Optimism.

Childhood Memories

All of Us

* Me w/my new Diamondback BMX bicycle. Large plank of plywood. About 5 of dad's old car tires.

Siblings... laying on the sidewalk, side-by-side like sardines and El Bambino clearing each and every one of them. WITH millimeters to spare.

Carlos

* Visiting Tio Antonio & Tia Rosy in Dallas and thinking his truck (old, red hot rod) was the coolest thing - EVER.

* Walking to school (Paradise Valley Elementary) every day. One day, two bullies stopped us and blew cigarette smoke in my face but I FENDED them OFF with my Marvel Comics Superheroes lunch pail. "Run Carlos, RUN!" I think these kids thought I was psycho and let us go. But, I was always there to protect my lil' brother.

Claudia (Ana)

 * Dad buying us an album with colorful balloons on the cover. Out of all of the children's songs, Claudia was ADDICTED to "Johhhhhn, Jacob, Jingle, HEIMER-SCHMIDT, his name is MY name, toooooo!"

* Okay, okay... for the sake of her beating me to the punch, I'll say it (although it wasn't a GOOD memory); pushing her off our garage roof. BUT, in my defense... the grass was supposed to cushion her blow! How was I supposed to know it wouldn't? (Hey Sis, remember those tiny pebbles up on that roof, though? What was UP with that?!)

Felipe

* I remember the day mom and dad brought you home from the hospital.

I was SO anxious to give you the pillow from Mrs. Amend, my teacher. It was a brown and white pillow that looked like a dog (hound dog with big floppy ears). Mom still has that pillow. :)

* You riding on my bunny pegs as I toted you all around the neighborhood. For what it's worth, I'll always be there for you. Mean it. (Yeah, I'm feelin' kinda mushy).

* ninja dress up

* golf balls (dumping down the street)

Freddy

* Pee Wee. Nuf said!

Olga

*

Ruben

* Taking a trip down to Mexico one year after I had already been in the Service and we found a neat little statue of a man sitting cross-legged and flexing his arms (picture a midget... er, little person... trying to comb his hair and CAN'T reach).  Rubz sat down next to him and mimicked him. Spitting image!

Monkey Feet

That's what they look like.

I was telling a friend that the blisters from my last half marathon turned into calloused pads which felt like, what I would assume, the pads on a monkey's paws feel like. But, really... how would I know?

Been reading a book called Born to Run. Very interesting read! So, of course, I had to go out and get me some of these...

If you have read it, you know exactly what I am talking about when I say I felt this urge to try "barefoot running." Okay. So, technically it is not true barefoot BUT just about! I started off slow this evening. Ran one lap. Documented my observations. Then ran a second lap. Bottom line; they feel great! BUT... it takes some serious "getting used to."

Since many of you have been asking, here are my thoughts...

1. Very light. Reminds me of childhood running. The way my toes stretched as if grasping the ground. Felt light on my feet, too, and it felt very refreshing to have my toes wiggle as I ran around the track.

2. Forced me to run on the balls of my feet. Made me realize just how much I rely on my heels and that is not good. BUT, it feels - weird.

3. They don't hurt at all. My right knee is a little sore from this morning's run so I don't want to push it... YET.

Next week, my training begins. I'm going for a "shock & awe" type-training cycle (various training exercises to include mountain biking and explosiveness (in the form of calisthenics, weights, etc.).

Distance running is going to be a challenge since it requires running on the balls of my feet and it feels like I'm tip-toeing. But... I like challenges... BRING IT!

Wish me luck in my quest for record land speeds.

~ Speedy

Liking How Some Things NEVER Change.

In my last post, I mentioned my "To Do" list.

Well, in my effort to become even MORE efficient (although some prefer OCD - um... okay. I get it.),

I wanted to knock out another task.

My sister,Olgsmobile, posted this picture of Dominik (my nephew) in an outfit my mom made for him for Christmas last year.

It put a HUGE smile on my face when I saw her final product.

Click here to see why... ;)

{ Green Goblin }

 

Sunshine on My Face.

Ever have one of those times in your life where you just feel like you are in limbo?
I am there. Everything is quiet. I watch people all around me. Living their life as if nothing exists but their bubble of personal space, thoughts, and circle of friends and family.

But. I know better.

Crazy how we get immune to the fact that this is part of life.
We get almost - desensitized.
Not that we intentionally avoid those in our life who are "there" but just... do not... realize it.

Right now. What I feel...
Quietness...
Almost surreal.
Like the calm before a storm.

Don't read too much into this people.
(and especially don't consider this a "sign" for alarm)

Just... "keeping it real."

I am actually listening to a very ear-pleasing song by Plain White T's... "Rhythm of Love" right now and munching on rice snacks. I will sign off and get back to the grind. I just don't hold back. I feel it. I let it out. And press on.

But, this past month has been off and on.
Lots going on.
Lots of traveling.
Then, as I slow down... I allow myself to be fully aware of my surroundings.

Looking back on this past month. MUCH has happened.
Not to get into too many specifics, but I had at least FIVE deaths in my world.
Count 'em. Five.

One...

Two...

Three...

Four...

Five...

Paused with each one and paid them each their own fair share of respect. Again. And again. Seems like it is never enough though.

Can't help but have it affect you. Regardless of who they were or how it happened.

I get that it is the reality of life. But it can be overwhelming.

Looking outside, a storm is moving in. My nose is cold and red and I am waiting for the Spring to return.

My sister, Jenny, reminds us on her wall that "Spring is less than a month away!"

Thanks, Sis. Your words mean a lot to a fella' like me who is waiting to break out those summer clothes and get back into my outdoor running. It makes me smile to see optimistic people. It motivated me to add "Get Mountain Bike Tuned Up" to my weekend To Do list.

So, that said... I feel the sun coming back. Inbound storm, or not.
I am feeling it.

Tule Fog...

 The following was from an e-mail we received at work yesterday. Comes just as the fog is starting to REALLY get on everyone's last nerve... ("Go AWAY, already!")

CAN YOU SEE THE OVERPASS?

Tule fog (pronounced /tu:li:/) is a thick ground fog that settles in the San Joaquin Valley and Sacramento Valley areas of California's Central Valley. Tule fog forms during the late fall and winter (California's rainy season) after the first significant rainfall, and is named after the Tule grass wetlands (Tulare's) of the Central Valley. The typical time frame for Tule fog to form is from November to March. Accidents caused by the Tule fog are the leading cause of weather-related casualties in California.

Tule fog is a radiation fog, which condenses when there is a high relative humidity (typically after a heavy rain), calm winds, and rapid cooling during the night.  The longer nights during the winter months contribute considerably by rapidly cooling the ground thereby creating a temperature inversion (i.e. the air is colder at ground level than it is at 1000 feet altitude).  That temperature inversion causes the moisture in the ground level air to condense and thus creates fog.

Visibility in Tule fog is usually less than an eighth of a mile (about 600 feet), but can be as little as a foot. Visibility can also, and usually does, vary rapidly.  In only a few feet visibility can go from 10 feet to near zero.

This variability in visibility is the cause of many chain-reaction pile-ups on the roads and freeways. In December 1997, in one accident on Interstate 5 near Elk Grove south of Sacramento, 25 cars and 12 big-rig trucks collided inside a fog bank - five people died and 28 were injured. In February 2002, two people were killed in an 80-plus car pile-up on State Route 99 between Kingsburg and Selma (about 45 minutes northeast of Naval Air Station Lemoore) - visibility at the time of the accident was zero. On the morning of November 3, 2007, heavy Tule fog caused a massive pile-up that included 108 passenger vehicles and 18 big rig trucks on Northbound State Route 99 between Fowler and Fresno (45 minutes north of Naval Air Station Lemoore). Visibility was cut to about 200 feet at the time of the accident. There were two fatalities and 39 injuries in that crash.

It may not LOOK like much. But, trust me. This is a GOOD day.

HOW ABOUT NOW?

Those of us who have been here a few years know that it gets BAD. Last year, we had our Command's Christmas Party about 30 minutes away and you literally had to drive 15-20 mph WHILE looking at the white lines OUT YOUR DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW. At the same time watching for taillights directly in front of you.  Lessons learned.

This video was taken from an overpass I was standing on.

A Spoonful of Sugar...

My parents were field workers when we first came to the states and I have fond memories of Carlos and I sitting on the tailgate of the station wagon while my mom and dad picked vegetables - working sunrise to sunset in the Minnesota fields.
 

Our only toys?
Rocks and dirt from the gravel road.
 

Then, as we came of elementary school age, my dad got "educated" (well... he went to a vocational tech school for automotive mechanics) and he was hired on by the uranium mines near Casper.
 

We moved from our white farmhouse (which we rented on the farm we lived on) to a trailer in a mobile home unit in Casper.
 

But, for us... it was moving UP in the world!
 

We had neighbors! Kids to play with. People to watch.
 

BUT...
 

It came with it's own fair share of danger, too.
 

There were now cars to be on the lookout for.

Dogs on the loose...

One day a large German Shepard chased us... barking HORRIBLY loud. We were SO frightened... mom took us inside and fed us each a spoonful of sugar.
 

Never knew why.
 

But, I CLEARLY remember the tears and sniffling quickly subsiding that afternoon.
 

The way Carlos and I looked at one another when she brought out that Tupperware dish... opening it up and he and I realizing what was happening.
"Are... WE... getting a SPOON FULL of SUGAR???"
 

Even now, it brings a smile to my face and my eyes swell as I think of the love my mom shared for us - daily.

"Love you, mom."