The Royce Files

I decided to take my "ward" out to play soccer this evening and the invading insect army made relentless rear and frontal attacks on us. We attempted to flee the enemy but were unsuccesful. Upon returning to HQ I proceded to seek out repellant (DEET free) so we could get a wee bit of a soccer lesson. Still these mosquitoes kept up the harassment although hardly any bites. All the rain must have spawned this infiltration! Bother the rain! So what is there to look forward to this week? Nothing to my knowledge but I'll let you know as the time arrives. It won't be as wet hopefully. In another week I plan to return to my ancestral home at Lehigh.

On Friday I found myself be flung over the handlebars of the C-200 as I attempted to avoid a puddle. I rode out of the 25th Street tunnel on my way home. I noticed the standing water and desired to avoid going through. I veered left as I exited the tunnel but caught a mud slick. I lost control of the bicycle. I could not regain control and I flew over the handlebars. In the process the rear tire bent severely. Fortunately no spokes were broken. My body was 99% uninjuried. I sustained a scrap on my left side of my left foot. It has been over a year since my injury crash at 17th and 25th. It might be in the files somewhere. The crash has not affected my running which I continue to do.

Robin Mark visited Fargo and signed a few autographs. 

Robin Mark is a musician that inspires me. This Irishman from Belfast has written some excellent songs [I cover a few] and could command some broader fame and fortune but has a keen point of view concerning life . He holds that our work [vocation if you will] is and should not be separated from our spirtual work [ministry]. Our service to God does not happen just on Sundays in church. Our service to God should be devotion- our entire lives. We can serve God in our workplace, the marketplace, the school. Literally everywhere because God is everywhere and not confined to a building. I am encouraged by the fact that Robin works a regular job most of the week [a noise consultant?] and only has church responsibility one day a week. I like it. I'd do the same. I enjoy work and meeting people.

I came across these photos from a Downtown at 808 trek to Ireland. Seems like some shots from Dublin, the Wicklow Mountains and possibly Killkenny or Tara (at least somewhere 75km from Dublin). Take note in one shot of a guy with the Liverpool shirt. I think my friend Aric may have a similar shirt. One exceptional shot is the one with the sign saying "no entry except on Sunday." The 808 crew are a church from Goshen, Indiana. Their name is derived from the time location they meet- Goshen Theater Downtown 8:08 PM (Saturdays). They now also meet on Sunday at 10 AM [compromise? ;) ].

Brian Clough dead at 69. Bobby Robertson, Alex Ferguson, Matt Busby, Bob Paisley et cetera will all pay their respects to the possibly the meanest, toughest manager there ever was. The dead guys (Busby and Paisley) will probably give a glum nod from the nether regions of the football dead. I don't even know if Paisley is dead. 'I want no epitaphs of profound history and all that type of thing. I contributed - I would hope they would say that, and I would hope somebody liked me.' - Brian Clough Anyways Clough is probably most noted for his mangerical career at Nottingham Forest. In the 1979 and 1980 he brought Forest to the top of the European football champions pinnacle. He ruffled more than a few feathers during his time but made scores of supporters happy. It is unfortunate that he turned to drinking and thus a few years ago needed a liver transplant. He retired from managing in 1993 after Forest fell out of the Premier League. What strikes me about this figuir...

My running continues but I have nothing to run for. No marathon this season. Neither is there a half marathon planned. I keep telling myself "this is good for you" and "your looking good" to motivate myself to go out. Once I get into the running rhythm things change. I turn into the endurance runner I never was. I actually feel good. My workouts have been averaging around 45 minutes. Occasionally I would go over an hour. Mostly because of my work schedule I have stopped running at night. Almost everyday I am out on the roads. Only recently have I taken some extra rest days. The only possible road race for me this season looks like the Red River Run 15k which I won my age group a few years ago. It's put on by the local running club and is a smaller race. Some rumors have been arising concerning a Fargo Marathon but still seems afar off.