary of our first date, and the beautiful springtime weather continues in the South. I've lived through many spring seasons in Kansas and in different parts of West Texas, and I wouldn't trade any one of them for the weather I've experienced in the last three weeks.

So with that as a backdrop, I took off toward Atlanta to meet my wife. We were in the Midtown district, about two blocks from Peachtree Street, and a short run away from the Georgia Tech campus. Friday night, we ate at an outdoor restaurant-- good eats (sorry AB), featuring barbecued pork soft tacos. And we managed to find an Irish bar to consume large portions of chocolate milk. It was a great night to relax and be outdoors, and the crowd outside in the bar district reflected it.

There was also a Kelvin Sampson sighting at this bar. I assume it was, since I didn't ask for his ID. Ann saw him first, then I saw him when I went inside. Ann has no issues with these situations, since she's dealt with it before during her time in the hotel business. I keep my distance, figuring they came to this place (or wherever I see them) to spend some time out of character. But he and I did share a moment as I walked back to our table. I was walking toward him and he shifted his glance to me for an instant. As mentioned, I went on with my business, but he seemed like someone who has a lot of folks come up to him wanting something- a handshake, an autograph, whatever. He went back to his conversation when he saw me continue on my way.

Turns out, Sampson is an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks. I ran ten miles in Piedmont Park Saturday morning and saw two guys running in Bucks t-shirts. I didn't know where KS was at these days, but it made more sense when we noticed that the Bucks were in town to play Atlanta in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Then it all made sense.

Speaking of the run and Piedmont Park, what a day. I actually ran eight at the park and two on the hotel treadmill. An awesome vibe-- some Atlanta skyline, much sunshine, and lots of folks walking about during a big craft show. It's hard to run seeing all these food booths, let me tell you. But the Atlanta Track Club put down a half-mile packed dirt track that's just awesome. I threw some minute pickups, comfortably hard pace, so my legs were pretty well shot the rest of the day. It was much different than running in the flatlands of Tuscaloosa.

That evening, Ann and I ate a wonderful dinner with my Uncle John and his wife Marianne. Terrific to see them. A great meal, some good wine and a lot of good conversation. One of the things I liked about moving down South is the chance to reconnect with family. We'd not seen other in nearly 16 years.

Sunday was church day, of course. Being married to Ann means no more 'off' Sundays just because we're on holiday. And this is a good thing. We attended the 9 am service at All Saints Episcopal Church. They advertise some 3,000 members, and it seemed as though most of them were there. Not true, of course, but a well-attended service. That there were five baptisms may have had something to do with it. An impressive church, to say the least.

Then it was another awesome meal, then back up to our hotel room to load up and head west back to Tuscaloosa. We listened to the Braves radio broadcast for a while, which made me wish we had a radio affiliate in our neighborhood. Just another great weekend

Brewpubs and Shalee Lehning

April 15, 2005 is a great day in world history. One that will be remembered fondly. But it became special because of events before and after that day.

At my church in Clay Center, I was the only person my age. Everyone else had already raised or were raising children. Nobody single and unattached. So my priest sent me into Manhattan where a 20/30-something group was forming, to give people like me others like me to spend time with.

One event was a white elephant party. I remember getting my gift swiped about three times, and I also remember a Ricky Martin jigsaw puzzle. I didn't remember the gal shaking the puzzle, practically begging to give it away. Later that spring, we colored Easter eggs in the basement of the church in Manhattan. The same gal that had the jigsaw puzzle was there that evening, as well. She knew I covered high school sports and asked me about Shalee Lehning, a K-State women's basketball signee. I had the privilege of seeing her play volleyball and hoops, and I said that Shalee would look great in purple, and that a good decision had been made (a real treat to watch her play at KSU, btw).

I don't remember how long after, but I shot an e-mail to this person, asking her to meet me for a beer at Little Apple Brewery, a favorite place of mine. I thought it'd be safe-- if she wants to, she'll say so, and if not, she'll not reply and the game goes on as before. She accepted, and we set a date for a Friday night. I had softball games to cover that night that ran into extra innings, but I did make it in time for a Wildcat Wheat or three. I remember hearing her tell stories of the things she'd done and the places I'd been and thinking I had no chance. But she invited me to her place for dinner the next evening. The way to a man's heart is through his stomach, after all.

The Friday night was April 15, 2005. And the rest has become a happy history of Ann's and my life together. She understood this thing way before I did, and was very patient while I figured out what was going on.

So April 15 has become a red-letter day that we celebrate as much as our anniversary of June 27. Well, I don't know that actually, because we've not celebrated an anniversary yet. I just know that LABCO became our favorite hangout (though the smoking ban put in effect helped wth that), and the church basement in which we colored eggs was the same church basement in which I waited for our wedding to begin.

Great times then and now. Hopefully more to come.

Ball games and ghost stories

Monday, I went on a road trip for my job at the census bureau, driving to Ethelsville, Alabama. On highway 82, near the Mississippi state line. A very small town that doesn't even have a stop light. And I know because I looked. A lot.

But anyhow, I went to the community center there to pick up some paperwork. As with most things, the timeline didn't go as planned, and I had a chance to survey my surroundings. The center was very old and very small. I didn't think that to be out of sorts. But the center seemed to take me back to when it may have been built-- maybe the 1940s or 50s. There were a few stacks of old Baptist church hymnals there, whose hymn numbers didn't match what I am accustomed to as an Episcopalian. I found myself wondering about how many people looked at these songs over the years. Who they were. The hope it gave them. It makes me think about the people who came to the center and looked at those songbooks and heard church music on a now-dusty piano back in the day. There was a picture on the wall from 1971 showing who donated what amount. Some donated a buck, others ten, the banks a little more. But it totaled $650 and they found a place that sold them a Steinway for that amount. 40 years ago, this is what they were trying to do. I'm sure the center still gets used often, but it seemed to be a sad building in a town that's off the beltway. Surely if I spoke to an Ethelsville resident I'd get a complete picture.

It reminded me of a time in 1987 I believe, when I was an equipment manager for the Andress football team. We'd beaten Ysleta 10-9 on a late figgie. Our work was done and David and I walked across the quiet field in an empty, darkened stadium, though the guest 9, home 10 was still up on the scoreboard. It made me think of all the games the stadium had seen, and if it had a voice, the stories it could tell. The great games. The times kids from Newman Elementary next door came and ran on the track (and the time I skinned my arm). The times when we could get discounted tickets from Newman, when I was in second grade, and the time it rained buckets on us.

That was then, though, and I wonder about the stories that could be told now. The Carlsbad game in 1988 when there was a thunderstorm that took out some of the lights and forced a stoppage of play, after which we came back and won. A 38-game district winning streak. Battles against Irvin for the helmet. Beating Midland Lee 10-3 in 91 or 92, and tying them 21-21 in the playoffs that year, advancing on penetrations (before overtime became the rule). There are countless others, but I've been away for too long to know much.

Anyhow, a couple of good runs so far this week. A four on Monday at the UA rec center after work was a good one-- the Twins/Red Sox game was on, and it ended just about when I was finished. I find delight in watching ball games while running on the treadmill. Makes the time go by, and I try to 'race' the game. An 8-mile tempo run yesterday (six miles at 10:06 mile pace), and a three coming up this morning before I go in to work.

Saturday, a ten-miler is planned in Atlanta, Georgia. Ann is there for a professional conference, and I'm heading over Friday morning at the start of a three-day weekend. Really looking forward to it. The run, of course, and all it entails, but I'm especially ready for a night on the town with my wife Friday, plus a chance to see my Uncle John, dad's brother, whom I've not seen since 1994. He was unable to make our wedding back in June, for medical reasons, so I'm really excited to get together with him and his wife Marianne. I doubt we can catch up in an evening, but we're gonna try. Plus, the First Lady hasn't met these folks yet.

So there's much to look forward to.

Alabama Sunshine

Spring has officially arrived in Alabama, and it's positively gorgeous outside. The weather forecast calls for more of the same. Temps in the 70s, light winds and nary a cloud in the sky. It's vastly different from the springtimes of my younger days-- much wind and much blowing dust. It reminds me of Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and a great quote: How could I possibly be expected to handle school on a day like this?

Today I went and ran a four-miler at about 10 am. It would've been a crime against humanity to run on a treadmill, so I ran on the University of Alabama campus (I *did* like what the scale told me today, too). I took 2 1/2 circuits of the quad, about .75 miles around, and was just stricken by how beautiful it was out. Yes, I had my ipod going, but it was some of my favorite music. There was a 5-k race earlier in the morning (the First Lady and I are running in one on April 24), there were parents taking pictures of their small kids near the flowers at the base of Denny Chimes, kids were giving tours of campus, the SAE frat types were preparing for a shindig later in the day, construction work at the Pike house was going on, people were playing tennis, and there were ultimate frisbee games going on. There were so many people having fun or doing their thing on what was a great day to be outside.

So I joined the fun.

I went to my first Tide softball game and saw a big win, 12-1 over Northwestern. The softball team was one of the last three teams standing at the College World Series last season, and they're off to a great start this year. The facility is incredible, and so is the fan support. Ann has a student on the team, and the kid homered twice. Man, can we swing the bat. Five bombs on the day.

During my run I saw the soccer team would play at 4. Since the softball game ended early, I went over to the rec fields to watch some of the action. What appeared to be a big tournament was in progress, with club-level teams from across the South playing ultimate frisbee on several different fields, plus the Tide lacrosse team playing Georgia State. And the sun was still out. Man, what a day. Then it was over to watch the soccer girls go at it against Mississippi State. We scored twice and hit two crossbars in the first 15 or so minutes. We were ahead 2-1 at half when I'd had enough sun for one day.

Then it was off to a nice meal with Ann and then a trip to a yogurt store I'd never been to. You serve yourself and add whatever toppings you want, they weigh it and you pay accordingly. It was good yogurt, better since I added cookie dough chunks and houndstooth chips (only in Tuscaloosa, I tell you...) and there was a cool vibe in there too.

It was just a great day to be alive, and I'm thankful to have sense enough to recognize it and to have been a small part of it. Sunday is church and Sunday School, so there's a lot more to look forward to. Oh yeah-- more of the same weather is expected. Who knows what I'll find.

The Long and Winding Road

The First Lady (wife) and I are in West Plains, Missouri for the night, as we head home from a whirlwind trip from Tuscaloosa to Cassville. There is no easy way to get to Cassville from T-Town. Once we get west of Jonesboro, Arkansas, the highway becomes very hilly and very curvy, making it difficult to make any time. I-40 is fine, of course, but the roads we've been on in the northern part of the state are not very straight.

So we left Thursday morning and got to Cassville about 6:30 pm. My wife's aunt Jean died earlier in the week, at the age of 85-- she's the woman for whom my wife is named. I could not do the deceased justice, but in a very short time, I've learned she is a very remarkable woman who worked hard to make her corner of the world a better place. A 50-year cancer survivor, Sunday school teacher and successful businesswoman are just a few of the things that describe her. There did not seem to be much grief; she had been ill for a while, and my read is that her family is relieved that she is not suffering anymore.

And I once again said hello to her husband, Emory Melton, a six-term Missouri state senator. He and his wife were married nearly 61 years. He also seemed to 'wear it well,' though I can't say I know him well. But I wish I did. At the first of the year, I mentioned I finished the biography of Harry Truman, another great Missourian. I wish Emory would put some thoughts of his on paper, so I could learn about and from a great man. Ann's and my challenge is to write to him regularly. I hope we meet this goal.

Attending a funeral today meant I missed my appointment with the GRE test. This is something I'm OK with. Sometimes there's a greater good, and there are some things that are more important than others. I did learn some things while doing all that studying and writing. I'm reminded of a decision-making process a friend of mine used on me when I was facing a choice: what will I remember most in five years? It crystallized the choice for me, and I don't regret coming for one second. It means we're approaching another fork in the road (always take it, btw), and we'll think a little harder on the graduate school idea, or maybe even getting another undergraduate idea. GRE was a bit of a hasty decision back in January. Maybe this lets me take a little bit of a better shot at the target and to figure out what I truly want to do.

Now it's Friday night, and we finish our trip Saturday. And I don't regret the decisions. I even relish the chance to meet more of Ann's family and to become more connected with them.

Tournament Time

It's been a wild couple of weeks at the house, mainly because of hoops. KSU and UTEP both made it into the NCAA Tournament, and the wife and I both had a great time watching. But KSU came within an eyelash of making it to the Final Four, losing to Butler just a day and a half after playing 50 minutes (2 OT) in a win over Xavier. I know I felt really excited during the games and in the days leading up to the games, and it was differnt watching a team I truly care about do so well, yet deflating to see them go down. It sure was a great season, and we both enjoyed watching. Yet my dear wife understands (and I am starting to *get*) that it's really not that important in the grand scheme of things. We drank too much chocolate milk that night, but we weren't ready to go play in traffic or anything. It's supposed to be fun.

And for those of you scoring at home, yes, the same school knocked out both my teams. I'd like to personally thank Butler for pulling my still-beating heart out of my chest and stomping on it. Thanks guys.

And more on the Miners-- Tim Floyd is coming back to El Paso as our new head men's basketball coach. The man sold our program to kids from all over the place between 1977 and 1986, some of the better years of my memory, and the time during which I learned to love the Miners. Coach won two Big 12 titles at Iowa State. He got players to come to Ames, Iowa to play ball, and he's coming to coach my team. I wish hoops started tomorrow.

I know, too much talk about basketball. But I think it's of the healthy variety-- keeping it clean, being positive and having fun.

Anyhow, I ran 22 miles last week, and have 23 on the agenda for this week, including a 10-miler on Saturday. Hitting the weights some (but not to excess) and getting good runs in, albeit at a slower pace than what I'm used to. The speed will come in time. The weather's starting to warm up a touch here in Alabama, so I need to run outside before the heat and humidity crank up. Springtime has been pretty nice so far.

The high cost of being a fan

I took half of Thursday off from my census job to observe what should be a national holiday-- the first day of the NCAA Tournament. Sure, it's a big NCAA cash grab, but it's fun, moreso than the Super Bowl. I'm not paid for taking this time off, but I'd do it all again in a heartbeat.

Fortunately, UTEP and Kansas State both played Thursday afternoon. KSU pretty much took care of business and beat North Texas, so they'll move on and play BYU, a team for whom my hatred stretches back nearly 30 years. The Miners and the Cougars had some epic battles on the basketball floor in the 80's-- games that cemented my love of the Miners.


UTEP's first-round game was with Butler. We were a 12-seed, apparently one of the last teams to get in. We played well in the first half, but decided not to defend the three-point line in the second half, enroute to a 77-59 loss. Words cannot describe the crushing sensation I felt watching the last seven or so minutes. Laying an egg in the Big Dance and losing in much the same way we lost to Houston in the finals of the conference tournament. It reminded me of watching the GMAC Bowl game against Toledo several years ago. Very painful.





So I felt much the same way today as I did after UTEP lost in the NCAA Tournament to Utah in 2005 and Maryland in 2004 (though I made that trip to Denver and had a great time). But it's a good thing, in a way. I LIKE that it hurts deeply. I LIKE that it costs something to be a Miner fan. I LIKE that it requires an effort and an investment to support this team emotionally. I don't have a good reason for why I like these things-- maybe that it reminds me that I'm alive, that it makes enduring things easier or makes life's challenges easier, I can't put my finger on it.


Maybe it's finding something positive in everything. Like that my team is the regular-season conference champion and won 25+ games, that they made it this far and that I got to watch them play, and that a talented group of basketball players chose to come to El Paso and represent the city I love, and try the best they knew how. Maybe it really *is* just a game.


But one thing I can put my finger on is that this thing of not letting these things govern my life is gaining strength, especially after today. I'm still able to breathe normally and not let the immense disappointment crush me and remember that it's supposed to be fun.

The People's Republic of Boulder...

... is what Boulder, Colorado is affectionately known as. It refers to the free-spirited way of life the locals have, as though it's an 'island' within the rest of the state that's kind of it's own separate entity. Boulder is also where Ann and I took our first trip together, back in the summer of 2005. We really had a lot of fun and drank a lot of chocolate milk on Pearl Street, went to a Rockies game (against the Phillies, on a sunny Sunday), and even went to the Episcopal church there. We learned a lot about each other on that trip, too. The drive from Clay Center to Boulder is a great way to learn just how much of western Kansas there really is.

Another Pearl Street memory is the time we went to a Japanese restaurant and I decided to try sushi for the first time. It was a negative experience. Ann ate the rest of the sushi, and she then took me for a buffalo burger and more chocolate milk. The tie in is that we went for sushi Saturday night at a nice place here in Tuscaloosa, and I liked it better than the first time. I always have trouble handling chopsticks, so that was part of the fun.

The evening out was a good way to take our minds off of basketball. Yesterday was not a good hoops day. My Miners lost to Houston in the finals of the conference tournament, as did Kansas State. Bummed, yes. Beyond a shadow of a doubt. But I'm learning to not let these events define me or the rest of my day. After the UTEP game, I went and had a good five-mile outdoor run, and after the Cats game is when we went out for sushi. I call it under-reacting-- reacting the way you'd want to. Not flying off the handle and getting cross-eyed pissed off over a ball game. Embrace the joy, yes, but don't let these things run or even ruin your life.

I've started to feel this way in the last month or so, and I like who I'm becoming because of it. I still love my teams, but not getting all worked up and upset over a loss. Let's face it-- rooting for a team or teams is a recipe for trouble. Things very rarely end well, such as with a crushing loss, or if it's been a bad year, a series of them. Losing is a big part of being a fan, and it's something that we would all do well to adjust to, and it's something I'm happy to say I'm learning about.

So we're ready for selection Sunday, and to see where and who the Cats will play, and also where the Miners might go. They missed the automatic bid, but it's thought that they're in. I hope that's correct.

Gubmint job

I started my new job as a clerk at the local census bureau Monday. 40 hours a week. A steady paycheck, at least for a while. I check the binders to make sure everything's in there that's supposed to be in there. I've met some interesting people so far, so the conversation has been good. There are some really smart people there, also. One guy is from Wichita Falls and has a double major in English and Spanish plus a law degree. A coworker was a high school English teacher before she got downsized for lack of tenure. One gentleman worked for the phone company for 36 years. Another just got his marketing degree at Alabama. So I'm learning my way around a new job for the second time in just over a month. But we're starting to catch up a little. I'm starting to think a lot in terms of flow charts now, though.

It also means I get nights and weekends back for the near future. Last night, Ann and I saw The Gondoliers by Gilbert and Sullivan at the UA theatre. The theatre itself is very small, reminiscent of the community theatre we left behind in Manhattan, but the students there worked their butts off and put on a great show. It's difficult to understand the exact plot when there's so much singing, but the synopsis in the program helped. It was really funny and I had a great time.

I also added about seven or eight podcasts to my free subscription list in itunes. Most of what I listen to is from public radio. I learn something, and I just feel smarter for listening to their programs.

And speaking of radio, I made a bit of a startling discovery, music-wise, while I was in the car delivering pizzas. And that's what passes for 'oldies' music these days. I used to be able to turn on the oldies channel and get a Motown or British Invasion fix when I needed it. Now I can hear Boston and the Eagles on 'the true oldies channel.' It reminds me of my middle age, when stuff I grew up with is at least 25-year old music. Not a bad discovery, just a bit of a startling one.

And I'm about to head into Birmingham for UAB baseball, where I said I'd help with PA. I did a doubleheader last Saturday, and today, it's a single game. More of a challenge doing baseball.

Eight Mile...

is a town in Alabama somewhere. It's also the distance I ran this morning. It was a great run. Effortless. My new friend the ipod and I are getting along well on our runs-- podcasts are a good thing. And so are Boston, Devo, the J Geils Band and Brooks and Dunn. The eight miles took 90 minutes. 19 miles for the week. I really should think about finding a 5K or a 10K some time soon.

After I ran, I went into Birmingham for UAB baseball, one of three dates I said I'd help with public address. They swept Ball State, 6-0 and 10-9 in 12 innings. I couldn't remember the last time I'd been to a ball game prior to today. We sat inside, in a nice, warm press box on a 55-degree day with north winds about 10-15. There was a hardy crowd on hand in parkas, blankets, coats, you name it. I found myself reminded of broadcasting baseball once in similar conditions in Kansas, except colder temperature-wise, and more wind. My fiancee (wife, now) brought a blanket for me and really saved the day. It was fun, but I wanted to go home after a while.

Sunday is my last day at Domino's. It's a bit of a bummer, since now I'm finally starting to learn how to work there. The people I work with are nice folks. My job at the census office starts Monday. I'm looking forward to having my evenings back, and to making plans (or not) for the night. It's a 40-hour work week, so it'll make GRE study time a challenge. But we'll get there. It's just nice to have some direction in my life.

And K-State and the Miners both win! UTEP definitely has the inside track for a conference championship and a trip to the BIG DANCE!

VOCATUS ATQUE NON VOCATUS DEUS ADERIT

This is a quote on Carl Jung's tombstone, a quote I'm told he believed in very deeply. It means 'invoked or not invoked, God is present.'

Now I don't presume to understand the quote's deeper meaning, but this line came up in our Sunday School class. I really like this class, as does my wife. We don't really go into the Bible, or the lessons for the day-- we spend 45 minutes going over one or two questions in our Book of Common Prayer, and let things take us where they will. Today I learned about a black man in a church in 1866 Virginia, who went up to the communion rail and was alone, until a man came up and kneeled with him. Robert E. Lee was the second man. We enjoy the class, the people and our church very much.

I got a new (for me) ipod this past Wednesday, and I'm excited about the possibilities. I had a shuffle before, but I found it very temperamental. This new dude rocks. I can take my podcasts and my music along when I drive into Birmingham, or on my runs, which was helpful during yesterday's seven-miler. Started listening to one podcast, and liked it so much I switched to another one. And when it was done, I listened to five minutes of music. All right there on this little ipod.

I ran 17 miles last week, and 19 miles are scheduled for this week. My injured calf seems to be holding up well. I'm running 11:20 mile pace, which is much slower than what I'm used to, but these runs are getting me in shape.

GRE test preps continue-- test is April 2. I'm remembering why I had so much trouble in algebra in high school. Multiply by 1/x, etc.

And I got a job at the census bureau, which starts March 1. It's a temporary job, and I'll stop working at Domino's, but the census pay is better, and it's a day job. Delivering pizzas is OK, the people are nice and I'm starting to learn how to work there, but it's second-shift work, so I'm working 5-10 a lot of evenings. This takes me away from my wife, as well as from things we like doing. The question of 'what's on the other side of the census job' will be answered in due time.

More to follow...

Still here...

With the whole 'new job' thing going on, I've been a little preoccupied with learning a new routine, at home and on the job.

At home, I continue to do a lot of running, though at a slow pace. It's what the training plan says to run, so I run it. It's a strategy that's been good to me before. And my GRE exam is April 2, and I've been studying for that in earnest, and learning all the things I don't know, and re-learning things I needed 20+ years ago. Isosceles triangles, algebra, antonyms (but with $5 words), and such. I'm just working on getting there a little at a time. The hope is to get into grad school and pursue a masters degree. Library Science? Who knows at this point. But I'm still at peace with leaving radio behind me as a closed chapter in my life.

And at work. It's been an adjustment, to say the least. I like having a little more structure to the day, and I like being able to save some money. Driving pizzas around means knowing the area in which you drive, which is a disadvantage for a new person in town. But I think I'm getting a little better. And when you're not driving, you pitch in in the store. Cutting and boxing pizzas and working the drive-thru window are things I think I'm starting to get better at. Taking phone orders and entering info into the computer have been works in progress. Yeah, I had a bad day a few days ago. I'm learning, though, and it's been two weeks today since I got hired. My coworkers have much, much more experience than me, so they're who I compare myself to, and they're who my superiors are used to working with.

The New Guy

You never know just how fast things can change.

I went to bed Tuesday night feeling bad. Not illness, but with the feeling that I was not helping in any way financially-- being a drain and a stress on my wife. So Wednesday morning, I pressed my slacks and a nice shirt and went hunting. I think it was my third stop, when I walked into a Domino's Pizza store, and about 20 minutes later (what, not 30?) left with a job.

So I'm doing that which I never saw myself doing-- something I was unwilling to do until recently, when I realized that I had to get going. Friday was my first day, this evening is my second. Much to learn, and ya, I'm a little nervous and scared, but it's also an opportunity. A chance to make some money and earn a little freedom for my wife and me. And maybe even buy a toy or two.

That evening, I also applied for a job with the Census Department. Basically just a cattle call, looking for door knockers/census takers and office workers, all on a temporary basis. Filling out an app and taking a test. I scored perfectly on the test (*much* to my surprise), and am getting veteran's preference points, so we'll see how that goes. I'm told office jobs are far and few between.

And yesterday, it was into Birmingham for UTEP basketball, against UAB. Good guys won in double OT. What a game and what an atmosphere. I saw right in front of the UAB student section, along the baseline, and heard some of the most pathetic taunting I've ever heard. All good fun though.

It also gave me a chance to say hello to Jon Teicher, the longtime voice of the Miners, also a friend of mine and a gentleman who has been kind enough to let me add his name to my reference list. He is the reason I got into broadcasting-- I used to listen to El Paso Diablo baseball on the radio as a kid, as well as the UTEP games. I think one time he stopped to talk to my dad and me-- I guess he was doing a little PR work and asking folks about the stadium and atmosphere. My dad talked-- I was like nine, and could barely speak.

Anyhow, I caught him during a postgame commercial break, so he was still at work, but he couldn't have been nicer to me. He remembered my name, shook my hand warmly and asked me how it was going. I told him I was looking to go in a different direction, and he explained how hard it is to break into the business, how he'd been talking to a friend of his in the profession, and talking about how there are so few jobs, so few jobs coming open and so many people on the prowl for the openings that do come up. So he was understanding, and told me to keep him posted. It was a short but warm conversation, since he still had a broadcast to tend to, so I went on my way. But it was important to me to stop by, and he was most kind.

Two Points

When I was a senior at Andress High School, I helped with statistics for the varsity basketball team. One night at Irvin I filled out the scorebook, entering our players' names into their book. Things went well enough after that, until one of our guys tried to enter the game but wasn't in the official book, because I accidentally wrote the same guy's name down twice. So we got a technical foul called on us for my mistake, and our coaches couldn't apologize to the referees quickly enough. Lost to the years is whether Irvin made the shots. I've always said they made one of the two, but who knows.

Sunday, I 'scored' two more points.

Since we've moved to Alabama, I've had the privilege of doing some of the PA work at the UAB women's basketball games. It's different for me, but it's fun, the people are nice and nobody throws anything at me. This afternoon, Houston came to visit. During play, the Cougars had a player spin into the lane and get fouled on a shot attempt. One official had the foul, but none of the three knew for sure whether the ball went in the hoop. I was watching the play from my seat at the scorer's table, and it very clearly went in.



So the game officials met to discuss the issue and apparently couldn't say with certainty, so they came to us for a consult. The gal to my immediate right keeping the official book didn't see it, but I did, and I said so. Then the next thing I see is the official signaling 'basket good,' and for UH to shoot a free throw. It was the correct call, and nobody raised a fuss, but I was taken aback at the influence I just had on the game. Later, during a brief stoppage of play, a member of the officiating crew stopped by and thanked us for our help.

What made it more important is that Houston won by one point, 63-62.

A similar thing happened earlier this season, when they didn't remember how many free throws were supposed to be awarded. I had it right and announced it correctly, but they had something different in mind. They made the correction and the game went on as before. We got a brief 'thank you' later toward the end of the game.

I try very hard to not be critical of referees or umpires during games. I think their work is very difficult. They're there voluntarily and they're paid, I understand that, but it's hard work in a very fast-paced and unforgiving atmosphere, and I'm more inclined to cut them slack. Being at the scorer's table, even on the home floor, means I'm a neutral observer, there to help the officials. It's a cordial relationship, maybe even a friendly one, and it allows me to see them as people and not as targets to spew venom at. A lot of times, they walk by us for fist bumps at the start of the game.

So I cut 'em a break.

3/5

Monday, my wife and I observed Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. day by driving two hours to Montgomery, Alabama to learn more about a few sad chapters of our country's history-- chapters we all would do well to read and learn about.

We started at the Civil Rights Museum, which is attached to the Southern Poverty Law Center, and we were in awe immediately. There is a memorial dedicated to the many who died during the civil rights movement, as well as the Wall of Tolerance with a quote from Dr. King. Very moving stuff. Hallowed water flows over both memorials, one was the wall, and the other resembled a sundial without the centerpiece. Seeing the events and seeing the names of people who were killed for no good reason, and that most of the time there was no justice and no accountability, made me very sad, and embarrassed to be the same race as the aggressors. And in thinking on the courage on display by those people, made *me* feel like 3/5 of a human being, knowing I very likely would not have that kind of courage.

We also walked down toward the state capitol, where Jefferson Davis was sworn in as first President of the Confederacy in 1861, where the Selma-to-Montgomery voting rights march ended in 1965, and came across a parade, which we stopped to enjoy. Lots of bands, lots of kids and a lot of fun. Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, where Dr. King was the preacher, is a block away from the capitol. We stood on the street corner and could feel the history all around us. There was a vibe of hope in the air, and it felt wonderful.

Our last stop was the Rosa Parks Museum, in honor of the woman whose courage sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Another enlightening experience, well done, and informative. The heroism and the courage of the oppressed stands in stark contrast to the behavior and cowardice of others. I was (and still am) in awe.

I aspire to have *half* the courage of those who stood up for what they believed in.

Free at Last

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. sort of made this line famous many moons ago. I don't mean to cheapen his words, but it fits how I've felt these last few days.

I've pretty much severed my emotional ties to radio as a profession. I consider myself a play by play guy, and I really and truly love the number crunching that goes with preparing for a game, as well as calling a game for broadcast. The people I've met, places I've been, stories I've told, close scrapes and ass chewings are all part of the mosaic.

But I have come to the realization that I've progressed about as far as I can, given the skills I have. The actual prep and pbp are small percentages of the whole job, which includes a bunch of PR, glad-handing, coaches' shows and what not. And advertising sales. I have a friend in St. Louis who is prob better than me at pbp, who is selling his own games. Loves the games, hates the selling. If I were to move up in the profession, selling is where I'd have to go. I've tried sales before. I hated it, I wasn't very good at it, and I've made sure every job I've had since then has not had a sales component. Life is too short to spend any amount of it doing things we hate.

Plus, in clinging to radio, I'm clinging to thought processes I've had for 30 years. Radio, sports and pbp are all very different monsters from when I first wanted to call ball games. And being in sports and radio often mean sports talk radio, which means conflict at some level (no conflict, no listeners). I never have done conflict well.

So in coming to these conclusions, I feel free and liberated to choose the next direction my life takes, and how the next chapters will be written. And it doesn't have to be something I do for the next 30 years, either. Who knows what I'll think and who/where I'll be 5-10 years from now. The challenge is what direction to go. But somehow, I'm not as frightened as I was before.

And separately, I've printed a running plan for the next four months, in order to get my mileage back up. Looking forward to it.

14,220

That's how many people attended last night's gymnastics meet between Alabama and Georgia. The defending SEC champs against the defending national champs. We had free tix, since the wife got them through a new faculty get together. We were warned that this is a big thing here in T-Town, but as with everything else we've experienced, we just had to check it out for ourselves. It was as advertised--parking lots were full and traffic in front of the arena was a bear. Event-wise, I didn't know what to expect, since I only watch gymastics every four years at the olympics. But I was wowed. The crowd was really into it, the 'game' presentation kept people interested, and the athletes were tremendous. I don't know how those girls do the things they do and bend themselves the way they do. There was a good pace to the events, and the crowd knew its stuff. And we beat the snot out of the Bulldogs. We had a great time.

Today we went to Bryant-Denny stadium to honor the 2009 National Champion football team. Cloudy and cool, but the rain held off til later in the night. There were about 20-25 thousand there. It lasted about 45 minutes, and we heard from the captains, saw really cool video stuff and what not. Had a good time here too. Have I mentioned lately just how much I hate Texas?

I've come to some conclusions, personally and professionally, also. And I feel free and liberated about these decisions. More to follow.

Dixie's Football Pride

We spent Thursday night in the company of Alabama football fans, and we had much food, fun and libation, also much to cheer about, in a 37-21 win over Texas. I got to root for the Tide and against Texas at the same time. This is the first time something like this has ever happened to me, being in a town that's celebrating a championship like this. It was close to midnight but we drove to campus anyway to survey the activities. The campus was pretty quiet, but a quarter-mile to the west, it was different. People already in line for national championship t-shirts, just seemingly orderly gatherings, albeit with temperatures in the teens. It made it pretty hard to believe that Friday was a workday, or, at least, not a holiday or a weekend. It's the 13th national championship for the Tide. I'm happy to be rooting for a winner, although I don't have nearly as much of an emotional investment as our friends did Thursday.

My big thing of the last several days has been practice. I've been drilling on Microsoft Excel and Word tutorials, since I have skills tests on both Monday, and to pass both is required to apply for staff-type jobs on campus. It'll be about the fifth time I've tried the Excel test, and I've alreay passed the Word exam, but a higher score is needed. My wife really likes working on campus, and I'd like to work there too.

I'm really wanting to contribute around here, and try to find out what this stretch of my life is gonna look like, since I've started to understand that radio won't be part of it anymore. There are a lot of things mentally and emotionally that I just don't have. Work and going to school seem like good possibilities right now.

My running continues... three miles Wednesday and three more Friday. 30 minutes each time. I used to spend a lot of time trying to load an ipod, but I've not done that yet. I know running on a treadmill is pretty tedious, but I've spent a lot of time in prayer, and I'm getting a little better at it. Next week, four runs at three miles a shot.

And oh yeah-- been pretty cold around here the last several days. Not Kansas cold, with double-digits below zero and buckets of snow... I think we've made it as far as the low teens, so it's still pretty chilly.

I've also started playing a little chess again, against the computer. I give as good as I get on low skill levels, but what I find myself learning is that I have to solve these problems. I can get into a bind pretty quickly on a chessboard, and there's nobody to bail me out. It's my problem, and I have to solve it. I can't run from it-- deal with it by not dealing with it, as it were-- I've got to do something about it. It's new for me, and quite useful.

Football

Been watching a whole lot of football this week... Glad Boise State won, but sorry they did it at TCU's expense. Both deserved a shot at the big boys. I'm very ready for the Alabama/Texas game. People seem to think that since I'm from Texas, that I must root for the Horns. But El Paso is not close to Austin. Actually, El Paso is not close to anything, except Alamogordo and Las Cruces. So I'm a UTEP fan, and a grad of Texas Tech, which is where this hatred began. So it's handy, one-stop shopping. And the Tide football program signs my wife's paycheck.

You may notice I've added several blogs to my 'follow' list. They're places I like to go, and obviously will tell you something about me.

My runs have been going well-- three pain-free miles yesterday, and three more set for tomorrow. Really focusing on a slower buildup. It's weird, because I don't have a running goal at this point, or a real training plan. Just to build miles.

I head over to the Bryant Museum on campus Wednesday, to volunteer one day a week. It's sports, it's history and the preservation of said history-- a perfect storm for me. Hopefully it becomes something more. We'll see.

Sunday

Spent much of the day on the couch. The day started at 7:15 with a stomachache. Four tums tablets seemed to do the trick, but I stayed home from church, which was disappointing. Did feel better as the day went on.

I finished my book on Harry S. Truman over the weekend, so I started in on 'Our Boys,' which has Smith Center football as its topic. More to come on that book.

Listened to KSU hoops, and then to UTEP hoops-- a win for the Cats but not for the Miners. And I'm OK with it. I don't react well to losses by my teams, since these games have too great an importance in my life, and what they do has too much an impact on the rest of my day. So I did a good job of moving on today.

Also practiced on excel spreadsheet, which has been a big stumbling block toward getting a job. It's a way in which I think I can contribute.

And Monday means the holidays are truly over. Back to work and some semblance of normalcy. Back to advancing the ball and finding out which direction to go in.

Happy New Year!

The end of one year and the start of the next is a great time for reflection. I think about what a difference a year makes-- where I was last year at this time, where I am now, and about where I'll be in a year. At the start of 2009, I was still working at the radio station in Clay Center, doing the same thing I'd been doing for seven years. Alabama wasn't even on the radar, though I knew what situation I was in, and that relocation was a solid possibility at worst.

But Ann interviewed in February, accepted the job not long after, we got married in June (after I quit my job) and moved to the Deep South in late July. It's funny what a difference a year can make. And the start of 2010 looks so much different than the start of 2009. It's why I'm 'outside the box.' There is nothing about my life that's the same as compared to the start of 09.

As for last night, I stayed up too late and drank too much chocolate milk with Ann, and I had a great time! We just camped out at the house and ate great food and watched TV. So many times before, we'd been traveling to and fro during the holidays, and it was nice to spend time at home without any obligations, or having to hustle somewhere. Now it's New Year's night, and we're parked on the couch again. Watched a lot of football. Some of it good, some of it, not so much. And ate hoppin john. Ann is absolutely a tremendous cook, and it's one reason (of about 9,428) why I'm so fortunate to be her husband.

Wednesday was the 30th, which was my parents' 48th wedding anniversary. There are a lot of things I don't understand about the relationship my mother and father have, but I do know they're still together after all these years and after all the things we've endured.

Went for my second run Thursday, on my way back from that calf thing. Three pain-free miles. Three more scheduled for Saturday.

I've also spent time today crafting the mission statement at the top of this page. I hope to adopt this as a pattern of life. Too often I've let things happen to me and let myself become a spectator in my own life. I intend to change that.

My resolution for 2010: to speak, write and think positively at all times.