Beat The Bus Today

I lost to life's bus on Thursday, but won the battle on Friday after I got home from Los Angeles.

After taking the red headed princess to get a quick bite to eat once I got to the house, I got to Bally's in The Woodlands close to 8:30 p.m. The goal was an hour on the elliptical and the rest on the bike. Since at any point that my weight is a function of any speed, I figure - at times, especially when I'm in a rut - any activity is better than none as long as I'm doing it hard.

35:33 on the elliptical before I realized that I started to do too much too soon after eating. So then I added another 55 minutes on the stationery bike.

I wrapped up my project today in Pasadena.

I hate saying "Good bye" to people that I've had a chance to work with, and today was a rough day. I just really don't like it.

I had one biller that came in to my office and really thanked me that I took the time to teach her why she was to do certain things as opposed to simply how.

The bottom line is that it is my job to do that.

But to know somebody really cared enough to say it really meant a lot to me. And I'll remember that for a long time. Those of you who really know me know that I hate taking credit for things maybe even when I have the right to or should. It just isn't my style.

I get my satisfaction when I see the seed that I was allowed to plant sprout up and grow.

Let's hope that my best work is yet to come. :)

On another note: Today's flight from LAX to IAH had a very interesting individual seated in 2E. I was in 5B, and I realized shortly before we took off that it was none other than Earvin Johnson. Yes, Magic Johnson, who played so many incredible years for the Los Angeles Lakers.

He, of course, was coming in to see Michigan State - his alma mater - get pounded by Memphis at Reliant Stadium this evening in the Sweet Sixteen.

What really impressed me was that nobody really bothered him at all for much of the flight. One of the flight attendants knew him, said hello, and gave him a big hug. But later in the flight after he had read USA Today and the Los Angeles Times and slept some, he talked to a couple of the flight attendants and the guy sitting next to him as well as the guys in the row in front of him.

He signed a few things - including the page in my Sports Illustrated from this week where he and Larry Bird are mentioned regarding their epic matchup in the finals of the 1979 NCAA Tournament.

When we came up from the jetway, there was an electric cart waiting for him. But I had to laugh. The driver of the electric cart was holding a sign saying, "Larry Johnson". I thought to myself, "No, Grandma-ma wasn't on the flight, but Magic was." (At the height of Johnson's popularity while playing for the Charlotte Hornets, he went by his initialisim "LJ" and the nickname "Grandma-ma" because of a popular Converse commercial in which he dressed up like an old lady.)

He came down the esclator with the guy that was taking him to his limo (which I thought was interesting that they let him up through security), stepped into the restroom and then when he came out, he took a picture with a couple of people that recognized him. (At that time, I was on the phone with Quarles in Lufkin. Magic's probably never heard of Lufkin.)

In the morning, I'll be in Galveston for the Lone Star Tri Sprint division where Cassie will be going off in wave 11 with the flourescent pink cap and number 884.

Then, I head to Austin for the start of Sunday's running trifecta -- the Cap 10K, the Lampson Ranch 5-Miler and the TWRC Annual Membership Meeting at Jana Jordan's. What a day!