Chronicles of a Frustrated Runner

F*CK!!

How’s that for an opener, huh? Cut me some slack, please. I stared at this screen for 10 minutes trying to figure out how to start this thing and it’s the best I could come up with.

I’m frustrated and feel like talking about it.

Here’s the backstory. I turn 40 four days from today and I’ve been trying to run a marathon for a few years now only to be hampered by an injury every time I seem to find a groove in my training.

In June of 2007, I had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in my knee. December of 2008 brought an ankle surgery to repair a break and a resulting OCD lesion. And today, January 4, 2011, a renowned podiatrist informed me that the reason I have excruciating pain in both heels is because of bone spurs accompanied by either planter fasciitis or plantar fasciosis; we’ll find out which it is for sure in 2 weeks from today.

The reason this sucks so bad is that I’ve got my heart set on the Big D marathon in Dallas, TX on April 10…and it looks like a long shot that I’ll be able to make it.

F*CK AGAIN!!

Is this what I’ve been reduced to? Please tell me it isn’t.

Prestonwood Baptist Pervert Minister Going To Hell (if there is such a place)

I'll go ahead and get this out in the open right now: I'm not a big supporter of organized religion. There. I said it.

With that disclaimer out of the way, I'll proceed.

You've seen those "mega-churches" right? You know, the monstrosities built on 10 acres that have restaurants, spas, & sports facilities that rival the new Cowboys stadium? Yeah..those. They bug the living shit out of me. Living in the "bible belt," as its called, subjects me to all kinds of wacky, overly religious jackasses. Worse still are the give-me-your-money-or-else-you-can't-be-saved scammer evangelist-types like Robert Tilton, Benny Hinn, etc. I can't stand any of it or any of them because I think it's all bullshit.

So, more than a decade ago when the Prestonwood Baptist church (a.k.a. relig-o-mall) was being built, I was bummed because it was being constructed right in my neck of the woods. Then the inevitable happened and all-too-many people I knew started attending church there because the damn thing seats about 400,000 on Sunday mornings. Oh, how they loved it there, too.

"That place is amazing," I'd hear.

"The ministry is so down-to-earth and they really take care of their members," they'd croon.

Then the worst, "I just LOVED that sermon on Sunday! Matt, you gotta hear this guy speak...he'd change your mind."

After washing the vomit out of my mouth, I'd move on with my day.

Why am I so cynical about this?

Case in point: today one of the ministers from that very church was arrested for trying to have sex with what he thought was a 13 year-old girl. Yup...drove 3 hours from shiny Plano down to Bryan with a box of rubbers in hand.

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME??

Church? Pffft. It'll teach your kids great values, huh? Barf.

Tell me I need to attend church to save my soul and I'll tell you what a ridiculous joke I think you are.

It's way too dicey and I'm not that much of an asshole to be outspoken about religion regularly. It's none of my business and I typically respect everyone's right to do whatever it is they choose. I certainly do what I want, so why shouldn't everyone else? Just because I don't buy into any of that crap doesn't mean I'm right...it's just my opinion.

And just to set the record straight, I'm not just an uninformed dipshit with a big mouth. I have an older brother who graduated from Harvard and is a Rector at an Episcopal church in the northeast...and has been for many years. Yep..he's a priest. And he's the smartest person I've ever met and I have more respect for him than he'll ever know. And just because I don't share his "affinity for divinity," I think the world of the guy and would lay down in traffic for him without hesitation. He's my big bro.

But, man, I was so disgusted with this story that I had to vent. Thankfully nobody really reads this blog.

Hey, Joe Barron, I'll see you in hell...if there is such a place...

Will Social Spark Sputter?

OK, so let me be the first to admit that I do not understand what Social Spark is or what kind of value/fun/whatever it's supposed to bring to its' users. That's my disclaimer.

See, I've been to the site several times...was even in on the beta. Still don't get it.

I assume that the idea is to launch a shiny new site (albeit a bit Las Vegasy) that wears a "social" label and hope that a universal adoption occurs within Pay-Per-Post's current user base. But why not just do that at Pay-Per-Post?

And for Advertisers, the ones who make this work, what's in it for them? Sure, you get to "hand pick" your bloggers...but can't you do that everywhere?? (ahem...) Umm..yeah, you can. And these are all fully-disclosed and "search engine compliant" which leads me to believe that all linkage is no-followed. Great. Oh wait....no, that sucks!

I think Ted is a really sharp guy and has done some great things but this I just don't get. Why not release PPP v2 or something?

We'll see if social spark turns into social sputter or not. I can't help but be amused by the whole social-bandwagoning that's going on with this. Do Advertisers really give a shit about mingling with bloggers? My experience tells me "no." They want their links. Followed.

I'm Still Cowboy Horny

This has been one rough fucking week. If there's ever been "something on my mind" its right now. This second.

I'm not going to get in to the details of the game. It's not important...because we lost...fair and square.

SHIT!

But I'm not here to cry about it. Quite the contrary, actually. Because in addition to the fact that I've almost completely lost the urge to kill myself, I'm already beginning to feel really optimistic about the very sore-loserish next season.

Why?

Because we Cowboy fans got some wonderful news today. Jason Garrett turned down two head coaching jobs (Baltimore & Atlanta) that were offered to him to stay in Dallas. Yeah, he's getting paid to stay here for sure ($3 million per year), but you could just tell at his press conference that Dallas is where he genuinely wanted to be.

I love it.

And combine the heart-tugging brownie points that earned him with the gaudy stats his offense put up this year and I'll tell you what; he's the guy I want running my offense next season. This was only his first year as an offensive coordinator, too. Next year could be sick! Yum.

I'm normally a real positive guy in most aspects of my life but when the Cowboys lose like this it devastates me. I've got such an emotional investment in this team that I should probably think about therapy. So this week has SUCKED. Big time.

And to make things worse, I was actually there...at the game...to witness the horror in person. I mean, do you think Yvette and I were ready for a win or what??



But things can't always go your way. You have to move on. And I'm trying to.

So this news of Jason Garrett staying here has the Cowboy blood flowing again. I'm excited for next season.

When's the draft? Mini-camps start in May, right? Training camp will be here before you know it...end of July.

GO COWBOYS!!