Updated Links

Only a quick post to let you know that I have updated my Read 'em and Weep... or Laugh sections with some new blogs.

Highlights are:

• Banazattack - Anne's blog. You may also know her as @banaza on the Twitter. She is also my Team Challenge coach.
• Living on the Front Side of Thirty - Good old Bruce. aka @btothed. You never know what you will get.
• Losing it Without Losing me - Amy Kant - @amykant - Follow her as she loses weight. Amy is one of my Team Challenge friends.
  
• Ok, just one more beer - Suzi's journey with Weight Watchers, myself, & that 30 pack of beer sitting in my fridge. @suzistorm
  
• Twitter Beer Club - We drink beer and tweet about it every Monday at 8pm. What more can you ask for??
  

I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Smoke Out

Today is 35th annual Great American Smoke Out.

I would like to take this day to encourage anyone who does smoke to make a plan to not smoke today. If you can do it today, then maybe you can not smoke tomorrow and so on. One day at a time.

The American Cancer Society offers many great resources to help you quit.

I quit smoking over 10 years ago. It got to be one day that Randy (who chewed tobacco) and I said enough is enough. We were probably both bitches to be around for the first few weeks. I know we both had our setbacks. I remember taking a puff or two, three from time to time. Especially when drinking. But eventually it got easier and easier to not smoke. I look back at it and even though I gained close to 40 lbs since then, it was still the best decision I have ever made.

I look back and think how smoking has hurt people in my life. My inlaws both dies from smoking related complications. My dad's cancer was more than likely caused by his smoking. My mom has sorta stopped but still has health issues related to her smoking. My sister seems to always be sicking and coughing. Same thing with my nieces. One of them always seems to be sick.

Since I stopped smoking I noticed that my colds have decreased in frequency and intensity. Somoe of that may be to the more healthier lifestyle I try to lead but I'm sure that by not smoking it helped my lungs have the ability to heal and stay stronger.

So, I urge you to give great thought to take this day and make it the first day of your life smoke free!

Sweet Dreams

I had a weird dream last night.  It was pretty easy to figure out the meaning of it but it was strange none the less.

I am at Disney in Florida.  It is early in the day. I'm getting ready to run a marathon. I can't find things I packed. No shoes. No Carmex. 

My dad is there. He and someone else that I don't know are supposed to take me to the starting line by 1:30. It is like 1:00 and they can't get the tractor started.  It is an hour drive to get there. I am all upset that I depended on them to get me there and just before I need to leave they are trying to fix the tractor. 

I am yelling at them to get me a cab.  They tell me that everyone else is trying to get to the race so there are no cabs. 

My alarm goes off and I never made it to the race.

I wonder if this has to do with the fact I have already started to pack for Vegas. 

Things That Make Me Go Hmmmm....

Lately, I have been finding articles in the local newspaper that just make me go "Huh??". Some are things that irritate me, some are funny and other are truly just weird.

Like the one from the AP. There was a conference that ended this past Saturday for priests to learn how to do exorcisms. Yes, exorcisms. I guess someone has to teach them how to do this but it just seems really odd.

More than 50 bishops and 60 prieists attended this conference. That is alot of people. The one fact I found interesting is that the Catholic church receives 400 requests a year to perform an exorcism but they only end up doing 2 or 3 a year. I wonder what they think is going on with the other 397 cases. Are the people nut jobs or faking it? Makes you wonder....

Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave

Today is Veteran's Day.

I give thanks to the men and women, past, present and future, who have fought and gave their lives to protect the freedoms we hold dear. Or at least you should.

I remember on this day, my dad and uncles who served during peace time. During WWII, my great uncle, Ray served in Africa. Uncle Herman who served in Germany. I will remember my great uncle Melvin, who gave his live in France on July 30, 1944.

At our last family reunion, I found out that his transport casket had been located on the family farm. It is being donated to the National World War II museum in New Orleans, LA. Here are a couple of articles about it.

I remember my brother-in-law, Corey, who served during peace time in the Air Force and now continues to serve in a civilian capacity with the NSA.

I am remembering my nephew, Kyle, who also works for the NSA in a civilian capacity, who by now should be in Afghanistan for the next few months. May God keep him safe.

I am remembering my many friends who have served or are serving in peace time and war.

Thanks you for making sure that we can continue to call the United States, the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave!

Beer Run

This afternoon StB and I volunteered at the Tyranena Brewery's 5th annual Beer Run. We had previously volunteered at their beer bike ride last month and had a good time (even if it was freezing cold, cloudy and windy out). We had such a good time we decided to do it again. It also never hurts that there is good beer there to drink.

The day was cold but sunny and calm winds. Much better than last time. As we walked in, I ran into some Team Challenge friends. They were out there cheering on a couple other people.

Our duty, this time, was in the recovery tent. It is where runners come after they finish to get water, snacks, heat blankets and their much coveted medal. We had cookie table detail. Keep the cookies well stocked and organized. Not too terribly difficult. Also much more fun than taking ticket for the food line like we did last time.

The first runners came in. They cranked out the 1/2 marathon in about 1 hour 14 minutes. An awesome time. Tried to give them some cookies but there were more interested in the fruit and peanut butter sammiches.

A few more runners started coming in here and there. The people who ran the 1/6 barrel (4.37 miles) were now also coming in. Then the rush hit. We had a good time laughing and cheering the runners as they came past us. StB kept trying to push the orange pumpkin frosting cookies. He kept comparing them to the McRib. Saying that they were only around for a limited time and when they were gone, they were gone until next year. He got some laughs out of people and more than a few strange looks.

The runners kept us busy for the better part of the next 2 hours. By about 3 it was dying down so I moved over to the area where they were collecting the timing chips. We had to fold them back up and attached them to the boards that they came on. Not a difficult job with but there were just alot of them. 1500 to be exact. Like the saying goes "Many hands make for light work" That was true here. Some people were folding them up and others were putting them back on the boards. The task was quickly completed.

I was excited to see one of my dailymile and Twitter friends, Augie complete his first 1/2 marathon. It was nice to finally get to meet him.

I was also super happy to see one of my Team Challenge teammates, Courtney (you read about her story here). She completed the 1/6 barrel run. She said that she was saving her 1/2 marathon for Vegas next month.

By this time there was not much left to do except pack things up. We found Stacey (who did a kick ass job of running the event today) and asked what should be done with the food. Got that quickly put away and went to enjoy ourselves. Ate a bit and drank a bit. Got a good laugh out of the people who brought a couple of blow up New Glarus Brewery cows.

We sat in on part of the brewery tour. I loved the tour guy. He was cracking jokes and having a good time. The one question I wanted to ask but didn't was who was always responsible for the labeling mistakes that they always seem to be having. Almost every other newsletter has a note about how someone messed up and labels a batch of bottle wrong.

Things were now winding down, so we headed for home.

It was a great day and knowing that you got to help put on a great event made the day even better.