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So I'm running today and this woman is walking toward me with her little kid pedaling along on his tricycle. And she says to her kid, "Watch out for the lady. I mean 'man.' Sorry."

What the hell?

Labels: Running, Stuff

On October 30th, 1999, I met my new friend Gus:



He's been a good car. He's been with me in DC, Alabama, Colorado, and now back to DC. He's driven across the country twice. He's been a conversation starter, a sight for sore eyes, a place to make out with cute boys. Even though I've had people ask me "So, is this your wife's car?," I've always enjoyed having him. Other Bug owners wave hello, kids play "Slug Bug" when driving by, and he's always had flowers in a vase on the dashboard.

But all good things must come to an end, and so Sunday I turned him over to a car dealer and, hopefully, to a better life. He just wasn't fitting my lifestyle anymore and I wasn't driving him much. Also, with gas prices being higher, I knew the time was right to get a good deal on him. So off he went.

If we ever meet up on the streets it could be a little awkward. My hope is that he gets bought by someone who's always wanted a Bug. That's the reason I got him, and I hope someone else can get as much pleasure from him.

Honk honk.

Labels: Stuff

I enjoyed the Closing Ceremonies from Beijing tonight, though the Opening Ceremonies were far more impressive. But of course, the Closing Ceremonies featured the British, and let's face it, they aren't going to be able to do anything as impressive as what Beijing did. Their Opening ceremonies are probably going to be all Eliza Doolittle this and Monty Python that. Which isn't bad, but still isn't as impressive as thousands of drummers and great fireworks.

Anyone who knows me well knows how much I love the Olympic Games. I've published academic research on them, visited the US Olympic Training Center way too many times while I lived in Colorado Springs, invited an Olympic figure skater out to dinner in a fan letter (he didn't respond, though I did later run into him at a shopping center) and of course, went to the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City. I love the ideals, even if the Wall Street Journal wants to turn it into nothing but dollars and cents. I love people having the chance to represent their country on the world stage. I love seeing a country win a medal for the first time, like Afghanistan's first medal that came in the Tae Kwan Do event. I also love the chance to see Jackie Chan sing (OK, not really) It's just cool. Which is why I was recording about 27 hours of this stuff a day and wearing out the fast forward button on the remote.

So I'm sorry to see the Games end, but it'll be good to have a life again instead of watching TV every night.

I'm already getting ready to get my tickets to the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. And a trip to London in 2012 isn't out of the question.

Let me just say "bravo" to Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and all the people and places that hosted these Games. Despite all the problems China has -- and I think there are plenty -- they do put on one hell of a show. It's amazing what a dictatorship is capable of forcing people to do. And the Games themselves were just all around great.

U-S-A!!! U-S-A!!!

Labels: Olympics

This morning I ran 21 miles. And no one was chasing me.

I meant to do this last weekend, but had a minor injury, and not wanting it to turn into a major injury, I stopped at 17. But this time, I did it., but I didn't, and I'm kinda proud of that.

It was tough; I had plenty of opportunities to stop early

It wasn't a good run. It took me longer than intended and I walked a lot more than I should. I realized a lot about my nutrition, my sleeping habits, my strength training, my running schedule, and my own limitations. I love learning about myself but it's nice when I don't have to get so sweaty and disgusting doing so.

But having learned, I'll make some adjustments in my marathon training. And I'll be ready to go for the Marine Corps Marathon in October.

Next weekend I'm planning to do a short run. Only 13 miles. And the fact that I refer to 13 miles as "a short run" is amazing. It was only 7 months ago that I was doing 30 minutes on an elliptical machine and calling that a workout. It's amazing how quickly things can change.

Also, in a demonstration of the fact that I have more optimism than common sense, I signed up for the Singapore Marathon, which is only 6 weeks after the Marine Corps Marathon. But hey, why not.

Labels: Running

Anyone who knows me really well knows I love the Olympics. In the past I've kept an Olympics page on my website but it was out of date as the Beijing Games approached and I didn't have time to update it, with everything going that's been going on here.

The only time I've been there was the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City. I wanted to go to Beijing but I didn't know if I was going to get the teaching position in Singapore or when I'd go if I did, so I couldn't take the chance on getting all those nonrefundable tickets.

I'm loving the Games so far. And I'm cheering for Team USA. But is it wrong of me to think Malaysian badminton star Lee Chong Wei is cute?

Labels: Olympics

I need to start this post by saying I'm fine and everything worked out OK. It's important to keep that in mind.

2 1/2 weeks ago I was in the process of getting a physical exam and a couple of my lab tests had unusual results. I didn't know this until I went to see the doctor and he told me about them and said they suggested colon cancer. (for Dr Paul and Dr Nase: I was positive for occult blood on 1 out of 3 cards and presented mild anemia, though it was so close to the lower borderline that it was considered unremarkable)

The following week I had a follow-up exam for my physical and everything else was fine. Then I had my first appointment at the gastroenterology clinic, where they told me I'd have to have a colonoscopy. They originally were trying to schedule me for sometime in mid-August but I wanted it sooner because a) if I have cancer I need to start treatment and b) if I'm fine, I need to get all the medical reports back to my educational exchange people so they'll clear me to go overseas in November. They managed to schedule me for one 8 days later.

I didn't tell anyone about this until a few days before the procedure. Hey, no reason for anyone else to worry, right? Anyway, I told Adrian because we had been planning a party for the Olympics Opening Ceremonies, and we'd have to cancel that (the colonoscopy was that day and I didn't know what condition I'd be in) and I told Stan because I was asking him to be my ride. No one else got the word until I knew how things turned out.

So, last Thursday was "preparation day" (I'll leave that to the reader's imagination) and Friday I had to be at the hospital at 8am. Stan took me there, as I needed someone to drive me home because I would be sedated (actually, they knocked me out completely, which I did not expect). The procedure went fine and was over in about half an hour. They discovered two polyps and removed them, which may have been the cause of my symptoms. They are doing a biopsy of the polyps, but when I asked him flat out "do I have colon cancer" the doctor finally looked at me and said "no, you don't have cancer, and with these results you can go ahead and go to Singapore in November."

So, yay for not dying of cancer, yay for going to Singapore later this year, but boo for needing another colonoscopy in 1 year and every 5 years after that.

Still, it gets me out of work for a day.

Labels: Life

Finally, the pics from last week's beach trip. I've included a few "topless Ethan" shots for those Malaysian boys who can't get enough of him.

Rehoboth in July

Labels: Friends, Travel

I got some very good news about my professional life back in early may. I kept it quiet for a while because I wanted to share the news with some people in person (though a few did manage to drag the secret out of me online because it was just too good to keep). While on my Asia trip I did get to share the news with some, and now that the folks I needed to tell directly are al up to speed, I can share it with anyone in the world who hasn't heard yet.

While teaching a few years ago I thought about applying for a prestigious educational exchange program and was looking into going to Thailand for a semester. That didn't work out because I ended up going to Iraq to help fix things (and we see how well THAT turned out) and I didn't think I should leave school for another semester. Anyway, last November I was surfing around and saw an opportunity for the exchange program again and decided to apply.

And this time, I got it.

As a result, I will go to Singapore for 4 months later this year to teach a graduate school course. I have talked to my "real world" and online friends there and they are excited as, of course, am I. I've never lived in another country (Iraq doesn't count) and I'm thrilled about the chance to have a normal day-to-day life in a new environment. I'm also very excited to get back to teaching again.

The details are still a little up in the air...while most of my teaching stuff is settled, things like where I'm going to live are still being worked out. While there is an opportunity to live at the university, the housing situation is not quite what I had in mind, so I may use my grant money to get a place on my own and a little closer to the fun parts of the city.

Sorry for being a little vague about where I'll be and what program and all that, but I still have to maintain SOME anonymity on this blog.

But anyway, this is an amazing opportunity, both professionally and personally, so YAY ME!!!!

And more importantly, yay to Ethan for believing in me and encouraging me to apply.

Labels: Teaching, Travel

Earlier this week I had to get a physical exam. The physician's assistant (I'm not cool enough to get a real doctor) looked at the basics: blood pressure (107/56), sitting pulse (46 beats per minute), my lab results, reflexes, and so on. Then it was time for more "hands on" stuff.

Did I mention this was a woman examining me? A really good looking woman?

Of course, that doesn't do anything for me, but she's looking at me as a regular straight guy, not knowing all my hidden details, and so she's treating me like a nervous straight guy might need to be treated when being felt up by a hot female medical professional, making sure I'm not bothered by anything. First she does the hernia and testicular cancer check ("turn your head and cough") and everything is cool. Then comes the "well, you're over 40, so we really should do a prostate exam" part, what I like to call "the fickle finger of fate."

Yes, she's going to finger me.

This is totally nonsexual, of course, so I don't give it a second thought when she tells me to lean forward on the table on my elbows and just relax. She figures I'm some straight guy who's never been touched "up there." She has no idea who she has in her exam room.

"OK," she says, "you're going to feel a cold glop of something first, just relax." I'm thinking "she's using KY instead of Wet? Hmmm, old school." Then she says, "OK, just relax, I have small fingers." And very quickly, she's in and she's out. I hear her stripping off the glove and it was all I could do to keep from saying "oh, have you already been in there? I didn't feel a thing."

I swear, if she only knew.

I should add that the exam was normal, which was good to hear, as a friend had to deal with prostate cancer and that's no fun. Even though my lab results were normal, she tells me that 25% of prostate cancers don't show up in blood tests. Scary. (I am making this public service announcement about prostate cancer because I think everyone should be aware of it as they get older, and also in the hopes that this will keep my physician friends from giving me crap about not being "out" to her. Yes, I know I should be, but there are reasons not to.)

By the way, later that evening I went out and ran 15 miles/25km as part of my marathon training. Despite having fallen behind during my Asia trip I'm not getting caught up to where I should be. And yay for that.

Labels: Health, Running