Well, I’m back from my big Florida trip. Lots of good stuff.
After packing, making notes, laying out my clothes, and making sure of my flight information, I finally staggered to bed last Wednesday night at about 1:30am. 4:55am came not long after, let me tell you! I managed to give my wife and son quiet kisses and then made it out the door with little trouble. The traffic at that time of day isn’t bad at all, so I made great time to the Park-n-Fly, and checked in at the airport on time. I waited for my friend and colleague, Israel, to show up from his connecting flight, and I worried that he wouldn’t make it. But he hustled down the terminal just in time, and we even managed to sit together on the way out to Tampa.
This weekend was an instructor’s conference. I am one of the founding members of the Shang Wu Association, dedicated to passing on a blend of Master Art D’Agostino’s Praying Mantis Kung Fu and Hong Style Chen Taijiquan, and we were getting together to see how we were doing, to train and talk, and to discuss goals for the coming year.
I had looked forward to this small gathering, and I was not disappointed in the least. We had a fabulous guest instructor, Paul, who spends months at a time in China or in Canada training with Masters Li Enjiu and Joseph Chen. He gave us some great insights into our Chen Taiji training and pushhands, and also some fabulous exercises to improve our taiji. In addition, Master Arthur went over some of our Kung Fu curriculum and cleaned up some things for us.
The main thing that I got from the weekend was a great sense of community, of camaraderie with the other Shang Wu instructors. We also discussed business strategies, and I’m so glad that I have a group that shares my business ethics. It’s not uncommon to see martial arts schools that are making money hand-over-fist, and churning out black belts by the dozen…but one might also notice that the skill levels of those black belts is not really that high, and they are somewhat sneaky in their sales pitches. Other schools turn out fabulous students of extremely high levels of skill and athleticism and fighting ability…but one might also notice that these schools have the fewest students, and are just getting by each month. We believe that one can run a high level martial arts school, and turn out great students, while making a decent living…without ‘screwing’ our students financially. I won’t get into the politics of the whole concept, but I’ll just say that I’m really excited about the coming year, and I’m looking forward to teaching Shang Wu martial arts to my students!
One thing that inevitably happens when we get together is that there ends up being a theme for the weekend. Someone makes a funny comment early on, and it’s repeated in various situations throughout our gathering, to the laughter of everyone involved. This time, we didn’t really end up with one theme but several funny topics of conversation.
Past themes for Shang Wu gatherings (and no, you’re probably not going to understand any of them):
Tombstone. (“Excuse me, but I believe you’re sittin’ in my chair.”)
Cow Tipping. (thanks, Mr. Lawler)
“(Spanish curse here), Barbacoa!”
“You’re gonna make me look at this @!#$?”
Rakka-takka-tak-takka-tat. (It makes it come out easier, I swear!)
And my personal favorite from past gatherings…
“I didn’t think you were gonna kick me!”
This weekend, we covered the following new topics of conversation:
Raheem’s date. (“Did you have anything to drink?” “Yeah…a hiene.”)
“I got my SWEET LEGS!!”
YOOP! SLAP!! YOOP!! SLAP!!
“How’s you’re pimp hand, Joseph?” “Strong, baby…strong!”
The deadly Chi Log.
“That only a .22. I kung fu master! I kill you with my last breath!”
And so it goes. I’m proud to be a part of a group that shares a vision of helping others, teaching solid kung fu…and has a pretty good sense of humor.
On Sunday, I just managed to get through security at the airport in time to make my flight, and I sat next to a thoroughly wonderful woman named Gwen, who had the sweetest Louisiana drawl. After a pleasant flight, I made it back to the car and headed for our first lacrosse game of the season. I was still changing clothes in the parking lot when the first whistle went off, but I didn’t miss much. We were playing Metro, a solid team that gives us trouble if we’re off our game. OK, I’ll say it…we were off our game. First game of the season, and we barely had 14 guys out there. I know that it’ll get better as we go, and I plan to do some damage on the field every chance I get.
I had only managed to lay one fellow out by the end of the third quarter, and I was exhausted! I had just recovered from my half-marathon and a whole weekend of Chen taiji will really take it out of your legs! I recall sitting on my portable stool with my helmet and gloves off, thinking that maybe I should hang it up for the day. I was beyond running at that point, and I felt like I might blow chunks at any moment.
As I considered leaving early, I suddenly became embarrassed. I mean, what kind of example was I setting? What would my students say? “Never quit!”, that’s what they’d say. So I strapped on my helmet, picked up my gloves and stick, and ambled back to the line to go back on the field. My turn came soon enough, and I’m happy to say that I caused some trouble out there. I’m not much on offense right now, but I can still play some decent defense. ;-)
So now I’m home, classes have resumed, and life is generally good. Aside from taxes that were due today and some paint fumes coming from the place downstairs from the school, everything’s cool.
Here’s another little survey. My Mom says she likes them.
1. What is your occupation? Martial Arts Instructor!!
2. What color are your socks right now? White.
3. What are you listening to right now? The rain outside.
4. What was the last thing that you ate? Turkey sandwich.
5. Can you drive a stick shift? Quite well, yes.
6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Green.
7. Last person you spoke to on the phone? Izzy.
8. Do you like the person who sent this to you? I borrowed it from a friend on Myspace…don’t know her well, but she’s cute.
9. How old are you today? 37. All day long.
10. Favorite drink? Ashamed to say that I do enjoy a good Coca-Cola belch.
11. What is your favorite sport to watch? MMA fights.
12. Have you ever colored your hair? Nope.
13. Pets? One beta fish named Willie.
14. Favorite food? Pho Tai with Gui Cuon. Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup with fresh Spring Rolls. Mmmmmmm!!! Honestly, I could have that for lunch every day.
15. What was the last movie you watched? Yellow River Fighter…a classic old Kung Fu movie.
16. What was the last book you read? Probably one of David Gemmell’s books.
17. What do you do, to vent anger? Work out. Breathe. Run. Or head back for more pho.
18. Favorite toy as a child? Star Wars figures….man, those were cool!
19. What is your favorite fall or spring? Fall. It’s such a relief after the scorching hot summer, and I love the deep blue of the sky in October.
20. Hugs or kisses? Both, as often as possible.
21. Cherries or blueberries? Blueberries
22. Do you want your friends to post this? Why not?
23. Who is most likely to respond? Dunno.
24. Who is least likely to respond? Not a clue.
25. Living arrangements? Married, in a house.
26. When was the last time you cried? I’m such a sap, probably during some movie or other.
27. What is on the floor of your closet? Let’s not get into that…
28. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending this to? Not sending to anyone in particular.
29. What did you do last night? Came home early from class, watched shows with my darling wife and went to bed. Nothing fancy.
30. Favorite smells? Usually food related smells are my favorite.
31. What inspires you? Folks who follow a dream, push through adversity to make it happen.
32. What are you afraid of? Nothing comes to mind. I’m sure there’s something.
33. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers? Spicy cheeseburgers. I’ll take two, please.
34. Favorite dog breed? I miss our pugs.
35. Number of keys on your key ring? Less than a dozen, I’d guess.
36. How many years at your current job? I opened our school in December, 2003, but I’ve been a teacher for a long time.
37. Favorite day of the week? Sunday…family day!
38. How many states have you lived? 1
Be good, everyone!
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Just a little survey.
1. Who is the next person you'll hold hands with?
Probably Connor, especially if we have to walk across a parking lot or street.
2. Do you sleep with the TV on?
Sleep? No. Nap? Oh, yes.
3. Have you ever drank milk straight out of the carton?
No
4. What did you do today?
So far, I’ve only had breakfast and I’m checking my messages.
5. How fast can you type?
Not sure. But I competed in typing in High School, so I’m still pretty fast.
6. Eye color?
Hazel.
7. Do you like your life right now?
Oh, yes…it’s pretty darned cool!
8. When's the last time you chose a bath over a shower?
Wow, I don’t remember. I know that I have, but it must have been long ago.
9. Do you knock on wood?
Occasionally.
10. Are you drinking anything right now?
No
11. Do you have good vision?
One eye is fine, the other’s a bit off.
12. Can you hula hoop?
Surprisingly, not very well.
13. Could you ever forgive a cheater?
Maybe. Maybe not. Depends.
14. What are you thinking about right now?
My plans for the day.
15. A movie you watched when you were little
The Muppet Movie.
16. What song's in your head right now?
Christina Aguilera’s “Ain’t No Other Man.”
17. What are you doing next week?
Similar to this week. Work out, teach class, fight with the housework.
18. Plans for today?
Visit my sis-in-law to help her with Ebay.
19. what color are ur underwear?
Blue.
20. Name some places you've gone.
Mostly Texas cities…I don’t get out much.
21. When was the last time you told someone "I love you"?
Earlier this morning.
22. Last stupid thing you did drunk?
I have never been drunk.
23. How are you feeling today?
Happy.
24. Are you black?
Not to my knowledge.
25. Have you ever been suspended or expelled from school?
No.
26. Have you ever crawled through a window?
Not lately, but yes.
27. What's for lunch?
Depends on where sis-in-law wants to go.
28. Have you ever eaten dog food?
No. Geez, that’s gross!
29. Can you handle the truth?
Generally speaking, yes.
30. What did you do last night?
Watched ‘Heroes’ after teaching class.
31. Buy anything lately?
No.
32. Any cool scars?
Nothing too interesting.
33. Name an old school song you like?
’I Can Dream About You’ by Dan Hartman
34. How many kids do you plan on having?
1, maybe 2.
35. Do you want to get married?
Already married
36. How often do you talk on the phone?
Often.
37. Do you talk to yourself?
Yes.
38. Is there something you want that you can't have?
More sleep would be nice.
39. Name five things about the opposite sex that you first notice...
1. The way they move.
2. Smile
3. Eyes
4. Shape
5. Smell
40. How do you feel about the word wawa?
Um…do what now?
41. Name a fault?
Always fighting procrastination.
42. What was the last thing you ate?
Cereal.
43. Something pretty you've seen lately?
My darling wife smiled at me last night.
44. Last movie watched?
Arthur and the Invisibles
45. What do you want to hear?
The wind in the trees.
46. What do you want most?
A home on the edge of town with enough land around it that I can feel like I finally have some elbow room.
Probably Connor, especially if we have to walk across a parking lot or street.
2. Do you sleep with the TV on?
Sleep? No. Nap? Oh, yes.
3. Have you ever drank milk straight out of the carton?
No
4. What did you do today?
So far, I’ve only had breakfast and I’m checking my messages.
5. How fast can you type?
Not sure. But I competed in typing in High School, so I’m still pretty fast.
6. Eye color?
Hazel.
7. Do you like your life right now?
Oh, yes…it’s pretty darned cool!
8. When's the last time you chose a bath over a shower?
Wow, I don’t remember. I know that I have, but it must have been long ago.
9. Do you knock on wood?
Occasionally.
10. Are you drinking anything right now?
No
11. Do you have good vision?
One eye is fine, the other’s a bit off.
12. Can you hula hoop?
Surprisingly, not very well.
13. Could you ever forgive a cheater?
Maybe. Maybe not. Depends.
14. What are you thinking about right now?
My plans for the day.
15. A movie you watched when you were little
The Muppet Movie.
16. What song's in your head right now?
Christina Aguilera’s “Ain’t No Other Man.”
17. What are you doing next week?
Similar to this week. Work out, teach class, fight with the housework.
18. Plans for today?
Visit my sis-in-law to help her with Ebay.
19. what color are ur underwear?
Blue.
20. Name some places you've gone.
Mostly Texas cities…I don’t get out much.
21. When was the last time you told someone "I love you"?
Earlier this morning.
22. Last stupid thing you did drunk?
I have never been drunk.
23. How are you feeling today?
Happy.
24. Are you black?
Not to my knowledge.
25. Have you ever been suspended or expelled from school?
No.
26. Have you ever crawled through a window?
Not lately, but yes.
27. What's for lunch?
Depends on where sis-in-law wants to go.
28. Have you ever eaten dog food?
No. Geez, that’s gross!
29. Can you handle the truth?
Generally speaking, yes.
30. What did you do last night?
Watched ‘Heroes’ after teaching class.
31. Buy anything lately?
No.
32. Any cool scars?
Nothing too interesting.
33. Name an old school song you like?
’I Can Dream About You’ by Dan Hartman
34. How many kids do you plan on having?
1, maybe 2.
35. Do you want to get married?
Already married
36. How often do you talk on the phone?
Often.
37. Do you talk to yourself?
Yes.
38. Is there something you want that you can't have?
More sleep would be nice.
39. Name five things about the opposite sex that you first notice...
1. The way they move.
2. Smile
3. Eyes
4. Shape
5. Smell
40. How do you feel about the word wawa?
Um…do what now?
41. Name a fault?
Always fighting procrastination.
42. What was the last thing you ate?
Cereal.
43. Something pretty you've seen lately?
My darling wife smiled at me last night.
44. Last movie watched?
Arthur and the Invisibles
45. What do you want to hear?
The wind in the trees.
46. What do you want most?
A home on the edge of town with enough land around it that I can feel like I finally have some elbow room.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Finished the Race!!
Well, I achieved two goals yesterday. (1) I finished another Half-Marathon. (2) I did better than I did last year. It was only by one minute, but it was still better! Here’s how the whole thing went…
My good friend Brian showed up on Saturday. We had originally planned to run this race together as we did last year, but a nagging calf injury kept him out of it this time. Even so, he braved the oncoming bad weather just to come out and support me. True friend, that one. Anyway, we drove out to the George R. Brown Convention Center to pick up my race packet. That’s the thing that has my race number, timing chip, last minute race info, all that stuff. I had received an official confirmation card recently that was necessary for me to pick up my packet, and after I grabbed it from the house, we were off to the GRB.
Now, it’s been awhile since I’ve been in downtown Houston, but normally, my navigational skills are pretty good. I said “normally.” This time, we ended up driving around Rice University and the zoo for awhile before I bought a map and plotted a new course to our destination. My wife is still laughing at me for that one. In spite of this minor foul-up, we found a parking spot and I looked around for the confirmation card…no luck. I checked the glove compartment and around the seats. No card. We got out of the card and started digging around my car (which is not the best organized on the road) and came up with nothing. I was certain that I had brought it, but it was nowhere to be found. There wasn’t enough time to head home and print a new one from my email and come back before registration would close.
I was somewhat peeved at this point, more about the fact that I just knew that I had brought the card, but couldn’t find it at all. Brian suggested that this had certainly happened before, and that they probably had provisions for such in the convention center. So we headed towards the GRB. As we got closer, we saw a patrol officer ticketing cars, so Brian offered to go back and watch the car and move it if necessary so I could get my situation handled.
Sure enough, they had a large sign at one corner of the Expo that said REPLACEMENT CONFIRMATION CARDS. Problem solved. I picked up my packet, met up with Brian (who said our car was fine), and wandered around the booths for awhile. Since it was the end of the two day Expo, there were some really good deals to be had on shoes, running gear, and such, but we just browsed around before heading home. And we didn’t get lost this time.
Wanna hear the funny part? When we got back to the car, and I sat in the driver’s seat and pulled on my seat belt, I happened to glance up…and found that I had stuck the confirmation card into my sun visor. So I wouldn’t lose it. We laughed until our stomachs hurt.
Then began the search for an mp3 player. My fabulous Mom bought me a doozie of one for Christmas, but neither of us knew that my computer system wouldn’t support it without an upgrade (and that’s a whole other story). So, I was searching for a cheap player that had certain features. (1) Cheap. (2) Must hold at least 2.5 hours of songs (3) Cheap. (4) A shuffle feature. And (5) It had to work with my freakin’ computer. I mentioned the plan to my wife, and she’s now inheriting the player as soon as I get my machine fixed so I can use the one Mom gave me. Anyway, back to the story…
We tried Best Buy…Sam’s Club…Wal Mart…and found exactly what I needed at, of all places, Academy. There was some discussion of finding an armband, but I figured that I had an ordinary sweatband at home that would work just fine. (It did.) So we went home for a big pasta dinner, and early to bed…well, almost. I went to bed at around 1am after loading my new mp3 player, making sure that my clothes were laid out, my bag was packed, and that my race stuff was all set to go.
I carefully set the alarm to go off at 5am…or so I thought. It went off at 4am. Ouch. I reset it, dozed for a bit, and then up again and tearing around the house getting ready to go. This time, we drove straight to one of the designated parking garages, walked to the GRB, and I readied myself for the race, with Brian taking some pics and video.
Here’s a tip for all you marathon runners out there…if you use one of the available port-a-potties at the race site, make sure and shut the latch. I surprised some poor guy as he was taking his pre-race wee-wee. We did not catch this part on video. The weather was warmer than last year, but damp, and we were hoping the knock the race out before the really nasty weather came in.
So I stretched out, got all my stuff ready, waved to the camera, and entered the corral that would funnel me out at the starting gate. I walked with the other runners for awhile and realized that my shoes were tied a bit looser than I’d like. I stooped to tie them, and heard the starting cannon BOOM somewhere up ahead of me. Not a very auspicious start to the race. But then, it’s timed by the special chip that was tied into my shoelaces, not by the gun. So I got my shoes fixed up, and then started jogging with the others to the starting line.
SO MANY PEOPLE! This year, both the full marathon and the half- were at full capacity, so there were 15,000 people on the road with me. Wow. And most of them were wearing mp3 players. So there! Many folks run for fun, some to test themselves, some for more special reasons…I saw many shirts that displayed those reasons…loved ones, charities, organizations. It was all way cool. Seeing the vast, bobbing sea of runners as we ran over the Elysian Viaduct is always a moving experience.
The first few miles were fine. Breathing…check. Legs…check. Feet…uh, oh. My left foot was already starting to get that burning feeling that means something’s up. By mile 5, it was starting to get ugly. At that point, I felt like I had to make a choice: do I keep running on this thing, knowing that I’m probably going to blister the hooey out of my foot, or do I quit?
I didn’t quit.
I decided, with the help of the heavy metal blaring in my ears, that I could fix my foot later. But the race was going on right at that moment, and I wouldn’t have another chance at it ‘til next year. So I ignored it and pushed on. Eventually, that pain faded into all the other general noise and feedback that I was receiving, so it wasn’t a big deal.
And the rest of the race went by without incident. The weather turned out to be perfect for running. Even so, I discovered that my legs are not as conditioned as I had hoped, and I had to walk a few times, but I kept moving forward. “Run, walk, stagger, or crawl” is my motto, and I kept it to the first two. The weather was great, the fans were yelling, and I had music to listen to as I made the turn just before mile 9…that’s where the Half-marathoners start to head back to the finish line and the Full-marathoners just keep….on….going. My hat’s off to them…I think I’ll stick with the shorter race.
I continued my run, run, run, walk, run, run, run, walk, pace until somewhere between mile 11 and 12, just as we headed back into the downtown area. I decided at that point that I would not walk again, no matter what. I was going to finish those last 2+ miles at a run. OK, so it was a slow run, but it was still a run, dang it! And so I plodded on.
Folks around me started to pick up speed as we started running between the skyscrapers and we could hear the huge crowd roaring for us in the distance. I did not pick up speed. I do recall my left hamstring saying something like “Dude…what’s up? Um…we’re having an issue here…could you stop for a minute? Please? No? Hmm…well, OK, I’ll just talk to you later, then. Be cool.” I recall being thankful that I’d made my post-race massage appointment over two months ago, and I just kept running.
In talking with my students, I had joked that, if I had the strength at the end of the race, I would do a race-finish-dance that would be worthy of Youtube. Sorry, folks. No disco here. No running man, no MC Hammer, nothing. I simply raised my arms after I crossed the line, and then I did manage to throw a few punches. Amazingly, my darling wife caught me on TV behind the commentators. Cool!
The walk from the finish line to the GRB is a slow one, worthy of any zombie movie of your choice. Some folks are on the verge of passing out, some are exultant, and then there are folks like me who just amble slowly along. Inside, I received my finisher’s medal (destined for my son’s neck), picked up my bag, and stood in line for my finisher’s shirt. I noticed a little girl standing next to me…maybe ten years old. She had also finished the Half-Marathon. And I think she beat me. Wow. Good for her!
Got my shirt, found my friend Brian, and collapsed on the floor where no one would step on me. It took awhile for me to get my shoes off and see the blister…no, that doesn’t do it justice. The THUNDEROUS BLISTER OF DOOM that had actually doubled the size of my pinky toe. I changed into some dry clothes, slowly packed up, and we walked back to the parking garage. OK, Brian walked, I hobbled/limped. Crossing the street was fun, as I had to stop in the middle of it to rest. I heard some folks laughing, but they were hobbling too, so we all just laughed and waved.
From there, we went and had pho at my favorite local restaurant, Pho Mai. That’s at Westgreen and I-10 in Katy, next to Slick Willies. I ate just about double what I usually get, and it was great. After a shower back at the house, we went for the post-race massage.
Amy is my favorite massage therapist. She’s a good friend of ours, and a friend of Jade Mountain. She’s used to me, and knows how to keep me functional. And this time, she absolutely tore me up. I got more of a workout from squirming around on her table as she dug her elbows into my calves and hamstrings than I had during the race! Yeowch!!! But I know the drill, and after surviving that ordeal, I’m feeling much, much better today. The blister of doom is already almost healed, I’m sore, but not dead, and all is right with the world. I’m ready for next year.
Things I learned during this experience:
1. When choosing music for your race, certain songs should be omitted. Honestly.
2. Hindu squats are necessary for next year’s race. I haven’t been training them as hard as I should, and I could tell the difference. Breathing was fine, but the legs gave out.
3. It’s time for a new race outfit. I looked like a dork.
4. It is more fun to run with someone than alone. So I’m looking for someone who could maintain a ten-minute mile pace with me next year.
5. It’s also time for new socks. Blisters suck.
6. I love this race. Absolutely. It is a total blast, the energy is amazing, and it’s a fabulous experience. Next year, I will sponsor at least two other runners to run this race, no matter their pace or experience. More on that later.
7. I already knew this, but my buddy, Brian, is a true friend. He drove all the way down here just to support me. Thanks, man.
So that’s it. My tale of the race. There’s more, of course, but I’ve got to get some lunch for my son, and there are things to do around here on the cold, rainy MLK Day. Have fun, everybody!
My good friend Brian showed up on Saturday. We had originally planned to run this race together as we did last year, but a nagging calf injury kept him out of it this time. Even so, he braved the oncoming bad weather just to come out and support me. True friend, that one. Anyway, we drove out to the George R. Brown Convention Center to pick up my race packet. That’s the thing that has my race number, timing chip, last minute race info, all that stuff. I had received an official confirmation card recently that was necessary for me to pick up my packet, and after I grabbed it from the house, we were off to the GRB.
Now, it’s been awhile since I’ve been in downtown Houston, but normally, my navigational skills are pretty good. I said “normally.” This time, we ended up driving around Rice University and the zoo for awhile before I bought a map and plotted a new course to our destination. My wife is still laughing at me for that one. In spite of this minor foul-up, we found a parking spot and I looked around for the confirmation card…no luck. I checked the glove compartment and around the seats. No card. We got out of the card and started digging around my car (which is not the best organized on the road) and came up with nothing. I was certain that I had brought it, but it was nowhere to be found. There wasn’t enough time to head home and print a new one from my email and come back before registration would close.
I was somewhat peeved at this point, more about the fact that I just knew that I had brought the card, but couldn’t find it at all. Brian suggested that this had certainly happened before, and that they probably had provisions for such in the convention center. So we headed towards the GRB. As we got closer, we saw a patrol officer ticketing cars, so Brian offered to go back and watch the car and move it if necessary so I could get my situation handled.
Sure enough, they had a large sign at one corner of the Expo that said REPLACEMENT CONFIRMATION CARDS. Problem solved. I picked up my packet, met up with Brian (who said our car was fine), and wandered around the booths for awhile. Since it was the end of the two day Expo, there were some really good deals to be had on shoes, running gear, and such, but we just browsed around before heading home. And we didn’t get lost this time.
Wanna hear the funny part? When we got back to the car, and I sat in the driver’s seat and pulled on my seat belt, I happened to glance up…and found that I had stuck the confirmation card into my sun visor. So I wouldn’t lose it. We laughed until our stomachs hurt.
Then began the search for an mp3 player. My fabulous Mom bought me a doozie of one for Christmas, but neither of us knew that my computer system wouldn’t support it without an upgrade (and that’s a whole other story). So, I was searching for a cheap player that had certain features. (1) Cheap. (2) Must hold at least 2.5 hours of songs (3) Cheap. (4) A shuffle feature. And (5) It had to work with my freakin’ computer. I mentioned the plan to my wife, and she’s now inheriting the player as soon as I get my machine fixed so I can use the one Mom gave me. Anyway, back to the story…
We tried Best Buy…Sam’s Club…Wal Mart…and found exactly what I needed at, of all places, Academy. There was some discussion of finding an armband, but I figured that I had an ordinary sweatband at home that would work just fine. (It did.) So we went home for a big pasta dinner, and early to bed…well, almost. I went to bed at around 1am after loading my new mp3 player, making sure that my clothes were laid out, my bag was packed, and that my race stuff was all set to go.
I carefully set the alarm to go off at 5am…or so I thought. It went off at 4am. Ouch. I reset it, dozed for a bit, and then up again and tearing around the house getting ready to go. This time, we drove straight to one of the designated parking garages, walked to the GRB, and I readied myself for the race, with Brian taking some pics and video.
Here’s a tip for all you marathon runners out there…if you use one of the available port-a-potties at the race site, make sure and shut the latch. I surprised some poor guy as he was taking his pre-race wee-wee. We did not catch this part on video. The weather was warmer than last year, but damp, and we were hoping the knock the race out before the really nasty weather came in.
So I stretched out, got all my stuff ready, waved to the camera, and entered the corral that would funnel me out at the starting gate. I walked with the other runners for awhile and realized that my shoes were tied a bit looser than I’d like. I stooped to tie them, and heard the starting cannon BOOM somewhere up ahead of me. Not a very auspicious start to the race. But then, it’s timed by the special chip that was tied into my shoelaces, not by the gun. So I got my shoes fixed up, and then started jogging with the others to the starting line.
SO MANY PEOPLE! This year, both the full marathon and the half- were at full capacity, so there were 15,000 people on the road with me. Wow. And most of them were wearing mp3 players. So there! Many folks run for fun, some to test themselves, some for more special reasons…I saw many shirts that displayed those reasons…loved ones, charities, organizations. It was all way cool. Seeing the vast, bobbing sea of runners as we ran over the Elysian Viaduct is always a moving experience.
The first few miles were fine. Breathing…check. Legs…check. Feet…uh, oh. My left foot was already starting to get that burning feeling that means something’s up. By mile 5, it was starting to get ugly. At that point, I felt like I had to make a choice: do I keep running on this thing, knowing that I’m probably going to blister the hooey out of my foot, or do I quit?
I didn’t quit.
I decided, with the help of the heavy metal blaring in my ears, that I could fix my foot later. But the race was going on right at that moment, and I wouldn’t have another chance at it ‘til next year. So I ignored it and pushed on. Eventually, that pain faded into all the other general noise and feedback that I was receiving, so it wasn’t a big deal.
And the rest of the race went by without incident. The weather turned out to be perfect for running. Even so, I discovered that my legs are not as conditioned as I had hoped, and I had to walk a few times, but I kept moving forward. “Run, walk, stagger, or crawl” is my motto, and I kept it to the first two. The weather was great, the fans were yelling, and I had music to listen to as I made the turn just before mile 9…that’s where the Half-marathoners start to head back to the finish line and the Full-marathoners just keep….on….going. My hat’s off to them…I think I’ll stick with the shorter race.
I continued my run, run, run, walk, run, run, run, walk, pace until somewhere between mile 11 and 12, just as we headed back into the downtown area. I decided at that point that I would not walk again, no matter what. I was going to finish those last 2+ miles at a run. OK, so it was a slow run, but it was still a run, dang it! And so I plodded on.
Folks around me started to pick up speed as we started running between the skyscrapers and we could hear the huge crowd roaring for us in the distance. I did not pick up speed. I do recall my left hamstring saying something like “Dude…what’s up? Um…we’re having an issue here…could you stop for a minute? Please? No? Hmm…well, OK, I’ll just talk to you later, then. Be cool.” I recall being thankful that I’d made my post-race massage appointment over two months ago, and I just kept running.
In talking with my students, I had joked that, if I had the strength at the end of the race, I would do a race-finish-dance that would be worthy of Youtube. Sorry, folks. No disco here. No running man, no MC Hammer, nothing. I simply raised my arms after I crossed the line, and then I did manage to throw a few punches. Amazingly, my darling wife caught me on TV behind the commentators. Cool!
The walk from the finish line to the GRB is a slow one, worthy of any zombie movie of your choice. Some folks are on the verge of passing out, some are exultant, and then there are folks like me who just amble slowly along. Inside, I received my finisher’s medal (destined for my son’s neck), picked up my bag, and stood in line for my finisher’s shirt. I noticed a little girl standing next to me…maybe ten years old. She had also finished the Half-Marathon. And I think she beat me. Wow. Good for her!
Got my shirt, found my friend Brian, and collapsed on the floor where no one would step on me. It took awhile for me to get my shoes off and see the blister…no, that doesn’t do it justice. The THUNDEROUS BLISTER OF DOOM that had actually doubled the size of my pinky toe. I changed into some dry clothes, slowly packed up, and we walked back to the parking garage. OK, Brian walked, I hobbled/limped. Crossing the street was fun, as I had to stop in the middle of it to rest. I heard some folks laughing, but they were hobbling too, so we all just laughed and waved.
From there, we went and had pho at my favorite local restaurant, Pho Mai. That’s at Westgreen and I-10 in Katy, next to Slick Willies. I ate just about double what I usually get, and it was great. After a shower back at the house, we went for the post-race massage.
Amy is my favorite massage therapist. She’s a good friend of ours, and a friend of Jade Mountain. She’s used to me, and knows how to keep me functional. And this time, she absolutely tore me up. I got more of a workout from squirming around on her table as she dug her elbows into my calves and hamstrings than I had during the race! Yeowch!!! But I know the drill, and after surviving that ordeal, I’m feeling much, much better today. The blister of doom is already almost healed, I’m sore, but not dead, and all is right with the world. I’m ready for next year.
Things I learned during this experience:
1. When choosing music for your race, certain songs should be omitted. Honestly.
2. Hindu squats are necessary for next year’s race. I haven’t been training them as hard as I should, and I could tell the difference. Breathing was fine, but the legs gave out.
3. It’s time for a new race outfit. I looked like a dork.
4. It is more fun to run with someone than alone. So I’m looking for someone who could maintain a ten-minute mile pace with me next year.
5. It’s also time for new socks. Blisters suck.
6. I love this race. Absolutely. It is a total blast, the energy is amazing, and it’s a fabulous experience. Next year, I will sponsor at least two other runners to run this race, no matter their pace or experience. More on that later.
7. I already knew this, but my buddy, Brian, is a true friend. He drove all the way down here just to support me. Thanks, man.
So that’s it. My tale of the race. There’s more, of course, but I’ve got to get some lunch for my son, and there are things to do around here on the cold, rainy MLK Day. Have fun, everybody!
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Running Strawberries and such...
Just got in from a shorter run…3 miles at an easy 9 minute pace. My calves have been barking at me for the last few weeks, so I’ll probably go in for a massage between now and the weekend. The race is almost here! I’m pretty excited about it. I don’t know that I’ll be able to beat my first time of 2:10:46. Holy crap, how did I do that? The next year was considerably slower due to the onset of my asthma…2:24:13. If I can keep it at or under a 10 minute per mile pace this year, I’ll meet my best time. Or not. Just depends on whether I pass out on the road or manage to keep my feet moving.
They are officially discouraging the use of headphones and portable music devices this year, but have stated that they won’t yank runners off the course for wearing them. Considering that I’ve seen folks running this race dressed up as giant strawberries, I figure my mp3 player won’t cause too much of a fuss, and that’s only if I can get the thing working in time for the race. The first two times I ran, I was adamant that I wanted to explore my mind/body connection, to feel every breath and footstep during the race, to truly experience the grueling challenge of running such a long distance. This year, I just want to hear the theme from Rocky as I roll towards the finish line. And Cameo’s ‘Word Up’ at some point along the course, just to make me smile instead of holding that runner’s scowl that I’m so prone to wearing. By the way, my bib number is 22999, in case you want to track my progress.
In other news, I surprised my wife yesterday by cleaning out the clutter in our bedroom. It still needs some work, but I’m pleased with the progress I made in there. She got home with our monkey well after dark, and I guessed correctly that she’d have plopped down on the couch with him to recover from the day without ever going back to the bedroom. So during one of our phone conversations, I casually asked her to go and pick up a set of spare keys that I had left in there…she was thrilled! Ah, happy day.
I’ll be heading out to Florida to train with my Sifu, Art D’Agostino at the end of the month. I’m looking forward to it, since I need some work on a few things, and since our meetings always leave me energized and ready to implement some new technique at our school. The day I get back, I also have a lacrosse game, so I’ll basically go straight from the plane to the field. I’ve been waiting for our season to start ever since the playoffs ended last spring, so look out!
Have a happy day, all.
They are officially discouraging the use of headphones and portable music devices this year, but have stated that they won’t yank runners off the course for wearing them. Considering that I’ve seen folks running this race dressed up as giant strawberries, I figure my mp3 player won’t cause too much of a fuss, and that’s only if I can get the thing working in time for the race. The first two times I ran, I was adamant that I wanted to explore my mind/body connection, to feel every breath and footstep during the race, to truly experience the grueling challenge of running such a long distance. This year, I just want to hear the theme from Rocky as I roll towards the finish line. And Cameo’s ‘Word Up’ at some point along the course, just to make me smile instead of holding that runner’s scowl that I’m so prone to wearing. By the way, my bib number is 22999, in case you want to track my progress.
In other news, I surprised my wife yesterday by cleaning out the clutter in our bedroom. It still needs some work, but I’m pleased with the progress I made in there. She got home with our monkey well after dark, and I guessed correctly that she’d have plopped down on the couch with him to recover from the day without ever going back to the bedroom. So during one of our phone conversations, I casually asked her to go and pick up a set of spare keys that I had left in there…she was thrilled! Ah, happy day.
I’ll be heading out to Florida to train with my Sifu, Art D’Agostino at the end of the month. I’m looking forward to it, since I need some work on a few things, and since our meetings always leave me energized and ready to implement some new technique at our school. The day I get back, I also have a lacrosse game, so I’ll basically go straight from the plane to the field. I’ve been waiting for our season to start ever since the playoffs ended last spring, so look out!
Have a happy day, all.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Big, Honkin' Survey
Well, my Mom complained that I don't update my blog enough. So here's a little something:
Big Honkin' Survey
What do you wanna be when you grow up? I’m already a martial arts instructor. To me, that’s way cool.
Is 30 old? Man, I’m just getting started, and 40 is closing fast. So, no.
What's your major? Martial Arts.
Do you have a crush on anyone? Nope.
What's the prettiest part of your body? My wife says she loves my hands and butt.
What celebrity would you shag? Let me get back to you on that…
Have you shagged any celebrities? No.
Have you met any celebrities? Olivia Newton-John. What a cutie!
Do you think you'll ever get married? Twice. Second time’s the charm.
What do you want your wedding song to be? We walked to our wedding site to the theme from Braveheart.
If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would you go? I’ve always wanted to visit Scotland, but it’s awfully cold there just now. Maybe the Grand Canyon.
If you were stranded on a desert island,what 2 things would you take with you? A Cold Steel Trailmaster knife, and a satellite phone.
What is your favorite club? I kind of like the big wooden ones that have nails on the business end and a good grip on the other end.
Movie you wished you had starred in? The Matrix trilogy or any of the Star Wars movies.
Any other celebrities you would shag? Still working on that. Most of them are just too slender for me.
Who is the coolest person you know? That’d be my wife. Honestly.
Who do you know of that you wanna meet, but you've never met? I’d enjoy meeting Randy Couture.
Whats the best class you ever took? I really enjoyed Tumbling in college. Lots of cute girls.
What's the best job you've ever had? I’m in it right now. Martial arts instructor.
Is there someone that you can’t stop thinking about that doesn’t know it? Nope.
What song is in your head right now? Hang on while I listen….OK, it’s apparently ‘Ain’t No Other Man’ by Christina Aguilera. No, I don’t know why.
What did you eat for breakfast this morning? Eggs with cheese on toast.
Do you love your mom? Do you love your dad? Do you love your siblings? Yes, to all three.
Do you get along better with men or women? Usually women. I don’t have much in common with most guys.
Plain or peanut? Plain
Smooth or crunchy? Crunchy
White or wheat? Wheat
Coldplay or Nivana? Do what now?
Purple or Chartruese? Definitely Purple
Aliens or Ghosts? Both
Do you believe in ghosts? Yes, of course.
Favorite movie? Just one?
Favorite drink? That’s bad for me…coke.
Favorite alchoholic drink? I almost never drink alcohol.
Favorite mixed drink? See above.
Favorite city? I’m pretty partial to Katy.
Favorite store? Half.com
Favorite sport? Lacrosse and MMA fighting.
Vices? Chocolate and sodas.
Addictions? None, really.
Favorite food? Pho tai with goi cuon.
Favorite animal? I like pugs.
Best friends name(s)? I talk to Brian and Larry almost every day. I’m always amazed at their tolerance of my foibles.
Have you ever thrown up on someone really hot? Uh…no.
Has anyone really hot ever thrown up on you? No. I don’t go to parties much.
Have you ever been to Mexico? Yes, twice.
Do you obsess over little things? Occasionally.
Do you have any tattoos? Not unless you count the happy face my son drew on me once.
Do you have any piercings? Nope.
What is your ethnic background? Vaguely Scottish and Mexican. Go figure.
Name three sexy people's myspace names. Trouble here…
Have you ever broken anyones heart? Unfortunately, yes.
Has anyone ever broken your heart? Yes, of course.
Do you refer to anyone as "the one that got away"? No, not really. Although there was that gorgeous young lady from Tumbling that was interested in me…and I didn’t realize it until years later. Man, what an idiot!
Have you slept with anyone that is on myspace? My wife’s on there, so yes.
Did you think that that question was a little too personal? Probably, but it’s no biggie.
Republican or democrat? Actually, I’d like to slap almost every politician I’ve ever heard of.
Liberal or conservative? Probably more liberal.
What's your favorite word? Monkey. It’s just a funny sounding word.
Who is the hottest woman/man in the world? I’m still working on the whole celebrity thing, so I’ll get back to you.
Who would you kill if your morals would allow? Amazingly, my hit list has vanished.
What's your favorite restaurant? Pho Mai in Katy on Westgreen and I-10. I’d be there right now, if I could.
What color are your underwear right now? Let’s see…looks like blue.
If you could join one band, what would it be? If you could resurrect one band, who would it be? Easy…I’d be a roadie for the Go-Go’s back in the 80’s.
Favorite male vocalist? Chris Daughtry’s been impressive lately.
Favorite female vocalist? Amy Lee from Evanescence.
Favorite athlete? Randy Couture
Favorite body part on a guy/girl? OK, I’m blushing now.
What your ideal mate should look like? Like my wife.
What your ideal mate should act like? Like my wife.
What your ideal mate should be interested in? She’s entered a career in Montessori teaching, and she’s loving it. It also helps that she’s interested in me.
How he/she should propose. I took care of that already.
What band does your ideal mate absolutely have to love? She can love whatever band she likes…that’s her prerogative.
What can your ideal mate not do? Well, she had to give up running with the bulls due to bad knees.
Give 10 initials (max) of the boys/girls first names that you want. Do what now?? 10 kids? I don’t want 10 kids!!
Do you believe in soul mates? Wholeheartedly.
Do you love yourself? Yes. Although forgiving myself is sometimes a challenge.
Do you love your friends? Yes.
Who do you love the most in the whole wide world? My wife and son.
Big Honkin' Survey
What do you wanna be when you grow up? I’m already a martial arts instructor. To me, that’s way cool.
Is 30 old? Man, I’m just getting started, and 40 is closing fast. So, no.
What's your major? Martial Arts.
Do you have a crush on anyone? Nope.
What's the prettiest part of your body? My wife says she loves my hands and butt.
What celebrity would you shag? Let me get back to you on that…
Have you shagged any celebrities? No.
Have you met any celebrities? Olivia Newton-John. What a cutie!
Do you think you'll ever get married? Twice. Second time’s the charm.
What do you want your wedding song to be? We walked to our wedding site to the theme from Braveheart.
If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would you go? I’ve always wanted to visit Scotland, but it’s awfully cold there just now. Maybe the Grand Canyon.
If you were stranded on a desert island,what 2 things would you take with you? A Cold Steel Trailmaster knife, and a satellite phone.
What is your favorite club? I kind of like the big wooden ones that have nails on the business end and a good grip on the other end.
Movie you wished you had starred in? The Matrix trilogy or any of the Star Wars movies.
Any other celebrities you would shag? Still working on that. Most of them are just too slender for me.
Who is the coolest person you know? That’d be my wife. Honestly.
Who do you know of that you wanna meet, but you've never met? I’d enjoy meeting Randy Couture.
Whats the best class you ever took? I really enjoyed Tumbling in college. Lots of cute girls.
What's the best job you've ever had? I’m in it right now. Martial arts instructor.
Is there someone that you can’t stop thinking about that doesn’t know it? Nope.
What song is in your head right now? Hang on while I listen….OK, it’s apparently ‘Ain’t No Other Man’ by Christina Aguilera. No, I don’t know why.
What did you eat for breakfast this morning? Eggs with cheese on toast.
Do you love your mom? Do you love your dad? Do you love your siblings? Yes, to all three.
Do you get along better with men or women? Usually women. I don’t have much in common with most guys.
Plain or peanut? Plain
Smooth or crunchy? Crunchy
White or wheat? Wheat
Coldplay or Nivana? Do what now?
Purple or Chartruese? Definitely Purple
Aliens or Ghosts? Both
Do you believe in ghosts? Yes, of course.
Favorite movie? Just one?
Favorite drink? That’s bad for me…coke.
Favorite alchoholic drink? I almost never drink alcohol.
Favorite mixed drink? See above.
Favorite city? I’m pretty partial to Katy.
Favorite store? Half.com
Favorite sport? Lacrosse and MMA fighting.
Vices? Chocolate and sodas.
Addictions? None, really.
Favorite food? Pho tai with goi cuon.
Favorite animal? I like pugs.
Best friends name(s)? I talk to Brian and Larry almost every day. I’m always amazed at their tolerance of my foibles.
Have you ever thrown up on someone really hot? Uh…no.
Has anyone really hot ever thrown up on you? No. I don’t go to parties much.
Have you ever been to Mexico? Yes, twice.
Do you obsess over little things? Occasionally.
Do you have any tattoos? Not unless you count the happy face my son drew on me once.
Do you have any piercings? Nope.
What is your ethnic background? Vaguely Scottish and Mexican. Go figure.
Name three sexy people's myspace names. Trouble here…
Have you ever broken anyones heart? Unfortunately, yes.
Has anyone ever broken your heart? Yes, of course.
Do you refer to anyone as "the one that got away"? No, not really. Although there was that gorgeous young lady from Tumbling that was interested in me…and I didn’t realize it until years later. Man, what an idiot!
Have you slept with anyone that is on myspace? My wife’s on there, so yes.
Did you think that that question was a little too personal? Probably, but it’s no biggie.
Republican or democrat? Actually, I’d like to slap almost every politician I’ve ever heard of.
Liberal or conservative? Probably more liberal.
What's your favorite word? Monkey. It’s just a funny sounding word.
Who is the hottest woman/man in the world? I’m still working on the whole celebrity thing, so I’ll get back to you.
Who would you kill if your morals would allow? Amazingly, my hit list has vanished.
What's your favorite restaurant? Pho Mai in Katy on Westgreen and I-10. I’d be there right now, if I could.
What color are your underwear right now? Let’s see…looks like blue.
If you could join one band, what would it be? If you could resurrect one band, who would it be? Easy…I’d be a roadie for the Go-Go’s back in the 80’s.
Favorite male vocalist? Chris Daughtry’s been impressive lately.
Favorite female vocalist? Amy Lee from Evanescence.
Favorite athlete? Randy Couture
Favorite body part on a guy/girl? OK, I’m blushing now.
What your ideal mate should look like? Like my wife.
What your ideal mate should act like? Like my wife.
What your ideal mate should be interested in? She’s entered a career in Montessori teaching, and she’s loving it. It also helps that she’s interested in me.
How he/she should propose. I took care of that already.
What band does your ideal mate absolutely have to love? She can love whatever band she likes…that’s her prerogative.
What can your ideal mate not do? Well, she had to give up running with the bulls due to bad knees.
Give 10 initials (max) of the boys/girls first names that you want. Do what now?? 10 kids? I don’t want 10 kids!!
Do you believe in soul mates? Wholeheartedly.
Do you love yourself? Yes. Although forgiving myself is sometimes a challenge.
Do you love your friends? Yes.
Who do you love the most in the whole wide world? My wife and son.
Friday, January 05, 2007
Running, the Tooth Faerie, and the Trials of Windows
Ouch! Wow, my calves are sore! You see, I figured that since the Half-Marathon is only 9 days away, I should get out and run more often. And my calves are feeling it! The good news is that my asthma is apparently in check. No problems there (thanks Chris!!), so I don’t have to wear myself out just trying to breathe. Since my legs are generally pretty strong after years of martial arts, I can run fairly well, if not terribly fast. My calves are hurting because I generally run on the balls of my feet, rather than heel-toe, as I should. It’s a holdover from playing lacrosse, and I just never felt that comfortable running heel-toe until I actually get to the Half-Marathon. Somewhere around mile 5, I end up running heel-toe whether I like it or not! In any event, I ran around 3.5 miles yesterday with no trouble whatsoever, so I should survive the race next weekend. I don’t think that Nicodemus Malakwen, Brian Sell, and Jason Hartmann have anything to worry about this year…I’ll not be fighting them for the win. They run about twice as fast as I do.
In other news, I’ve decided to allow my assistant instructor, Sihing Shaun Lawler, to take over some classes for me a couple of times a week. That will allow him some teaching opportunities, a chance for me to do some other work, and give the students a chance of pace. Everybody wins! I can see Mr. Lawler running his own school one of these days, in spite of his inability to pick a winner in the UFC.
And our Monkey has lost his first tooth. Man, he’s cute with that gap in his lower teeth! He mentioned that it was ‘short’. So I took a look, and noticed that it wasn’t short…it was wiggling! So we discussed the idea of his tooth coming out, and mentioned the possibility of the Tooth Faerie. He was down with all that, and kept gently wiggling his tooth. It came out a day or so later, and everyone was thrilled. However, I must admit to a certain amount of sniffling and discussing how our little boy is growing up too fast…I mean, he loses his first tooth one day, and the next, he’s applying for college. Too fast. He was nothing more than a 4 pound baby just yesterday, right? Where did the last 5 years go??
By the way, did you know that you should be careful when buying software? I mean, if you go to a local electronics store and by Windows XP Home Edition Upgrade, and your machine has Windows 2000 Pro on it, you’re going to be out of luck when you try and return the XP because it doesn’t work. Go figure. Like they thought I’d copied the software or something just because I opened it already. Geez. However, the Larryman has offered to help me get my system up and running. You’re a saint, my friend. How does that sound…Saint Larry?
Today’s a rainy, cold Friday, and I’m tempted to take a short nap on the couch. I mean, it’s only 8:30am, the dishes are already done, there’s laundry thumping around in the dryer, and I don’t have anywhere to be until this afternoon, so why not? I’ve got plenty of time for my Friday workout. So a-napping, I think I’ll go. See ya.
In other news, I’ve decided to allow my assistant instructor, Sihing Shaun Lawler, to take over some classes for me a couple of times a week. That will allow him some teaching opportunities, a chance for me to do some other work, and give the students a chance of pace. Everybody wins! I can see Mr. Lawler running his own school one of these days, in spite of his inability to pick a winner in the UFC.
And our Monkey has lost his first tooth. Man, he’s cute with that gap in his lower teeth! He mentioned that it was ‘short’. So I took a look, and noticed that it wasn’t short…it was wiggling! So we discussed the idea of his tooth coming out, and mentioned the possibility of the Tooth Faerie. He was down with all that, and kept gently wiggling his tooth. It came out a day or so later, and everyone was thrilled. However, I must admit to a certain amount of sniffling and discussing how our little boy is growing up too fast…I mean, he loses his first tooth one day, and the next, he’s applying for college. Too fast. He was nothing more than a 4 pound baby just yesterday, right? Where did the last 5 years go??
By the way, did you know that you should be careful when buying software? I mean, if you go to a local electronics store and by Windows XP Home Edition Upgrade, and your machine has Windows 2000 Pro on it, you’re going to be out of luck when you try and return the XP because it doesn’t work. Go figure. Like they thought I’d copied the software or something just because I opened it already. Geez. However, the Larryman has offered to help me get my system up and running. You’re a saint, my friend. How does that sound…Saint Larry?
Today’s a rainy, cold Friday, and I’m tempted to take a short nap on the couch. I mean, it’s only 8:30am, the dishes are already done, there’s laundry thumping around in the dryer, and I don’t have anywhere to be until this afternoon, so why not? I’ve got plenty of time for my Friday workout. So a-napping, I think I’ll go. See ya.
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