Training Update #3!

Hello again!

My boss Keith, himself an avid runner/triathelete, tells me I must learn
to run without music in order to fully be able to appreciate the
atmosphere of the NYC marathon – the fans, the sights, the sounds of
45,000 feet pounding the pavement of NYC. However, I don't know if I am
going to be able to do that, and today was a prime example of why.

I was up at 6:00am to get my long run in before the heat of the day
really kicked in. I ran out the door at 6:30am, threw my headphones on
and headed for the boardwalk. As soon as the music starts, the memories
begin to flow – almost every song on my iPod is firmly attached to some
memory, most happy, which transports me to a different place/time, and
makes the time fly...

“Hot in Herre” by Nelly

***FLASH BACK***

I look up at the clock. Only 3:00am?? I swear it feels like we have been
here ALL NIGHT. I am surrounded by surgeons and students alike, all
wearing scrubs, all extremely tired from this barrage of emergency cases
hitting the equine clinic at the Royal Veterinary College. Of course I
had to be on call tonight of all nights!

Jennifer, otherwise known as Sniffer (i.e. Butt Sniffer – yes, I came up
with the nickname. I know, I am SO mature), was standing next to me. The
surgeons just anesthetized the second surgical colic case of the
evening, and we were definitely going to be stuck in the theatre with
them until daybreak. Us students were of SO much use to the surgeons –
standing around, occasionally having a look to make sure the horse was
still breathing, etc, was definitely an important job. Before this, my
latest surgical “assistance” included standing in one place, scrubbed
up, wearing surgical gown, mask, gloves, etc, and holding a bowl for 5
hours. Now this.

“UGH it is SO HOT in this room! Can't they turn on the AC or something?”
says Sniffer.

At this point, the fatigue started to overtake me, and I became
delusional. Despite one of the surgeons preference for Led Zeppelin
(which was on the CD player at that moment), I jumped up and started to
sing...

“It's gettin' hot in hea! So take off all yo clothes!”

“I am...getting so hot...I'm gonna take my clothes off!” shouted
Sniffer.

We continued to dance around and sing in such a fashion, and luckily the
surgeons and the rest of the staff found us amusing rather than
offensive, as they continued to examine the intestines of this poor
unfortunate horse. Once the horse was in recovery, the surgeons bought
us bacon sandwiches and diet cokes and sent us to bed, correctly
assuming that we were going to be useless in the hospital for that rest
of that day.

***FLASH FORWARD***

“Sexy Love” by Ne-Yo

***FLASH BACK***

“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”

I am watching Ella on my own for the first time today. Angela just
started back at work this week, and this is my Monday off so Ella gets
to hang with her pop for the day. I was so excited at the prospect of
this day finally arriving – I had thoughts of her having a nap on my
shoulder while I watched Sportscenter, giving her her milk and maybe
even going for a walk in the lovely September afternoon. Of course I was
planning on her being a little angel for her daddy.

“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”

“HOW DO I GET HER TO STOP SCREAMING!??!” I frantically howled down the
telephone to Angela. “SHE WON'T STOP!!!!”

“I'm sorry babe, I haven't quite got that mastered yet. Woops, an
appointment just walked in, gotta go, good luck, bye!!!” Click.

“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”

I hear singing helps soothe savage beasts from time to time. Let's give
it a try. I click on the iPod, and the first song on the “Baby Mix”
comes on...and we sing...

“She makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, just one touch and
I erupt, like a volcano and cover her with my love baby girl you make me
say...Sexy Love, oh the things you do...”

She stops crying, and falls asleep. I put her in her little vibrating
chair contraption and watch her snooze. I finish singing the song,
because I feel like it, and turn the iPod off...

..and savor the silence.

***FLASH FORWARD***

“September” by Earth, Wind and Fire

***FLASH BACK***

Damn, this girl can DRIVE. Hurtling down the M-25 at 8 million mph
(approximately), heading towards Heathrow Airport, Siobhan and I were
having a grand old time singing along to everything that comes on the
radio. This is it, my final trip back to the states from London, my
second home. I have already said goodbye to most of my wonderful friends
from vet school, and Suzie G and I are heading back to reality. Suzie is
in Ros's car with her luggage and puppy Joey. I am rollin' with my
singing partner Sio in her ride. This is a bittersweet day – whilst I am
SO very sad to be leaving this country and these people, my girlfriend
Angela is back on Long Island with our cat Ainsley, awaiting my arrival.
It has been 3 long months since we have seen each other, and I cannot
wait to hug her and never have to be apart like this again.

Although it is July, for some reason, “September” comes on Heart 106.2
FM...and Sio and I are belting it out like rock stars. I am going to
miss these days, but can't wait to see what the future holds. Could I be
smiling any wider??

***FLASH FORWARD***

“Where the Green Grass Grows” by Tim McGraw

***FLASH BACK***

MAN, did I need that nap! I have never been out of the NY time zone
before today, and now my internal clock is all messed up. When I arrived
in “Clandon Gardens,” I expected some posh neighborhood, and found
instead a run-down block of flats. Good ol' University of London – so
much for first impressions, eh?

When I arrived this morning (which, to my body, was still last night), I
got my key, let myself into an empty flat, and passed out. Now I hear
some rustling in the kitchen, so I guess I should go meet my new
flatmates.

I walked into the kitchen and am greeted by the backs of 2 people
wearing nearly identical clothes – flannel lumberjack-style shirts and
jeans. “Hi!” I joyfully exclaim.

They turn around and look at me, with my bleach-tipped hair, 7 earrings,
tongue-ring, and larger-than life-ness (all 340lbs of it), and stare for
an instant before responding with “Uh, hullo.” I notice the t-shirts
underneath the flannels – his was a Garth Brooks concert t-shirt, hers
had the Budweiser clydesdales emblazoned upon it. “Holy crap,” I think
to myself, “I am going to be shacked up with a couple of hicks from the
middle of nowhere!”

Shocked as they were, Brittany and her husband Darren finally got to
talking a bit – Brittany was my classmate, Darren just came to get her
settled in, and was heading back home to Illinois next week to help with
the harvest. They used funny words like “erl” instead of “oil” and
“crick” instead of “creek.” Silly little folks from Bumble-Fart,
Nowhere, USA!

One night sometime during the beginning of our first year, “When the
Green Grass Grows” emanated from Britt's room. Her door was locked. I
came to find later that she was crying from homesickness, especially now
that Darren had left.

We ended up becoming the closest of friends, and lived together
throughout our 5 years of vet school. I guess opposites do attract?
Maybe we aren't so different after all. Britt did get me into Garth
Brooks and Dixie Chicks, and I think I managed to get her to listed to
Dave Matthews Band once or twice. I continue to make fun of their
“wershing their feet in the crick” and “filling the car up with erl” to
this day. It never gets old.

***FLASH FORWARD***

“Hotel California” by The Eagles

***FLASH BACK***

“Feed it some beer. That would be hysterical.” We were huddled around a
little frog we found in the woods of Vermont, all 4 of us in our second
year of vet school on a camping excursion. All 4 of us drunk.

As the evening went on, and the drunkenness continued, we were sitting
around a picnic table listening to the radio. “Hotel California” comes
on, and Matthias, drunker than I had ever seen him, looks up and
exclaims “Turn that shit up. This is the best song ever!” And flops over
head first onto the table. Nate, Jeff and I decide to go for a wander,
to let Matthias work through whatever gastrointestinal problem he might
have. We circled back to the campsite, and heard Matthias retching in
the woods. We figured he'd need another few minutes, so we wandered some
more, came back, and found him passed out in his tent. He was breathing,
so we thought he'd be ok. After a few more bags of Doritos and a couple
more beers, we retired for the night – tomorrow would be a long day of
driving back home to Long Island.

***FLASH FORWARD***

“Crazy in Love” by Beyonce

***FLASH BACK***

Dancing like loons in the seedy clubs in Corfu, Greece on our Vet School
Final Year Holiday, all of us together for the last time in the most
disgusting place I have ever been.

***FLASH FORWARD***

“Lover Lay Down” by Dave Matthews Band

***FLASH BACK***

Angela and my wedding song (I chose it, of course). One of the best days
of my life.

Also, one of the songs played into Angela's tummy while Ella was
incubating nicely. Ella's birth being the other best day of my life.

***FLASH FORWARD**

I look down at my watch...and the 9 miles are done.

Hopefully the music of my life can help me get through the 26.2 miles on
November 2nd...because I am going to need all the help I can get!

Until next time,

-Brian

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Now....pics!

I SWEAR she climbed in there herself!

In Ella's own words..."SIMMING!"

Beach BBQ!

Family Photo!

James and I grillin'

Some of the TAH crew.

A day at the park!

Daddy, Ella and Mee-mah.

Loving the slide.

What a profile...!

My new clothes for Nate's wedding rehearsal dinner

You LOVE the white socks, don't lie.

"CHEEEEEEEEEEEESE!" She is seriously saying that right here.

Ah the happy times...if only she wasn't screaming "NO!!" so frequently these days...