A Man in Uniform

Total miles run since entry to NYC marathon/this year: 15.81/333.54
Total distance(in miles) swam since entry to marathon: 1.38
Exercise calories burned since entry/this year: 2,812/55,177
Weight: 198.5
Beers in last 24 hours: 0
Money raised towards goal: $40!!!


First and most important, I got my first donations to my cause yesterday! Two $20 contributions. The first was from am awesome coworker of mine, Cayci - and the other was from my good buddy. soon-to-be Ironman pal, Eric. I have to think of something special to do for them, stepping up and being the first like that! Thanks guys!

That picture on the left? That's Beck being none to pleased when his mom made him try on lederhosen. Wrong holiday, sure. But still funny ... Ha, ha! Little kids are fun to torment for your amusement. It's only fair after all the torture they put us through, right?

Now on to business ...

Just two days from my 30th birthday, I finally cracked down and bought a suit.

It's like the cosmos was saying to me: 'Welcome to the real world, you bitch. It took you long enough to get here.'" And then to add insult to injury, it handed me a $300 bill - ensuring that what limited supply of a birthday cash a 30-year-0ld man gets will spent on nothing other than a suit I really didn't want but, regretfully, really need.

And why in the land of 110-degree days would a man need a suit? Why, one of my best friends is getting married, of course. And I'm the best man.

But really I jest ... It'll be cool to stand up there and watch another one of my friends join the rest of us fools who threw our lives away for the promise of holy matrimony, nightly sex for six months after the wedding date and left over meat loaf on Tuesdays.

Actually, I can't wait for the wedding. A lot of old friends (who I plan to hit up for cash for my cause) will be in town, and much partying will commence ... for a weekend it'll be like to good old days. Never ones to really embrace the luxurious lifestyle, we opted to cart the 15 guys around for the bachelor party not in a limo, but in a 15-passenger Econoline Van driven by none other than my future brother-in-law. It'll be great.

We're having a pretty mellow Juy 4. Tonight we may watched the city's fireworks from the back yard, and in a little bit we're going to the in-laws for some low-key socializing.

On Thursday, mom gets into town for a visit. She's watching baby on Saturday so a few close friends and I can get together for a 30th birthday celebration ... should be fun.

Look soon for a link to purchase T-shirts and other Bat Out of Hell goodies to help support my cause. In the meantime, I could really use the donations. It's only 17 weeks to NYC. It'll be here before you know it.

Remember donations made out to NYRR Foundation can be mailed to me, or you can donate online at http://www.nyrrc.org/cgi-bin/start.cgi/mar-programs/nyrrf/team/donations.htm
My entry number is 58138.

Please remember to let me know by comment or e-mail if you donate online, so I can keep track of donations, and give credit where credit is due.

And how come all you fools look but never leave comments? I feel like I'm talking to nobody out there. Say something, damn it.

Happy 7/4.

- Ed