Suffering

This is a post all about suffering. Emotional. Physical. Mental. New Englanders have something very special programmed into their DNA that enables us to handle more suffering (and even appreciate it......and dare I say CRAVE it) than any other people in the United States. Yes, people in Alaska and places like Minnesota suffer with their weather and their perpetually awful (or nonexistent) sports teams. But New Englanders always are given a "glimmer" of hope with things like sports, weather, economy, etc. And then, just when we are ready to embrace it, rug is pulled from beneath us, and we are left out in the cold. But I would not live anywhere else.

It has been almost a week since the Patriots had diarrhea all over the field at Gilette Stadium in Foxboro, and the Jets humiliated us. Hard Core. I can finally deal with it enough to write about it. I wont make any excuses for our beloved Patriots. We sucked. Hard. The Jets played a FANTASTIC game (particularly on defense, and particularly on covering our receivers) and just beat us. Tom Brady must have been drugged by Rex Ryan, but that is besides the point. But, as ever, I love my beloved Patriots. Even if they were 2-14 I would still love them. The epitomize class, as far as I am concerned, and I cannot wait to tell Callum about Tom Brady when he is old enough to truly understand the definition of character. But, for now, Callum is happy to support his favorite QB any way he can....

We are pretty sure Callum is left handed. So, now, perhaps he would be better as a QB and not a Tight End when he plays at the Naval Academy. As you can see, he likes to imitate Tom Brady as he watches the game. Luckily, he did not imitate the failure that WAS Tom Brady.....
(editor's note...blowing this picture up, looking at it, and realizing the score and our field position at the time of the picture depresses me intensely).
Daddy and Callum watching the "new" America's Team. Intent on seeing the Patriots silent Rex Ryan and his band of classless derelicts. Yet, it was not meant to be. The Steelers will just have to shut them up on Sunday....
To continue the suffering motif, here is a quick photo of me after a run last Monday. The thermometer registered 3 above. Yet, like an idiot, I went out. I had a fantastic run, actually, doing a 6 mile loop....and then I rolled my ankle 3 miles from home. That was a great 3 miles, let me tell you. I was pretty bundled up....yet I was covered with rime ice and frost, even. I was even more miserable than I look. Why do I do these things to myself? But this is how you get stronger, right? Train when others are taking the day off, right? Just like Hurricane Ruben James. He slept during the day. He worked out at night. Hopefully, this will come in handy during my June 27th half marathon in Disgusta. Jay, John, and Tim: If I dont see a demote or a FB tag with this in at least two days, then I will be extremely disappointed in youse....
Why the helmet, you ask?
Well, imbued by his dad, Callum wanted to ride his bike the other day. So he did. And then he and mommy built a snowman and a little "Maira snowman" in front of it. Amanda reports that Callum was adamant on putting a pumpkin on the snowman's head. For whatever reason.