Upside down and around and around

I've got two tickets to paradise,

Won't you pack your bags,

we'll leave tonight

EDDIE MONEY

I apologize for not updating this more often. It's just that when I sit down to do this I feel as if there are only so many ways I can say played a bunch of volleyball, worked out, competed in trivia, and saw some live music. Again no complaints at all with what I am doing, it's that I have run out of interesting ways to describe it.

Let's start with something really cool I did last week. Made my first trip ever to hallowed Wrigley Field, and the best part about it was I didn't have to watch a Cubs game to be there. I spent a very fun wonderful night at the old ballpark seeing Billy Joel and Elton John for the second time this summer. And thanks to an old friend on facebook who had a cousin on Billy Joel's soundboard got to sit about 15 rows back from the stage. I have already reviewed the show which was nearly identical to the show in Madison so I won't add much there but I will review Wrigley for you

The area around the stadium prior to and after the show is really electric with an almost Bourbon St. feel to it. There's all sorts of bars and people just being part of the action. We ended up in a bar called Cubbie Bears directly across the street from the stadium. And to add to the festivities they hosted an after show concert for free by Eddie Money. He had a lot more hits then I could remember and really enjoyed that show as well. It made for a very long night and a very late drive back to Madison.
And apparently the bars in Chicago all come with a surgeon general's warning about the dangers of drinking. Although the thought of some pregnant woman spitting out her drink after reading the sign seems a bit far fetched. You mean drinking may cause damage to an unborn child? Who knew?

The late night was followed by a very early morning as the past weekend was, as always, our busiest of the year. Maxwell St days is our outdoor sidewalk sale/festival and although the weather was fairly uncooperative the people came out and spent. And speaking of the weather the temperature in Madison dipped into the 40's one night last week. This has been a ridiculously mild summer in town with I believe only 3 days in the 90's, and lots of days in the 70's and 80's. I have this mental picture of me melting away like the witch in Oz at about the 3.5 mile mark of my first hike in August in what will surely be 100+ degree Utah weather. I am now only 5 weeks away from my return visit. One thing is for sure I will be in the best shape yet for a visit to Utah.

I would love to be able to say that my anklet has made my decision making easier, but still having issues that come with being in bars every weeknight between volleyball and trivia. I have started to at least attempt to offset the damage I can do there by adding some evening workouts ( mostly walk/jog interval work). I had a decent weigh in this week losing a little over 3 lbs but I should be doing better, and am actually very much looking forward to the structure that comes at Fitness Ridge.

I would really love it if someone could find me a flight from Chicago to Maui for the four days before Thanksgiving for under $500. My dream field in the Maui Invitational has both Wisconsin and Maryland competing in the 3 day tournament. I hold no aspirations that I will make it there, but I can dream and settle for instead the tropical beauty of Bloomington , Indiana in December as my Terps travel to play Indiana.

That's all the news from here. I hope everyone is having a great summer. Football season is right around the corner :) Peace, Love, and Touchdowns, Jim