I just got my Boston Marathon course tour voucher in the mail yesterday. I plan on flying into Boston on the morning of Saturday, April 14th. Then, on Sunday, April 15th, I’ll take the tour of the course, and on Monday, April 16th, I’ll run the marathon. I’ll be flying in on Delta Airlines with a stopover in New York City, and I’ll be staying at the Hampton Inn in Cambridge, which is about 2.2 miles from the start line. I’m not sure if they’re going to have a shuttle to the start line, or if I’ll have to walk. If I have to walk, it’s no big deal—it will be a good way to get loosened up. Besides, if I have to walk, I won’t be the only one walking—the hotel is sold out and I’m sure that almost all of the occupants will be there for the marathon.

Tags: marathon, marathons, Boston Marathon, running

I just saw the movie Rocky Balboa. I think that most people agree that the original Rocky was a very good movie, but that the Rocky films went downhill fast after that. This one was more like the original than any of the others. I definitely give it a thumbs up. Sorry if this spoils it for anyone who hasn’t seen it yet, but I think that it’s noteworthy that the two best Rocky films are the two in which Rocky loses in the end. In both films, even though he loses, he wins. That’s what made the first Rocky so good, and that’s why this one is worth seeing as well.

Tags: Rocky, Rocky Balboa

I just got another chapter for the high-school mathematics textbook that I’m working on. The lessons include Exponential Functions, Logarithmic Functions, Properties of Logarithms, Natural Logarithms, Solving Exponential and Logarithmic Equations, and Compound Interest. Also, I’m now officially training for the Boston Marathon—the first workout with the Premier Sports Marathoner in Training (MIT) group was last Saturday. I wouldn’t say I’m out of shape, but I’m not in marathon shape, so I have some work to do!

Tags: Math, Mathematics, marathon, marathons, Boston Marathon, running

Well, I thought the mathematics problems were dying down, but maybe it was just a temporary lull. I just got a bunch of new lessons to write for the middle-school test-prep book I’m working on. Topics include calculating cube roots, representing whole-number powers as repeated multiplication and division, multiplying and dividing monomials, simplifying rational numbers by using exponent rules, graphing functions, calculating volumes of three-dimensional shapes, comparing measures, using measures expressed as rates and measures expressed as products, calculating areas of simple figures, and using units.

Tags: Math, Mathematics

I finished the novel Moloka’i by Alan Brennert over the weekend. I had to take a long break from it while I was doing the mathematics problems, but I was glad to get back to it. It was an excellent novel and definitely made me nostalgic for Hawaii. Since it was a historic novel, it was mostly based on fact, which made it all the more interesting. Toward the end it even got into the relocation camps for Japanese-Americans during World War II, which I remember writing a paper about during my time at Hawaii Loa College. This is one reason I like going to used bookstores. I would never have found this novel at Barnes & Noble.

Tags: book, books, Moloka’i, Alan Brennert, Hawaii Loa College, Hawaii

I just finished some more mathematics lessons for the middle-school test-prep book I’m working on. Topics included bases, powers, roots, negative exponents, absolute value, and using algebraic terminology correctly, such as variable, equation, term, coefficient, inequality, expression, and constant. Things are dying down a little bit with the mathematics work. I think the person I’m working for is pleased with my work, but I don’t think he has much more right now. I’m confident I’ll work for him off and on for a long time to come, but I’m not sure how consistently. Anyway, it’s fine that things are dying down a bit, because marathon training is about to start.

Tags: Math, Mathematics

Ivan Volodin, the founder of One Page Studio, was in Columbus over the weekend, and I had a chance to visit with him. Things seem to be going well for him professionally and personally. Also, less than two weeks until I officially begin training for the Boston Marathon with the Premier Sports Marathoner in Training (MIT) group. I have been doing some “pre-training,” though, so I definitely won’t be starting from zero. And speaking of running, this month’s Runner’s World magazine has a good article on Terry Fox. I looked for it on Runner’s World’s website so I could link to it, but apparently it’s only in the print version.

Tags: One Page Studio, marathon, marathons, Boston Marathon, running, Terry Fox, Runner’s World, Runners World