10 Days until the Marathon

My long runs are done. No more 2 hour + runs. The hardest part is behind me, well a side from the 26.2 miles coming up.
The final line-up for the trip includes Dan, Chris Kim and myself. Mr. Potter will again play host.
Before I do that I'm going to Miami on Sunday for the annual national minority business conference. Not really being a certified minority, I get to be one for a day. This is huge event professionally for me so cross your fingers, legs, eye and Ts for me. A prayer would be nice as well.

I've been downloading some new or new to me songs of late. Ane Brun, The Stylistics, Euphoria, Gladys Knight and The Pipps, Garbage, Foo Fighters, Patsy Cline, Regina Spektor, Notorious B.I.G, Noir Desir, Righteous Brothers, The Rolling Stones, Wire, Sheila Chandra and Snow Patrol have joined my library.

For those of you keeping score at home, there isn't anything new on the POI front. At times our relationship reminds me of the old Charter ads, "if you don't get help at Charter, please get help somewhere". POI is my bestest friend, we are each other's biggest supporters and we make each other laugh. I know there's more to a normal relationship but I really dig her chilli and she's cool:)

Today's ethical question is, what if you have a friend who does something that is socially and morally unethical? I guess you could ask, how unethical? Can you maintain a friendship? Do you cut them off? Do you stand by them? For some offensives the answer is clear but what if it’s not so clear? I don't have answers I just have questions.

Everyday is a life lesson

I recently spent a week in Michigan watching my sister's kids while she and my brother in-law went to Italy. Usually I take my own toiletries but this time I forgot my beauty products which is limited to facial and body lotions. I was left with my sister's selection, apparently Matt in a minimalist in the lotion arena. After a run on my second day in Ann Arbor I tool a shower and afterwards I moved onto the lotion potion of the program. I didn't have my glasses so I couldn't read all the choices in front of me so I had to guess what might be appropriate for my face and body. I stood there for a minute and just dove in. With all the choices I knew I couldn't really make a bad decision after all aren't they all the same? But without my glasses it was a bit of a crap shoot. Anyway mission accomplished and I felt clean and well lubricated against the elements.

Shower number two was easier, I just stuck with the same line-up. The first round of my lotion selection seemed to do the trick besides I didn't think it was necessary to think too much again. I was still though wondering what the heck I was putting on my body.

Like my old pal POI showers don't have to be taken everyday or even every few days but I went ahead and took another shower a couple of days later whether I needed it or not. This time armed with my glasses I decided to read what I was putting on. It was for the most part all in French. I took French in 8th grade but as more then a few people have told me, my French is gibberish. Light Blue by Dolce + Gabbana; a refreshing body gel, I used for my body lotion. Seemed like a reasonable choice. L'eau D'Issey Douceurde Crème Pour LeCorps by Issey Miyake, I used for my face. I have absolutely no idea what that was. Lastly I used Tonique Magique: Apaisant Sans Alcool by Dior, for my feet. This is where I made my big mistake. Upon reading further Tonique Magique is "the last step in a make-up removal beauty routine. i don't use a lot of make-up on my feet.

So today's life lesson is to read labels before using them. My feet did feel nice and smooth afterwards so maybe products for make-up removal can also help your feet.

Let's try this again...

After a couple of attempts at reconciling things with POI, today was our final conversation. The fact that POI doesn't see me in her life long term finally sunk in. To know the kind of relationship we had on the deepest level, it remains difficult to comprehend how or why it's over but not seeing me long term in her life is a tough obstacle to overcome. She's one in 1.8 million. I couldn't love, respect or adore anyone more then I do/did her. She was truly my "it" girl. I will miss she and her children and all that they brought me for a very long time. I certainly pled my case with her and nothing would please me more then for her to see that what we had was rare and that that wins the day but she's not going to change which means I have to move on. If I had 3 wishes I would use one of them here and POI and I would continue the magic. But I can't wait and wish. I'm going to give Match another go, it's where I met POI and maybe lightening will strike twice. This may be a fruitless venture sense I would be looking for POI sans all the thinking. I get the hebbies just thinking about anyone else even touching POI. YUCK!

So one person walks out of my life and another one re-enters. I spent 2 hours of my day today, that I should have spent in WK, having coffee and talking with Kyle Hood (kylehood.com) a photographer I repped back in the glory days of my repping career. We parted on not so good terms and frankly I was surprised to hear from him. I was his best man at his wedding 9 years ago. After his apologies and my accepting of those apologies we talked about working together again. He's a good guy and he does take some pretty pictures so I think I'm going to do it. I have to talk to my web designer to see what it would take to add him to my sight and retain the clean design that it presently has.

Tomorrow's topic is my week last week in Michigan taking care of my sister's children...

One person leaves another re-enters.

Have I mentioned, don't take anything or anyone for granted?

I guess this is the obituary to an at times magical relationship. One day you can be in a euphoric blissful state and less then a week later you can diminished to stuff in a box ready to be dropped off. Though the actual words were not spoken POI broke up with me today after 20 months together. It's not a very good birthday present, in fact it so sucks. I'm pissed and very disappointed. I frankly am a bit stunned by this decision. Aside from that, I really don't have anything negative to say about her other then that this isn't her best decision. I loved POI more then I thought would have been possible by any one human. She's stunning and honestly one of the highest quality people I've ever been around. POI's house is a house full of laughter and love and I was a part of that, which ment so so much. The at times magical moments we had is in such contrast to today. I feel empty. I feel like my best friend died today. POI and I aren't the only ones affected by this, A+R who I love as my own are going to miss me. I miss them already. Not having kids they were a new experience for me. They are truly great kids and POI is a good mother. It was a fun foursome. I grew in may ways during these 20 months and for that I am extremely grateful. If I had three wishes, I would use one of them here. Maybe I do, how long does it take for wishes to kick in?

120 minute run...

..and I did it in 2 hours.


Central Park 11/03

Last night I got the official hand off of Chris' number for NY. This is the second time I'll be running as Chris Engel. When I run as Chris I like to take on all of his mannerisms and his persona. Crazy fun. There's talk that Kim may jump in with Dan and I. The usual jump in spot is around mile 12 in Brooklyn. Right now the line-up for the trip are Kim Chris, Dan and myself, staying at Mr. Potter's. The Georges may come up as well but would stay in a near by hotel.

I had to turn off the Michigan game. They were getting blown out again. ARGH!!!

You know when you get really pissed off...

and no one seems to understand?

The Michigan game was the sourse of my pissed offness. There wan't even a line on that game. Michgan was #5 in the nation. They had never losed to a 1A school in their 115 year history of playing football. Well this past Saturday was the day when the universe was upside down. I was in Va Beach this weekend with the Kleinstacks, I checked in on the game on line when it was 28-17. I wasn’t happy but there was the second half and I knew Lloyd Carr would get their heads back on straight for the 3rd quarter. POI, was having a hard time getting her head around my pissed offness. I was a mess when I checked back in after the game. The season was over. There was no reason to watch another game. I can't read Sunday's paper. I can't watch any sports for days. This was the biggest upset in the history of college football. As my boy Chuch D put it " don't believe the hype". I said it last year and I’ll say it again, Lloyd should be fired. If he was in the private sector he would at the very least be on probation. His record notwithstanding. If Michigan doesn’t beat Ohio State this year he joins former OSU coach John Cooper in retirement.

Today POI asked if I was ok to watch football again. I told her it might be a few days before I can even read the paper. I’ll probably end up watching the Oregon game but right now I’m not interested. I just don’t want to hear more about that thing Saturday.

I feel better thank you for reading. Michigan still sucked.