A Few of My Favorite Things

In 1993 a group of guys gathered together on campus of Texas A&M University to pray...and decide whether to start a Christian fraternity chapter at The University. It would be called BYX - Brothers Under Christ...Led by Brett Williams and a handful of his desperadoes, we decided to proceed. We reserved the Kyle Field press box for our first gathering, printed up posters and hung them around campus...and prayed. We had no clue what kind of guys would show up. It had been decided that the fraternity would be open to anyone with the stipulation that they be a Believer in Christ. We as the founding officers had no idea what the future would hold....we were honestly hoping 10 guys would show up....really.

That first social gathering in the press box brought around 115 guys out...football players, Corps of Cadet members, and student body government members...all kinds...all types...all solid guys...115. That first class...the very first A&M pledge class of BYX....90 members.....I would soon graduate....but was honored to part of the foundation of BYX A&M Chapter. There are now 24 chapters on campuses around the United States...and the Texas A&M chapter has 160 current members and pledges.

On October 16, 2010 there was to be BYX founders weekend, held after the Texas A&M football game. I was in...and decided to take Luke...we would go to the game...tail gate after the game with the BYX guys...meet up with old friends....meet the current members....then go and let the old guys lead the chapter meeting.

17 years later...a few of the Founding Officers

First, what a wonderful day. Luke and I left Plano at 6:00 A.M. Made our way to College Station...ate lunch at Sabisa dining hall...where I ate 20 years ago. We made it to the game where the Fightin' Texas Ags didn't do so well against Mizzou.

We headed to the tail gate party...you would have though Luke was pledging as he played football with some of the other's kids....and the pledges.

We reminisced about how our fist annual Island Party had a budget of 100 bucks...and a year later...they brought in 6 bands with Caedmon's Call headlining...corporate sponsorships and 10,000 in attendance...I remember asking Brenda to that first Island Party...she was an Alpha Chi Omega and I had been to some of their events...even with our first lame Island Party...She married me just the same...

Incredible weekend. Aggieland holds a special place in my heart...I met my wife there...I had some of the best days of my life there..."Those on the outside will never understand it and those on the inside will never be able to explain it." Luke drank the Maroon Kool Aide...wants to enroll now...and my soul sings with joy.

On the North Texas Home front...the TEXAS RANGERS ARE GOING TO THE WORLD SERIES. I was 5 years old when my dad took me to my first Ranger Ballgame. Reggie Jackson hit a home run for the Yankees that game. I literally have been waiting for this all my life...as a life long Texas Ranger Fan....WE ARE GOING TO THE WORLD SERIES....35 years later....my Dad and I are going to a World Series...I have tickets to game 5....life has come around full circle. Just how cool is that?

On a training front...still running...still doing bootcamps. This past Friday I was up at 5:00 A.M. to go to bootcamp,...going anaerobic a hand full of times...a full day of work...home...watched the Texas Rangers become American League Champs...and then right before 11:00 P.M. I took of for a 20 mile run. That was a 23 hour day...and felt like true Ultramarthon training. I caught 3 hours of sleep before I was up for 2 soccer games and a date with my hott wife. The mileage will increase, the intensity will increase...and hopefully I keep my sanity through all this.

I want to close with a few things...first...this fall things have began to come into focus...my family, my magic...my running...and most important my Faith in Christ. My next blog will tie into what, Texas Ranger, Josh Hamilton has reminded me.

The last week we had family pictures taking. My wife likes to do this for the upcoming Christmas Card...and of course that will require another realistic Christmas Letter. Megan Graham took them...If you are in North Texas...try her out...she did a great job...check her work out here...and of course here are some of our family pics and my Magic Promo Pics.

Til Next Time Press On!

Needing to Clone Myself...or How Do I Have Time...

Let’s catch up…and this posting is to be scatter shooting…with all that is going on in my life right now.

On Training…let’s get this out of the way…we are building on a great endurance base. With all the kid’s activities, my long run is usually done on Friday Night…and on a trail…for around 2 to 3 hours. We will ramp up mileage and back to back long run days as we move into November. We have also moved into speed work on the track, maintaining 2 boot camps a week for core and have began to implement kettle bell work for both cardio and strength. Running at night helps clear the head and is good sleep deprivation training as running a 100 miles takes 24, give or take a couple of, hours.

On Kid’s activities: Macy and I went to the Texas Hill Country this weekend on an Indian Princess weekend. We stayed at a awesome place with it’s own pool and hot tub. We went to the Longhorn Caverns on Saturday morning and then went tubing and water skiing that afternoon. What a wonderful weekend with my middle daughter. Luke and Macy are still in the midst of soccer season and I am still Cubmaster for our Cub Scout Pack.

The Cabin we stayed in...

The pool...

Macy on a rope....

Macy and Autumn....

On Writing: Yes I have a book started…and yes…I enjoy it, but time…all about time…when you work 50+ hours a week…and you see the above stuff going on…and I write when I can. At some point I may post the first chapter…It has been written…

On Magic: Have started working on a new knuckle busting card routine…and in my mind have a 10 minute routine to compete with at a Texas Association of Magicians Convention. In 2003 I won the best in Close Up Magic and would want to repeat that endeavor. I am about 60% there on the competition routine but need to refine my music, my patter and of course the routine…stay tuned for this…

So…Dave, you may ask, “How the heck to you have time for all this?” Here you go…I don’t watch much TV…except for sporting events…and when I am doing that I never just sit there and watch but I either am reading, practicing magic…or going over work outs…my AD/HD won’t let me just sit there…and of course I am working on cloning myself…that experiment is still in process…so stand by…then I think back to the movie, The Prestige, and what they did to the cloned individual on a nightly basis…maybe cloning is not such a good idea…

Til then…Press On…and for the love of Pete…don’t sit around watching TV…but do something…

HOLY SMOKES...THE ROOF IS ON FIRE!

This morning's brisk temperatures...and the thoughts that plague me. They taunt me like a bully in the school yard. My soul is not at rest. The apathy has subsided and the righteous anger has began to emerge....the voices...the tormenting...they whisper...the shout...they inquire...."can you really do it?...do you have it?" And the furnace is stoked...and gasoline has been poured onto the fire.

It has been a month since Hotter N Hell 100 Mile bike ride followed by the trail 1/2 marathon. It has been a month since I have had a serious endurance run...serious being anything over 3 hours. Last Friday night I took off at 10:00 PM from the "far end" of Northshore Grapevine Lake trail...a trail not for the faint of heart in the dark...and I knocked out 13 miles....The embers started glowing again. I didn't even turn the headphones on the "out"...and then cranked them up on the "in" for a negative split...in the humid sultry temps. I have maintained with about 3 boot camps a week and an couple of moderate runs a week with one weekend "longish" type runs....nothing taxing...nothing serious...nothing that requires additional nutrition...

The month "off" has been good....and Now...I am champing at the bit....It's time to go...time to harness the energy...time to train metabolic rates....endocrine system hormones...hormones that tell the liver to metabolize fats as a primary energy source....time to start monitoring electrolytes and hydration...time to begin counting carbohydrate to protein ratios...

Rocky Raccoon 100 Mile ultramarathon is 4 months away...4 months...I have maintained fitness....I have watched my diet....and now the engine is ready to burn again....and the legs for that matter....The embers have ignited....and now the house is on fire...Do Not Call the Fire Department....stand back and enjoy....I sure am...and so I PRESS ON