tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9582531369404717242012-01-24T06:41:27.459-06:00Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.comBlogger6341100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-50600369218848291172012-01-23T07:37:00.000-06:002012-01-23T07:37:20.649-06:00

Today marks the beginning of the 2012 Chinese New Year. This year we return to the most auspicious of the Chinese zodiac symbols, the dragon. The dragon is the only one of the 12 zodiac symbols to be represented by a mythical creature and is therefore considered an extra special sign to be born under. Government officials in Hong Kong are hoping that an expected increase in births this year, do

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-7115904120030266382012-01-22T19:09:00.001-06:002012-01-23T15:24:49.610-06:00

I finished reading The Instructions this morning, and I knew immediately that I wanted to write a review. I needed to write a review of this book; this book deserves a review. But even as I sit down to write this many hours later after giving it thought, I have no idea how to write a review of Adam Levin's, The Instructions. Only those that have read this book will, or even can, understand my

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-56090923485331793392012-01-19T08:21:00.000-06:002012-01-19T08:21:27.881-06:00

"You may all go to hell, and I will go to Texas." - David Crockett, upon losing re-election to represent Tennessee in the US Congress

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-19753561838478365942012-01-16T15:10:00.000-06:002012-01-16T15:10:09.989-06:00

Sunday's Chevron Houston Marathon, 40th Anniversary Edition, was my 8th marathon. And if there is one thing that running eight marathons has taught me it's that I still have a lot to learn about running marathons. I had planned to run the 'race' as just a fancy version of an easy long-run . . . a long-run with a ridiculous amount of support. Lesson 1: There is no such thing as an easy marathon.

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-5120992779841942382012-01-14T16:31:00.001-06:002012-01-14T16:34:20.094-06:00

It just got all kinds of real up in here y'all. This goes down tomorrow at 7:00 am . . . ready or not.

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-61963887447881103362012-01-11T18:56:00.000-06:002012-01-11T18:56:45.299-06:00

"Text book version of the kid going nowhere fastAnd now i'm yelling kiss my ass,it's gonna take a couple right hooks a few left jabsfor you to recognize that you really aint got it bad Until the referee rings the bellUntil both your eyes start to swellUntil the crowd goes homeWhat we gonna do ya'll? Give em hell, turn their headsGonna live life til we're dead.Give me scars, give me painThen

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-79628906516772903422012-01-10T20:13:00.000-06:002012-01-10T20:13:01.298-06:00

Economics is seen by most people as an early college prerequisite to sleep through, but it can actually be really interesting. You just have to know how to cull out the fun stuff. For example, I give you five ways to know that the economy is in a death spiral: 1. Sales of men's underwear tanks. 2. People begin selling off their cemetery plots. 3. Mosquito populations increase. 4. Football games

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-50662394944004500242012-01-09T18:29:00.000-06:002012-01-09T18:29:34.662-06:00

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-39983058715005963672012-01-08T20:05:00.001-06:002012-01-08T20:06:19.900-06:00

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-32921950416858259822012-01-08T17:02:00.000-06:002012-01-08T17:02:41.123-06:00

I had intended to write up a "best of" list for movies released in 2011, to mirror the book recap I posted in December. Then I sat down to list the best movies I had seen in 2011 (limited to those viewed on first release in an actual theater). When I began this task in mid-December I realized I had ventured out to my local multi-plex on only two occasions since Jan 1. Not exactly the makings of a

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-12465013943083809192012-01-05T17:41:00.000-06:002012-01-05T17:41:49.832-06:00

Much has been said, written, and depicted about the plight of the ‘average American’ struggling against the weighty oppression of the top 1% of wage earners. However, like most social, economic, and political issues of our day, the appropriate global context has been almost wholly missing from this vital and energetic discussion. As Americans, we are constantly comparing ourselves to each other

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-6534612789614698702012-01-01T08:30:00.001-06:002012-01-01T08:31:13.765-06:00

Grab ahold of 2012 and hang on for dear life. It's going to be a bumpy fantastic ride. Even though I don't know exactly what the year has in store, I bet together we can turn it into something great.

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-53747954839833584922011-12-29T17:24:00.000-06:002011-12-29T17:24:11.974-06:00

It's been awhile since I posted anything about running, but fear not - I am in the midst of an actual training cycle. At the beginning of December I rejoined Team Rogue and am enjoying being back in the group training experience. Most of my teammates have been running and racing regularly most of the time I was off on my break, so it has been challenging not to get sucked into running too far or

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-23999178583966045622011-12-26T16:43:00.004-06:002011-12-26T16:44:25.112-06:00

My family has always been good about finding inventive, creative, and sometimes downright baffling Christmas presents. This year though my parents hit the nail on the head. Finally, after six years of serious running, I now have a way to display all the race hardware I've collected. Very cool. Now it's time for more races . . . (Note: I was so excited about this that I waited all of about 20

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-29673219944245705472011-12-25T08:52:00.001-06:002011-12-25T14:14:45.875-06:00

To me, Christmas is all about spending time with family and sharing the holiday traditions of the past, often spiced up with some modern improvements. Yesterday, I headed up to my parent's house to get a start on Christmas weekend. Remember my humble little Charlie Brown Christmas tree? Well, this is what my tree aspires to be when it grows up. One of my favorite pre-Christmas traditions is

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-64080936433277937792011-12-23T19:07:00.000-06:002011-12-23T19:07:21.379-06:00

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-38154498603831129772011-12-21T11:26:00.000-06:002011-12-21T11:26:24.439-06:00

Sometimes I lose my mind trying to keep up with the craziness of life in 2011. Although I have found it's best to give in to the insanity, otherwise you end up with a migraine and a list of irrational solutions for problems that may or may not exist. The latest example, like most, comes to us this holiday season from the House majority members of Congress. Y'all, I can't even begin to make this

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-59786317260166698332011-12-19T19:39:00.002-06:002012-01-08T08:18:45.694-06:00

"My life closed twice before its close;         It yet remains to see      If Immortality unveil         A third event to me, So huge, so hopeless to conceive      As these that twice befell. Parting is all we know of heaven,            And all we need of hell."                       - Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)[I've been an avid reader for as long as I can remember, but it wasn't until an

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-56964250008920246272011-12-16T10:42:00.001-06:002012-01-08T07:50:30.350-06:00

We are rapidly approaching the end of the year, so it is time for the lists of the year's best to start making the rounds. 2011 was a lighter year for me on the reading front, mostly because the 82nd Regular Legislative Session, and all it's wailing and gnashing of teeth, kept me more than a little busy for the first 6 months of the year. Since June, however, I've done my best to catch-up and

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-64194117708210126802011-12-11T17:29:00.000-06:002011-12-11T17:29:15.693-06:00

I have a pretty serious on-again-off again love/hate relationship with organized religion. The struggle goes back to my childhood. Religion was (and is) very much a personal decision in my family and not something that was ever pushed on us growing up. But even though it wasn't a requirement, the rest of my family was rooted in Christian traditions so my brother and I definitely experienced a

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-66627120907508842872011-12-08T18:42:00.000-06:002011-12-08T18:42:24.865-06:00

"We're in a mess now. At the dawn of the new century, after years of strong job growth, rising incomes, and declining debt, we abandoned a proven path to shared prosperity in favor of doubling down, once more, on antigovernment ideology. Now we're paying for it. The only sensible thing to do is for all of us to take some responsibility for changing things. The world is moving on, and if we want

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-40103964526670755602011-12-05T13:31:00.000-06:002011-12-05T13:31:16.362-06:00

It definitely began looking and feeling much more like Christmas this weekend in Austin, and I took full advantage of the weather to get in the Christmas spirit by decorating my condo. Something about Christmas decorations just makes life better, don't you think? There are few things as relaxing as sitting in front of a fully lit and decorated Christmas tree, listening to carols, and sipping hot

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-18734163871150037832011-11-30T14:47:00.001-06:002011-11-30T14:50:49.572-06:00

Due to the current state of our national media (wherein flash and scandal trump vital news and actual information) I bring you three of today’s headlines you might not hear about but that hold huge importance for all American’s financial futures. 1. China has made a significant about-face on its former stated monetary policy in the hopes of encouraging banks to begin lending at higher levels. (

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-810268549049681332011-11-28T16:49:00.001-06:002011-11-28T17:17:34.640-06:00

"If you ask the right questions, you may not always get the right answers. But if you ask the wrong questions, you can't get the right answers." - President William Jefferson Clinton

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-51251212642848643122011-11-28T16:03:00.000-06:002011-11-28T16:03:43.683-06:00

Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-29366577003061712302011-11-20T15:29:00.000-06:002011-11-20T15:29:27.536-06:00

"We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can't have both." - Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis (1856 - 1941)

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-10947039998680836612011-11-20T08:12:00.004-06:002011-11-20T08:15:18.434-06:00

What an incredible weekend for college football - if you're an underdog team that is. First Iowa State hands second-ranked Oklahoma State their first loss of the season. Seemed weird at the time, but now seems almost prophetic after what happened last night. USC took down the 4th ranked Oregon Ducks in a nail-bitter. And at the same time last night, Baylor (#22) was in a down-to-the-wire

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-1020560296322175402011-11-17T08:56:00.001-06:002012-01-08T08:19:02.772-06:00

To those of you who know me in the real world, away from this virtual presence, it will come as no surprise that I am not an "Occupy Wall Street" supporter. Nor do I support the myriad other "Occupy" movements organized throughout the country. Mostly because I take offense that what is still a very small handful of people claim to represent the wishes, thoughts, and motivations of 99%of the

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-4447363400286220942011-11-13T10:57:00.002-06:002011-11-13T10:58:34.264-06:00

It's been some time since my last book review update (way back in August), so here is a quickie list of some suitable holiday reading that I have finished in the last couple of months. I have to admit that I have not come across anything that was unexpectedly stellar recently, but some more than decent fireside companions are on the list for chilly winter evenings, if you are so inclined. 1.

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-5239113412134957082011-11-12T07:56:00.000-06:002011-11-12T07:56:46.403-06:00

During September and October several co-workers and I participated in an experimental tour to find the city's best food trailer meals. For six or so weeks we went to one or two trailers a week for lunch and wrapped up the event with a group outing to Austin's Gypsy Picnic event on Auditorium Shores. (We've also done the same thing with both cupcakes and donuts in the past, but the food trailer

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-63338137103375973352011-11-07T10:02:00.000-06:002011-11-07T10:02:48.423-06:00

I haven't written about my running or training progress in awhile, but things are still going well. I've rejoined the Rogue group for Saturday long runs and will soon be back with a full training group for weekly runs as well. It's great to have people to run with and talk to on long runs again. I'd nearly forgotten what a great social vehicle running programs are - with the right people around

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-54452112150162999352011-11-07T09:55:00.000-06:002011-11-07T09:55:55.638-06:00

"The best way out is always through." - Robert Frost

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-15805626754983265302011-10-30T16:51:00.000-05:002011-10-30T16:51:33.884-05:00

Like many people across the country, my discretionary spending has declined in recent years as the general economy has devolved into deeper and deeper levels of crazy. However, there are limits to my ability to embrace minimalism and occasionally I need things. The recent cooler weather in Austin highlighted one such looming issue - I needed a new all-purpose casual coat for this winter. So

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-59343988801598329682011-10-17T14:05:00.000-05:002011-10-17T14:05:02.429-05:00

"Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop." Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-38216370051861231632011-10-13T14:18:00.001-05:002011-10-13T14:55:05.519-05:00

"Would you tell me please which way I ought to go from here?" "That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the Cat. "I don't much care where . . . " said Alice. "Then it doesn't matter which way you go," said the Cat.  - from Alice's Adventure's in Wonderland

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-20546426165079017812011-10-06T17:16:00.001-05:002012-01-08T07:52:26.626-06:00

According to multiple sources for the Austin American Statesman, this morning during a Big 12 conference call the presidents and chancellors of the conference's remaining schools voted to invite Texas Christian University to the conference. Except for the departure of Texas A&M after this season, the move feels like the beginning of a reconstitution of the old Southwest Conference. I don't have

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-77277969077883671132011-10-06T08:55:00.000-05:002011-10-06T08:55:11.726-05:00

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-61318335120032903642011-10-06T07:04:00.000-05:002011-10-06T07:04:04.910-05:00

The Occupy Wall Street protests have garnered international attention while generating rising alarm among corporate, banking, and political leaders. At the same time these groups, along with mass media, have become frustrated by the protester's lack of organization and failure to make specific demands of the establishment. Because of these factors neither the media nor business leaders seem to be

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-29157853098045821222011-10-05T07:07:00.001-05:002012-01-08T08:04:45.198-06:00

It is probably no surprise that February 29th (Leap Day) is the rarest birthday, but what you probably didn't know is that more Americans share October 5th as their birthday than any other day of the year. Why is that? It probably has something to do with being exactly nine months after New Year's Eve, which also helps make September the busiest month of the year for births. On the flip side,

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-17000824606591828842011-10-03T05:42:00.000-05:002011-10-03T05:42:25.465-05:00

"A man is a god in ruins." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-54975410481546742152011-09-30T07:16:00.001-05:002011-09-30T07:17:20.401-05:00

"The principle holds that in a hierarchy, members are promoted so long as they work competently. Eventually they are promoted to a position at which they are no longer competent (their "level of incompetence"), and there they remain, being unable to earn further promotions. Peter's corollary states that "in time, every post tends to be occupied by an employee who is incompetent to carry out their

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-59286579536758126262011-09-26T19:48:00.002-05:002011-09-26T19:48:54.795-05:00

“Remembrance of things past is not necessarily the remembrance of things as they were.” - Proust

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-7842000988654403202011-09-26T17:48:00.000-05:002011-09-26T17:48:21.593-05:00

After being out for a week with a minor pain/injury and the onset of a minor illness, last week was all about regaining health and easing back into the training schedule I had been working on creating. I eliminated all gym workouts because gyms are an easy place to pick up additional bugs (and there's alot going around right now) and focused on a slow, controlled return to running. And it seems

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-22838358423786970382011-09-25T07:50:00.001-05:002012-01-08T08:23:12.429-06:00

Yahoo releases the best, oddest, and sometimes most unbelievable lists around. The latest is a list of the top ten world tourist destinations (supposedly based on yearly visitors). The list is provided below, but three things make me question its legitimacy. First 9 of the 10 locations are in the US. Second, 4 are in New York, which has supposedly been having trouble reviving tourism in the last

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-47580863083498883192011-09-24T07:32:00.000-05:002011-09-24T07:32:05.346-05:00

"There are things we don't want to happen,         but have to accept; Things we don't want to know,         but have to learn; And people we can't live without,         but have to let go." - Unknown

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-50725867538186647592011-09-19T11:42:00.000-05:002011-09-19T11:42:26.021-05:00

Nothing to report for week 37. My down-mileage week turned into a no mileage week because of a deadly trinity of events: 1. Traveling 2. Injury 3. Illness The good news is that I think the longer-than-expected time off has helped me recover from the pain I was experiencing in my legs. Unfortunately it looks like I caught a bug last week and have been sidelined with cold-like symptoms all

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-77126508657413846982011-09-16T09:11:00.001-05:002011-09-16T09:11:55.979-05:00

Re-blogging the following from the brilliant and beautiful Passionate Minutiae, who found it at Daily Pep Talk. It's a great thought for everyone to keep in mind to help smooth out life's wrinkles. Life comes with tough choices and unavoidable bitter disappointments; embrace them and move forward to the next exciting challenge or opportunity. "Pep Talk: This is not your last chance. Whether you

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-89584886010713620972011-09-14T18:04:00.001-05:002011-09-14T18:05:15.289-05:00

Hi everyone and happy Wednesday. Sorry I disappeared for a couple of days and left y'all hanging with no weekly training update. I was traveling and not fully plugged into the techno-sphere. Not to worry, I'm back and have several blogs of stuff to report. First last week's training schedule, then the explanation. Monday: 8.5 mile run Tuesday: 6.25 mile run (am), weights & core (pm) Wednesday:

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-22269553413844186692011-09-06T17:10:00.001-05:002011-09-06T17:11:18.218-05:00

After nearly botching a win over heavily favored TCU this weekend, Baylor moved into the AP football poll at number 20. For those keeping score at home that's a full 4 slots ahead of Big 12 rival UT. And before y'all get all fussy, I'll admit I do not expect these rankings to stand for long. But it is shaping up to be a strange season, so anything is possible. More than half the Big 12 is now

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-41853900718269683252011-09-04T16:53:00.000-05:002011-09-04T16:53:35.409-05:00

Monday: 8 mile run, weights & core Tuesday: 6 mile run, 50 minute spin Wednesday: 35 minute swim Thursday: 6 mile run, 40 minute swim Friday: 9 mile run, weights & core Saturday: 10 mile run Sunday: rest day  

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-86117853283945342772011-09-03T11:11:00.000-05:002011-09-03T11:11:28.919-05:00

"Live life one chapter at a time."

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-61068061952798908232011-09-02T18:21:00.004-05:002012-01-08T07:41:38.260-06:00

I've been on a non-vacation vacation for the last week and a half, and I think it is finally starting to work because everything makes me happy and smiley. Unfortunately, I head back to work next week (after the long Labor Day weekend) where real life will inevitably come crashing back down on me. But until then here are some wonderfully random thoughts. 1. Did y'all know that we now make

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-3543438009677423072011-08-31T16:32:00.000-05:002011-08-31T16:32:36.709-05:00

I'm not sure what it is about those Swedes. Maybe it's the long dreary winters or the tendency to decorate every room in coma inducing monotones. Whatever the reason, Swedish writers know their crime fiction - and they put the rest of the world to shame in coming up with the most decadently-twisted and depraved psychopaths available in recent years. Most of the world is now familiar with the "

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-16387432285813362922011-08-29T09:16:00.000-05:002011-08-29T09:16:45.790-05:00

Monday: 7 mile run; 30 minute swim; 30 minute spin Tuesday: 6 mile run Wednesday: 6 mile run Thursday: weights & core Friday: 10.5 mile run Saturday: 8 mile run Sunday: 4 mile run

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-3317916251610375562011-08-27T12:25:00.000-05:002011-08-27T12:25:27.588-05:00

If you are almost anywhere on the North American continent, you know it has been a brutally hot summer. Normally, hearing that temperatures hit 97 degrees in the middle of July in Alaska would make anyone else's complaints about summer heat irrelevant. Not so when that remained one of the coolest places in the country. Here in Texas we've broken a heat wave record that has stood since 1925 -

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-87479405912891773722011-08-23T08:46:00.000-05:002011-08-23T08:46:28.393-05:00

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-21622628126732785992011-08-22T19:20:00.000-05:002011-08-22T19:20:14.287-05:00

Monday: 7 mile run, 30 minute swim Tuesday: 6 mile run Wednesday: 6 mile run Thursday: rest day Friday: 9 mile run, 40 minute swim Saturday: 9 mile run Sunday: 5 mile run

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-24733944233256543112011-08-21T15:07:00.000-05:002011-08-21T15:07:52.293-05:00

The roller-coaster rout of the stock market has plunged many a steel-stomached investor into the throws of panicked jitters over the last several weeks. But is seems that the fun-house mirror world of high finance is now spilling over into the formerly robustly entrenched world of political positions. Hang onto your hats folks, because Congressional Republicans are now calling for a tax increase

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-52755590291372464252011-08-20T15:30:00.000-05:002011-08-20T15:30:48.818-05:00

"You have to forget your last marathon before you try another. Your mind can't know what's coming." - Frank Shorter Truer words have never been spoken. This explains my long hiatus form marathoning . . . the last couple have been hard to forget.  

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-9806280784875321762011-08-15T09:12:00.000-05:002011-08-15T09:12:04.166-05:00

Monday: 8 mile run; 30 minute swim Tuesday: 6 mile run; weights & core Wednesday: 5.5 mile run Thursday: 5 mile run Friday: 7 mile run; 30 minute swim Saturday: 11 mile run Sunday: rest day

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-28075476731660623642011-08-15T08:11:00.000-05:002011-08-15T08:11:36.962-05:00

Ok, so I'm mostly joking. I guess I just got caught up in a public figure making intelligent, sensible comments that seek to solve a problem, even when they aren't seemingly in his own best interests. Buffett, the nation's preeminent economic-seer, is urging Congress to raise taxes on the super-rich saying they have been "coddled" for too long. In a New York Time op-ed piece Buffett states, "My

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-65877129418993718032011-08-14T06:22:00.000-05:002011-08-14T06:22:21.609-05:00

Governor Rick Perry has officially announced his plans to run for President in 2012. The announcement seemed a little anticlimactic since it has been clear for almost a year that was his intention and his cracker-jack staff has been spilling the beans all week. For someone so politically adept, it was one of the most botched and clumsy presidential announcements I've ever witnessed. Certainly did

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-90702500994426845452011-08-13T15:03:00.001-05:002012-01-08T07:55:16.664-06:00

Last week the world was transfixed by two seemingly unrelated events that illustrate just how close society has edged to the brink of some pretty dark times. As the financial markets jumped wildly and unexpectedly, with no rhyme or reason, London youths took to the streets to ferment violence and mayhem - the very thing they were supposedly protesting. The truth is that these two issues are not

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-41667595381553580332011-08-12T16:25:00.000-05:002011-08-12T16:25:39.402-05:00

"When you have to compromise your morals for the people around you, change the people around you." - unknown

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-58684973132951560492011-08-08T09:10:00.000-05:002011-08-08T09:10:17.976-05:00

Did a little better last week with cross-training, and much better with nutrition. The trick this week is not to improve upon both these things (that would be far too normal a goal) but to not fall back into bad habits as my recent trend has been following good weeks. Monday: 7.5 mile run Tuesday: 5.5 mile run, weights & core Wednesday: 5.5 mile run Thursday: 5.5 mile run, weights & core Friday:

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-12443571188982562842011-08-05T09:41:00.002-05:002011-08-05T09:41:51.254-05:00

And while you're at it . . . who, when, where, and how much?

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-75042488293442973422011-08-04T18:18:00.000-05:002011-08-04T18:18:12.624-05:00

(or Why the Debt Ceiling "Fix" Has No Hope of Improving Our Economic Health) On Monday, Washington patted itself on the back popped open crates of bubbly and declared success in avoiding the country's biggest economic boondoggle since the 2008 financial crisis. Did we doge a very large, very real, and very dangerous bullet? Absolutely. There is no question that US defaults on debt would have

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-11699111303145898712011-08-01T17:06:00.000-05:002011-08-01T17:06:52.268-05:00

Monday: 7.5 mile run Tuesday: 6.5 mile run Wednesday: 6 mile run Thursday: 5 mile run Friday: rest day Saturday: 12 mile run Sunday: 4 mile run This week was all running all the time (another 41 mile week). Why? Was it by design? No. To be honest I was feeling lazy and just didn't do any cross-training. Not having been in serious marathon training for the better part of a year gave me the

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-77738071281310366332011-08-01T17:04:00.001-05:002011-08-01T17:05:01.958-05:00

With four smoothies consumed last week, I reached the challenge goal of 100 Green Monsters 5 months early. When I began the challenge back in January, I was fairly certain I would grow sick of the spinach/banana blend long before I reached 100, but surprisingly I actually enjoyed them more as time went by. Will I continue partaking of the green smoothies? Probably. As I said I now very much

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-7550719545884499042011-07-29T10:57:00.000-05:002011-07-29T10:57:15.924-05:00

According to a CNN report this morning, Apple Inc. now has more cash on hand ($76.2 B) than the US government ($73.8 B). Of course the article fails to acknowledge the organizational difference that Apple is a private profit based corporation whose goal for four decades has been to accumulate wealth, whereas the federal government is a non-profit entity whose goal is to return it's revenue to the

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-85790047628375852632011-07-29T06:28:00.000-05:002011-07-29T06:28:47.284-05:00

Sometimes, when I'm feeling overwhelmed by the ridiculousness in the world, I find it comforting to sit back and remember that not only are we not alone in life, but there are hordes of talented intelligent people throughout the globe intently searching for all manner of solutions to problems that we don't even know exist. It's odd, but this thought makes me immensely happy.

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-40030977477027752692011-07-28T18:11:00.000-05:002011-07-28T18:11:57.190-05:00

I know it seems like the federal government has been debating the debt ceiling for a lifetime at this point. I've even gotten sick of the whole thing and this is what I do for a living. Yes it has to happen, yes the deadline is looming, and yes every party involved is playing politics with dynamite. It is crazy and disappointing, not to mention borderline incompetent of our political leadership.

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-53562335756387817802011-07-25T12:20:00.000-05:002011-07-25T12:20:14.158-05:00

I've been fighting a losing battle with good nutrition since January. At first I had an easy, built-in excuse: the legislative session. Working a legislative session is much like pulling a five month long all-nighter full of quick meals with little to no nutritional value inhaled in-between meetings and committee hearings at randomly odd times of day and night. No surprise that I put on a couple

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-67634203586514833362011-07-25T09:18:00.000-05:002011-07-25T09:18:34.675-05:00

Busy week, and my cross-training suffered because of it but I got all my planned runs in. Good thing I'm not training for a triathlon or I'd be in big trouble. Fourth week at 40 miles and I feel like the progress continues. Monday: 6 mile run, 20 mile bike Tuesday: 6.5 mile hill run Wednesday: 6 mile run Thursday: 6 mile run Friday: 12 mile run Saturday: rest day Sunday: 5 mile run Up to 96

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-53322880097458676372011-07-21T13:41:00.000-05:002011-07-21T13:41:40.649-05:00

"Prediction is very difficult. Especially about the future." - Niels Bohr, theoretical physicist (1885-1962)"The future is here. It's just not evenly distributed yet." - William Gibson, novelist (1948-   )Sometimes the lessons we need to learn to guide us through life come to us as whispers on a gentle breeze, nudging us toward our destinies. Other times life gets a wee bit testy and selects to

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-48570629007313087662011-07-20T12:25:00.000-05:002011-07-20T12:25:53.596-05:00

(Continued from When Giants Stumble - Part 1 . . .) Many economic experts, including the economist who correctly predicted the coming mortgage meltdown back in 2006, have begun rapidly down-grading their expectations for economic recovery in the US. Some have even ventured so far as to predict a second recessionary period beginning by the end of the year and holding through 2012, with recovery

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-37605383378647800442011-07-19T12:41:00.001-05:002011-07-20T12:26:37.695-05:00

By now my readers know (and have hopefully come to accept) that I am hopelessly obsessed with the financial crisis of 2008. Several of you have directly questioned me about my relentless harping on the excessive greed and arrogance of the nation's top bankers, and many others are no doubt ready for me to move on to other, more current, topics. So why don't I just move on to the topic du jour?

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-16400090433504403232011-07-17T21:06:00.000-05:002011-07-17T21:06:13.857-05:00

Not much of note to report this week. Basic, plain vanilla training week. 40 miles total. Monday: 6 mile run, weights & core Tuesday: 5 mile run Wednesday: 6 mile run, weights & core Thursday: rest day Friday: 5 mile run Saturday: 12 mile run Sunday: 6 mile run See ya next week.   

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-48920671526586490242011-07-13T17:48:00.006-05:002012-01-08T07:47:12.960-06:00

Y'all, I think I may be losing my mind. I just went outside to check the mail and was nearly attacked by a large crazed blue squirrel (twice). Listen to that again - the squirrel was very big and BLUE. It was such a surreal situation my first thoughts were not: (1) why is that squirrel blue; (2) why is that squirrel three sizes too big; or (3) why is a squirrel attacking me? No, those would

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-15603819272284320122011-07-12T21:43:00.000-05:002011-07-12T21:43:01.549-05:00

"There's a moment, We all come to, In our own time and our own space. Where all that we've done, We can undo, If our heart's in the right place." - When You Come Back to Me Again, Garth Brooks

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-80148488229622964922011-07-12T09:55:00.001-05:002012-01-08T07:49:15.087-06:00

I am unwaveringly convinced that there are some things in life that exist for no other reason than to provide daily proof that anything is possible if you dream big enough and work hard enough. Although some might argue that religious worship is it's rasion-d-etre, St. Basil's Cathedral is one of those things for me. Construction of the cathedral began in 1555 and it's site, on Red Square in

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-48625330462385455582011-07-10T19:29:00.001-05:002011-07-10T19:31:57.827-05:00

I decided to take a break from the gym this week and focus on running, all-cardio weeks are exhausting. Same total mileage as last week (41 miles) but much better quality. The runs during the week are starting to lock in and feel pretty good. Unfortunately, my long runs feel horrible. Somewhere between 8 and 10 miles in my legs just go dead. Guess that's what happens when you take time off. It

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-40070341891953354732011-07-09T11:27:00.000-05:002011-07-09T11:27:31.810-05:00

" . . . I finally understood that humanity learns true lessons only in cataclysm. Humankind is a species born in battle, defined by war . . . Human beings adapt. It's what we do. Necessity can obliterate our hatreds. To survive, we will work together. Accept each other . . . Backs against the wall, human beings are at their finest." - Robopocalypse, Daniel Wilson

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-86575888277025427062011-07-06T09:49:00.000-05:002011-07-06T09:49:48.290-05:00

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-14917848996350782192011-07-04T17:36:00.000-05:002011-07-04T17:36:36.203-05:00

Almost stellar week. I really wanted to get another cross-training session in toward the end of the week (maybe some time on the bike) but holiday weekend fun intervened. Good trade-off in my opinion. Monday: 6 mile run (am) Tuesday: 4 mile run (am); weights/core (pm) Wednesday: 6 mile run (am) Thursday: rest day Friday: 8 mile run (am); weights/core (pm) Saturday: 11 mile run (am) Sunday: 6

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-33886349246992735262011-07-04T08:09:00.001-05:002011-07-04T08:09:49.615-05:00

Hope everyone is enjoying a relaxing holiday weekend with friends and family. Pop open a cold beer, grill up a juicy hot dog, and relax. It's what the summer's all about. But if you're anywhere near Texas, and our ridiculous 500-year drought conditions, then keep your hands off the fireworks. They may be pretty and fun, but it ain't worth a brush fie that consumes half the state over night.

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-46092939492557052042011-07-02T12:23:00.000-05:002011-07-02T12:23:00.222-05:00

I've never been very interested in westerns, whether books or movies. Maybe growing up in Texas gave me too much real-world experience with the genre, but I usually can not get into the stories. For lack of a better description, they bore me. There are some notable exceptions: Giant is one of my all-time favorite movies and There Will be Blood and No Country for Old Men were both startlingly

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-9190685176049513112011-06-30T09:36:00.000-05:002011-06-30T09:36:56.800-05:00

"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid." - Albert Einstein (Source: Passionate Minutiae)

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-79491935208512060222011-06-29T17:10:00.001-05:002011-06-29T17:10:55.901-05:00

While I was beginning to doubt this day would actually come, the Texas Legislature has finally finished it's 2011 business and members are in the process of packing up to return to their various 181 homes. Many people have blamed Senator Wendy Davis (D - Forth Worth) for causing the 30-day special session with her successful filibuster of the fiscal matters bill at the end of the regular session.

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-6830363720827648742011-06-27T15:08:00.000-05:002011-06-27T15:08:46.447-05:00

Half-way through the year and my training routine is finally starting to find some rhythm. I missed the weekly running mileage goal by about 3 miles this week, but was much happier with the schedule as a whole. It has an easy basic structure but also many opportunities for expansion or flexibility as things come up or change. Monday: 5 mile run (am) Tuesday: 6 mile run (am), weights/core (pm - 1

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-90574799896176793582011-06-26T22:11:00.001-05:002011-06-26T22:11:25.642-05:00

As a follow-up to the previous post, I wanted to share a review of a interesting new book I recently finished. In June of last year I wrote a review of Andrew Sorkin's brilliant expose of the collapse of the financial industry, Too Big to Fail. As impressive and insightful as Sorkin's work is, in attempting to tell the full story you lose some of the details that make the intricate workings of

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-50606439747752859682011-06-26T12:06:00.000-05:002011-06-26T12:06:00.136-05:00

Remember 2006? Home prices were soaring, the markets had rebounded to unprecedented levels, "and the money came rolling in" (mega bonus points for anyone who gets that reference). Americans living in their 4,000 square foot mega-mansions across the country had been lulled into a state of naive innocence by the brilliant performance of the financial markets since the downturns in 2001 and 2003.

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-84372936984533045682011-06-23T15:41:00.000-05:002011-06-23T15:41:33.763-05:00

Toucha toucha toucha touch me, I wanna be dirty Thrill me, chill me, fulfill me Creature of the night.If you are unfamiliar, or unresponsive, to the above reference/quote from one of the best Rocky Horror Picture Show songs, then you might consider tacting away from this post quickly. You are more than 60% likely to disagree with all that follows. Representative David Simpson (R-Longview) became

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-23384312795119412862011-06-22T09:08:00.001-05:002011-06-22T09:08:45.055-05:00

It rained last night y'all. First time this month (I'm pretty sure that is an accurate statement.) My run this morning was glorious - cool, breezy, and it still smelled like a fresh rain. Ridiculously, there may be even more rain in store for Austin today. Bring it on!! Summer showers are the best. If you're in central Texas, make sure to get outside and enjoy the weather while you can - 100+

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-36476339856453816752011-06-20T20:13:00.000-05:002011-06-20T20:13:56.517-05:00

The first week of summer base building is in the books, and it wasn't too shabby. I'm not completely happy with the weekly schedule I came up with, so the next couple of weeks I'll be trying some different routines. I front loaded the workouts a little too much and came up a little short towards the end. The week after a vacation is always tough, and I was pretty tired by Thursday. This week I'm

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-8741280392434710462011-06-19T19:07:00.001-05:002012-01-08T08:11:03.484-06:00

Unbelievably, I have not yet melted from the extreme heat that has enveloped central Texas. Maybe because it's only a balmy 103 today. I thought I would celebrate survival by finally posting some thoughts about the special session. Then I realized that I don't really want to discuss the circus at the capitol because, for the most part, it has been a gigantic waste of time. So instead let's talk

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-25891756291050826562011-06-18T15:09:00.000-05:002011-06-18T15:09:58.623-05:00

It's a beautiful sunny southern summer day in amazing Austin, Texas. So why am I spending the afternoon cloistered in my condo writing blog postings? Because of the severe weather warning of course. It's 105 degrees (with a heat index of 106) and the weather service is warning that outside exposure should be limited because of a dangerous heat index. It's been 100 or hotter since I got back from

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-80166340197805246392011-06-18T14:53:00.001-05:002011-06-18T14:58:21.065-05:00

Awhile back, Mike, knowing about my interest in new and exciting TV, sent me a link to preview trailers for the new network seasons (beginning in the fall). I've been unimpressed by network television's attempts at programming for several years now, and unfortunately next season does not seem to be much of an improvement. Here are some highlights: 1. Grimm (NBC, Fridays): This is the one show I

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-56051427795474017082011-06-13T09:57:00.000-05:002011-06-13T09:57:02.576-05:00

As previously advertised, last week was a full-on recovery week on the training front. That coupled with the Vegas vacation meant that I didn't exercise very much at all (unless you count all the walking between the casinos, those things are huge). The weather was so beautiful in the desert I had to squeeze in a couple of morning runs, but nothing to write about. This week I enter major

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-958253136940471724.post-88550614409506550892011-06-12T21:07:00.001-05:002011-06-12T21:08:11.911-05:00

Sorry to go radio-silent for a week, but I've been off on vacation in the magical desert wonderland of Las Vegas. It was a week of rest, relaxation, great food, exciting entertainment, and a little bit of debauchery thrown in for good measure. A brief list of highlights: 1. 4am Beatles party 2. Crazy Aussies at the craps tables 3. Funny Brits at the blackjack tables 4. Drunk Irish revelers at

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533213710935876385noreply@blogger.com0