Getting Started Early

"It appears we must redefine the nature of our association" - Val Kilmer in "Tombstone"

I think I gave up on the whole blogging thing because I was getting bummed out trying to come up with interesting, thought provoking messages that would mean something to everyone. Turns out, I'm not all that clever. So for 2010 (yes, I know I'm a little early), I will try my best to maintain this blog as a record of the events and changes that I and my family will undergo. Will I update it? Yes. Will it be everyday? No. Will it be interesting and clever? Probably not. But there are a multitude of changes that we'll be going through in the upcoming year, and this seems like as good a place as any to make a record of it.

Catching Up:
Hopefully, if all goes according to plan, I will be gainfully employed by the end of this year. You see, due to a rather fortunate turn of events, I decided to quit my job of 10 years at Chrysler. If I get around to it, I'll explain the way the pieces all came together for for that event in a future blog (see, I'm already procrastinating). So for almost a year now I have been working to obtain a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from Clemson. It's had some high points and low points, but overall it has been a great experience for me. I have one semester left, which is student teaching, and I should be graduating in May. I hope to have a teaching job locked down by graduation time (cross fingers). My wonderful wife has been the sole bread winner for our family for the last year. There's a lot more to being the only income producer than just a paycheck. There's added stress about knowing that you are the only thing that stands between your current family situation and abject poverty. I think Kristal has handled this extremely well this year.

Looking Ahead:
Yeah, so the big reason to resume this blog is to mark some of the milestones. Other than the aforementioned job situation, our family will be going through many changes as well. It's hard to believe that Rachel (20 mo. old) will be speaking in complete sentences a year from now. She's also showing some interest in potty training. A year from now we could possibly be a diaper free family, what a dream come true! Luke (5 on Dec 26th) continues to amaze me at how special he is. This time next year he'll be on the verge of turning 6, I simply can't believe it.

Running will continue to be a big part of this blog, as it is a big part of my life. My current fitness level is at the lowest that it has been in years. On the bright side, I have recently reaquired my fondness of cold weather running. I've gotten 21 miles in this week, which is the highest weekly total in a while. My ultimate goal is to help or even coach a cross country team, so my belly looking the way it currently does would not help my achieving that position. But I run not for the way look, or to get a job, I do it because I love it. So with that in mind I hope, but don't guarantee, to get back into some high mileage running in 2010. The kids are old enough now that sleeping is somewhat predictable, and there's a treadmill in the basement for those really cold, windy, rainy days, so I am running out of excuses.

So, I'll be around in 2010. Maybe with a few pictures, surely with some interesting stories. I look forward to sharing my experiences with you.

Resolved

Let's see, it's only Jan 22, so now would probably be a good time to actually put in print a couple of my new year's resolutions. The most life altering is that I am experimenting with vegetarianism (I'm not even sure if I spelled that right). Those of you who know me understand that no one likes a Moe's burrito or Wild Wing chicken wings more than me. I mean, I've basically lived off of meat alone for 32 years, so "Why the change?" Well, I read a book titled The China Study. It discusses the reasons why people in rural China all live to be like 100 years old. They have extremely low incidents of cancer and virtually no heart disease.

The book promotes a strictly vegan lifestyle, which I just couldn't see myself doing for any amount of time. So instead, I just wanted to see if I can do without meat for a month. If it works out, I'll see about going longer. So far, it really hasn't been that bad. I do find myself eating more cheese than I have in the past. But I haven't had too many cravings for a steak or chicken wings. I haven't eaten meat since Jan 2nd, so I'm coming up on a month. I've also found that it is cheaper when you go to a place like McDonald's. I can get 2 side salads and a water and be out of there in less than $3. My running doesn't seem to be suffering either. I've lost 5 pounds and I think I saw some semblance of an abdominal muscle in the mirror the other day.

My other new year's resolution is to run 800 miles in 2009. That's just slightly over 15 miles a week. That doesn't seem that bad, but you always have those "sick" weeks where no running is done. So far, I've done OK, averaging over 15 miles for the first 3 weeks of the year. If I can figure out how to set up one of those pace bunnies that I've seen on other sites, I'll add one here.

Regarding running, nearly all of my 2009 runs this year have occured on the treadmill at Total Fitness in Easley. Since I am not working at the moment (future post), I've gotten in the habit of going straight to the gym after dropping off the kids in the morning. For those wondering, I don't just drop the kids at day care and then lounge around all day. I am enrolled full time in a master's program at Clemson. I am looking so forward to getting back out when its nice again. I know I'm a wimp, but I just can't take the cold when I'm running.

I am starting to get the marathon itch again. I've gone as far as looking at some prospective races on marathonguide.com. Nothing set yet, I would like to do one in late summer, but its so hot down here that I would probably have to travel pretty far for that. I'll try to start posting again on a more frequent basis. Until then...