1st Western States Update & a Rant:

This just in from the folks at Western States:

Dear WS Runners --First let me congratulate you for being one of the lucky few to gain entry into WS this year. With a record crowd of over 1,350 applicants, the odds of being selected were 16%. The lottery is one of my favorite WS activities of the year, and I absolutely enjoyed watching the excitement on the faces of those folks in the audience fortunate enough to have their name drawn out of the GU2O (http://www.gusports.com/) jug. If you haven't already, you should be receiving your WS Participant Guide in the next few days. The Guide is an invaluable WS resource. Even if you're a WS veteran, read it carefully as there are some changes.

Wow, so Chase got in on a 16% chance! That's so cool, and I'm so darn glad he's going to be there, believe it or not, a 100-mile Mountain trail race can be a bit intimidating! It'll be nice to have a friendly face out there. Also of note in that Western States note, What, they can't go ONE STINKING PARAGRAPH without a commercial?

That leads me to my poll and corporate sponsorship. I know you guys all said it was fine, and yeah, take the money, but, darn it, while I can still afford a roof over my head I am not selling-out! I just can't do it. You guys get commercials everywhere and one of the things I love about me, which many people understandably don't like, is the big old chip on my shoulder. I don't want to supplement my income enough where I feel "OK" with what I get paid. I'm a darn sight from OK with it. I have an important job, more important than a doctor's about the same as a nurse. More important that a corporate attorney, about the same as a child advocate. It's almost like the more you make, the more worthless you job is. I was offered six-figures to go sell Hummers and Beemers two years ago. Yeah, that's triple what I make now, for what? To enable some tools to drink gas and take up 8 parking spaces? Oh, but taking care of America's Utes isn't a big job, give them a little-bitty check.

Someone said to me, you work only part of the day, yeah, the part that's about 12-hours long! Someone said to me, you work only part of the year, yeah, that's actually kind of nice. Really, I'm ok with what I get paid, I'm just not ok with what things cost. Read my lips, as a single school teacher I CAN NEVER AFFORD TO BUY A HOUSE. WTF? Property is not for everyone anymore in this country. Shoot-fire, maybe I will sell-out. Yeah, maybe I will, stay tuned, right now, I gotta go get a beer (darn it's 7 AM, make that a coffee, besides the "Drug Czar" is visiting our school today, don't want to meet him with Pabst on my breath.)

Sadly, in life's hierarchy, the Hummer tops the bus :(