I won't be able to run the RC Cola & Moonpie 10 miler in Bell Buckle, Tennessee on June 19th, but some friends and I will be running the course this Friday. On the 19th, I'll be at the The Brickyard in Indianapolis, Indianna for the US Gran Prix. That's the only Formula 1 race in the United States. It used to be much later in the year. It will be interesting to have it in June this year. Formula 1 has the highest paid athlete of any sport. He is Michael Schumacher, the lead driver for my favorite team, Ferrari.

I made sushi last night. I put avacodo, cucumber, crab, and plums in it. It tasted and looked good. I did learn a few simple things about cooking along the way. For example, I cooked the rice without a lid. I kept wondering why I had to keep adding water as it cooked. I also stirred the fool out of it and still had some stick to the pan. I've been told since that you put all the ingredients in a pan, bring it to a boil, and then put the lid on and don't look at it until it is done. Lesson learned.

I found out that a friend of mine knows how to make sushi and since it is one of my favorite foods, I've just got to learn how to make it. Here are the instructions she sent me.

Here's a list of stuff you'll need to do basics. Tomorrow, I'll bring in some rice, nori and 2 Umbushi plums so you can try it.

Sushi Rice - (short grains of white rice that becomes very sticky when cooked)
Vinegar (1 tbsp for each cup of cooked rice. I usually use rice vinegar, but you can use any kind as long as it is fairly mild)
Honey (1 tbsp for each cup of cooked rice)
Nori - (thin sheets of seaweed) sometimes referred to as Sushi Nori
Salted Umbushi Plums

For the filling, choose items such as thin strips of steamed carrots, red bell pepper (steamed or raw), raw cucumber, avocados, etc, and/or raw fish (I'm not experienced with the fish).

Also, you might want to have some wasabi, sesame seeds, pickled ginger and tamari (soy sauce) on hand to season/garnish the sushi.

To begin:
Cook the rice as you normally would (1 part rice to 2 parts water for about 20 - 25 minutes, adding salt if desired.).
Let the rice sit for at least 10 minutes or until it is cool enough to handle.
Stir the appropriate amt of vinegar and honey into the cooled, cooked rice.
Prepare a bowl of water with about 1/4 tsp of salt added to it, and put this bowl of water aside. You will use the bowl of salt water to dip your fingers into in order to spread the rice onto the nori.
Lay a sheet of nori on any DRY surface.
Spoon about 1/2 c cooked rice mixture onto the nori.
Using your fingers, press and push the rice so that it evenly covers the nori. You will want to leave 1 inch of nori uncovered along the edge farthest away from you.
Lay a thin strip of any combination of your fillings across the rice about one inch from the edge closest to you.
Roll up the nori beginning with the edge closest to you and roll it away from you making sure that you stop before you get to the part of the nori that you left uncovered. In order to seal the roll, dip your fingers into the salt water and gently moisten the edge of the nori that you left uncovered. Then finish rolling up the nori. The moistened edge will be the "glue" to hold the roll together.

Slice the nori into segments about ½ to 1 inch thick. Season and enjoy!

My wife is 10 weeks pregnant. We have been married for over 10 years and we are both very close to 40. After 10 years of trying, I thought it wouldn't happen. I am glad it did. We have had a couple of ultrasounds and I have seen the flashing heartbeat. The miracle of life is really a miracle.

To most people I believe moderation means not overdoing it. I also believe it should mean not underdoing it. I believe in having a wide range of experiences. Moderation contributes to balance and also to contentment.

To acheive balance you must pay adaquate attention to the major aspects of your life. I see these aspects as:
Physical - maintaining your physical body
Spiritual - paying attention to your religeous or spiritual nature
Emotional - caring for your emotional well-being
Intellectual - developing your mind

I believe one should strive for balance, moderation, and contentment. I plan to expand on what this means to me here. These guiding principles have contributed to my success and happiness in life.

I ran today for the first time since the marathon. I did 3.2 miles at lunch and a mile after work. It felt good. The run after work was to catch up to my wife who had already taken off on a walk around Tullahoma lake. I really enjoy our walks together.

By the way, don't forget mother's day is coming up.

I started a Country Music Marathon 2004 photo album on Yahoo! Photos. I took a disposable camera and had the photos developed to Photo CD at Walmart. They didn't turn out too bad. I especially like the self photo while running. I have long arms that come in handy for things like that.

I went to the Tennessee renaissance Festival in Triune Tennessee on Saturday May 1st with some friends. We had a great time. The festival is open every weekend in May. The first weekend turned out great. Normally we go on Memorial Day weekend, which is the last weekend in May. This time was cooler and cleaner. I really enjoyed the musical group the Minstrels of Mayhem. I bought their newest CD. If you get there try the King's Nuts which are nuts covered in cinnamon and sugar.