Mish Mash (a little of everything)

I'm fairly overwhelmed.  I've actually managed to write an 80 page thesis which has no results (in fact, the last sentence states "the results are pending" which is true only if that translates to "the results don't exist").  I'm slated to defend in less than 2 weeks, which means i have to put together a 40 minute powerpoint.  On top of that i'm trying to maintain what little momentum i have for planning the fall adventure race (thus far single handedly) - which entails at a bare minimum showing up for the city council meetings where the agenda will include deciding whether or not to grant permission for the race to require swimming in the very dangerous (at least according to nearly every city official in Grand Forks) Red River.
 

Tammy in our surfski on the much feared Red River of the North.

In fact, the larger city of Grand Forks had considered it so dangerous that their city ordinance was crafted to prohibit any swimming in the river, without even the option to allow it under special circumstances.  So the council itself has to first has to re-write the ordinance to give themselves permission to modify the ordinance on occasions such as this.  Don't you love politics?  Amidst all this I'm trying to get trained up for my upcoming trip to the wilds of Wyoming for 'Too Much Fun III' - which in keeping with tradition we'll wait to name something terribly cheesy until after the trip is over. 

2009 TMF expedition to Mt. Rainier (AKA Peaks, paddles and planks)

2008 TMF expedition to Granite Mountain, Montana. (AKA Four ways to die)

I'm trying to hammer the running but the heat, the long days in front of the computer, and the combined stresses of academics and politics (not to mention a family with two boys - but at least thats a different kind of stress) are conspiring to make it difficult.  I nearly quit today's ten mile run half way through (i felt like sh*T) but somehow kept going, and ended up averaging 10 seconds slower than i'd hoped to go.  Whew.  And things will just get more interesting next week as my folks (who are invaluable normally) are heading out on vacation starting tomorrow and we're set to try and potty train AJ (who just turned two last month) over the next couple days.  Luckily, my wife is a saint and has been handling things (well, me) exceptionally well and picking up the slack that i've been dropping by the armload.  Thanks tammy (;

Tammy and AJ packrafting through 'rapids valley' on the Turtle River.