Tom and Tracey...I loved hearing about your run. We suffered together. It was great having Meagan with me even though I really slowed her down. The trail was a tour through the most incredible scenery you could imagine. It started at the beach and then climbed about 3,000 ft along stairs and yes, even a ladder at one point. Then you ran along the ridge south with great views of SF and the Golden Gate bridge until they drop you into the middle of the Redwood forest, which was cool and "smelled like Christmas" - Meagan. Then after you climb back up about 3,000 ft you hit the coup de grace of the race which is about 3/4 miles on a ridge line on these beautiful purple flowered meadows with fantastic vistas out across the Pacific until they drop you back down to Stinson beach and destroy your knees and the rest of your body. I absolutely have to convince some of you to join me next year. You will not regret it.

Wow, it is hot. Over 90 yesterday, but just wonderful. At least it isn't Iraq where the nights are hot too. The cool breeze starts working its way up the valley around 4 p.m. and it makes for very pleasant evenings out here in "the Village". And, nice cool morning runs like the one I took up the canyon today.

I really love this place and feel very blessed to have the next 2+ years here.

Mom and Dad, your daily entries and pictures are very interesting. Please keep it up. I wish we had made it over to that end of "the Isle". It looks incredible. Do you think you will make it to Portsmouth?

I was very disappointed in the "Sit Down and Shut Up" pilot. It was a bit too obscene but mostly I just wish they had done it completely live action. Animation takes away hilarious non-verbal bits that were part of the genius of Arrested Development. It just does not work. I wanted to like it, but just count me in the unimpressed category. "Parks and Recreation " is funny but it is really just "the Office" with characters that we cannot identify with yet.

We had a great time at the beach this weekend. Sawyer is really a kick to hang out with. We also finally got some board games to the table again (it has been a while). Brooke and I had a blast with Pandemic. It is a cooperative game that works surprisingly well with 2 players. We beat the game 2 of 3 times. The last game was tense to the very end. I highly recommend this one for couples. ( I think I have put it out before so consider this a second).

May 9th, I am running an 18K up near the same place I ran the 25K. It is called the "Mount Tam' Wild Boar Run" and it has a lot less hills because it is a ridge run but all the same incredible vistas. Pictures do not do it justice.

As far as interesting links that I would recommend checking out (courtesy of Dubious Quality's Friday links):

"...from Sirius, a link to one of the strangest stories I've ever seen, and here's an excerpt:A 64-year-old woman has reported to doctors at Geneva University Hospital the presence of a pale, milky-white and translucent third arm....Supernumerary limbs are rare. There are only nine known cases of a patient both feeling and seeing an arm." I think, therefore I am? Brings up some mind-bending thoughts doesn't it?

"Here's a quite stunning link from Vahur Teller, demonstrating how frequently Disney used identical animations in its earlier films. I had no idea how many were copied, but the video demonstrates it quite clearly." Never noticed this but I have watched these movies a ton.

"From Eric Higgins-Freese, a link to another one of those stunning moments in Britain's Got Talent. This time, it's a 47-year-old woman with zero professional experience, and believe me, it's worth seeing." Most everyone has seen this by now, but worth a look if you have not.

"I've linked to some spectacular images of Dubai, but there is a dark underbelly to the beauty, and Johann Hari does a masterful job of investigating it in The Dark Side of Dubai." Fascinating story if you have the time and take it all with a grain if salt.

"From Michael O'Reilly, a link to a terrific article where the title tells you everything you need to know to be interested: SR-71 Disintegrates Around Pilot During Flight Test. The pilot survived, and the story is EPIC." This is one of the most amazing stories I have read in a long time.

The there is this from Bill Harris, the writer of the Dubious Quality blog. It is brutal so click the link at your own risk but it may make you pay a little more attention when shopping:

"John Willcocks sent me a link a month ago and he asked me to post it on the blog.I've e-mailed back and forth with John over the years, and he's very smart as well as being a very good writer. Normally, I'd post the link right away. This particular link, though, is traumatic--to me, and probably to anyone who views it. I've been deeply conflicted about using it, just because I know people don't come here to feel sick.There's a joke there, obviously, but I'm not going to use it.Plus, I'm not a cause guy. I have causes, but really, I don't mention them in the blog. I'm very conscious of the balance in terms of subject matter that's been reached over the years, and I'm generally loathe to disturb it.Having said all that, though, I'm going to post it, because many people who don't know about this (I didn't) would want to know (I did). I'll explain first what the website is about, though, so that you will be fully and heavily warned about its content. The website is called "Animal Saviors," and the site is protesting the practice in China of skinning dogs and cats while they're still alive. The skinning process is easier, apparently, using a live animal.Yeah. I had to take a deep breath, too. Like I said, this is gruesome.We unwittingly buy products from China that use this fur, which makes me sick just to think about.There are petitions on the website, and videos (which I couldn't bring myself to watch), as well as ways in which you can get involved if you choose. And you may choose not to click on the link and go about your business, which is also fine.Again, and I can't stress this enough, the website contains graphic images and videos that can fairly be described as "horrific." Having fully briefed you, this is the website: Animal Saviors."

Also there was a fascinating 60 minutes last night on two matadors in Spain. Insane sport. I know Dad has been to a bull fight...right?

Anyway, not exactly weekly as I committed but "it is what it is" to quote every other athlete on ESPN who has failed.

For the record, I think the President is doing an outstanding job in the arena of international relations, which is sole reason I voted for him and supported the campaign. The U.S. needed some serious international PR work. You know guys like Hugo Chavez may be complete commy jackasses, but it just goes to show that even idiots like him will soften their rhetoric if you are not so outwardly hostile as a nation all the time. Same with Cuba. I bet we still get the same desired result (human rights) without continuing 1950s era tactics.

Have a great week. Marnie, I am thinking about trying to make it down for COMICON. Is it worth it even if you only hit during the weekend?

Mike