Spring Sunday

It is a beautiful day in the neighborhood as Mr. Rogers would say. I have a few things to be about.

1. Make the new faucet and drain I put in John's bathroom stop leaking.
Check: I finally found the culprit and 4 inches of Teflon tape later; presto - no leak.

2. Put the faucet in our bathroom and tackle the labyrinth of pipes that needs simplified. Not today.

3. Pull up the toilet and replace the bolts so it quits rocking. Not today.

4. Walk Bear.

5. Run 10 miles.

6. Eat the rest of my ham and cheese sandwich from last night.

7. Get out in the yard and begin deforestation. Yes it is that bad. I am ashamed.

8. Set up the webcam pointed outside to show the progress or lack of it.

9. Grill something.

10. Polish off a couple of beers.

11. Watch the Sopranos.

12. Get ready for my last four days of work before being off for 10 days straight.

If you will excuse me, I have a few things to do. Have a nice Sunday.

Until the next time
John Strain

Running in dream land

You know how bad dreams work don't you?

As you dream, you become aware of something very bad. Then you suffer a few moments of what it all means to you until you awake. As the realization slowly washes over you that it was only a dream, your feelings change to gratitude that the bad thing did not happen.

This happened to me last night.

I was running in the Boston Marathon. It was the final few miles, but I was running a sort of obstacle course. My frustration was growing because the course was poorly marked, race officials were not directing runners which way to go, and traffic was interfering with the race.

Part of my frustration was that I had good energy, but I was losing time wondering which way to go. Eventually, the course opened up and things were marked clearly. I knew at that moment it was clear sailing to the finish.

It is a wonderful feeling for a marathoner to know he/she has the energy to complete the race. I was even picking up the pace. Boston wasn't going to get the best of me this year like it did in 2005.

I started thinking about my friends who would be watching my progress on the Internet. It was good to have them watching at a time I also had a good performance. Then it hit me.

I FORGOT TO PUT THE CHIP ON MY SHOE! None of my splits were recorded. I would not get credit for my good performance. It would be as if I had not run the race. I couldn't even get my medal, because you have to turn in your chip for it.

I was crushed and felt that ache in the stomach that accompanies shock and disappointment. When I awoke, and realized I had been dreaming, I was very relieved.

You can bet I won't forget to put the chip on my shoe, not that I ever have.

Resting after completing the 2005 Boston Marathon

One week from today Barb and I leave for Boston and my second shot at the Boston Marathon. Any of you who care to follow my progress can logon to the Boston Marathon website (click the picture of me running in the sidebar under Bear's picture). On race day, Monday, April 17th Noon Eastern Time, the face of the website changes. You can enter my name: John Strain and or my bib number: 9345 and when I cross the sensors every 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) my time will be broadcast and posted on that page.

All of this is possible because of a little chip each runner wears on their shoe. It is fun and it is like running with me.

I am getting excited about the trip and a little nervous about the race. This week I will be watching the Boston weather, thinking of all the things I need to pack, and all of that last minute stuff.

I guess my dream is an indication of all of this.

As for today, it is fix a bathroom sink drain and work in the yard. I will have to wait a week for the glamour.

My post about the 2005 Boston Marathon

Until the next time
John Strain

Vicarious living

More vicarious living through my son, he got back from the Final Four in Indianapolis Tuesday night, and then headed back to LSU.

He had a great time and has the photos to prove it.

Here are a few of the 200 pictures he snapped.

John and Roy at the Final Four

John spotted two boys rolling a basketball back and forth to each other. With all of the negative stories out there about race, this picture gives hope. Innocence, sincerity, and joy are pretty good tools with which to repair race relations; don't you think?

On Sunday, John and the gang went to nearby Chicago. One of the required stops for these basketball fans was the Michael Jordan statue outside the United Center.

A view from the top of the Sears Tower, John and friends took the $12 tour.

I'd say they made the most of their time and opportunities. Now, if I could just get him to apply the same enthusiasm to school.

Here's to road trips with friends.

Until the next time
John Strain

Growing up

I don't go through a full week without hearing the phrase,"Why don't you grow up?" directed toward me.

I think the question is rhetorical.

I will be 50 next March, so I am guessing I am about as grown up as I am going to be.

I used to send off for those gag gifts that were advertised in comic books. Do you remember the garlic gum, xray glasses, and whoopie cushions? I loved tricking people.

Once I bought a bunch of exploding matches. My dad smoked a pipe and there were always books of matches laying by his ash tray next to his easy chair.

I plopped down a book of the trick matches and waited for the fun. When he did strike the loaded match, it almost scared him to death. It was a small wonder the house didn't go up in flames, because he dropped the match.

I joke around so much, I can never be the one who breaks any big news. No one believes me.

On April Fools Day, Barbara got me. The thing is, I fool people all the time, so I don't think April Fools Day is that big of a deal.

Anyway, I was drinking a cup of coffee with Bear in the kitchen. Barbara walks in and says, "John, there's something wrong with the washer."

In retrospect, her overacting should have been a tip off. She said it like she just discovered a tumor. I was proud of myself. I did not unleash a string of curse words or anything like that. I calmly walked up to the washer, messed with the knob, and it worked.

I only got to gloat about 2 seconds before Barbara said, April Fools. Then she had a good laugh on me. Here I thought I just fixed the washer.

Har har.

I guess I just can't abandon certain skills I worked so hard to perfect. Can you belch complete sentences? Can you make fart sounds with your hand under your arm? I spent long hours learning these talents.

If I use the last of the wrapping paper, the tube becomes a sword. The dog better run and so should anyone else within my blade's reach.

I do the same thing with paper towel rolls, but they are more like knives. Toilet paper rolls are only good for musical instruments.

I guess all those years of Bugs Bunny cartoons, Mad Magazine, and the Three Stooges did something to me. Thank goodness it happened too. When people tell me to be a grown up, I think they want me to be more like them - real GROAN ups.

It ain't going to happen. I hope you will join me in not acting your age. It is pretty fun and doesn't hurt anyone.

So the next time you shake hands with someone, do it with a hand buzzer and see how much fun you have. Observe the look on the face of your mark when he/she sits on the whoopee cushion, and look for the lighter side of life.

We are all going to die anyway, we might as well have a few laughs first.

Until the next time
John Strain

Free is illegal

Free internet is illegal in New Orleans

Above is a link to an interesting little article. I love the corporate speak it contains.

New Orleans has free wireless Internet since Katrina. After a million dollars worth of equipment was donated and installed, the city of New Orleans became a hot spot.

Great right?

Wrong.

It seems there is a state law that protects commercial Internet providers. By offering free Internet, the city of New Orleans is hurting Cox Cable and Bell South.

Yeah right.

It is funny how monopolies squeal like pigs when their foot begins to slip off of their customer's necks.

One of my "favorite" forms of corporate speak is when they are telling people about how much the company cares about them and how much they do for people. Please.

Drug companies say they have to charge high prices for their medications because the research and development costs are so high.

Never mind all of the short skirt wearing, cleavage showing drug reps who visit doctors with their rehearsed speals about the new drug du jour. The drug companies pass out money like they own a printing press.

Cable companies have virtually no competition. Phone companies have little or no competition. Health insurance is a joke. You get what your company offers you. If you don't like it or if you are getting screwed, tough. You are just one of many and you can't drop your coverage just because they are providing poor service.

In other words, the consumer has no power. If I don't like McDonalds, I don't eat there. If they sell bad food or have poor service, and people stop going there; they suffer.

I can't make the drug companies suffer or for that matter, my health insurer, cable company, or any other utility.

The bonuses executives get in the US are obscene especially when you think about the wages the front line workers are getting and the overall service the consumer gets.

I would hate to see what bonuses the insurance companies are doling out to their adjusters who have turned their backs on the folks around here with hurricane damage.

They do it because they can and because their “customers” have little or no recourse. In the case of free Internet in New Orleans, the companies are protected by law.

That is the way it works, the laws protect the wrong group, because the people who make the laws are in bed with them.

It is a two edged sword. We all work for someone, so we are part of the problem. Maybe the only way to protect ourselves is to buy stock in the companies who make the biggest profits.

So if the price of gas is killing you at the pump, at least you are getting some of the profits if you own Chevron stock.

Not all companies are bad, but sometimes it seems that way.

I am just a little curious. Do you work for a company with a heart? Are you treated fairly?

It would be nice to know that good companies exist. I sure see a lot of the other kind.

Until the next time
John Strain