Ten Years Ago...

Ladies. Gentlemen. Carp Dimers of all ages. Welcome to my tenth anniversary blog post.

Ten years ago today, I wrote my very first blog post on what used to be called "The Single Guy." That very first blog post was called Self-Titled Debut and it was about my life at that point, as a single man at age 24. I guess, in the last decade, not much has changed. Then again, maybe a lot has changed.

I'm not sure how to go about writing this anniversary post. In fact, as sporadic as my blogging has been in recent months, I almost missed it. I've known all year that December would represent 10 years of blogging, but I didn't realize the exact date until I happened to look yesterday when I went on a rant after a difficult day at work.

So I ask you to forgive me for not knowing how to properly celebrate 10 years as a completely non-famous internet personality. 10 years in review could get monotonous and boring. Making plans for the future of Carp Dime would probably be filled with empty promises that I might not keep. And giveaways could become expensive. Maybe I could cover all the bases...

Review
Like I said, not much has changed. I'm still single. And if you're a long-time reader, you probably know why. If you're a long-time reader and are at all insightful, it's possible you know better than I do why I'm still single. I'd almost like to say that I've loved and lost, but we all know that's not the truth. But a lot is different, too. My dad passed away. I moved to North Carolina. I began and dropped out of seminary. I worked for a bank in a job that I hated with the fiery vengeance of a thousand suns. I dropped out of church. I moved back to Virginia. I found a job that I could actually love that I ended up hating. I found a job that I had no idea I could love as much as I do. I dropped back into church. I've been to weddings. I've witnessed divorces. I've attended funerals. I've seen friends become parents. If my life were written into a novel, I could question my character's growth over time, but I certainly can't say that I haven't experienced a lot in the last decade.

Future
Ah, yes... promises I don't intend to keep. I've done it before. "I'll blog every single day!" Well, I did keep that promise for a while. For maybe a year or two, I blogged each day. It wasn't always literary awesomeness, but it was at least something. Lately, I'm not sure I could follow through with posting something once a week if I made that claim. "I'm gonna start a video blog!" Yeah, that never happened. I thought it would be a good idea to utilize the webcam on my laptop and start making videos for the blog. I went so far as to buy some decent editing software which, as it turned out, was not compatible with recordings made on a webcam. Should've read the fine print on that one. So that idea fizzled. Just another YouTube channel with nothing on. "I'm gonna move my blog from Blogger to WordPress." Okay, that might still happen at some point. Jeff has been trying to get me to make that switch for as long as he's known I had this blog. There's really no reason for me not to do it, other than just taking the time to do it. I'll have some time off during Christmas, so maybe that's something I can finally get around to. No promises. But if I were to do such a thing, I think I might just start a new blog. I'd keep the old Carp Dime running, maybe get back to writing some of that fiction that I used to enjoy. And I'd probably use the new blog to rehash some of the old things I've written about on here. I don't know, we'll see.

Giveaway
I look at that word and almost think, What's the point? The last giveaway I did had hardly any real participation from people. I think a handful of readers actually made an effort to get involved with the contest. Which is usually the case when I try to do something fun like that. I'm lucky if I can have 10 people take part in something on the blog. Usually it's more like 5. Or less. And since one of my friends is the one that actually won that last giveaway, I've completely slacked on getting his prizes to him. Not that he's mentioned it, even though I've seen him twice since he won. Though I was really thinking it could be fun to have a 10 Year Anniversary Giveaway. The prizes would be things from 10 years ago. Shrek 2 was the highest grossing film that year, I could give that away on DVD or Bluray. In music, Usher had a big year, spending 28 out of 52 weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, I could give away his "Confessions" CD, assuming anyone still has a device with which they can play a CD. Likewise, Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code spent 28 weeks at the top of the New York Times Best-Seller List in 2004, I could give away a copy of that. Maybe I could give away all three to one lucky individual. Anyone interested in that? Tell you what, if 10 people leave comments on this page, not Facebook or Google+, but tacked to the bottom of this very blog post, letting me know that you want me to do a giveaway like this, then I'll do it. Otherwise, we'll let the tenth anniversary go by as if it was just another day.

So here's to 10 years. Feel free to peruse any of my 2,067 previous posts at your leisure. Stay tuned for more to come in the next 10 years. Maybe not on a daily basis, but you'll still get some stuff every now and then.

2004th Blog Post Spectacular!

Just a brief post to announce the winner of my 2000th Blog Post Giveaway...

And the winner is Andy Berry! The crowd goes wild. Andy will be the proud recipient of The Wizard of Oz on DVD, the book on which the film was based, and the Marvel Comics graphic novel adaptation. Stay tuned for future contests and giveaways on Carp Dime.

PS - I know I said I was going to give "The Land of Oz" to my 100th follower on Facebook, but it didn't seem anyone was willing to climb over each other for that particular honor. So once I reach 100 followers on Facebook I'll have another contest. And I promise to give something other than a book away.

MM

Dear Carp Dimers...

If my calculations are correct, you'll be able to read this post immediately after I click the publish button. First, let me assure you that I am alive and well. I've been living happily these last few weeks in the year 1885. The lightning bolt that hit the DeLorean caused a gigawatt overload which scrambled the time circuits...

Wait, that's the letter Doc Brown sent to Marty at the end of Back to the Future Part II. Actually, there has been a lot going on. I'll get around to sharing all of that soon. But for now, let's focus on what's most important. The here. The now.

WELCOME TO MY TWO-THOUSANDTH BLOG POST!

It's been a long road getting here from way back in December of 2004. That's right, if you do the math, you'll realize that this blog has been around in one form or another for nearly 10 years. It's likely there will be some sort of 10th anniversary celebration when we get to December. But, again, I digress. We need to focus on the here and now.

I've been putting off writing number 2000 for only one reason. I've wanted to do a contest. I want to have a giveaway. But I haven't had a clue what to give away. I've had contests before where I've given away gift cards and other items that I felt were important to give away (like Back to the Future on DVD or a Superman t-shirt). For weeks, I've been racking my brain. Actually, for months.

I've known this number was coming up. But I've continually drawn a blank. I've asked friends for their ideas. But nothing really struck a chord. So I continued to think.

As mentioned above, I've given away my favorite movie before. I've given away what is clearly my favorite kind of t-shirt. Now it's time to give away my favorite book of all time. It sort of makes sense, because this year is the 75th anniversary of the classic film adaptation of that favorite book of all time. Of course, I'm talking about The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

What can I win?

First we have the original novel by L. Frank Baum. I've liked a lot of books in my 34 years of life, but this is, by far, my favorite. The above picture is the original title page from way back in 1900. That's not what the cover of the book you receive will look like. I'm sorry, I don't have access to a hardcover first edition. If I did, I'm sorry, but I probably wouldn't be giving it away.

Second is the hardcover collected edition of a limited series that Marvel Comics published back in 2009. I read this and found that it is a faithful adaptation of the original novel. Also, the art is kind of gorgeous.

Finally, if you win, you'll receive the 1939 classic film adaptation on DVD. Again, the above image is not what the DVD case will look like. This is just an image of one of the old movie posters. If you're like me, you grew up watching The Wizard of Oz whenever it came on TV. If you're not like me, there's a good chance you at least know about the movie. Maybe you watched it as a kid and got freaked out by the flying monkeys. If you win, give it another chance. It's a really good movie.

How can I win?

First of all, if you've already liked Carp Dime's Facebook page, you're already entered to win. If you haven't liked the Facebook page, what are you waiting for? On the right side of the page, up near the top, you'll find a button you can click to take you right to the aforementioned Facebook page.

Another way to get entered will be for you to take to Twitter. If you tweet a link to this blog post and use the hashtag #CarpDime, you will be entered to win these items.

Finally, leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite book is and why. I'm always interested to hear your thoughts.

That means you can have your name thrown in the hat up to three times to win these three prizes.

BONUS!!!

I currently have 80 likes on the Carp Dime Facebook page. If you happen to be number 100, you will receive a copy of Baum's second Oz book: The Marvelous Land of Oz. While I don't consider it to be as great as the original, Baum does a lot to expand his fictional world in this sequel, paving the way for dozens of other books to follow. So go, click, like and share the love on the Facebook.

Again, this isn't what the cover actually looks like. I mean, the picture is the same, but the binding isn't red.

What are you waiting for? Sure, I'll give you until April 15 to enter the contest, but why wait two weeks when you can get it over with now? Good luck! Winners will be announced on April 16th!

One More Down, Ninety-Five to Go

This weekend I had the opportunity to mark off one more item from my lifelong bucket list. That item? Sing Aerosmith's Dream On on karaoke night. There weren't many people who personally know me that witnessed this fiasco. Luckily, the Most Awesome Person I Know pulled out her phone and recorded the whole thing. Proof:


And there it is. I've gotta say, it was a little pitchy in parts, especially towards the end. I don't know. It was just okay for me, dawg. Honestly, my goal on the bucket list was just to perform the song. I never said it had to be good. I think I just hate the sound of my own voice... even though I love to sing. Maybe singing, for me, is better left to the confines of my car. Where no one can play it back for me to listen to all over again and I can pretend I'm singing along with the iPod flawlessly.

But now that that's taken care of, I can move on to more important items on the list. Like inventing time travel, dealing with my fear of clowns, kissing a girl... Impossible, you say? I scoff at scoffers. I just need to get my hands on a little plutonium and I'm pretty sure I'll have the time travel thing kicked.

34 in 58

In less than two months, I'll be celebrating yet another birthday. I know, I'm excited too. I know when it is. I know what age I'll be. The only thing I'm unsure of is how to celebrate.

Last year was pretty great. The party started at Macado's. Judge all you want, but I kind of love the place. Following dinner, the party moved to Adventure World. Skating and laser tag were enjoyed by just about everyone. It was all kinds of awesome.

So I have options for Birthday Bash '14. I could repeat last year: Macado's, skating, laser tag. But, no matter how awesome it was last year, would it be lame to do the same thing two years in a row?

A second option, which was suggested by one of my teacher friends, would be to have a karaoke night. I looked into it and the Farmhouse in Christiansburg does karaoke on Friday nights at 9. This option, of course, would need to include dinner at the Farmhouse prior to the sing-off. This would require a headcount beforehand so that reservations could be made. I haven't eaten there since I was in high school, but if memory serves, it's pretty amazing.

Option three would involve postponing the celebration until Saturday. Then, it would become an all day thing in which myself and whomever chose to participate would take a look at my previously published bucket list and attempt to cross off as many items as possible. Some of those items are quite easy (build a sandcastle, shake hands with the president, fly in a helicopter). Others would be quite difficult, nigh impossible (create a life-size Chutes and Ladders game, discover time travel, kiss a girl).

So there you have it. Three choices. Of course, there are other options. I could do nothing. But life's too short to not celebrate birthdays. I could combine one of the first two options with the third option, make it a whole weekend affair. Finally, I could just be surprised. After all, being thrown a surprise party was on the bucket list as well.

I'd like to put it to a vote, though I doubt anyone will actually participate. Seems I can't have audience participation if I ask for it. But if you're feeling so inclined, I'd love to know your opinions, so the comment section is ready and waiting. So, until next time, stay warm Carp Dimers.

Usually I'm Not One to Brag

Honestly, though, I'm kind of proud of myself.

Toward the end of last summer, I made a decision. I decided that I wanted to make changes in my life. I wanted to try and become more healthy. That kind of change would involve a switch in the way I did most of the things in my life.

Looking back at a blog post I wrote on September 3, it's easy to see where I've succeeded and where I've fallen short. Makes me kind of glad I still do this blogging thing. My life's story is available at a moment's notice.

It was then that I decided to shed some weight. I decided I would change the way I ate and the way I exercised. In changing the way I ate, I cut back on a lot of things and cut out sugary sodas. In changing the way I exercised, it meant exercising at all. And, for the most part, I've stuck with it.

I'll be honest, there have been moments when I've failed in this change of lifestyle. The temptation is always there to choose Mountain Dew over Coke Zero. Most of the time, I'm able to resist that temptation. Sometimes, though, I give myself a pass.

I set a goal for myself to lose roughly 44 pounds by March 6, my 33rd birthday. I didn't make it. Nearly two months later than that 33rd birthday, I can still say that I've just lost 25 pounds. But I'm not that disappointed by that number.

25 pounds feels kind of significant, especially considering I've never attempted any kind of real weight loss regimen before. I'd be thrilled to tell you that I've been able to get down to my goal weight of 180, but I'm equally thrilled to say that I've gotten down to floating around 200 and have maintained for over a month. The fact that I've plateaued in my weight loss just inspires me to begin pushing a little harder.

But weight is just a number. There are other reasons that I can be proud of myself. For one thing, I ran in a 10k race two weeks ago. I finished the race. And I did it in less time than I expected for myself. That's huge to me, considering I never cared to even lace up a pair of running shoes before last September.

Another thing that excites me is my clothing. I see myself in the mirror every day, so whatever changes are happening are gradual and I really don't recognize them in myself. Where I notice the change is in the clothes I wear. Last summer, I was wearing pants with a size 40 waste. Now, I wear size 36. The other day I needed a black belt and the only one I own is from a suit that now hangs off me like a black circus tent. In order to make the belt fit the pants I was wearing, I needed to cut a new hole with my pocket knife. That new hole is about 2.5 inches farther into the belt than the closest factory-made hole. That felt pretty darn good.

As I've said, I'm usually not one to brag on myself. Most of the time, I walk a very thin line between self-deprecation and overconfidence. When I put on an air of cockiness and tell people how awesome I am, I have to convince myself to believe it, even though I'm saying it with a hint of sarcasm in my voice. But I'm proud of how far I've come in the last 8 months and I thought it worth sharing.

I'm not finished. I haven't reached my goal weight. I have 20 pounds to go. And I'm not done running. I have a 5k to run in November. I have a repeat 10k to run in 2014. And I'd kind of like to work my way up to a half marathon at some point in the not too distant future. So stay tuned.

14,683 Monumental Steps

The goal was to finish the Monument Avenue 10k in 2 hours. Was I able to do it? The answer is... You know what? I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's take a step back for a second.

This whole running thing is kind of new to me. I decided to start running back in September of last year and as soon as I started, I began to question what I'd gotten myself into. I had never been a runner. I was never much of an athlete as a kid or as a teenager. But back in the fall I decided it was time to start making an effort toward being healthier. Running seemed like the most logical way to get moving with that. I knew it would be difficult, but I was sure it would be worth it.

I set a goal for myself to run in a 5k race at some point in 2013. After running throughout the fall and winter, I figured I was on my way to accomplishing that goal. I just needed to find a good 5k and register. I even talked Mark and Brandon into joining me. Well, time went by and finding a nearby 5k was becoming a challenge.

One day in January I got a call from Mark. He asked me how I'd feel about going to Richmond in April to do the Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k. I took a deep breath. 10k? I thought, That's twice as much as I've been training for... Could I even be ready for that thing by then? Needless to say, I was nervous. But I figured if I was running the race with two of my best friends, it wouldn't be that bad.

So the months went by and I kept pushing myself in an attempt to get ready for the 10k. While the weather was cold and the mornings were dark, I decided to make use of the treadmills provided by my apartment complex. I was feeling good. I reached a point where I was able to run a full mile without slowing to a walk for the first time in my life. I mean, I was the kid who would walk the mile in elementary school during the annual physical fitness test. I don't think I ever finished that thing in less than 20 minutes. I wasn't sprinting, mind you, but my jog wasn't exactly a snail's pace.

After reaching that milestone, a week later, I was able to run a full 2 miles before slowing down. I was feeling really good. Then, a couple weeks ago, Mark dropped the bomb that he might have to drop out of the race. Apparently there was some work thing that had come up and he would not be able to get out of it. Was that really it? Or was it that he had been talking a lot of smack to me and Brandon and had not been training even a little bit, so he decided he couldn't back the smack talk? Okay, I'm sure he really did have career commitments that he couldn't get out of. Just seems a little fishy to me...

But that didn't deter me. Brandon was still in this thing. And even if something happened to pull him out of the race, I wasn't going to back out. I was excited. I might not have been fully ready in a physical sense, but my mind was set on crossing that finish line, no matter what.

Last week, the weather finally got really nice. Like, ridiculously nice. Cloudless skies, cool breezes, moderate temperatures. It was phenomenal. So, last Saturday, I decided to take advantage of the pathway that runs next to the New River. It's right across the road from my apartment, why not? I ran from my apartment to the far end of Bissett Park and back again. Well, on the way back I walked/ran. But I felt good. I felt that I needed to push myself a little because the 10k was only a week away and I'd never gone that far at one time before. Last Saturday's run got me to 3.9 miles in just under an hour.

Then something strange happened. The next day I was in tremendous pain. I wrote it off as just aches from having pushed myself harder than I was used to the previous day. But, on Monday, my shins began hurting. A lot. I started to wonder if I was dealing with the legendary shin splints that I've heard so many people talk about in the past. I remember seeing volleyball and soccer players during college coming into the dining hall after practices with ice packs taped to their shins. I couldn't figure out why I would suddenly get this pain now, less than a week from race day, when I hadn't experienced it at all in the last six months.

Well, there are probably several contributing factors. My shoes are awful. I don't have shoes that are designed specifically for running. And they're kind of old. They've gotten the job done, but apparently not well enough. Then there's the fact that I switched from treadmill to asphalt kind of suddenly. I'm sure my body wasn't prepared for that surface change. Also, I'm sure I haven't been stretching properly before or after my runs on a consistent basis. I should really start doing that.

But I wasn't going to let this deter me either. I ran again Tuesday evening, but wasn't able to go as far as I had Saturday. And the pain was a little worse. So I decided then to just rest until the 10k. And rest is what I did.

That brings us to today. Race day. All week I had been more excited than anything else. I was ready to do this. I'd been telling myself that I only wanted to run the first half, that my true goal for this moment of my life was to run a 5k. If I had to walk the second half, so be it. I wanted to finish 5k in an hour. I wanted to finish 10k in 2. I had no lofty aspirations for setting or breaking records, except maybe my own personal records. And, since this was my first ever 10k race, the bar was set pretty low.

Brandon and I stood among the crowd of run/walkers and waited for the announcer to send our group over the starting line. And we were off. Brandon took off at a good pace as soon as he was able. I was still stuck amongst the walkers for a bit. Then I found an opening and took off after him. I stayed behind him for a good while, then overtook him for about 30 seconds. It felt good, considering he's been running for several years now. But that lead didn't last for me. I kept up with him for a while longer, but then began to slow slightly.

I was able to keep up a good run/jog for about the first mile. Then the pain in my legs began to get to me. So I slowed down. I walked pretty briskly, but it was still a walk. So much for running the first 5k, right? Oh well, I could still make good time and I could still hit my goals. So I pushed. I would run for a while, then walk for a while, then run a little more, then slow back down. On average, I probably ran about half a mile for every mile of the race.

At the halfway point, my phone began to die. This was a bad thing for me because 1) I was tracking my run with the Nike+ app and 2) I was listening to my running/get psyched mix through the phone. Now, I won't say I was too upset about losing the Nike+ app. My phone has degraded into a near worthless piece of junk that does very few things accurately. Needless to say, it does not keep up with my run accurately. At all. Today, it told me that I completed my first mile in 5 minutes, 13 seconds. The thing thought that I had finished 3 miles just after I passed the real world 1 mile marker. Piece of junk. But I did miss the music during that second half.

Before I turned the phone off to save what was left of the battery, I was able to see that I had actually been going for nearly 45 minutes. That told me that I had beaten my goal of an hour long 5k! I was pretty excited about that news. That gave me a second wind and inspired me to push a little harder than I had for the previous mile or so. So I ran again.

Now I was without music blasting in my ears. This turned out to be a good thing. This gave me the opportunity to hear the people on the sidelines. There were hundreds... thousands of folks yelling and cheering as the runners and walkers made their way down Monument Avenue. The energy was incredible. And it only helped to get my adrenaline pumping even more, inspiring me to run even harder. People were waving signs and clapping and whistling as I ran past them. They didn't know who I was, but they were proud of me anyway. And even though they were cheering for the tens of thousands of other runners, too, it felt like they were cheering just for me. Especially when I heard anyone say, "Way to go, Superman!"

Soon I came upon the marker that let me know I had gone 6 miles. That meant I was really close to the finish. At that point, I didn't care how tired I was or how much my legs ached. I just ran. I pushed myself all the way to the finish line. I crossed, feeling more alive than I've felt in a long time. And, believe it or not, I probably could have kept going, I was that pumped.

Now that it's been over for a while, I've been able to look online to see the official race results. Are you ready for it? Drum roll, please...

• 5k - 47:16
• 10k - 1:36:20

I beat the goals that I had set for myself. Finishing this race alone was worth putting the time and effort into training. But finishing better than I thought I was capable of? Feels even better.

So now that I've accomplished this goal, does that mean I'll stop running?

It's not over. I will take a break for a bit. Probably a couple weeks. I definitely want to get some new shoes before I start running again, but they're expensive, so I may have to wait a bit. But I want to keep going. I want to set new goals and keep pushing myself. This Thanksgiving, I want to run in the Drumstick Dash in Roanoke. I walked it a couple years ago, this time I want to run it. It's a 5k, so I'm hoping I'll be able to crush it by the time November rolls around.

Next year, I want to do the Monument Avenue race again. But next time, I want to do it in an hour. I don't see why that can't be done. The year after that, I want to find a half marathon. Depending on how I do with the half, maybe someday I'll do a full marathon. I honestly can't wrap my head around that at this moment, but it's out there and it's a possibility. Until then, I'll have these 2 races to keep getting ready for. Who's with me?

Oh, I can't believe I almost forgot this... By far, the funniest inspirational sign I saw today said, "Keep Going! Keep Going! (That's what she said...)" Definitely got me laughing on the run.

*The number represented in this post's title is an estimated guess as to how many steps I actually took during the 10k. I did not actually count my steps.

You Totally Should've Been There

Of course, I'm referring to the most awesome birthday party ever.

As I mentioned earlier this week, I turned 33 on Wednesday. The middle of the work week isn't exactly convenient for throwing a party to celebrate one's birthday. So the celebration was postponed until Friday, yesterday. And it was so worth it.

The evening began with dinner at Macado's. It's a place that's casual and laid-back and has managed to remain my favorite restaurant for years. If you have one near you, I highly recommend visiting someday soon. There are literally dozens of different sandwiches to choose from on the menu, along with a number of other entrees. Personally, I tend to get the same thing every time, a Stogie on Kaiser roll. The Julius Caesar and the Babe Ruth are also good.

We were seated at the back of the restaurant, where there would be plenty of room for a large party of 12. Part of the charm of Macado's is the random decoration all over the place. It's as if the owners just did a random search on eBay for the most random crap they could find. So when you're seated and you look around, you may see model airplanes, framed vintage comic books, old concert posters, street signs or even statues of super heroes.

Side note: When I put out the invitation on Facebook for this unbirthday party, I encouraged people to dress up as super heroes. Only a few took me up on that encouragement. We had a Flash, a Michaelangelo of TMNT fame, a SuperTeacher and a Clark Kent. Of course, I went with Superman. It's what I do.

Special thanks to Michaelangelo for sharing this photo.

Anyway, I sat in a booth without really paying attention to my surroundings. Turns out, directly behind me, standing above my head, was a statue of Clark Kent changing into Superman. I promise you, this was not planned. Obviously, the picture had to be taken. So I climbed up on the back of the booth and posed for the photo op.

Dinner itself included great conversation and lots of laughter. And if that had been all we had done, I'd have considered it a successful birthday party. Excuse me... unbirthday party.

But that wasn't the end of the night. After we had finished eating, we all headed over to a place called Adventure World. It's a place I'd never been before, but I chose it because they offered roller skating and laser tag. That's right. Laser tag.

So we spent a couple hours skating in circles, but took a break to shoot at each other with beams of light in a very dark room. It was all kinds of awesome. I haven't strapped on a laser tag vest since I was a teenager. I don't know why I don't do it more often. I mean, it helps that I was playing the game with a bunch of great people who have become great friends.

I feel like I should be honest about something. I was nervous about how last night would turn out. I've explained on this blog a number of times that I'm pretty introverted. So I have this perception of myself, that I have a great deal of difficulty making new friends and connecting with new people. Maybe this is a misconception. I'm not saying that I'm not an introvert. I'm just saying that maybe I've underestimated my ability to connect with new people. The reason I say that is because every person that came out last night was someone that I've known for less than a year. Most, I've only known for a couple months.

I had been hoping that some of my older friends from the Bluefield days had been able to come. But that just didn't work out. It was a little disappointing, but that's life. The thing is, I was hoping some of those folks would be able to come to serve as a buffer. It would give me a comfort zone. If my introversion caused me to feel awkward around my new friends, I could fall back on my old friends to get me through. As it turns out, I was nervous for nothing.

I had an amazing time with all these new people in my life. And I'm so very grateful to have them in my life now. I am incredibly blessed.

Bonus: I didn't fall while skating. Not even once.

Super Hero Stories

Recently, I saw a couple interesting stories on the news. These reports are making me believe that we may be close to entering an age when super powered individuals walk (or fly) among us.

The first story is about a little boy who fell out of a third story window in an apartment building. Not only did he live to tell the tale, but he walked away with barely a scratch. According to reports, he fell out the window and landed on his feet.

The boy's mother stated that she felt horrible for allowing something like that to happen. As a preventative measure, she's looking for a new apartment. Something on the ground floor. I say go the other way. Test this kid's invulnerability a little. I'm not saying someone should drop him from a plan. But what about a fourth story window?

Another story I heard was about a guy in Great Britain who dressed as Batman. This vigilante captured a burglar and hand delivered him to the police. The police booked the criminal but were unable to question the Batman. He left before they could even get his name.

Of course they didn't get his real name. It's called a secret identity. As a man, he's flesh and blood. He can be ignored. He can be destroyed. But as a symbol... As a symbol he can be incorruptible. He can be everlasting.

The day after seeing that story, the media revealed that the man behind the mask was just a delivery driver named Stan. He delivered a friend to the police because his friend was voluntarily turning himself in for crimes he had committed. Stan just thought it would be funny to drop him off at the station dressed as Batman.

33

And just like that, I was another year older.

I mean, it shouldn't have been a shock to the system. But I kind of got used to being 32. I got used to telling people, "I'm 32." Someone comes up to me on the street and asks, "How old are you?" My immediate response for the last 12 months has been to say, "I'm 32."

But I can't say that anymore. As of 7:48 this morning, I've been 33 years old. I can see myself having difficulty with the transition. Not because I think that turning 33 is momentous and difficult to my aging psyche. I see the difficulty being akin to forgetting to write the correct year on your checks for the first couple weeks of the year.

Personally, I feel fine with being 33. Actually, I feel better right now than I did a year ago. I'm in better shape than I've been in for a long time, and continuing to work on that aspect of life. I'm in a comfortable place career-wise, with very clear goals for my own next steps where all that is concerned. And, honestly, I still think of myself as being in my 20s. I guess that's part of the whole "as young as you feel" thing.

Maybe I don't physically feel like I'm in my 20s. At least, not all the time. I'll be honest, there are days I roll out of bed and things just start popping and cracking like crazy. Mentally, though, I definitely feel like I'm younger than I really am. I'm sure people would point out that I could just look in the mirror to make myself feel my actual age. And if that's a crack about the gray hair, ha ha. But you've gotta come at me with something better than that. I've had gray hair since I was 17.

I can honestly say it's been a good anniversary of my birth. It snowed, so I got the day off work, which was nice. The Other Single Guy came into town to buy me dinner, which was also nice. And in a couple days, I'll be celebrating in style with a bunch of friends. What's the celebration? Dinner at one of my favorite restaurants followed by roller skating and laser tag. Yeah, laser tag. Take that, ageist stereotypers!

100 Random Facts About Me 2.0

Two years ago I decided to steal an idea from Amy at Ha Ha. Wait. What? It wasn't the first blogging idea that I stole from her and it hasn't been the last. But it was the idea of coming up with an exhaustive list of random facts about myself. Sometimes it can be difficult to come up with 100 separate facts about oneself. But I was able to do it. Because I'm just that interesting. A few things have changed since I made that original "About Me" post. What follows is the next version of 100 Random Facts About Me. Some facts remain the same, some have changed. As always, any questions may be directed to yours truly via the comment section below.

1. I was born on March 6, 1980 (in case you were wondering when to send the cards, the gifts, the etc.).
2. I am still single (ladies, please, don't all email me at once).
3. Frosted Flakes and Cinnamon Toast Crunch hold a very special place in my heart.
4. So does Back to the Future.
5. I love to write.
6. I love photography.
7. When I'm alone in my car, I sing to the tops of my lungs and probably look pretty foolish to other drivers. I don't care.
8. I'm convinced that I absolutely cannot dance.
9. People think I watch too much TV because of my uncanny ability to quote random movie lines at the drop of a hat. They may be right, but I think I just have one of those memories that allows me to recall random, meaningless facts.
10. I'm originally from Roanoke, Virginia.
11. I currently live in Radford, Virginia.
12. I work as a Therapeutic Day Treatment Counselor at an elementary school in the middle of nowhere.
13. I love my job.
14. I also fold clothes at Old Navy on a part-time basis.
15. I believe it's a little sad that I need two jobs to make ends meet when I'm a single man with no one to take care of but himself.
16. I have two bachelor's degrees from Bluefield College, one in Christian Studies, the other in Behavioral Science.
17. When the weather gets cold and everyone around me starts complaining, I start enjoying myself. To me, it's finally starting to feel good outside.
18. I spent two consecutive spring breaks on mission trips in Brazil during college. I'd love to go back someday.
19. I might have an unhealthy obsession with all things Superman.
20. I'm pretty sure I have a caffeine addiction.
21. But I don't like to drink coffee.
22. But I love the smell of coffee.
23. There's a part of me that still loves to play video games, I just can't seem to find the time to do it anymore. Also, it doesn't help that my Playstation recently kicked the bucket.
24. I don't think I much like being a grown-up.
25. I don't like to eat vegetables. But I'm a grown-up so you can't make me!
26. I've still never really kissed a girl. Unless you count Angie back in preschool. Some people would, but I don't.
27. Going back and reading #26 makes me feel a little pathetic.
28. I've decided that I like myself better with facial hair than without. Though, now that I've shaved it all off, I've been told by a number of people that I look younger. We'll see how long the bald face lasts.
29. I drive a 2008 Toyota Yaris. It's blue. I call her Half-Pint. That's because she's so tiny. And I'm pretty sure she could run for a week on half a pint of gasoline.
30. Sometimes I laugh at my own jokes because I know no one else will.
31. Really, I have a very dry sense of humor.
32. Also, I'm really sarcastic. Like, really, really sarcastic.
33. I'm a firm believer that someone should create a sarcasm font. Or possibly a new punctuation mark that denotes sarcasm.
34. I've been told I have a nice smile. I just don't do it that often.
35. The first thing I notice in a woman is her smile. I know that's hypocritical since smiling is something I just said I don't do that often.
36. In high school I learned how to develop my own film and print my own pictures. I sometimes wish I still had access to that kind of equipment. Digital photography just doesn't feel as real to me.
37. My favorite color is blue.
38. I believe that Justin Bieber and Honey Boo Boo are two signs of the coming apocalypse. Though, now that we've all made it safely beyond 12/21/12, I'm not sure when the next apocalypse is scheduled.
39. I don't like chocolate. And I receive plenty of ridicule for this fact, thank you.
40. I love to sing. Sadly, the car is the only place I seem to do it these days since no one ever wants to go with me to sing karaoke.
41. I used to sing in a few choirs during college. I miss it.
42. If I were to fill out a survey asking about my religion, I would put down that I was a Christian. But I don't like to call myself a Christian. It's a title I can never seem to live up to.
43. More often than not, I can get a general idea of what the time is by looking at the position of the sun in the sky. If you don't believe me, ask the Charlatan. He's witnessed it.
44. I love to read. This is a love that would have come in handy in high school and college. It didn't kick in 'til later.
45. When it snows and people panic about driving in it I get confused. Snow's no problem for me. Common sense tells us that all we have to do is take it slow and don't get overconfident.
46. I'm pretty sure common sense is something that is severely lacking in today's society.
47. I send text messages far more often than I call people.
48. But I'd give just about anything to be able to pick up the phone and talk to my Dad.
49. Despite my deep abiding love for Back to the Future, I don't believe that time travel is possible. And if it were, I don't believe it would be possible to change history.
50. I have one sister, April. I don't talk to her nearly as often as I should.
51. If I spend an entire day off work sitting in my apartment just watching movies, I don't consider it a wasted day.
52. I hate sleeping late on my days off. When I do, I feel like I've wasted the day.
53. I collect comic books. Lots of them.
54. I have a goal in life to read all of Stephen King's work. I'm doing this in the order in which the books were published. Thus far, I've made it through Firestarter. I still have a long way to go.
55. Best comedy on TV: Community. It used to be How I Met Your Mother. But I've come to think of the latter as the superior show.
56. I've never had a broken bone before.
57. I've also never needed stitches.
58. I guess I'm not much of a risk taker.
59. I used to love camping as a kid, but as an adult I've only been a couple times.
60. I love to go hiking. My body disagrees.
61. I once tried to help my sister move a full-size freezer out of my Dad's basement. Close to the top step, I lost my grip on the freezer and was certain it would fall and crush her beneath it. I've never been more afraid in my life.
62. I am terrified of clowns.
63. I road rage like it's my job.
64. My favorite restaurant is Macado's. When I was living in North Carolina, it was something I deeply missed about living in the Roanoke area. Radford has one about three blocks from my apartment.
65. I spent my 27th birthday at Chuck E. Cheese. I don't think there's anything wrong with that.
66. There may be some who disagree with this, but I think the ending to Lost was brilliant.
67. I love Christmas decorations, but I really don't like being the one to decorate.
68. I've come to accept the fact that I can be kind of a jerk.
69. In college, I would spend lots of free time looking at people's away messages on Instant Messenger. Looking at Facebook status updates and tweets on the Twitter just isn't the same.
70. When my hair gets long, the front goes into the Superman spit curl.
71. But eventually, my hair stops getting longer. It just gets thicker. It's obnoxious.
72. I can make some pretty good sausage balls. Insert your SNL quotes here...
73. I hate helping people move, but I do it so I'll have someone to call when I inevitably move for the 83rd time.
74. Netflix was my idea. I just can't prove it.
75. Seriously though, that whole instant viewing thing? Best thing to happen to movies since the advent of film.
76. Someone I used to work with used the word seriously way too often. It was really annoying. So for a long time, I made a conscious effort to not say seriously at all. Seriously.
77. I've lived life with and without a DVR. Going from having one to not having one was a painful transition.
78. Someday, when I'm all growed up, I want to have a house with a library. And a secret passage behind one of the bookcases.
79. I thought the Twilight books were an okay read. But I believe in the depths of my soul that Bella Swan is the worst character in literary history.
80. I love snow.
81. But I can't ski.
82. I love the beach.
83. But I can't swim.
84. I am of the firm belief that if you make a late night trip to the Omelet Shoppe, Waffle House, or some other all-night eatery, and walk away without an epic story to tell, you wasted a trip.
85. I've tried learning to play the guitar, but I'm not very good at it. My fingers are kind of stubby.
86. Sometimes I look at people in relationships and think that's something I'd like to have. Other times, I look at those same people and think, no, I'm doing all right on my own.
87. I hate when people don't use a turn signal. Biggest pet peeve.
88. Of all the different types of cookies in the world, Snickerdoodles are, by far, the greatest.
89. I have some really weird, vivid dreams sometimes.
90. I should probably quit playing Facebook games.
91. I don't date often. In fact, up until the summer of 2012, I don't think I had been on an actual date since W's first 100 days in office. The fact that I went on two dates last year should say a lot about how much I've matured. But it probably doesn't.
92. When I was a kid, I bowled on a Saturday morning league team. I was pretty good for a 10-year-old.
93. I haven't owned a watch in many years. I pretty much just use my cell phone to tell the time. Or look for the position of the sun.
94. When I was the bank teller at the drive-thru window, I loved it when people would drive up and forget they hadn't rolled down their windows yet. When people hit their hand against the glass, you couldn't have paid me to stop laughing.
95. I'm a child of divorce. And other than the whole cynical attitude toward the existence of true love thing, I think I turned out just fine.
96. Despite my cynicism, I would like to know what it's like to fall in love and have that love returned. I hear it's nice.
97. I love key lime pie, but I hate that it's got the reputation of only being a summer dessert. Just because it's served cold. What's that all about?
98. Laundry is my least favorite chore. If I ever get married, I hope my wife is open to a deal wherein I do the dishes and deal with any garbage issues as long as she does the clothes. I'll even throw in cooking and vacuuming to sweeten the deal.
99. I don't think I can have a real conversation without slipping in a movie line at some point.
100. Maintaining this blog is probably the only really consistent thing I've done for any significant period of time.

There you have it planet earth. 100 random facts about me, circa 2013. I may come back and do this again in another two years. No promises. Who knows where I'll be when 2015 hits?

Thirteen Resolutions for Twenty Thirteen

I'm hit or miss on resolutions. Inevitably, I always fail at one thing or another. All these years, I should probably have just been resolving to not die. If I had, I'd have a perfect record on resolutions. But I won't make the resolution to not die. With my track record on past resolutions, this would end up being the year I mess it up.

I have a realistic view of things and that view is not always an optimistic one. Resolutions tend to be very optimistic in nature. They come from a place of wanting to become a better person. It's a noble thing, that desire to be better.

Not long ago, I decided I wanted to be a better person. But I didn't wait until January 1 to make certain changes or choices for my life. After reading Donald Miller's A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, I decided that I wanted to live a better story. When I made that decision, I decided that I wouldn't put off doing the things that I wanted to do in order to make my story better.

But a new year began today. On the one hand, it's just another new day. On the other hand, people traditionally look toward a new year with a new outlook and a desire to become better versions of themselves. In reality, it's no different than the beginning of October. In reality, it's no different than any other day that ends in "y."

In the final episode of Community's first season, Jeff perfectly summed up the New Year's resolution. He used the summary in attempting to choose between two women who claimed to love him, but it's a summary that makes sense. New Year's resolutions remind us of the people we want to be. Three weeks later, it's easy to go back to the people we already are, hitting the snooze button and screening our mothers' phone calls. So, do you try to evolve or do you try to know what you are? Well, here's to optimism!

1. Be sure to write 2013 on all important documents, rather than 2012. You can't tell me this is something that everyone everywhere isn't a little worried about messing up at some point over the next few days. It's not as crazy as it used to be since, statistically, most people don't write checks that often anymore. I, myself, only write two checks per month. Both of them will be written today. Once I get back to school, though, I'll be putting the date on many important official documents related to work. It will be important to write that 3 as the final digit rather than 2.

2. Post something on the blog daily. Back in 2008 I made this same resolution. Throughout that year, I stuck to it. Some of the posts ended up making it to the blog after midnight due to my vastly extensive social life. I don't have that "social" problem anymore. Shouldn't be an issue.

3. Reach the goal weight of 185 lbs. which I set for myself back in September when I began losing weight. As has been implied by the bolded text, I began losing weight back in September. When I weighed myself on Labor Day, I was at 225 pounds. Then I started jogging. I switched to the diet sodas. I became more responsible with my food portions. Then I caught a cold in November and stopped exercising for a while. But by that point, I had gotten down to 205ish. I weighed myself yesterday and clocked in at 207. It's nice to know that I've maintained the near 20 pound loss while not exercising. I'd like to get back on track with the jogging though. So that's started back up again. Because it will lead to the next resolution...

4. Run a 5k for the first time ever. My original goal was to run a 5k on Thanksgiving. That didn't happen. Remember, I got a cold in November and stopped running. By the time I felt better, I knew there was no way I'd be able to finish preparing for a 5k run in the cold pre-winter air of downtown Roanoke. Again, I'm getting back on track with the jogging. I'll do some research and find a decent 5k that I can participate in at some point when the weather gets a bit warmer. If anyone has a suggestion, let me know.

5. Finish watching the AFI top 100 films of all time. Okay, this started as a resolution the last time I made resolutions. That was back in 2011. I didn't even make it through half those movies that year. In fact, I only recently crossed the threshold of the 50th film. I'd like to finish this list this year. I just hope my schedule and Netflix both cooperate with that desire.

6. Read the Bible more. This is another one of those resolutions that I've made before. Never seem to do as well with it as I intend to.

7. Read 25 books. And in the past I've resolved to read more than this in a year. And failed miserably. 25 seems to be a more feasible number. I'm hoping I can surpass it, but hey, no guarantees.

8. Write a complete and coherent novel. Another rerun. Just take the time to do it, stupid!

9. Go on a real vacation. I haven't been on a true vacation in years. That time I went to Los Angeles was probably the last vacation I've actually been on. I've taken plenty of time off work in the last few years. In fact, I'm enjoying some time off as I type up these resolutions. But I'm enjoying that time off from the comfort of my own home. I want to go to a beach. Or on a cruise. I was going to do the cruise thing in 2012, but then I changed jobs again... and had to move twice... These events tend to eat into one's savings.

10. Take more pictures. I recently played photographer for a friend's wedding. I used an old school camera that needed real film. Then I discovered that real film costs a lot of real money to get developed. So I think, for a while, I'm gonna need to go back to digital for my photographing needs. Photography was something I really enjoyed back in the day. It's something I'd enjoy to this day if I had a decent camera.

11. Leave the one Christmas decoration I have out until I move in August. This one is mostly because I'm lazy. Also, I don't have anywhere else to put my one Christmas decoration.

12. Begin work toward a license to teach in the Commonwealth of Virginia. I do love my current job. But being in a classroom has inspired me to want to teach. Just like I wanted to do back when I was a kid. I've been looking into the steps I need to take. And now I need to make a decision as to what kind of teacher I want to be. If I want to teach history to high school students, I can go through the local community college's career switch program. If I want to keep working with the younger, elementary school kids, I'll have to go through a more complicated, more expensive program that will probably take twice as long to complete. Really need to weigh the pros and cons here.

13. Become the hero Gotham deserves, not the one it needs. I think this one is fairly self explanatory.

Birthday Girl

Have I ever mentioned my mild crush on Alison Brie? She's the actress who plays Annie Edison on Community and Trudy Campbell on Mad Men. She can also be seen in such recent big screen ventures as Scream 4 and The Five Year Engagement. She's a woman who could probably convince me to start dating again. You know, if she asked real nice.

Today's her birthday. And sure the kitten is cute, but check out the girl holding her. Just sayin'.

I don't have a lot of money, Ms. Brie, so I can't buy you anything nice for your special day. But what I do have is this blog that is read semi-regularly by more than 50 people. I really don't like to brag, but I think this is the kind of birthday publicity that even IMDB can't give.

Happy birthday!

A Christmas Day Giveaway

Hey kids! It's a special time of year. A time for sharing and giving. And that's what I want to do through this blog. I want to give. So that's what I'm gonna do.

Some of you may have noticed that I recently added a Facebook button to the top right of the page. Carp Dime now has a Facebook page that you are able to visit and even like if you are so inclined. And here's some incentive for liking the Carp Dime page on Facebook...

If you click like on the Facebook page before Christmas day, your name will be entered into a drawing for a $30 iTunes gift card. The drawing will occur on Christmas day, at which time I will announce the winner through the Facebook page.

Liking Carp Dime on Facebook gives you another way to keep up with the blog. And there will sometimes be content there that won't be on the blog. And 2013 will see more fun events and giveaways. So go. Click. Like. Enjoy!

Being Ron Swanson

There will be those of you who are asking, "Who is Ron Swanson?" This means that you've probably never seen Parks and Recreation before.

Ron Swanson is the fictional director of the parks department in fictional Pawnee, Indiana. He's portrayed by the incomparable Nick Offerman. Ron Swanson is who I chose to be this year for Halloween.

I have a job where I'm expected to be a grown-up at all times. So dressing up as a superhero would have been frowned upon. Dressing as Ron Swanson proved to be fairly easy.

The easy part was finding Swansonesque clothing. I figured khakis and a long sleeve polo would do. A little more difficult to deal with was Ron Swanson's trademark mustache. Now, I already had facial hair in the form of the goatee I've worn for the better part of a decade. I just needed to get rid of the bottom half, leaving only the mustache behind. My chin got cold.

I arrived at school and, at first, no one mentioned my slight change in appearance. It's not as if it was a huge change, though. Very subtle. Then I entered the first grade. "Mr. Peck! You grew a mustache!" was the cry of many 6-year-olds. The obviously believe that a mustache is a completely separate growth compared to the goatee I've had all year. Their shouts drew the attention of their teacher. She took one look and immediately burst into laughter. Guess the mustache is not a good look for Mr. Peck.

I agree that it's something I can't really pull off. So the mustache came off today. My mustache just isn't as epic as Ron Swanson's. Honestly, me with a mustache gives me a creepy kind of vibe that I just can't deal with.

There are other aspects of being Ron that I could handle a bit better. It's easy to complain about the ineffectiveness of the government. I also would not mind enjoying a steak dinner. Or all of the eggs and bacon that you have.

Bucket List

I should really be asleep. But I had this stuff on my mind. And I wanted to write it down before I fell asleep and forgot it all. It's something I've been thinking of coming up with for a long time. It's a bucket list. No, I'm not dying. But I want to keep track of what I accomplish and what I have yet to do. And if you want to help me out with any of these, please feel free. Be warned, I came up with a hundred. If you make it through the whole list, you are very special to me.

1. Drive across the US in a convertible.
2. Love and be loved in return.
3. Visit Canada.
4. Climb the stairs of the Eiffel Tower.
5. Sing a duet with Carrie Underwood.
6. Visit Australia.
7. Arrange for someone to continue updating my Twitter feed after my death.
8. Kiss a girl.
9. Survive the zombie apocalypse.
10. Get wicked good with a bow and arrow.
11. Own a house with a large front porch.
12. Win the lottery.
13. Own an arcade style Ms. Pac-Man video game.
14. Discover time travel.
15. Visit 1955.
16. Become a teacher.
17. Live in New York.
18. Write a song for a girl.
19. Hug a clown.
20. Watch every Star Wars movie (even the prequels) in one sitting.
21. Shake hands with the president.
22. Try on a suit of armor.
23. Figure out what the smoke monster from Lost really was. I posted about my findings here...
24. See the Aurora Borealis.
25. Have a front yard with a big freakin' willow tree.
26. Write a novel.
27. Have it published.
28. Watch every Harry Potter movie in a day.
29. Watch the sunrise from a hot air balloon.
30. Go to the prom.
31. Have a pen pal.
32. Visit London.
33. Fall asleep waiting for Santa.
34. Own a recliner.
35. Build a sandcastle.
36. Live in a home with a secret passage.
37. Live in a home with a library.
38. Read every book written by Stephen King.
39. Attend a game at every Major League ballpark.
40. Visit Ground Zero.
41. Set up an outdoor movie theater in my back yard.
42. Ride the Loch Ness Monster at Busch Gardens 20 consecutive times.
43. Run a 5k. I ran the Monument Ave. 10k in April of 2013. That counts, right?
44. Sing the National Anthem at a minor league baseball game.
45. Learn to play the piano.
46. Adopt a dog.
47. Fly in a helicopter.
48. Party in Vegas.
49. Create a life-size Chutes and Ladders game.
50. Visit Rome.
51. Go on a cruise.
52. Buy a tailored suit.
53. Receive a kiss under the mistletoe.
54. See Beauty and the Beast performed on stage.
55. Visit the Statue of Liberty.
56. Be invited to speak at a graduation ceremony.
57. Ride in a gondola.
58. Learn how to do a cartwheel.
59. Visit the Grand Canyon.
60. Get drunk.
61. Learn to play the ukulele.
62. Propose to a woman in epic fashion.
63. Go to Hawaii.
64. Build a blanket fort.
65. Be thrown a surprise birthday party.
66. Meet friends that I've only known through blogging.
67. Sing a song with my college choir again.
68. Tell my high school crush that I had a crush on her once upon a time.
69. Participate in a flash mob.
70. Go on a picnic with the woman I love.
71. See every movie on the American Film Institute's top 100 list.
72. Live in the Big Brother house for the summer.
73. Play and beat every main series Final Fantasy game.
74. Go on a date.
75. Watch the sun rise over the Atlantic and set over the Gulf of Mexico in the same day.
76. Ride a camel.
77. Sing Dream On at karaoke night. Proof.
78. Make a snow angel.
79. Visit Mexico.
80. Take a train to New York.
81. Watch an Olympic bobsled event in person.
82. Recreate the events of Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
83. Volunteer at a soup kitchen.
84. Meet Alison Brie.
85. Sing a baby to sleep.
86. Get out of debt.
87. Create a sitcom.
88. Spend a day watching animated Disney films.
89. Have a sandwich named after me.
90. Serenade a girl.
91. Eat at a pizza joint in New York City.
92. Eat a cheesesteak in Philadelphia.
93. Have more than 100 followers on my blog.
94. Survive 12/21/2012.
95. Have a secret admirer.
96. Catch a foul ball.
97. Visit DisneyWorld with my college friends.
98. Make a profound speech and then drop the microphone like a badass.
99. Watch an entire season of 24 in one day.
100. Host SNL.
101. Sing all the way through Barenaked Ladies' One Week on tempo without flubbing the lyrics.

I know I try to keep this blog as family friendly as possible. So I'm sorry for the colorful language on number 98. But I couldn't think of another word that would describe the way someone just drops the mic like they don't care.

As I cross things off the list, I'll make updates. Life from here on should be interesting as I try to do all this stuff. Wish me luck. And again, if you want to help with any of it, let me know!

The World Has Bigger Problems

I'll be the first to admit that I avoid global and even national issues. In a lot of cases, I stay uninformed on purpose. It's partly because I'm selfish. I get wrapped up in my problems or in the problems of my friends and family. And it's partly because I just don't want to know what's really happening in the world. Sometimes I think about the world's problems and realize that I'm just one person. What could I possibly do to make a difference. Could you imagine what the world would be like today if people like Martin Luther King, Jr. or Mother Teresa had said something like that?

Do you have half an hour to spare? If not, find 30 minutes. Then watch this. Then go here. I know that it's already gone viral and there's a very good chance that you've seen it already. But if you haven't, take the time to watch the video. It will break your heart and inspire you at the same time. Time to make a difference.

This Year's List

Ladies and gentlemen of the blogosphere, we are precisely one week away from the 32nd anniversary of the day of my birth. I know what you're thinking... "How could someone so devilishly handsome, yet so devoid of life experience reach such an improbable age?" Believe me, I've been asking myself the same question. But it's true. I was born in 1980. So, if my math is correct, I will be 32 years old as of March 6 of this year.

While you let the knowledge of my unrealistic age sink in, please feel free to peruse this year's birthday wish list.

First: An affordable one-bedroom apartment in the vicinity of Radford, Virginia. The reasons are twofold. For starters, Radford is so much closer to work than Roanoke. I like to drive... just not that much. For finishers, there's been something of a seed planted in my mind. It's a little something that's taken root and is making me think seriously about going back to work on that masters degree all over again. And Radford University has a pretty decent graduate program in the field of education. Think about that... I could be a teacher. I could be a molder of young minds. Listen, I can pay my rent from month to month. That's not the birthday gift I'm asking for. You find me the place, I'll pay for it. Now, if one wanted to take care of my security deposit, I sure wouldn't complain. But I'll leave that up to you.

II: A ticket to see The Hunger Games when it is released on March 23 of this year. Let me specify, the ticket needs to be for a showing that begins at a decent hour. And by decent, I mean a time that is not midnight on a school night. I added midnight openings to my Murtaugh List some time ago. Long before I turned 32. I'm getting too old for that stuff.

3rd: A subscription to National Geographic and/or Entertainment Weekly. I miss getting magazines in my mailbox. I've never had a subscription to National Geographic, but I find the articles in it fascinating. I've done Entertainment Weekly before. Wouldn't mind doing it again. You know me, always into the pop culture.

D: Various gift cards. I'll accept any or all of the classics, which include but are not limited to Amazon, iTunes, Barnes & Noble, restaurants and gas stations. Some people complain about gift cards. But I think it's like found money. Which brings me to...

Five: Cash money. I rarely carry cash anymore. But I'd be happy to make an exception for anyone generous enough to give me some for my birthday. Just don't get used to the idea of me having cash on me. It's nice while it lasts, but it doesn't have a tendency to last very long.

Seis: IBC Cherry Limeaid. It's rare that I see this stuff anywhere anymore. I discovered it at the Raleigh area Harris-Teeter stores shortly before I moved back to Virginia. I wish I'd have seen them sooner, so I could have enjoyed them longer. Alas, I did not. I haven't seen these tasty treats anywhere around here in the past 9 months.

Finally: You know I love movies. And I'm always looking to expand my collection of Blu-ray discs. Though I'm pretty sure I wouldn't turn down standard DVDs either. That goes for TV series as well.

That's the wishlist for the 32nd annual birthday of the Single Guy. You've got a week, so please, think carefully about what you're going to get me. And, as always, I thank you.

There won't be a party this year. At least, not that I'm aware of. In the last couple years, anything that's happened in relation to the birthday has been of my doing. And I'm just not doing this time. Maybe next year I'll make a big deal, but not 2012. I know, it could be my final birthday if the Mayans* have anything to say about it. But hey, call me an optimist**. Things are just weird this year. I'm living with people who don't know it's my birthday. I'm working with people who don't know it's my birthday. So I think I'm just gonna keep this one to myself. If you want to say something on the Facebook, I won't turn you away.

*I don't actually believe that the Mayans predicted the end of time.

**Also, don't call me an optimist.

Best. Day. Ever. Giveaway.

Hey kids! Another friend of mine is having a giveaway on her blog. Until recently, her blog was titled I Seek With All My Heart but is now called Best. Day. Ever.

Go on over, check things out, follow her. You could even win a contest. I doubt it though, I've been having a lot of really great luck recently.

Snow Day

To call the current season "winter" has been somewhat laughable this year. When temperatures regularly reach highs in the upper 50s or even 60s, you can hardly call that winter weather. It's been rare that I've needed any kind of jacket when going outside. For some, this would make for a very pleasant climate.

But I moved back to Virginia from North Carolina for one reason and one reason only. Snow. And you just can't have any snow when warm fronts insist upon staying put in your neck of the woods. But all of that changed yesterday.

This was the view outside a friends' apartment yesterday afternoon. I could hardly believe it. Don't get me wrong, I wanted to believe it. I wanted to believe earlier in the week when the meteorologists on TV claimed that we may see some snow on Sunday. But I couldn't help but be skeptical. After all, we hit 60 degrees as late as Saturday. How could we possibly expect to receive four to eight inches of snow after days like those?

I don't know how it works, but it obviously did. It was snowing pretty heavily on Sunday morning, but nothing was sticking. The ground was far too warm. But the snow continued and the temperature dropped. And this winter wonderland is what came of it. Oh, and that picture is still kind of early in the whole thing. There were still several hours of snowfall to come.

When I left my friends' place, I was a little worried I wouldn't quite make it home. I live at the top of a fairly steep hill. And my car is a lot lighter than my old car. Half-Pint just doesn't move as well in the snow as Jade did. Maybe it'll be better once I get a few more snow days under my belt. As it was, if I'd stayed out much longer, I may not have made it to the top of the hill.

You know what happens to people who work in schools when schools are closed due to snow? They don't have to go to work! I was supposed to work on Presidents' Day. But thanks to eight inches of snow, I got a three day weekend. Can't complain about that.

So today turned into a snow day for me and my friends. Brandon, who didn't have to work because bankers actually did get Presidents' Day off, called me up and told me we were driving to Blacksburg to meet Mark for lunch. Mark didn't have to work because Bluefield College was without power today. So we met up at Backstreets for some pizza and had a good time catching up a little. It really was like some times in college, when things would shut down because of snow or ice, and we would get a day with no classes to just hang out.

And this is the view from my place this morning. Sure looks pretty, doesn't it. Sadly, it's going away. The tree outside my window, which was drooping from the sheer weight of snow on the branches, is now green again. The snowman that some kids built has already fallen over and really just looks like a sad lump of snow that refuses to melt.

I can only hope that this hasn't been the only snow that we will see this winter. We've still got roughly a month of winter left. I just don't think we'll see another storm that will dump this much at one time though. Sure was nice while it lasted.