the hills of appalachia

It felt great to be running through the hills and woods of my hometown trails. I've never run parts of the stuff we raced over today. The hills were challenging, the lungs were heaving, and the mouth was smiling. Literally. I smiled for part of the race.

Thanks, folks. I do appreciate the gift and will be able to remember it for years whenever I look at my race number: 225. The irony is great; the blessing even greater. You're all a good family.

you should see the wall

It's not very often that I punch a wall. But I think I've done it twice this year so far. I don't even remember the first time. Today, though, is fresh on my mind.

It has been a good (crappy) week so far. There have been some (a ton of) things to do and it feels like I always have plenty (hardly any) of time to finish everything. It felt like my mind was training for the marathon just as hard as my legs with all the running through to-do lists and appointments and assignments required for this week. In so doing, it forgot a minor (major) list item: class at 1.

Somehow, I totally forgot I had class until 1:17 when my class buddy texted me and asked if I was skipping, because I had just missed a sweet quiz.

As my face's temperature increased at an alarming rate and my legs began carrying me to my protective cave of a room, I couldn't help but notice my arm swinging up quickly towards the small section of wall to the right of the closet. Very soon my knuckles were crunching into the firm wall as they came to an abrupt stop on the innocent surface. With nothing but raging desire to do it again, I lowered my fist and rocked to my room where I sat in tense contemplation for a few moments on my bed.

Needless to say, Ben was quiet for a few minutes after I returned to the kitchen and resumed preparing lunch with him. I suppose it also goes without say that my middle, and most protrusiverising, knuckle is a vaguely purplish color and quick to remind me when it grazes anything that doesn't start and end with a-i-r.

I don't suppose there is any need to go around punching walls; it certainly leaves a quaint reminder of the folly for several days. And I won't try to make excuses. I was infuriated at missing class, not only because it was a stupid freshman mistake that I almost made not three days ago, but because it quickly reminded me of how helpless I am at remembering to do and actually accomplishing everything that I am "supposed" to do. With running, eating, sleeping, classing, talking, transportationerizing, studying, listening, reading, thinking, pooping, showering and other things-ing, it's often difficult for me to be alert and aware every waking moment of the day. Unfortunately, that results in bruised knuckles, a sour spirit, and fewer points towards my grade than my scholarships like.

I'd say the wall deserved everything it got and more.

This one's for Tara

Once upon a time there was a little bug that thought he was bigger than all the other bugs. What he didn't know, was that he'd had a water droplet stuck in his eye for a good three days. That doesn't sound like long, but when you only live four days, it's quite a lot.

This bug saw everyone through his convex (I don't care if that's wrong) covering so that they did indeed appear smaller to him. Most were not, however. In fact, many of the other bugs were actually dogs and elephants. It was a big droplet.

One day as Giant Bug, as he liked to call himself, was walking around the water hole in central Malaysia, a lumbering elephant stepped on his left antenna. Reproaching the elephant with sanctimonious words of four letters, he did not did not develop a very quaint rapport with the giant animal.

So the elephant stomped on the other antenna.

The bug was now fairly blind and utterly deaf. Luckily, he only lived two more hours in all of his misery.

Meanwhile, on a deserted island, Eeyore smiled contentedly to himself as he prodded another piece of cool cheesecake into his little toothy mouth. Excitement declared itself in a thunderous shiver along the donkey's spine. Whatever in the world was wrong or evil or malicious in any form was forgotten in pure, uncensored satisfaction with his forgotten island and refrigerator full of cool cheesecake. Life was good.

<->-<->-<->-<->

Anyway, I found some stamps today. And got a package from mom. She sent some Peach O's for me and some original Skittles for my brosef. There were two caramel hearts and a $10 gift certificate to Wally World. The highlight was a Napoleon Dynamite card that says "The worst day of my life, what do you think?" when you open it. That's because on the outside it asks What would Valentine's Day be like without family? My mom is more clever than I appear. Between me and her she's definitely the looks, brains, sensitivity, thoughtfulness, cleverness, and strength. I've just got a little height on her. Thank goodness.

Come back safe, Tara.