Results tagged ‘ St. Louis ’
The Marathon and the Metaphor
For now, and forever, I will always identify myself as…
A marathoner.
On Sunday, April 10, 2011, I spent 3 hours and 51 minutes running 26.2 miles along the streets of St. Louis, Missouri; and I can honestly say, it changed my life.
We often hear “the marathon” used as a metaphor for myriad events. The baseball season… is a marathon. Every December I look forward to… “A Christmas Story” movie marathon. Life itself… is a marathon. But when we say all of the above, what we are really just saying is that some things take a long, long time to complete.
Let me assure you, the marathon is much more than that.
It’s setting a goal and working towards it.
It’s taking pride in your body, listening to it, working to make it better.
It’s getting up at the crack of dawn while all your friends are sleeping in.
It’s battling fatigue, slaying freezing temps, conquering blazing sun.
It’s knowing your limits, pushing them, then pushing them again.
It’s glowing when people ask you why you’re so positive about life.
It’s metaphorizing your life, making up for past mistakes, proving you’re not a nobody.
It’s throwing the hammer down on negativity.
It’s getting a song stuck in your head that… just… won’t… stop.
It’s rewarding yourself with a big, fat, juicy burger every Sunday.
It’s asking yourself “I paid to do this????” only to realize, “Hell yeah I paid to do this!!!!”
It’s thanking strangers who hand you Gatorade and oranges and Vasoline (not always in that order).
It’s being aware of your surroundings, taking in the sights, the smells, the cowbells.
It’s being extraordinary…
It’s being inspired…
It’s being an inspiration.
But most of all, it’s feeling like death only to discover just how alive you really are.
Don’t hate me ‘cuz I’m right.
Peace,
Jeff
*PS, To the lovely, smiling woman who held up a sign shortly before Mile 3 that read “If you don’t finish, Albert Pujols will sign with the Cubs”… well, I want you to know that around the 22 mile marker, when I just about wanted to die, I thought about that sign and I finished that damn race for you. MUAH!
The RSBS Podcast, Episode 5: Bonilla’s Bonus Button… and Other Stuff
And so in this Podcast…
Jeff, Al & that rock-n-rollin-Cub-lovin’ sage Johanna Mahmud take on all things ‘Merica, including (but not limited to) Rinku and Dinesh, Carlos Zambrano, The Hills (seriously? that happened?), the All-Star Game, the Lou
Piniella Mailbag and much,
much more… all to make you laughy-laughy!
Holla!
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Subscribe
to the RSBS Podcast by clicking *HERE*
Subscribe
via iTunes by clicking *HERE*
*Special
thanks to Keith Carmack — our engineer, director, editor and
all-around sound guru. His Undercast
podcast is a must-listen (listen to it!). It’s available on iTunes and
is posted regularly at Undercard
Films.
Recorded Monday, July 5, 2010
Buzzing with Testosterone Fueled Accoutrements
I did it. It’s done. It’s bad^ss.
Keith Hernandez, say hello to the Lady Killer.
Gotta admit, since crafting the ‘stache, I creep myself out every time I catch my reflection, but I fit right in here at the All-Star festivities in St. Louis. An old man in a Mets hat even asked me for my autograph (he thought I was Thomas E. Dewey until his caretaker reminded him that Dewey died in the early ’70s). So I did the right thing, lied and told him I was Dewey’s son.
That was a stellar start to what turned out to be a pretty disappointing day.
Because after only three outs were recorded in the Futures Game the sky turned black, thunder cracked and it rained… and rained… and rained…
A lot.
After walking the concourse for four hours, drinking my weight in beer and buying more overpriced All-Star trinkets than one person will ever need, me and my buddy decided to book.
So we met some friends, went to a bar and watched the Cardinals beat the Cubs.
Good friends, good game, good times.
And today is gonna get even better. Admittedly, I’ve never been a fan of the Homerun Derby. Watching it on TV is about as boring as watching Nascar: boring! But I have a feeling that being there, in right field, in prime homerun territory, it’s going to be something to remember — especially if I snag some homers using the swagger and intimidation factor of my new accoutrement: the Lady Killer ‘stache.
Watch out!
In order that my aging father can find me easily during and camera shots of right field, I’ll be donning my 1980s era Montreal Expos jersey and cap — making this a special occasion indeed.
So here we go, folks… All-Star fun in full effect! I will fight my way down to get a word with Erin… and in case you missed that Lady Killer, here are some more photos:
The Stan Musial statue is quite stubborn and refuses to allow “FOX” to be shown in its entirety:
Pirates prospect, Brad Lincoln, signs autographs while secretly pouting that he’s in the Pirates organization:
US America rocked by St. Louis Cardinal hats… very cool:
A kid fighting to stay on his feet… and dry:
Me, rockin’ the ‘Spos cap with my friends Brian (left) and J.W. (right). As I write this, Brian is heading out to Iraq for another tour. Keep he and his family in your thoughts.
Alright y’all… hate me ‘cuz I’m gonna catch a homerun tonight, just don’t hate me ‘cuz I’m right (even when I’m wrong).
Peace,
Jeff
Red State Blue State
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