Aura.

It happened a few hours ago and it caught me by surprise. Suddenly my vision started deteriorating. Large patches of my field of vision became blurry. A circular shape of something formed in my eyes that kept me from seeing properly. Even when I could read something, I couldn't discern anything two words over. I started freaking out: am I going blind?

Concerned, I texted Daniel, who called me back immediately. I started bawling, almost unable to say anything without crying even harder. We agreed I would call my doctor immediately while he would consult with a doctor friend. Then I remembered a coworker is actually an ophthalmologist by training so I stopped by his office.

"Oh it's a migraine," he said. Huh? I've had headaches before, even bad ones, ones I swore were migraines, but not once were they ever preceded by fucked up vision. Well, apparently, this was the real stuff - a migrane with aura.

Jesus F. Christ.. who knew? And more importantly, what else do I need to know? What other ailments can randomly occur that will make me feel like I'm losing my shit and then quickly go away?

Do It Do It Real Good!

The Europeans announced a massive one trillion dollar package to save Europe and the markets all over the world are up a shit load.

So what should you do with this newfound confidence in a bright prosperous future for all humankind?

Donate to my marathon charity!

Paris, Bratislava, New York, Philadelphia, Boston.. I'm Back to Running!

After the N-th hiatus, this time caused by a herniated-disc/foot-injury combo, I am happy to report that I am back to running! And not just a casual run here and there, but a semi-regular running routine.

One of the ways you know you're running regularly is when a trip (vacation or work) doesn't serve as an excuse to not run but instead provides new exciting venues to get the miles in. It's been fun tracking these with the Garmin.

And so here, let me present to you:

(This map doesn't quite do justice to the kind of run that this was - here's the elevation map - brutal!)

Yay!

Conservative Political Nihilism.

During the healthcare debate, Senator Lamar Alexander famously said

"we've come to the conclusion that we don't do comprehensive well .. Our country is too big, too complicated, too decentralized for Washington, a few of us here, just to write a few rules about remaking 17 percent of the economy all at once. That sort of thinking works in a classroom, but it doesn't work very well in our big, complicated country."

A few days ago, we were told by David Brooks:

"we should all probably calm down about politics. Most of the proposals we argue about so ferociously will have only marginal effects on how we live, especially compared with the ethnic, regional and social differences that we so studiously ignore."

These two ideas have something in common - namely, the implication that we shouldn't try too hard. The logic of these ideas aside, I just have to say that between the guy who doesn't even try to lift a finger because he doesn't think he can accomplish anything and the guy who choses to work hard to improve the world around him however hard it may seem, I find the latter the more appealing and less lazy convenient position.

The Big Race.

So, I signed up to run the 2010 NYC marathon.

It will be exactly 3 years since my last marathon. And it will be the 3rd marathon I signed up to run since that last marathon. First, there was Chicago 2008, which I ended up not running due to a combination of injuries, laziness and general lack of motivation. Then there was Paris 2010, which I signed up for all gung-ho after watching the '09 NYC marathon and started training excessively - reaching 50 miles per week in early December - only to be sidelined by a crippling herniated disc and a foot injury. So I really hope that this time around I make it to the marathon start line injury free.

It is difficult to explain why I signed up. Yes, there are the 20 pounds I gained since last summer and with the approaching 3-0 that is a scary trend. But there are less painful ways to reverse that. Frankly, the memory of running 20 miles in 85 degree temperatures makes my stomach turn. But I also remember the fun of the experience .. not just the race itself but also training with friends. And I know that without the structure of a training program, I am increasingly unable to commit to a workout routine. On top of all that, there is now an extra reason to run - the charity that got me my running spot - Team Continuum. To donate, please go here.

And so, here we go, New York. 6 months to go.