30-Hour Famine

The teens at our church did World Vision's 30-Hour Famine this weekend raising over $2000 for hunger. They began their fast Friday evening and our girls were still alive when we picked them up last night. As we departed the Youth Leaders warned us that the girls had a plan for convincing us to go out for pizza on the way home.

Having some experience with fasting, my wife had told them on Friday that we'd be breaking the fast with her homemade Chinese wontons - filled with lots of veggies and served in chicken broth. Still, there was the outcry for good 'ol American processed food and fat. One of them in particular shrieked, "You lied, you never said we wouldn't go out for pizza after the fast!" So, we think they learned something about what it means to be hungry and to do some fundraising - not sure they overcame their "entitlement" to the regular American diet.

Use of Social Media - over the last couple of years I've dabbled in using Social Media - I have Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter accounts and this blog. On Friday a colleague graciously gave me a quick tutorial on how he uses Google Reader, Twitter and various web aggregators and storage areas to keep up with the information age. He told me that he no longer reads in paper medium, but uses web and social media tools to read on his MacBook, iPad and iPhone. This weekend I've been playing around with some of the tools to see if I can do a better job of taking in digital media. I miss the physical newspaper, but can see how many more perspectives I can get through the digital readers.

Soarian Cutover

The time has arrived. Just after midnight, our hospital's MEDITECH admissions system will be submerged and new interfaces from Siemens Soarian will be connected. Clinical documentation will begin again in MEDITECH in the morning while conversion programs sync recent patient demographic and scheduling changes. If all goes by plan, our census will be balanced and Soarian will be our new revenue cycle system by 6pm tomorrow. I'll run 9 miles while the conversion programs are executing in the morning!

Aaack! Miserable!

8 miles this morning in some of the worst weather I've experienced. It was supposed to be 38 and "light rain." I found myself soaked to the bone and most miserable by halfway through. I sang hymns on the way back to keep going. Remarkably, it was so bad there were no other runners to hear my lousy singing!

Home at Shawnee Peak

I joined the family Friday night and navigated kids' desires to ride the chairlifts with me while skiing and boarding yesterday. Bright sunshine made up for the incesant whining. Today I ran the 6 miles from Shawnee Peak to the WWII monument at the top of Main Hill in Bridgton and back.

Vacation Sickness

Bummer - two of three kids with the stomach bug and the wife just caught it. Ran the obligatory 7 miles this morning and praying that the sickness won't overcome me!

8 miles and a Valentine Lunch

8 miles today around Mystic Lakes. Given the weekend family activities, a Valentine lunch was in order at a local Chinese restaurant (my Chinese in-laws say it's one of the better Chinese restaurants they've been to). Kids calling three times during the hour meal took a little of the romance out!

Marathon Training - Cold and Dark

23 degrees - ugh. I have a short run today and then need to run 7 tomorrow morning before the snow starts piling up.

I've been a big fan of the TV show 24 and have seen just about every episode. I'm up to date as of last night, but have to say this season isn't holding me that well. Renee's meltdown was brutal.