#20 - Race for the Cure 2007

My second 5K since starting this list (4th overall) took on special meaning this year. My sister-in-law, Melinda, died a few weeks ago from breast cancer. She was 31, left behind 3 young kids, and we'll never be the same. Her oldest is a nearly 7 year old daughter with genetic risks for breast cancer from both sides of the family (our mom's mom and sister died from this disease also). It really set the clock ticking - early screening didn't save Melinda -we've got to find a cure. I was already training for it, but this really lit a fire under me and blasted away any excuses from my dates with the treadmill. I even put in some road miles in the morning on the weekends. This year's Race was amazing. We got a lot of people from my office to join in, as well as several friends. There were over 16,000 registered runners. The morning was a bit chilly, but with the great sunshine we had today, I was overdressed with 3 layers of shirts. I got a stitch in my side the 1st mile, but it faded and my left foot went a little numb the last mile, but I defintiely tolerated the race physicially a little better this year. This allowed my to push a little harder and I shaved 2 minutes off my 5K time with a final timing chip time of 40:34. Should be easy to get under the 40 minute mark for my next race, but I've got to keep training.

#89 - Passed My Boards

Seven years ago I took a 2 day, 12 hour, ~600 question test from the American Board of Family Practice to become a Board Certified Family Physician. The test attempts to cover the breadth of knowledge covered in the 3 year Family Practice residency I had just completed. The Board has changed its name slightly to the American Board of Family Medicine and required re-certification every 7 years. Last time I had to travel to a large testing center in Cincinnati for the paper test. This time the test was in a computerized format which I surprisingly preferred, especially since it allowed me to drive 20 minutes to a testing center here in the Toledo area for the 1 day test. I got my scores this week and I did well, and thankfully, passed the test. I did better in areas I didn't expect (OB) and poorer in areas that surprised me (Psych). They've recenlty started a Maintenance of Certification program which will require me to complete educational modules along the way, but will allow me to take the next big test 10 years from now instead of 7.

#77 - Secor Metropark

We took the boys to Secor Metropark, west of town. It had a picnic area that we took advantage of before we took to the playground equipment. We ran across an enormous praying mantis and got some pictures. The section we were at had an enormous meadow surrounded by huge trees. We used the meadow for tag, cartwheel practice, and bike practice. The thought was that if Alex fell, it wouldn't hurt as much, so he might be bolder to let me let go of his bike - great idea, but we couldn't build up enough speed in the grass to remain stable. There is also a great nature photography center there, open on the weekends. I picked up an entry form for a photo contest that we may enter.

#96 - Reynolds Corner

I picked Alex up from school today and ran into construction on my chosen path home. A detour to save us time brought us to Reynolds Corner Branch of the library. It wasn't very remarkable, but it was clean and modern. It's most striking feature was one of Toledo's many frog sculptures from a competition held a few years ago to honor "Frogtown". This one was covered in a mosaic of mirror pieces and had a green recycling symbol embedded in its chest and back in green glass, which also highlighted its eyes. Alex checked out a Magic Schoolbus book that took the class under the see to go along with the oceans unit they are covering in school.

#100 - So Close, With Feeling

Buffy the Sing-Along Musical stage show is airing at midnight tonight in Ann Arbor, an hour away. I just found out yesterday, and it is just too short of a notice to make it. The only person I know that would enjoy going with me to a Sing-Along showing of "Once More, With Feeling" the musical episode from the sixth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, is my wife. But we've got no one that can watch the kids at midnight on short notice.
Yes, I'm a 36 year old physician and father of 2 sons, lamenting that I can't get out to a Buffy musical.
I watch way more TV than I should, but I am a big fan of well done narratives that have a supernatural twist. I guess it started with the X-Files, then Buffy and its spin-off Angel, now Lost. When these are well-written and shot in a style that looks like a big-budget movie, there's nothing else like it. I am a Star Wars fan, but that story was told over 20+ years, in 12 hours of screen time. It was enough to build a rich world, but it felt like we barely explored it. In the 7 years that Buffy was on the air, we explored that world in over 107 hours of story-telling. It lets you get deep into story and character and keeps you coming back for more. Buffy used the metaphor of "high school as hell" to explore how horrible life can be and that it takes bravery, sacrifice, and some good friends to overcome it all. The musical episode took 5 1/2 seasons of build-up and splayed out the characters' souls in song (a demon made them do it, naturally). The songs were actually pretty good and I quickly memorized them. They weren't all appropriate for our young children, so I couldn't belt them out at home. When the soundtrack came out, I sang them in my car. A fan in New York started airing the episode at late night theaters in the vein of the "Rocky Horror Picture Show". I like the camaraderie of Rocky Horror, but I've never really cared for the movie - so this Sing-Along version seen with other fans of the show who like to sing along with this episode seemed perfect. But not tonight. Maybe they'll be back. Maybe I can get them to come to Toledo.