Don't Forget

"The mere athlete becomes too much of a savage, the musician is melted and softened beyond what is good for him. The two should therefore be blended in the right proportion." -Plato

You Make Me Want To Puke

Here is a recent post from MODBLOG, one of my favorite blogs:

"Now THAT’S dedication to body modification
Tuesday February 26th, 2008 @ 12:33 PM
Filed under: BMEBoys

Paul writes,

I’ve been working on a weight loss/body sculpting *mod*for a few years now, and I’ve finally hit my goal, going from over 235lbs down to 155lbs. I’ve been self conscious for a long while, but now I’m happy with where I’m at. It’s funny how self hatred can drive you to self love.

It’s one thing to sit under the tattoo needle for a few hours to modify your body, but I think we all too often write off the thousands of hours (and don’t get me started on the pain) it takes to transform ones physique like Paul has.

"

A Broken Engine

I left the church around 8:30, maybe later. I went straight to the gas station so that I could get that damn fuel light to stop bothering me. Forty dollars. Pei Wei was still open, so I called in an order for most delicious Honey Seared Tofu on Brown Rice, and two Spring Rolls. Ten dollars. I return to my truck, my baby. The food sits patiently in the passenger seat waiting for my attention. I turn the key, hoping to head home. The engine turns over, chokes, dies. I turn the key again. Turn, choke, die. I turn it again, and press some gas. Turn, choke, die. The pedal didn't activate any response. No gas is flowing. I know I have gas. The gas cap is on. Sounds like a fuel filter. Adam took me home, because Louis was asleep. I am home now, no vehicle and no food (I ate the spring rolls while waiting for Adam, and the tofu when I got home). I ate my last bread and fruit yesterday for breakfast. Said I'd go shopping that day. Never did. I have shopping to do. Christmas as well. Anyways, I need a ride to GetInTheZoneAutoZone to pick up a new filter, and then a ride to my truck. They can leave me there. I'll replace it, and hopefully that will work. If it doesn't, I'll call Adam again, and have the truck towed to Sun Devil Auto. I miss my baby.

“For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

No Shoes Lyrics

No Shoes

(Written by Paranoid Lary, As performed by the Roches)


One, Two Three, Four

I had no shoes
And I complained until I met a man
Who had no feet
That's really beat

I had no feet
And I complained until I met a man
Who had no knees
That was his disease

I had no knees
And I complained until I met a man
And you know what?
He had no butt

I had no butt
And I complained about it all
And then I met a man
Who had no balls

I had no balls
And I complained until I met a man
Who had no guts
No balls, no butt, and now no guts

I had no guts
And I complained until I met a man
Who had no heart
The most important part

I had no heart
And I complained, I did not understand
And then I met a man
Who had no hands

I had no hands
And I complained until I met a man
Who was a wreck
He had no neck

I had no neck
And I complained until I met a man
Who had no chin
Some folks lose, some folks win (Ahhhh)

I had no chin
And I complained until I met a man
Who had no nose
That really blows

I had no nose
And I complained until I met a man
Who never cries
He had no eyes

I had no eyes
And I complained until I met a man
Who felt no pain
He had no brain

I had no brain
And I complained until I met a man
Who had no head
As good as dead

I had no head
And I complained until I met a man
Who had no hair
There was nothing there

I had no hair
And I complained until I met a man
Who had no hat
Picture that. Not even a hat (Ahhhh)

I had no hat (had no hat? no hat!)
And I complained until I met a man
Who had no sky (no sky)
No reason why

I had no sky (why?)
And I complained until I met a man
Who had no stars (he had no stars?)
No Venus or Mars (no Venus or Mars?)

And not any stars!

I had no stars
And I complained until I met a man
Who had no God
That's rather odd

I had no God
And I complained until I met a man
Who had no faith
Nothing just in case

I had no faith
And I complained until I met a man
Who had no love
Nothing to dream of

I had no love
And I complained until I met a man
Who had no hope
At the end of his rope

I had no hope
And I complained until I met a man
Who had no luck
That really sucks

I had no luck
And I complained that I had nothing left to lose
And then I met a man
Who had no shoes... (Ahhhh)

Heroes: Blue Planet Runners

from blueplanetrun.org/run :

The Blue Planet Run covered 15,200 miles, across 16 countries and 3 continents, 24 hours a day for 95 days to deliver an extremely urgent and important message: we can and must begin today to alleviate the catastrophic burden placed on over a billion people who, every day, must drink unsafe local water, or travel long distances on foot to search for safe water for themselves and their families.

Starting in New York City on June 1, 2007, a team of "20 ordinary male and female athletes doing extraordinary things" ran around the clock along a route that included the U.S., Ireland, the U.K., France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Belarus, Russia, Mongolia, China, Japan and Canada. Each runner sprinted 10 miles a day. The Baton was passed at more than1,500 exchange points. The Run ended back in New York City, on September 4, 2007. Each exchange point and heartfelt moment was captured in the media, fueled by well-organized events in major cities and an international PR campaign. The run was made possible by the generous support of the Dow Chemical Company as the Presenting Sponsor.

The movement began with a step, followed by millions more.

20 international runners, 24 hours a day, 95 days, 15,200 miles, 26.7 million strides
to deliver the message, on foot, hand to hand, face to face, step by step, drop by drop ...
and we will continue until everyone has safe drinking water.

Heroes: Scott Rigsby

In high school, an accident caused the amputation of one of Scott Rigsby's legs. He went through a whole bunch of surgeries to save the other leg, only to eventually have it voluntarily amputated because the surgeries were only mildly successful. He worked his way through a number of prosthetics, and has finally landed some sweet carbon fiber looking things. He now races marathons and triathlons, and became the first double amputee to complete an Ironman Triathlon (2.4mile swim, 112mile bike ride, 26.2mile run). He was previously the first double amputee to complete an Olympic distance triathlon, as well as a Half-Ironman.