Dave-I just got a chance to go back and read your reply  from yesterday!

 

Too bad for your first 5K that was supposed to be Thanksgiving day...you were so ready..but AMAZING time on the"real" one!! 

 

and congrat's on your first floater! LOL! 

Thanks Tori!  I think I've got a sub-20 in my near future, guess we'll find out.  I was going to do another 5k on the 15th, but I'm joining my local running club and they're putting on a 50k that day (no, I'm not running it lol but I probably will next year), so I'm gonna skip the 5k and volunteer at the 50k.  I figure it's a good way to start off with the club and get to meet people. 

For anyone that noticed, the 5k in my sig keeps changing, because I can't make up my mind LOL  I think we've decided to do the Beat the Ball race, starts at 11:30pm on New Year's Eve and you get something special for finishing before midnight.  Sounds like fun.  Then we can party and sleep in the next day. lol  DW is going to do it with me, it will be her first race!

It stormed all day yesterday.  It was miserable.  But today is just cloudy.  My phone says its 62 out so it should be some nice temps when I get off work.  If the rain stays away, I'll go to the park.  But if rains any today, I'll probably just go on the treadmill cause the park will get all muddy...

I hope we get some actual cool weather soon!

Snickers/ Jackie- I am glad to see some more Texans in here. I am in a small town, Refugio, its near Corpus Christi. Enjoy the run later. I hope you get to go to the park.

Brady - I would love to decorate your house for beer and smoked meats.  I'm not sure I'm going to have the time though.

 

Zel / Kara - I wish that were my house.

 

The reason that I'm so into the lights is because my first house was purchased for $10,000 cash.  I had to replace the main support, roof, windows, doors, electrical, plumbing, insulation, drywall, move walls, replace siding, you name it.  I was a young entrepreneur that didn't want a lot of debt, and just wanted a place of my own.  I currently rent that house out because I don't want to forget.  Anyway, the neighbor across the street decorated every year, and I always got a little bit of joy from looking over and seeing all of the lights.  So, I decided that I'd brighten up my project with some lights one year, and a friendly competition began.  We even discussed building an arch from their house to mine.  Then, we could put up more lights.  Contrary to popular belief, the lights don't really use enough energy to make huge difference on your bill.  The key is to buy some more lights every year right after Christmas.  Buying them all at once at full price would be expensive.

 

Well, I have a bigger house now, and the neighbors here weren't really decorating when I showed up.  They have a lot of money, but didn't have a lot of interest in Christmas lights.  In 2008 the economy went to hell, and I lost my job.  I had sold my business, and was now on unemployment.  I had a lot of time on my hands, and not a lot of prospects out there.  Yeah, I was a little depressed.  So, I broke out the old Christmas lights.  My parents saw them, and donated a lot that they had just collecting dust in the basement.  Then, we came to inherit some lawn decorations.  That winter I sat in my living room and watched cars slow down to stare at what myself, and my girlfriend (now fiance) had created.  A felt like we had helped to lift the spirits of ourselves and others during some pretty tough times.

 

Fast forward to now.  Each year we've picked up some more lights every year.  The neighborhood has followed suit.  Every night I throw up a few more, or a few more thousand lights after my run.  Then, we get in the car and see what everybody else did that day.  On the way home, we get to see what everybody else sees as they drive past our house.  Next Monday, they're calling for snow.  So, we're racing to get everything up and lit.  I can't wait to see everything lit up, and reflecting off of the snow.  I'm going to do my best to get some pictures up after this weekend, but we also have to get out and get our tree.  The center of our room is about 11 feet tall, and we always have to find one that goes all the way to the top. 

 

I try to do a little something anonymous every year for Christmas, but this is the one thing that I do to brighten spirits that I'll take some credit for.  We have a lot of work into it, and really look forward to sitting back and watching the reactions of others. 

Awood:  You must be related to Clark Griswold !!!

A quick question: I know people were having problems posting pictures on here and now that seems to be sorted. Is anyone having a problem changing their avatar? No matter what I do, the picture I select will not show up. Anyone else?

I didn't have as much time tonight.  I'm about to run out the door, BUT!!!

I got the snowman on his motorcycle with the penguin on the back put outside.

THEN, I extended my running streak to 12 days.  Almost all of those were 6 milers.  There were a couple short, but tonight was another 6.

I am still not sure how to upload photos!!! Please let me know!

You have to host them on another site, like photobucket.  Then use the link from the hosting site (the direct link, not the img or html) and use the little tree button in the toolbar above your text box. Paste the link into the image url and click insert and your pic will show up in your post.

Bin, I'm really curious to see what I can do in 2013 with more training, should be a good year.