Coffee?

I am now in Iowa and exploring a new project. This would be switching gears a bit (back into my coffee hat), but following the same lines... helping get a business off the ground that will benifit a community of people, and raise the bar of the independent businesses that surround them. I will write more soon...

P.S. I have upgraded from Beetle's floor... to Chad's couch... ahhh, living the life.

Sleepy

A string of 2am bedtimes, 15+ hour days, and the stress of trying to pull off a bunch of stuff that I have never done before... has left me a bit foggy. I am sitting here in Chicago after a 5am wake up, and a 2 min flight from Birmingham (that was all that I was awake for ;-) Now it is on to Omaha, and a drive up to Spencer, IA. I am looking forward to this next adventure, but it might take a day or two to switch gears... we'll see.

Planning

Ahhh, we have gone from tossing around 80lb bags of concrete to tossing around business jargon and numbers. Tonight we are hammering out the second half of a business plan for Southern Sole. I sure wish I had soaked in a little more of that Intro to Business class back in the day. I was cruzin till we got to all the number stuff... then the eyes sort of glazed over (or maybe that was because I have gone to bed after 2am the past few nights). Had to extend my time here until Wed. (too much to do), and then it is to Iowa. Have I mentioned I am heading to Iowa next? Yup, off to Spencer, IA for a few days before heading home. Will be looking into my next project perhaps. Tom, if you are out there, I will be in touch...

Ok, all... back to business.

Today: 4 miles (holy cow was my body hurtin from pouring those counters)
Week: 4 miles

Counter

Counter,
originally uploaded by TreeBed.

We got the counter poured... and a bunch of other stuff done the past two days. It took some doing though. 18 hours on Saturday, and over 10 today (we woke up at noon). For our first time doing anything like this, it is not too bad. There are some things we did well, and some things not so well. Saturday night was pretty funny pouring the thing while all the kiddos were out on the town. We definitely got some strange looks. Time to go back and crash... wake up and do it again.

Big Time

Today is going to be Big Time! We have a bunch of track guys coming in, and hopefully we will be making a big push. The counter should happen today (little nervous), and most all of the messy stuff. It will be nice to get to the end of the day and clean the heck out of the place... NO MORE DUST!!! Alright... back to it.

Stick a Fork in Me...

I'm done. Today's run showed me that I need to get back into a disciplined routine. I don't think that I am in that bad of shape, but I just don't have a good grasp of what is going on in my body. When I was in great shape I was much more in tune with the little ups and downs of myself. When a run didn't go well, I could pin point why. There are plenty of reasons why my runs don't feel great... lack of sleep, on my feet working, stress, humid air, Beetle and Robert going faster than my normal trot of the past months... perhaps it is just the fact that I'm lagging behind, maybe my old running spirit wants to get in gear and doesn't have the gas right now. Who knows. Anyway... today was a big day... we should come in tomorrow to a freshly painted ceiling at Southern Sole. That will be nice. Lots to do in the next few days...

Today: 4 miles
Week: 12 miles

New/Old

New/Old,
originally uploaded by TreeBed.

It was a bit of a rough one today... Several late nights, and an extra late one last night, made me pretty worthless today. I am getting to old for late night activities. Well, to old to be of much use the next day. I did get a run in today, and in my new shoes (thank you Southern Sole), but it was ugly. However, the good news is that the knee felt better the first go out in the new kicks. I have been brewing up some thoughts about my time here in the South, but I am way too tired to spit them out tonight... plus I am polishing off a business plan. So, hopefully we get out of the Tank pretty soon and get a nights sleep that is worth writing home about. Some how I doubt it. Things have been cranked into super crazy mode.

Today: 4 muggy miles
Week: 8 miles

Test #1

Test #1,
originally uploaded by TreeBed.

I have dove in on my first concrete counter... I am still a little nervous about pulling the whole thing off, but it is fun to jump into something new.

Got a good run in yesterday... my knee is still talking to me like clock work at 20 min. Hopefully new shoes take care of that little deal.

Other than that... just workin, workin, workin.

P.S. I am waiting for some updates BAYA... missed you all this weekend. I hope it was great! And thanks for the pix.

10 Years... Class of 96

Somehow during our late night in the Tank, Beetle and I stumbled upon high school track records from good old HBHS. That led us to talking about the fact that we have our 10 year reunion coming up. I was saying I doubted anything would happen for it... However, we then found a blog devoted to making it happen (I stand corrected). We'll keep an eye on that...

Oh, and Amy... if you make it to this page... Heed Beetles words...

Doing Time

Doing Time,
originally uploaded by TreeBed.

Today we got the office/lounge in workable condition. It is now called the "Think Tank". It is plush... or something. Our run got canceled by an all day storm that rolled through. I have a pair of shoes on the way so I wasn't too sad, it will be good to have new shoes on my feet. I seem to only be able to go 20 min before the knee starts yelling at me.

Maybe I should start wearing this monstrosity (maybe not)... Check out this bizarro shoe Masai Barefoot Technology.

1 Hour decathlon

Today was a day of getting acclimated, and of prep work... The high light of the day was going to the track to watch a couple of guys do a "1 Hour decathlon". This was a couple of red-shirt athletes that were testing themselves with a few random people jumping in here and there. Doing a decathlon is tuff, doing it in an hour... That is tuffer!!! It was fun to be out on the track. It was hot as hell and there really wasn't all that much going on. However, it just felt good to be in that atmosphere. It has been a while since I have even set foot on a track. For something that used to be such a major part of my life, it seemed sort of strange to be standing there with no ties to it (other than my history). For one, it was just nice to be out around people pushing themselves to their limits (and I saw some limits pushed... the decathlon ended with the "loss of lunches"). That is something that I always liked about track... it was a place where you saw the benefits of working hard. At some point I will need to find some way to get involved with track again. Even if it is just attending track meets. Being out there today had a familiarity that I miss. I have so many hours logged (with many of you reading this) of just sitting out on the track laughing, sweating, working... having fun. Good times. Times that I am so thankful for.

Off to sleep with the far away rumbles of thunder...

Back in Bama

A strange feeling that I have just been here... and well, I guess I just was, but the two worlds are sooo different it doesn't seem real. Perhaps that is the name of the game for 2006. I have been all over the place. Flying into Birmingham was exciting. It started with some of the most beautiful clouds I have ever seen. It was right at sun set, and the light was amazing. Also the electricity could be felt through the window as the storm below was bursting. As we sank into the puffs of white the contrast of white on blue faded to dark monotone grey. Things also got a bit shaky. Suddenly it was night and the warm light of the sun was replaced with the cold sparks of lightning. I do miss the storms of my Midwestern days, and this all brought a smile to my face (especially once we were safely on the ground). Ahhh, the South... the perfect spring weather of my last visit (a week ago mind you) has faded into the sticky thickness one would expect. Oh well, I suppose it goes with the territory... it somehow fits the place. After a few pints at the Innisfree (the pretty people were on full display) it is time for bed. Back to the grind. Actually, I am quite excited. This is what I want to be doing... and I am doing it. Can't ask for much more.

Travel...

Lets see... early wake up, last minute packing, things I forgot, commute traffic, beautiful early morning sun, BART, guy snoring (loudly), the sense that my life is a gift, girl putting on make-up, bus fare, girl who works at MOMA, security, coffee (finally), old lady hogging my elbow space, Salt Lake City, old man REALLY hogging my elbow space, St. Louis, crappy airport food, iced chai dessert, new verizon pc card, blog, one of the cattle...

Birmingham, here I come.

Stuff.

Been a busy bee... trying to get stuff done before heading back to Alabama on Wednesday. The weather has finally remembered that it is the middle of April and brought back the sun. So it was nice to get out into the yard and do some putzing around. Now I just got to get my butt out the door for a run...

Beautiful Day

Today was a perfect example of how having the "bad", allows you to really appreciate the "good". My arrival back to California was dreary, cold and wet. However, today was nearly perfect... Sunny with billowing puffy clouds in stark contrast to the deep blue. You could almost see the plants stretching out to gulp up the sun after withstanding so many winter down pours. Somehow I doubt I would have recognized the awesome beauty of today without the dramatic turn around from yesterdays weather. This is the case with many things in life. My dad once said something like this to me in college. I was having a rough spell... He said something close to "appreciate the bad as best you can, it is how you know the good, is truly good." I sort of feel like I am nearing the verge of knowing that good... really knowing it. I have good things all around me, but it is my core that is in "rough times". So until that piece of me comes around, I will remain in that dark place. However, that is what I have been working on over the past few months (and continue to work on), and I am beginning to see how my life can embrace (and "truly know") the good. For that I am thankful.


Today: 3 miles
Week: 3 miles

Portland Peeps

I wanted to let people up in P-town (or anywhere for that matter) know about a run that is happening up in Forest Park on May 28th. This is a run put on by Pacific Coast Trail Runs. The run that I did at Angel island was with these folks, and it was a lot of fun. I highly recommend if you can, go join in on the fun! I thought that I would come up for it, but I think that I may have a conflict in my schedule now... We'll see.

Time to go sneak a run in while the sun is out... cross your fingers that it stays out!

Done!!!

Done!!!,
originally uploaded by TreeBed.

Well, I am back in Vallejo today. I finished my first stint in the world of Southern Sole. My body is a little beat up and I am looking forward to a few recovery days, but I am excited for what we got done the past week. Now it is time to get a few things done around home before I head back for round two.

Chippin Away

Chippin Away,
originally uploaded by TreeBed.

No time to write much... It is my last full day here and there is lots to do. We are seeing some progress though. I did get another run in on Saturday... Shawn needs to get his shoes in... mine are officially done!

Power!!!

Power!!!,
originally uploaded by TreeBed.

We finally got power today... barely. No storm yet, we'll see if all the predictions were false. Although I think they got nailed north of here. Have a great weekend everyone!

Run Over... (100th post)

Yeah, beginning to feel like I have been run over by a bus... my body hasn't quite adjusted to time change, manuel labor, 14 hour days... ouch! Oh well, it is good for me. I live far to comfortably most of the time. Last night was a surreal experience. We were working a long day (6:30am start time), and as the evening was rolling around the street became increasingly more lively. The store front is right on "the strip", a block of the campus and where everyone heads out to for their evening activities. The sidewalk became a runway for all of the pretty people (and there was no shortage of them). Mind you they mostly all look the same... but in this case that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. However, it did provide a stark contrast to our little crew working in the dirt and dust of the store. The south does know how to strut their stuff, and it was fun to just take it all in (ridiculous as it all appears). The next few nights will be no different (although a big storm is coming in... I am sure that will change the seen a bit). We still have no power, but after jumping through one more hoop (and another $20) hopefully that will happen today. Progress is beginning to be visible, but there is still so much to do. This process is a good next step for my business start-up skills, and I am looking forward to adding a few new tools to my bag of tricks. Hope you are all well in whatever you are up to.