Is Anybody Alive Out There?

I'm not really sure where this is going today.  The problem is that I have a number of things to say but none with enough content to fill a full post.

IS ANYBODY ALIVE OUT THERE?
As I said the other day, I took a break from writing this blog because I didn't think there was anyone who read it.  Introspection, however, proved that I was doing it for me, not for you.  Some day, there will be little Seitzites (for you, Brendan) who read this and ask, "What was great-great-great grandpa thinking?". To you, future Seitzites, it's all about the challenge.  'Nuff said?

IS ANYBODY ALIVE OUT THERE? (part 2)
This has absolutely nothing to do with running.  Springsteen is embarking on his umpeenth tour, to which I bought tickets (anyone who knows me is now saying "...duh..."). After listening to the first 5 tracks, I'm starting to doubt my decision to pay $100 plus for tickets.  Now don't get me wrong - I'm going. but I'm not convinced that the latest amalgam of music from Bruce, "Wrecking Ball", will begin to match in musical excellence anything that he did in the past.  I'm no music critic - I only know what I like.  And I don't like it so far.  It remains to be seen how much political baloney he inserts into a concert.  Any is more that I want but I can handle a little bit, as long as he plays music that I like.  More after I see him (again).

TRAINING
Yesterday was scheduled for 4 and I went 4. On the nose.  A little over 8:30 per mile.  I'm shooting for under 4 hours (just over 9 minutes per mile)  for the marathon, so the occasional training run at 8:30 is ok.  My long runs are averaging a bit over 9, probably a little too fast, but they really haven't been that long yet (7-8 miles). The on-off-on seems to be working so far.  I have more energy in every run and I'm hoping that I make it to the starting line.  If I can make the starting line healthy, I will finish.

TWITTER
This one comes from left field, totally unrelated to running, but since I am doing this for me, I guess I can make the blog anything that I want.  And I want to ask one simple question about Twitter.  Am I too old to get it?  I admit that I am a Twitterer but when looking at what is being posted, I haven't seen one iota of news, information, insight, introspection, or brilliance. I am baffled why news outlets post what people are Tweeting about anything.  If I want someone's opinion, I'll ask for it.  I don't want to see it on the news.  Furthermore, if we begin to get our news, and subsequently form our opinions, from Twitter, won't we be basing our opinions on that the "mean" of the population thinks?  If the Twitter nation is a statically valid cross section of the population as a whole, and you were to graph intelligence on the X axis (that's the horizontal axis) and the number of people on the Y- axis, we would see a normal distribution for the Twitter nation, just like we see in society as a whole.  Therefore, we would be subjected to, on any given subject, a greater number of Tweets from the large "hump" in the curve - those of average intelligence.  Folks, I don't know about you but I want to learn from the most intelligent - those few at the extreme end of the spectrum - not the average.  Are we dumbing ourselves down if we use Twitter to get our information?

PERIODONTISTS
Another topic without a running theme.  I had some work done on my teeth today by my periodontist, Dr. Laura Brown in Olathe, KS.  Periodontal work is not something that I would recommend to anyone who I like (or even to those I do not like) but it is, for some of us, a necessary evil (thanks for the lousy gums, Mom). That being said, I would recommend anyone who needs gum work done to use Doc Brown.  I won't gush about her chair-side manner, her jovial attitude or the fact that she is a crazed work-out-a-holic like some of us (ok, maybe not crazed).  I'll only say that if you live anywhere nearby and are recommended to a perio by your dentist, try Dr. Laura Brown.  If you want more information, contact me.



JASON, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?
One more thing - it would appear that one of our sportswriters from the Kansas City Star, recently departed,  may have gotten himself into some hot water with his Tweet directed toward Jeremy Linn.  Jason Whitlock, you goofed, pal.  Apologies aside, this one is difficult to forgive you for.  I know, it was only in jest but when you make fun of THAT part, it's not funny.  What if someone had commented about YOU that way? Still funny?

That's it for today.  Phew, I feel better already.
Good night Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are.