Saturday, August 22, 2009

Flag Ship Electrolab

What a week in Belleville, ON. It's funny, I am listening to the Rent Soundtrack and "Would You Light My Candle" is playing in my iPod. This is a cool strange metaphor. As Safestart celebrated it's tenth year of existence and Larry's provincial hair flick, there were many good feelings I experienced this week.

I think lighting candles are important and I do hope that Safestart lights a thousand more candles. Upon the lighting of the tenth, I found myself in the middle of REAL family event.

I know I live in Arizona, and I know I travel all the time, and well, I only go to Canada really only 2-3 times a year. This time was the most incredible.

I laughed, cried, hollered, partied, slept, but most of all, the one emotion that I wish could be canned is the way I felt like I belonged. I thought it was mostly hypnotic because everyone was giddy. I don't think the liquor had anything to do with it either, well wait! This is Electrolab! Ha....just kidding, but really, if you weren't drunk, you knew what the feeling was especially if you work for or around Electrolab. To the folks at Electrolab! You are truly remarkable. I hope the ship sets sail forever and you all are around to light many candles and celebrate many birthdays. Because, Barb said it best, you are preventing 5,000,000 injuries each year! Thank you for letting me be a part of it!

Monday, August 10, 2009

Knee This

Well, I suppose it is the end of a very active summer for me. Last week we went to Illinois for a 20 year class reunion at my old high school in Mattoon. I had loads of fun, but it was a precursor for things to come. After we returned from Illinois, we immediately had to pack to go to Las Vegas for my brother's 21st birthday. We partied, we walked, we danced and oh yes, we gambled. But still, a hidden devastating injury lurks. After we returned from Vegas, I had to pack to do my monthly JoshuCasey trip in Anaheim. I left on Monday after returning from Vegas on Sunday. My week went spectacular, and I managed to play three days of tennis with Eric, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. I got home on Friday and had a baseball game on Friday night. I felt out of sorts on Friday and made some mental mistakes on the field. Sheila and I went to a wedding on Saturday morning and had a great time! I was gonna stay home with the girls Saturday night while Sheila had a night out with the girls. Her friends from high school were getting together, but she talked me into going with them. We went to Cadilac Ranch at the Tempe Marketplace and had a good time, drinks and dancing. Got to bed around 1am Sunday morning, and had another baseball game at 9am. It is the 7th inning and I was catching my good friend Mike Mcloughlin and we were playing Dan Marjele's baseball team. The batter hit a 1-2 pitch foul behind the plate towards third base by the dugout. I jumped out of the catcher's croutch and ran over to field the ball. The ball was playable, but the wind brought the ball back towards the field and I miss-judged the ball and planted my leg on the fringe to catch the ball, that is when I heard a snap and my knee buckled. I didn't feel any pain but felt some discomfort. I had previously tore my ACL in 1997 playing basketball at Motorola. I got up and tried to warm up with Mike but my knee buckled again, and this time made three crackling sounds. This time it was very uncomfortable. I think I tore my ACL again.