Every Marathon Needs the Occasional Sprint

First Trip to NOLA (2007)

So a few weeks ago I posted something about the perils of persistence. It’s tough, it’s annoying, and I’ve been doing it for years. For the past year or so, I’ve been an “all work, no play” sort of person. Well, relatively speaking. I do have my fun, but not nearly as much as a college student should. Work and school always always came first…which is very hard to do in my world.

But today, all of that changes. Today, I am unpredictable. I am an older, more sophisticated version of the 18-year old rebel I once was. Today, I go to New Orleans. All year, I have immediately rejected any thoughts of going to one of my favorite cities in the world for fear of breaking my momentum. “No, not this year…I mean…I really can’t. I have so much work to do. I’ve got a book to read, and calls to make, and manuals to write, not to mention like 500 emails…it’s just not a good time for me. And really…I mean it’s not a very efficient use of my funds. It would be a bit irresponsible.” Last night my friends finally slapped some sense into me. “So much work…” “Not an effecient use of funds?” Seriously???? How old am I? I feel like a 35-year old accountant. I used to be the most radical advocate of “the college lifestyle” in the whole world. And now? Now I’m a 35 year-old bald man trapped in a smokin’ 22-year-old body. Damn.

So today, I quit plugging away at a life which I am too young to lead. Hopefully, I will return on Sunday night refreshed and rejuvenated, ready to return to the task at hand. Either that, or just severely hungover.

So what’s the point here?

Sometimes, the daily grind stops cutting it. Sometimes you need that little 18-year-old you on your shoulder telling you to throw caution to the wind. Turn off your cell phone. Be a kid again. Your work is the marathon, but every once in a while, you’ve got to throw a little sprint in there to break things up.

NOLA OR BUST!!