Why I Blog

I promised that I would touch up more on this topic. Last month, I mentioned that I had done some thinking and actually thought about the answer to this question.

I've come to realize that I'm a carpe diem kind of person. I'm not really sure where the attitude comes from.  Maybe its my youthful attitude. I love stories like 'The Last Lecture' and 'Tuesdays with Morie'.  In fact, I consider Randy Pausch one of my heroes.

When his video viraled online, I identified with it.  For me the overall purpose was about legacy.  Not one's legacy with regards to the world but one's legacy with regards to their friends and family.

That's why I blog, its about communicating my identity and legacy.  Its about describing who I am and the way I live life. Its cool that through blogging I can potentially make online buddies one day. What's even more fulfilling to me though, is the idea of leaving a paper trail that represents me for my future children and other family.  I have so many stories and life lessons that they can learn from.  Its important for me to write them down now because 1) I may not remember them later or 2) I might not be around to tell it (not likely, but you never know).

A Review

Whew! September was a blur. I managed to travel to the opposite coast and back, run my first race with Ate Joy, get lost on a run in the dark (and subsequently run home instead of to the car), run my first 20 miler, experience what overtraining feels like, and catch a small cold.

I've had several posts that I've been sitting on in the background and for the sake of saving time writing I've decided to do a List of N Things post.

So here we go...  I present to you:

The list of the coolest things I've done/experienced in the past couple of years (with pictures)

• Went to Jamaica for my best friend's wedding. 

• Went on my first flight in a general aviation plane. A manager of mine came into my office asked what I was doing for lunch. I didn't have anything planned so he offered to take me up in his plane during lunch. Next thing I know we're on an airstrip getting ready to take off. During the trip, we flew above my apartment, landed at an international airport, and I even got to take the controls for a little bit. One of the coolest things I've ever experienced!

• Went to my first NFL game. Chargers beat the Titans 17-6 in the 2007 Wild Card.

• Got married.

• Climbed a mountain in Vermont with three great friends.

• Attended a presidential inauguration.

• Finished my first 10K.
• Celebrated my one year wedding anniversary in Maui and behind the Spur's bench.
• Did a 5K mud run with my wife and best friend. The description of the event mentioned obstacles and we thought of things like a rope climb. What we got was running about three feet into the river and back, a couple of small dirt mounds, and a crawl through a mud pit. Disappointing but still a fun experience overall.

• Finished my first Half Marathon.
• Helped welcome my niece to the world.

• Ran a half marathon with Ate Joy. She pretty much touched on everything concerning the event here and here, but I have the cooler pics!