On our way home

This morning we drive to Louisburg to pick up Andy and say bye bye to the friends I made on BAK. We had to stop first at my companions house to pick up his bike rack, then headed NE. We got there just in time for lunch, and I had a chance to catch up with all my friends before they returned to their respective homes.

We had a carb-tastic lunch of spaghetti, cole slaw, fried chicken, and baked beans. It was above average. We then purchased a final t-shirt, which the vendor was screen printing on site, and which we was trying to clear his inventory before he left. I got a shirt for $5, which I thought was a pretty good deal.

We are on our way back now and stopped at a cider mill just outside Louisburg. I stayed in the car. When we get back, we go to the first showing of the Music Theatre of Wichita for the season. I must confess I don't even know what's playing.

I've talked to beka about how to keep in shape while I'm out of commission, an we agreed some upperbody lifting and core strengthening should be okay, so I am headed to the Y tomorrow to get started.

Here are some pics from Louisburg:

-- Post From My iPhone

This is a test

I just bought an iphone app that allows me to blog! I'm trying it out now. Apparently I can post pictures as well, so take a look at this beefy monster!!

-- Post From My iPhone

BAK: Leg 6 (Halstead to Eureka, or so I had hoped)

June 10, 2009

My Last Leg

No stats (my computer broke on mile 10, there's some foreshadowing for ya)

I'm done. And I am sad. I worked really hard for this, but it was not meant to be. Before I start waxing philosophically, here's what happened. I woke up to my lovely wife's quiet voice. My body felt good: not sleeping on a gym floor will do that for a person. I packed everything up, being careful not to forget anything (it's hard to leave things behind in a gym where there was nothing there beforehand). We went to the cash machine, then to the coffee shop, and were on the road by 5:45a. I got to Halstead in time to meet a buddy for breakfast at 6:30a, then load my gear on the truck. I was supposed to meet them at 7:00a to head out, but they were nowhere to be found.

I waited a few minutes, then decided to go, thinking I might catch up with them. My leg was achy from the start, but I was going off of the previous day, when it hurt for 30 miles then cleared up. I forged ahead. It was mild temperature, but misty/rainy, the kind of day I imagine they get a lot of in Scotland. The droplets were collecting on my glasses and making bigger drops, which would drop off once in a while. The first part of the ride was on the same route I took for the Wicked Wind 50: Halstead to Sedgwick, then to Park City. My computer stopped recording data or showing my speed or distance just as I rolled in to Sedgwick, around mile 10. I stopped and did everything I could to try to get it to work, but it nothing worked, so I clipped back into the pedals and kept going.

My leg was slowly getting more and more achy the further I traveled, and the rain got worse. I started getting soaked. But I kept going. A few miles past Park City, I noticed my back wheel felt really loose. I stopped to check it out, and I had almost no pressure in my tire. This was the same one that had blown out on Leg 1. I flipped the bike upside down, removed the back tire, and put in a fresh new tube. It took about ten minutes. I kept going, and a few miles ahead there was a rest stop. I saw my long lost high school classmate, and joined with her group. We kept going east, into the wind and rain. After another ten miles (I'm guessing, again with the broken computer) we turned south and had a blessed tail wind. But my knee was really starting to ache. I figured it was temporary, and pedaled harder like I had yesterday.

We continued south for about five miles, then turned east. After going about a mile, I dropped off the pack to stretch my knee. While there my companion appeared and I told him about the knee. He gave me some stuff that's supposed to make it feel cold, so I put that on and kept going. But my knee ached badly, this time in a slightly different way. I had to go up a hill, and I knew I was in danger. I saw a rest stop at the top of the hill and stopped. This stop, at the intersection of SW Parallel Road and River Valley Road just north of Towanda, was where my BAK dreams died.

I sat down and saw that my right knee was very swollen. I showed my companion, then got some ice to help with the swelling. I sat there for awhile, wondering what I should do. I called Beka, iced my knee some more, and talked it over with my companion, who to his credit realized the situation and didn't take off down the road. I then made what for me was a very tough choice: to stop there, not fulfill my BAK journey, but not cause any further damage to my knee. As I write this it seems like a no-brainer (why cause further injury?) but when I was sitting on the side of the road with an ice bag on my knee, which was not getting any less swollen, I decided yesterday was a fluke, and the pain was not going to go away this time. I made the call to Beka, and she was out there in a matter of minutes. We loaded up the bike, thanked everyone for their help, said goodbye to my companion, and headed home.

Now I am not normally an emotional person, but on the rude home I broke down and wept for a good 15 minutes (again, no computer to help with time). All the frustration of the headwinds, fighting through pain for hundreds of miles, and all the other small frustrations poured out of me. I was frustrated, sad, angry, in physical pain, and soaked to the skin from the rain. We got home, took everything into the house, I changed into dry clothes, and fell asleep on the same couch where I had started that day.

I woke up a couple hours later and Beka drove me to my doctor to see what was wrong with the knee. The first thing he said was how swollen it was. Duh... Then he moved it around and tried to bend it, which caused extreme pain, it hurts just thinking about it. He then said it was most likely a pinched meniscus, and put me in a brace that keeps my leg straight. I have to rest it for a week then come back so he can take a second look.

Thinking now, as we return from getting my bags from Eureka, it is too soon to decide whether I want to do this again. I met some great people, but the pain I went through for so many days will make me think long and hard about how to train for another BAK and whether long distance, multi-day rides are for me, or whether I should stick to more casual cycling to stay in shape and relieve stress. Thank you to all of you who left encouraging comments. I read them all and they made a real difference. I think I will look back on this as a growing and overall positive experience, and I'm glad I could share this experience with you all.

The knee that ended my BAK hopes.

BAK: Leg 5 (St. John to Halstead)

June 9, 2009

78.81 miles
13.8 mph average
21.8 mph max
5:41:02 total time

Leg 5 began at the same time: 5:45 a.m., except my companion actually woke up on time (I gave him a friendly nudge after returning from brushing my teeth). He and I set off at 6:30a, with a new friend, for 'all you can eat pancakes.' I had four, plus two patties of sausage, coffee and OJ. It was excellent. We then met up with two other new friends, and the five of us set off for yet another record setter (for me at least): 78 miles.

We left right at 7:00a. My knee was again bugging me, so I took it easy. Thankfully two others in the group wanted to go easy as well, so we made our way with a straight headwind on our faces and ominous clouds everywhere (hence the 50% chance of rain). My knee bugged me for 35 straight miles, and I was getting REALLY fed up. I wanted to quit right there at the lunch stop (the food was excellent, by the way. Best homemade strawberry pie I've ever had). That point was by far my lowest on this journey. We set off from lunch with the clouds even worse, and I continued with them for another 5 miles, my knee bugging me all the way. At that point I decided enough was enough, and I took off at my regular pace, left the group behind, and reconciled myself to the idea that if I was going out today, I was going out with a bang (but hopefully not a literal bang from my knee). I pushed hard, and for some reason my knee pain started getting better. The wind was still brutal, but at least my knee was holding.

I started picking off cyclists ahead of me one by one, keeping my head down to buck the wind. I continued that way for another 30 miles. We had to make a few turns to get to the right roads, and it seemed like every time I turned, I was still heading into the wind. It was very strange. I felt myself starting to fade I the last eight mile stretch into Halstead, but found a buddy to chat with, and that helped pass the time as the wind pushed hard against me.

I got into Halstead feeling like I had nothing left, but when I got to the camp I immediately felt my spirits boost, as I realized I had not only set a personal distance record, but also had conquered the hardest physical and emotional challenge I have had cycling. I got a shower, then a massage, this time from the other girl, and tried to make some phone calls, but had no cell service. I asked a local and he said if I had AT&T I would have to go three miles north of town. I found a landline, made my calls, and wrote this update. It is now 5:30, and I have family coming to see me and eat dinner. I can't wait. To eat, that is.

A brief stop in Stafford to regroup.

An artist was airbrushing murals on the side of the grocery store in Stafford.

A bluegrass trio treated us to an impromptu concert outside Halstead High School.

BAK: Leg 4 (Jetmore to St. John)

June 8, 2009

77.74 miles
15.3 mph average
23.4 mph max
5:04:17 total time

Today began the same as yesterday: rustling in the gym at about 5:30a, and the feeling I could have slept longer. Laid there for ten more minutes, then got up, brushed my teeth, and packed up my apartment. Breakfast was just outside the gym, and consisted of breakfast burritos, bananas, milk and coffee. The burritos were clearly not of the homemade variety, but calories are calories (or so I keep telling myself).

Got done eating at about 6:30a, and noticed I had not yet heard from my companion. Went ahead and got the bike ready, and went to see what the holdup was this time. They had not even woken up their daughter yet, much less gotten packed or fed. My companion's wife commented about how I must be one of those weird people who have to get going right away. I replied that most of the bikes were already gone, thank you very much, so I was not the weird one, they were just slow.

I waited until 7:00a outside, and after learning that they had not packed or eaten yet, I took off for the longest ride of my cycling experience: 77 miles. It started out nice: pretty sunrise, light breeze. Within 20 minutes, a blanket of clouds covered the sky, the wind picked up, and it got cold, around 50 degrees. It stayed that way for 43 miles, straight headwind, 50-55 degrees, until Larned. Plus my right knee was flaring up. Time to stop.

I went to a craft shop/cafe called Scraps and had a hot mocha and a breakfast panini to warm up and get some food. I think Scraps is a bad name for a place that serves food. The food did taste good, though, so after resting for about 30 minutes I headed out again. I took a few minutes to stretch, which didn't help much, and took off.

On the second half of the leg my knee kept hurting, but I saw a high school classmate at one of the rest stops, and riding with her the last 20 miles kept my mind off the discomfort. She actually graduated with my brother, two years before me, but it was a small school.

Got into St. John and promptly iced my knee, then had my massage. My companion made it in and we went to one if the several dinners offered to the BAK'ers. The hospitality there was truly first-rate. Great dinner, sat out in the town square while a local band played, and chatted with my new friends made this week. Went back to the school, was very tired. Listened to the weather report (headwinds and 50% chance of thunderstorms) and went to bed dreading the thought of 78 soggy and windy miles.

Cyclists at a SAG (Support and Gear) stop.

Wind-powered turbines providing electricity to the City of Jetmore.

A stretch of the Arkansas River. This portion actually has water flowing.

A four-person tandem bike at the St. John stop.

The view from the corner office.

One of the many dinners offered by the generous people in St. John.

The courthouse in St. John, built in 1929.

BAK: Leg 3 (Garden City to Jetmore)

June 7, 2009

56.18 miles

18.5mph average
31.9 mph max speed
3:01:31 total time

Woke up to the sound of rustling bags at 5:40a five minutes before my alarm was set to wake me up. I wanted to keep sleeping, after going 70 miles on about three hours of sleep I was pooped. I got up and the gym was still dark, just like it had been in Syracuse. Put my 'apartment' back into my two travel bags, brushed my teeth and texted my companion. He and his family were just getting roused, so I aired up my tires, put on sunscreen, and waited. I called then texted, but got no response, so I headed out to find breakfast, not knowing whether my knee would act up again.

I rode to McDonalds (yes, Pizza Hut then McDonalds in the course of 12 hours) and it was PACKED with riders. I waited in line 20 minutes, then ordered three pancakes, eggs, sausage, iced coffee, OJ, and milk. Biggest breakfast I have ever ordered, and it all went into the furnace.

Set out from breakfast solo, taking it easy so as not to hurt the knee again. Had slight tailwind, and rode solo for first 5-10 miles. Another solo rider at some point began drafting off me, and we continued that way for the next 10 miles, so I backed off so we were side by side and met my riding friend, Nancy. She used to live in Wichita but now lives in College Station, TX, and is a cycling trainer. She's in her late 40s and has been cycling for 20 of them.

We skipped the lunch stop, as it hadn't opened yet and neither of us were hungry. My knee was holding out, but I could tell it was still irritated, so I was cautious not to push at my normal pace. This was good, because I had opened up the speed and Nancy couldn't keep up, so she helped me push at a reasonable pace and not at full blast.

At about mile 30 we passed one of the BAK RVs. It is around 30 feet long (one of the full size traveling kind). It was sitting sideways to the road, the back half in the ditch. We continued past as the police directed traffic.

The last 20 miles was at an easy pace. I didn't push hard, as I didn't want a repeat of the previous day. Somewhere in the hills (you think Kansas is flat? Take a ride with me sometime) I lost Nancy, so I continued to the finish, and she showed up about ten minutes behind. She does not like hills, and they slowed her way down.

I got to Jetmore early, about 10:45a, and helped unload the baggage truck. I got some lunch (that's another story), had my massage, and fell asleep. I woke up just in time to eat dinner and buy a spare tube from Bicycle Pedaler's traveling store.

There is a unique feel to this week. A definite sense of camaraderie here, very friendly people here for the same goal of a fun week cycling across our fair state. If my knee holds out, this could end up being a fantastic week.

The Jetmore HS gym, our home for the night.

The trucks that transported our luggage from town to town (there were three of them).

One lineup of bicycles. We had to store them outside, and no one puts kickstands on their bikes. Every inch of space was taken up with bikes.

BAK: Leg 2 (Syracuse to Garden City)

June 6, 2009

52.46 miles
20.0 mph average (minimum based on partial data)
36.7 max speed
2:32:00 total time (estimate based on partial data)

Leg 2 literally began when I finished my B&G. Packed up my apartment, put it in the trunk of Andy's car, and set to work fixing my flat tire. This normally takes 20 minutes tops. This time it took 90. Could not find the hole in the tube, a Good Samaritan gave me a new tube which was a slightly different size. Installed that tube and quickly realized it was not going to fit well. It was too big. Tried anyway, and it promptly spring a leak from trying to wedge it into place. Went back to original tube, eventually found the leak, and it held.

By the time we hit the road it was 10:00 and quickly getting warm. We struck off to do Leg 2 as fast as we could before the full heat of the day set in. We were blessed with a strong tailwind, so we maintained 25+ mph most of the time. Unfortunately my companion likes to make frequent stops, so it kept getting hotter. We kept pushing and got into Garden City when it was 93 degrees, and my right knee failed. I could not bend I without stabbing, excruciating pain, so I clipped out of the pedal and rode the last 4 miles through town pedaling with just my left foot.

Got to Garden City Community College and hobbled around to get my bags to a sleeping spot, and decided an immediate shower was in order. I had easily 200 gnat bodies on each arm and 500 on each leg. This has never happened before, and it was gross. Got cleaned up and gnat- free and made a beeline (if bees could hobble) to the traveling massage therapist. They go to every multi-day cycling event, so they know how to deal with cycling pains. Got a 30-minute leg massage, which hurt SO bad, iced my leg, texted Beka's sister who is a P.A. to find out how much Aleve I could take without hurting myself, and laid down for a nap.

There was no fundraiser dinner for us (depending on the city an organization of some sort, like a rotary club, etc. provide the riders with a free dinner to raise money), so we went to Pizza Hut and ate. And ate. And ate some more. I felt like a glutton. And I drank probably 1/2 gallon of iced tea. It was not great pizza (if you want truly great pizza you need to go to Knolla's in Wichita of course) but it was LOTS of calories, which fit the bill. Went back, laid down, listened to the evening report from the leaders (apparently a 52-year old man had a heart attack on Leg 1 and died) and laid down again.

My inflatable mattress had sprung a leak, but that didn't matter. Within 10 minutes of lights out (10:00 p.m. on the button) I was asleep. I slept great considering the accommodations, and woke up at 5:45. My knee felt much better, but I was still very worried it would not make it through Leg 3. I packed up my apartment, put it this time in the traveling box truck, and got ready for Leg 3.

The GCCC gym, our home for the night.

My apartment.

BAK: Leg 1 (Colorado Border to Syracuse)

June 6, 2009

16.78 miles
15.6 mph average
20.4 max speed
1:04:37 total time

Drove to the border by dawn's early light Saturday morning. 17 miles back to town. Was supposed to do it Friday night, but it was too dark when we arrived. Did not feel strong on this leg, so rode easy. Made me wonder, if the first 17 miles feels like this, what about the other 550?! Punctured rear tire one mile outside Syracuse, had to use emergency CO2 inflator to get back to town (Andy had left me in the dust miles before). Got back with tire pressure to spare, thank goodness. Just in time for a BIG plate of biscuits and gravy (my personal favorite).

BAK: the Trip to the Border

My BAK journey actually started around June 2, 2009. I had never been on a trip like this, so we had to get supplies: a duffel bag, self-inflating mattress, travel soaps, etc. We spent a couple evenings going through the list that BAK had provided and my companion had put together from his last BAK, and got everything put together by Thursday, June 4, 2009.

We were scheduled to leave Wichita at 12:00p, Friday, June 5, 2009, so we could get registered, get set up, and do the 17 miles from the Colorado border to Syracuse, Kansas. I was to ride out with my companion and his wife and young daughter. I was at my house by 11:00a, got all my stuff put together (I had it all packed, just did a last minute check). My companion called at 11:30a to notify me he had to go to his chiropractor for an emergency visit because he had wrenched his back putting his bags in the trunk of his car, and that he would be running just a bit late. This was a sign of how that day was to play out. I waited patiently, and he picked me up around 12:20p.

When he arrived, we put my stuff in the trunk, hung my bike on the rack, and made a quick trip to my office to pick up a laptop. I had good intentions of getting work done after each day's ride. You'll see how that worked out if you keep reading. We left there at 12:30p (I later learned that I had left my hat on my desk in my office), and headed toward my companion's house. He called his wife on his cell and found out not only that she was not ready to go, but that she had not fed their daughter yet or packed her bags. Strike two on getting to Syracuse by 4:00p.

We got to his house around 12:45p, and I patiently waited while they fed their daughter, packed their bags, and generally piddled for another 45 minutes. To save time I put my companion's bike on the rack and waited. And waited. When we were finally all loaded and ready to go, my companion saw that he had a low tire on his car (he had neglected to check the car over the night before). He quickly spotted a nail in the tire and decided to get it fixed, which I agreed was a very good move before making a 4 1/2 hour journey through western Kansas.

My companion lives 2 minutes away from a Wal-Mart. Instead of making a quick jaunt over there to have the tire patched, he decided it would better to drive 20 minutes to the nearest Sears, because he had purchased a roadside package on the tires and could get a free patch there.

We ventured over to Sears, my blood pressure starting to rise, just to learn that the patch could not be done, but that he would need a new tire. We sat there while the fat Sears mechanics fiddled around for an hour before figuring out that the tire could indeed be patched. My blood pressure rose a bit more. We then waited some more, and my companion decided it would be fun to go to the Orange Julius (the Sears was at the mall) while we waited. I walked over with them, threw some coins in the fountain with their daughter, waited patiently while they let her have a ride on the carousel (I was at a low boil at this point), and then walked back to see that the car still was not ready, and that the genius mechanics were now removing the rest of the tires on the car. My temperature rose some more. Apparently my companion had gotten a bad set of valve stems when he got his new set of tires, so they all had to be replaced. We waited, and waited, and by 4:00p, we were set free to go.

We pointed the car west and headed toward Syracuse. My blood pressure started to drop, as I finally felt like we were making progress and my companion and his family maybe weren't totally pissing away the afternoon. Those hopes were dashed when, just 30 minutes into our trip, we had to make a stop to eat at of all places McDonalds, and we didn't get it to go, we had to have a nice, leisurely visit eating our meals. I was about to blow.

We got back on the road and kept going, and I think they realized I was getting pissed, so we didn't stop from that point. We pressed forward and arrived in Syracuse at 8:45p, the sun setting (too late for the 17 mile leg that night), and just as the BAK registration had closed. Ohhhh, I was pissed. Trying to keep my cool, I got my stuff, ignored my travel companions, and found a place to sleep.

By the time I had gotten myself situated in the gym it was lights out (10:00p on the button), and I laid down and tried to get some rest. It didn't happen. I think I passed out around 2:00a, after tossing and turning on my air mattress (which was just a bit too short for my body) and reviewing my mental checklist of all the things that needed to happen the next day. I woke to the sounds of stirring at around 5:30a, got up, brushed my teeth, got dressed, packed away some of my stuff, and set off to find my companion and get the 17 mile let out of the way before breakfast.

My companion and his family had slept in a tent that night, and we were supposed to meet at 6:00a to do the 17 miles. When I found their car, they were not ready. I waited until they got around, and we headed out to the border just as the sun was peeking its first rays over the eastern horizon.

My Bike Across Kansas (BAK) Journey

I'm going to upload all the posts I had made, plus some photos, about my personal journey on the Bike Across Kansas (BAK). Hope you enjoy!

Ed

Climbing that Hill

The practice is getting serious. I now have a legal assistant and two legal secretaries working with me on a regular basis. Trust me, this is no overkill. I had no idea things would expand the way they have, but indeed they have. So many cases, so little time. And it keeps growing...

Back by Popular Demand

I know many of you have been anxiously awaiting my next blog post, since the last one was a mere five months ago. Well wait no more, my friends! I'm fired up, and I'm gonna tell you about it.

I've been contemplating the term "misanthrope" and how it might be starting to apply to me. It seems I have become very frustrated with the selfishness/self-serving attitude that seems to prevail in our culture that I am becoming generally miffed with the human race (except of course for me and people I happen to like). What is it with people making it all about them, especially when they know that by benefiting themselves they will be causing much more damage to the rest of the world??

Case in point: I saw a nature show today where a polar bear starved to death on camera because there was not enough ice for him to use as a hunting platform. He got so hungry that, in an act of desperation, he tried to kill a two-ton walrus. Well that didn't work, no surprise, and the last we saw of the poor boy was him falling asleep and the narrator saying he was going to starve to death.

I don't need to tell you, this broke my heart. I wanted to go out there with a bit white styrofoam block, pull him up on it, and take him to the prime seal-hunting grounds. Does this make me a bleeding heart? Probably. Too much of a softy? Guilty, especially when it comes to animals. But I digress.

This next made me think of Melvin Neufeld, the Kansas legislator who is fighting to get another coal-fired power plant built in our state in the exact area where wind energy is among the best in the world: Western Kansas. It makes me sick what people like Neufeld are doing: he has conceded the point that coal power causes global warming, going so far as to say that global warming is a good thing because it will allow longer growing season of Kansas crops. Neufeld is doing this because he's getting money from the power company to keep him in the legislature, and because he thinks it will bring in maybe 1,000 jobs.

But at what cost? Does Neufeld not care that putting in this old-school CO2 belching technology is literally killing our planet's animal diversity? Apparently not. It makes me want to throw Neufeld to that starving polar bear, which I think would be a win-win: the polar bear would have some nourishment, and we would be rid of Neufeld. Unfortunately, that polar bear is probably long since dead, and I'm not sure Neufeld would be much nourishment for anything.

Did I say fired up? That may be an understatement. As a litigator, it may be that my adversaries are taking such ridiculous positions that I'm getting tired of people being any combination of stupid, irresponsible, and selfish. Whatever it is, it's got me here typing out my first blog post in the last five months.

Okay, I take it back (sort of)...

I got in trouble yesterday after my wife read my post. She thought I was taking out my frustrations out on her (okay, maybe just a little bit), and today I am much more centered. Perhaps it is because I got a really good night's sleep last night, or perhaps it is because I just had two warm chocolate chip cookies. Mmmmm, difficult to say!! At any rate, may the world know I love my wife more than the fat kid loves the cake (or more than I love chocolate chip cookies).

We have this wonderful dog named Milo, who I think is one of the smartest animals I've ever met. The thing I find strangely comforting about young Milo (who is snuggling next to me as I write these words) is that he has just a little bit of funk about him. I don't mean Rick James funk, I mean a little booty stink. Not like he's holding one in, more like he has a natural dog scent that is pure boy dog. It's not necessarily a good smell, but after spending the last two years with us it's comforting to know that Milo is right there, even if I'm not looking at him, because one good whiff and you know he's in the same room. Strange I know, but I never claimed to be normal.

blah-ba-dee blah blah

I am ready for this election to be over. What's frustrating me, and making me want this endless campaign to end, is my increasing realization that so many people around me, whom I otherwise love and respect, have opinions that diverge from mine in so many fundamental ways that I wonder if I ever actually knew them.

Take the Obama/McCain issue. For me, it would be absolute madness to put John McCain and Sarah Palin in the White House. But for so many people, my neighbor, my family, my wife (depending on the day), McCain is the only game in town. Are you kidding me!?!?!?!?

I've spent no less than 9 months figuring out who I would vote for in this election. I read Obama's biography, I followed McCain's policies, and for awhile it was tough because my two favorite picks actually made it out of their primary. I didn't think it was really possible that both Obama and McCain would win their primaries, so I had resolved that if one made it out of the primary but the other didn't, that's who I would vote for. Of course that was before McCain morphed from his historically independent self to party-line-toeing. But anyway, they both won, and I was faced with a dilemma: which dark horse (no racism intended there) to vote for?

I won't spend useless time justifying my decision to anyone who has time to read this post, but I ultimately came down to one inexorable conclusion: that Obama, for all his faults, is the only rational choice in this election. But then so many people I see every day, people whose opinions I otherwise value highly, will never vote for Obama. And that's the precise point that has gotten under my skin and won't work it's way out: that those with whom we ordinarily feel so close can, by virtue of one single issue, make use feel like they are not the people we thought they were, but someone totally different, someone we wouldn't stop to say hello to.

Is it me valuing my own opinion too highly? Or simply taking this election too seriously? I don't know, and I wish I did, because it would make my days much better lately. But something tells me this election is putting under a microscope a simple fact of human relationships: that there are deal-breaker issues that, in and of themselves, will make us either want to be around people or want to push them away with full force. This election is one deal breaker for me (at least until all the votes are counted and Obama wins). Perhaps age will cause me to mellow and be more accepting of other's views, but that's the other deal: normally I'm a very accepting person!! Usually I can see the other side of the coin. But lately, I just can't. Maybe this presidential campaign has worked on my ability to accept views I deep down find absurd. Maybe after the "dust" has settled, I will re-center my understanding nature and go on with my happy little existence. But until then, just humor me and say you're voting for Obama. It will make me not want to scream at you.

Ugghhhh.....

Why is it that our families can drive us toward the brink of insanity, but if they give us even a small glimmer of hope we seize on it? It's like the golfer who only needs one good shot to keep him coming back next week. Or maybe it's more like the beaten wife who sees past her husband's violent nature when he ap0logizes and gives her a big hug.

I went to my mom and step-dad's house today for a birthday/wedding anniversary cookout. My mom's birthday, my brother's wedding anniversary. Both were actually on the same day last week (that my brother's wedding occurred on my mother's birthday itself speaks volumes about the underlying situation), so this weekend was an opportunity for everyone to get together and celebrate, or for my mother to introduce me to her new family.

I assumed the purpose of the event was for our family to get together and celebrate these events. I was wrong. It wasn't just "family," as the world (minus my mother) would use that term. Instead, it was my family plus five random people (who I was to learn was my mother's "extended family") with whom my mother, stepfather, brother, sister-in-law, and nephews go to church (see it coming together? They also live in the same town, no more than about four blocks from each other).

At this afternoon's suare, my mother actually referred to these random people as her "extended family," even though she chose not to invite my grandparents (her parents), or any of her three brothers, all of whom live less than ten minutes away, to this event (which I learned after asking where the rest of the family (as the world would use that term) was.)

But I digress. So there were five random college students (none of whom I had ever met) celebrating with us: talking about family events, playing with my nephews, passing the dip, serving up ice cream and cake. I had expected my brother and sister-in-law to go along with this bizarre situation, being that they ordinarily live to serve my mother, but surprisingly (and this is the one good golf shot, or the big post-beating hug) they didn't!! It made me think, for the first time in a long, long time, that not all of my family (again, using the dictionary definition) were butterfly-net whack-a-doos.

I am choosing to seize on that moment of clarity: the instant after my mom referred to one of the randoms as her "daughter" and I looked over to my sister-in-law, mouthed "daughter?" to her, and saw the understanding eyebrow raise that said "Don't ask me, I'm just here for the baked beans and Suddenly Salad".

It makes me glad I live a comfortable 25 minutes away. It may not seem like a long distance to some of you, but for me it is just far enough that I don't start referring to my front lawn privet hedge as my nieces and nephews.



Is this a thinly veiled attempt at inciting jealousy on my part, since my wife and I have intentionally separated ourselves from the rest of my family for the sake of preserving our own sanity.

The 16-pound beef ball

We have this cat, Frank, who I recently learned is the neighborhood bully. This came as a total surprise to us, because at home he is the most loving animal you will ever meet. He's probably part dog, he is so loyal. But apparently there is more than one side to young Franklin, as we learned this week. I went outside to find him and bring him inside and he had cornered another, anonymous cat under our neighbor's chair. He was growling in this unholy baritone voice, just staring down the other cat without moving. When our dog, Milo, saw what was going on he joined in the fray, chasing the other cat around the corner of our neighbor's house and causing quite a stir. After our neighbor saw what had happened (she was the first one to hear Franklin's unholy grumble) she said that Frank wastes no opportunity to fight our other neighbor's cat, Groucho. I am still surprised by Franklin's dual personality: part loving buddy, part ass beater.

You know how I know you're gay? Because you listen to Coldplay...

I don't even know what that is from, but I'll steal it anyway. So American Idol is actually interesting this year. My wife knows that bald Stacey guy, but she's not too excited about him winning. Something there she's not telling me?? Difficult to say...

Paula Abdul doesn't seem like she's using too many drugs this year, which is nice because she seems like a good person. Simon Cowell derives way too much enjoyment from being brutally honest. No subtlety there. Crazy Britons.

So what can I say about how much I like TiVo? We got it a few months ago and I swear I would give up my first born before I would let my tivo out of my sweaty clutches. Banish commercials from my life, get an hour of tv in 47 minutes, and they say God is dead. Nay!

This could easily be titled the "Stream of Consciousness" post because that is truly what it is. Not having shared my thoughts with random strangers worldwide for the past year has given me a strange sort of writer's block. Is it that I have little to say? Perhaps. Could it be that I need a sweet treat to get me started? Quite likely. Is it possible that my wife, who is sitting next to me, will read this and deliver me a delicious cookie she got for her birthday? Not a chance. But I like her anyway. Or as they say, "I love spending time with her."

I may be wrong here but I think Paula Abdul is going to make sexual relations with one of the contestants. You can just tell that she gets a bit turned on when those guys start wailing. And could they get a decent-sized stepstool for Seacrest? He's scary short. And tiny.

My predictions for the boot: Pedro and Malakar

And for those who are reading these in order (not quite likely) I passed the bar and have been practicing law for awhile. How cool am I?!

I have also bought a house and acquired animals.

Rounding out the month...

My bar class starts in about 30 minutes so I'll have to cut this short...so the cats are feeling pretty cramped here. They're always wanting to go outside when we open our apt. door, but to their dismay it's only the hallway and not the wonderful out-of-doors. Luckily for them they'll get to spend the weekend at Gilliland and be able to romp and play freely.

I'm nearly caught up on the schedule of things to do for bar prep. I got a bit behind with the move, and I think I can be back on my game no later than Tuesday, which will be nice because we have a simulated MBE exam (200 multiple choice questions). My multiple choice percentage has actually been pretty good (70-75%), so I think I'm on the right track so far.

Ok, time to brush my tooth (just the one!) and head off.

Still moving in...

We're almost finished moving in. We got a two-level California Closets shelf and a new tv stand, and I'm almost finished assembling it. Beka's going to bring our clothes and bathroom stuff over to the apt. tomorrow, and we'll bring the cats tomorrow night. I think this will be by far the best place I've lived, and I think it will be a good place to stay for the next couple of years.

Moving In

We're finally getting moved in to our new apt. We got all the boxes moved in earlier yesterday, and then finished with the furniture. It was much easier than moving into Topeka. I think we will finish unpacking and reassembling furniture tomorrow and hopefully be done by then. It will be nice to be resettled again!