I'm Running from Brooklyn to South Fallsburg!

Well kinda, it'll be part of a relay race for a good cause.

Here's the long story short:

A friend of ours - a father of five - has been stricken with ALS.

His closest friends have organized a 200 kilometer (125 mile) race from Brooklyn to South Fallsburg, to take place on July 28, 2010. They have covered the expenses with their own wallets in the hopes of raising enough to take care of their friend and others afflicted with the same illness.

I will embark on this journey along with 99 others. We will relay run in teams of 10. We will not stop for 22 hours. We will do this for our friend. We ask that you support our cause:

http://www.jrunnersrelay.org/my/thebodie

Thank you so much.

P.S. I'll be hitting you up again later in the year for my marathon run for Ohel, so calibrate your contributions accordingly. :-)

Finished Another Book!

Stiff: The Curious Life of Human Cadavers, by Mary Roach - I espied this book years ago when it was released, but figured people would find me odd if they caught me reading it. Many years later, I'm like, so totally over that. So I picked the book up, and enjoyed it. She discusses the fate of the human decedent from every angle possible and sprinkles the book with enough rather sharp humor to keep things from descending into morbidity. Very educational.

Finished Another Book!

Your Kids are Your Own Fault by Larry Winget - Exactly the book I was looking for when searching for parenting ideas and approaches for my children. Larry is in-your-face, brash, direct, and blunt. He certainly subscribes to the school of Radical Honesty (I don't). I agreed with him on 80% of his po...ints, vehemently agreed with him on 15%, and disagreed with him on 5%. However, he did advise not to dismiss all his advice just because I might disagree with him on some. Know what? That's good advice. Three major points I disagreed on: 1) I don't believe in spanking, ever, no exceptions. 2) "Because I said so" is a not a valid response for me. 3) I think kids need to be treated a bit more gently than he espouses. Also, he recommended the book, "How to Talk so Kids Will Listen..." The book is useless. Larry's book is very, very good. I love his chain of command idea where the parent closest in proximity is in charge.

Finished Another Book!

The Myth of Multitasking by Dave Crenshaw - A very interesting, very quick read on the perils of multitasking. It certainly sold me on its central idea. The book is written in a "fable" style vis-a-vis a professional meeting with a multitasker and educating her on better alternatives. I know that other business books are written this way, but I've never experienced one. It was quite interesting. I read the entire book in one day. I don't think I've done that before. Cool.

Finished Another Book!

The 188th Crybaby Brigade by Joel Chasnoff - Quite a humorous book and a fun memoir. While he clearly sees serious things from a funny point of view, he never devolves into scoffing. I enjoyed this book very much. There is one element I have a minor issue with, but since it doesn' t detract from the quality of the book, it's not worth mentioning. Besides, I'm completely biased. Not only did he sign my book after an entertaining book reading, he also gave me solid advice on how I could get my book (www.lulu.com/product/paperback/bush-ii-book-i/6254252) into Jon Stewart's hands.

4 Races Down, 6 to Go!

Warmed up with a 2 mile run, then ran a 4-miler (http://www.nyrr.org/races/2010/r0418x00.asp) in a blistering 31:34, 7:53 per mile. First under 8s race of the year. Splits: 7:36 (possibly my fastest first race mile ever), 7:51, 8:23 (hill and water stop, same as last race), and 7:41. I'm getting faster. These pre-race runs seem to be really warming up the engines.

Finished Another Book!

The Road by Cormac McCarthy - This book is crushing in its bleakness. There's a gimmick in the narrative that works really well. There are no quotes around what the characters say, nor are there hyphens in compound words, as if to say the survivors are too exhausted to bother with such details. The writing is propulsive and never meanders. One powerful resonance with me was that the characters refused to partake in cannibalism. My grandfather, on "the road" for most of the Holocaust, had opportunities to do so as well, but refused, and put his existence at riske by not succumbing. The book is a masterpiece.

Dr. Seuss Inspires Again!

The Washington Times published my Dr. Seuss Obamacare parody - and gave it quite a clever title to boot! Plus, the graphic they came up with is ingenious. I've hardly ever been so pleased with handing my work over to someone else for publication.

Here is the article: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/apr/06/mean-regs-and-scam/

And here is the text in full:

Mean Regs and Scam
by
Martin Bodek
Copyright © 2010 by Martin Bodek


I am Bam
Bam I am

That Bam-I-am!
That Bam-I-am!
I do not like that Bam-I-am!

Do you like my health care plan?

I do not like it, Bam-I-am.
I do not like your health care plan.

Would you like it here or there?

I would not like it here or there.
I would not like it anywhere.

I do not like this health care plan.
I do not like it, Bam-I-am.

Would you like it with your spouse?
Shall I pass it in the House?

I do not like it with my spouse.
You shall not pass it in the House.
I do not like it here or there.
I do not like it anywhere.
I do not like this health care plan.
I do not like it, Bam-I-am.

Would you like this when you're ill?
Would you like this with some frills?

Not when I'm ill.
Not with some frills
Not in the House.
Not with my spouse.
I would not have it here or there.
I would not have it anywhere.
I would not want this health care plan.
I do not like it, Bam-I-am.

Would you? Could you? I'm the Czar!
Have it! Have it! Here you are.

I would not, could not, Mr. Czar.

You may like it. You will see.
You may like it when it's free!

I would not, could not when it's free.
It'll cost me. You will see.
I do not like it when I'm ill.
I do not like it with some frills.
I do not like it with my spouse.
You shall not pass it in the House.
I do not like it here or there.
I do not like it anywhere.
I do not like this health care plan.
I do not like it, Bam-I-am.

For pain! For pain!
For pain! For pain!
Could you, would you,
For your pain?

Not for my pain! No, can't you see?
I'll say it plain! Bam! Let me be!
I would not, could not, when I'm ill.
I could not, would not, with some frills.
I will not have it with my spouse.
I do not want it near the House.
I will not have it here or there.
I will not have it anywhere.
I do not like this health care plan.
I do not like it, Bam-I-am.

Say! For the Poor?
Yes, for the poor!
Would you, could you,
for the poor?

I would not, could not, for the poor.

Would you, could you, think again?

I would not, could not, think again.
Not for the poor. Not for the pain.
We can't afford. It isn't free.
I do not like it, Bam, you see.
Not in the House. Not for the frills.
Not with my spouse. Not when I'm ill.
I will not have it here or there.
I do not like it anywhere!

You do not like my health care plan?

I do not like it, Bam-I-am.

Could you, would you, place your vote?

I would not, could not, place my vote!

Would you, could you, help this float?

I could not, would not, place my vote.
I will not, will not, help this float.
I will not have it for my pain.
Please don't bother me again.
We can't afford. It isn't free.
I do not like it, Bam, you see.
I do not like it when I'm ill.
I do not like it with the frills.
I do not want it in the House.
I do not like it with my spouse.
I do not like it here or there.
I do not like it ANYWHERE!
I do not like this health care plan!
I do not like it, Bam-I-am.

You do not like it. So you say.
Try it! Try it! And you may.
Try it and you may, I say.

Bam! If you will let me be,
I will try it. You will see.
Say! I like this health care plan!
I do! I like it, Bam-I-am!
And I would take it with the bloat.
And you'll have a legacy to gloat.
And I will take the increased tax.
And all the convoluted facts.
To Kingdom Come with happy glee.
This is so good, so good, you see!

Martin Bodek is the author of "Bush II, Book I" (lulu.com, 2010).

Finished Another Book!

Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond - This is the greatest, most concise, illuminating, myth-debunking, well-researched, informative, exhilarating, eye-opening book on the history of civilization that I have ever read. A friend of mine told me how proud he was that he read it before it won its Pulitzer. I now understand the source of his pride. It should replace all history books used in school.

Marathon Training Begins

7 miles in 1:06:43, 9:32 per mile, a good way to officially kick off my training season. My schedule had me doing 3 miles today, but lefnim meshiras hadin never hurt anybody (okay, that's debatable).

Preliminary assessment of my Running-through-winter experiment is quite positive. My legs are strong, my knees have held up, I have no muscle fatigue, all my joints are pain-free, I've lost 6 pounds and I've got a 50 mile head-start on any of my previous training seasons.

As Dilios said in 300 (The 2nd greatest action movie of all-time): "A good start."