Asked to describe me in one word, my wife of 20 years once said “Quirky”. And I agree.
The aforementioned wife believes my refusal to react or get angry when she is mad too is me showing indifference. Perhaps it is.
People who have had the misfortune of inviting me for lunch or dinner has often called my practice of handwriting a full page of thank you letter in a monogrammed envelope “too formal”. And I think they might be right.
Certainly my practice of showing up to parties on time and leaving by 9:30 – often skipping dinner is considered “weird”. And it is.
Getting up at the crack of dawn, running because I want to, calling my mom every single day of my life, wishing 1500 people “Happy Birthday” in a year on their birthdays (and I sometimes mess up the dates 🙂 ), digging up friends from my elementary school days, date nights every Sunday (with my wife, of course; else it would be “weird” 🙂 ), showing up at Durga Pujo in shorts …….
I have often asked myself why do I have to be difficult and different?
I have seriously struggled to answer “Who am I”? and what prompts me not to go in with the crowd…..

Read an eloquent poem by Linda Ellis (1996) thanks to my good friend Samaresh. Now I am hoping against hopes that this is why I am so weird and different 🙂 Anyways, it is a good read…

“I read of a man who stood to speak
at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone,
from the beginning…to the end.
He noted that first came the date of her birth
and spoke of the following date with tears,
but he said what mattered most of all
was the dash between those years.
For that dash represents all the time
that she spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved her
know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not, how much we own,
the cars…the house…the cash.
What matters is how we live and love
and how we spend our dash.
So, think about this long and hard.
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
that can still be rearranged.
If we could just slow down enough
to consider what’s true and real
and always try to understand
the way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger
and show appreciation more
and love the people in our lives
like we’ve never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect
and more often wear a smile,
remembering that this special dash
might only last a little while.
So, when your eulogy is being read,
with your life’s actions to rehash…
would you be proud of the things they say
about how you spent YOUR dash?”

It is like all of them went to Washington state last night to drive on I-5!!! Not a single one to be found here this morning.
Atlanta does not have any traffic problem that shutting down all schools cannot solve 🙂

You know the name of the Charlotte mayor who has been nominated by President Obama for the Secretary of Transportation? Anthony Foxx ! You think the Greyhound buses are going to have a field day? 🙂

Flying lost its innocence in 2001. Sadly, it seems we will mark 2013 as the year when running lost its innocence.

There is nothing that is as basic as running. You can do it by yourself. You can do it without any gadgets / tools / equipment. You can do it most anywhere. You do not need a lot of money to run – in fact the poorest countries – Ethiopia, Kenya, Jamaica have produced consistently great runners!

There was a time we ran to catch our food so we could eat. Now we run because of the amount of food we eat 🙂 There was a time mail was delivered by “runners” (running mailman). Now, we have problems running a postal system 🙂

But above all, every runner that you see on the road will tell you that they do it because it is “fun”. Some are competitive, some see it as a social activity – but all see it as a “fun” thing to do.

I should know. I am one. And I know many runners. Starting with my wife. And my closest friend. And my boss…

The important thing is that while some idiot might have taken the innocence out of running, it is up to us to keep the fun in running.

So, if you are a runner – continue to have fun. Go run with somebody you have not run in a long time. Inspire a child to run with you (bribes work more effectively on them 🙂 ) Get your family out for a Sunday run.
If you are not a runner – when you see a runner, do something fun. Lower your windows and wave at them as you drive by. They get a great kick and will wave back.
And if you are a Facebook friend of mine and follow my travels, drop me a note if I am near you if you want to go for a run, try out running or simply talk about running. I will surely be there to have some fun.

“Only that day dawns to which we are awake” – Thoreau

After four days straight of being in bed, I am finally able to get up today. But then, after four straight days of not eating much, I am walking like I will be walking when I am 80 – one slow step at a time, holding to anything I can reach… with my trembling fingers. On that last point, learnt today why non-trembling fingers are a huge asset – especially in the context of cutting fingernails! Ouch!! 🙁

New Orleans Superdome to be renamed the Dreamliner Dome 🙂 Here is an irony – switched to NFL channel and the ticker says -“NFL and GE partner for concussion research”. How about some partnership with General Electricity for some real electricity? 🙂

There is at least one person who tonight will be extremely torn after the Super Bowl. And that is Mrs. Harbaugh 🙂  She cannot possibly show too much happiness nor too much sadness !!!

To a lesser extent, Jay Harbaugh – 23-year old son of 49-ers’ head coach Jim Harbaugh will be in somewhat of a same predicament. He works for his uncle Raven’s head coach John Harbaugh as part of video and strength staff!!!

My good friend Larry today wrote to me (in a different context) “The difficult we do today. The impossible takes a little bit longer”.
Getting back to the current context, being down with flu like symptoms, nothing looks difficult to me today. Everything seems impossible… 🙁

So, two New Jersey men are suing Subway for the “footlongs” being shorter than a foot. I can foresee the day when Subway, to play it safe, will make their footlongs an inch longer than a foot. Thereby coining a new English phrase – “The Baker’s Foot“:-)