Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all my bloggy friends!

Good night sweet prince

You were an ambassador for your breed. Never met a stranger. Always our friend and protector even if you weren't not technically "our dog". We were honored to share your passage from our realm to the great squirrel hunting grounds. ;)

A different kind of finish line

And for those who wonder..."Dr. Linae... hooded by Professor Robert..." sounds way better than "You are an Ironman". Doesn't compare, really.

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Lyrics by John Popper of Blues Traveler.

If ever you are feeling like youre tired
And all your uphill struggles leave you headed downhill
If you realize your wildest dreams can hurt you
And your appetite for pain has drinken its fill

I ask of you a very simple question
Did you think for one minute that you are alone
And is your suffering a privilege you share only
Or did you think that everybody else feels completely at home

Just wait
Just wait
Just wait
And it will come

If you think Ive given up on you youre crazy
And if you think I dont love you well then youre just wrong
In time you just might take to feeling better
Time is the beauty of the road being long

I know that now you feel no consolation
But maybe if I told you and informed you out loud
I say this without fear of hesitation
I can honestly tell you that you make me proud

Just wait
Just wait
Just wait
And it will come
Just wait
Just wait
Just wait
And it will come

If anything I might have just said has helped you
If anything I might have just said helped you just carry on
Your rise uphill may no longer seem a struggle
And your appetite for pain may all but be gone

I hope for you and cannot stop at hoping
Until that smile has once again returned to your face
Theres no such thing as a failure who keeps trying
Coasting to the bottom is the only disgrace

Just wait
Just wait
Just wait
And it will come
Just wait
Just wait
Just wait
And it will come
Just wait
Just wait
Just wait
And it will come

Florida's News of the Wierd: Robo-Deer

Yes, it's true. Florida's wildlife officers use a robotic deer to find people hunting out of season. It also works for people who chose to hunt using untraditional methods.

http://blogs.tampabay.com/bizarre/2007/12/teen-tries-to-r.html

December 11, 2007
Teen tries to run down deer but it's just a decoy

Can you be charged with illegally killing a deer if the deer's not real? You can in Florida, reports the Northwest Florida Daily News.

A Bay County teenager is accused of using his truck to try to run down a deer decoy that had been put out by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The kid thought it was real. It wasn't, but the charge is: attempted killing of a deer by illegal methods.

This is the land of Carl Hiaasen novels, afterall. :)

Simple things, simple run

Today's run really made me appreciate the simple things. It's my usual 4 mile route around Crescent Lake. Takes me 37-40 minutes depending on my mood. Nothing special. I enjoy running the same route every week because it allows me to watch the changes in the neighborhood as well as learn the locals. Today a gentleman called out "excuse me? jogger?". I turned around to see a rather confused blind man with his assistance dog. He needed some help finding a little "gift" his dog had left in the tall grass. Guess the dog decided to make a second deposit outside his normal spot. Never thought about how hard it must be to clean up after your assistance dog when you're blind. As a former dog owner, I was more than happy to help.

For all the things that are not quite perfect these days, there are so many reasons to be happy. This morning, my name was not in the obituary page. I can run without assistance and have the opportunity to enjoy it. And it's going to be 80F with blue skies today. WOOHOOO!!!

Now if only that perfect job would find me. :) I'm considering all options, even environmental consulting. Who knows what could wait around the next corner? In the mean time, it's off to the holiday job.

Take care, all!

Lyrics for Kay

A pastor, priest and a rabbi die in a plane crash. Before the Fates decide their eternal destiny, they walk into yet another bar....

Kay owns that bar. Guarantee it. But she's so much more than your favorite bar owner.

For you girl.

------------------

"I Love This Bar"

We got winners, we got losers
Chain smokers and boozers
And we got yuppies, we got bikers
We got thirsty hitchhikers
And the girls next door dress up like movie stars

Hmm, hmm, hmm I love this bar

We got cowboys, we got truckers
Broken-hearted fools and suckers
And we got hustlers, we got fighters
Early birds and all-nighters
And the veterans talk about their battle scars

Hmm, hmm, hmm I love this bar

[Chorus:]
I love this bar
It's my kind of place
Just walkin' through the front door
Puts a big smile on my face
It ain't too far, come as you are
Hmm, hmm, hmm I love this bar

I've seen short skirts, we got high-techs
Blue-collar boys and rednecks
And we got lovers, lots of lookers
And I've even seen dancing girls and hookers
And we like to drink our beer from a mason jar

Hmm, hmm, hmm I love this bar
Yes I do

I like my truck (I like my truck)
I like my girlfriend (I like my girlfriend)
I like to take her out to dinner
I like a movie now and then

But I love this bar
It's my kind of place
Just trollin' around the dance floor
Puts a big smile on my face
No cover charge, come as you are
Hmm, hmm, hmm I love this bar
Hmm, hmm, hmm I love this bar

We got divorcees and a big bouncer man
An old jukebox and a real bad band
We got waitresses and we got barflies
A dumb-ass and a wise-guy
If you get too drunk just sleep out in your car

Reason number 672 why

Hmm, hmm, hmm I love this bar
Play it on out boys
Beer-thirty's over
Got to take it on home

Hmm, hmm, hmm I love this bar
I just love it

Rest in Peace, Kay

We'll miss you and your spunky personality. Thank you for sharing
your life with us through your restaurant. Joe and I have been
regulars at Sunset Grille for longer than we've been together. Can't
imagine the place without you.

Back in the saddle

Yesterday marked my first real workout since Ironman Florida. A simple ride with the local cycling club seemed like the perfect way to test my legs and my desire to ride fast. Like most club rides, riders are split into MPH groups. 16, 18, 20, 22, etc.

The big question was which group to join. Most of my post IMFL rides have averaged a leisurely 14-16 mph pace. Kinda cool that my former race pace is now leisurely but I digress. I wasn't out for leisure. This ride would test where my fitness stood after a month of casual workouts. My goal is to build to the 22 mph group this season but it didn't seem like such a good idea my first ride back. So, I chose the 20mph group.

My goal was to stay with the front of the pack as long as possible. As it turned out, I was able to ride with the breakaway group the entire time (much to their surprise as the other women rode further back). I even offered to pull for a while. My pull lasted 2 minutes before some hammerheads decided they couldn't stand being pulled by a girl. Whatever. Where were they for the rest of the ride? Oh, right. Drafting at the back.

It was fun. It took considerable effort (24mph) to catch the breakaway boys but once I reached their group, it felt good. I'm clearly capable of staying with the front of the 20mph group as well as pulling the pack which means I should be able to cling to the back of the 22s.

Next week I'll make the jump. We'll just see how it goes. I know my way home. ;)

Thank you

Thank you

for all your support during my ironman training
the dissertation stress
the big defense day
the big race day
and the final submission day.

Graduation is Dec 15th.

Emerging from the Ironman and dissertation induced fog, it has come to my attention that someone nominated this blog for the 2007 RaceAthlete Best Blog of the year award. Sure, I didn't make the final list but once again I find myself writing...thank you. Whoever y'all (or all y'all) are. I never expected to see my name on that list. The blog is not flashy or witty or data driven. It's just me on a blog sharing my point of view.

Thank you all for reading, commenting, and caring.