* Big DUI scuttlebutt in New Orleans a couple weeks ago. Congressman Cedric Richmond was involved in a single vehicle accident, was reported to have slurred speech, but was not even tested for DUI. Mayor was so upset she set up a DUI checkpoint 2 weeks later at a publicly announced time and location.
Local paper uncovered that the police basically quit arresting people for DUI -- only 69 arrests all of last year.
link:
great place to drink and drive
* Heading home from a hugely disappointing weekend. It took me 8 years to get into the
Western States 100, but I never felt quite right being there. Just not in great shape. Didn't have the time and focus to train like I needed to. The race and course were absolutely amazing, but I started off way to slow. The very first 3.5 miles is straight up the mountain in Olympic Valley/Tahoe, then you come across the other side and go straight back down. Unfortunately that part was completely covered in snow, so despite being all downhill, it was extremely slow. Literally have freezer burn on my *** from all the times I had to sit and slide downhill in the snow. Dug myself into a hole time wise and couldn't get out, then missed the cutoff at mile 30.
I had dreams of running around the track in Auburn, and crossing the finish line to be handed a big bronze belt buckle and a Chase Sapphire Preferred Platinum Card with 75,000 extra bonus miles, but it wasn't to be.
An incredible experience, and I'll start working on building the resume to make it back again.
* Why is this guy such a f'ing loser?
Go get em, buddy! You show that Charlie Goldsmith who's boss!
* Something I've learned as I've entered my mid-40s as an elite athlete (

) --> I can run 60 miles a week, which I was doing, and my overall fitness level will DECREASE. If I don't have HIIT/boot camp/CrossFit style workouts in there 2-3 times/week, I just slowly turn skinnyfat.
* Another huge disappointment: we're skipping Yosemite National Park and heading home 2 days early. Just have too much to do once we return, and then head back out West again on Saturday to spend July/August in Colorado. This trip did NOT go as planned. Ugh.
* Some random thoughts on how to get the most out of this Reds team.....
- put some of the odd men out on the trading block (Stephenson, Barrero, Senzel) to get anything at all in return
- rework the starting rotation. use openers, only give starters 1-2 turns thru the order.
- do NOT mortgage the future. maybe add a bullpen arm or two.
- be patient. 2024 is the year we go to the World Series. 2023 is just lagniappe, as they say down here in nawlins.
* Just ready to be home, where I've got my new pup and
The Real Anthony Fauci (hardcover, of course) waiting on me.