Laps of Reason and the myth of the extra hour

Yesterday I ran a race.  This is nothing new.  I've run lots of races and I plan on running many more.  This one was different, though.  It was called the Laps of Reason ('e' left off intentionally).  It was a three hour lap race on a beautiful rail/trail conversion in Danville, PA.  Each lap was 4k (about 2.5 miles) and it ran similar to cyclocross where we were to finish as many laps as we could in 3 hours.  I went into the race without a lot of distance preparation.  I ran a half-marathon in May, but since then haven't done any runs longer than 7.5 miles.  Based on my few longer runs this fall (school really gets in the way of training), I figured I could handle 10 minute miles for the duration and get 7 laps (17.5 miles).  I was right, but my first four laps (10 miles) were run in 90 minutes, averaging 9:00/mile.  I actually finished a half-marathon distance faster than I did when I trained for it in May.

Of course, at this point, I started thinking, "I could do 8 laps for 20 miles."  Let's put this in perspective.  I once ran a marathon, but it has an asterisk next to it.  I made it 17 miles before ever so gently pulling hamstring and quad muscles in the same leg.  Being the culminating activity for a marathon class my senior year of college and I had to finish to remove an incomplete from my record, I walked the last nine miles to finish in just under the cut-off time to be listed in the official results.  So even though I finished a marathon, I didn't run it and the 17 miles I did run were the farthest I had ever run.  In the intervening 14 years, I've only had a handful of runs over 10 miles.  But I felt great and the pace seemed easy and my body wasn't telling me anything different.

Fast forward half a lap and my body found it's voice.  My mile times were still ok, but I was thinking of stopping (one of the neat aspects of the race - run as long as you want; then stop).  I made it through lap five and then lap six hit me.  The miles finishing lap five and starting lap six dropped to 11.5 and 10.5 minutes each.  I recovered in anticipation of lap seven and made it through.  As I finished lap seven, I saw the clock:  12 minutes remained.  I groaned.  As long as you start a lap before time ends, it counts.  I stopped to get my bracelet for finishing a lap and drank some Gatorade.  I had run 17.5 miles and still had time to do 2.5 more.  I couldn't stop.  My body sure wanted to.  For the first seven laps, I averaged 9:30/mile.  The last lap averaged 11:56/mile, but I did it.  I ran 20 miles

Right now I hurt.  My knees hurt.  My hips hurt.  My shoulders even hurt.  But I ran 20 miles in just over three hours.  Six more and I've got a marathon...

As far as that "extra hour" from leaving daylight savings.  It doesn't exist.  If you have kids, you know exactly what I mean.

My new bike shop?

I may have found a bike shop that I like.  It hasn't been easy.  The first shop I went into a few years ago (as chronicled in an earlier rant) felt a bit like the headquarters of a cult that I was invading, unknowingly.  There was just a creepy vibe and I really don't want to have to go back there.  The second shop was good until they did some work on my bike, overcharged me, and didn't tighten my rear bolts so that within a minute of riding, my wheel had slipped and the tire was rubbing against the frame.  I tried to talk to them about some things I'd like to do to my bike, but they didn't seem really interested.  The third strike was the fact that they closed about 10 minutes before the posted closing time when I had rushed to make it before then, but couldn't get my bike because they felt like going home.  There was absolutely no response to this when I mentioned it the following day.

Full disclosure here, I have a bike that is at least 20 years old.  It's a steel alloy frame and cost me $60 used. I used to work in a bike shop where the owner stressed the importance of the commuters and to treat their bikes and them just as well as the higher end bikes and their users.  I've been having a tough time lately dealing with bike shops that don't pay much attention to me or my bikes (or kids' bikes) and I've been getting tired of it.

Moving on, I wanted a shop close by, but I found one within about 30 minutes that I got some positive feedback about.  I went there today and returned with my bike, but it was actually a good thing.  The mechanic was upfront with me that it would be a while before he could get to checking out my bottom bracket, but things would slow down in a week or so.  I talked to him about the things that the other shop wouldn't consider and he gave me a couple of options and actually seemed interested in helping me.  Marty's Bicycle Shop has earned a new customer and I have a feeling it will keep me.

Lament from the outside of the IT department

I used to be on the inside.  I used to be the guy they went to to get something done.  Then I went and actually learned some things about computers other than what I picked up just by playing around with them which led me to the conclusion that playing around with technology is the best way to learn anything about it. I'm pretty fearless when it comes to playing around with technology because I know that it's pretty hard to mess anything up, provided you don't actually know too much.  In fact, I think there's an inverse relationship between how much you know and how much you can mess a computer up by playing around.  Actually, it's probably more of an exponential function because it takes a while before the damage really starts adding up, but that's beside my point.


I used to be on the inside, but then I was on the outside with very good connections to the inside, which was still a good position to be in.  I got what I wanted most of the time because I could be trusted to know what to do and actually kept a lot of lower level problems from making it to the tech department.  I have been cut-off for a couple of years now, and I feel like Dennis the Peasant from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.  But I don't think the argument that "supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses" is going to get me back inside.


Three years ago I was trained as a CFF teacher (Classrooms for the Future), which gave me some benefits such as a projector and a laptop that I could put software on and take home and use to prepare lessons.  For two years, things were great.  I found a program I thought would be interesting and I tried it out.  If I didn't like it, I removed it and went on with my life.  If my printer needed new drivers or I got a new piece of hardware, I installed the drivers and went about with my business.  


This past year, all administrative rights were revoked from my account (along with everyone else, it wasn't just me).  While there was a very efficient tech help request protocol for getting things installed, it was still an irritation.  The worst part was that all laptops had been re-imaged over the summer, so every little program had to be reinstalled.  Still, the tech department was very responsive; I just needed to get organized so they wouldn't have to make multiple trips.


This summer it got worse yet.  I am going away and needed a printer to go with my laptop.  Even though my home printer drivers survived the re-imaging and the printer somehow remains as an option for my laptop, it is way too big to bring with me.  I got a cheap little printer (it might even be cheaper to buy new when the ink runs out rather than buying new ink).  I plugged it in to see if Windows 7 had the drivers;  it didn't AND I do not have administrative power to install them.  I checked with my tech department to see when I could bring it in to get someone to install them for me (Mommy, can you tie my shoes for me?) and did not get a happy reply.  The tech said, "we do not support personal software or hardware. We can only install what has been purchased or otherwise tested by the tech department."  How exactly am I supposed to work on a machine at home where there is no expectation of going into school in the summer and not be able to print!  They're printer drivers, not exactly risky software.  I've put up with all of the changes because I can understand where the head tech is coming from, but this is too much.


At this point, I think I'm going to have to buy a (relatively) cheap laptop that I can put drivers on.  I'm not happy about it.  I think it's ridiculous.  I miss being on the inside.  It's not so much the power I miss, but the ability.

Post Wisconsin Observations

Madison is changing - mostly vertically

They sell beer by the six pack and there has been no apocalypse - contrary to what the beer distributors here think will happen if Pennsylvania were to make that move

If you put in bike lanes, people will bike - trying the converse is neither practical nor responsible

Budget Bicycle Center's service department is disappointing - it shouldn't matter how fancy or unfancy a bike is, you give it the same attention as every other bike.  We took my daughter's bike (which we won in a drawing - it's not fancy) to get the chain tightened and the service guy couldn't even be bothered to get out of his seat to talk to us or even get the ticket.  When we picked it up, they hadn't even bothered to put the training wheels on in a way that the rear tire touched the ground.  I'm actually opposed to training wheels, but they might be right for her.  Either way, we were clearly treated with less than acceptable service because of the pedigree of her bike.  I will not return there on any trip.  I should have gone to the Yellow Jersey where I know the owner values any bike (or at least any customer) to come through his door.


Beer tastes better on the Terrace

The Dane County Farmer's Market is still amazing - how many different beasts can you get jerky from with one circuit?


You need to go to the source to get truly delicious fried cheese curds

There is an art to making a Brat

There is an art to making a Kringle


The best cart (name) I saw - FIBS:  Fine Italian Beef & Sausage (they went with the alternate meaning for that acronym)


There is a much wider variety of beers than just pale ales and IPA's

Woodman's is still the best grocery store around

My new favorite brewery doesn't distribute out of state

Oh Yes It's Honors Night and the Feeling's Right

We had our middle school's annual honors awards banquet tonight.  This is the sixth year I've been teaching at this school and the sixth time I've attended.  Is it a night of my free time that I spend to attend?  Yes.  Do I have to go (is there any mandate or official remuneration for going)?  No.  Do I attend grudgingly because of an unofficial expectation?  Surprisingly, no.  Is it nerve wracking being up on the stage to give the awards, even if I'm not speaking?  Yes.

Why do I go?  I go for the kids.  I go because this is one time during the year where the only expectation is to honor kids who go the extra distance to do remarkable things.  Is it geared towards academics?  Yes, but it also goes beyond.  There are kids who are invited because their grades have been stellar all year long, but we also invite students who have done something special.  These reason range from doing good things for others, being helpful, being a positive leader, basically just being awesome for the sake of being awesome.

That being said, I cannot understand why people would regularly not attend.  Sure, things come up once in a while, but aside from that, what message is being sent to the kids.  "I'll teach you during the day, but beyond my classroom doors, you don't exist to me."  It bothers me that there is not a better representation on a consistent basis.

Am I trying to put anyone on a guilt trip?  No.  I just don't understand why, if our primary responsibility and focus is on our students, everyone wouldn't make an effort to attend.  This isn't a night to make a statement that one doesn't feel valued by the administration or some other gripe.  We are honoring our best and that should go above politics and conditions that they have no role in or control over.

Every year I love seeing the reactions of different students to the awards they get and the public attention for something good that many often fail to receive.  We have some great students.  We need to let them know.  Being there is the first step.

Wine by mail, beer still by the case.

No, the title is not misleading.  It will make sense at the end.

Here is an excerpt from the recent Gene Yaw newsletter outlining how one can get a free photo ID which will be necessary for this fall's general election.

If you do not possess any of these forms of identification, you may obtain a free photo ID from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. It is a simple process. First, you must sign an affirmation that you do not possess any forms of identification listed above (Voter Affirmation), then you must complete an Application For Initial Photo Identification Card (DL-54A). Finally, take these documents to your nearest Photo Licensing Center along with your Social Security Card, accompanying proof of citizenship such as a birth certificate or passport, and two proofs of residency such as a utility bill, car registration or lease agreement.


I have three questions about this.

1)  If you have a passport, I'm pretty sure it satisfies the requirements stated in the first option of acceptable photo ID:  


Identification issued by the United States Government that includes your name, a photograph, and an expiration date that is not expired. 


Even if a passport doesn't meet those criteria, I believe, correct me if I'm wrong, that passports are far from free and as a possible supporting document kind of negate the whole FREE photo ID thing.

2)  As a second option for proof of citizenship, birth certificates aren't exactly free either.

3)  Is there any conceivable situation in which someone has no proof of residency, but is a resident (perhaps an elderly parent living with a child who is not responsible for paying any bills and doesn't drive)?

I checked the website, you can bring someone to vouch for you.  However, that seems to undermine the whole point of this new legislation

OK, only one of those was actually a question, but you know what I meant.

Then there's Senate Bill 10:


Senate Bill 10 - is a proposal that seeks to amend Pennsylvania's Constitution by allowing individuals the freedom to purchase their own health care. The legislation would prohibit the enactment of any law requiring a person to obtain or maintain health insurance coverage, except as required by a court; prohibit a person from or penalizing a person for making direct payment to a health care provider; or instituting any penalty, tax, assessment, fee or fine for a person's failure to obtain or maintain health insurance coverage.
On March 28th, this bill passed the Senate by a vote of 29-19 and will now go before the House State Government Committee for their approval. Since this bill is seeking to amend the Pennsylvania Constitution, it must be voted in two consecutive legislative sessions and pass a statewide referendum before it can be approved.

Yeah!  They are guaranteeing freedom.  That means it has to be good.  I can only guess this is in reaction to healthcare reform.  Is a constitutional amendment a bit strong?  I admit; I'm a bit confused by this.

Finally, we have Senate Bill 790:

Senate Bill 790 - is a proposal which amends the Liquor Code to allow for the direct shipment of wine from out-of-state to Pennsylvania residents. The bill would permit a producer, with a direct shipper's license, to ship up to 18 liters per month to any Pennsylvania resident who is at least 21 years of age.

The state is going to allow mail order wine from out of state, but we still have to buy beer by the case?

This state is confusing and disappointing me.

Pensions cost us paper!

It's that time of year again.  The school year is over 3/4 finished and supplies are starting to run low.  Today we get the message that we are going to run out of paper; please conserve.  Within an hour later we get the message that the two cases of paper in the copy room have gone and will not be replaced.  Now I know that everyone wants paper to make copies with, but raiding the only paper left so you can make copies in a couple of weeks is just lame!  Now all copies have to go through administration first to get approval.  Many thanks to the vultures and jackals that have made this possible.

But as you can read in our illustrious paper, the real culprit is the exorbitant pensions teachers are getting these days.  Why are education funds being slashed?  I think it's summed up best here (Click here).  Yeah, the rhetoric is getting hot again and it's our greed that has led to this problem.