Dare You To...

Work started up again for me today, after a relaxing and productive two-week holiday.  As much as I love my job, I get so much out of the time off to recharge my batteries.

Some of my favorite memories from this break are the times spent playing games!Games are a great way to de-stress, have fun, and connect with others. A good game will get you totally immersed in the moment, and that's where the magic happens.


One snowy/rainy night, we broke out a classic Monopoly board at my parents' house and got to competing.


It's been so long since we've played Monopoly--well over a decade, for sure!  I barely remembered the rules, but I may have been alone in that.  When Eric asked how much play-money we were each to start with, my father amazingly recited from memory exactly how many of each bill we should receive.  When we finally found the instructions, it was confirmed that my dad's memory was impeccable!


The night was spent in laughter, a fun time had by all!

PS: If you…

I'm supposed to be running a 10k right now.  I should be out on Roosevelt Island with Alec and Jen, running 6.2 miles for theNew York City 10k.  I should be feeling simultaneously fatigued and energized, on the brink of glory, as I was one month ago at my first 10k.

Instead, I'm lying in bed, drinking tea, considering what type of soup I want, and coughing up a storm.


I've been sick since precisely September 24, when I first felt the itch in my throat.  Over the following weeks, my upper respiratory infection got worse, and then better, and worse again.  Even after I felt well again, my cough persisted, and I was continuously short of breath.  As a result, I did not continue training for my next 10k, and I didn't hit the gym at all.Walking wore me out, and talking exhausted me.After too long, I finally admitted that this was more than a cold and went to the doctor.  He first tried to knock it out of me with some strong meds (which worked for only the one day after tak…