I'm not 20 you know

I have hit that point in my life where I am realizing I am not where I want to be. I guess this is a midlife crisis, but I dont want a sports car, where would I put the kids and groceries?

I am realizing all the things I dreamed of, all the things I wanted, are just simply not going to happen. It's rather depressing you know. My whole life, I wanted to run the Jungle Cruise at Disneyland. I can see it now....

"There is native arts and crafts on the left, Art is the one on top"
"There is the 2nd most feared animal in the jungle, does anyone know the first....his mother in law!"

Yup, I know 'em all. I love that ride, but its just not going to happen. I am not going to be a lawyer. Ask my cousin Tina, I can out argue, and out logic anyone on the planet, or at least make them, think I can.

Well, I am not going to be dazzlingly good looking either. I always wanted to be more than just cute, but I have hit way past my prime. I think I am going to have to settle, for "slightly distinguished". I realized this when I looked in the mirror; (by the way, for anyone building a house: DO NOT PUT A FULL LENGTH MIRROR ACROSS FROM YOUR FULL GLASS SHOWER!) and saw that I had gained slightly more than a few pounds. I am a United States Marine, this was simply unacceptable. I had to do something. I spent eight years in the Marines, I have run more than most others will run in two lifetimes, so running to help my weight was not really an option. I tried the In-N-Out Double Double Animal Style Fries diet, but for some reason, i did not get the results I was looking for. The Dr. Pepper and Peanutbutter Twix Diet was a complete bomb, and the Chocodile in the morning along with my Burger King sausage Croissant diet was completely worthless.

Alas I must exercise, I started to do your basic push-ups, and sit-ups, but didnt get anywhere. Running it seemed was the answer. I started small. Into the kitchen for some chips and dip. I would run into the bedroom to lay down. Run to get the mail (I needed a stop on this one). I finally worked my way to a mile, then mile and a half, then the other night, I was feeling saucy and put down 4.5 miles. I was feeling good. I was king of the world.

So tonight, I took off again. I usually feel yucky during the first part, but then it works itself out. Tonight was a different story. I started to feel yucky, but thought it would pass. I pushed on, determined to keep going. However my body had other ideas. About a mile in, which coincidentally is a mile from my house, i felt like I was going to throw up a kidney, I thought I just needed to adjust my pace. I slowed down but then was passed by an 85 year old woman walking her toy poodle. (i could have taken her). I kept going, and by this time I could have sworn actual bits of my lungs were exploding with every breath.

Maybe I should start back.....

I kept on, slower this time, I was sweating like the guy in the airplane movie. I was getting close. Checking my watch, how long had I been out? Are my kids still at home? Is Briana married? I was sure I had been running for 3 or 4 years; 14 minutes. WHEW!

I rounded the corner and it was then that I realized, I could have done this for days when I was younger. Things came easier, the future looked brighter, you had it all to look forward to. Now, later, you look back and regret too much, miss too much, and think of what could have been. So my thought was take today for what it is worth. You will only get it once.

Unless you run the jungle cruise, then you will see it every 11 minutes