Thought of '08

I have already begun to think about the 2008 presidential elections. One of my first thoughts is that Hillary is the meatloaf candidate. I don't crave meatloaf, I would never order it in restaurant, or prepare it for my self. But if someone else puts on my plate I will eat it and not hate it. Same with Hillary if she happens to be the nominee I will vote for her. While don't doubt that she would be an OK president and huge improvement over the moron that currently occupies the White House, I just find her one of the most uninspiring candidates possible. I want some new and fresh, and Hillary Meatloaf Clinton is not someone new or fresh.

Marathons That I Have Run

This week I will run in my 10th marathon, for mt own amusent I have writen a little somehting about each of the 9 previous marathons that I have run in.

1. Columbus Marathon-Columbus, OH - October 2002

The most memorable of all the marathons that I have run simply because it was the first. I remember being so nervous for this one, I had no idea if could actually run 26.2 miles. It was quite a feeling to find out that I could. I whole experience was just so exciting, and got me hooked on running marathons. The only thing about this marathon fondly is the night after marathon at 3:00 am the fire alarm went off in hotel I was staying at, which meant that I had walk down 4 flights of stairs, the only problem being that well legs were so sore and tight that I could not bend them, ugh.

2. Mississippi Coast Marathon-Waveland, MS - November 2003

Of the 9 marathons that I have run, this was the worst experience. The reason for this is very simple, sudden and intense intestinal distress. Thankfully there were many porta-potties along the course. Because of this experience I know take a preventative Immodeia before each marathon to guarantee that this unpleasant experience will never be repeated.

3. Mardi Gras Marathon - New Orleans, LA - February 2004

The most memorable thing about this race is that it both started and finished in the Superdome. The cool thin was the entire facility was just open, while looking for a restroom without a line a mile long before the race I was able to explore the bowels of the Superdome, which really neat. The actual run was rather unmemorable, for such interesting city the organizers of this race picked out a very mundane course.

4. San Francisco Marathon- San Francisco, CA - August 2004

I happened to be in Sacramento for a weeding the same weekend that this race to place. The only downside was that wedding was the night before the race. This and the fact that we got horribly lost meant that we did not get to hotel until 2:00 am, not ideal for a race with a 6:30 start time. Not to surprisingly I ran the first 20 miles at very slow pace. Then something very surprising happened, at mile 20, the point where I usually hit the wall, I realized that I was actually feeling very good. Shockingly I was able to run each of the next 6 miles progressively faster and set a P.R. by a significant amount. This was also by far the most scenic course I have ever run on, what a neat way to discover San Francisco. This is also the first time a saw the barefoot dude. You got to respect someone who can run a marathon barefooted.

5. Mississippi Coast Marathon - Waveland, MS - November 2004

The only marathon that I have run twice. About 5 minutes before the starting gun went off the heaves opened up and downpour of biblical proportions began. By time it ended about 90 minutes later about 2.5" of rain had fallen. Running in the rain was blast. However when the sun came out for the second half of the race it truly sucked, it was wicked humid, and my clothes and shoes were totally sodden. One neat thing about this course is that it run at NASA rocket engine test faclity which normaly is not the sort of thing you get to see.

6. First Light Marathon - Mobile, AL - January 2005

The best marathon that I have run to date. Mobile turned out to be a surprisingly attractive and interesting city to run through. This is where I set my current P.R. I woke up feeling great that morning and had one of those run where you just feel like you are flying, I smashed by P.R. by 20 minutes and broke the 4 hour barrier a goal that I though I was years away from achieving. This was one of those rare times when absolutely everything went right.

7. Carlsbad Marathon - Carlsbad, CA - January 2006

Without a doubt the good feelings from a Broncos playoff win the night before extend into this race. It was an absolutely stunning oceanside course. Sadly I started off the day with dead legs, that combined with he hills killed any chance a good time. Still this race was a blast.

8. Desert Classic Marathon - Surprise, AZ - February 2006

This race started on the very fringe of suburban Phoenix and ran 13.1 out into the desert and back. I was impressed that they were able cone of 13.1 miles of road. The is hell of a lot of traffic cones. I nearly beat my P.R. on this one so this was a good race.

9. Wyoming Marathon - East of Laramie, WY - May 2006

This race was a total disaster on many levels, yet still wound up being a good time. The disaster began when I left for the race with out my MP3 player. I absolutely can not stand running without and MP3 player, I also forgot a watch so I had no way to pace my self during the race. I also left with the mistake assumption that I would be able to find a place near the race to eat breakfast. As it turns the only place I could find open was a truck stop, not the ideal place to find a quality meal to fuel you for a marathon. I bombed the race I finished a full half hour slower than my slowest time ever. The altitude 0f 8,700 just killed me, as did endlessly long up hill finish. Yet the state park that had the race is was so beautiful that I still had a wonderful time.

Race Week

Only six more days until the Los Angeles Marathon, and I am so excited. One of my favorite things about running in marathons is the week leading up to them. I love the anticipation and preparation, the sense that something big is going to happen soon. I think that this is one of the main reasons that I run in marathons.

Since I have left school and enterd the professional world, weeks seem to run togehther and time just seems to fly by. Not that I am complaining about my life, right now I now love my job and career, but it does tend to turn time into one featurless blur. Having a big event to look forward to and to prepare for allows me to be exlimation points on the passage of time.

Of course I also love the carb loading the occurs during the days leading up to race. My plan this week is to eat box of Macoroni and Cheese everyday for breakfast this week

Zack!

Zack found a volleyball on our run the other day, he carried it two miles home and then proceded to shred it. I love this picture of him though, what a crazed beast.

Half-Birthday

Today is my half birthday, which ordinalarliy would not mean anything to me, until it dawned on mem that being 27 and 1/2 means that I am three quarters done with being in my twenites. Damn, how the hell did that happen. Time is seems like is speeding up, especaily now that I am out of school and no longer on academic caldender. One week just seems to bleed into the next, at faster and faster pace. I wish the county gave a half day off for half bithdays, like they give off whole days for regular birthdays.

Tattoo Lust

This is the design for my next tattoo. The 21 point sun represents the day I got married. The sun because it was the summer solstice. The 3 large points represent the year, 2003, the six larger points the month, June, and all 21 points the day, the 21st. I am not sure what will be in the rest of the design. The thing in the center is an old alchemy symbol for fusion.

As soon as money permits I am going to get this put on the middle of my back. This would be my 4th tattoo. I say it is going to be my last but I am not entirely sure that I believe this. My lust for tattoo seem insatiable.

I am not sure why this is, but it is. I get one then with a few years, I just feel the need to get another one. I wonder if this had any deep meaning. I think about that a lot, but so far I can not come up with anything other than the fact that I really like how tattoo look.

I think that this is coolest design that I have come up with yet. Sigh, why must homeownership be such an expensive propsition

A Pivot Point

Strange to think, but the course of my life could be seriously effected by decision today of some yahoo from Missouri that I have never met before. To make a long story short, a promotional opportunity has sort of come open for me. The previously occupant of the position that I want was suddenly demoted two weeks ago.

Because I have I essentially been doing his job for the better part of a year, I would be a lock for the position if allowed to apply for. The problem is that there was another vacancy in another section, that I have no desire to work for. They had already done interviews for this position when the vacancy in my section came open. Sadly HR considers them to be the same position, so they decreed that they would just use the same pool applicant for both jobs, which meant it was to late for me to apply.

However because they only had 2 applicants for 2 positions, there remains hope for me. If one of them declines the job offer, and apparently the yahoo from Missouri is wavering, then I will be allowed to apply for the job and will almost certainly get it. How long I live in this arid corner of the West is probably now in hands of someone that I have never met. It kind of boggles the mind.

What I Learned About My Profession From a Streetlight

Yesterday I came how to discover a lovely Valentines Day gift from the County, a 40' street light installed a mere 30' from my bedroom window. I across was absolutely livid, prior to this the nearest streetlight was over a half mile away. The night skies were spectacular I was able to see the fainest still stars in the Milky Way, all that has now been washed away in an orange haze.

After I got over my white hot anger, I realized that I could draw a very valuable lesson from this experience. I am an Urban Planner, everyday I help make decisions on regulations and polices that impact people and there homes. For example I am currently preparing a complete revision to the County's Subdivision Development Regulations.

However despite nearly four years of home ownership in two different states, I have never really had the enjoyment of my property effected by a governmental decision. Obviously the built environment around my home was greatly shape by governmental policy, but it had never significantly changed as a result of government policy.

That all changed when as result of a policy in the County Public Works Standards dictated that when a road is widened to certain level that streets light are installed, and a result the character of my backyard was changed forever. It is perfectly justified and sound public policy, but it was shocking at how much personal offense that I took in the installation of that street light. I really felt violated.

I now feel like I have a greater sensitivity to how regulatory and policy decsion that I make, which seem mundane, i.e. that streetlight shall be installed once a roadway reaches a certain classification, can effect people in a very profound and potentially negative way. Hopefully this insight will make me a better planner.

Still I will go to sleep tonight dreaming of a BB gun

A First Post

I have long intended to write a blog, today I decided to take the plunge and do it. Hopefully more interesting posts will follow