Run Lena, Run!

Tammy and I came back from church this morning to the sound of a robin singing in a tree in our front yard. I recognized its song and paused long enough to find the source. It's reassuring to know that this especially long winter is nearly over. Today is officially the first day of spring but it still looks a lot like winter out there.

I never made it out on my bike this week like I figured I would but I'm fine with that. I'll be riding regularly soon enough. I did a tough 30 minutes on our Concept 2 rower Wednesday; maybe a little too tough. I was trying to beat my previous best of 7136 meters but came up 7 meters short. With my heart rate steady between 165-170 for the last 15 minutes, it's a punishing machine.

We were back in the studio again on Thursday and Friday. We were both glad to have two days because neither of us was happy with our Thursday effort but that's the way this sort of thing can be. I was talking with a woman there who has been doing this for a long time and she mentioned that she had a particularly difficult day recently where 5 out of 5 attempts ended up in shattered pieces on the floor. I think I learn more from my attempts that end up in the scrap pile than from those that make it successfully into the annealer.

You can find us there again next Thursday.

I've been playing more Scrabble this past month than ever. Between Tammy and our Facebook Scrabble games and a friend from Sweden on WordFeud on my Droid, I'm actually beginning to get better but still usually coming out on the losing end. These games probably require more thought than I sometimes have time for but they're a lot of fun.

I got an email request from the folks at Animal Planet this week inquiring if I'd be interested in submitting one of our videos from several years ago for their show:

Animal Planet is interested in your video
To:onekgguy

Hello, my name is David Yourgrau and I work for the Animal Planets television show "America's Cutest Pets". We are currently searching for the cutest animal videos to air on our special. I came across your "Lena Running!" video during my search and absolutely loved it! Do you own the rights to this video?

If so, I wanted to reach out and see if you would be interested in submitting your video and/or any other cute clips you may have for our show. Submitting is easy, and can be done online in just a few minutes. Our show will feature the best videos of dogs and puppies doing the most amazing, hilarious and just plain adorable things.

 If interested, please email me at dogsvscats@powcasting.com with the information below:
1. Subject: America's Cutest Pets - Attention Minna & David
2. Your Name, email address and phone number
3. The name of the video(s) with the link(s) below
4. Your dogs name, gender and breed
5. Whether you own the rights to the video

Once I receive your contact information I will reply to your email with instructions on how to upload your video (it takes less than 3 minutes) as well as our Animal Planet Release (which states you own the video and are allowing us to use it).

If you have any questions, please feel free to send me an email or give me a ring at 617.908.4899. Videos must be submitted by March 28th, 2011.

Thank you for your time. I hope to hear from you soon.

David Yourgrau
Powderhouse Productions & Animal Planet
212 Elm Street Somerville, MA 02144 USA
339-221-0474 cell
dyourgrau@powderhouse.net email


Hmmm...maybe I'll give it a shot.

We went out for dinner at Jensen's with Mom, Keith and Tracee Friday night. It was a really nice time. We were there nearly three hours. Can that be right? Anyway, we were there quite a while and I enjoyed my 2nd ever martini, a Bombay Sapphire with Gin and blue-cheese stuffed olives. I'd order it again but I think I'll need Tracee's help once more. Lots of verbiage I didn't understand but which resulted in a very nice drink. Lots of good food too! Mom was looking so nice.

Rachel came back from her service trip with the University of Minnesota kids. After stops in Indianola, Iowa and Kansas City, Missouri they continued on to Tulsa, Oklahoma where they cleaned a Christian camp. From Tulsa they went to Dallas, Texas and put on a carnival for learning-disabled children. Little Rock, Arkansas was their next stop where they cut out invasive plant life in a park. Their final destination before heading for home was Memphis, Tennesse. She was on the trip with 42 other students for a little over a week and 2600 miles.

The highlight of the trip for her was Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas where a 1954 U.S. Supreme Court ruling forced the integration of public schools and defiant whites tried to deny access to 9 black students in the first public test of the ruling. Rachel said it was emotional to walk the same sidewalk that those 9 walked and to try and imagine the hatred they must've felt.

She also saw the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis where Martin Luther King was assassinated in 1968.

Tammy and I were trying to think of all the places Rachel has been in the last 5 years. The list is quite impressive for somebody so young. Los Angeles, Atlanta, Seattle, Las Vegas, Colorado, twice to Guatemala and now this trip. We'd like to take a trip to Europe when she's out of college and we've got those bills covered but the question we're kicking around is do we take her along with us or will this maybe just be a getaway for Tammy and me knowing Rachel has done her share of traveling? I have a feeling I know what Rachel will say to that. Rachel?




Comments

Rachel said…
I'd be offended if you didn't take me.

Not to mention your trip would be significantly less interesting without me. And you'd find yourself saying, "I wish Rachel was here with us. She could tell us all about the beautiful European architecture. What were we thinking not utilizing her knowledge of European history and her insight on what places to visit?"

Convincing? :)
Kevin Gilmore said…
Alright already...you're in!

I'm a sucker for your European history and architecture knowledge.

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