Category Archives: Fitness Adventures

Invisible Man

Posted on July 18, 2014 by Charlie

Then I went into the bookstore and find a book off my nerdy books-to-buy-next list, “Invisible Cities” by Italo Calvino. People who are in the know consider this book a post-modern masterpiece. In a conversation with Kublai Khan, Marco Polo describes cities from Khan’s empire and/or cities Polo visited on his worldwide travels. A couple of things got me off track, first the “Khan” described here is not the same Khan I found wildly entertaining in a couple Star Trek feature films. No, totally different guy. Continue reading →

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Good Job, Old Man

Posted on July 3, 2014 by Charlie

But then I lost it. No mojo. No energy. Did I give too much too early? I don’t know, but in no time flat, I’m trudging up the trail like an extra on the Walking Dead. I’m beat. Feel like dogshit. When I stopped to catch my breath, I put my hands on my knees and suck air. On one of these proud rest breaks, I see these two little feet approach me. It’s a nice, little old lady, about 89, with a big smile, a giant backpack, and two of those fucking walking sticks. Continue reading →

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Sam Joined the Team

Posted on June 19, 2014 by Charlie

I’ve been biking to work a few times a week. One day as I stepped out of my office, I was hit with a serious gale force, Wizard-of-Oz-in-black-and-white wind and pelts of rain, before I even got on my bike. On the ride home, it was stormy, cloudy, ugly, windy and rainy. I even saw some lightning strikes. For a while there I was worried about seeing some flash flooding … in my pants. Continue reading →

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Am I a Phony?

Posted on June 15, 2014 by Charlie

One of the great things about my job is that I get to travel and when I’m in a new town, I find the cool coffee place, bookstore or restaurant. But in some towns, I don’t have to look too hard. I knew for months before heading to Chicago that I was going to go to the Art Institute. Continue reading →

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You’re My Boy, Blue!

Posted on June 11, 2014 by Charlie

After Florida, I worked at USA Swimming and the U.S. Olympic Committee and about a year ago I took this job at USA Volleyball. The first question everyone asked – well, it’s the only question really – is, “Do you get to work with beach volleyball?” And the answer is, yes, I do get to work with beach volleyball, but here’s the great news – this is why I’m here – soon, all of you will get to work with beach volleyball too. Continue reading →

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A Series of Unfortunate Events

Posted on June 3, 2014 by Charlie

I should note that I’m about to share TOO MUCH INFORMATION or TMI, as the kids say. If you don’t like TMI-type stories, you should probably stop reading right now. You’ve been warned. So with that in mind, here goes … Continue reading →

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The Negotiation

Posted on June 1, 2014 by Charlie

Maybe all those pills, maybe all those little conditions I have are working together against me. Maybe I’m just old. Maybe somebody or something don’t want me to go fast. But I wanna go fast. Either way the whole conversation just reminds me of something Jerry Lee Lewis said to Jimmy Swaggart in the movie, “Great Balls of Fire.” “If I’m going to hell, I’m going playin’ the piano.” Continue reading →

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