Vegas Baby

Back from Vegas and not a single picture.  Why, you may ask?  Because one again I've taken in upon myself to donate camera parts to the housekeepers at Mandalay Bay.

I have a long history of donating cameras around the world throughout my life.  And by donating I mean completely forgetting about and losing. Except for that one time that my camera was stolen by two young orphan boys in Mexico that I befriended...

More Vegas stories soon....for now, another trip to the coffee pot.

Boomer's Sad Bracket

Boomer after USC and Marquett were both knocked out of the sweet sixteen.

Shamrock Running in the Rain

The 2009 Shamrock Run was yesterday.  

Yesterday the forecast called for 100% chance or rain.

It was so rainy, cold and windy it was comical. 

Yesterday was some seriously soaked to the core, shoes sloshing, rain running down your face, wind so strong it blew your hat off kind of fun.

My sister in law Julie is very Irish Italian and she started the tradition of running in this race. My brother, Ryan, and I were the two weaker team members and since we were both feeling a little sub par we ran the competitive 5k run which started a full hour earlier than our spouses race, the 8k.  

We had to show up early and run in the little race  so we dubbed ourselves The B Team, since in High School the JV Team always has to show up early and is completely done and showered before the real game even starts. And that was us. There were 20,000 people running yesterday. The massive start combined with us both being on the verge of puking, we even had a secret sign to signal the other if we were going to puke and a deal that if one puked we both stopped, helped us run our 3.1 miles at a not at all competitive speed of 35 minutes. When we got about 20 feet from the finish line the entire pack came to a complete and solid stop and you had to just stand there and wait for several minutes before you could walk across the finish line to get your final time. It was such a debacle and so wet and cold you couldn't help but laugh your face off. We then proceeded to miss our spouses at the start and the finish lines...though we were able to find a Starbucks.

The Varsity Team fared much better and ran at much more normal paces. They respectively agreed to not run together, and we all met up at corner of Pine since I couldn't seem to find the Duck Shop where we were supposed to be meeting.

We then went back to my parents loft and had a nice big Shamrock Run Brunch with friends and family.  It was a day to remember for sure!

Here are the two teams, post race.

The Varsity Team

The B Team sporting the 5k signs

The Couples as the belong

Ryan and Julie

Daren and Sarah

The First and the Last

The oldest living woman in the family and the youngest. My grandmother Dee Dee and my 4 month old niece Baby Kate.

The circle of life never ceases to amaze.

Announcing Shoes for Life

On our first date Daren and I realized we shared the same dream for impacting the world and being involved in international missions. Together we have formed Shoes For Life. Shoes for Life collects new and gently used shoes and donates them to local area homeless and needy families and internationally through Children of the Nation.

Both of us were brought up in families that taught the importance of giving back, not just in word but in action. We each have grandfathers who dedicated their lives to making the world a better place through spreading the word of Jesus Christ through various international mission work.

We are please to announce that Shoes for Life is about to officially go international! Through our partnership with Children of the Nation we will be sending our first shipment of shoes to the AIDS stricken country of Malawi.

If you are interested in donating shoes or starting a shoe donation drive in your area email me at shoesforlifePDX@gmail.com.  

Follow Shoes for Life on Twitter at  twitter.com/shoesforlife

"Good Day"

"Stay tuned for news."

A man whom I remember throughout my childhood as much as any almost anyone.

Paul Harvey.

I vividly remember driving through town with my parents and hanging on his every word, loving the way he sounded and how he put the news into words I could understand.

Paul Harby, as I called him for years, I will miss you.

And thats the Rest of the Story.

 Good day.