Skeletal History

Man, December is here and streets is a mutha. I'm so busy with work right now, it's ridiculous. Lots of deadlines converging in the next few days. I've had about 40 ounces of Coke today, which is about 28 more than I usually have in a two-week period. Played hockey last night, the first night it moved to the hated 10:30 start time because Lynn English has the ice before us, so I didn't get home until 1. I didn't hit the wall today, but I definitely felt like I was in slow motion at times. Not good when you need to use your brain for stuff. The skate itself was fun, although we had fewer guys and I was sucking wind because I hadn't played in three weeks. I also think I aggravated a case of turf toe that I acquired during the marathon; my big right toe was bothering me throughout the race and has been sore on occasion since then. My sneakers seem to push down on the sore spot, and my skate did the same thing last night. So when I attempted to go for a run today, it hurt so bad I ended up not even going. Figured I'd give it a rest. I need to run a 9.5-mile leg in the Mill Cities Relay on Sunday and skipping it isn't an option, so I'll try again tomorrow and see how it feels.

Speaking of running, my latest column for the Salem News ran today, this time focusing on cross-training. I actually had a typewritten letter show up for me at the paper the other day from an old guy who took issue with my column on cold weather running. Among other things, he argued that there's no need to wear socks when you run, wool hats are great, and asked what the hell were moisture-wicking fibers. Gotta love fan mail.

Holiday music and decorations are everywhere, including my house, but I'm not feeling it yet. Can't get myself to listen to any of that stuff. Maybe next week. Deb wants us to set up the fake tree we bought last year; she took one look at it then and decided to get a real tree, but apparently she's willing to give it a try. We'll see how it looks. I'd prefer a real tree, having grown up with fake ones the first 15 or so years of my life.

Points of interest:

• A guy was sentenced today in the wiggity wack case of a 2003 bank robbery in which a pizza deliveryman walked into the bank with a bomb attached around his neck. The pizza guy was in on the plot but apparently didn't realize the bomb was real until it was too late, and then died after it detonated. The mastermind of the plot got 45 years in jail.
• Gee, Plaxico Burress seemed like such a rational fellow until this week. Memo to self: Don't wear sweatpants when bringing your gun to the club.
• More classic acapella David Lee Roth vocals, this time from "Hot For Teacher." This stuff is seriously awesome.