Know Your Place

Gonna take a moment here to vent. So I'm working with this young guy and he somehow starts telling me about how the Gov of Kansas is in hot water for spending $50,000 or so on a new piano for a well-to-do school and only spending $10,000 on an inner city school piano. I remarked how that does seem lopsided. He then proceeded to inform me how things work. Rich suburban schools get more money because they have higher property taxes. So they are better. Inner city schools get less money because their property taxes are lower which is why they are not as good. He follows this string of enlightenment with "and who wants to waste money on inner city schools?" He kept on talking trying to validate his point but I couldn't get past his "waste money.." statement. I then began forming a retort in my head citing a number of historical figures that have come from what he seems to think of as lower society. Then it hit me. It would be a lost effort.

My family is neither rich nor poor. My kids have and do go to a Title 1 School due to where we live. When a former art teacher at my kids school remarked that none of the kids would ever win a talent contest because of where they came from. I was pissed then too. I have little to no patience for people that feel their class makes them better than others. Take that away and you truly have nothing. To bad money can't buy character.

Nice night for a run.

I told my wife I was going to finish a run and she said run to the craft store and get some yarn. I said OK and grabbed my huaraches and camelbak while she was gathering the scraps I would need to pick the correct skeins. Wife followed me out commented on how nice the night was and asked me if I had shoes. As I turned around and showed her the sandals strapped to my camelbak the question struck me funny. I've been running barefoot for coming up on two years now and that question seems less outta place now then when I first started.

I took off and I must say the evening was very nice. The roads and sidewalk were not hot and traffic wasn't bad at all. Typically when I run in the direction I was going today I run along the south side of East/West road which usually has a lot of debris. Today I ran on the North side and I must say it was quite a difference. I run barefoot on roads and trails and when you hit a section of debris covered roads or sidewalks it is more painful then when running on dirt so a clear running path is a blessing on pavement.

The trip into the store proved quick and easy, only one guy asked if the pavement was hot today on the way in. The route back was going just well but I managed to get a thorn in my foot. I went for a little bit and tried the little tricks to brush it off without success. The stubborn little thing was a 16 penny nail masquerading as a flower thorn. Not just any kind of thorn but no sliding through grass won't get it so stop and put down what you're holding. Sit down so I can get this thing out. Crap I hope it doesn't break cause I don't have tweezers thorn. A thorn. From running the streets. Crazy. I've seen more broken glass on the last two trail runs then in the last four weeks running the streets. No surgery was needed, shoot didn't even a band aide.

Thorn removed the rest of the run home was uneventful although it took a bit to get the momentum back. Starting up hill will do that so I don't feel bad about that part. All said and told it was a nice five mile run to the store and back in just under an hour total.

Get in Step

Ever feel like you are just "marking time" until EndEx is called? That is kinda where I'm at right now. No forward progress, just stepping in place. Marking time.

For the non military marking time is a command used in drill movements. There is no movement in any direction yet you are still stepping to a cadence. I don't know that it serves any real purpose in drill except to get all personnel in step. When NCOs go to their prospective schools to learn how to be better NCOs commanding a unit in drill is always part of the training program. Cards with various drill movements are given for final evaluations and the NCO must demonstrate his/her ability to maneuver the unit through the drill movements. Mark time is all most always one of the commands. Just about the only reason I can think of for this is getting the command of execution for the next movement called on the correct foot. If its done wrong the rhythm is thrown off and it can be very plain to see the error. Calling the next command of execution all boils down to timing really.

EndEx is a slang term that signifies end of an exercise/tour of duty. Infantry usually love to hear the EndEx call because it means going home. Taking a break for at least a little while from the stress and strain to rest and recuperate. I think there were only a few times I didn't like it and those were when the mission wasn't completed. That is almost never a good time to hear because it means something went wrong. I remember one night we were only half way through an exercise when the call came. We were all bewildered because it was a recall to base for a role call. Standing there in the middle of the night wonder what the hell was going on seemed to fuel a nervous energy. It was only after we got there did we find out one of our helos crashed and we needed to confirm those that were aboard and those not. So, not all EndExs are good. I also heard it referred to a service member's death. EndEx soldier/marine/airman/seaman. Your time is done. Thank you for your service.

Perhaps my candence is off. I don't know. I just know I'm not ready for EndEx yet but can't seem to get back in step.

Into the night

The LCU (Landing Craft Utility) rocks up and down with the swells causing a number of people to move closer to the rails or closer to the center of the boat in hopes of minimizing their discomfort. Vocal jabs can be heard of weak constitutions prompting a weak chorus of vulgar responses. Its the middle of the night with the lights of the civilization dotting the coast line some 22 miles in the distance. The lights are not the destination however, it's the dark unknown in between the lights. In a little bit a company of marines will be launching their little Zodiac rubber raiding crafts off the front of the boat and head into the night and the swells that threaten to scrub the mission. The danger lies in a swell raising the launching platform before a rubber craft can clear the area and getting smashed underneath. Looking over the side the little lights seem to blink in and out of existence with the swells. Excitement charges the air, the marines are eager for the waiting to end one way or another.

When I look at my little journey for my first marathon this is what I'm reminded of. That span of time from when we were waiting for the word to launch our boats into the night and the struggle of trying to start the last of the outboard motors. The rise and fall of the ocean, the destination of dark unknown in between the little lights. If you have ever swam in the ocean you'll know what I mean. Riding a wave to shore with the crest is behind you it pushes. As the crest moves beyond and you go down the backside it pulls (at least that's the way it feels to me) you back. A large enough wave and you can loose sight of the shore. I'm at the bottom of a swell right now. I know the general direction of my destination, it's just not in sight. Perhaps it is because the destination is an unknown that I chose to tread water as I went down the back of a wave. Or it could have come from my struggle of the time I'm missing with family. I'm not really sure. One thing I do know is I would rather have a DNF (did not finish) next to my name than a DNS (did not start/show) and I do feel the wave building behind me (thanks to my wife and kids for that).

We did launch that night by the way. It was hairy but an experience I treasure. The journey to the shore was at times peaceful and filled with excitement. As we got closer to shore we barely had to paddle, as I remember, with the waves pushing us to shore. I'm hoping for a simular experience.

Pay the price, but for which choice?

I have a big choice to make. I love to run and to run races, though I only get excited about them on race day. It's an outlook I've had about special events for quite some time. I think it stems from working so many holidays, birthdays, and going on deployments. After awhile the specialness just kind of faded away and now I only get excited when other people around me do. I have to feed off their enthusiasm to really get into the moment. I'm sure because of this my wife and kids think I am an emotional vaccuum at times, well, most of the time. But I digress, training for my marathon has taken more and more time away from my family than I really had thought it would. When I go on my longer training runs it really wipes me out. Runs were scheduled for morning times (barefeet and hot afternoon pavement didn't mix well) after work which cuts my sleep time almost in half. A few runs I had done wiped me out so much I slept into the evening to when my kids were going or had gone to bed. Once I slept half of my Saturday away. So back to my choice, drop training and the marathon so I'm not missing out on family time or continue with the race plans.

It is not a question of being able to do it. I know I can. The question is, which is worth more and at what cost?

Kid Logic: But I need it for school

So my second oldest son (W) comes home from his intro to middle school summer class today and informs his mother he needs a cell phone. When asked why this was so he responded that sometimes the teacher doesn't want student blurting out the answers so they can text the answer to the teacher. A current student was able to back up this explanation later on that night. She also stated that there were other ways such as using e-mail. Mom's retort was of course, "Are they going to pay for it?"
My view was a little more analytical. W is like most children his age. Responsibility is an on going lesson, reminders to clean the room and do chores are still pretty regular with him. A number of times I've made a trip to the school to bring forgotten items such as lunches, iPads, instruments and such. I also have to repeatedly track down not just the remotes but the battery covers as well under blankets, pillows, and the couch. So naturally my first thought was " You can't keep track of my remotes and your own stuff and you want me to get you a cell phone?" Crazy boy.

Kid Logic: Being wet is a matter of perception

We had to go to Worlds of Fun today. No really, it was not just a moral imperative being the first full day of summer but also the day of dance competition at WOF. This time our son's participation was just two songs, his solo and a team tap dance. As an added bonus for us his dance times were slotted for the mid morning. Awards were scheduled for 4-5ish later in the day. This left us with plenty of time to enjoy park rides while waiting for the ceremony to begin. The weather dude predicted a rainy Saturday for us which I think turned out ok. Crowds were not as large as they could have been for a summer Saturday at an amusement park nor was the weather very hot. We spent our down time wondering from ride to ride in the on again off again drizzle enjoying our first day of summer. As we meandered our way half way through the park some of the kids in our happy little group decided that a ride on the Fury of the Nile was in order. For those unfamiliar with the ride it is a circular boat free floating down a man made river with man made rapids designed to get the riders wet. It is a matter of chance on how much a rider can get wet which seems to be the point of the ride. I escaped with a few drops trickled on me from an over head water fall for which I was pretty thankful for. A little girl in our group was drenched by a wave about as big as she was. It was sometime during the wait and the ride a bit of kid logic occurred to me.
Waiting in the rain for 30-45 minutes for a water ride only to be scared of getting wet from the ride. It's the simple things that keep us young. My boy earned two silvers by the way. What a great day.