Running sucks.

I cleared myself to run again a few weeks ago, just before my week long trip to Kentucky. I figured I'd be able to find time to run there, and from my last trip, I remembered "there seemed to be a prettyish kind of a little wilderness" around the campus.

I did the 1.5 miles just I wrote about around the campus because I couldn't figure out how to get down to the park. So later that week, the weather was way too perfect to not take advantage of it. Out I go for my run. The trees are beautiful and the sky is clear. But there are hills.

I'm sorry, but I'm from Louisiana and if anyone has ever driven through this state, you'll know that we are either at sea level and mostly below sea level. My legs tremble at the thought of running uphill.

So I followed the path where it was level and that was pleasant enough. I took the hill for a few seconds and I totally wimped out and turned around. I felt so many pairs of eyes judging me as I ran back in the other direction. I wanted to just say, "C'mon, look at my pencil legs! There's no way I'm going to make it up there."

The next day turned out to be equally the perfect spring time weather. I work in an office most days, so any chance I can to actually feel the sun on my skin, I will take it! This time, instead of just turning back around when I faced the hill, I walked. Yeah, you heard me. I walked, and there is nothing wrong with walking. Paging Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Back me up, brother: 

Okay, so okay I didn't walk to help with my brain function and memory. I was only walking because, like I said, there is no way I can run up that hill. But the point is, if I didn't just take it easy on myself and walk, I would've missed the best part of the park - the view from the top.

Cherokee Park in Louisville is an incredibly beautiful place to run [or walk or lay around], and if I didn't move my flat ass to the top of the hill, I would've missed out on a spectacular view. As with those times in life when we would prefer to just revert back to what's comfortable rather than push through the difficulties, imagine what we might miss out on? The amazing thing about our bodies is that we are adaptable and capable of growth. Just a few months ago, 3 miles was nothing. Today, 3 miles sucks. In a few more weeks 3, or even 4, miles will be a good run again.

Last month, I was invited to attend the Team in Training spaghetti dinner the night before the Rock N Roll Marathon that my volunteer, Allie, ran. John "the Penguin" Bingham [www.waddle-on.com] spoke to the hundreds of people who spent months not only preparing for the race but also raising thousands of dollars for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The Penguin is all about completing what you've set out for yourself regardless of how long it takes you to get there.

“Frustration is the first step towards improvement. I have no incentive to improve if I’m content with what I can do and if I’m completely satisfied with my pace, distance and form as a runner. It’s only when I face frustration and use it to fuel my dedication that I feel myself moving forwards.” - the penguin

So I'm frustrated that I can't run uphill or faster or longer. But, God willing, I will keep on keepin' on. [Because there is free food and drinks across that finish line.]

Now, it's time for a random cute photo:

You don't need teeth to enjoy a beer.

Discernment, Dischmerment

I'm so happy to be back here! 

Friends, I do apologize for my absence, but I hope my absence has made your heart grow fonder for my blogging verbal diarrhea.

I kept visiting my own blog hoping that it would churn out some posts on its own. Unfortunately, technology is not advance enough to read my mind. Maybe there's an iPhone app somewhere for that, but I wouldn't know that since my cellphone only makes phone calls. I know, I'm so 2000 and late.

Zack's more 1990 and late.

Anywho, so I've had quite the emotional roller coaster lately. No, it's not just from crazy female hormones. There was just so much that happened in the past two weeks that made me feel overjoyed and overwhelmed at the same time. There have been days when I feel incredibly sad and lost and then an hour or so later felt immense gratitude and affirming love.

For part of my week in Louisville, we had what we call our Placement Event. Around 35 dewy eyed young adults arrived, excited to go through the process of deciding where they were going to serve as Young Adult Volunteers (YAVs) for the year. At times the interviewing and discerning were really intense for these guys and gals who were putting so much of themselves and futures out there with a lot of uncertainty as to where that would lead them. 

Back in the day, before I even arrived at Pepperdine, I was mailed a book about hearing God's call, which is basically what we refer to as discernment - figuring out exactly what I was put earth to do and how I am supposed to live given this crazy environment. My relationship with discernment is so much like my relationship with exercising. I know it's incredibly beneficial and the healthiest thing to do, but sometimes I'd rather just be lazy and not even think about it. [There are DVRed shows to be watched instead.]

So as these YAVs were in the midst of their discernment process, I couldn't help but to get sucked into the whole atmosphere of feeling I need to be doing something really important and constantly life-altering for me and the rest of the planet. There was a YAV alum there that I really admire, and he asked me, "What's your dream?"

With the confused look of half-raised eyebrows and gnarled lip on my face, I didn't have an answer. My dream would to eat bacon, biscuits and cheese grits every day while always having the body of swim suit model. Yes, that is how shallow I am.

So how do you discern what it is you're supposed to be and/or do?

You'll have to become one my YAVs to find out. JK... I would hate to have to work with you. Again, I joke [maybe].

Even Kathy Freston, yes we're not done with her yet, talks about connecting with your own spirituality in whatever shape or form that takes on if your life. She has a pretty good PC way of putting it:

Whether we choose to attend services at a formal house of worship, study with a teacher, join a meditation group, or read intently to learn more of a particular tradition or philosophy, through spiritual practice we increase our capacity to love and be kind, both to ourselves and to others. We learn to think and act out of love rather than fear. We move from indifference to compassion. 

And as we lend ourselves to the shift that comes with spiritual practice, we nurture the light inherent within us so that we can then shine that light out into the world. We are aided immeasurably by putting ourselves in the atmosphere of constant coaching.

This is all very nice, Kathy Freston, but it still doesn't quite answer how the heck am I supposed to be compassionate and light-shining to others? I feel I am a pretty spiritual person and I can certainly use the increase in love for others. What are my next steps, Kathy Freston?

God was all over this one. So a few days ago, I just happened to play a podcast from Francis Chan, author of Crazy Love, and he totally put things into perspective. Essentially he reminded me that it's not often that God shows someone their entire life's plan to them. God always shows people one or a few steps at a time. Rather then asking what is God's will for my life, the better question is what is God's will for today?

For today, it was time for me to blog again. And to make a very long blog post even longer, on my flight home from Louisville, I came up with the best and only Venn Diagram I've ever conceived.

[Note: I feel worried that I may have taken this from somewhere because I never have original ideas, but I truly believe I haven't plagiarized this one. If you've seen it somewhere else, let me know and I will be happy to cite and link and try not to feel lame.]

This is all I've come up with so far, and I still haven't figured out exactly how I'll flesh this out in my mind. But it's a relatively good start for someone like me.

Figuring out life is hard but also essential to making the most out of our short existence. However, instead of being overwhelmed by the bigger picture, let's be overjoyed by the small victories and blessings we experience each day.

"In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love." -mother theresa 

It's good to be back, friends.  

Nervous but never too nervous to eat

How do I feel on my first day off the cleanse?

It's the same way you feel when you turn 22. I remember once when I was 22 and someone asked, "How old are you?" And I just responded, "21." I didn't even realize it until many hours later that I might have been wrong. I looked at the year and pulled out my calculator and lo and behold I was 22 and forgot about it.

At work, one of my volunteers, Gloria, asked if I had gluten today. I forgot that I wanted to have gluten today. I already prepared my lunch for the day and continued to have my usual snacks of fruits, nuts and avocados. Well... I more than compensated for my memory lapse over dinner.

I saw this wonderful calzone at Whole Foods and was told it was stuffed with spinach & mushrooms. I think I drooled on the glass partition.

As I sat down to eat it, the calzone turned out to be stuffed full of Italian sausage. As much as it would've been really tasty, it wasn't what I wanted or what I was craving. I walked back over to the pizza counter, careful not to slip where I previously drooled and switched it out for two slices of veggie pizza.

If you're wondering where the other slice is, I ate it on the drive home. I was hongry. And pizza + soup = bliss.

I am experiencing some food baby pressure right now, but it shall pass. I think I'm also experience the warning signs of another type of visitor. I hate to be crude but let's just say it rhymes with schmenstrual cycle.

It's so crazy how fast things change sometimes. One day you were 9 and the next, boom, you're in the double digits and will never get to go back. Here in New Orleans, I can wake up to a torrential downpour and 10 minutes later it's like the sunniest day we've ever had.

Fortunately, with this cleanse, the change can be as drastic or subtle as you like -- going into it and coming out of it. Like I mentioned many days back, I didn't just wake up one morning and cut out all of the Big 5 at once. I did have a chance to ease into it and that helped tremendously to curb the desire to rip cake out of other people's hands and shove it in my mouth.

Tomorrow, there's another big change happening in my life. For many, many frustrating months now I have been house shopping. It's so crazy to me that I can be in this one phase for almost a year, but after a few emails and signatures [and my entire financial future on the line] and a notary stamp, you're in this completely different arena of life. I'm definitely not close to sitting down for the closing yet, but signing a contract is huge for me.

Could be my future abode!

I'm nervous, scared, excited, anxious and any other adjective you can describe someone who is over-analyzing and is feeling sick and on the verge of tears. Would that be a mental case?


This past Sunday, our church had a service led by the high school and college students. Four of them talked about the story of Jesus telling his disciples not to worry.

Jesus: Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.

Katholomew: But what about buying a home and all the technical things involved like home inspections, surveys, points, mortgage lenders, down payments, closing fees... What would you do, Jesus?

Jesus: Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

Katholomew: You're right. Do you know what you're wearing tomorrow?

Jesus: Skinny jeans and TOMS.

Your prayers and positive thoughts and energy are always appreciated, and not just for me but for everyone experiencing life changes and facing big decisions.

If this deal goes through, you're invited to come over and watch movies on my 15-inch laptop.