...it's hard to take a handout--and still feel like a man.

I'm back. Two nights in a row. It was a bland Friday night--but the Cubs won and there was lots of good stuff on TV tonight. *Sigh* I need a social life.

Actually, I'm pretty OK with my solitude most times... [Never thought I'd say that--I must be growing emotionally]... Or maybe people just bore me? That's got to be it. :)

Went for a run today--first time since my ankle injury. Got about 5 miles in. Felt surprisingly good until the last mile or so when my foot went numb. It happens. Shake it off and get back out there tomorrow--weather permitting.

With the ankle injury finally, almost, sort of, but not quite behind me, it's time to get back on the weight-loss trek. I've now gone 6 weeks without pop. Soda, if you prefer. Maybe that's part of the reason I didn't die running today? I miss it some, but still a long way to go...

Other habitual practices:

- I've done a really good job of not texting late at night since 2010 rolled around.
- I fell off the reading pace severely. In fact, I quit the book I was reading. It was good and I'll finish someday, but I think something fiction might pique my interest a bit more for now.

Tonight's task: Choose next book. *drumroll*

And the winner is: Hit and Run - Lawrence Block



I read Block's prequels to this one--Hit Man and Hit List--when I was in High School. The dude tells a compelling story. Owned this one for awhile, looking forward to cracking it open.

Runner up: Wild at Heart - John Eldredge



I've had this book for nearly 3 years. I read about 20 pages, but found it too difficult to get through--not because it has big words, but because of who gave it to me--my best friend. My goal is to suck it up, start anew and read it cover-to-cover once and for all before June 20 at 4:25 PM--which will be exactly 3 years after the date marked atop the handwritten letter that serves as its bookmark.

But first things first...a book about killing. How ironic is that? First, I'll read a book about people being killed. Then, a book about being saved. Neat, huh? *chuckle*

Do the right thing,
Derrick

PS--The title to this blog post [in case you don't have your speakers on or are viewing this from your phone] is a lyric from the newest song I've added to the blog--Easy to Love by Sons of William. Genius song. Love that line, too. Actually might not make a bad replacement title for my blog page itself. Hmm...

Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?

Well folks, it's almost 2010. Almost a new year, a new decade. Let's review. First, a brief glimpse at the past decade. Then the year of 2009.

10 years ago, 1999:

- I was 14. 8th grade. I had a crush on a redheaded 7th grader--yikes!
- I was a part of the first ever undefeated football season at PPMS. I take zero credit for that.
- I was a guard on the basketball team. Shot from the hip and began my affinity for shooting the 3.
- Favorite teacher: Mrs. Matthews. She was mean, yet oddly kind.
- Least favorite: Mr. Baker. He was odd. Nine years later, he added me on Facebook. Declined.

In the last 10 years...

My best year: 2007. June, more specifically.
My worst year: 2003/2009.
Biggest accomplishment: Playing college basketball.
Biggest loss: My best friend moving halfway across the country, and essentially out of my life.

Back to the present, 2009:

Biggest accomplishments: Running 351 miles in the month of July, and re-establishing a relationship with my sister.
Biggest loss: I got dumped the day before Valentine's Day. She then got engaged less than 3 months after saying she still loved me. Neat, huh? Then again, in perspective--maybe not such a big loss after all.

Looking ahead, 2010:

Resolutions:
- Find a job (by end of January, no exceptions).
- Find a girlfriend (by March 6 would be nice, but probably not realistic. Let's say June 1).
- Pray. Every single day.
- Run a few races, maybe a half marathon.
- End bad habits. Live right. Do right. Motto--WWAD: What would Amanda do? This is not a new motto, but I will be leaning on it more from now on. Lord knows I need to.

Further ahead, next 10 years...

Goals:
- Get married/have kids.
- Coach at least one championship team.
- Own a house.
- Own a pickup truck.
- See a game at Wrigley.
- Have my picture taken next to the Jordan statue.
- Learn to play guitar.
- Learn to play piano.

Lastly, I'll leave you with a 23-second video that comes to mind for me every single New Year's. Terrific movie, funny clip. Enjoy.



Make your own luck,
Derrick

Be a light--wherever you are.

I was bound and determined to write something important earlier this evening...err, yesterday by now. Then writer's block hit. Then distraction hit. But then again...

You'd be surprised how much inspiration you can find...
in a giant bowl of Crunch Berries...
at 2 AM.

Now while I still don't intend to get a whole lot written this time around, the wheels have at least begun turning. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come.

No idea what's going to come of each keystroke, or if it'll resemble anything coherent, but here goes...

I know I've talked about my best friend Amanda in numerous blogs before, but you know what--why not again?

When I think of Amanda, I think about faith. Amanda Lee Walker taught me more about Jesus in a month, than the rest of the world has taught me in over 24 years. Weird thing is, it's not like we just sat around and gabbed about God, 24/7. But I feel He speaks to me through her--my guardian angel.

There are several things I've learned about God from Amanda that I'm sure she isn't even aware of. The biggest one is this...I think we all need to reassess the ways in which we talk to God. Don't get me wrong, if you talk to God at all, I think you're doing all right. But I think we can do more...

I think too many of us (myself included) ask too much of God. We ask Him to send us answers, shower us with gifts, grant us miracles, and so on. Though I, too, am guilty of this--it seems silly to me. Why do we do this?

I think we should open our eyes and realize that in many instances in our lives, God is actually asking us questions. Maybe this seems crazy to you. True, God knows what we will do, and what we will go through...but I also feel that he presents us with opportunities all throughout our days, as if to say: "What do you want to do?" Options, or paths, if you will.

I think that's where free will comes into play. Even Amanda once wrote: "...I gave up trying to understand that whole subject." Well you know what? If she doesn't understand it, I certainly never will, either--and that's okay by me.

I don't really have a solution to offer here, just one piece of advice that I'll try to better follow, myself: When you talk to God, do not just talk--speak. Thank Him for the blessings you have in your life, rather than always just asking for additional blessings. Now that's not to say it's not okay to pray for miracles, healing, etc. But you know, just saying.

I'll just end this by saying thank you.

Thank you, Lord--for everything and everyone you've blessed me with in my life.
Thank you, Amanda--for teaching me about faith and Jesus. And faith in Jesus.

You saved me.

...and every time a light flickers, I still think of you. That will never change. Thanks for being my best friend.

Be a light--wherever you are,
Derrick

Whoa, must be Burt Reynolds or somethin'

Day 28: INcomplete
Week 4: Complete

Morning session: 3.86
Evening session: 5.17 miles
Total distance: 9.03 miles

Early session was short, since I didn't get out 'til 1:30 or so, and it was on the humid side, to say the least. Evening session was shorter than intended, too--Cubs game at 7, y'know.

Just realized I only ran 10+ miles twice in the last 7 days. Wow, that's bad. Ah, I guess it is near month's end; I've reached my goal, and am starting to feel some extra soreness in the legs lately.

Week 4 stats:

59.06 miles--8.44 miles/day
4.0 lbs lost

July stats, up-to-date:

329.42 miles--11.77 miles/day
17.5 lbs lost

Comparison:

Week 1: 90.43 miles
Week 2: 73.20 miles
Week 3: 106.73 miles
Week 4: 59.06 miles

I'm on pace for 364.72 miles, with only 3 days remaining. But at this point, I'm kind of OK with the idea of just hitting the 350 mark. The pace fell off dramatically the last week, obviously. After nearly killing myself in Week 3, and reaching my goal on the 24th, I'm not as disappointed about it as I probably could be. Only regret I have is not having more week-to-week consistency.

Sports movie now: BASEketball.
A stupid, and vulgar flick by the creators of South Park. But downright hilarious! Probably a guy's movie, though.


After that: Happy Gilmore.

If you haven't seen it, shame on you. My best friend back in High School, Stacia and I, once recited each and every line from the movie, with the TV on mute. Classic stuff. Wow, that was probably about 9 years ago. Man, how things change...

Nonetheless, great flick!


Tonight's Top 10 list:

Top 10 coolest things I've seen/discovered this month:

10. Watching almost nothing but sports movies for a month can make time go by faster than I thought it would.
9. It's really not all that hard to motivate yourself to do something once you set your mind to it. Those who think it is--aren't setting their minds to it. Plain and simple.
8. A month without the typical technological indulgences--Facebook, MySpace, MSN, Yahoo--can actually be quite liberating. For awhile.
7. The way it can sometimes pour rain from an almost impossibly clear sky. A beautiful sight.
6. The sunrise and sunset look different every single day, and it never ceases to amaze me.
5. All the people who wave, and some that don't, on country roads. People wave more in the morning than at night. And people in trucks wave more often than those in cars. I've done the research. Someone driving a truck in the morning? They'll wave almost every time. It's awesome. 4. A loose cow being startled upon seeing me, crossing the road, and hurdling the fence to return to its penned-in pasture. Solid hops for a cow, I thought.
3. A loose cow emerging from the trees, and staring me down in the middle of the road, before running along with me for about 1/2 a mile.
2. A deer crossing the road as I ran, not 10 feet in front of me.
1. It's been a great way of finding out who my true friends are. I have a lot of really shady ones, but a few great ones, too.



Bit of an old pic, but it cracks me up every time!

D, out.

I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it. - Mitch Hedberg

Day 22: INcomplete

Morning session: 2.00 miles
Evening session: 2.00 miles
Total distance: 4.00 miles

As much of a "day off" as I'll take. Same as July 10, I went to WSU to play ball with my Wichita buddies. Ran a little on the track before and after.

Movie now: Blades of Glory.

I know, I know, right? Ha!

Movie sometime tomorrow, and the final sports movie of my DVD collection (still a few more on the VHS side): Wimbledon.

Very solid flick. Good acting, and kind of a cute story. Plus, tennis is fun, so you know.

Got a buddy supposed to be comin' down tomorrow for some evening hoops, and Friday morning golf. Translation: I need a very productive morning run tomorrow, and evening run Friday. Was hoping to hit 300 by Friday, but now it's looking like Saturday will be the big day.

--Another e-mail from my best friend in the wide world today, Amanda Lee Walker. We don't get to talk much; she's on the other side of the galaxy (well, Connecticut), and I sure do miss her a whole bunch. She's been so supportive through my grueling month. She rocks! Raccoon.

Tonight's top 10 list:

Top 10 comedians of all-time:

10. D.L. Hughley
9. Chelsea Handler
8. Rich Vos
7. Sarah Silverman
6. Ralphie May
5. George Carlin
4. Dave Chappelle
3. Demitri Martin
2. Richard Pryor
1. Mitch Hedberg

Rest in Peace, Mitch. Funny, funny dude.


A roughly compiled list. Everytime I thought to list someone, I thought of 3 or 4 others just as funny. But this list works for me. :)

D, out.

I'll make it.

Day 13: Complete

Morning session: 6.09 miles
Evening session: 8.56 miles
Total distance: 14.65 miles

Milestone reached: Halfway Point, 150-mile mark

Tonight's run was probably the most grueling I've had this month. It wasn't quite the longest, but I maintained a more consistent pace for a longer period of time than I've done yet. Not to mention reaching the halfway point of my goal during mile 1 of my evening run. My pace is back over (barely) 12-miles per day again, but with rodeo fast approaching, there's a chance I may not get in my 10 miles every day. We'll see...

...not to mention my soreness, and recent struggles to get myself up as early in the mornings--especially after today's tough runs. Yikes. *sigh*

Positive note 1: The day's total mileage was the highest I've had so far, though I'm determined to reach 15+ miles at least once.

Positive note 2: I saw another acceptable drop in weight tonight. Having pop tarts for dinner probably aided that, too. ;)

Watched Hoosiers earlier today. Classic. Makes me want to lace 'em up every time.

Sometimes I genuinely feel like I am Jimmy Chitwood. Seriously.


Basketball movie number 3 on tap: He Got Game

I watched this movie the night before every single game my Senior year of High School. Translation: at least 25 times in a 4 month span. Even during tournament week, when we played 3 straight nights, and 6 nights out of 7. I'd get home around 1 AM after a game, and throw it in. Some unnecessary--sometimes graphic--scenes in there for some of you kids, but I love it, as a whole. Especially the 1-on-1 scene with his pops toward the end.

If you have 5 minutes, check it out. If you haven't seen the flick, and/or aren't into hoops, this will mean nothing to you. But this scene speaks to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtKi9SCEJK4

Final thoughts:

--As I approached the corner of a section (what we call it in the country) this morning, I came upon a loose cow. Cow sees me (running toward it), pauses for a second, runs back across the dirt road, and jumps over the fence--where it belonged. Yes, a cow. Yes, it jumped. Coolest thing I've seen in awhile. :)

--Got an e-mail from my best friend in the wide world today, Amanda Lee Walker. Yay!!
Hi, Amanda ;)

Nice to know she's still alive, and I'll probably write her a longer e-mail than she'll care for tomorrow. *chuckles*

Raccoon, Amanda. Very raccoon. :)
(she knows what it means)

D, out.