Friday Leftovers (May 28)

Ah Friday, the last Friday of the month.

Is it really already almost June???

Word Association

Play here, as always...

1. Cream :: Cheese
2. Be with you :: Night and day
3. Pancakes :: Syrup
4. Believe :: In me
5. 45 :: Colt
6. Eat :: More
7. Background :: Desktop
8. Pane :: Window
9. Aim :: High
10. Collapse :: Fall

I laughed at number three. I did this after I filled out the Five Question Friday underneath, so once you read that you'll know why. And I'm not a cream cheese fan. I order bagels often at places like Borders or Panera Bread, and always I say "No, thanks" when I'm asked if I'd like that with cream cheese. I put butter, sprinkle some equal or sweet n low and a dash of cinnamon if it's available and eat it that way. Hmmm... that makes it kinda sweet, which actually contradicts one of my answers from below, kinda sorta... strange.

Eight Years Ago Yesterday

On May 27, 2002, I boarded a Japan Airlines flight in Los Angeles and landed a day later at Narita Airport in Japan. I went as a writer to cover the World Cup. I thought it would be exciting, an adventure to top all adventures. I mean, that's the pinnacle of the sport, the pinnacle of sports writing, so what more could you ask for?

It. Was. Horrible.

Wait, that didn't do it justice...

It. Was. Horrible.

Now, the games were fantastic. I remember those games clearly, very vividly, and not just the games but getting to the games, sitting in the media center before games (the whole lots-of-Europeans-don't-wear-deoderant stereotype is true, I found out the hard way)... things like that, but everything else was abysmal. I went alone, which was my first problem. I felt so stinking alone, ironic considering the mass amounts of humanity there are in Japan. If you've ever seen the movie Lost In Translation, that captures my feelings exactly.

I stayed there for 27 horrible days, my only saving grace the actual games.


I was well over 300 pounds so I did no running - now, I'd run like crazy over there - I did no sightseeing save for a trip to some museums in Hiroshima, did nothing adventurous. I guess the positives aside from watching some really awesome games was seeing Mt. Fuji, riding the shinkansen a million times... and not much else. Visiting Japan I guess counts for something.

As far as where in Japan I went... here are the cities I slept in and visited: Tokyo, Yokohama, Sendai, Nagoya, Kobe, Osaka, Oita, Niigata. I went to a game in Shizuoka but didn't stay the night there. I stayed the most in Nagoya even though there were no games there.

The happiest part of my trip was flying out of Osaka International. I remember feeling so happy that day, so excited to finally end that disaster of a trip. Like, I felt so happy then that thinking about getting on a train bound for the airport conjures up happy feelings inside of me right now.

I think at some point in the future I need to go back to Japan, if nothing else to exorcise those demons. If I go back, it won't be by myself though. And I will get some awesome runs in.


Five Question Friday

Here's the latest edition of Five Question Friday. Interesting questions... here we go...

1. Is there something you've always wanted to try but just can't muster up the courage to actually do yet?

I thought about this for a while but I think I'd have to say skydiving. Now, I'm not sure if it's about lacking courage necessarily, more like lacking funds. But I've always wanted to skydive. I've always wanted to know what it felt like with nothing supporting you, with no ground or chair or bed or water or anything around you. So short of going into space, skydiving is the closest thing to that.

There's actually a really good and reputable skydive place nearby, Perris Valley Skydive. So if I ever do save up the funds (at least $189) and muster up the courage as it were, I wouldn't have to go very far.


2. If you had $100 handed to you in cash without your significant other knowing about it, what would you spend it on?

Wow, that wouldn't last very long... My first inclination would be to say running shoes. I could always go for a new pair of running shoes. I might go with music though, and just hit up iTunes. Or maybe I'd go on Amazon and see what cool stuff I could get there for cheap.

I'm guessing music though. I'd get me some awesome tunes. If I were to buy some stuff right now, I'd get the new Stone Temple Pilots CD (who would have thought they'd ever make a new CD?), Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's latest (I just got into this group recently and they rock), and I'd probably buy the girls a new kid's CD, by The Jimmies. That'd be a good start.


3. What was your favorite piece of playground equipment as a child?

I'd have to say the swing. I hated the monkey bars. I could never ever get across all of them and wondered how some kids did that so effortlessly. I liked playing... what's that game on the ball wall?... handball or whatever... but that's not exactly a standard piece of equipment. Tetherball was for girls and basketball was for when I got older, so I'd have to say the swing.

Oh yeah, one quick swing-related story. I think I was about six years old maybe, but I was swinging and I must not have been paying attention or something but I fell. Hard. Landed right on my back and got the wind knocked out of me. That was the first time I'd ever gotten the wind knocked out of me. It was a scary feeling. I was gasping and nothing was going in. I felt totally helpless and wondering what the eff was going on. I remember going up to the office and sitting there but not sure what help the gave me. I was probably crying... (I'm shaking my head in disgust)

4. Do you prefer a sweet or hearty breakfast?

I love muffins, but I would probably prefer hearty over sweet. Muffins would probably be an exception but they don't exactly fill you up. Don't get me wrong, I love pancakes and syrup as much as the next guy but give me a plate of warm breakfast scramble with potatoes, peppers, onions, cheese, some bacon, hot sauce, maybe a sausage with some coffee and a toast and I'm beyond happy.

You'll notice I didn't say egg. I'm probably the only person around who orders scrambles like that WITHOUT the eggs.



5. Are you a Neat Freak or a Messy Bessy?

Isn't Bessy a girls name? Hmmm... I guess I can't say that I'm either.

I wish I could say I was a neat freak :(

I am freakish about some things, like... uh... um... okay, maybe not. I'm a scatterbrain sometimes and I'm a horrible organizer most of the time.