"Hey boys! Why don't you let us put a nipple on that for you"

Down with a flu at the moment. Not too bad though just a pretty bad sore throat but not any other symptoms. Should be back into it tomorrow. Took 3 days off running, just to be safe. I don't want to make it worse by running my energy down even more.

That's how I think I got this in the first place. After a week of more than usual work, at work, combined with my regular running schedule and a party Sunday I was rundown enough for this bastard virus to take hold.

Anyway Sundays' party does give me the opportunity to upload a clip related to drinking that I think you will like. Apologies to any Germans ;)

Rant

"Nothing like a good rant" and this is nothing like a good rant but I'm going to write it anyway.

This afternoon I got the news that my uncle had died and my first thought was "Jesus! Why are all my relatives dropping like flies" And the second thought was "Why is it always my favorite ones?" The answer on reflection is simple. Firstly, they are all getting older and I suppose plenty of worse relatives have died before my "favorites" but frankly they weren't such good people so I guess I hardly recognised their passing ;)

If this isn't making much sense then it must be at least a half decent "rant". Well, I'm going to miss this Uncle as he was really everything I reckon a "man" should be, that is, he made you feel like you were important and always made people in his company feel safe and happy. This wasn't easy as he was physically kind of imposing. A big guy with tattoos and a head that at first glance had the neck hairs rising and you looking for the nearest exit.

I will never watch another "Aussie Rules" game or drink another beer without thinking about him as he was the person that made these things cool enough to want to make them a part of me.

As I'm feeling the distance between here and there a bit more tonight and I'm thinking about the value of people I'd like to say, even if it goes without saying, that virtual or not you bloggers mean a lot to me.

Any talk about giving up blogging should be given some more thought.While I wouldn't pressure anyone to write if they "can't" at times, I understand we all have other lives, still I feel that we got into this for the right reasons and those reasons haven't changed.

My supposition is that blogging is part of the third wave of the revolution of human relations.(Classic rant uses the word "supposition" and goes on to sermonize.) Nobody should underestimate the power of people of like minds coming together over great distances. Virtual or not these relationships are every bit as real as the face to face ones we have in say our workplace and deserve similar courtesies.

Our "Spark Driver" understood. While I of course wanted him to keep on writing, he did have the good manners to say he was, "pulling the plug" so long and goodbye. Well he didn't leave us hanging wondering what happen to him.

This rant has ended like all rants do with the writer coming off as slightly crazed and more than slightly needy. But I really just want you to know that I appreciate you all and the opportunity we have here.

Don't worry I'm back to making lame jokes and writing about running tomorrow. Don't let me scare you off ;)

1:30:18

Another day another T-shirt. Had a good half marathon today. A slow start as there was a fair crowd doing this marathon I reckon I lost 5 minutes in the first 10 kms because of the crowd and getting warmed up, it was 4 degrees and blowing some, but me second half was a pissa. Sure I ran close to under 40 mins for the second 10kms.

I got Freddy in my head 3 kms from home and ran my best finish for a half marathon I've ever done. I didn't hardly see any of the K markers nor was I taking splits just running how I felt and I felt good and better with every km after the 10K mark.

I need to lose some weight again and start with some upper body exercises but I can see no reason I can't chip away at my times this year. This and bit more consistency so as the song says "Don't stop me now!"

Cruel

My song of the week is dedicated to "Bay" the blogger who has just returned from Laos. The songs title "cruel" refers to the fact that I didn't have a holiday over Xmas New Year and think it's "cruel" that I didn't ;) especially to that part of the world, as it's my favorite.

As for the song I've just been getting into "Calexico"'s music. This song will get into your head give it 3 or 4 listens, great stuff.

Running is not going too well this week missed a couple of sessions due to not waking up early enough and being too tired after work. Anyway I have a half marathon this weekend, Sunday, and I don't want to be tired for that ;)Well this race should give me a good indication of where I'm at and I'll go from there.

Have a good rest of the week.

So far so good

Hope everyone is doing well. My first post of '08 and so far so good. I will start training in earnest from Sunday as it marks 12 weeks until the Canberra marathon. If all goes well I be there and I'm very much looking forward to meeting "all and sundry". Sundry, for those that don't know, is a blogger mate of mine from Kiama ;)

Anyway I'll be posting regularly about my build up for this and hope to get your feedback.

For now I'm going to upload a clip of "an educator." This guy is terrific and everything that I'd like to be as a teacher. I don't usually talk about teaching/learning on this blog but he is so on it with his analysis and funny to boot so I thought you'd like to see it.