We take a Hostage

I am desperately trying to reach my sponsorship goal by the July 10th deadline. Most people on my team just send reminder e-mails out to their co-workers every pay-day. Problem for me, I don't have a job and I have spent most of my time volunteering in public schools. I absolutely love the people I work with there and many of them have already sponsored me but how to you continue to ask people for money that 1. work for schools that are about to take three months off without pay, 2. Have just been hit with lay-offs and know there are more to come and 3. don't get paid enough in the first place?

Well, sad to say, I resorted to kidnapping, yes, I stole the mascot, actually Jake did it. We also followed the government (Bush administration) approved guidelines for torture and we made a video so they would know I am serious. I am hoping this ploy works and that it works fast, mostly because I don't want to be stuck with this giant bear at my house much longer. My husband actually suggested he take a picture of myself and the bear "spooning" in bed last night. I hope I don't have to go there!

Senior Discount for Me!

I just celebrated my last birthday in my thirties. I really hadn't minded getting older since I had always equated it with gaining wisdom as well. Unfortunately since I have been sidelined from running these past three weeks I have had some time to think, always a bad idea. I think I have help up fairly well for my age. I mean, I am no spring chicken, but I have never been mistaken for a senior citizen or anything. Whenever my kids tease me about being old I just tell them you are lucky I am so hot! At the L.A. Marathon I volunteered at a water stop at the 19 mile mark. That means on each side of the street there are about 30 to 40 volunteers standing there with their arms outstretched holding little cups of sticky Gatorade for people to run by and grab, they keep running, drink and throw the cup on the ground. We scream and yell encouraging remarks, some runners look happy, some about to collapse, you get the picture. At one point a nice looking man in his 50's actually stopped in front of me, took his drink and said "I always stop at the prettiest girls to get my drink". It is so uncommon for someone to stop like that, the volunteers around me all came up to see what he said. I was very flattered. When I got home, happy and glowing from the compliment and told my husband what had happened this was his first remark "Where you the only girl there?" So now I am not so sure I want to get older, apparently I will be okay as long as I am the last woman on earth!